Barriers To Policy Implementation in Kenya’s Public Sector: A Focus on The Integrated Service Delivery Model in Huduma Centres.
Patrick Amisi Aluvi
Alice Kurgat
James K. Chelang’a
Keywords: Public service delivery, Public Sector, Integrated service delivery, Network Governance, New Public governance
Abstract
The study investigated the barriers to policy implementation in Kenya’s public sector with a focus on the integrated
service delivery model (ISD) in Huduma centres in Kenya. The study was motivated by the growing global shift
from traditional Weberian public administration to more collaborative and citizen-centred approaches under New
Public Governance and Network Governance paradigms. In response to increasing demand for efficient,
accessible, and transparent public services, the Government of Kenya introduced Huduma Kenya Service delivery
Program through Centres as a one-stop-shop model to enhance service delivery.The programs objective was to
address the inefficiencies and fragmentation that existed in the public sector. This study is grounded on the
pragmatic paradigm which is its philosophical foundation of this study. The new public governance and network
theories are adopted to guide the study. Employing a concurrent mixed method with cross sectional survey design
approach, the study collected data from the Ministry of Public Service, Human resource Development and Special
Programmes, the Huduma Kenya Secretariat and eight purposively selected regional Huduma centres in the
country. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were employed to collect primary and secondary
data. The qualitative component comprised of 10 key informant interviews comprising of, one official from the
ministry headquarters, one official from the Huduma secretariat and eight Centre managers. These participants
were purposively selected because they possessed knowledge and experience that was considered relevant to the
study. The data collected from the interviews was recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically
guided by Braun and Clarke six step thematic analysis. The analysis involved familiarization with the recorded
transcripts, code generation, categorization, development of themes and interpretation of themes in relation to
the research questions. The quantitative data collected was collected from 141 frontline /desk service managers
and 343 customers, it was later coded and analyzed using SPSS Version 31. Thereafter it was presented in
tables followed by a discussion of the findings which were corroborated by verbatim responses obtained from key
informant interviews. The study concludes that while ISD is perceived to have transformed public service delivery
in Kenya, it is not without challenges, its sustainability is highly dependent on strengthened ICT infrastructure,
improved institutional capacity and accountability systems to address the myriad of challenges in its
implementation
