Stakeholder Participation, Stakeholder Commitment, And Sustainability of Water Projects in Kitagwenda District, Uganda.
| dc.contributor.author | Jacqueline Anne Nansubuga | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-08T12:50:30Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-08T12:50:30Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-11-06 | |
| dc.description | This is a master's thesis. | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study explored the relationship between stakeholder participation, stakeholder commitment, and the sustainability of community water projects in Kitagwenda District, Uganda. The research was motivated by the ongoing challenge of sustaining rural water systems despite substantial investments in infrastructure and community mobilization. Although sustainability of water projects has been widely studied, this research is unique in its focus on Kitagwenda District a newly established district (2019) with distinctive hydrological and governance challenges. The study’s originality lies in analyzing how participation and commitment operate together to sustain rural water projects within a decentralized Ugandan setting. The main objective of the study was to assess how the levels of stakeholder participation and commitment contribute to the continued functionality and success of these water projects. A cross-sectional research design was used, with a target population of over 10,000 individuals from 50 completed water projects in the district. The study applied simple random sampling to select a sample of 373 respondents. Out of these, 271 responded, resulting in a 72.3 percent response rate. Data were collected using structured questionnaires based on a five-point Likert scale, and the tools were tested for validity and reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha scores ranging from 0.761 to 0.904. The findings revealed a moderate and significant positive correlation between stakeholder participation and project sustainability (r = 0.438, p < 0.01), and between stakeholder commitment and sustainability (r = 0.303, p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis further showed that stakeholder participation (β = 0.794, p < 0.001) had a stronger predictive influence on sustainability than stakeholder commitment (β = 0.401, p = 0.001). Together, these variables accounted for 22.6 percent of the variation in sustainability outcomes (R² = 0.226). Based on these findings, the study recommends that water project planners and implementers prioritize early and meaningful stakeholder involvement in decision-making, alongside strategies to strengthen emotional and social commitment. Community sensitization, empowerment of local influencers, and regular feedback mechanisms should be emphasized to build ownership and accountability. Overall, the study concludes that when people are genuinely involved and feel connected to the project, they are more likely to support and sustain it over time, leading to more resilient and effective community water systems. This study explored the relationship between stakeholder participation, stakeholder commitment, and the sustainability of community water projects in Kitagwenda District, Uganda. The research was motivated by the ongoing challenge of sustaining rural water systems despite substantial investments in infrastructure and community mobilization. Although sustainability of water projects has been widely studied, this research is unique in its focus on Kitagwenda District a newly established district (2019) with distinctive hydrological and governance challenges. The study’s originality lies in analyzing how participation and commitment operate together to sustain rural water projects within a decentralized Ugandan setting. The main objective of the study was to assess how the levels of stakeholder participation and commitment contribute to the continued functionality and success of these water projects. A cross-sectional research design was used, with a target population of over 10,000 individuals from 50 completed water projects in the district. The study applied simple random sampling to select a sample of 373 respondents. Out of these, 271 responded, resulting in a 72.3 percent response rate. Data were collected using structured questionnaires based on a five-point Likert scale, and the tools were tested for validity and reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha scores ranging from 0.761 to 0.904. The findings revealed a moderate and significant positive correlation between stakeholder participation and project sustainability (r = 0.438, p < 0.01), and between stakeholder commitment and sustainability (r = 0.303, p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis further showed that stakeholder participation (β = 0.794, p < 0.001) had a stronger predictive influence on sustainability than stakeholder commitment (β = 0.401, p = 0.001). Together, these variables accounted for 22.6 percent of the variation in sustainability outcomes (R² = 0.226). Based on these findings, the study recommends that water project planners and implementers prioritize early and meaningful stakeholder involvement in decision-making, alongside strategies to strengthen emotional and social commitment. Community sensitization, empowerment of local influencers, and regular feedback mechanisms should be emphasized to build ownership and accountability. Overall, the study concludes that when people are genuinely involved and feel connected to the project, they are more likely to support and sustain it over time, leading to more resilient and effective community water systems. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Dr. Kassim Ssenyange (Makerere University Business School) & Ms. Justine Nanteza (Makerere University Business School) | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Jacqueline, A. N. (2025). Stakeholder Participation, Stakeholder Commitment, And Sustainability of Water Projects in Kitagwenda District, Uganda. (Unpublished master's dissertation). Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12282/5725 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Makerere University Business School | |
| dc.rights | Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States | en |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ | |
| dc.title | Stakeholder Participation, Stakeholder Commitment, And Sustainability of Water Projects in Kitagwenda District, Uganda. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |