Community Participation’s Mediating Effect on Project Planning and Road Project Performance in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Counties

The road construction industry is inherently complex due to the involvement of numerous parties, including the government, contractors, consultants, stakeholders, and regulators. In Kenya, road projects have been facing challenges, resulting in delays, increased costs, and subpar quality. The study was anchored on theory of constraints and supported by Stakeholder Theory, Resource Based View Theory and Regulation Theory. The purpose of the study was to examine the mediating role of community participation in the link between project planning and road project performance in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid counties. The study adopted positivism philosophy. The study applied a descriptive survey research design that was cross sectional in nature. The study adopted purposive sampling technique where primary data was collected using a questionnaire from 198 respondents. The study respondents were the contracted company’s project managers, county public works officers and the local community leaders who are most advantageously placed and in the best position to provide the information required. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics which included correlation and multiple regressions. The study results revealed that strong positive correlation (R=0.648) between project planning and performance of road projects; strong positive and statistically significant correlation (R=0.718) between project planning, community participation and performance of road projects; and that 51% (R2=0.510) of variation in and performance of road projects is explained by the project planning, community participation. Further, community participation partially mediates the relationship between project planning and performance of road projects. The study recommends the development of comprehensive and workable project designs that take into account the one-of-a-kind conditions that are typical of arid and semi-arid regions. There is a need for greater investment in training and development efforts that target project planners and engineers, with the purpose of expanding their knowledge and understanding of the design and execution of road projects within arid and semi-arid regions. Establishment of project planning frameworks that are especially adapted to the contextual needs of arid and semi-arid settings is an absolute necessity if one wants to successfully handle the one-of-a-kind difficulties that are offered by arid and semi-arid environments.