PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLANNING AND SERVICE DELIVERY IN COUNTY GOVERNMENTS IN KENYA
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLANNING AND SERVICE DELIVERY IN COUNTY GOVERNMENTS IN KENYA
Jades Kalunda Muema - PhD Scholar in Leadership and Governance, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
Dr. Paul Kariuki (PhD) - Lecturer, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
Dr. Joyce Amuhaya (PhD) - Lecturer, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
Dr. Anne Marie Wairimu Mungai (PhD) - Lecturer, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Public engagement is widely promoted in devolved systems as a pathway for aligning public services with citizen priorities, but outcomes depend heavily on whether participation processes are deliberately planned rather than treated as compliance rituals. This study examined the effect of public engagement planning on service delivery in county governments in Kenya, focusing on counties reported as having not fully operationalized public participation frameworks. Guided by Community Action Planning (CAP) Theory, the study adopted a positivist philosophy and a correlational research design. The target population comprised 2,037 respondents (291 ward public participation facilitators and 1,746 public representatives). Using Yamane’s (1967) formula, a sample of 334 respondents was selected through stratified random sampling, and 301 valid questionnaires were returned (90.1% response rate). Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires measured on a 5-point Likert scale; validity was supported through content/face review and construct validation, while reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha with coefficients meeting acceptable thresholds. Descriptive results indicated strong respondent agreement that engagement planning practices were present (aggregate M = 4.058, SD = 0.850), while service delivery was also positively perceived (aggregate M = 4.129, SD = 0.849). Simple linear regression results showed a strong positive relationship between engagement planning and service delivery (R = 0.682; R² = 0.465; Adjusted R² = 0.463), with the model statistically significant (F = 259.777, p < .001). Engagement planning significantly predicted service delivery (B = 0.575; β = 0.682; t = 15.972, p < .001), implying that improvements in structured planning translate into measurable gains in perceived service delivery. The findings demonstrate that county forums alone are insufficient; counties must institutionalize engagement planning, through clear objectives, stakeholder mapping, timelines, defined roles, and adequate resourcing, to convert participation into service outcomes.
