An Assessment of Community Participation in Constituency Development Funded Projects : A Case of Laikipia East District, Kenya

Abstract

Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is a fiscal decentralized strategy that was established to increase community participation in development.  A number of African countries have realized the significance of local initiates in coping with development problems and are now trying to incorporate local people in development.  Some of the weaknesses that have been cited through studies done on CDF include political patronage and administrative influences, top-down mentality and mismanagement.  This has greatly hampered community participation in CDF funded projects.  This study was carried out to assess community participation in CDF funded projects in Laikipia East District, Kenya.  The study employed descriptive survey research design.  To draw a representative sample, the study adopted purposive and simple random sampling techniques.  Data was collected by use of a questionnaire.  The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics.  The study established that community participation is very in CDF management is very low.  69.5% of the respondents indicated that they had never participated in CDF funded projects.  CDF awareness was average as indicated by 50% of the respondents.   The community members of Laikipia East District were not satisfied with CDF funded projects as indicated by 80% of the respondents.

Keywords: Constituency Development Fund (CDF), Fiscal Decentralization, Community  Participation, Kenya