Challenges in the provision of sewerage services in Kenol town, Murang’a County, Kenya

Abstract

ABSTRACT Emergence of unplanned urban settlements has over decades been a challenge to provision of efficient social services. Globally about 2.6 billion people do not have efficient sanitation services. Most of these challenges are found in third world countries that lack sufficient and adequate drainage and solid waste collection strategies. Most Countries in the sub-Saharan Africa have unplanned or poorly planned settlements that are inadequately maintained; undesigned and poorly planned systems which make it difficult to provide high quality services. Kenol town in Murang’a County emerged as a market centre and a stopover point for vehicle refueling and subsequently grew into an urban settlement with little or no prior planning. There is no documented study that has been carried out to determine challenges being encountered by the Murang’a County government in provision of the sewerage services to the residents of Kenol town. The objective of the study was to evaluate the provision of sewerage services among the residents of Kenol town, Murang’a County. To achieve this objective the study adopted descriptive research design. The specific objectives included; to establish the effect of unplanned settlements in the provision of sewerage services in Kenol town in Murang’a County; to evaluate the effects of financial constraints; to investigate the effects of technological knowhow; to determine the extent to which physical environment affects the provision of sewerage services in Murang’a County. The study population comprised of 44,007 people out of which the target population was 778. The study collected both qualitative and quantitative data from a sample of 264 respondents. The data was collected using interview guides and questionnaires. Collected data was analyzed using SPSS Version 21 by using Linear Regression Analysis to help establish existing relationship between the independent variables (challenges facing provision of sewerage services) and the dependent variable (provision of sewerage services). The study established that there were numerous challenges. These included; unplanned settlements at coefficient value of -2.701 with a p-value of 0.036 which is less than 0.05 indicating that unplanned settlements was a significant factor. Financial constraint was at coefficient value of 0.329 with a p-value of 0.047 which was less than 0.05 indicating that financial constraint as a factor was significant. Technological knowledge had a coefficient value of 5.851 with a p-value of 0.048 which was less than 0.05, indicating that technological knowledge a was significant factor and physical environment with a coefficient value of 20.167 with a p-value of 0.030 which was less than 0.05 indicating that physical environment factor was significant. Thus, the study recommends that the County Government should ensure that all buildings and any other form of settlement are planned. The County Government should allocate more financial resources towards provision sewerage services. The County Government should offer training opportunities for its staff to advance their skills in modern sewerage system. The County Government should formulate a policy which puts strict and punitive measures to any individual who does not adhere to physical planning and sewerage designs while setting up any structure.