Monitoring & Evaluation Practices and Implementation....
Monitoring & Evaluation Practices and Implementation....
Monitoring & Evaluation Practices and Implementation....
BY
This research project is my original work and has not been presented for examination in any
other University.
Abdallah Sumba
D56/CTY/PT/37068/2016
I confirm that the work in this research project was done by the candidate under my
supervision.
Dr Paul Sang
Kenyatta University
ii
DEDICATION
I dedicate this work to my wife for her encouragement and support in writing of the research
project.
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The successful completion of this project could not have been realised without the contribution
of various individuals. I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor Dr Paul Sang for
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Table of Contents
DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................. ii
DEDICATION................................................................................................................................ iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .............................................................................................................. iv
LIST OF TABLES......................................................................................................................... viii
LIST OF FIGURES.........................................................................................................................ix
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS ................................................................................ x
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS .........................................................................................xi
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... xii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1
1.1 Background of the Study ....................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem ...................................................................................................... 3
1.3 Objectives of the Study .......................................................................................................... 5
1.3.1 General Objective ........................................................................................................... 5
1.3.2 Specific Objectives .......................................................................................................... 5
1.4 Research Questions ................................................................................................................ 5
1.5 Significance of the Study........................................................................................................ 6
1.6 Scope of the Study .................................................................................................................. 6
1.7 Limitation of the Study .......................................................................................................... 6
1.8 Delimitation of the Study ....................................................................................................... 7
1.9 Organisation of the Study ...................................................................................................... 7
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................ 8
2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 8
2.2 Theoretical Review ................................................................................................................ 8
2.2.1 Systems Management Theory ......................................................................................... 8
2.2.2 Transformative Learning Theory ................................................................................... 9
2.2.3 Accountability Theory .................................................................................................. 10
2.2.4 Stakeholder Theory ....................................................................................................... 11
2.3 Empirical Review ................................................................................................................. 12
2.3.1 The Role of M&E Team Capacity and Skills in Successful Implementation of
Development Projects ............................................................................................................ 12
2.3.2 The Role of M&E Organisational Learning in Successful Implementation of
Development Projects ............................................................................................................ 14
2.3.3 The Role of M&E Transparency and Accountability in Successful Implementation of
Development Projects ............................................................................................................ 16
2.3.4 The Role of Participatory Decision-making in Successful Implementation of
Development Projects ............................................................................................................ 17
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2.4 Summary of Literature and Research Gaps ....................................................................... 19
2.5 Conceptual Framework ....................................................................................................... 22
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY............................................................... 23
3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 23
3.2 Research Design ................................................................................................................... 23
3.3 Target Population ................................................................................................................ 23
3.4 Sampling Design .................................................................................................................. 24
3.5 Data Collection..................................................................................................................... 27
3.5.1 Data Collection Instruments ......................................................................................... 27
3.5.2 Validity of the Research Instruments ........................................................................... 27
3.5.3 Reliability of the Research Instruments ....................................................................... 28
3.6 Data Collection Procedure ................................................................................................... 28
3.7 Data Analysis and Presentation ........................................................................................... 28
3.8 Ethical Considerations ......................................................................................................... 29
CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS .......................................... 30
4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 30
4.2 Response Rate ...................................................................................................................... 30
4.3 Descriptive Statistics ............................................................................................................ 31
4.3.1 Demographic Characteristics ....................................................................................... 31
4.4 Monitoring and Evaluation Practices .................................................................................. 32
4.4.1 Role of M&E team capacity and skills.......................................................................... 32
4.4.2 Role of M&E Organisational Learning ........................................................................ 33
4.4.3 The role of M&E transparency and accountability ..................................................... 35
4.4.4 Role of M&E participatory decision-making ............................................................... 37
4.5 Inferential Statistics ............................................................................................................. 39
4.5.1 Relationship between M&E practices and successful implementation of projects ..... 39
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..................... 43
5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 43
5.2 Summary of the Study ......................................................................................................... 43
5.2.1 Demographic Information ............................................................................................ 43
5.2.2 Role of M&E team capacity and skills in the implementation of development projects
in Nairobi City County .......................................................................................................... 43
5.2.3 Role of M&E organisational learning in implementation of development projects in
Nairobi City County .............................................................................................................. 43
5.2.4 Role of M&E transparency and accountability in the implementation of development
projects in Nairobi City County ............................................................................................ 44
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5.2.5 Role of M&E participatory decision-making in implementation of development
projects in Nairobi City County ............................................................................................ 44
5.3 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 45
5.4 Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 45
5.5 Suggestions for Further Study ............................................................................................. 45
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................. 48
APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................... 58
Appendix I: Questionnaire ........................................................................................................ 58
Appendix II: Key Informant Interview Schedule ..................................................................... 65
Appendix III: Research Authorization ..................................................................................... 66
Appendix IV: Letter from NACOSTI ....................................................................................... 67
Appendix V: List of Projects ..................................................................................................... 68
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LIST OF TABLES
viii
LIST OF FIGURES
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OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Project Success – the ability of an intervention to meet its objectives within the budget and on
schedule, attain quality, health, safety and environmental requirements.
Team Capacity and Skills – Knowledge, training, skills and experience of a person to
operationalise a project, programme or policy.
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ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
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ABSTRACT
Effective and efficient delivery of services is a major challenge in both government and non-
government organisations. The initiation and successful running of development interventions
is an important factor in the public sector since it helps governments to deliver services to the
citizens. The elected and appointed representatives use the development projects to attain their
promises as well as do what they are mandated to do by the country’s laws and regulations.
Therefore, the development projects offer the platform for the public to interact with their
government representatives. The significance of development projects in the public sector
emphasises the need to ensure the interventions are successfully implemented. As a result,
M&E is an essential success tool in development interventions. The researcher in the current
study therefore aimed to analyse the function of M&E practices in the success of development
projects in Nairobi City County. The specific practices considered in the study constituted
M&E team skills and capacity, M&E organizational learning, M&E transparency and
accountability and M&E participatory decision-making. The researcher developed the study
based on four theories including Systems Management Theory, Transformative Learning
Theory, Accountability Theory and Stakeholder Theory. The researcher further applied
descriptive design with a focus on qualitative and quantitative approaches. The target
participants in the study constituted 105 development projects in Nairobi City County. A
sample of 84 projects were be used to carry out the study. Stratified and simple random
sampling were used to select projects to be included in the study. Two respondents were derived
from each project comprising of one project management officer and one Member of County
Assembly. The study found that M&E practices had been partly embraced and implemented
adequately in putting development projects into action in Nairobi City County. The capacity
and skills of the personnel could help to enhance the effectiveness of implementing
development projects. However, the study respondents noted that recruitment of personnel in
M&E roles was not entirely merit-based. Besides, the county government of Nairobi had
prioritised training of personnel to develop and nurture M&E skills even though the culture of
learning had not been embraced at the various workplaces. The study further found that
accountability and transparency had not been attained in the county government because
stakeholders lacked access to evaluation results. The study also found inadequate participatory
decision-making practices in the implementation phase of interventions in Nairobi City
County. Therefore, the study recommended prioritisation of M&E practices including team
capacity and skills, organisational learning, transparency and accountability and participatory
decision-making to enhance the effectiveness of implementation of development projects.
Future research should consider other M&E practices including budgeting, planning and
dissemination plan to develop a comprehensive strategy of enhancing efficacy of development
projects.
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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
delivery to the public in government institutions. Abuya (2016) noted that public services
helped the citizens to interact with their governments. For instance, citizens experienced the
presence of a functioning government through aspects such as existing public health facilities,
good transport system, water and sanitation. The description on government services to the
Different factors constitute the success of development projects whether in the private sector,
explored the common factors that characterised the success of development projects including
period of implementation, costs and resources involved, ability to meet the scope, and general
satisfaction of the recipients. In a similar study Raziq et al (2018) emphasized the need to attain
The Constitution of Kenya 2010 introduced devolved systems of government with the aim of
bringing services close to the citizens. As a result, different county governments initiated a
wide range of development projects that were aimed at attaining the goal of bringing services
to the people and eventually enhancing their wellbeing both economically, socially and
politically. However, the introduction of devolved system of governance did not imply projects
were being implemented successfully and to the satisfaction of the public. Ngigi and Busolo
(2019) observed that issues such as National and County government disagreements over
funding had affected project implementation and eventually service delivery to the public.
Besides, issues of absence or ineffective participatory decision-making, high levels of
corruption and inadequate technical support and expertise were key contributors to failed
The definition of project success has evolved over time to incorporate a wide range of factors.
Albert, Balve and Spang (2017) observed that project success was traditionally described based
on Barnes’ Iron Triangle which constituted time, cost and performance. However, the criterion
has expanded to include other aspects including the satisfaction of stakeholder groups, efficient
use of resources, quality of outputs and outcomes, and sustainability of the intervention.
Different factors facilitate the success or failure of interventions despite the varying scope and
nature of organizations. Williams (2016) explored the success factors in the construction
projects and explained that the success of a project relied on multi-dimensional aspects that
had complex interactions. Williams explained that the factors could result in either project
success or failure depending on how and if they were employed in the management process.
For instance, the success of an intervention relied on the ability of the management to involve
the stakeholders through clear channels of communication. Another important aspect was the
effective and efficient manner. Besides, there was need to account to all the stakeholders who
could either benefit or be affected by the project (Albert, Balve & Spang, 2017).
The different success factors of a project highlighted in the existing literature describe key
monitoring and evaluation practices. Ngigi (2020) explored practices such as capacity building
in an organisation, information dissemination and M&E budgeting as key aspects in the project
management. Similarly, Muniu (2017) delved into practices such as community participation
and joint collaboration as key factors that could facilitate county government projects
sustainability. The success and sustainability of a project therefore relied on different factors
2
such as coaching and training of the participants, capacity building of the team to have the
necessary skills, establishing transparency and accountability measures and ensuring consistent
involvement of the stakeholders. Ojok and Basheka (2016) noted that the aspects of
transparency and accountability were critical in public sector development projects because
there was a growing demand for good and effective governance. There was high pressure on
governments due to the growing demand for more responsiveness to the needs of interested
parties.
The adoption of the devolved system of governance through the Kenya Constitution 2010 was
based on the needs of each geographical region. Ngigi and Busolo (2019) observed that
and accountability of service delivery to the public. Devolution was also expected to bring
Despite the various efforts to enhance service delivery through decentralisation of governance
in Kenya, citizens in different parts of the country including Nairobi City County continue to
struggle to access government services. For instance, county governments were allocated about
316.5 billion shillings in the 2019/2020 financial year. Maalim (2017) stated that county
governments were not implementing projects as expected despite receiving billions of shillings
from the national government. County governments were still spending more than 50 percent
of the allocated funds on recurrent expenditure at the expense of development projects. The
findings were emphasised in the Standard Newspaper report which indicated that the 47
counties spent about Ksh.172.93 billion on recurrent expenditure while only Ksh.48.45 billion
was allocated for development interventions within the first 9 months of the 2020/2021
3
Ogolla and Moronge (2016) highlighted that the government invested a lot of funds in projects
but failed to yield positive results. Ogolla and Moronge noted that best practices of monitoring
and evaluation were not incorporated into development projects and hence the management
team failed to account to the stakeholders. Besides, the lack of transparency resulted in massive
misuse of resources. Similarly, Hussein and Minja (2019) observed that efficient Monitoring
and Evaluation systems provided the appropriate feedback to support the development of the
economy and facilitate policy interventions in areas that required government attention.
However, the aspect of efficient M&E system had not received the necessary attention in the
county governments.
Ogolla and Moronge (2016) highlighted aspects such as budgetary allocation, communication,
describe the aspect of accountability which was closely related to budgetary allocation.
Similarly, other studies such as Maalim (2017) discussed aspects such as politics that are not
governments. Even though factors such as political relations affect the different phases of a
In this regard, the current study aimed to explore key practices of M&E which assist in the
on Nairobi City County. According to Kabede (2018), an effective and efficient M&E system
constituted factors such as skilled and competent personnel, technical support, adequate
funding, transparency and accountability. Similarly, Ngigi and Busolo (2019) noted that
efficacy in service delivery in devolved systems could be achieved through the establishment
of a framework and an enabling environment. Therefore, the current study examined key
practices of M&E team skills and capacity, M&E organisational learning, M&E transparency
4
1.3 Objectives of the Study
To find out the role of monitoring and evaluation practices in successful implementation of
i. The role of the M&E team capacity and skills in implementation of growth initiatives
i. How can M&E team capacity and skills facilitate the success of development projects
iii. How does M&E transparency and accountability influence successful implementation
iv. To what extend does M&E participatory decision-making contribute to the successful
5
1.5 Significance of the Study
The study makes a substantial contribution to the discussion regarding incorporating M&E in
the public sector. The study emphasises the need to establish and sustain an M&E system as
the best approach to enhancing governance. The study comes at the appropriate time when
devolved units are struggling with a wide range of issues including corruption, inadequate or
lack of M&E skills and capacity and poor decision-making processes that affect the successful
implementation of projects in the county governments. Similarly, project managers will benefit
from the study since it will help them to comprehend the essential components and practices
of M&E. The study explores key practices of capacity building, participatory decision making,
organisational learning and accountability and transparency. The factors do not only facilitate
the establishment of a functioning M&E system but also ensure its sustainability.
The study examines the role of M&E practices in successful implementation of development
interventions in Nairobi City County. To derive the relevant findings, the study explored M&E
team capacity and skills, M&E organisational learning, M&E transparency and accountability
and participatory decision-making process in the devolved government of Nairobi City. The
study, therefore, takes into consideration government development projects under the
management of Nairobi City County. The researcher limited the geographical scope of the
The study relied on self-reporting among the officers involved in project management in
Nairobi City County. The projects at the county level were political in nature because they
were initiated to fulfil election promises. Therefore, there was a risk of project officers
providing information that was politically-correct and hence limiting the accuracy of the
findings.
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1.8 Delimitation of the Study
The research concentrated on the objectives of the study to derive the findings. Therefore,
interviews and questionnaires constituted questions that would specifically address the study
objectives. Besides, the research employed a triangulation approach which comprised different
data collection methods. Noble and Heale (2019) stated that triangulation was essential in
research to address potential limitations that could affect the validity and reliability of the study.
Therefore, different data gathering methods including questionnaires and interview schedules
facilitated the gathering of diverse information to address possible bias among the respondents.
The research project constituted 5 main chapters. The first chapter constitutes introduction
significance, scope and potential limitations. The second chapter constitutes analysis of the
literature regarding the specific objectives of the study. The researcher explores the key
theories and theorists who provided relevant literature. The literature review also comprises the
conceptual framework describing the relationship between variables. The third chapter
addresses the study methodology. This includes the research methods, design and sampling
methods to be employed in the study. Chapter four provides the research findings and
discussion based on previous studies while chapter five summarises the findings and
recommendations.
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CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
This chapter reviews the existing literature regarding the role of M&E practices in the success
of development intervention. The chapter explores both local, regional and global literature to
derive the findings of other scholars on the same subject. Besides, the researcher reviews the
literature with a specific focus on aspects of M&E team capacity and skills, organisational
Systems theory is a model that was proposed by Ludwig von Bertalanffy in the 1940s to explain
the functioning of systems. Von Bertalanffy argued that systems were open to and interacted
with their environments. Von Bertalanffy further suggested that systems could acquire
qualitatively new traits after interacting with their environment and hence resulting in continual
evolution (Hammond, 2019). Hammond observed that the systems theory emphasised the
relations between parts which worked together as a system. According to von Bertalanffy,
businesses, just like the human body, comprised different components that worked in harmony
The systems theory has facilitated the evolution of organisational management. In another
study, Baecker (2019) observed that employees comprised the most crucial component of a
firm. Other components essential for the successful operations in an organisation constituted
the departments, workgroups and business units. The scholar noted that managers had the duty
to assess the patterns and events in the organisation to find out the appropriate approach of
management.
8
The systems management theory aligned well with the objective on M&E team skills and
capacity in an organisation. Kithinji (2019) explored the aspect of evaluation capacity among
the non-government organisations and found that the key functions of an M&E team were
essential to successfully implement an M&E system. In this regard, the management team
should understand the specific roles and responsibilities of the individuals who form the M&E
In relation to the systems theory, the management at Nairobi City County should understand
the roles of an M&E team capacity and skills and how they can contribute to the intervention
success. Folscher et al (2019) emphasised the need to understand the capacity and skills of
Transformative learning theory was suggested by Jack Mezirow in the year 1978. Jack
According to Jack, learners could adjust their thinking perspectives based on the new
information and knowledge they acquired. Jack Mezirow emphasised adult and young adult
education because grown-ups were required to adjust to new knowledge and concepts that were
different from traditional beliefs and thoughts. Therefore, Mezirow focused on the aspects of
critical reflection and critical review which helped an individual to transform from old to new
Transformative learning theory plays a crucial role in an organisation since the personnel is
required to constantly learn and develop their skills for personal development and enhanced
attained to realise transformative learning for sustainable development. For instance, the
9
management of an organisation was required understand that each employee had unique beliefs
and skills that could affect how they perceived the new knowledge.
The transformative learning theory related to the objective on monitoring and evaluation
organisational learning in the current study. Organisational learning is a crucial practice that
can support development of skills and capacity and eventually facilitate the successful
implementation of projects. Similarly, the county government of Nairobi can recruit new
personnel or train the existing staff members who are in charge of project management to
The proponents argued that an individual’s need to justify their actions and behaviours to
another party resulted in one to feel a sense of accountability based on the process by which
decisions had been made. Therefore, there was a need to account for both the process of making
decisions and the final outcome (Vance, Lowry and Eggett, 2015).
(2017) observed that organisations were likely to encounter challenges and eventual failure if
they did not understand and observe accountability. The authors noted that observing
created a conducive environment for generation and exchange of ideas among the personnel.
The ideas could facilitate internal growth of the team as well as the general performance of the
entire organisation.
Accountability theory aligned well with the objective on the role of transparency and
10
County being a public entity has a duty to account to all the stakeholders including the
recipients of services (Ngigi and Busolo, 2019). Transparency and accountability are also
essential in the era when corruption and mismanagement of public funds has derailed the
The Stakeholder Theory was proposed by Dr. F. Edward Freeman (1984). Freeman argued that
shareholders were merely one of the many parties in a firm. According to Freeman, the
stakeholder ecosystem constituted every individual or group invested and involved in, or
affected by the decisions and operations of an organisation or firm. The stakeholder ecosystem
suppliers and others. According to the theory, the real success of an organisation depended on
its satisfaction of the stakeholders beyond those who only benefited from the profits (Freeman,
2015).
In another study, Freeman and Dmytriyev (2017) described a company’s stakeholder as anyone
who was affected by the firm and its operations. The definition contradicted an earlier argument
by Milton Friedman that the only stakeholder that a firm was to care about were the
shareholders (Clarke, 2020). The argument by Friedman was centred on shareholders because
companies were obliged to make profits to continue on positive trend of growth. However, the
argument by Friedman overlooked essential players who could be affected by the company’s
The current study adopts the definition employed by Edward Freeman that a stakeholder is
anyone who is affected by or has invested in an organisation. In the context of public sector,
providers suppliers, the general public, environmentalists and others (Midin, Joseph &
11
Mohamad, 2016). The definition coincides with the description in the literature by Miles (2017)
regarding stakeholder classification. The description fits the monitoring and evaluation context
in which an organisation is required to engage all individuals that are likely to be affected by a
decisions or interventions.
Stakeholder theory aligns well with the objective on M&E participatory decision-making in
implementation of projects in Nairobi City County involves expenditure of public funds. The
projects and programmes are also expected to benefit the general public. Other stakeholders in
the programmes include development partners and government agencies. Based on the
argument by Edward Freeman, the stakeholder theory directs the team involved in project
management to serve the varying interests of the public rather than a single corporate objective
(Clarke, 2020).
2.3.1 The Role of M&E Team Capacity and Skills in Successful Implementation of
Development Projects
A monitoring and evaluation team comprises staff members who perform different roles in the
project monitoring and evaluation process. However, the roles should align with different
aspects of monitoring and evaluation to provide the required capacity. The study by Mapitsa
and Khumalo (2018) associated an M&E team to the capacity to achieve efficacy and efficiency
in M&E functions. Therefore, skills of each staff member in an M&E team were essential in
the process of evaluating interventions. The skills described by the scholars ranged from data
collection and analysis to report writing, quality checks and coordination. The skills facilitated
12
Kihuha (2018) also described technical expertise as a key M&E practice in an organisation.
Kihuha noted that technical expertise was attained in an organisation through practices such as
staff training and recruitment of skilled personnel. Training was considered crucial because it
gave the staff members the appropriate knowledge of principles, methodology and tools that
could be employed in the monitoring and evaluation processes. Similarly, Basheka and
Byamugisha (2015) noted that an M&E team could be established from within the organisation
if there existed relevant and adequate skills within the workforce. The team could also be
established through the recruitment of trained personnel with relevant experience to address
Basheka and Byamugisha (2015) further explained that collaborative working environment
was essential to facilitate the success of an M&E team. Even though each of the team member
could perform specific roles, collaboration was necessary to enable brainstorming and sharing
of ideas that could facilitate effective monitoring and evaluation process. Therefore, a
collaborative working environment was considered a crucial aspect for the successful
implementation of projects.
In another study, Gathenge (2019) emphasised the skills and abilities of employees in an
organisation. The scholar found that skills and abilities of the team members enabled them to
aspect of monitoring and evaluation because the project implementers were free to make
decisions without the control of other entities or parties. Feng, Murphy and Mlinac (2017)
asserted that the capacity of an evaluation team was crucial in the project management process.
Therefore, the M&E team should not only have the technical capacity but also independence
13
Mwangi et al (2015) demonstrated the significance of team skills and capacity in the study of
determinants of efficacy of M&E in CDF interventions. The scholars explored the aspect of
capacity of the team in enhancing the effectiveness of M&E activities and found that team
Development Projects
information derived from monitoring and evaluation and intentionally using it to enhance
as well as individual staff members since it helps to acquire new skills and enhance efficiency
and efficacy in project implementation. Chipato (2016) found that organisational learning
supported the project management team to understand what worked and what did not work in
project design and implementation. Therefore, organisational learning helped to attain the
Chipato (2016) argued that organisational learning was a significant factor of project
facilitated the management team to determine if the implementation process was on track to
achieve the purpose and mission of an intervention. Besides, the management team understood
if project and partner activities were helping to achieve the set objectives. Similarly,
organisational learning helped to understand if the intervention was reaching the target
community and its relevance to the beneficiaries. Therefore, organisational learning helped to
work collaboratively with other stakeholders including the community, partners and employees
in the organisation.
14
The clarity around organisational learning is an essential factor to understand how team
members can actively engage in the learning process. Beauregard (2017) observed that
According to the scholar, questions, when answered, enabled the team to enhance their
effectiveness. Learning questions could help the team to seek solutions to challenges, explore
existing assumptions, test and revise theories of change. Consequently, providing answers to
In another study Imran, Ilyas and Aslam (2016) found that transformative leadership could
facilitate organisational learning through training programs. Training was considered essential
in acquisition of technical skills that were necessary in the monitoring and evaluation process.
Therefore, it was necessary to put in place measures that could facilitate a culture of
organisational learning. Besides, a successful training process required clear facilitation from
the management team. Facilitation of the training involved provision of the necessary resources
and encouraging the team members to undertake the learning for their professional
development and the general performance of an organisation. INTRAC (2018) observed that
even though individuals in an organisation could be curious to learn, it could only make sense
if organisational learning was the routine culture to the entire team. The culture of learning
promoted the M&E systems to be open and honest and hence enhancing trustworthy. Besides,
the culture ensured effective communication and feedback in an organisation rather than
15
2.3.3 The Role of M&E Transparency and Accountability in Successful Implementation
of Development Projects
Transparency and accountability are essential factors that promote good governance. Ojok and
Basheka (2016) explored the factors that enhanced efficacy of M&E in the public sector and
found that M&E accountability played a key function in facilitating effective governance in the
local governments. Therefore, Ojok and Basheka recommended that monitoring and evaluation
should not just be a nominal compliance factor but also a tool to facilitate decision-making
evaluation results. Ojok and Basheka (2016) explained that an effective monitoring and
evaluation process that incorporated practices such as transparency and accountability to the
supported the management team to develop project outcomes that were reliable and acceptable
The Kenya Public Participation Bill (2019) mandated all levels of government to pursue
accountability could be attained if the organisers of public participation forums adhered to legal
and accountability procedures and standards. For instance, the Kenya Constitution 2010
stipulates the guidelines to ensure accountability while engaging the public on development
aspects. The constitution of Kenya gives the right of public participation without discrimination
to the parties or individuals who may be affected by specific decisions. The constitutional
requirement mandates the county and national governments to take into consideration that ideas
16
and needs of the public when making decision as well as provide feedback after the intervention
Consideration of ideas shared during public participation and provision of feedback enable the
public to keep in check the decisions of their representatives in government. Frees, van Acker
and Bouckaert (2015) emphasised the role of feedback in promoting accountability. Effective
to the relevant stakeholders. Feedback could come from the respective stakeholders including
the customers, employees and implementation partners. Besides, frequent conversations among
the management team and the employees provided the necessary feedback that could help to
Development Projects
noted that even though minor decisions could be made without necessarily involving other
processes.
In another study, Maalim (2018) noted that participatory monitoring and evaluation provided
a wide range of benefits both to the implementers of an intervention and the potential
beneficiaries. Participatory evaluation could help to address the problem of mistrust in the
project planning and implementation. Similarly, Neville and Weinthal (2016) noted that most
17
governments experienced mistrust from the general public because they were often accused of
bribery, corruption and general misappropriation of resources and hence resulting in negative
and evaluation process enhanced trust, learning culture and acceptability of projects and
programmes. Therefore, participatory monitoring and evaluation has the potential to enhance
Even though participatory monitoring and evaluation has gained significance in project
management, it is crippled by different factors and hence affecting its effectiveness. For
the project implementation process because each stakeholder had varying interests and ideas
that should be included in the final decision. The challenges were likely to unfold on the ground
during phase of implementation. Therefore, team responsible for project management was
required take into consideration the framework for participatory monitoring and evaluation
process.
De Vente et al (2016) discussed some of the key factors to consider in stakeholder involvement
in the process of making decisions to navigate the potential challenges that could prevent
successful implementation of projects. One key factor that was found to be crucial in the
participatory decision making was the process of selecting participants into the engagement
forums. The selection process was required to be both professional and free of bias. Besides,
the facilitation of stakeholder engagement was required to take into consideration all ideas and
opinions that the participants shared with the management team. Failure to emphasise
professionalism during stakeholder engagement could inhibit equal sharing of ideas among the
stakeholder involvement if the necessary guidelines were used in the selection, facilitation and
18
2.4 Summary of Literature and Research Gaps
The review has demonstrated the significance of M&E practices in the intervention success.
The review has highlighted that monitoring and evaluation is increasingly being integrated into
the management processes to enhance the performance and success of interventions in the
public sector. However, establishing efficacy in M&E systems requires the management team
to consider the key practices that can facilitate the successful initiation, implementation and
sustainability of projects. The literature review has demonstrated that crucial practices that can
team that possess the relevant skills to implement interventions and supporting their capacity;
Some of the previous studies have highlighted the influence or role of M&E practices in the
project performance. However, the studies (Kihuha, 2018; Maalim, 2017; and Ojok & Basheka,
2016) fail to provide relationships among key aspects such as how transparency and
accountability supports budgetary allocation as an M&E practice. The studies also do not
provide sufficient evidence to support the role of continuous training in establishing a culture
of learning as an M&E practice in the organisation. Even though Wambua (2019) examined
how M&E practices influenced intervention performance, the findings were limited to
education projects. There is, therefore, a need to comprehensively study the role of practices
of M&E in successful implementation of development projects and derive the findings that can
19
technical expertise of M&E stakeholders and the and adopting a culture of
teams; stakeholder consideration of learning in organisations
involvement; and community feedback for the project
management participation in interventions. implementers to embrace
affected the performance of Besides, key practices such as
projects implemented by management teams stakeholder analysis.
UNEP and GEF. demonstrated low The study does not
level of support and highlight the aspects of
commitment towards transparency and
implementation of accountability which can
interventions. facilitate the commitment
Planning processes of management teams
and technical towards project
expertise contributed implementation.
significantly to
project performance.
Maalim Maalim (2017) sought to There was a positive The study fails to
(2017) investigate how factors such relationship between demonstrate that aspects of
as participation of factors of study and transparency and
stakeholders, building the the intervention accountability are essential
capacity of staff, allocating performance in in budgetary allocation.
budget affected the county governments Besides, the study does not
performance of interventions (Maalim, 2017). show the significance of
in governments using the case Besides, the scholar professional selection and
of Mombasa County. The found that politics facilitation of stakeholder
study also examined how affected the participation process.
politics played a role in association of M&E
moderating the association practices and
between M&E practices and intervention
intervention performance. performance
(Maalim, 2017).
Ojok and Ojok and Basheka (2016) According to Ojok The study failed to provide
Basheka examined how factors such as and Basheka (2016), a direct association
(2016) accountability, decisions of M&E accountability, between M&E
management teams and decisions of the transparency and
management and the accountability to the
20
organisation learning affected culture of learning delivery of services in local
the governance processes. contribute to governments. As a result,
realisation of good the study recommended for
governance. establishment of M&E
accountability structure as a
component that could
facilitate compliance.
Wambua Wambua (2019) investigated Wambua (2019) The study emphasises
(2019) the effect of M&E training, found that M&E M&E team training to gain
stakeholder involvement, training and skills. However, the study
planning and baseline surveys stakeholder overlooks key aspects of
on performance of social and involvement had a capacity including
economic interventions. profound effect on availability of resources to
the performance of facilitate the training of
social and economic M&E team. The study does
interventions. not demonstrate how the
findings can be replicated
in other public sector
projects.
21
2.5 Conceptual Framework
Team training
Culture of learning
Successful Implementation
Facilitation of learning
of projects
Timely completion
M&E Transparency and Efficiency in costs
Accountability Acceptability of the
project
Utilization of evaluation
results
Legal and policy
compliance
Acceptable accountability
standards and procedures
Participatory Decision-making
Stakeholder selection
Stakeholder facilitation
Stakeholder involvement
Stakeholder feedback
22
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
The methodology describes the design, target population, sampling design, data collection,
validity and reliability of the instruments used in the research and the research ethical
considerations.
The researcher used a descriptive research design in examining the role of M&E practices in
descriptive research as a design that outlines the population characteristics under the study. To
report this, the researcher explored the practices of M&E team capacity and skills,
The descriptive research design was relevant because it helped to obtain both quantitative and
qualitative data and information regarding the topic. According to Siedlecki (2020), a
descriptive research design is effective in analysis of non-quantifiable factors. This implies that
the design is appropriate for qualitative data that is largely dependent on perspectives and
Asiamah, Mensah and Oteng-Abayie (2017) defined target population as the group of people
The unit of analysis in this study was 105 interventions under the implementation of Nairobi
City County (2022). The projects could be classified into Works, Consultancy and Goods. The
unit of observation, on the other hand, comprised 85 members of county assembly, 170
members of the public (two members from each ward office), 17 project officers and 7 M&E
officers.
23
Table 3.1: Target Population
Category Target
MCAs 85
Project officers 17
M&E officers 7
Total 279
Sampling design is the approach employed in a study to select research participants from the
target population (Etikan and Bala, 2017). The researcher applied the stratified sampling
technique to select the participants. Stratified sampling was appropriate for the research
because it gave equal chance to all individuals in the strata (Etikan & Bala, 2017). Therefore,
the technique helped to address the possibility of bias in selection of participants and hence
The target population was small based on the criteria suggested by Chen, Cairns and Kleinow
(2017). The authors note that a population of less than 5,000 individuals is small in research
and hence likely to result in accuracy errors. Therefore, the authors recommended the use of
hypergeometric formula to derive a sample size in small populations. The sampling formula is
as shown below:
𝑁𝑍2 𝑝𝑞
n= 2
𝐸 (𝑁−1)+𝑍 2 𝑝𝑞
Where:
n - sample size
24
N - population size
Z - the level of confidence. The confidence level was set at 95% with a z-score of 1.96.
n = 162
Project officers 17 17
*162 = 10
279
M&E officers 7 7
*162 = 4
279
25
Table 3.3: Variables and their Measurement
Variables Indicator Measure Scale Type of Analysis
Team Capacity -Number and -Recruitment qualifications of Nominal & Descriptive
and Skills Qualification M&E personnel Ordinal
level -Recruitment experience of
project evaluators
-Extent to which evaluators
receive clear roles and
responsibilities on projects.
-Frequency of team meetings to
develop workplans.
Organisational -Organisational -Frequency of attending training Ordinal Descriptive
Learning learning records and workshops
-Facilitation of a learning culture
Transparency -Documented -Provision of feedback on Nominal & Descriptive
and transparency project progress and results Ordinal
accountability and -Utilisation of evaluation results
accountability in the policy formulation and
reports implementation.
-Existence of legal and policy
compliance documents
-Degree of adherence to
accountability standards
Participatory -Documented -Stakeholder prioritisation in Nominal & Descriptive
decision-making stakeholder decision-making. to participate Ordinal
process reports. in decision-making
-Meeting -Facilitation of decision-making
reports process.
considered as -Frequency of engaging
milestones stakeholders in decision-making
Successful Timely project Timely project completion. Ordinal
Implementation completion Enhanced efficiency of costs.
of projects Project cost Improved project acceptability
efficiency.
Acceptability
of the projects.
26
Source: Researcher (2021)
The process of gathering data constituted a mixed-method approach. The study focused on both
quantitative and qualitative data. Parvaiz, Mufti and Wahab (2016) noted that mixed method
research was crucial to address the limitations associated with the respective tools of data
collection. Therefore, the quantitative data constituted questionnaires which were presented to
the respondents to fill and submit back to the researcher. The questionnaires comprised
structured questions to obtain data and information from the respondents. The researcher
applied a combination of open and closed-ended questions to gather data. The open-ended
questions were essential to obtain insights and opinions from the respondents. The closed-
ended questions, on the other hand, helped to quantify specific variables of study (Etikan &
Bala, 2017).
Besides, key informant interviews helped to obtain information and insights from the M&E
officers in Nairobi City County. According to Etikan and Bala (2017), interviews were
important in research because they helped to obtain deeper insights regarding a specific subject.
Validity involved the accuracy of a measure in research (Mohajan, 2017). Therefore, validity
was established and demonstrated when an instrument of research performed what it was
designed for. The validity of the research instruments was attained through expert assessment.
Mohajan (2017) noted that experts provided a precise definition of the domain of the content
in relation to the selected instruments. In this regard, the instruments were availed to the project
27
3.5.3 Reliability of the Research Instruments
Reliability describes the consistency of a measure (Mohajan, 2017). Therefore, reliability test
was necessary to ensure the instruments of research measured what they were designed for.
The researcher utilised Cronbach’s alpha coefficient to determine the instrument reliability.
Singh (2017) wrote that a coefficient of at least 70 percent indicated reliable instruments of
research.
The researcher informed the target population about the aim of the study then proceed to sample
the participants. Sensitization of the target population helped to address limitations such as
suspicion and mistrust among the respondents. Letters of introduction were sent to the
respondents before administration of questionnaires and interviews. The researcher and study
assistants delivered questionnaires to study participants and then submitted later to the
researcher.
The researcher undertook data cleaning, coding and entry in preparation for analysis.
Preparation of data was crucial to eliminate errors that could affect accuracy of the output
(Spickard, 2016). SPSS and Microsoft Excel were used in analysing the quantitative data.
Thematic analysis, on the other hand, facilitated assessment of the qualitative data obtained
from the research. The output of analysis was presented in tables and charts.
The researcher applied a regression analysis to examine the relationship between the variables.
According to Curtis, Comiskey and Dempsey (2016), establishing correlation among variables
was crucial because it helped to derive deeper concepts beyond the description of the data. The
Y = α + 𝛽1 𝑋1 + 𝛽2 𝑋2 + 𝛽3 𝑋3 + 𝛽4 𝑋4 + Ɛ
28
Where:
α = constant term
𝛽𝑖 = Beta Coefficient
Ɛ = error term
Correlation coefficients were essential to show the degree and direction of relationships in a
validity and reliability. The researcher in the current study observed the legal and ethical
considerations of a study. The researcher sought the full consent of the study participants prior
to administration of the questionnaires and interviews. The researcher also protected the
Responding to the study was voluntary and hence no individual or party was forced to
29
CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.1 Introduction
This section presents the results and discussion of the study on the role of M&E practices on
the implementation of development projects in Nairobi City County. The researcher examined
The researcher aimed to interview 162 respondents in Nairobi City County to derive the data
for analysis and discussion. However, 150 individuals responded to the questionnaire
M&E officers 4 3 75
Saleh and Bista (2017) wrote that response rates are affected by factors such as the willingness
of the study participants to respond to a survey. The researcher was expected to employ
strategies that could ensure a high response rate to mitigate issues of bias and inaccuracy in
sampling. Fosnacht et al. (2017) in another study wrote that a response rate of higher than 70
percent was appropriate to derive reliable findings from research. Therefore, a response rate of
92.6 percent in this research is sufficient for data analysis and discussion.
30
4.3 Descriptive Statistics
The statistics constitute study participants from the representatives of Nairobi residents as well
as the project managers in different wards. The gender representation indicated that 64 percent
In regards to the age brackets, the majority (44 percent) of the participants were aged 26-35.
The least represented age category constituted participants aged 46-55 years. Awiti and Scott
(2016) in their study of youth in Kenya wrote that a person was classified as a youth if they
were aged 18-35 years. Therefore, the output of the study revealed that most participants
comprised the youth population category. The findings were consistent with the study by
Keeter et al. (2017) who found that the youth category was more responsive to online surveys
The study further examined the highest education level achieved by the study participants.
More than 80 percent of the respondents reported having attained college/university education
while 19 percent possessed postgraduate degrees. Only 7 percent of the respondents reported
possessing a secondary school certificate. The high level of education could be attributed to
the responses from individuals who were working in different positions and organisations
including Members of the County Assembly, project managers, project evaluation officers, risk
Besides, the researcher examined the respondents’ duration of service in their current positions.
56 percent of the study participants reported having served in their current positions for 5-10
years while 33 percent indicated that they have served for less than 5 years. Only 11 percent of
the study participants had served in their positions for more than 10 years as of the time of the
survey. The most frequent duration of service, particularly among project officers in Nairobi
31
City County was less than 10 years. According to Shimengah (2018) leadership in county
governments was largely affected by 5-year political transitions. Therefore, crucial roles
including project management were dependent on the political leadership of the county
officers.
Gender Female 36
Male 64
25 and below 14
26-35 years 44
Age bracket
36-45 years 36
46-55 years 6
Highest level of Secondary Certificate 7
education College / University 81
Postgraduate 12
Duration of service in Less than 5 years 33
current position 5-10 years 56
Over 10 years 11
This section provides the results of practices of M&E employed in the research which included
M&E team capacity and skills, organisational learning, transparency and accountability and
participatory decision-making.
The capacity and skills of a team are essential in efficacy of M&E roles in an organisation.
Mapitsa and Khumalo (2018) emphasised the need for appropriate capacity and skills in an
organisation to facilitate effective and efficient M&E system. Similarly, Tengan, Aigbavboa
and Thwala (2018) described personnel skills as essential determinants of an M&E system.
32
Therefore, the current study sought to examine the capacity of project officers in Nairobi City
The study found that 57 percent of the project officers who responded to the questionnaire had
a professional experience of 5-10 years in project management roles. 20 percent of the study
participants, on the other hand, at least 10 years of experience in project management roles.
The most frequently mentioned project management roles constituted evaluation, risk
assessment, auditing and coordination. Similarly, all the 3 M&E officers who responded to the
interview stated that they had served for more than 5 years in their positions.
Even though most project officers reported more than 5 years of professional experience in
project management roles, they provided contrary information to the recruitment of skilled
personnel in M&E roles in Nairobi City County. 43 percent of the project officers disagreed to
the assertion that the management team in the county prioritised the recruitment of skilled
personnel to carry out M&E functions. Mero (2019) used the case of non-government
M&E systems. Nditiye (2020), in another study, argued that skilled personnel was a priority
factor in establishing a functional M&E system that could in turn influence the success of
interventions. Therefore, the study recommended the recruitment of personnel based on skill
Organisational learning is an essential practice that can facilitate the improvement of M&E
the management team to understand what worked and what did not work in project design and
if the Nairobi City County government had embraced the culture of learning in the M&E unit.
33
47 percent of the project officers agreed to the statement that project staff in the county
government were trained to equip them with the appropriate M&E skills. The training involved
attending conferences that equipped the staff with M&E skills. Similarly, the M&E officers
who responded to the study acknowledged that adequate learning opportunities were available
Even though 47 percent of the project officers acknowledged that the county governments
equipped them with M&E skills, the majority (71 percent) still felt the culture of constant
learning was average in their respective workplaces. Only 29 percent stated that the culture of
constant learning at the workplace was excellent. The output is provided in figure 4.1.
Carvalho et al. (2019) argued that the culture of constant learning was necessary for
organisations to establish operational excellence and develop the capacity to deal with a
dynamic environment where challenges always emerged. Similarly, Ojok and Basheka (2016)
found that M&E organisational learning was a crucial component that enhanced the
effectiveness of the public sector through the promotion of good governance in project
management. The scholars argued that project management in the public sector demanded
constant learning of M&E skills to enhance accountability, decision-making process and other
34
key practices. Woodhill (2019) also wrote that a culture of constant learning would facilitate
the acquisition of key M&E skills such as communication, statistical and analytical skills and
managerial skills and hence facilitating the effectiveness of project implementation. The
findings demonstrate the significance of M&E organisational learning in enhancing the success
of development projects in the context of Nairobi City County. The county can realise the
success of interventions if the management embraces and establishes the culture of learning at
the workplace.
Transparency and accountability are essential practices because they ensure the M&E process
is not just a compliance factor but a tool to facilitate decision-making processes that are
founded on facts and evidence (Ojok & Basheka, 2016). The Kenya Public Participation Bill
(2019) also mandates all levels of government to ensure transparency and accountability
through practices such as organising public participation forums on crucial projects and
including availing evaluation results for public scrutiny, provision of feedback, adherence to
legal and policy guidelines and integration of the evaluation results in policy formulation and
project management (Frees, van Acker and Bouckaert, 2015). Therefore, the researcher
examined the different factors that could constitute M&E transparency and accountability in
The study explored the accessibility of evaluation results for the county government projects.
83 percent of the respondents stated that they had no access to the Nairobi City County
government’s evaluation results. As a result, the majority (48.3 percent) of the study
respondents reported that they were not aware if evaluation results were used in policy
formulation at the county government level. The output is indicated in figure 4.2 below.
35
Figure 4.2: Have access to evaluation results of Nairobi City County projects
The study further examined if feedback from the public was captured and considered in all the
phases of project implementation in Nairobi City County. According to Davis (2017), the
perceptions of stakeholders about the success of a project were based on practices such as
consideration and the use of feedback to enhance processes. Besides, the stakeholders
perceived an intervention as transparent and accountable if they saw their opinions and
feedback being considered in the implementation phase. The M&E officers who responded to
the survey highlighted that stakeholder assessment and involvement was a key component of
M&E functions in county interventions. The practices were particularly important to meet the
requirements of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy which demands adequate
development interventions.
On the contrary, a majority (38 percent) of the members of the public disagreed with the
statement that feedback from the public was captured and considered in all the phases of project
implementation in Nairobi City County. Similarly, 34 percent of the respondents were not sure
if feedback from the public was considered in project intervention. The results indicated
negative perceptions from the intervention beneficiaries because only 10 percent agreed to the
36
assertion that stakeholder feedback was considered and used in the conducting development
Figure 4.3: Feedback from the public is captured and considered in all the phases of project
implementation
The results were consistent with the findings by Kanyamuna, Kotze and Phiri (2019) who
observed that M&E systems in Africa were the early stages which hindered the sharing of
evaluation results with key stakeholders. The study further acknowledged that stakeholders
failed in their positions because they did not demand M&E information whether internally or
externally. The scholars described the failure to avail and demand important information in
Therefore, the players in project management should cherish and pursue the culture of sharing
results with the relevant stakeholders who can facilitate the transformational agenda in
development projects.
that engagement of stakeholders was necessary and especially in projects and programmes that
37
affected the interests of different parties including the beneficiaries. Maalim (2018) also stated
the beneficiaries and hence their successful implementation. Therefore, the researcher sought
to understand factors such as awareness of project phases in Nairobi City County, stakeholder
projects were dependent on key factors such as the involvement of stakeholders, effective
planning and management. Therefore, the stakeholders’ awareness of project phases is a crucial
determinant of their involvement in planning and implementation. The majority, (66 percent)
of the participants were aware of the different phases of Nairobi City County projects in their
Figure 4.4: Awareness of phase(s) of Nairobi City County projects in your ward
Even though most of the respondents were aware of the different phases of development
projects in Nairobi City County, the majority (38 percent) disagreed with the statement that
adequate stakeholder assessment was conducted before the project commencement to ensure
38
all parties were engaged in the M&E process. Similarly, the majority (41 percent) of the
participants held contrary perspective to the statement that the public was fully involved in the
planning and implementation of Nairobi City County projects. The findings are as indicated in
table 4.3.
The findings revealed that there was inadequate involvement of the stakeholders in planning
Kanyamuna, Kotze and Phiri (2019), stakeholders have to demand their engagement in
interventions that affect them. Structures such as the Kenya Public Participation Bill (2019)
the affected parties also have to demand both their involvement and feedback in all phases of
project management.
The researcher conducted the normality test for the dependent variable before running the
regression analysis. The normality tests used for the study included the Kolmogorov-Smirnov
and the Shapiro-Wilk tests. The normality test results are as shown in table 4.4 below:
39
Table 4.4: Normality tests
Kolmogorov-Smirnova Shapiro-Wilk
Statistic df Sig. Statistic df Sig.
Successful implementation .228 137 .09 .914 137 .071
& completion of projects
Both tests produced significance values greater than 0.05. D’Agostino (2017) observed that a
p-value of less than 0.05 in Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests implied the
variable(s) followed a normal distribution. Therefore, the researcher concluded that the data
df SS MS F Significance F
Regression 4 42.51934 10.62983 37.49961 0.001
Residual 132 37.4174 0.283465
Total 136 79.93674
statistically significant relationship between the variables. Therefore, the ANOVA results
(p=0.001) revealed a significant relationship between M&E practices and the success of
The regression results, on the other hand, indicated that all factors including M&E capacity
and skills; organisational learning; participatory decision making; and transparency and
projects.
Standard
Coefficients Error t-Stat P-value
Intercept 0.350422 0.212195 1.651413 0.010818
40
Team capacity & skills 0.256083 0.149176 1.140455 0.255977
Organizational learning 0.13936 0.05944 0.66215 0.048925
Transparency & accountability 0.461986 0.063202 7.309711 0.0001
Participatory decision-making 0.27453 0.073991 3.710313 0.000294
The regression results in table 4.6 above show the coefficients and p-values of a model that can
be used to make inferences of the population based on the sample regarding the factors that
influence implementation of development projects. Lundberg and Lee (2017) wrote that the p-
value for each independent variable helps to determine whether there is a correlation between
the respective factor with the dependent variable. Therefore, the goal is to test the hypothesis
that there is no correlation between the predictors and the target variable. The study further
provided the threshold for rejecting or failing to reject the null hypothesis on variable
correlation. If the p-value for the respective independent variable is less than the significance
level, then the sample data provides sufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis (Lundberg
Similarly, this study uses a significance level of 5 percent (0.05) to determine the statistical
significance in correlation between the dependent and independent variables. The regression
output in table 4.6 reveals that all independent variables except team capacity and skills for
M&E have a p-value of less than 0.05. Therefore, the researcher concludes that factors of
statistically significant in predicting the success of interventions. The factor of team capacity
and skills, on the other hand, is not statistically significant because it has a p-value greater than
the level of significance (0.05). Lundberg and Lee (2017) indicated that enhancing the precision
of the regression model requires a focus on variables that are statistically significant. The
findings imply that the variables to include in the regression model are organisational learning,
41
transparency & accountability, and participatory decision-making. The model is as indicated
below.
The results imply that enhancement of organisational learning in an organisation improves the
rate of project completion by 13 percent while each initiative to improve transparency and
42
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
This chapter provides a summary of the findings on the role of M&E practices on
implementation of development projects in Nairobi City County. The chapter further provides
The study attained a response rate of 89.3 percent which was sufficient to derive valid and
reliable findings. The majority (64 percent) of the participants comprised males while females
constituted 36 percent of the study participants. Majority, (44 percent) of the study participants
were aged 26-35 years. The study further found that more than 80 percent of the respondents
5.2.2 Role of M&E team capacity and skills in the implementation of development
The study found that 57 percent of the project officers in Nairobi City County had a
professional experience of more than 5 years in the project management roles. However, the
project officers noted that the county government failed to prioritise the recruitment of skilled
personnel to carry out M&E functions. The finding highlighted a major limitation as discussed
in the study by Nditiye (2020) who noted that skilled personnel was necessary to establish a
The study found that the county government of Nairobi City had prioritised equipping the staff
with the relevant M&E skills which could enhance the implementation of development
43
projects. The project officers noted that the county government facilitated learning
opportunities such as training and conferences on M&E concepts and skills. However, 71
percent of the project officers noted that the culture of learning had not been embraced in their
workplaces. The study by Chipato (2016) emphasised the significance of establishing a culture
The findings implied that even though the county government was facilitating staff training to
acquire and nurture M&E skills, it was necessary to develop the culture of learning in the
workforce.
The study considered transparency and accountability as important M&E practices that could
facilitate the effective implementation of projects in Nairobi City County. The Even though
management, the current study found critical gaps in availing evaluation results and
respondents reported a lack of access to evaluation results for projects implemented by the
county government of Nairobi. Besides, 38 percent of the respondents noted that the project
management team did not use feedback from the public in the implementation of development
projects. However, according to Kanyamuna, Kotze and Phiri (2019), project stakeholders
including the beneficiaries were not proactive in demanding evaluation results and
The study found that participatory decision-making was a crucial practice that could help to
44
County. . Even though more than 60 percent of the respondents in the current study were aware
of the different phases of projects implemented in Nairobi City County, the majority (38
percent) argued that there was no adequate assessment of stakeholders in the planning phase
before the initiation of development interventions. Besides, 41 percent of the respondents noted
that public involvement was inadequate in the planning and implementation of Nairobi City
County projects.
5.3 Conclusion
The study concludes that M&E practices have not been embraced and implemented adequately
in the implementation of interventions in Nairobi City County. The capacity and skills of the
However, the recruitment of personnel in M&E roles is not entirely based on merit. Besides,
the county government of Nairobi has prioritised training of personnel to develop and nurture
M&E skills even though the culture of learning has not been embraced at the various
workplaces. The study also notes that accountability and transparency have not been attained
in the county government because stakeholders lack access to evaluation results. The study
further observes that participatory decision-making has not been achieved adequately.
5.4 Recommendations
This study has demonstrated that qualified and experienced project officers are managing the
M&E roles in Nairobi City County. However, according to the responses from the project
officers, management teams in the county government do not entirely prioritise the recruitment
of skilled personnel to carry out M&E functions. The findings emphasise the need to focus on
the recruitment of skilled personnel to enhance effectiveness and efficiency in M&E functions.
Closely related is the need to establish and nurture the culture of organisational learning. This
study has indicated that the county government of Nairobi City County facilitates training of
45
the staff to equip them with appropriate M&E skills. Even though the county government of
motivate the staff to engage in the learning process. Therefore, the management teams should
communicate and seek the feedback of staff members on the training programs to realise
positive outcomes.
accountability. However, in the case of Nairobi City County, most respondents lacked access
to evaluation results which limited the factor of transparency and accountability. The findings
imply that the county government of Nairobi City should prioritise availing evaluation results
and reports to the stakeholders. Besides, the county government should focus on using the
Participatory decision-making forms the final aspect that can facilitate the success of
interventions. The findings indicated that stakeholder assessment was not adequately
conducted before project commencement. There is therefore a significant need to assess and
map out all the key stakeholders who have interests or can be affected by the implementation
Future studies should consider other M&E practices that could not be covered in this research
including budgeting, planning and dissemination plan. A study on additional M&E practices
development projects in organisations. Besides, future studies should examine the correlation
between M&E human capacity & skills and the success of projects using larger data sample.
46
47
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APPENDICES
Appendix I: Questionnaire
School of Business
Kenyatta University
Dear Respondent
Yours faithfully,
Abdallah Sumba
58
Section A: Demographic Characteristics of Respondents
Female ()
Male ()
25 and below ()
26 – 35 years ()
36 – 45 years ()
46 – 55 years ()
Above 55 years ()
Primary ()
Secondary ()
College / University ( )
Postgraduate ()
5 – 10 years ()
Over 10 years ()
59
Section B: Variable Information
1. Are you aware of the phase(s) of Nairobi City County projects in your ward?
Yes ()
No ()
2. If Yes, how often have you been involved in the different stages of Nairobi City
County projects?
Never ()
Sometimes ( )
Always ()
3. Do you have access to evaluation results of the Nairobi City County projects?
Yes ()
No ()
4. Do you use evaluation results in policy formulation at the county level? Please
explain
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………….
60
stakeholders are involved in the
monitoring and evaluation process.
The public is fully involved in
planning and implementation of
Nairobi City County projects.
Feedback from the public is captured
and considered in all the phases of
project implementation.
The project officers comply with legal
and policy standards in the
monitoring and evaluation practice.
Evaluation results are integrated in
policy formulation at the county level.
61
B. Project Management Officers
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. What is your professional experience (in years) of project monitoring and evaluation?
None ()
5 – 10 years ()
Over 10 years ()
3. Does the County Government facilitate your participation in M&E training and
workshops? Please explain
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. How would you rank the culture of constant learning at the workplace?
Poor ()
Average ()
Excellent ( )
5. Do you have legal and policy guidelines for conducting monitoring and evaluation of
projects?
Yes ()
No ()
6. If yes, how often do you use the legal and policy compliance documents in the
monitoring and evaluation of Nairobi City County projects?
62
Never ()
Sometimes ( )
Always ()
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. If yes, how do you capture and consider stakeholder feedback in the monitoring and
evaluation process?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
9. How often do you conduct team meetings to develop workplans for monitoring and
evaluation of Nairobi City County projects?
Never ()
Sometimes ()
Every time ()
63
The management team prioritizes
recruitment of skilled personnel to
carry out the M&E functions.
Evaluation results are integrated in
policy formulation at the county level.
Nairobi City County Projects are
completed on schedule and on budget.
64
Appendix II: Key Informant Interview Schedule
M&E Officers
4. What is your opinion about the assessment and involvement of stakeholders in project
the county?
7. Does the county government use the National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy?
Please explain
8. How would you describe the success of project implementation and completion in
65
Appendix III: Research Authorization
66
Appendix IV: Letter from NACOSTI
RESEARCH LICENSE
This is to Certify that Mr. Abdalla Khaoya Sumba of Kenyatta University, has been licensed to conduct research in Nairobi on the
topic: ROLE OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION PRACTICES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF DEVELOPMENT OF
PROJECTS IN NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA for the period ending: 15/April/2023.
438052
Verification QR Code
67
Appendix V: List of Projects
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
State Department of Housing and Urban Development
68
Number INTERVENTION MEASURE STATUS ( %)
Supply, Installation, Testing and No. of ICT turnstiles, barriers and Eng. Gitau
Commissioning of ICT turnstiles, ticketing system installed
barriers & ticketing/fare collection
system for KRC Commuter LOT 1
Railway Stations
Supply, Installation, Testing and No. of structured cabling, Public Eng. Gitau
Commissioning of Structured Address System, CCTV and Access
Cabling, Public Address System, Control Systems installed
CCTV and Access Control Systems
for Commuter Railways Stations LOT
2
Preparation of integrated strategic No. of urban centres with Integrated Plan A. Mugo
urban development plans for Muranga strategic development plans
40
and Kiambu. completed
Consultancy Service for Plans, Plans, designs and infrastructure Plan. A Mugo
Designs and Infrastructure Provision
for SGR Embakasi railway station
Including Syokimau , Inland
Container Depot and Adjoining
Areas.
Preparation of integrated strategic No. of urban centers with Integrated Plan A. Mugo
urban development plans for 12 strategic development plans
24 towns in clusters of 4 within the completed
NMR
69
Number INTERVENTION MEASURE STATUS ( %)
70
P/No. PROGRAMME/PROJECT INDICATOR/TARGET COMPLETION CHAMPION
STATUS IN %
Construction of Selected Roads -1.81 km Bitumen road 100 Eng. Gitau
in Kangundo Township -1.8Km NMT
W076 -2.3Km drainage length
Construction of the Ngong Bus 1No. bus terminus constructed 100 Eng. Njenga
Terminus
W064
Rehabilitation of 2No. Fire 2No. Fire stations along Tom 100 Eng. Mbaabu
stations along Tom Mboya Mboya Street and Enterprise Road
W046 Street and Enterprise Road in rehabilitated
Nairobi City County
Construction of Ruiru sewerage -Volume of sewerage being 100 Eng. Gitau
works (56Km trunk sewer and treated
W001
treatment plants) -1604 Household sewer
connections done
Construction of modern Bus Modern Bus Park in Kitengela 100 Eng. Kinyua
Park in Kitengela Town Town constructed
W066
Rehabilitation of 2No. Fire 2 No. Fire stations repaired 100 Eng. Mbaabu
stations along Tom Mboya
Street and Enterprise Road
Consultancy Services on Reports 100 Eng. Mbaabu
Disaster Response and
6
preparedness in the Metro
Region
Interdisciplinary land use and Report 100 Plan.
2 transport metropolitan analysis Mutua/Eng
with the NMR. Gitau
Consultancy in (IUWM) for Reports 100 Eng. Kamau
NMR
20
71
P/No. PROGRAMME/PROJECT INDICATOR/TARGET COMPLETION CHAMPION
STATUS IN %
Preparation of feasibility studies, Report 100
final designs and bidding
documents for security/street
lighting for selected 13 urban
centres within the NMR
2.
GIS and ICT needs assessment in GIS and ICT needs assessment 100
Nairobi Metropolitan report for 5 Counties within
Development and 5 Counties NMR
within NMR
26
72
P/No. PROGRAMME/PROJECT INDICATOR/TARGET COMPLETION CHAMPION
STATUS IN %
Implementation of Communications Strategy for -100
Communications Strategy for Nairobi Metropolitan Service
Nairobi Metropolitan Service Improvement Project
Improvement Project (NaMSIP)
16
Purchase of Exhauster Trucks -2No. Exhauster Trucks for 100 Eng. Mbaabu
G008 for Kikuyu and Kiambaa Kikuyu and Kiamba
73