Influence of project management tools on completion of donor funded water projects in Baringo county

Abstract

Water is an essential resource for human survival and economic growth, yet access to clean and safe water remains a significant challenge, particularly in developing regions. This study focused on the adaptation of project management tools in the successful completion of donor-funded water projects in Baringo County, Kenya, where many initiatives struggle to meet their objectives despite substantial investment. Specifically the research aimed to explore and to determine the influence of stakeholder’s analysis on Completion of Donor Funded Water Projects in Baringo County., to establish the influence of project planning on Completion of Donor Funded Water Projects in Baringo County, to assess the influence of risk management on Completion of Donor Funded Water Projects in Baringo County and to examine the influence of monitoring and evaluation on Completion of Donor Funded Water Projects in Baringo County. The study was anchored in stakeholder theory, the theory of planning, prospect theory, and realistic evaluation theory The study employed a descriptive research design, the study gathered data from 357 stakeholders across various donor-funded water initiatives through a structured questionnaire. The sample size of 84 respondents included project managers, staff, donor representatives, community members, and government officials. Data analysis utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods, with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) being employed for statistical computations, including descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings were presented in tables and chats. The study found that stakeholder analysis had the strongest positive correlation with project completion (r = 0.634, p < 0.001), highlighting the critical role of engaging relevant stakeholders in donor-funded water projects in Baringo County. Project planning, risk management, and monitoring and evaluation also showed significant positive relationships with project completion, with correlation coefficients of 0.300 (p = 0.041), 0.410 (p = 0.006), and 0.425 (p = 0.003) respectively. Regression analysis revealed that these four factors collectively explained 47.9% of the variance in project completion (R² = 0.479), indicating their substantial influence. The findings conclude that effective stakeholder engagement, thorough planning, proactive risk management, and consistent monitoring and evaluation are vital for successful project completion. It is recommended that project managers strengthen stakeholder involvement throughout the project lifecycle, ensure comprehensive planning with adequate resource allocation, implement rigorous risk assessment and mitigation strategies, and maintain structured M&E frameworks to improve timely and quality completion of donor-funded water projects in the county.