Abstract: Despite public accountability being a key governance requirement in public sector management, infrastructure projects in public secondary schools in Kenya continue to experience inefficiencies, delays, and instances of resource mismanagement, prompting the need to examine its influence on project implementation. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the influence of public accountability on the implementation of infrastructure projects in public secondary schools in Kakamega County, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population comprised 1249 respondents, including 412 principals, 412 Board of Management chairpersons, 412 Parents Association chairpersons, and 13 Sub-County Education Officers. A sample size of 316 respondents was selected using stratified and purposive sampling techniques. Data was collected using questionnaires and interview schedules. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (linear regression analysis). The study findings revealed that public accountability significantly influences implementation of infrastructure projects (R² = 0.310, β = 0.542, p < 0.05), indicating that improved accountability enhances project performance. Qualitative findings further confirmed that auditing, stakeholder participation, and monitoring and evaluation improve transparency and reduce resource mismanagement. Qualitative findings further indicated that monitoring systems were moderately effective but constrained by budget limitations, bureaucratic procedures, and coordination challenges among stakeholders, which contributed to delays. The study concluded that strong public accountability systems are essential for effective implementation of school infrastructure projects. The study recommended strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems, enhancing transparency in financial management, increasing stakeholder involvement, and enforcing accountability regulations to improve infrastructure project outcomes in public secondary schools.

Abstract: Community involvement is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of sustainable water project implementation in rural contexts. This study examines the role of community participation in sustaining water projects in Gutu Rural District, Zimbabwe. Guided by Stakeholder Theory and Management Theory, the research employs a descriptive survey design targeting a population of 500, from which a sample of 217 participants was drawn using Morgan and Krejcie’s (1970) sampling table. Data were collected through questionnaires and interview guides, with quantitative responses analysed using SPSS version 25 and qualitative insights processed through NVivo 14. Findings reveal that community involvement significantly enhances the sustainability of water projects by fostering local ownership, accountability, and effective utilization of resources. The study underscores that when communities actively participate in planning, decision-making, and maintenance, water projects are more likely to achieve long-term viability. It concludes that strengthening participatory approaches is essential for ensuring sustainable access to safe water in rural Zimbabwe and recommends that project implementers institutionalize community engagement frameworks as a central strategy in water resource management.

Abstract: Community-based projects in Kenya often face sustainability challenges, with nearly half failing to maintain outcomes beyond the donor funding period. Kilifi County mirrors this national trend. This study examined the influence of stakeholder participation on the sustainability of community-based projects in Kilifi County, focusing on 55 initiatives funded by the Safaricom Foundation between 2022 and 2024. These projects spanned education, health, environment, water, and economic empowerment, engaging a total population of 16,689 stakeholders. Given the impracticality of surveying the entire population, Taro Yamane’s (1967) formula was applied to determine a representative sample of 391 participants. Data collection and analysis were conducted concurrently, employing the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27 to summarise findings and draw inferences. Results revealed a high overall perception of stakeholder involvement (M = 4.42, SD = 0.638), with 64% of respondents reporting participation across multiple phases of the project cycle, including initiation, planning, implementation, and sustainability monitoring. These findings underscore the critical role of active stakeholder engagement in fostering ownership, accountability, and long-term project resilience. The study concludes that sustained and inclusive participation throughout the project lifecycle significantly enhances the likelihood of community-based projects enduring beyond the donor funding phase.