Effect of Stakeholder Involvement in Local Authority Project Management: A Case Study of Bomet and Kericho

Abstract

Responsive and sustainable service delivery by local authority to citizens is embedded in the global spirit of partnership and involvement of stakeholders which is reflected in Kenya vision 2030. The framework for the developing of our country provides for increasing community empowerment through developed public funds weight in favor of the most disadvantage and allocated in accordance with locally determine priorities through transparent procedures and public participation in governance. The involvement of stakeholders in project life cycle create an entry point for local authorities to constructively engage with their citizens on matter of planning and development. Project initiation, planning, execution, sponsorship and closure were used to assess the development of societies in project management by local authorities. The study sought to determine effects of stakeholders’ involvement in local authorities project management in relation to successful project management in the two counties of Bomet and Kericho and extend to which they were involve in the management. In the research study, it was important to assess the society’s involvement projects management especially in local authorities. The study involved a survey carried out and used to assess the effect of stakeholders’ involvement in project management within Bomet and Kericho counties in Rift Valley region. The population of the study was composed of all stakeholders of the projects in the two counties. The sample size was 93 respondent from all the local authorities in the affected counties mentioned above which is the ten percent of nine hundred and twenty seven respondents. The primary data was obtained through questioners and interviews while data was extracted from the records contained in the available documents. To analysis the data, statistical for social science (SPSS 17.0) and statistical techniques were used for computations and interpretations. The interpreted data was represented using bar graphs, pie charts and frequency distribution tables. The tabulated data was analysis with the help of the statistical package for the social sciences version 17 together with T-Test analysis. The data was then analyzed using descriptive methods which include means and standard deviation in order to establish patterns, trends and relationships that make it easier to understand and interpret the implications of the study. For qualitative data, which mainly was gathered from open ended questions and interviews guide, qualitative data checklist was developed. The checklist was clustered a long main themes of the research that eased consolidation of information and interpretation and then analyzed through content analysis. From the study it is clear that stakeholders play a major role in project identification and implementation. Their involvements eliminate challenges like corruption and mismanagement of funds, and insecurity which can affect projects execution and management in Kericho and Bomet counties. It is therefore recommended that future research should be done to fine out the effects of education levels of stakeholders in project identification and implementation.