DR. WANJOHI JOHN MURABA

Description
A large number of urban residents in sub-Sahara Africa live in slums often characterized by lack of basic services such as water, sewerage and electricity. This is as a result of pressure due population growth, aging infrastructure, climatic change and unsustainable convention water management mostly employed in the region thus posing a huge challenge in managing the unreliable and scarce water resource. Meru Town is not exemption to this phenomenon as in that there are few sanitation facilities and also many people do not access to safe drinking water source. The purpose of this study was to establish the factors that influence customer access to piped water and sanitation services in low income urban areas in Meru Town. The study aimed at determining the influence of; physical parameters, affordability, institutional and structural constraints on customer access to piped water and sanitation services in low income urban areas. The research design used in the study was descriptive research. The target population comprised of 1080 households and 15 staff members of Meru Water and Sewerage Services. The sample size was from two stakeholders namely (i) 105 households and (ii) Purposively sampled 15 staff members of Meru Water and Sewerage Services. To determine the validity and reliability of the interview schedule, a pilot-testing was carried out in a different slum (Kigore) with similar characteristics like those other three. During the field study, information was collected from randomly selected households from three urban poor areas on accessibility and affordability of piped water and sanitation services. The instruments used …

Description
Regarded as a frequent occurrence, disputes in construction projects occasioned by substandard communication of impractical clients’ expectations, defective works and delays in architectural designs significantly contribute to adverse effects on project results. Despite these and the numerous demerits linked to litigation majority of clients, contractors and construction consultants in Kenya still opt for it as opposed to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) approaches to resolve disputes in construction projects. The purpose of this study was to establish the factors influencing use of alternative dispute resolution in construction projects in Imenti North Sub-County, Meru County, Kenya. In particular it examined the influence of: lack of awareness, preservation of business relationships, cost minimization and communication and documentation issues on the use of ADR in construction projects disputes. The research was guided by two theories; Theory of Planned Behavior and Transaction Cost Economics Theory and will be support by the Stair-Step Model of Dispute Resolution. The research embraced use of descriptive survey research design. Target population is of 255 respondents. The sample size was of 45 (n= 45), Contractors, 12 (n= 12) Consultants (Architectures, Quantity Surveyors and Structural Engineers) and Construction Projects Clients 75 (n= 75) that was singled out to take part in the investigation. Stratified sampling and Simple random sampling were made use of to pick the sampled subjects. Questionnaires were used to collect primary data in the study locale. Data was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by employing SPSS …