Given Hapunda

29 people, with the right tools and accessible technologies and institutional frameworks that are applicable in the African context, it is important that the capacity gaps are tailored to address the local conditions which vary from one country to the other, while also providing space to share experiences and strategies across countries. Conclusion The M&E status in Africa suggests a positive trend as far as evaluation is concerned. Across Africa, there is now a vibrant community of evaluators and several projects to be evaluated. In general terms, the future of M&E in Africa lies in the ability of the continent and its actors to harness existing internal synergies, while simultaneously exploiting opportunities provided by the global arena. Mackay (2006) reminds us that the experience of African countries in evaluation is relevant not only to poor countries but also to other regions. Khan (1998) listed the key challenges facing Evaluation Capacity Building work in Africa, including: (1) sensitisation of top political leadership to the benefits of evaluation; (2) identification of the most viable institutional framework of evaluation; (3) introduction of a cost-effective method of evaluation; (4) linking evaluation to governance reform and bringing NGOs and beneficiaries into the evaluation process; and (5) introduction of innovative feedback mechanisms and establishing linkages, both nationally and internationally, to ensure maximum access to and utilisation of evaluation of information. These have to be overcome if the field is to post a bright future and institutionalise participatory M&E in Africa. References Basheka, B., & Byamugisha, A. (2015). The state of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) as a discipline in Africa. African Journal of Public Affairs, 8 (3), 75-95. Booth, W., Ebrahim, R., & Morin, R. (1998). Participatory Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting: An Organisational Development Perspective for South African NGO s. Johannesburg, South Africa: United States Agency for International Development. Kusek, J. Z., & Rist, R. C. (2004). Ten steps to a results-based monitoring and evaluation system: a handbook for development practitioners : World Bank Publications. Laubscher, T. (2012). T he relationship between auditing and monitoring and evaluation in the public services. Public Service Commission. Pretoria, South Africa: Government printers.