Local participation, government regulations and quality of road infrastructure: a case of road construction in Kampala district.

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of local participation on road infrastructure quality, with the moderating role of government regulations. It was guided by three objectives: to examine the effect of local participation on road infrastructure quality, to assess the moderating role of government regulations on the relationship between local participation and road infrastructure quality, and to explore how local participation has improved road infrastructure quality. The study employed an exploratory research design with a mixed-methods approach, involving the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data. A total of two hundred twenty-nine (229) questionnaires were returned from construction contractors in Kampala District, and seven (07) from construction regulators KCCA, UNRA, and the Ministry of Works and transport. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 27 for quantitative analysis and Atlas.ti for qualitative analysis (version 9). The results revealed that human capital (β= 0.234, p≤ 0.01), technological capacity (β= 0.278, p≤ 0.01) and financial capacity (β= 0.309, p≤ 0.05) were significant predicators of the of the quality of road infrastructure among local contractors in Kampala district. Furthermore, the study found that the government regulations have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between local participation and quality of road infrastructure (β=.2856, SE=.0838, 95% CI [0.2248, 0.5245]). Therefore, the researcher recommends that the government should enhance training programs and knowledge sharing among local construction firms to improve human capital, technological capacity, and financial capacity. The researcher also suggests strengthening regulatory frameworks, such as licensing requirements and compliance with construction standards, to improve contractor performance and streamline approval processes, ultimately enhancing infrastructure quality and reliability. This study is important to local contractors, the government, and construction regulators in Kampala district.