Abstract:
This study aimed to assess client-related factors influencing public building construction projects
in the Arusha City Council (ACC). The specific objectives of the study were to assess the effect of
inadequate project design on public buildings constructions, assess the effect of political
intervention on public buildings constructions, and assess the influence of decision-making
challenges on public buildings construction projects in Arusha City Council. The study used
the descriptive research design and adopted the survey strategy. A mixed-method research
approach (qualitative and quantitative) was employed to collect and analyze data from a sample
of 55 participants. Tools used to collect primary data were the semi-structured questionnaire
and interview guide. Cross tabulation with Chi-square tests was deployed to analyze data. The
study found that inadequate project design, variations due to inadequate design, the effect of
insufficient budget, inadequate project design, and insufficient professional staff are the main
causes of delays in public buildings constructions project at Arusha City council (ACC). The
study also found out that political intervention, decision making challenges such as bureaucracy,
unnecessary directives by government officials, and delays in the payment of interim certificates
are the causes of delaying public building construction projects in ACC. The study
recommended that the government should employ an adequate number of building construction
engineers, quality assurance officers, as well as project monitoring and evaluation officers who
are expected to be tasked to ensure that projects are designed adequately and their execution
is managed and monitored effectively. Also, the government should avail adequate budget for
all public building construction works and should pay interim certificates timely to avoid delaying
the projects. In addition, the government should formulate and institute a general guideline that
obstructs politicians and government officers to be bid for public building construction works in
their respective councils. This measure is expected to prevent conflict of interest among
politicians and government officers
