A Case Study of Kayole-Soweto Informal Settlement
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UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL WORK THE DYNAMICS OF ROADSIDE MICRO-ENTERPRISES: A CASE STUDY OF KAYOLE-SOWETO INFORMAL SETTLEMENT BY MUNANDI ISABELLA KAMBUA REGISTRATION NUMBER: C50/62166/10 A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF ARTS IN SOCIOLOGY (ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT), UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI NOVEMBER, 2018 DECLARATION This Research Project is my original work and has not been submitted for a degree in this University or any other institution: Signed………………….........................................................Date……………………. Isabella Kambua Munandi Registration Number: C50/62166/10 This Research Project has been submitted for examination with my approval as the University Supervisor: Signature……………………......................................................Date…………………. Dr Mike Chepkonga University Supervisor i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My pursuit for a Master of Arts in Sociology (Entrepreneurship Development) is akin to one of those experiences in life which one looks back and admits it was worthwhile. You meet new people that leave a valuable mark on your life: lecturers and classmates. The journey exposes one to a different challenge, which attracts a different type of support and encouragement from different quarters. In this regard, I wish to acknowledge my supervisor, Dr Mike Chepkonga, for his contribution, encouragement and patience. He offered very useful suggestions which immensely assisted me to prepare this report. I also acknowledge the Kenya Informal Settlement Project (KISIP) Coordinator, Ms Peris Mang’ira. I did some research work for the Project between October and December 2013. Through this work, the interest for the concept of my MA Project was developed. Thereafter, I approached KISIP through the Coordinator, for permission to use part of the data collected for my MA Project. This permission was granted and with a promise of sharing my report with the Project. I am also grateful to Eng. Runji Ngware of Runji Consulting Group. When I shared with him my plans to enrol for a Masters’ Degree, he promptly responded by promising to give me as much work as possible to enable me finance my studies. This he did. My sincere gratitude goes too to Professor Dorothy McCormick and Professor Peter Kimuyu for believing in my ability. Within a year of graduating with my first degree, they entrusted me with research related responsibilities that came with challenges which, they encouraged I approach them for discussion after I had carefully thought through on how they could be addressed. Under their watch, they natured my nascent research skills, and gently gave me the confidence to pursue a Masters’ degree. My sincere gratitude also goes to one of my grandfathers, the late Mr. Benson Kiiti Kamba, whom on learning I had qualified to join undergraduate, he advised I must do to at least a Masters’ degree level. According to him, the greatest inheritance and gift a parent could give to a daughter was education. My parents heeded this advice, and for that I am also grateful for their support. I wholeheartedly also acknowledge the contribution of my lecturers. Lastly, but not least, I acknowledge the encouragement of some of my dear friends. I will not mention their names ii here, for they are quite a number. They monitored my progress, debated with me on my topic, and psychologically nudged me to soldier on. Thank you all. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION....................................................................................................................... i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................... ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................. vii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................ ix LIST OF PLATES ................................................................................................................... x LIST OF BOXES .................................................................................................................... xi ACRONYMS .......................................................................................................................... xii ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background of the Study ........................................................................................... 1 1.2. Problem Statement .................................................................................................... 2 1.3. Key Research Questions ............................................................................................ 4 1.4. Objectives of the Study ............................................................................................. 5 1.4.1. Overall Objective ...................................................................................................... 5 1.4.2. Specific Objectives .................................................................................................... 5 1.5. Significance of the Study .......................................................................................... 5 1.6. Scope and Limitations of the Study .......................................................................... 6 1.7. Definition of Key Terms and Concepts ..................................................................... 7 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 11 2.2. Literature Review .................................................................................................... 11 2.2.1. Urbanisation ............................................................................................................ 12 2.2.1.1. Urban Centres Growth............................................................................................. 12 2.2.1.2. The Urban Population ............................................................................................. 12 2.2.1.3. The Potentially Economically Active Population ................................................... 13 2.2.1.4. Nairobi City ............................................................................................................. 16 2.2.2. Potentially Economically Active Vis-à-vis Economically Active Population ........ 21 2.2.3. The Informal Sector of Kenya ................................................................................. 23 2.2.3.1. Existence and Growth of the Informal Sector ......................................................... 23 2.2.3.2. Roadside Micro-Enterprises in Kenya .................................................................... 26 iv 2.2.3.3. Features of the Informal Sector Establishments that makes them Less Appreciated .. ................................................................................................................ 28 2.2.3.4. Features of the Informal Sector Establishments that makes them Appreciated ...... 31 2.3. Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................... 32 2.3.1. The Dual Economy Model ...................................................................................... 32 2.3.1.1. Preliminary Contribution to the Subject of ME in the Informal Sector .................. 32 2.3.1.2. The Lewis Dual Sector Model................................................................................. 33 2.3.1.3. Critique of the Lewis Dual Sector Model ............................................................... 34 2.3.2. The Micro-Enterprise View Theory ........................................................................ 40 2.3.3. Rational Choice Theory........................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 44 3.2. Site Description ....................................................................................................... 44 3.3. Research Design ...................................................................................................... 47 3.4. Unit of Observation and Analysis ........................................................................... 47 3.5. Sources of Data ....................................................................................................... 48 3.6. Sampling Procedure ................................................................................................ 48 3.7. Methods of Data Collection .................................................................................... 49 3.8. Data Analysis .......................................................................................................... 50 3.9. Validity and Reliability of the Data ........................................................................ 50 3.9.1. Validity ...............................................................................................................