Influence of Stakeholder Engagement Dynamics on Project Performance: Evidence from SUNCASA Project in Kigali
Ndayishimiye Honoré
University of Kigali
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9153-6136
Email: honoratus53@gmail.com
Abstract: Despite advances in project management frameworks, urban development projects, particularly multi-stakeholder nature-based initiatives, continue to experience challenges related to coordination, implementation efficiency, and stakeholder responsiveness, resulting in suboptimal project performance. These persistent challenges highlight the need to better understand how stakeholder engagement practices contribute to successful project implementation. This study examined the influence of stakeholder engagement dynamics on project performance in the SUNCASA Project in Kigali City. The study adopted a quantitative, explanatory cross-sectional case study design involving 135 stakeholders. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression. The findings revealed that stakeholder engagement practices jointly explained 60.4% of the variation in project performance (R² = 0.604, p < 0.001). Stakeholder feedback integration emerged as the strongest predictor of project performance (β = 0.354, p < 0.001), followed by stakeholder participation and stakeholder communication, all of which exerted statistically significant positive effects. Conversely, stakeholder consultation exhibited a positive but statistically insignificant influence (β = 0.144, p = 0.091), suggesting that consultation alone does not directly enhance project performance unless stakeholder inputs are translated into implementation decisions. The study concludes that effective stakeholder engagement enhances project performance primarily through collaborative decision-making, adaptive management, and systematic integration of stakeholder feedback. It recommends institutionalizing participatory governance and formal stakeholder feedback management systems to strengthen the implementation and sustainability of urban resilience and nature-based projects in Rwanda.
