Role of Risk Mitigation in Project Completion; A Survey of Constituency Development Fund Secondary Projects in Mwea Constituency, Kenya

Abstract

Despite allocation of huge Constituency Development Fund (CDF) amounts to the education sector, many projects had stalled and others failed to kick off despite availability of funds. This study therefore sought to examine how risk mitigation affects the completion of CDF secondary school projects in Mwea Constituency. Specifically, the study sought to assess risk mitigation practices, determine project completion and establish the effect of risk mitigation on the completion of CDF secondary school projects in Mwea Constituency. The current study employed a descriptive survey design. This study targeted CDF public secondary school projects in Mwea Constituency, Kenya. Project management committee members were the respondents in the study. As of February, 2020, there are 48 CDF public secondary school projects in the constituency. The school's principal, a community member and 1 representative from the school board were purposively selected. In addition, the CDF fund manager and the 8 members of the CDF committee were selected. The study therefore had a sample size of 153 respondents. A questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents in the study. Descriptive statistics comprising frequencies, percentages were employed to analyze data. Correlation analysis was employed to find out the direction and magnitude between the independent variables and project completion. Statistical Package for Sciences (SPSS) Version 24 for Windows was used. The study found that the rate of project completion was quite low. Analysis of data showed that there was very poor risk mitigation. Results showed that there was a strong positive correlation (r=0.742, n=137, p=0.000) between risk mitigation and project completion. The study therefore concluded that risk mitigation has a strong positive and significant effect on the completion of CDF secondary school projects in Mwea Constituency. Therefore, CDF projects ought to have a risk management plan which includes controls in place.