LINKING INFRASTRUCTURE TO LIVELIHOODS: ASSESSING THE INFLUENCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC SECURITY IN TAITA TAVETA COUNTY, KENYA
Keywords:
Infrastructure development, Socio-economic security, Mega projects, Taita Taveta County, Kenya
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of mega infrastructural development projects on socio-economic security in Taita Taveta County, Kenya, with a focus on road, rail, and housing sectors. Employing a descriptive cross-sectional design, the research combined quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data from 414 respondents across Voi, Taveta, Mwatate, and Wundanyi sub-counties. The findings reveal that road and housing infrastructure have had a positive and statistically significant impact on socio-economic security by enhancing access to essential services, creating employment opportunities, and improving overall household welfare. In contrast, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project exhibited limited socio-economic benefits due to weak integration with local economic systems and minimal community engagement during planning and implementation. The study concludes that while infrastructure is a key enabler of development, its socio-economic impact depends on equitable distribution, functionality, and local relevance. It recommends that future projects be guided by inclusive planning, targeted outreach to underserved areas, and alignment with local livelihoods to ensure sustainable and inclusive socio-economic gains.
Keywords: Infrastructure development, Socio-economic security, Mega projects, Taita Taveta County, Kenya
References
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African Development Bank (AfDB). (2021). African economic outlook 2021: From debt resolution to growth: The road ahead for Africa. Retrieved from https://www.afdb.org
African Development Bank (AfDB). (2022). Africa's Infrastructure: Investing for Growth and Poverty Reduction. AfDB Publications.
County Government of Taita Taveta. (2023). Taita Taveta County Integrated Development Plan (2023-2027).
Darin-Mattsson, A., Fors, S., & Kåreholt, I. (2017). Different indicators of socioeconomic status and their relative importance as determinants of health in old age. International Journal for Equity in Health, 16(1), 173. https://equityhealthj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12939-017-0670-3
Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). (2023). Annual energy sector report 2022/2023. Retrieved from https://www.epra.go.ke
Foster, V., & Briceno-Garmendia, C. (2022). Africa’s Infrastructure: A Time for Transformation. World Bank Publications.
Foster, V., Gorgulu, N., Straub, S., & Vagliasindi, M. (2023). The impact of infrastructure on development outcomes: A qualitative review of four decades of literature. The World Bank.
International Energy Agency (IEA). (2021). World energy outlook 2021: Addressing energy access challenges. Retrieved from https://www.iea.org
Ivanov, V. (2019). The impact of infrastructure projects on social-economic territorial development. Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, 83, 637-645.
Karpenko, L., Izha, M., Chunytska, I., Maiev, A., & Hunko, K. (2021). The growth of the country’s economic security level based on investment infrastructure development projects. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 8(4), 713-729.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Economic survey 2023: Socio-economic indicators in Kenya. KNBS. Retrieved from https://www.knbs.or.ke
Kiai, R. (2021). Socio-economic determinants in sustainability of urban infrastructure projects: A case of KURA roads projects in Laikipia County, Kenya. African Journal of Infrastructure Development, 18(1), 67-82.
Kimani, J., & Mwangi, P. (2021). The Role of Infrastructure in Enhancing Economic and Social Development in Kenya. International Journal of Development Studies, 18(4), 45-63.
Kothari, C. R. (2014). Research methodology: Methods and techniques (2nd ed.). New Age International.
Lesutis, G. (2021). Infrastructural territorialisations: Mega-infrastructures and the (re)making of Kenya. Political Geography, 89, 102459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2021.102459
Mburu, S., & Karanja, D. (2022). Impact of Mega Infrastructure Projects on Economic Growth and Social Well-being in Kenya. Journal of African Economic Development, 25(3), 78-92.
Muriithi, K. (2019). Impact of infrastructure projects on socio-economic outcomes in Nairobi County. Kenya Journal of Development Research, 10(5), 33-48.
Njoroge, R., Kamau, T., & Otieno, J. (2023). Socio-Economic Implications of Mega Infrastructure Projects in Kenya’s Peri-Urban Regions. African Journal of Policy Studies, 20(2), 56-71.
Ouma, G., & Achieng, L. (2019). Infrastructure and Socio-Economic Security in Kenya: A Case Study of Rural Development Projects. East African Journal of Social Sciences, 14(1), 102-117.
Oyelana, S., Shrestha, O., Sihotang, M., Marsel, M., & Walsham, S. (2022). Assessing the socio-economic impact of infrastructure development on local communities: A mixed-methods approach. Sosateris, 11(1), 1-8.
Taber, K. S. (2018). The use of Cronbach’s Alpha when developing and reporting research instruments in science education. Research in Science Education, 48(6), 1273–1296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-016-9602-2
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2023). Human Development Report 2023: Uncertain times, unsettled lives: Shaping our future in a transforming world. Retrieved from https://www.undp.org
United Nations Development Programme. (2023). Human development report 2023: The future of socio-economic security. Retrieved from https://www.undp.org
United Nations Development Programme. (2024). Socio-economic resilience is critical to advancing sustainable peace and security in East Africa. https://www.undp.org/africa/press-releases/socio-economic-resilience-critical-advancing-sustainable-peace-and-security-east-africa
United Nations. (2022). Sustainable infrastructure for development report. Retrieved from https://www.un.org
Walker, R. J., Williams, J. S., & Egede, L. E. (2023). Food insecurity, neighborhood food environment, and health disparities. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 117(1), 1–2. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/117/1/1/6693371
World Bank. (2021). Infrastructure for Development: Unlocking Economic Growth and Reducing Inequality. Washington, DC: World Bank Publications.
World Bank. (2021). Socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 in Kenya on households: Rapid response phone survey results. The World Bank. Retrieved from https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/aeb67f59-3f36-54c9-af1b-827fcd6d59ac
World Bank. (2022). World development report 2022: Infrastructure for development. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org
World Economic Forum. (2022). Infrastructure and development competitiveness report. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org
Zvarych, I., & Zvarych, O. (2021). Formation of infrastructural factors of economic development of the region. Baltic Journal of Economic Studies, 7(1), 115-126.
