Community Participation in Urban Infrastructure Development: Experience from Bishoftu Town, Oromia National Regiona State

Abstract

The study aimed at analyzing community participation in urban road infrastructure development projects. To this end, the study employed mixed approach. Survey questionnaire was administered for 385 sample respondents that were selected using multistage cluster sampling. Key informant interview schedules were used to collect data concerning poor community participation and road infrastructure development in the City with purposively selected informants. Findings reveal that community participation is implemented in the town to fill the financial gaps of projects. The community is not participating in the entire project cycle. Participation in policy formulation, planning, implementation, maintenance and operation, and evaluation are not evident; and thus obstacle for substantive community participation. The study also found that there is poor communication and relationships among the municipality, kebele leaders that manage the project and the community. I.e. community participation is not institutionalized for permanent impact; this problem has affected the possibility for fostering institutionalized community participation in the City and hampered the synergy of the growing trend of participation in the development of the City. The study concludes that bottom–up approaches, building effective communication channel between the community, kebele leaders that manage the project and institutionalization of the growing trends of participation in the City is essential. Therefore, more capacity building strategies are required to promote community participation.