PERCEPTIONS OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT CORRUPTION PRACTICES AND PROJECT SUCCESS: A CASE OF KENYA RURAL ROADS AUTHORITY IN KIAMBU COUNTY, KENYA
PERCEPTIONS OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT CORRUPTION PRACTICES AND PROJECT SUCCESS: A CASE OF KENYA RURAL ROADS AUTHORITY IN KIAMBU COUNTY, KENYA
Nanzala Timothy Vincent - Student, Master of Public Policy and Administration of Kenyatta University. Kenya
David Minja - Lecturer, Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Multiple research studies demonstrated that corruption occurs during public procurement, leading to doubts about the process's ability to select capable implementers for projects. The main objective of this investigation was to analyze relationship between perceptions about procurement corruption practices and project success. The research examined projects undertaken by contractors of KeRRA within Kiambu County. The research aimed to achieve three primary objectives, which involved analyzing the relation between contractor collusion perceptions with project outcomes at KeRRA in Kiambu County, testing the relationship between perceptions of improper noncompetitive procurement activities and project success at KeRRA in Kiambu County, and measuring relationship between perceptions of conflict of interest and project achievement at KeRRA in Kiambu County. This research used both fraud triangle theory and the resource-based theory as its framework. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was used. The research included 23 civil servants from Kiambu County's Roads, Transport, and Public Works Department, 60 members of the County Assembly, and 30 staff from Kiambu Pamoja Trust within the county area as the respondents. The study employed a census sample due to accessibility of all respondents. The research collected its main data through semi-structured questionnaires. The study conducted content analysis on qualitative data and used descriptive statistics for quantitative data. The statistical evaluation consisted of frequency tables, percentage distributions, mean values, and standard deviations. The results showed that 55.7% of respondents believed collusion during the procurement process was high or very high and had a considerable effect on project costs and efficiency. 81.8% of respondents viewed prevalence of unjustified noncompetitive procurement as high or very high implying that it was common and often unjustified. Similarly, the study revealed a high prevalence of conflict of interest in procurement processes at KeRRA, with 50% of respondents rating it as very high and 45.5% as high. The study concluded that procurement corruption practices particularly collusion among contractors, unjustified noncompetitive procurement, and conflict of interest are highly prevalent at KeRRA in Kiambu County. Overall, the study established that these procurement corruption practices have a detrimental effect on project success at KeRRA in Kiambu County as they lead to project delays, inflated costs, substandard quality, and low stakeholder satisfaction. Strengthening transparency, and integrity mechanisms as well as adopting electronic procurement will be critical in enhancing project performance and ensuring that public funds are used efficiently and effectively. The research findings will assist KeRRA and Kiambu County policymakers in spotting procurement policy holes that may trigger adverse perceptions, which require appropriate responses.
