RISK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC WATER PROJECTS IN KAJIADO COUNTY, KENYA

Millicent Wanyaga Ireri, Dr. Anne Marie Wairimu Mungai

Abstract


Water supply and sanitation projects have come under a lot of criticism due to their narrow planning approaches. These projects have focused more on the expansions as well as the physical construction to increase their coverage in many target areas, rather than focusing on their sustainability after construction. Kajiado county has an acute shortage of safe and clean water for domestic uses and drinking and only 36.8% of households have access to piped and portable water and the 67.2% of the population have access to safe water. The water projects in the county have been facing performance challenges. The main objective of the study was to examine the influence of risk management practices on performance of public water projects in Kajiado County in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to; establish the influence of risk identification on performance of public water projects in Kajiado County, Kenya, and to examine the influence of risk response planning on performance of public water projects in Kajiado County, Kenya. The study was guided by agency theory and prospect theory. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target was 14 water projects. The unit of observation was 14 water project managers, 14 supervisors, and 207 project steering committee members. Yamane sampling formula was used to sample 148 respondents. The study used questionnaires to collect data. A pilot was conducted with 10% of the respondents hence 15 project staff. The study used content and construct validity. Reliability of the questionnaire was tested using Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient. The study used SPSS Version 28 for analysis. Findings were presented in tables. The content of the questionnaire was validated by the project management professionals. The regression analysis revealed that risk identification (B = 0.421, p < 0.05) had the strongest influence on water project performance, followed by risk response planning (B = 0.388, p < 0.000). These findings confirm that structured risk management enhances project success, with risk identification and response planning playing the most critical roles.

 

Key Words: Risk Management Practices, Risk Identification, Risk Response Planning, Performance of Public Water Projects 


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References


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