Monetary Resources Utilization and Implementation of Constituency Development Fund Projects in Kenya: a Case of Kiharu Constituency Murang’a County

Abstract

The Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was established by an Act of parliament in Kenya in the year 2003 with an aim of ensuring equitable resource allocation to all constituencies which are the electoral zones. Despite the CDF role in alleviating poverty and improving economic growth index in Kenya, several constituencies continues’ to experience high poverty levels. The economic growth index remains 5.6% compared to 6.9% and 6.5% growth for Tanzania and Rwanda respectively. Uganda follows closely at 5.2%.The main objective was to find out the utilization of monetary resources and how it affects implementation of CDF projects in Kenya whereas the specific objectives were; managerial practices, monitoring and evaluation, procurement processes and governance. Drawing from the fiscal interest theory and economic welfare theory it was conceptualized that the independent variable and dependent variable were monetary resources utilization and implementation of CDF projects respectively. The unit of the study was the Constituency. The study adopted descriptive survey design method and a population of thirty seven (37) respondents was used. Primary data was collected using self-administered questionnaires and was supplemented by secondary data obtained from the constituency’s CDF reports. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Monetary resources utilization had a mean of 1.97 and a standard deviation of 0.822, monitoring and evaluation procedures had a mean of 1.13 and standard deviation of 0.336, governance standards had a mean of 1.19 and a standard deviation of 0.397, managerial skills had a mean of 1.25 and a standard deviation of 0.440 while procurement process had a mean of 1.41 and a standard deviation of 0.499. Procurement processes was the variable with the highest mean difference thus the greatest influence on monetary resources utilization. Monetary resources utilization was confirmed to influence implementation of CDF projects.