EFFECT OF STAKEHOLDERS’ PARTICIPATION ON PERFORMANCE OF COUNTY GOVERNMENTS IN KENYA. A CASE OF KITUI COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Abstract

Corporate governance helps the organization in coming up with the structure that assists in formulating objectives, and the ways of accomplishing the set goals and monitoring performance. The performance management in public service sector entails successful management of the policies and plans aimed at achieving the targets and the anticipated benefits. Government officials concentrate more on policy, regulation and operational matters while on the other hand, the public who are the employees ought to be productive in an organization for them to secure and continue in their employment position, and lastly other stakeholders have concerns in various societal and environmental issues. Stakeholders are individuals with an interest in a project or who will be impacted by it. Project success and improved decisions result from stakeholder participation. Project sustainability depends on fostering local ownership, which is accomplished through participation. Stakeholder involvement in projects results in a number of benefits. Stakeholders are able to develop their capacities and identify their own projects in the future. In turn, this promotes effectiveness and sustainability. The adoption of a devolved system of government in 2013 gave county governments the chance to improve local service delivery, but to this day, many counties continue to face rising demands from their citizens for the delivery of better services in an equitable and transparent manner. Counties should develop a structured and inclusive stakeholder engagement strategy that identifies key stakeholders, outlines their roles, and establishes communication channels. This strategy should promote meaningful participation, transparency, and collaboration among stakeholders, ultimately contributing to better decision-making and improved county performance.