International Journal of Management and Leadership Studies
2025; 6(i): 626-642
ISSN:
2311 7575
EFFECT OF TECHNICAL CAPACITY AND STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT ON PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION IN MARGINALIZED COUNTIES OF KENYA: A CASE STUDY OF GARISSA COUNTY
Suleiman Hussein and Brown Kitur
Published:
01 December, 2025
Volume:
6
Issue:
i
Keywords:
Technical Capacity, Stakeholder Involvement, Project Implementation, Marginalized Counties, Garissa County, Kenya.
Effective project implementation remains a persistent challenge in Kenya’s marginalized
counties, where limited institutional capacity and weak stakeholder engagement often
lead to project delays, cost overruns, and incomplete outcomes. This study examined the
effect of technical capacity and stakeholder involvement on project implementation in
Garissa County, one of Kenya’s least developed regions. The research was guided by the
Resource-Based View (RBV) and Stakeholder Theories, which emphasize internal
capabilities and participatory governance as key enablers of project success. A descriptive
research design was adopted, targeting 250 project stakeholders drawn from various
county departments. Using Yamane’s formula, a sample size of 154 respondents was
selected through stratified random sampling. Primary data were collected using
structured questionnaires, and reliability was confirmed through Cronbach’s Alpha
coefficients exceeding 0.80. Data were analysed using SPSS Version 28, applying both
descriptive and inferential statistics, including correlation and multiple regression
analysis. The results revealed that both technical capacity (β = 0.247, p < 0.01) and
stakeholder involvement (β = 0.209, p = 0.003) had a positive and statistically significant
effect on project implementation in Garissa County. The overall model explained 64.1%
(R² = 0.641) of the variation in project implementation, confirming the strong predictive
power of the selected variables. The study concluded that enhancing technical
competencies, providing adequate tools and systems, and promoting participatory
stakeholder engagement are critical to improving project efficiency and sustainability in
marginalized regions. It recommends that county governments institutionalize
continuous capacity-building programs, strengthen stakeholder consultation
mechanisms, and integrate participatory monitoring and evaluation frameworks. These
measures would enhance accountability, foster ownership, and improve the timely
completion and quality of public projects in Kenya’s devolved system.