The perceived effect of leadership on performance of constituencies development fund (CDF) projects: a case of Uasin Gishu District

Abstract

The Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) is a new development strategy for Kenya. Adopted after the enactment of CDF Act 2003, it is a strategy aimed towards the achievement of sustainable development in Kenya. However, there are notable disparities in the performance of CDF funded projects. Some are performing well while others are performing poorly. The study intended to understand whether the trade-off was attributable to the quality of leadership involved in the management and implementation of these projects. The study utilized perception as a parameter for measuring leadership. The specific objectives included: Examining the influence of awareness creation on the perception of people towards CDF; Establishing whether communities are involved in formulation of CDF projects; Establishing the criteria used in selection of leaders that serve in various committees of CDF; and finding out the scope of specific leaders in the management of CDF projects. The study was based on Fiedler's Contingency/Situational approach to leadership, which states that the actions of a leader are dictated by the situation at hand. Secondary data collection involved a review of literature on leadership and the CDF strategy. Cross sectional survey design was used. Purposive Sampling and Simple Random Sampling techniques were used. The research targeted 180 respondents. drawn from the Project Management Committee (PMC) members of CDF funded projects in the three constituencies of Uasin Gishu District. Each CDF funded project has a PMC of not less than seven members. 12 projects were purposively sampled from each of the six Divisions, forming a total of 72 projects. 36 projects were sampled out from the 72, through simple random sampling, to arrive at 12 projects per constituency or at least 6 projects per division. 5 respondents were purposively sampled out from the PMC members in each of these projects, to give a total of 180 respondents. For Primary data collection, the researcher administered questionnaires, and also used observation and interviews/discussions. Data presentation involved the use of descriptive statistics such as percentages and tables while data analysis involved the use of inferential statistics, mainly the spearman correlation, using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Through measuring people's perceptions, the study revealed the extent to which the success or failure of CDF projects is dependent on the quality of leadership in place. The outcome has assisted in developing recommendations that if implemented, will aid in improving the CDF strategy and general policy formulation at all levels of development.