Constraints to Community Participation in the Monitoring and Evaluation of Development Activities: A Case of Caritas Capacity Building Project in Machakos County, Kenya

Abstract

For the last three decades, participation has become an increasingly emphasized aspect of and a key tool for public policy and service delivery within the realm of good governance across the world. This research assessed constraints to community participation in the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of development activities in the rural communities in Kenya using Caritas Capacity building projects in Machakos County as a case study. The objectives included establishing the role played participation by local community members, challenges involved, and suggesting strategies for enhancing community participation. The study employed in-depth interviews, structured questionnaires and focus group discussions (FGD) as data collection methods. It involved a total of 112 respondents drawn from Katangi Division of Machakos County. Of the above, 100 respondents consisted of household heads who were randomly selected from the division while the remaining included the Caritas Capacity Building Project team members as well as members of the local churches who usually partner with community members and project team in the monitoring and evaluation of the project activities. Research findings revealed that participation existed in the implementation of Caritas programs and beneficiaries have benefited from it. It was however more confined to farmers‟ group level activities while the important decisions were made at higher administrative levels particularly at the diocesan level with minimal local community members‟ involvement. In view of the above the study, the researcher recommended a more vivid bottom-up approach in the implementation of Caritas projects. Particularly, much effort need to be put beyond the farmer group level to decision-making process at inter-group level with increased local farmers‟ involvement.