The role of non-motorised mode of transportation: a case study of hand-carts operation in Kisumu Municipality, Kenya.

Abstract

This study was carried out in Kisumu Municipality(KM), Kenya and its main objective was to find out the role of hand-carts as an urban transport mode. In order to understand the role of hand-carts, objectives were set for the study and these were to find out the types of goods they transport, major areas of operation, the particular group of people they serve within the town, their relationship with the other modes of transport in town especially the matatu5 which are the prevalent modes of commuter transport within the KM and their role in both the employment and income generation activities. Some hypotheses were set up to help in the investigation of the above objectives. It was assumed that there are some land uses wh i ch were gene rat i ng and attract ing hand+c ar t s tr ips more than others within the KM, the modes mostly move food products more than other goods, their trips mostJ~ originate and end in bus stages and also that their operators are the urban residents below the average urban working age, that is, 15-64 years old. The methods used in the data organization and analysis included the descriptive and quantitative techniques. The descriptive techniques inc 1uded frequency distribution, and the percentages The only quantitative technique used in testing all the four hypotheses set for the study was the X2 (Ch i Square) Statistic. A theoretical model was also used to show the interdependency existing between the non-motorised modes and the motorised ones in achieving an efficient transport system. In order to collect the relevant data for the study, cluster and systematic sampling techniques were used. The systematic sampling was used when interviewing the matatu and hand-carts operators since their population were not well listed in the Kisumu Municipal Council (KMC) records. Cluster followed by the multi- stage sampling were used to get the hand-carts hires and business operators to interview within the study area. The study revealed that the hand-carts mode of transport mostly move foods and generally serve markets, Central bus stop (CBS), Wholesale shops in the Central Business District (CBD) and the other open spaces such as the fish smoking areas in the KM; Chi Square(s) technique revealed that they moved food more than other products, their zonal trip attraction and generation varies, bus stages attracts their trips more than other land uses and that they can offer employment to people within the urban working age group (15-64 years). They were found to most 1 y serve businessmen both -,.. from within the urban centre (UC) and from up-country; play an important in trip interconnect ,in areas having poor and narrow roads, the passenger trip interchange for those transferring to the other modes; and can offer employment opportunities. The hand-carts operators face such problems as danger of accidents from the motorised modes of transport, congestion as the roads are narrow when shared with the other modes, neglect by the police in case of accidents, hatred between them and the motorists and lastly the design of the roads that does not favor their ease and fast movement especially on round-abouts. The continued increase of the modes with the development of KM shows that their demand, is increasing and they will still be vital to the KM's residents in future if their operation is improved by setting separate streets and parking spaces for them, creating trip interchange points for them and motorized modes, and informing the residents of their role.