| dc.description.abstract | The different forms taken by houses are
complex phenomena, for which no single explanation
will suffice. All possible explanations, however,
are variations of a single theme: people with
different attitudes and ideals respond to physical
and cultural environments differently. These
response's vary from place ~o place because of changes
and differences in the ,interplay of cultural,
economic 'and social variables. The primary purpose. of
this~ study was to investigate the impact of socio-
I . * economics variables on the spatial and structural
patterns of rural houses in Ukamban5-, Kenya.
The analysis indicates that there exists a
relationship between the socio-economic inequalities
and the Bouse-types in the study area. In all, three
house-types were identified: Temporary, Semi-permanent,
and Permanent structures. Un~er temporary category,
a~l tradit40nal Akamba (inhabitants of Ukambani) house
forms were incl~ded; semi-permanent, covered all
house forms 'in transition' between the new (improved)
forms and and the traditional structural units;*
*: Terms explained in Section 1.6
(ii)
under permanent houses were included the new forms
of houses made of galvanized iron, cement and stones.
The temporary, semi-permanent and permanent houses
were associated with grand-parents, parents and sons
respectively, thus displaying house~type generation
differentials.
, I
i Regional house-type differences were also
identified. Permanent houses were most prevalent
- near the district. Headquarters and the main Rural
Centres. Thus, occurrence of .permanent t buildings
seemed to take a distance decay function from the
main urban centres within the rural settlements of
Ukambani.
By using a multivariate technique of
'.
Multiple Regression analysis (stepwise), an
attempt was made to identify the main social -and
economic variables underlying~ the spatial and
structural house-type differentiation in Ukambani.
An.analysis of a vast spectrum of variables on the
house-type differences, indicated that amongst other
things, income , education, occupation , geographical
mobilities, marital status, residential preferences, *
priorities and prestige are among the most important
determinants in the Akamba Society.
*: Terms explained in section 1.6
Finally, the findings of the study were
related to the planning policies and·bousing
problems in the rural areas of Kenya. Given the
broad socio-economic inequalities and the house
type differentials in Ukambani, it i~ clear that
the policies of distribution and allocation of
sparse ~resources in.Kenya need a revision. One
may tend to question whether the planning policies
safeguard only the interests of the small group of
rural working (wage-earning) people and the urban
dwellers. By and large, the socia-economic
conditions extant in Ukambani have ~reated large
'd i spar Ities in housing: unde str-abLe t-temporary grass
thatched houses for the least advantaged Akamba
people amongst galvanized iron, .cement-stone
structural units for .the wel-to do' Akamba people.
Principles of social justice in allocation and
distribution of social benefits like housing should
ensure. that the interests and the needs of the least
fortunate rural Kenyans are also looked after.
The conclusion's arrived at in this study also
are consistent with the theories of social change
and also similar to findings of previous researches
. .
conducted elsewhere. | en |
