Public-Private Partnership: A Case Study of Strategies for Urban Restoration

Abstract

An Abstract by Prof. Francis Wambalaba, the DVC Research and Dr. Akosa Wambalaba a Lecturer at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at USIU- AfricaThe purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for managing PPPs in urbanized areas for improvement of the business environment by; 1) identifying and documenting experiences of sample partnerships between local authorities and private interest groups for PPP service delivery in Nairobi, 2) documenting different effective communication strategies that would promote dialogue between the City Council of Nairobi and its businesses and citizenry, and, 3) recommending a framework for implementation of PPP projects. This study used a case study approach to document PPP partnerships and developed a framework for enhancing partnership strategies in the city. The study relied on descriptive and exploratory research in terms of identifying stakeholders and pertinent issues for content analysis. Content analysis was used through identification of key issues of interest that were imbedded in the interview questions and thus creating a matrix table. In general, an average public-private partnership among participating organizations was initiated by the private sector with the goal of providing public service. Most of the participating stakeholders were local private sector organizations than international and the partnership agreement was by formal contract but some were through informal collaboration. Their major challenge was unilateral or conflicting decisions by the governmental entity and the problems seemed to continue without much effort to mitigate them. Based on stakeholder feedback, review of the best practices from around the world, feedback from the UK National Audit Office and Europe’s Metrogov project, recommendations were made with respect to guidelines for PPP projects, guidelines for public participative process and guidelines for specific improvements. With respect to PPP projects, the study recommended establishing and clarifying the policy framework, establishing a clear legal framework, ensuring consistency, as well as clarity of the policy to reduce uncertainty. In terms of public involvement, the study recommended distinguishing public involvement from public relations, an inclusive process of proactively seeking out groups and individuals affected and for the decision process to be defined, structured, and transparent. A specific improvement was the creation of a central PPP office with similar others for each city council