Influence of Non-Governmental Organizations’ Participatory Level of Governance on Accountability to Stakeholders in Kisumu Municipality, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of governance on accountability to stakeholders by Non-Governmental Organizations in Kisumu Municipality, Kenya. Objective of the article was to establish the level at which participation as an element of governance influence accountability to stakeholders by NGOs in Kisumu Municipality. The research question was, at what level does participation as an element of governance influence accountability to stakeholders by NGOs in Kisumu Municipality? The study employed descriptive survey design. The study population included 96 respondents from 96 NGOs in Kisumu Municipality; from each NGO there was one respondent, a project manager or an equivalent of a project manager. Probability proportional to size (PPS) sampling method was used to sample NGOs from which respondents to the questionnaire were drawn. Data was collected by use of questionnaires. A pilot study was conducted in Kakamega Municipality among 15 project manager or NGO officers of equivalent ranks from 15 NGOs, to ensure instrument reliability. Face validity of the instruments was determined by two experts who are the supervisors at the University of Nairobi to evaluate each item in relation to the objectives and assess if the instrument is answering the research question. Quantitative data was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics in form of frequency counts, percentages. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 17 software was used for data analysis. Regression was also done to assess the indicators of accountability while holding the predictor indicators of governance constant. The researcher performed the ANOVA to test hypothesis with the significance level for the test selected at 5% (p = 0.05). Null hypothesis was retained at p < 0.05 and rejected at p>0.05. Findings revealed that the stakeholders who would participate in making decision on the type of project to be undertaken by the NGO, the donors and NGO staff members have the strongest voice at (48.7%) each totaling to 92.4 percent. This study therefore recommends building of synergy among various NGOs, donors, the government and the local communities with a view to promote and encourage active involvement of the beneficiary community in all the phases of various project cycles; especially participation of the local community in decision-making.