ANTI-CORRUPTION POLICY MEASURE AND ITS EFFECT ON SERVICE DELIVERY IN TRANS-NZOIA COUNTY GOVERNMENT, KENYA
Janet Nabwire Wasike - Student, Master of Art, Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Daniel Mange Mbirithi - Lecturer, Department of Educational Management, Policy and Curriculum Studies, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
The research focused on exploring the influence that anti-corruption policy measures have on service delivery within the County Government of Trans-Nzoia, Kenya. The study focused on the extent to which citizen participation and transparency would impact both the efficiency and quality of public services. While borrowing and anchoring the research on institutional theory and the descriptive research design, the study significantly targeted senior staff, selected citizens and departmental heads in charge of county services. Data collection was attained with the help of interviews and questionnaires. The research realized a high response rate that reflected reliable representation of the study population. Notably, with mixed methods, the research process realized collection of both numeric and descriptive data. Numeric data was analyzed using inferential and descriptive statistics as thematic analysis would be applied to descriptive data. The findings showed that transparency mechanisms inclined towards budgeting and public disclosure of the entire procurement process carry a positive impact on service delivery. At the same time, accountability measures such as audits and performance contracts largely enhance efficiency. However, the county government showed inconsistent application of the measures. On the other hand, citizen participation emerged as a critical enabler of responsive governance, though its effectiveness is hindered by limited civic awareness and bureaucratic barriers. Enforcement of anti-corruption policies, while present, was reported to suffer from selective application and lack of political will. The study concludes that while the Trans-Nzoia County Government has made progress in institutionalizing anti-corruption strategies, the uneven implementation of these measures undermines their full potential in transforming service delivery. The findings highlight the need for a multi-stakeholder approach that combines political commitment, civic engagement, and institutional reform.