Influence of monitoring and evaluation on performance of constituency development fund projects: a case of Marakwet west sub-county of Elgeyo Marakwet county, Kenya.

Abstract

The increased need of performance involves new challenges in ensuring that targets are met. Marakwet West Sub-County like many other parts of Kenya has been experiencing the lack of proper utilization of CDF funds. Monitoring and evaluation identify problems and their causes. From the literature review, it was established that one of the challenges facing CDF projects was the lack of sufficient approaches to monitoring and evaluation. This study, therefore, investigated the influence of monitoring and evaluation on the performance of Constituency Development Fund projects in Marakwet West-Sub County of Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were; to investigate how monitoring and evaluation data influenced the performance of CDF projects in Marakwet West Sub County, to investigate how information reporting and utilization influenced the performance of CDF projects in Marakwet West Sub-County, to determine how capacity building and human resources influenced the performance of CDF projects in Marakwet West Sub County and to assess the extent to which the budget allocation influenced the performance of CDF projects in Marakwet West Sub County. Descriptive survey research design targeting 148 PMC chairpersons in Marakwet West Sub-County was employed. A sample size of 59 was stratified random sampled. Questionnaires were used as instruments of data collection. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze data while Correlation analysis checked the relationship among the variables. The analysis of correlation results between the dependent and independent all gave a positive coefficient greater than one implying that if monitoring and evaluation practice is increased then, it impacts positively on project performance. The study found out that the adoption of M&E in Marakwet West Sub-County was very low. Only (54.2%) collected monitoring and evaluation data. The fact that M&E was not one hundred percent explains the existence of insufficiency. An inadequacy in M&E was characterized by inadequate means of data storage, poor data processing, poor means of dissemination of M&E information. In this view, the study recommended that different line ministries should involve it stakeholders in formulating policies that would ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation process are encouraged to engage in continuous data collection, data analysis, and effective data utilization to enhance the project results. Also, new information reporting and use system are to be put in place, with proper data processing, presentation, and dissemination to capture real-time data and monitoring and evaluation budget should be delineated within the overall project budget.