PUBLIC BUREAUCRACY AND PROCESSING OF COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION PERMITS IN KIAMBU COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to survey the effect of public bureaucracy on the issuance of commercial construction permits in the county.  The objectives that guided the study were to assess the effects of bureaucratic procedures on the issuance of construction permits, assess the effects of bureaucratic structures on the issuance of commercial construction permits and to assess the effects of bureaucratic decision making on the issuance of commercial construction permits in Kiambu County. The study adopted a case study research design. The study targeted 19 staff working at the issuance of commercial construction permits. The study also targeted clients seeking services at the issuance of commercial construction permits in the county. On average, there are 212 clients seeking services at commercial construction permits per month. The sample size was 151 respondents. The study employed the use of purposive and systematic sampling to select clients who were participate in the study, choosing those who are in the final stages of the process, since they have the information needed concerning the entire process. Interviews and semi-structured questionnaires were utilized in data collection. The study mainly collected quantitative data and therefore quantitative analysis methods were adopted. Descriptive statistics (mean, percentages, frequencies, standard deviation), as well as inferential statistics (regression model), were adopted to scrutinize the data. The regression model was utilized to determine a significant difference between public bureaucracy and the issuance of commercial construction permits at the 0.05 significance level. The study findings showed that there was a significant association between bureaucratic procedures and issuance of commercial construction permits (?=0.168, p?0.05); there was a significant association between bureaucratic structures and issuance of commercial construction permits (?=0.264, p?0.05); there was a significant association between bureaucratic decision making and issuance of commercial construction permits (?=0.229, p?0.05). Based on the study findings the study recommended that the department of commercial construction permits and issuance unit need to move with speed to undo the bureaucratic procedures so that bureaucratic procedures are formalized, documented and institutionalized for efficient, effective and timely of issuance of commercial construction permits service delivery. organization structural reforms as well as complete devolution of issuance of commercial construction permit services is required to align the structure to the needs of the county residents in order to boost coordination of communication, decision making and actions within and outside the permits department for effective, efficient and timely service delivery to the citizens. 

Key Words: Bureaucratic Procedures, Bureaucratic Structures, Bureaucratic Decision Making, Construction Permits processing