EFFECT OF COMMERCIAL MOTORCYCLE TRANSPORT ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AMONG THE YOUTHS IN KWALE COUNTY, KENYA
Clyde Omondi Deppuh - Masters Student, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Peter Ng’ang’a - Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Kenyatta University. Kenya
ABSTRACT
Transportation is crucial for all of our endeavors and is an essential component of empowerment and socioeconomic growth. Examining the effects of commercial motorcycle transportation on teenage social and economic empowerment in Kwale County, Kenya, was the study's main goal. The survey objectives were; to establish the effects of employment creation on social economic empowerment among the youths in Kwale County, Kenya, to examine the effects of poverty alleviation on social economic empowerment among the youths in Kwale County, Kenya, to find out the effects of informality of operations on social economic empowerment among the youths in Kwale County, Kenya and to determine the effects of access to finance on social economic empowerment among the youths in Kwale County, Kenya. The survey was based on; functional theory, human capital theory and social capital theory to convey out the effects of commercial motorcycle transport on social economic empowerment among the youths in Kwale County, Kenya. Descriptive research design was applied to the study. The study population was categorized into commercial motorcycle transport operators, youth group officials and Sacco personnel in Kwale County. The study, which had 310 commercial motorbike transporters as its target audience as well as youth group representatives and Sacco staff in Kwale County, was calculated using the Yamane (1967) formula with a 95% confidence level (0.05 level of significance). Tables were used to present the results. Inferential data was analyzed using multiple regression. Using a multivariate regression analysis model, the link between the independent and dependent variables was discovered. In-depth information was gathered via questionnaires. To ensure that the respondents provided thoughtful responses, the questionnaires were distributed to them using the drop-and-pick approach. Two days before to dropping off the questionnaires, the researcher scheduled meetings with the chairwoman of the Kwale County Boda-boda Association. Each question was designed to address both the variables and each of the study's objectives. Open ended questions were used to get specific information from the operators, whereas close ended questions were used to elicit opinions on certain topics. The researcher has a moral duty to treat the data gathered from the operators with the utmost propriety due to the sensitivity of the information sought for this study. Before starting the study, the researcher contacted the appropriate authorities to request their authorization. The findings reveal that there is a significant relationship between employment creation on socio-economic empowerment among the youths in Kwale County. Poverty alleviation is positively related with socio-economic empowerment among the youths in Kwale County. There is a significant relationship between informality of operations and socio-economic empowerment among the youths in Kwale County. Access to finance is significantly related with socio-economic empowerment among the youths in Kwale County. This study concluded that that there is a significant relationship between commercial motorcycle transport and socio-economic empowerment among the youths in Kwale County. The study recommends that the youth diversify their sources of incomes to supplement income from the boda-boda businesses. The youth should organize themselves into groups to access soft loans for their the boda-boda businesses. Youth should comply with the regulations of the boda-boda business. The youth should also explore various sources of financing of their motorcycle business. This study recommends that banks and saccos should assist the boda-boda businesses. The financial institutions should facilitate the youth with credit to expand their boda-boda businesses. The youth should also be provided with favorable interest rates on loans. The study recommends that a cross sectional research could be carried out in all counties in Kenya. Other studies could adopt a mixed methods approach of data collection for better understanding of the phenomenon.