Implementation, Stakeholders` Participation and Sustainability of Public Projects in Kenya: A Conceptual Framework

Many public organizations are faced with numerous constraints that limit optimum and sustainable realization of their long-term aspirations. Similarly, implementation of public projects is often hampered by rigid bureaucracies that often edge out good opportunities for public and stakeholders to contribute to sustainable decisions. In response, most of innovative public organizations are quickly formulating guidelines and procedures for integrating stakeholders in project decisions making for greater responsiveness and sustainability. However, many public projects never live to full realization of sustainable changes. Questions arise on the strategies employed to ensure inclusive stakeholder participation in sustainable project implementation. Whereas the conceptualization of project sustainability is abstractly defined in literature, studies have linked implementation strategies to sustainability outcomes. But projects are implemented in very dynamic contexts. Hence the need for case-based evaluation of how project implementation connects to sustainability. Despite the indications that stakeholder participation can play a dualistic role in project sustainability, past empirical studies have assessed stakeholders` participation from linear perspective. This study seeks to fill the knowledge gaps by investigating the interaction between stakeholders` participation and the relationship between implementation and sustainability of public projects in Kenya.