Effect of Monitoring and Evaluation on Performance of Water Supply Projects in Agakenke District, Rwanda

The general objective of this research was to assess effect of monitoring and evaluation on performance of water supply projects in Gakenke District. This study had the following specific objectives: assess effect of M&E planning process on performance of water supply projects in Gakenke District, find out effect of M&E technical capacity on performance of water supply projects in Gakenke District, determine effect of M&E resources allocation on performance of water supply projects in Gakenke District and examine effect of stakeholders’ participation in M&E on performance of water supply projects in Gakenke District. 186 water project workers and head of household in Muzo, Janja, Gakenke and Ruli sector with Gakenke District officials made up the study’s population. The sample size of 127 respondents was determined by the help of Solvin’s formula. The results of the study rejected all null hypotheses (p<0.05). The research showed also that the effect of M&E planning process (β=1.348, p=.000), the effect of M&E technical capacity (β=.968, p=.001), the effect of allocation of resources (β=.638, p=.004), and the effect of participation of stakeholders in M&E (β=.261, p=.006) have positive and significant effect on the performance of water supply projects in Gakenke District. The study recommends to the District to design M&E team to manage all monitoring and evaluation activities for all the projects; to provide regular capacity building to M&E staff members in order to enhance their expertise in designing and implementing M&E activities; to anticipate and address potential challenges that may hinder the effective utilization of M&E in improving project performance and to enhance engagement of all stakeholders in M&E. Keywords: Monitoring and evaluation, Planning process, technical capacity, Resources allocation, Stakeholders’ participation, Performance of projects