Influence of Stakeholder Engagement on the Performance of Public-Private Partnership Road Infrastructure Projects: Case of Nairobi Expressway

Abstract

Public-Private Partnerships are key to addressing Kenya's infrastructure challenges but suffer from poor monitoring and evaluation, including financial inefficiencies, poor stakeholder engagement, and weak risk governance. The study investigated the influence of stakeholder involvement on the performance of Public-Private Partnership Road infrastructure projects, with a case of the Nairobi Expressway. Stakeholder Theory guided the study. The research design was descriptive correlational, with a population of 50,050 people comprising 50 institutional populations and 50,000 road users. Purposive and simple random sampling were employed to select the final sample of 150 respondents from institutional and road user respondents respectively. Structured questionnaires with Likert scales and semi-structured interviews with some road users were used for data collection. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson’s correlation and multiple linear regression. The result showed strong positive correlation with project performance (r=0.718) and explained 51.6% of performance variance (β=0.487, p=0.000). The study concluded that stakeholder engagement significantly influences PPP performance. Limited participation, weak communication, and inadequate feedback mechanisms reduced project acceptance and satisfaction. The study recommended that Amend PPP laws to require mandatory stakeholder consultation throughout project lifecycles. Establish permanent road user forums for ongoing engagement, develop publicly accessible project information portals, and institutionalize community participation in toll pricing reviews to ensure decisions balance financial sustainability with public affordability. The study recommended. The National Treasury - Public-Private Partnerships Directorate should amend Kenya's Public-Private Partnership Act (2021) to include meaningful stakeholder consultation as an enforceable and legally binding requirement throughout the entire lifecycle of PPP projects, from planning through implementation to operations. Keywords: Public-Private Partnerships, Nairobi Expressway, and Stakeholder Engagement, Project Performance.