A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN COMMERCE
(FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING) IN THE SCHOOL OF
PUBLIC AND GRADUATE STUDIES AT
KCA UNIVERSITY
OCTOBER, 2016
This study intended to examine the relationship between internal auditing practices on
financial performance of SACCOS in Kiambu County, Kenya. The objectives of the study
included; internal audit planning, setting up audit committees, stakeholders; involvement
and audit reporting practices in relation to financial performance. The study was guided by
The Positive Auditing and Financial Agency and Stakeholders’ Theories. The study adopted
a mixed method approach. Descriptive survey research design was employed since it
enabled the researcher to explore different aspects of a research study where the researcher
does no manipulate variables. The target population for this study comprised of 112
SACCO Managers and 448 Internal SACCO Auditors all totaling to 560. Using The Central
Limit Theorem, a sample of 30 SACCOS and 147 respondents were selected. The
researcher then applied stratified random sampling to create 12 strata based on the number
of sub-counties. From each sub-county, 3 SACCO Managers and 10 Internal SACCO
Auditors were selected using purposive sampling. This sampling procedure enabled the
researcher to realize a sample of 30 SACCO Managers and 117 Internal SACCO Auditors.
Questionnaires were used to collect data from SACCO Managers and Internal SACCO
Auditors. Piloting was conducted among 15 SACCO Managers and Internal SACCO
Auditors to establish validity and reliability. Validity was established through expert
judgement. Reliability was obtained through test re-test method and reliability coefficient, r
= 0.7, was obtained using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. Qualitative
data was analyzed thematically along the study objectives and presented in narrative forms
whereas the quantitative data was analyzed descriptively using frequencies, percentages,
means and standard deviation and inferentially using correlation and regression in Statistical
Packages for Social Science (SPSS Version 23) to establish the relationship between
internal audit practices and financial performance of SACCOs. The quantitative findings of
the study were presented using tables. The study established that internal auditing practices
influence financial performance of SACCOs. The study concludes that auditing practices
such as internal audit planning, setting of audit committees, stakeholders’ involvement and
internal reporting practices influence financial performance of SACCOs. Thus, the study
recommends that there should be training programs in SACCOs to ensure that all the
SACCO staff are trained on new skills and competence increased in order to perform better
on financial management. SACCO managers need to adhere to set targets as they may be
required to provide reasonable explanations for any variances. Accounting staff should cooperate
with the auditors to enable them carry out their work.