Abstract
Deposit-Taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (DT-SACCOs) play a pivotal role in promoting financial inclusion and economic empowerment, particularly among underserved and low-income populations. However, the performance of Deposit-Taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (DT-SACCOs) has been declining over the years. The general objective of the study is to establish the influence of project monitoring and evaluation on performance of deposit taking savings and credit cooperative societies in Kajiado County, Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to determine the influence of M&E planning and M&E team capability on performance of deposit taking savings and credit cooperative societies in Kajiado County, Kenya. This study was anchored on; Results-Based Management (RBM) Theory and Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory. In this study, a descriptive research design was employed. This study targeted deposit taking savings and credit cooperative societies in Kajiado County, Kenya. According SASRA report (2023) there is a total of 35 SACCOs licensed for deposit-taking business in Kajiado County, Kenya. This study targeted the management employees working in these deposit taking savings and credit cooperative societies in Kajiado County, Kenya. The total target population was therefore 280 respondents comprising of 35 top managers, 105 middle managers and 140 lower level managers. The Yamane formula was adopted to calculate the study sample size. Therefore, the study sample size was 165 respondents. This study relied on primary data collected through use of structured questionnaires. Data obtained from the field was coded, cleaned, and entered into the computer for analysis using the SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistical included frequency, percentages, mean and standard deviation. Inferential statistical analysis comprised of multiple regression and correlation analysis. The study results were presented through use of tables and figures. The study concludes that M&E planning has a significant effect on performance of deposit taking savings and credit cooperative societies in Kajiado County, Kenya. In addition, the study concluded that M&E team capability has a significant effect on performance of deposit taking savings and credit cooperative societies in Kajiado County, Kenya.. The study recommends that the management of deposit taking savings and credit cooperative societies should invest in building the technical skills, knowledge, and competencies of their M&E personnel. This can be achieved through targeted training, professional development programs, and exposure to modern monitoring tools and data analysis techniques
Key Words: Project Monitoring and Evaluation, M&E Planning, M&E Team Capability, Performance of Deposit Taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies