Influence of Resource Mobilization Strategies on Promotion of Sustainable Water Projects in Tana Catchment Area, Kenya

Abstract

Water management initiatives have been launched around the world with the aim to conserve and safeguard the water resources for future generations. In Kenya, Water Resource Users Associations (WRUAs) are involved in water management at the local level. The Associations were created by the Water Act 2002 and their roles revised in Water Act 2016. Although the WRUAs have been in existence for more than a decade, water flow in the river basins is decreasing. This study examined WRUAs resource mobilization strategies on the promotion of sustainable water projects. Institutional support was used as a moderating variable. The study was anchored on the theory of Common Pool Resource Management. The convergent research design was used in the study. A sample of 377 respondents comprising of 5 officers of the Water Resource Authority, 48 WRUA committee members, 324 water users were selected using cluster, purposive and random sampling techniques. Questionnaires and interview guide were used in data collection. Cronbach’s Alpha Co-efficient test of reliability was 0.730. The data obtained was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Hierarchical Regression model was constructed at 5% level of significance. The study established a significant relationship between resource mobilization and sustainability of water projects for users, executive committee members and combined data. The findings also showed statistically insignificant moderation effect of institutional support on the relationship between resource mobilization and sustainability of water projects with the interaction terms for users, executive committee members and combined data respectively. In conclusion, WRUAs had inadequate resources to implement their strategies. The study recommends that WRUAs should leverage on mobilizing support from all stakeholders to mobilize resources in order to promote sustainable water projects.