The Influence of Stakeholder Engagement on Service Delivery of County Governments in Kenya

This study examined the influence of stakeholder engagement on service delivery within Kenya’s county governments, guided by Stakeholder Theory. The theory emphasizes the importance of inclusive governance and the integration of diverse stakeholder interests in public decision-making. Adopting a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study first collected quantitative data through structured questionnaires distributed to 243 county officials across 17 counties, achieving a high response rate of 83.4%. Qualitative insights were gathered through interviews to contextualize the statistical results. The analysis employed descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression to test the hypothesis that stakeholder engagement significantly influences service delivery. Descriptive findings revealed moderately high levels of stakeholder engagement in strategic integrated development planning (SIDP), with key dimensions including inclusive dialogues, transparent communication, and collaborative decision-making. Correlation analysis showed a strong positive relationship between stakeholder engagement and service delivery (r = 0.732, p < .001). Regression results confirmed that stakeholder engagement significantly predicted service delivery outcomes (β = 0.732, B = 0.692, t = 13.722, p < .001), with the model explaining 53.6% of the variance (R2 = 0.536). ANOVA findings further validated the model’s statistical significance (F = 188.27, p < .001).The study concludes that robust stakeholder engagement enhances transparency, responsiveness, and efficiency in county government service delivery. It recommends the institutionalization of inclusive engagement frameworks, improved communication strategies, capacity building, and strengthened legal provisions to support participatory governance. These measures are crucial for fostering trust, accountability, and sustainable development within Kenya’s devolved governance structures.