MONITORING AND EVALUATION PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE OF THE NATIONAL DIGITAL SUPERHIGHWAY PROJECT IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA

Zeddy Chemutai Koima, Dr. Kepha Ombui

Abstract


The purpose of this study was to assess the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) practices and performance of National Digital Superhighway Project in the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Kenya. Monitoring and evaluation practices play a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of project planning, management, implementation and the overall performance. The main objective of this study was to assess the role of monitoring practices on the performance of the National Digital Superhighway project in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Specifically, it sought to establish whether M&E planning and reporting has an influence on the performance of the project under study. It was guided by  theory of change and stakeholder theory. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with a target population of 354. Simple random sampling was used to select the 187 MDAs form the population which forms 53% of the population. This technique is more suitable because it enables the respondents to get an equal chance of being selected. It also enables the researcher to collect qualitative replies, which will result in improved understanding and more accurate research findings. Primary data was collected by use of questionnaires and interview schedules. Data analysis included both descriptive and inferential statistics. Before conducting the actual research, a pilot testing of the questionnaires was conducted to enable the researcher to re-examine the phraseology of the questions with the aim of making them clearer and unambiguous thus minimizing the chances of biasness. The pilot study was conducted with 10% of the sample hence 19 participants. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 28 (SPSS v28) was used for data analysis and findings were tabulated. This study examined the effect of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) practices on the performance of the National Digital Superhighway Project in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The findings revealed that M&E planning (β = 0.348, p = 0.003), and reporting (β = 0.395, p = 0.000)—positively and significantly influenced project performance. The model explained 74.3% of the variation in project performance (R² = 0.743). The study concludes that thorough M&E planning and systematic reporting are critical to the project's success. It is recommended that organizations clearly define roles and responsibilities and maintain regular and accurate reporting to improve project outcomes. These measures will ensure comprehensive monitoring, timely interventions, and overall project efficiency and effectiveness.

Key Words: Monitoring and Evaluation Practices, Performance, National Digital Superhighway project, M&E Planning, Reporting 


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