Training Workshop on Conducting Project Evaluations

The Cohort One Capacity Building on Conducting Project Evaluations was officially opened today by the Economic Planning Secretary, Timothy Gakuu on behalf of the Principal Secretary James Muhati, at a Nairobi Hotel.

Organized in partnership with USAID and the American Institute for Research (AIR), the workshop aims to strengthen the public sector’s capacity to integrate evaluation practices within government programs.

National Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation System (NIMES), the national system for conducting Monitoring and Evaluation, underscores the importance of evaluations in realizing the national development goals, providing essential tools such as the National M&E Policy (2022), the Kenya Evaluation Guidelines (2022), and the M&E Norms and Standards for the Public Sector.

Despite the availability of the above frameworks, PS Muhati pointed out that evaluations of donor-funded country led projects still lag behind. He attributed this gap to challenges such as limited capacity, insufficient funding, and the underutilization of evaluation findings within the public sector. The ongoing workshop, is therefore designed to equip participants with the skills to design, conduct, and commission evaluations as a key step in addressing these challenges.

“This training provides a vital opportunity to bridge the gap in evaluation capacity, enhance accountability, and ensure that our projects are designed to deliver tangible benefits to the people of Kenya,” said Muhati.

The training aligns with Kenya’s broader development agenda, including the Fourth Medium-Term Plan (MTP IV) under Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), both of which emphasize economic growth, value chain development, and improved governance.

In addition, the training is expected to play a pivotal role in enhancing Kenya’s public sector’s ability to assess the effectiveness of its interventions and ensure that resources are being used efficiently to drive sustainable development.

In Conclusion, PS Muhati urged participants to actively engage in the workshop and leverage the expertise of the facilitators to adopt best practices and overcome challenges in project evaluation. He reassured attendees that the government is committed to ensuring the insights gained from this training will improve the monitoring and evaluation of future government projects and programs.

Also Present were; UNICEF Chief Section Planning, James Hedges, USAID Strategic Planning and Analysis Supervisor, Ms. Margaret Mwangi, AIR Senior Researcher Dr. Sophia Githinji, Planning Director David Kiboi, among others.