Efficacy of Monitoring and Evaluation Framework on Implementation of Development Projects. A Comparative Analysis of Machakos and Embu County, Kenya

Abstract

Monitoring and Evaluation, (M&E) frameworks allow for project activities to be measured and analyzed. There is a gap in the design of monitoring and evaluation frameworks to generate information during the process of Monitoring and Evaluation and use of this information in future designs. The purpose of this research study was to establish the influence of the monitoring and evaluation framework in the successful implementation of County development projects. The study was guided by the main determinants of Monitoring and Evaluation which are: Monitoring and Evaluation framework dimensions results-based performance indicators, learning capacity, participatory tracking, and beneficiary accountability. The moderating effects were government funding and disbursement of funds. The research adopted a Comparative research design with a mixed method centered within a wider exploratory, cross-sectional framework. The study was conducted in Machakos and Embu County. The population of this study was 132 staff mandated to monitor and evaluate projects undertaken under County government devolved functions from Machakos and Embu County. The sample distribution was 56 county government officials from Machakos and 43 from Embu since the two counties are relatively not homogeneous in terms of geographical location in Kenya. A sample of 99 respondents was determined and individual elements in different categories were also determined using a stratified random sampling technique. Questionnaires were distributed to respondents through a “drop and pick later” method and were subjected to a reliability test using Cronbach’s alpha. Data were analyzed quantitatively by means of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). A normality test was conducted using the Shapiro Wilk’s test. Factor analysis was undertaken to determine which of the factors are important in determining project completion. The study findings indicated that the result based performance aspects (β1 =0.529; p-value = 0.007), learning capacity (β2 =0.680; p-value = 0.001), participatory tracking (β3 =0.455; p-value = 0.001) and beneficiary accountability (β4 = 0.432; p-value = 0.002) were found to have a significant effect respectively. The results obtained show the adjusted r square value of r2 = .514 which indicate that when all the variables are combined, the multiple linear regression model could explain for approximately 51% of the variation in the dependent variable by the variation in the independent variables on Implementation of County Projects. From the findings, it can be concluded that learning capacity aspects had the highest association and significance to the successful implementation of county projects followed by result based performance aspects, participatory tracking aspects and lastly beneficiary accountability aspects. The study recommends that those charged with the responsibility of carrying out M&E, should be appropriately empowered with the necessary knowledge in order to have the grasp of how these tools are used in order to utilize them.