PUBLIC CAPACITY BUILDING 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
While Kenya’s devolved governance framework legally mandates public participation, meaningful influence on service delivery is unlikely where citizens lack the knowledge, skills, and confidence required to engage beyond symbolic attendance. This study assessed the effect of public capacity building on service delivery in county governments in Kenya, emphasizing citizen preparedness, civic education, empowerment structures, and training systems. Anchored in the Theory of Empowerment, the study used a positivist orientation and correlational design. The target population consisted of 2,037 respondents (291 ward facilitators and 1,746 public representatives). A Yamane (1967) sample of 334 respondents was selected using stratified random sampling, and 301 usable questionnaires were returned (90.1% response rate). Questionnaires captured capacity-building practices and perceived service delivery outcomes on a 5-point Likert scale; validity and reliability procedures were conducted, including construct validation and Cronbach’s alpha reliability tests meeting accepted thresholds, alongside diagnostic checks supporting regression assumptions. Descriptive results showed respondents generally agreed that capacity-building efforts were implemented (aggregate M = 4.030, SD = 0.898) and rated service delivery positively (aggregate M = 4.129, SD = 0.849). Regression analysis found a strong positive relationship between public capacity building and service delivery (R = 0.713; R² = 0.508; Adjusted R² = 0.506), with the model statistically significant (F = 307.879, p < .001). Public capacity building significantly predicted service delivery (B = 0.596; β = 0.713; t = 17.825, p < .001), indicating that strengthening citizen capacity yields substantial improvements in service delivery perceptions and outcomes. The study concludes that capacity building is not an “extra” activity; it is the mechanism that converts participation into accountability, informed input, and improved service performance. Counties should therefore institutionalize continuous civic education, inclusive training (especially for marginalized groups), refresher programs for facilitators, and dedicated funding lines to sustain capacity-building initiatives.