Community Participation In Water Development Projects In Mbeya District, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

A study on community participation in water development projects was conducted in

Mbeya district in Mbeya region. The study investigated community participation in rural

domestic water development projects. A total of 120 respondents from six villages were

interviewed using interview schedule. Interview with key informants and focus group

discussions (FGDs) were also conducted. The analysis of collected data was done using the

Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). This study found that the level of

participation in selected rural water development projects undertaken was low. It also

found that only 85% of the respondents participated in the implementation of water

projects. The study further found that 45%, 37.5%, 32.5% and 30.8% of the respondents

respectively participated in evaluation, problem identification, monitoring and decision

making. The study also revealed that participation of the community in water projects was

hindered by individual, technical and leadership related problems. With respect to sex the

study showed that a greater number of males participated in the projects more than

females. The respondents with income from Tshs 20,000 – 29,999 and those in households

contributing less than Tshs. 499 participated more in water projects than the other category

of respondents. The data also showed that a greater number of the respondents in the age

group of 25 – 44 years participated in the water projects more than those in the other age

groups. The Chi – square tests indicated that the level of participation in water projects

activities was associated with sex, age, household income and village size at 0.05 percent

level of significance. Furthermore, the data showed that there was no statistically

significant relationship between the level of participation in water projects and marital

status, level of education and main occupation at 0.05 percent level of significance.