Cement Manufacturing Companies’ Corporate Social Responsibility and Pastoralists Livelihoods Security in Kitengela Ward, Kajiado County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine Cement Manufacturing Companies Corporate Social Responsibility and Pastoralists Livelihoods Security in Kitengela, Kajiado County, Kenya. The specific objectives that the study sought to fulfil were; to examine the contribution in education through CSR on Pastoralists Livelihoods Security, to explore the contribution in the provision of accessible healthcare through CSR on Pastoralists Livelihood Security, to establish the conservation of the environment through CSR on Pastoralists Livelihood Security and to investigate the extent to which community participation has been practiced through CSR on Pastoralists Livelihood Security in Kitengela Ward, Kajiado County, Kenya. The study used the Social Inclusion by the World Bank and the Stakeholder Theory by Ian Mitroff and Freeman (1983). Social Inclusion presupposes that by providing some basic facilities to socially excluded communities, inclusion into development would occur whereas the Stakeholder theory looks at the way firms should put the community’s needs at the core of doing business as they are stakeholders in the firm. The research approach was qualitative with the research design being case study. The target population was the Pastoralists living in Kitengela Ward, the administration and the CSR managers. The study findings revealed that there was insignificant contribution through CSR in education, health care, environmental conservation and community participation and thus the lack of livelihood security of the pastoralists living in Kitengela Ward, Kajiado County, Kenya. The study findings also revealed that the cement companies hardly contributed to projects that would benefit the pastoralists of which most basic service were lacking. They however invested in CSR in other areas such as Kibini and Magadi where minerals were perceived to be more and the area of Kitengela where the manufacturing plants were located had been neglected. The study therefore proposed that the pastoralists be involved in deciding what projects should be undertaken that would benefit them and that the companies engage more on helping the community under which is a host to its factories. The study also suggested a study on internal policies and effective implementation of CSR projects in Kitengela Ward, Kajiado East Constituency, Kajiado County, Kenya.