STRATEGIC ROLE OF HUDUMA CENTRE INITIATIVES ON PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY AMONG RESIDENTS OF NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The public service delivery in Kenya was characterized by slow pace of service delivery, corruption, inefficient public service providers, low morale amongst government workers, and poor attitude towards service delivery. Additionally, accessibility to government services was hampered by need to move between different government’s offices sometimes located only in big towns. Kenyans were therefore not satisfied with the government service delivery. In response to the poor service delivery in Kenya, the Government of Kenya has conceptualized and executed diverse initiatives over the years in order to improve service delivery in government sector. Most notable of these initiatives include the Results Based Management framework that was founded performance contracting and citizen service charters. These initiatives have had limited successes in enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in public service delivery. However, the problem of service accessibility due to centralization of some government services in major towns was still a challenge. In line with the 2010 Kenya’s constitution that created a devolved government structure in order to improve the service delivery to citizens in their locality, there was need for the central government to improve its service delivery to Kenyans. The government therefore created Huduma Centres concept that centralizes service provision under a single roof. This study seeks to examine the strategic role that the Huduma Centres have played in service delivery in County of Nakuru. The specific objectives of the study included an examination of how issuance of national documents, business registration, transparency and accountability, and Huduma Centre initiatives targeting customer satisfaction levels at Huduma Centre have enhanced service delivery amongst residents of County of Nakuru. The study was based upon Kurt Lewin’s Force theory of change, Richard Oliver’s Expectation-Disconfirmation theory, Jensen and Meckling Agency theory and Freeman’s Stakeholder’s theory. The study was carried out in Nakuru County which has one Huduma Centre one stop shop situated along Kenyatta Avenue. The target population of the study were customers assessing various services at the centre on any particular random day. The target population is 600 customers. The sample size of the study was 86 respondents. The study adopted a case study design using quantitative approaches in the collection of data. Primary data was sought from the customers using questionnaires. A pilot study was used to refine the instrument. The study thus addressed the strategic role of Huduma Centres initiatives on public service provision.The adjusted R-Square value in this case is 0.74 implying that 74% variability in the Outcome variable is explained by the independent variables. Thus the independent variable is fairly in control of the response variable.The ANOVA results fit with the four explanatory variables was significant owing to the fact that the p-value for the ANOVA test was 0.000 less than the accepted 5% level of significance. The individual predictors were tested for linear relationship with the response variable. The null hypothesis for this test is that there is no linear relationship between each predictor as examined individually with the response variable. The p-values for t-test statistic are shown in the right most column of the table below at 0.05 level of significance. From the findings of the study we can conclude that Huduma Centre initiatives have had a significant impact on public service delivery among residents of Nakuru County. For this study, the major recommendation is for the Huduma Centres all over the country to emphasize on the four variables as they have a considerable power in determining service delivery ratings.