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The Impacts of Broadband Internet and Related Technologies on the Value Chain of the Tourism Sector in Kenya
(CPRsouth8/CPRafrica Conference, 2013) Kithandi, Charles Katua; Waema, Timothy Mwololo
Information and communication technology (ICT)infrastructure development has been associated with impacts on gross domestic product of nation states. The arrival of the undersea fibre bandwidth in East Africa was expected to have huge effects in the national economies in the subregion. This paper analyses the impact of fiber optic broadbandconnectivityand related technologies on the tourism value chain in Kenya. Data was collected through an exploratory survey of 40 organizations in the tourism sector. Interviews were held with sales managers, directors, general managers or deputy general managers from tourism authorities, tour operators, travel agencies, hotels, tour guides, taxi operators, beach operators, and ancillary service providers. Data was collected over twelve months, between April 2012 and March 2013. Data analysis was carried out through coding of all interview logs and transcriptions in order to identify and determine the most dominant concepts found in the dataset using NVIVO, an automated qualitative data analysis tool. The emerging findings were then divided into thematic categories and summarized. This paper provides initial findings from a preliminary analysis of the evidence using Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model as an analytical lens. The paper establishes that broadband internet and related ICTs have brought about varying changes in the bargaining powers of both suppliers and customers, changed the basis of rivalry amongexisting competitors and reduced barriers to entry fornew players. It alsoprovides conflicting findings on the intermediation effects of these technologies. In addition to these impacts, the paper highlights the challenges with adoption of broadband internet and related ICTs in the sector and ends with some conclusions.
Effect of Monitoring and Evaluation Tools on the Performance of Housing Projects in Kenya
(African Journal of Commercial Studies, 2025) Kithandi, Charles Katua; Waweru, Jimnah; Chege, Edwin John
The performance of housing projects in Kenya continues to attract scrutiny due to recurring challenges such as cost overruns, project delays, and quality shortfalls that hinder the achievement of affordable housing goals. This study examined the influence of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) tools on the performance of housing projects, focusing on the Two Rivers Development Project by Centum Real Estate as a case study. The objectives of the study were to: (1) establish the effect of quantitative M&E tools on housing project performance, (2) determine the effect of qualitative M&E tools on performance, (3) assess the effect of planning and analysis tools on performance, (4) evaluate the effect of technological tools on performance, and (5) examine the moderating role of organizational capacity in the relationship between M&E tools and project performance. The study adopted a descriptive research design grounded in Results-Based Management (RBM) and Systems Theory, emphasizing accountability, feedback, and outcome-based decisionmaking. The target population comprised 163 project staff involved in planning, implementation, and supervision at the Two Rivers Project. A census approach was used, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire. A pilot test was conducted on 10% of respondents to assess reliability, yielding a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.812, confirming internal consistency. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 28, employing descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression analyses. Diagnostic tests for normality, multicollinearity, and homoscedasticity confirmed model validity. Results showed a strong positive correlation between the application of M&E tools and housing project performance (r = 0.734, p < 0.05). Regression analysis revealed that quantitative tools (β = 0.286, p < 0.05), qualitative tools (β = 0.249, p < 0.05), planning and analysis tools (β = 0.213, p < 0.05), and technological tools (β = 0.198, p < 0.05) significantly influenced project performance. Moreover, organizational capacity exhibited a significant moderating effect (β = 0.154, p < 0.05) on the relationship between M&E tools and performance, suggesting that strong institutional structures amplify the positive impact of M&E systems. The study concludes that integrating diverse M&E tools enhances cost efficiency, timeliness, quality, and stakeholder satisfaction in large-scale housing projects. It recommends that Centum Real Estate and similar developers institutionalize comprehensive digital M&E frameworks, strengthen staff capacity-building programs, and adopt participatory monitoring systems to ensure accountability and sustainability. The study contributes to empirical and theoretical discourse on project management by demonstrating that structured and technology-enabled M&E systems are critical drivers of performance within Kenya’s private housing sector.
Fintech Adoption and Credit Access of Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises in Nairobi City County, Kenya
(East African Finance Journal, 2025) Kithandi, Charles Katua; Onchomba, Molson; Fandja, Oya Isha Terry
Access to credit remains a major constraint for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nairobi City County, limiting their ability to grow, innovate, and sustain operations. Although financial technology (FinTech) solutions have emerged to ease credit constraints, their effectiveness in improving credit access among MSMEs remains insufficiently explored in the Kenyan context. This study sought to examine the influence of FinTech adoption on credit access among MSMEs, focusing on the effects of mobile lending, digital banking, and web-based platforms, as well as the moderating role of regulatory frameworks. The study was anchored on the Disruptive Innovation Theory. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis. The target population comprised registered MSMEs in Nairobi City County, from which 200 respondents were selected using stratified sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 28. Simple linear regression analysis was used to determine the effects of each FinTech variable on credit access, while hierarchical regression assessed the moderating effect of regulatory frameworks. The findings revealed that mobile lending has a positive and statistically significant effect on credit access, enabling quicker access to short-term credit with minimal collateral requirements. Digital banking also exhibited a positive and significant effect, improving loan processing efficiency, repayment flexibility, and financial record management. Similarly, web-based financial platforms showed a positive and significant effect on credit access by enhancing transparency and accelerating loan approvals. The results further indicated that regulatory frameworks significantly moderate the relationship between FinTech adoption and credit access by boosting confidence and reducing risks associated with digital credit services. The study concludes that FinTech adoption enhances financial inclusion, improves loan accessibility, and supports operational efficiency among MSMEs. It recommends strengthening regulatory oversight, improving cybersecurity, and promoting digital literacy to maximize the benefits of FinTech-driven credit solutions.
Coverage of Kenya's 1992 Parliamentary Election Petitions By Daily Nation and Kenya Times: A Study of Bias in News Reporting
(Daystar University, School of Communication, 2000) Mwangi, Catherine Waithera
This study looked at the coverage of the filing and outcomes of the 1992 parlia- mentary election petitions as well as at the direction of coverage of petitioners to determine whether Daily Nation and Kenya Times were biased in their reporting. Bias was defined as the systematic differential treatment of KANU and Opposi- tion candidates and supporters with regard to the extent, prominance and direc- tion of coverage. A comparative analysis of the dailies was done to determine if they differed in their coverage. Content analysis method was used. All news sto- ries published between 1993 and 1995 about the filing and outcomes of the peti- tions were included in the analysis. The units of analysis were the story, the head- line and the sentence. The study found that the dailies are more likely to be biased when covering the events where petitioners are parlimentary candidates than when covering those where petitioners are the electorate. Barring the direction of sentences where Daily Nation treated KANU and Opposition candidates similarly, the daily was biased in favour of Oppositon candidates as far as selection of filing, withdrawal and dismissal of petitions as well as display of stories and slant of headlines were concerned. It was only in the slant of sentences that the privately-owned daily was biased in favour of Opposition supporters. Meanwhile, Kenya Times treated KANU and Oppostion candidates similarly in headlines. The daily was, however, biased in favor of KANU candidates as far as selection of dismissal and striking out of petitions were concerned. It was also biased in favour of KANU candidates with regard to the display of stories about filing of petitions and the slant of sentences. The government-owned daily was found to be biased in favor of KANU supporters only with regard to selection of petition withdrawal and the display of stories about filing of petitions. The findings reveal that many of the allegations of biased reporting that have been leveled against the two newspapers are indeed valid, at least as far as cover- age of election petitions is involved.
Effect of Project Planning Practices on Project Performance of the Integrated Housing Project in Laikipia County, Kenya
(East African Finance Journal, 2026) Kithandi, Charles Katua; Leruk, Hamidah
This study examined the effect of project planning practices on the performance of the Integrated Housing Project implemented by Habitat for Humanity Kenya (HFHK) in Laikipia County, Kenya. Effective project planning is widely acknowledged as the single most critical foundation of project success, yet empirical evidence specifically linking planning practices to integrated housing project performance in rural NGO-led contexts in Kenya remains limited. A descriptive case study research design was adopted targeting 128 respondents comprising HFHK project staff, community beneficiaries, and local government representatives. A census approach was employed and 101 completed questionnaires were returned, representing a 79% response rate. Structured questionnaires with five-point Likert-scale items measured project planning practices and project performance. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 26 through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and simple linear regression. Diagnostic tests confirmed normality (Shapiro-Wilk, p = 0.365), absence of multicollinearity (VIF < 2.0), linearity (Ramsey RESET, p = 0.434), and homoscedasticity (Breusch-Pagan, p = 0.380) prior to regression analysis. Project planning practices had a strong, positive, and statistically significant effect on project performance (β = 0.582, p < 0.05), explaining 33.9% of the variance in project performance (R² = 0.339, Adjusted R² = 0.332, F = 51.234, p < 0.05). Descriptive findings showed a high overall mean of 4.10 (SD = 0.72), indicating strong agreement that planning was systematic, participatory, and adaptive. Among all planning dimensions, regular plan review and updating recorded the highest mean (4.13), followed by clear timelines and deliverables (4.12) and use of appropriate planning tools (4.11). Development organizations should invest in comprehensive, participatory, and adaptive project planning processes that incorporate risk assessment, community needs analysis, and regular plan reviews. Structured planning frameworks significantly enhance coordination, resource efficiency, timely delivery, and beneficiary satisfaction in integrated housing projects.