Sarah Natukunda2025-06-162025-06-162025-05-21https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11951/1628PostgraduateThis study investigates the influence of corporate governance practices specifically stakeholder engagement, transparency and accountability, and ethical behaviour on organizational operational performance among Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Kampala, Uganda. Using a quantitative approach, the study employed a linear regression model to analyze data collected from 162 respondents within these organizations. The regression analysis yielded an R-square of 0.403, indicating that the model explained 40.3% of the variance in organizational performance, with a standardized error of estimate at 0.60188. The findings revealed a strong positive correlation (R = 0.635) between the variables studied, signifying a significant relationship between corporate governance practices and operational performance. Specifically, transparency and accountability (β = 0.454, t = 5.247, p = 0.000) and ethical behavior (β = 0.311, t = 3.770, p = 0.000) were significant predictors of organizational performance. However, stakeholder engagement (β = 0.023, t = 0.292, p = 0.771) was found to be statistically insignificant, underscoring the need for improved stakeholder involvement in the operational frameworks of these NGOs. The ANOVA results further supported the regression findings, with a significant F-statistic (F = 26.465, p = 0.000), indicating that the mean scores on corporate governance practices and operational performance significantly differed among the WASH NGOs. The study concludes that while transparency, accountability, and ethical behaviour are critical to enhancing operational performance, the impact of stakeholder engagement remains underutilized. Recommendations include the adoption of more inclusive stakeholder engagement strategies to maximize the operational effectiveness of WASH NGOs.enThesis