Influence of Participatory Planning for Project Capacity Building on Sustainability of Community Water Point Projects in Turkana County, Kenya

Abstract

Existence of institutional framework in form of project operation management committees, advocacy group, technical and maintenance teams and resource mobilization committees improves sustainability of projects after handing over. The objective of this study was to assess the extent to which participatory planning for project capacity building influences sustainability of community water point projects in Turkana central, Turkana County. The target population of the study was 24,025 households of Turkana central constituency. Cochran formula with 95% level of confidence and margin of error of 5% was used to determine the sample size of 384 households. Sample selection was done using proportional quota and convenience sampling techniques. The data was collected using observations, focus group discussions, key informants’ interviews, and semi-structured questionnaire guides. Multiple Regression Analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used to analyze quantitative data. Framework Analysis and Narrative Analysis techniques were used to investigate qualitative data. Inter-rater reliability was used to measure the level of consistency of data collection instruments and content test was used to test instrument validity. The findings were tabulated, condensed, analyzed, and inferences drawn. Descriptive statistics were computed, and frequencies, percentages, arithmetic mean, and deviations presented. Pearson’s Moment Correlation (r), multiple regression and stepwise regression (R 2 ), F-tests were used to test the hypothesis. The results indicated F (1, 374) =1145.246, p=0.00<0.05, r = .868, R 2 =.754. The study established that, for sustainability of community water point projects to be achieved, detailed plans to develop social capacities of stakeholders is a necessity. Stakeholders should be able to embrace communal objectives for resource management and capacitated enough to propose and develop action plans to achieve those objectives. They should have technical capacity to jointly manage their resources sustainably including ability to monitor resources and impose rules. In the same vein, project stakeholders should be able to develop and manage local institutions with the capacity to distribute costs and benefits impartially among themselves and have a self-motivated community leadership to catalyze demand and mediate disputes where and when needed. Keywords: Project Sustainability, Community Water Points, Participatory Project, Capacity Building, Planning, stakeholders, beneficiaries. DOI: 10.7176/DCS/12-3-02 Publication date: March 31 st 2022