Effect of public-private partnership on the provision of quality services; a case of the Grain Terminal at the Port of Mombasa, Kenya

Abstract

The Public-Private Partnership concept has deep roots in economic development around the world. It has also developed in both developed and the developing countries becoming a worldwide phenomenon in urban economic development in the last two decades. Internationally, it has been recognized that public-private partnerships are vital for building overall competitiveness of urban regions and for solving urban environmental problems. The purpose of this study was to find out the effect of Public Private Partnership in the provision of quality services in Kenya and particularly at the Grain Terminal; port of Mombasa.

The objectives that guided the study were to assess the extent to due diligence has improved provision of quality services; to assess the investment capital made by GBHL and its effect on provision of quality services; to assess the arrangement entered into and how it has affected provision of quality services; to assess the Operations and Maintenance services and its effect on provision of quality services; and to assess the challenges that they faced and how it affected provision of quality services. The research designed employed was mixed mode.

The targeted population was 8,200 members of staff of the four organizations. A sample size of 160 respondents was got. Data was collected using administration of questionnaires and face to face interviews. Data collected was triangulated and a pilot test carried out to ascertain reliability and validity. It was then analyzed using SPSS and presented in tables.

Data collected showed that the PPP had a positive effect in the provision of quality services as the cost and time of doing business has drastically reduced over the years. Ship and truck tum around has drastically reduced, cost of doing business also reduces from $24 to $16 to $14.50 per tonne of bulk deliveries. The study recommended that the government should speed up in the signing of the PPP bill 2012 into law so that this could aid in the establishment of other PPPs in education, health and the energy sectors and promotion of transparency when carrying the tendering process.