The design of this research based utterly on the case study, this was due to the shortage of time given for the research as well as other resources challenges such as financial
25Public Participation in Solid Waste Management in Small Island Developing states,(October 2006),
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resources and human resources. The research was confined in Ilala municipality for primary data collection; secondary data collection was done through visiting the Tanganyika library in Dar-es-Salaam, Ilala municipal council headquarters office and Mzumbe University (Mbeya Campus College) library and Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centre.
1.8.2 Sampling Technique
The research was conducted to different group of persons which involved individuals of variety occupations such as academicians, legal practitioners, waste management officers, solid waste collectors, NGO’s officials and common people from areas dramatically affected with the solid waste dispositions. This allowed the researcher to have a considerable sample for obtaining information which was relevant to the study.
1.8.3 Sample Size
The sample size of the research included a total of twenty respondents ranging from three (3) academicians, three (3) legal practitioners, three (3) environmental officers, five (5) common people, three (3) NGO’s officials and three (3) solid waste collectors.
1.8.4 Sample Selection
Sample selection based on group of individuals of different disciplines of study and common people. This particular sample selection enhanced the researcher to acquire relevant information pertaining to the research.
The academicians and legal practitioners acquainted the researcher with knowledge on the legal framework on the solid waste management and get the information on the examination of the laws as to whether they are sufficient or not in catering the demand of the community in the urban areas.
Environmental officers, common people, NGO’s officials and solid waste collectors availed the researcher with the knowledge on the practice in as far as the solid waste management in urban areas concerns, as them being the direct actors and affected interest
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in the entire process of solid waste management they were obviously in the position to reveal on the practice taken vis-à-vis the law.
1.8.5 Research Methodology
1.8.5.1 Field Research and Library Research
The researcher conducted the research with Ilala Municipal Council. The field study aided the researcher to collect the raw primary data from different respondents.
1.8.6 Data Collection
Data were collected both in primary and secondary data; in collecting primary data the researcher used numerous tools for primary data collection such as interview, questionnaire and observation. Secondary data were collected through documentary review.
1.8.7 Field Research
The field research was used to collect primary raw data; the methods which were used to collect the data were interview, observation and questionnaire. The interviews were both structured and unstructured so as to get first-hand information from the interviewee.
1.8.8 Interview
An interview is basically an interaction, where questions are posed or a discussion takes place, between two or more people with a specific purpose in mind. A researcher employed Interview as the research tool in the field with a view of collecting information.
The researcher opted to use a combination of both structured and unstructured interview.
The use of interview made the respondents feel free with the issues being discussed and that the flexibility of this tool helped the researcher in getting in-depth information on the problem of the study in the sense that it was done face to face, hence, it allowed an interviewee to seek clarification on the kind of questions that the researcher asked.
1.8.9 Observation
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The researcher also used observation in collecting primary data. Observation helped the researcher to discover issues that could not come out from interviews and those that were concealed, either knowingly or unknowingly by the respondents. Observation involved close follow-up, observing events in the field and synchronizing them within the context of the theme of the study and at last draw a conclusion.
1.8.10 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a written list of questions prepared in a series form by the researcher on a given legal problem that are sent to respondents. The researcher made use of this method in primary data collection in the field through commencing the process of discovery from the perspective of the respondent. This method was chosen due to the fact that questionnaires when carefully crafted and administered, they are very useful tool for getting data from specific groups or people or entire populations on the identified legal problem.
Questionnaires were both close-ended and open-ended, this tool were useful in time and financial management as well as enhanced the researcher in getting the relevant answers in accordance to the nature of the problem of the study.
1.8.11 Library Research
This method was engaged by the researcher as the second source of findings through library research, it helped the researcher to overcome the problem of integrating with subjects, saving time as well as in verifying genuineness.
1.8.12 Documentary Review
In gathering information, relevant documents were examined and consulted to supplement the primary data. The documents reviewed included the ones available at Ilala Municipal Council at Dar-es-salaam and Mzumbe University (Mbeya Campus College) library concerning the research topic which is about solid waste management in urban areas: an examination of the law and practice.
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The essence of this method rests on the undisputable fact that not every literal work is published, many works are kept off-public and remain exclusively for offices use only , so the only way the researcher could obtain relevant information from these sources was through documentary review which were very effective and resourceful.
1.8.13 Data Analysis
The analysis of data was done qualitatively through translating; interpreting data into themes, the synthesis of themes were made by abstracting meanings from the themes and interpreting them focusing the meanings into research objectives.
1.8.15 Limitation of the Study
The study encountered some limitations such as lack of co-operation amongst the members of the Municipal to disclose some information pertaining to the research as they in one way or another injured their interest. Another constraint was time as the time given was hardly three months which affected the accomplishment of the research with regard to the field data collection.
Moreover, due to the fact that data on the study were anticipated to be collected from different sources and places, financial constraint to effect travel in different places led to inadequate data to meet the objective of the study.
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