Monitoring and Evaluation Practices and Performance of Road Infrastructure Projects in Uganda: a Case of Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA

Abstract

This study sought to examine the influence of monitoring and evaluation practices on the performance of road infrastructure projects. The study objectives were; to establish the influence of M&E planning on the performance of road infrastructure projects, to examine the influence of M&E capacity on the performance of road infrastructure projects, and lastly to examine the influence of M&E communication on the performance of road infrastructure projects, in the study context. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design and data was collected from a cross sectional of respondents (68) at a single point in time using both qualitative and quantitative research approaches to achieve the three objectives of the study. The study also adopted stratified random sampling in which the selection of the study respondents was done by probability proportional to size (PPS). The study adopted a survey approach where both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection were used, that is by the use of questionnaires and key informant interviews respectively. Data analysis involved; descriptive statistics, frequency percentages, regression, and correlation analysis. The regression statistics of (β = 0.438, t = 3.877, p = 0.001 >0.05) show that there is a positive and significant relationship between M&E practices and performance of road infrastructure projects. However, correlation statistics of (r = 0.586**; p = 0.001>0.05) revealed that M&E communication greatly influences the performance of road infrastructure projects. This was based on the multiple linear regression analysis results. Therefore, with the above findings, the study contributed to the phenomenon of monitoring and evaluation and the field of road infrastructure projects in Uganda by providing empirical evidence of how one can find out the influence of M&E practices on road infrastructure projects, which is a gap that has been widely missing as per this study context. Finally, the study recommends that UNRA management should uphold and continue to strengthen the M&E systems of managing various activities. It also recommends that the road infrastructure projects’ budgets should always have a clear and adequate provision for M&E activities among others.