INFLUENCE OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION PRACTICES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR ON PROMOTING GOVERNANCE IN EXECUTIVE ARM OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF MANDERA
Abstract
There is a lack of focus on the cultural, social, and economic factors that may influence the effectiveness of M&E systems in these contexts. The main objective of the study was to analyze influence of effective monitoring and evaluation practices in the public sector on promoting governance in Mandera County. A descriptive research design was used. This study targeted 150 respondents which made up the target population. A stratified random sampling method was used. The sample size was 108 respondents. The analysis of the data used both quantitative and qualitative methods. The SPSS software, version 26 was used to evaluate quantitative data using descriptive statistics. The study findings were significance to County Government Officials, County Government Employees, Monitoring and Evaluation Practitioners, Citizens and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Development Partners and Donor Agencies, Researchers and Academics. The study found out that, respondents tend to agree to some extent that continuous learning and improvement led to regular analysis and reporting, but the response remains somewhat neutral. The mean score of 1.7980 suggested that, on average, respondents agreed more with the statement that collecting and analysing data had led to good governance. Respondents, on average, agreed more with the statement that stakeholders' involvement had led to collaborative partnerships, as indicated by a mean score of 2.4444. The study concluded that rrespondents appeared to be somewhat neutral or leaning towards agreement regarding regular analysis, feedback loops, and regular feedback resulting from continuous learning and improvement efforts. Respondents generally agreed that collecting and analysing data had had positive impacts on decision making, particularly in areas related to clarity of objectives, time management, and risk management. Respondents generally agreed that stakeholder involvement had positive impacts on collaborative partnerships, regular communication, empowerment, and an improved feedback mechanism. Organizations should continue to emphasize and prioritize good governance practices, as these are perceived positively by respondents. The study recommended that given that respondents view continuous improvement as positively impacting capacity and flexibility, organizations should continue to invest in and emphasize these aspects of their continuous improvement initiatives, as they were seen as strengths. The neutral response regarding improved data quality suggests that organizations should focus on quality control and assurance measures in their data collection and analysis processes to ensure that data integrity and reliability are maintained. Organizations should recognize and leverage positive aspects of stakeholder involvement, particularly in fostering collaborative partnerships, communication, empowerment, and feedback mechanisms.
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