Influence of Stakeholders` Participation on Implementation of Off-grid Microhydropower Projects in Kenya: a Case of Iriamaina Micro Hydropower in Bomet County, Kenya.

Abstract

Most hydropower projects follow face numerous implementation trials that impend sustainable realization of clean energy. Moreover, these projects follow a top-down approach paradigm whereby projects are identified, planned, and executed according to the governments’ or investors’ preferences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of stakeholder participation on the implementation of off-grid micro-hydropower projects in Kenya, a case of Iriamaina Micro hydropower in Bomet County. The objectives that guided the study were: to establish the influence of stakeholders' participation in decision-making on the implementation of off-grid hydropower in Kenya; to assess the influence of stakeholders' participation in project design on the implementation of off-grid hydropower projects, and to determine the involvement of stakeholders participation in project financing on the implementation of off-grid hydropower. The stakeholder theory and the systems theory served as the foundation for the study. The research used a descriptive survey methodology. The study population included stakeholders from the project committee and community at Iriamaina Micro hydropower in Bomet County. The data was collected using the Linkert scale and presented through standard deviation, Mean, and proportions. The inferential statistics used namely; Pearson’s correlation coefficient(r) and regression analysis. The study had a hypothesis test. The target population of this study was 160 stakeholders. The response rate was at 96%, a proportion of 4% posed unavoidable discrepancies such as incompleteness. The quality of data entered in SPSS was above average. This translated to 153 questionnaires being utilized. A cross-sectional research design was used during this study. Primary data was collected by the use of 5-point Likert levels highlighted in brackets (1-strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neutral/undecided, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree) and interview guide. The data was reliable as Cronbach’s coefficient was above 0.7. The data collected was sorted, keyed in, and analyzed with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics were used to know to what extent and where the stakeholders influenced project financing, project design, market assessment and project decision-making. The research findings on descriptive statistics indicated that majority of respondents agreed on involvement in project decision making with respective combined mean of (4.011), market assessment(4.394) , project financing (4.086) whereas the respondents were neutral on their involvement in project design (3.674). Pearson’s correlation coefficient showed that there was a positive correlation as follows on the variables; decision making (r =0.323), market assessment (r = 0.145), project financing (r =0.240) and project design (r = 0.401). Findings showed a strong positive correlation between involvement of stakeholders and implementation of hydropower r = 0.506. Descriptive data showed that respondents agreed on being involved on implementation of Iriamaina micro hydropower with combined mean (3.54).The regression analysis showed that; involvement in project design, project financing and decision making were significant predictors of the implementation of hydropower ,however, the market assessment was not significant.