Factors Influencing Implementation Of Informal Settlements Improvement Projects In Kenya: A Case Of Land Tenure Security Project In Shauri Moyo, Kisumu County

Abstract

The development of informal settlements has become visible with the increasing rate of urbanization. The informal settlement residents often invade into government owned lands – squatting - which translates to lack of land tenure security for the residents. These results in little to no tangible investment in infrastructure needed within these informal settlements therefore, making implementation of informal settlements improvement projects infeasible. Consequently, the dwellers continue to live in degrading conditions. The study aimed at identifying the factors that influence the implementation of informal settlements improvement projects in Kenya using the Land Tenure Security Project for ShauriMoyo informal settlement, Muhoroni sub-county, Kisumu County as a case.The study examined community engagement, land use planning, political will and development agencies as vital parameters that influence implementation of informal settlements improvement projects in Kenya. The study survey was descriptive in nature. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect primary data. From a target population of 900 a sample population of 90 was arrived at using Nassiuma’s theory of sampling. The sampling procedures used were stratification where the target population was grouped into homogenous strata. Thereafter, purposive sampling was used to identify the officials involved in project implementation to interview and systematic random sampling was used to identify the household heads to administer questionnaires to. The Statistical Software for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to code and analyze data collected and present the findings. Quantitative data was analyzed through descriptive statistics calculated as proportions, frequencies and percentages: with Pearson’s correlation used to determine the strength and direction of association at 0.01 level of significance while multiple regression analysiswas used to establish cause and effect relationships between the variables. Qualitative data was presented through thematic narration in line with the literature review. Results from quantitative data were presented in a tabular form. The findings indicated that the four variables studied were significant predictors of implementation of informal settlements improvement projects in Kenya. Additionally, the four variables account for 96% of the implementation of informal settlements improvement projects. Land use planning was found to be the most significant factor followed by community engagement in influencing implementation of improvement projects. Political will was found to be averagely significant with development agencies seen as the least significant factor in influencing implementation of improvement projects. The recommendations for the study were to engage the community in a robust manner at every stage of the project cycle alongside using them as a labor source over project execution. Secondly, pursuit of land tenure security should be used as a means to attain settlements improvement as it grants community protection from eviction and enables concrete developments to be undertaken. It is recommended that KISIP in their improvement efforts involve the political class from the onset and sell the benefits of the efforts to them for increased governmental support. Feasible financial plans should be developed in order to obtain adequate funding from development agencies and states should negotiate with development agencies on conditions to minimize restrictions and pursue projects that states desire.