Urban development in Kenya:financing the delivery of services
Abstract
An efficient urban system will help increase
productivity in both urban centers and rural areas. Factors
which positively affect the provision of efficient urban
services are fundamental to a nation's overall development
strategy.
In Kenya, the growth in demand for services in urban
centers has out-paced the growth in resources for providing
services. To meet the increased demand, more funds and
improved efficiency are necessary.
The current budgeting system for Local Authorities was
designed primarily for accounting purposes with a strong
emphasis on ensuring financial and audit compliance. The
system is not very useful as a management tool for assessing
the sufficiency or efficiency of the services provided.
Thus, a new system is proposed which would monitor the
effectiveness of urban service provision. Measures would
include costs, productivity, adequacy and efficiency of
activities.
The data collected under the new system will enable
Local Authorities to manage the delivery of urban services
more effectively. Critical activities can be identified for
future development. Data on performance and deficiencies
can be used to negotiate with the Central Government to
enlarge the tax-base.
Citation
A ProJect Report Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Cornell University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Professional Studies in International DevelopmentPublisher
Institute of Diplomacy & International Studies