Public-Private Partnership Mechanisms and the Performance of Road Projects in Kenya
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Date
2025-11
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
Road construction plays a critical role in stimulating Kenya’s economic growth and enhancing productivity by improving connectivity between various factors of production. However, the successful implementation and performance of road infrastructure projects require substantial financial and technical resources that are not always readily available. To overcome these constraints, the Government of Kenya has increasingly relied on Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a strategic approach for mobilizing private-sector financing, innovation, and technical expertise. Unlike the public sector, private entities operate on profit-driven principles, necessitating well-designed cost-recovery mechanisms to sustain long-term investment viability. This study assessed the effect of Public–Private Partnership mechanisms on the performance of road infrastructure projects in Kenya. Specifically, the study examined the influence of project identification, project financing, project risk management, and stakeholder participation mechanisms on the performance of road infrastructure development projects. The research was anchored on Policy Network Theory, the Theory of Constraints, and the Resource-Based View. A mixed-method research design was employed, targeting 165 respondents involved in 15 PPP road projects across the country. Both primary and secondary data were used, with questionnaires and key informant interviews serving as the primary data collection methods. Reliability of the research instrument was confirmed using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient, while descriptive and inferential statistics including multiple linear regression were used for data analysis. The findings revealed that project identification, project financing, project risk management, and stakeholder participation had positive and statistically significant effects on the performance of PPP road projects in Kenya. The study further established that the legal framework significantly moderated the relationship between PPP mechanisms and project performance. The research contributed to theory and practice by developing an integrated analytical framework that combines institutional, financial, and stakeholder dimensions of PPP project performance. The findings have significant policy implications. For the Government of Kenya, the results provide evidence to guide enhancements of PPP legal and regulatory reforms geared toward strengthening contract governance, fiscal discipline, and institutional accountability. For international development partners, the study offers insights supporting targeted investment, co-financing arrangements, and capacity-building interventions for sustainable infrastructure delivery. For non-governmental organizations and civil society, the findings highlight opportunities to promote stakeholder engagement, transparency, and social inclusion throughout the project cycle. Overall, the study integrates theoretical, empirical, and policy perspectives and provides practical guidance for strengthening PPP strategies within Kenya’s road infrastructure sector and similar contexts across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Description
A Research Project Submitted to the School of School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Management of Kenyatta University. November, 2025
Supervisors
David Minja
Jane Njoroge