Factors Influencing Maintenance of Roads in Kenya: a Case of the Nairobi Thika Highway Improvement Project

Abstract

Road transportation remains the central method of transport all across the world. For this reason, roads remain vital for economic growth, in addition to poverty eradication. Road decline owing to absence of maintenance has grown into a major cause for concern in several third world countries. During implementation of the Nairobi Thika Super Highway Upgrading Project, inadequate provisions for availability of funds, community participation, procurement procedures of contractors and project manager competency impacted project progress. The purpose of this research study is to probe how these factors influence maintenance of roads in Kenya, with a case in point of the Nairobi Thika Highway Improvement Project. The objectives of the research is to investigate how availability of funds, community participation, procurement procedures of contractors and, project manager competency influence maintenance of roads in Kenya. The study employed descriptive survey in its research design. The target population of this study was 110 respondents from the Kenya National Highway Authority and representatives from the Kenya Alliance of Resident Associations. The study deduced a sample size of 86 respondents from the target population using the Krejcie and Morgan Table, after which proportionate stratified sampling was engaged to attain a sample for the individual strata.The study incorporated primary and secondary data collection methods. Primary data was amassed by means of questionnaires. Secondary data was acquired from the organization archives .Pilot testing was done at KENHA Thika and KARA along the Eastern bypass, which bear comparable features to the study locale. Descriptive statistics, case in point, frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation was engaged to evaluate quantitative data. After analysis data was presented in table form. The study disclosed that: availability of funds influences maintenance of roads as depicted by a mean value of 4.24; community participation influences maintenance of roads as depicted by a mean value of 4.11; procurement procedures of contractors influences maintenance of roads as depicted by a mean value of 4.10; project managers competency influences maintenance of roads as depicted by a mean value of 4.34. The research concluded that project managers competency had the most influence on maintenance of roads, followed by availability of funds, then community participation. Procurement procedures of contractors had the least influence on maintenance of roads. The study recommends to the government that funding to road agencies be made sufficient, community engagement be all-encompassing throughout road maintenance exercises, clear and precise procurement procedures of contractors be effected, the appointment of only highly competent project managers to spearhead road maintenance, so as to ensure effective, efficient maintenance of roads in Kenya. The study suggests that research be done on other factors influencing maintenance of roads in Kenya.