Empowerment Strategy and the Performance of Public Participation at Tana River County Assembly, Kenya

Abstract

Public participation is an important component of devolved governance in Kenya, yet its effectiveness may be constrained when stakeholders lack adequate knowledge, information, skills, resources, and opportunities to influence decision-making. This study examined how empowerment strategy influences the performance of public participation at Tana River County Assembly, Kenya. The study specifically focused on the availability of training programmes, quality of training and information provided, and access to participation resources and tools in relation to stakeholder satisfaction, attendance in public forums, adoption of actionable stakeholder inputs, and community trust in the participation process. The study was anchored on Social Capital Theory and employed a descriptive research design using a mixed-methods approach. The target population comprised 6,340 stakeholders, including community members, persons with disabilities, civil society representatives, local leaders, County Assembly Members, and administrative staff. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select a sample of 370 respondents, from whom 297 valid responses were obtained. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, supplemented by relevant documentary information. Instrument validity was supported through objective-based construction and triangulation, while reliability procedures were applied to assess consistency. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS Version 26, with descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. Descriptive findings showed moderate implementation of empowerment strategy, with mean scores ranging from 2.85 to 3.17. Empowerment strategy had a positive and statistically significant moderate correlation with public participation performance (r = .405, p < .01). The regression analysis showed that empowerment strategy had a positive, statistically significant influence on public participation performance (B = 0.076, β = 0.092, t = 1.618, p = 0.017). The study concluded that empowerment provides an important foundation for participation but requires consistent implementation, adequate resources, effective communication, and sustained capacity building to produce meaningful outcomes. The study recommends institutionalising regular stakeholder training, improving access to information and participation resources, and strengthening feedback mechanisms. Further research should examine how institutional capacity, leadership, communication, and stakeholder trust mediate or moderate the relationship between empowerment and public participation performance across county governments.