Factors affecting accountability of resources in Kiambu county of Kenya

Abstract

Accountability is an ethical code for governance. It is often used synonymously as the matter of responsibility, answerability, blameworthiness and liability. The main objectives of this study were; to establish factors affecting accountability of resources in the county and also to assess the measures taken to enhance accountability of resources in the county. The research was based on a case study done with a sample size of six respondents from the top management in Kiambu County who were regarded adequate in this study. Primary data was gathered directly from respondents and for this study; the researcher used an Interview guide. Qualitative data collected using the interview guides was analyzed using content analysis method. From the findings, the top management is committed towards enhancing accountability through various methods. The commitment by the top management affected largely policy implementation. The study found out that appreciation and staff motivation are key components to enhancing accountability in the county. Application of consequences like prosecution also greatly enhanced accountability by making people answerable for their actions. The study found that if the staff have strong management then they will be accountable but if the management is weak then they shall take advantage of the organization. The study also found that enabling the staff to have ownership of ideas and processes goes a long way into motivating the staff to perform well. The study depicted that organizational culture at Kiambu County also largely affected the quality of work with majority of the respondents expressing that this affected the quality of accountability significantly.