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Street Vendors’ Socio-Economic Empowerment in Kenya: Current Business Infrastructure Challenges in Urban Areas

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Street vending constitute a very significant part of the business industry of Kenya’s economy and an alternative source of livelihood to the urban poor. Despite its role, there appears to be relatively widespread agreement on the infrastructure constraints among which include lack of storage facilities, sanitary services and electricity accessibility. The author argues that if the street vending microenterprise field does not make some significant changes, the street vendors will not be able to improve their well-being that is intertwined with their business success. Strategies to address these challenges depends on the intervention of the local government. The study was guided by Development as Freedom Approach and adopted descriptive cross-sectional survey design. The data was collected through survey questionnaires from street vendors, interview guide from Local Government officers and through and observation guide. The sample size of 384 street vendors was targeted from Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu. The findings were statistically significant given the probability value of 0.000 <0.05. Thus implying that quality business infrastructure has a positive effect on socio-economic empowerment of street vending micro enterprises. In particular, water and sanitation, electricity and storage facilities.
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ISBN 0 375 40169 0.