Determinants of Successful Implementation of Government Affordable Housing Projects in Nyanza Region, Kenya

Abstract

Affordable housing has become a critical development priority in Kenya due to persistent housing deficits, rapid urbanization, and increasing pressure on infrastructure systems. Despite government efforts through the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP), implementation outcomes remain uneven across regions. In Nyanza Region, significant disparities exist in project delivery, with Kisumu County accounting for 40.7% of housing units while Homa Bay contributes only 5.6%, indicating unequal implementation performance across counties. This study therefore examined the determinants of successful implementation of government affordable housing projects in Nyanza Region, Kenya. The study was anchored on Project Management Theory and Systems Theory and adopted a descriptive and explanatory research design. The target population comprised 18 affordable housing projects with a total of over 10,327 housing units. Census sampling was used due to the small and accessible population. Secondary data was collected from official housing project records. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis to examine the relationship between project implementation determinants (top management support, political support, and contractor technical competence) and project success. The findings revealed a strong positive and statistically significant relationship between project implementation determinants and successful project implementation (r = 0.742, p = 0.000). Regression results further showed that project implementation determinants explain 55.1% of the variation in project success (R² = 0.551), while the overall model was statistically significant (F = 19.600, p = 0.000). The coefficient analysis indicated that project implementation determinants had a significant positive effect on project success (β = 0.742, p = 0.000), implying that improvements in managerial support, political backing, and contractor competence significantly enhance project implementation outcomes. The study concludes that successful implementation of affordable housing projects in Nyanza Region is strongly influenced by managerial, political, and technical factors. It recommends strengthening top management support, improving contractor capacity, and enhancing coordination between national and county governments to improve project delivery effectiveness.