COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF WATER PROJECTS IN ISHAKA- BUSHENYI MUNICIPALITY; A CASE OF ISHAKA DIVISION WATER PROJECT

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between community participation and sustainability of Ishaka Division Water Project. The objectives of the study were: To establish the relationship between community participation in planning and sustainability of Ishaka Division Water project, to find out the relationship between community participation in implementation and sustainability of Ishaka Division Water project and to establish the relationship between community participation in operation and maintainace and sustainability of Ishaka Division Water Project. Data was collected using questionnaires and interview guide. The study revealed that community participation in planning had a significant positive relationship with sustainability, community participation in implementation had significant positive relationship with sustainability and community participation in operation and maintainace had insignificant positive relationship with sustainability. Thus, the study recommends listening to member’s views, respecting their preferences and equipping them with necessary information for making informed decisions related to the water systems, establishing proper accountability mechanisms, economically empowering community members and designating specific agreeable times/days for inspecting water systems and effectively addressing water system mul-functionality issues raised by community members respectively.