Monitoring and Evaluation Planning and Performance of the Last Mile Rural Electrification Project in Kiserian, Kajiado County, Kenya

The Last Mile Rural Electrification Project aimed to address the significant challenge of rural electrification and its implications for community development, particularly women's empowerment. Despite numerous rural electrification initiatives, the impact of monitoring and evaluation practices on project performance remains underexplored. The following objectives guided the study; to establish the influence of planning for monitoring and evaluation and performance of the last mile rural electrification project in Kiserian, Kajiado Kenya; to determine the influence of report writing and performance of last mile rural electrification project in Kiserian, Kajiado Kenya and lastly to establish the influence of dissemination of monitoring and evaluation results and performance of the last mile rural electrification project in Kiserian, Kajiado Kenya. A descriptive research design was employed. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS software version 25. Pearson correlation was utilized to regress quantitative data, while thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data analysis. The literature review highlighted the critical role of monitoring and evaluation systems, the positive effects of individual performance evaluations on project outcomes, and the necessity for gender-sensitive approaches in rural projects. The results demonstrated a significant positive relationship between M&E planning and project performance. In conclusion, the study underscores the pivotal role of robust M&E practices in enhancing the performance of rural electrification projects. Effective planning, detailed report writing, and strategic dissemination of M&E results contribute to achieving project goals, particularly in empowering women. These findings imply that policymakers and practitioners should prioritize comprehensive M&E frameworks to ensure sustainable and impactful rural development initiatives. Future research should address the limitations identified in this study, such as broader geographic scope and longitudinal analyses, to further validate and refine these findings. Keywords: Monitoring and Evaluation Systems, Planning, Project Performance, Rural Electrification Project, Dissemination of results