Monitoring and Evaluation Factors Influencing Success of Development Projects: a Case of Starehe Sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the monitoring and evaluation factors influencing success of development projects in Starehe Sub-county, Kenya. The objective of this study were to establish the extent to which the strength of monitoring team influence success of development projects in Starehe Sub-county, Kenya, Determine the influence of budgetary allocation on success of development projects in Starehe Sub-county, Kenya, Establish the influence of M&E plan on success of development projects in Starehe Sub-county, Kenya, and Evaluate the influence of selection of tools and techniques on success of development projects in Starehe Sub-county, Kenya. This study employed a descriptive survey research design and targeted 231 respondents and a sample of 144 respondents of the target population was considered. Stratified sampling technique method was used and primary data was collected through the use of questionnaires. A pilot study was conducted to pretest the validity and reliability of instruments for data collection. The research supervisor‟s opinion was obtained to ensure content validity of the research instrument. The test re-test technique was used to estimate the reliability of the instruments. Cronbach‟s Alpha Coefficient of values greater or equal to 0.7 will be an acceptable indicator of internal consistency. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 21 and presented using frequency tables to facilitate comparisons and conclusions. Data collected was analyzed and interpreted based on the identified independent and dependent variable. The data was analysed using Correlation regression where the study used Spearson‟s correlation to relate the variables, This was to establish if there was a correlation between dependent variable Project success against independent variable Strength of monitoring team and its influence to project success, Budgetary allocation and Project success, M&E plan and Project success and Selection of tools and techniques and Project Success. The study revealed that strength of monitoring team, budgetary allocation, M&E plan and selection of tools and techniques played an important role in determining the success of development projects. M & E is important for success of any project, yet in most development projects it has not been adopted effectively. The role of strength of monitoring team, budgetary allocation, M&E plan and selection of tools leaves only 24.8 percent unexplained. The P- value of 0.000 (Less than 0.05) implies that the model of M&E factors influencing project success is significant at the 95% confidence level. The researcher concluded that there is need to evaluate other factors which contribute to project success and also the M&E budget should be given its due recognition to the role it plays in ensuring success of development projects.