Stakeholder Participation, Commitment, and Project Sustainability: A Sequential Mediation Perspective

Sustainability challenges continue to undermine rural water and sanitation projects in developing countries, particularly where stakeholder ownership remains weak. This study examines the influence of stakeholder participation on project sustainability and investigates the mediating role of stakeholder commitment in rural water and sanitation projects in Uganda. The purpose of the study was to determine whether stakeholder participation directly enhances sustainability and indirectly strengthens it through affective, continuance, and normative commitment. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed, using data from 515 respondents across 173 rural water and sanitation projects. Validated multi-item scales were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Reliability and validity of the measurement model were confirmed prior to hypothesis testing. The findings reveal that stakeholder participation significantly predicts project sustainability (β = .389, p < .001) and stakeholder commitment (β = .417, p < .001). Stakeholder commitment also significantly influences project sustainability (β = .357, p < .001). Mediation analysis indicates a significant indirect effect (β = .149, p < .001), confirming partial mediation. Practically, the results suggest that policymakers and project implementers should move beyond symbolic participation toward strategies that cultivate deeper stakeholder commitment to improve long-term service continuity. The study’s originality lies in advancing a mediation model within the rural WASH context of Sub-Saharan Africa, offering a nuanced explanation of how participation translates into sustainable project outcomes.