Impact of Mobile Phone Related Spending on Rural Community in Kenya: A Case Study of Kiabuya Village in Homabay County

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to find out whether the perceived highly publicized mobile phones related growth matches the reality on the ground as economic driver in rural areas or not. Steady growth in the number of mobile data users and applications have made the mobile phones an extremely popular form of communication and a new type of media in Kenyan rural community, there is still a gap in our knowledge on whether mobile phone ownership reduces or increases income poverty, especially among the rural poor. The research objectives included to investigate the owned mobile phones cost of acquisition, charging and repair, approximate income of the mobile phone owners and approximate airtime top up of the owned mobile phones. The research used descriptive case study design. The target population was Kiabuya Village residents owning mobile phones. The Research instruments used to collect data from respondents were questionnaires and interview guides. Convenient sampling and simple random sampling were used to derive a manageable sample size for the study. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as bar graphs, frequency tables and percentages and pie-charts. The results of this study showed that although mobile phones’ uptake by the rural community is higher than expected, their acquisition and maintenance involve sacrifice, which sometimes requires foregoing the very basic needs.