AN EXAMINATION OF INSTITUTIONAL DETERMINANTS INFLUENCE ON IMPLEMENTATION OF ROAD REHABILITATION PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY KENYA NATIONAL HIGHWAYS AUTHORITY

Abstract

Road network provides access to employment, health, education and social services. In making sure that the roads are safe for use, various countries across the world carries out road rehabilitation processes. However, the performance of the rehabilitation of the roads has been a challenge in Kenya. The general objective of the study was to examine the institutional determinants influence on implementation of rehabilitation of road projects undertaken by Kenya National Highways Authority. This was done by looking at the influence of four factors namely; funding, stakeholder management, monitoring and evaluation, and project execution on implementation of rehabilitation of road projects undertaken by Kenya National Highways Authority. A descriptive research design was used. The target population was all the on-going rehabilitation projects by Kenya National Highways Authority in Kenya and comprised of 23 project managers and 46 project assistant managers of the on-going rehabilitations projects by Kenya National Highways Authority in Kenya. A census approach was utilized thus the study had 69 respondents. Structured questionnaires was used for data collection. The study found that funding was positive and significant predictor (influencer) on the implementation of the rehabilitation project. In respect to funding aspects, the availability of funds was the indicator with the highest level of agreement amongst the respondents. Stakeholder management was found to be a positive and significant predictor of the implementation of the rehabilitation projects at KeNHA. The study further revealed that stakeholder communication had the highest influence on the implementation of rehabilitation projects at KeNHA. Monitoring aspects was found to have positive and significant influence on the implementation of the rehabilitation projects at KeNHA. The study found that having a workflow framework was the component within the monitoring aspects that had the highest influence on the implementation of rehabilitation projects at KeNHA. Finally, project execution has a positive and significant influence on the implementation of the rehabilitation projects at KeNHA. The KeNHA management should also place an emphasis on the stakeholder communication aspects in the implementation of the roads rehabilitation projects. Workflow frame was found to the highest influence amongst the monitoring aspects on the rehabilitation of roads projects. In this context, it should be emphasized amongst the management of KeNHA. Finally, allocation of resources should be emphasized by KeNHA management to achieve better performance in respect to implementation of roads rehabilitation projects.