Quality Control and Performance of Road Construction Projects in Nyamira County, Kenya

Authors

  • Mogaka David Arori Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
  • Jane Omwenga Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
  • Assumpta Kagiri Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47941/jepm.4060

Keywords:

Quality Control, Road Construction Projects, Project Performance, Materials Testing, Site Inspection, Defect Rectification, Nyamira County

Abstract

Purpose: The study aimed at finding the relationship between quality control practices and the performance of any road construction project that the County government of Nyamira, Kenya, has implemented from 2019 to 2024.

Methodology: The methodology used was mixed methods that involved quantitative and qualitative data, for the purposes of providing a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the variables of the study. The community representatives were interviewed using semi-structured interviews to gain a detailed perspective on the practices of quality control and how it is implemented in public road works. Firstly, quantitative data analysis and then qualitative data analysis. The results of both strands were then analyzed together at the interpretation phase in order to promote triangulation, interpretation of the quantitative results and a fuller understanding of the research theme.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study contributes to theory by studying and analyzing the effect of quality control within a devolved and resource constrained county setting, and by interpreting the results of the study within Total Quality Management, the Quality Trilogy, Project Management and Risk Management and Stakeholder theories. The County Engineers and Contractors should institute documented inspection and testing procedures, non-conformance registers, time bound defect rectification and hold point approvals for practice. The County Government of Nyamira should provide the resources for materials testing and supervision capacity and require quality control records as a precondition for certification of payment and acceptance of completed works.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Mogaka David Arori, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Postgraduate Student, Department of Entrepreneurship, Technology, Leadership and Management

Jane Omwenga, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Research Supervisor

Assumpta Kagiri, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Research Supervisor

References

Aaltonen, K., Derakhshan, R., Di Maddaloni, F., & Turner, R. (2024). Stakeholder engagement: Theoretical and methodological directions for project scholarship. International Journal of Project Management, 42(7), 102649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2024.102649

Agyemang, E. A., Musonda, I., & Zulu, S. (2025). Stakeholder theory and shareholder theory application in the construction field: A systematic scoping review. Construction Economics and Building, 25(2), 89–111. https://doi.org/10.5130/AJCEB.v25i2.9346

Arditi, D., & Gunaydin, H. M. (1997). Total quality management in the construction process. International Journal of Project Management, 15(4), 235–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0263-7863(96)00076-2

Bernstein, P. L. (1996). Against the gods: The remarkable story of risk. John Wiley & Sons.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Chan, A. P. C., & Chan, A. P. L. (2004). Key performance indicators for measuring construction success. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 11(2), 203–221. https://doi.org/10.1108/14635770410532624

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297–334. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02310555

Deming, W. E. (1986). Out of the crisis. MIT Center for Advanced Engineering Study.

Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Flyvbjerg, B. (2014). What you should know about megaprojects and why: An overview. Project Management Journal, 45(2), 6–19. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.21409

Freeman, R. E. (1984). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Pitman.

Haupt, T. C., & Whiteman, D. E. (2004). Inhibiting factors of implementing total quality management on construction sites. The TQM Magazine, 16(3), 166–173. https://doi.org/10.1108/09544780410532891

Hughes, K. (2020). Quality and defects liability. In Understanding FIDIC (pp. 63–82). Taylor & Francis.

Josephson, P.-E., & Hammarlund, Y. (1999). The causes and costs of defects in construction: A study of seven building projects. Automation in Construction, 8(6), 681–687.

Juran, J. M. (1986). The quality trilogy: A universal approach to managing for quality. Quality Progress, 19(8), 19–24.

Juran, J. M., & Godfrey, A. B. (1999). Juran's quality handbook (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Kerzner, H. (2017). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (12th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

Love, P. E. D., & Li, H. (2000). Quantifying the causes and costs of rework in construction. Construction Management and Economics, 18(4), 479–490.

Mohamed, G. S. (2023). Quality management practices and the performance of road infrastructure projects in Wajir County, Kenya [Master's research project, Kenyatta University]. Kenyatta University Institutional Repository. https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/27448

Mongina, C., & Moronge, M. (2021). Project management practices and performance of road construction projects in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 8(1), 545–562.

Mwangi, S. K. (2023). Total quality management practices and performance of Kenya Rural Roads Authority projects in Kirinyaga County, Kenya. Kenyatta University. https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/26790

Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Nyakala, K. S., Pretorius, J. H. C., & Vermeulen, A. (2019). Factor analysis of quality assurance practices in small and medium-sized road-construction projects: A South African perspective. Acta Structilia, 26(1), 1–41. https://doi.org/10.18820/24150487/as26i1.1

Nyakundi, W. W., & Wanjiru, L. K. (2025). Project planning practices and performance of road construction projects in Nairobi City County, Kenya. International Academic Journal of Information Sciences and Project Management, 3(7), 370–379.

Obare, J. O., Kyalo, D. N., Mulwa, A. S., & Mbugua, J. (2016). Implementation process of project control systems and performance of rural roads construction project in Kenya: Role of project team experience diversity. European Scientific Journal, 12(29), 408–422. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2016.v12n29p408

Olander, S., & Landin, A. (2005). Evaluation of stakeholder influence in the implementation of construction projects. International Journal of Project Management, 23(4), 321–328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2005.02.002

Olawale, Y., & Sun, M. (2015). Construction project control in the UK: Current practice, existing problems and recommendations for future improvement. International Journal of Project Management, 33(3), 623–637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2014.10.003

Project Management Institute. (2021). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® guide) (7th ed.). Project Management Institute.

Republic of Kenya. (2007). The Kenya Roads Act, 2007 (No. 2 of 2007). National Council for Law Reporting.

Republic of Kenya. (2010). The Constitution of Kenya, 2010. National Council for Law Reporting.

Rubaratuka, I. A. (2018). Quality control in the construction of reinforced concrete buildings in Dar es Salaam. Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology, 31(1). https://journals.udsm.ac.tz/index.php/tjet/article/view/1774

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). Research methods for business students (8th ed.). Pearson Education.

Shapiro, S. S., & Wilk, M. B. (1965). An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika, 52(3–4), 591–611.

Shewhart, W. A. (1931). Economic control of quality of manufactured product. D. Van Nostrand.

Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2019). Using multivariate statistics (7th ed.). Pearson.

The Star. (2024, April 23). Sh12bn stalled projects in 10 counties. https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2024-04-23-sh12bn-stalled-projects-in-10-counties

Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics: An introductory analysis (2nd ed.). Harper & Row.

Downloads

Published

2026-10-21

How to Cite

Mogaka, D. A., Omwenga, J., & Kagiri, A. (2026). Quality Control and Performance of Road Construction Projects in Nyamira County, Kenya. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Project Management, 11(6), 21–43. https://doi.org/10.47941/jepm.4060

Issue

Section

Articles

Similar Articles

<< < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.