The objective of this study was to analyze factors affecting uptake of agency banking services among customers in rural Kenya. Specifically, the study sought; to examine the effect of fraud on uptake of agency banking services among customers in Kenya; to determine the extent to which skills of agents affect uptake of agency banking services among customers in Kenya; To establish the effect of location on uptake of agency banking services among customers in Kenya and to find out how confidentiality affect agency banking services uptake among rural customers in Kenya. A multivariate regression model was applied to determine the relative importance of each of the four variables. The findings indicated that bank agent skills, location and confidentiality were found to be statistically significant in explaining uptake of agency banking services. Banks should create awareness to the public that the bank agent's premises adheres to standard security measures and should also hire security services from security firms to transport cash to and from the agents where necessary. Banks should also train the agency banking agents on how to detect fake money and fraud. The study revealed that agents' skills affected uptake of agency banking services by rural community in Narok County. The study recommends banks to offer training to agents before they start providing specific services on behalf of the banks to improve their customer handling skills and increase the uptake of the agency banking services.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of fiscal policy stance on public expenditure in Kenya while underpinned by the theory of fiscal policy, Peacock-Wiseman hypothesis, and Wagner's Law of increasing state activities. The methodology used was time series modelling involving the following steps; firstly, employing descriptive statistic analysis. Secondly, diagnostic testing involving stationarity test, cointegration test, and Granger causality tests. Thirdly, time series modelling was done using VECM and VAR models. Finally, post-diagnostic tests involving serial correlation test and heteroscedasticity test. The research indicates a negative relationship between fiscal policy stance (a budget deficit) and public expenditure, but fiscal stance through tax has a positive relationship with public expenditure. Fiscal policy stance and public expenditure are cointegrated, as shown by the Johansen cointegration test. Still, there is no short run causality between them as indicated by the Wald test statistics. The study is limited to fiscal policy stance and public expenditure in Kenya while considering selected macroeconomic factors. The research findings are vital to policymakers. Fiscal policy stance indirectly affects public expenditure through economic growth and macroeconomic factors. This implies that fiscal policy stance does not substantially affect public expenditure as supported by the theory of fiscal policy that contends that policymakers could have a lower incentive to pursue public interests compared to their interests.