Public Participation Effects on Prioritization of Constituency Development Fund in Makueni County, Kenya
Abstract
Makueni County has been touted as having the best public participation framework in Kenya and possibly in Africa. The framework has been commended to the extent that the World Bank has recommended other County Governments in the Country to embrace the model in an effort to make sure adequate involvement of the public in county development agendas. However, little research has been conducted to examine how this form of public participation framework affects the implementation of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects in the county considering its associated expenses. The study therefore sought to examine the effect of public participation on the prioritization of CDF projects in Makueni County, Kenya. Descriptive research design was adopted. Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. Descriptive statistics were used in data analysis. The results revealed that most of the participants took part in the prioritization of the projects, which included selecting projects that are publicly important to them. The participants indicated that they were consulted almost always before projects were selected. The involvement in the selection allowed the electorate to feel satisfied with the projects, an issue that was confirmed by the key informants. The study concluded that public participation influenced the prioritization of CDF projects in Mukaa Sub-County. The study recommended the need for the Makueni government to development a framework for prioritizing on public projects. This study has showed that it is possible for the electorate to value different infrastructure projects, which could complicate prioritization and planning
Keywords: Public Participation, Prioritization, Constituency Development Fund
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