Relationship Between Budgetary Monitoring and Financial Performance of County Government of Kericho, Kenya

Abstract

Budgeting has become a fundamental issue for many organizations and business entities across the globe. Despite the availability of a legal framework on budgetary processes in the public sector, County Governments are still facing challenges such as delays in payment to suppliers, budget deficit, stalled projects, and poor development records. It is on this basis that this study sought to investigate the relationship between monitoring and financial performance of the County Government of Kericho. The study was guided by expenditure theory. The study adopted a correlation survey research design. The target population for the study was 3,848 employees from 12 departments of the County Government of Kericho. A stratified sampling technique method and simple random sampling technique were used to ascertain the sample size for the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics were presented by frequency tables, charts, and graphs, while inferential statistics were presented by correlation and regression models. The findings established that there was a significant statistical relationship between budgetary monitoring and financial performance (β = 0.901, p < 0.05). The study concludes that the budgetary monitoring had significant impact on financial performance of County Government of Kericho. The study recommends that for an efficient budgetary process, the county government should set realistic revenue targets to ensure that expected expenditure matches expected incomes and also acquire and train staff involved in budget planning for an efficient planning process. Participation from other stakeholders was also recommended to enhance the implementation process. The study recommends that further research on determinants of budget implementation in county governments should be carried out.