Factors influencing the performance of donor-funded water projects in Zanzibar

Abstract

This study examined the factors influencing the performance of donor-funded water projects in Zanzibar, with a specific focus on the roles of type of funding, stakeholder participation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) mechanisms. The study was guided by two theories, which are Systems Theory and Resource Dependence Theory. A pragmatism philosophy with a mixed-methods approach was adopted. The study also adopted a cross-sectional design, with a target population comprising all individuals directly involved in the planning, implementation, funding, monitoring, or use of donor-funded water projects in Zanzibar. This population was approximately 184 individuals and included four key stakeholder categories. The study employed a combination of stratified random sampling for the quantitative component and purposive sampling for the qualitative component (overall sample size was 126). Data was collected across all five administrative regions of Unguja and Pemba using a structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze quantitative data, and qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis.  Findings revealed that funding types had a positive and significant influence on the performance of donor-funded water projects in Zanzibar (Beta = 0.55, p = 0.000). Similarly, stakeholder participation had a positive and significant influence on the performance of donor-funded water projects in Zanzibar (Beta = 0.42, p = 0.000), and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) mechanisms had a positive but non-significant influence (β = 0.11, p = 0.090), suggesting its influence may be mediated through other variables. Qualitative insights explained how these factors operated: grants enabled rapid contractor mobilization, community committees sustained boreholes through user fees, and digital M&E dashboards facilitated real-time adjustments.  The study concluded that flexible, untied funding, inclusive, institutionalized participation, and effective M&E mechanisms are critical factors for the effective performance of donor-funded water projects in Zanzibar. The study recommends that Zanzibar should prioritize grant-based and NGO-supported funding models, as these have proven to deliver faster completion and higher functionality. Also, communities should be actively engaged in site selection and planning to ensure community ownership of the projects, and monitoring and evaluation should be strengthened through mobile applications, site visits, and real-time reporting to catch problems early and prevent costly failures.