Project Management Practices and Performance of Organizations within the Water Sector in Kenya

Abstract

This project is on project management practices and performance of water projects of Othaya-Mukurweini Water Services Company Limited. The need to implement successful water projects calls for optimum practices. As a developing country, Kenya is faced with project management challenges. Whilst projects in general have their challenges regarding implementation and consequently success, water projects in particular are plagued by a unique set of problems and challenges. This knowledge will provide important information that can be integrated to project cycle before or towards completion by government, private and non-governmental organizations. Lessons drawn from this study will be utilized by the communities, implementing water projects to address the project performance challenges and plan the better ways of implementing the water projects. The objectives of this study included how planning, stakeholder involvement, monitoring & evaluation affect the performance of Othaya-Mukurweini Water and Sanitation Company Limited. Key theories put into perspective in this study were systems theory, stakeholder theory, agency theory and balance score card theory. The study adopted the descriptive research design to allow the researcher to study phenomena without manipulation of variables. The target population was the clientele and staff of OMWASCO. The findings of this study were generalized to all other water companies in Kenya. The target population was 351 comprising of customers and staff of OMWASCO.This study employed systematic sampling on the beneficiaries of the two projects, whereby 30% of customers and project staff on each project area were interviewed. Primary data was collected using questionnaires. In the course of primary data collection unwilling respondents were encountered especially with revealing information classified as confidential. They were however reassured of utmost confidentiality and relevant authorization documents attached to the questionnaires. Secondary data was obtained from relevant publications and literature review from libraries. Data was tabulated and analyzed for purpose of clarity, using SPSS software. The study concluded that project planning, stakeholders’ involvement and monitoring & evaluation have a positive and significant effect on the performance of water projects of Othaya-Mukurweini Water Services Company Ltd. The study recommends that the organizations within the water sector in Kenya should implement their project planning by first defining the steps involved in project planning so that they can determine what and processes where cost reduction can be done, what can be done to reduce costs. The study recommends that for organizations within the water sector in Kenya to achieve their objectives, they should align the annual goals to their major change initiatives or quality programs and integrate them into the stakeholder involvement. The study further recommends that organizations within the water sector in Kenya should identify monitoring & evaluation ways that can help enhance performance of organizations within the water sector in Kenya.