Abstract:
Civil works, worldwide, have the tendency to create strong differences in opinion
between even the best intentioned parties, which can quickly degenerate into acrimonious
disputes and become difficult to resolve. Like all other developing countries, Rwanda is
rapidly increasing its capital spending effectively. Construction disputes are one of the
obstacles to successful project execution usually leading to increase in project cost; and
in worst cases suspension of the project may occur.
This may be devastating and stressing to parties involved, especially if it is a major
infrastructural project like a road project. The ability, therefore, to resolve contract
disputes quickly and effectively is the difference between projects that is completed on
time and a failed capital investment that is completed only after many years of delay.
These instigated me, to research and analyze the causes and impacts of construction
disputes in Rwanda road construction sector and ways of addressing /resolving them.
The research approach and techniques used in this study was descriptive as it involved
developing research questions covering then the existing state of the subject. As
suggested a descriptive research determines and reports the way things are [8, 9]. A
survey was done and questionnaires were used to collect both quantitative and qualitative
data from the respondents, these were analysed using SPSS and spread sheets, then
ranked, and a sample t-test was made from the overall view in order to draw conclusions
and recommendations. Basic description of a mixed methodology is simply that
methodology with methods that have comparisons between quantitative and qualitative
data. Qualitative data is data in numerical form, often derived from questionnaires or
structured interviews. Quantitative data is descriptive data from observation or
unstructured interviews. As epistemology type of research methodology gives a room to
allow for the integration of a variety of methods, the researcher’s choice was to use
mixed methods, including quantitative and qualitative approaches. In this particular
research, the researcher takes a direction of mixed methodology so as to have a robust
vi
grounding in theory. This research involved thirty (30) interviews with practitioners and
hundred (100) useable questionnaires sent to respondents of which 66 filled
questionnaires returned.
Based on the research findings, this report represents a comprehensive analysis of the
occurrence of construction disputes, especially in the Rwanda road construction sector. In
order to determine the sample population, cluster sampling was used. Cluster sampling
was performed on contractors, consultants, and clients’ organisation in the Rwandan
Construction industry.
Conclusion
Negotiation was identified as the most preferred method of dispute resolution.
Recommendation
The construction industry operates in an open environment therefore these results will be
applicable to other sectors of the construction industry especially infrastructural project
since most parties to these project are similar with those of the road project.
