Kenya is one of the fastest growing economies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Construction is one of the pillars of growth in the country. Construction delays is one of the most pertinent issues facing the Kenyan construction industry today. They are associated with undesirable outcomes in terms of project delivery among both large contractors and small-scale contractors. Subsequently, construction delays lead to cost overruns, stalling of projects and the inability of local companies to implement complex projects with short deadlines. The primary objective of the research was to investigate the causes and effects of project delays within the Kilimani area following the perspective of professionals involved in the project. This study was undertaken using the mixed research method involving a combination of a systematic literature review and questionnaires. The systematic literature review was used for the identification of various causes of delays and the determination of the scope for the research. The data would be collected from professionals in the Kilimani area in Nairobi.
The main causes of delay in the area included lateness either on the part of the client or the contractor, change orders by the client and the lack of co-ordination between the owner of the project and the contractor. The results also indicated that the main mitigation strategies included advance planning, on-time handling of problems experienced, effective management by client and proper co-ordination among all stakeholders of the project. It was recommended that better management practices be implemented to improve the construction industry in Kenya. The study would have far reaching implications on the management of construction in the Kenyan construction industry.