INFLUENCE OF URBANIZATION ON THE SOCIAL WELLBEING OF MAASAI COMMUNITY: A CASE STUDY OF KITENGELA MUNICIPALITY, KAJIADO COUNTY

Abstract

Urbanization is a global phenomenon with far-reaching implications for communities worldwide. In the case of the Maasai community in Kitengela Municipality, Kajiado County, Kenya, urbanization presents a complex challenge. As Nairobi expands, changes in land use, population growth, governance, and socioeconomics affect the traditional pastoralist lifestyle of the Maasai. The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of urbanization on the social well-being of the Maasai community in Kitengela Municipality, Kajiado County. The study examined four specific objectives: to determine the effects of changing land use, changing tenure systems, population growth, and cultural practices on the social well-being of the Maasai community. The study was anchored on the Ecological Modernization Theory, which provides a framework for understanding how societies balance economic development with environmental and social sustainability. The study employed a descriptive research methodology with a target population of 234,000 persons. Using Fisher's method, a sample size of 384 participants was determined, achieving a 96% response rate. Data was collected using questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS. The major findings revealed that 94% of respondents reported significant changes in traditional land use patterns, 86% noted increased individual land ownership, 87% indicated increased in-migration, and 88% reported declining traditional language fluency. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive relationships between all variables and social well-being (r = 0.65, p = 0.001), while regression analysis showed that all independent variables significantly predicted social well-being (p < 0.05), with the model explaining 72.6% of the variance (R² = 0.726). Based on these findings, the study concluded that changing land use patterns have significantly altered traditional pastoralist practices, increased individual land ownership has transformed communal land management systems, population growth has intensified pressure on available resources, and cultural practices are experiencing substantial transformation due to urbanization. The study recommends establishing participatory land use planning processes, developing policies that protect both individual and communal land rights, implementing sustainable infrastructure development to support population growth, and creating cultural preservation protocols that integrate traditional practices with modern urban life.