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Risk communication media and adoption of climate change adaptation strategies among smallholders’ maize farmers in Kakamega County
No full textFull - text thesisClimate change continues to threaten the livelihoods of smallholder maize farmers in Kakamega County, Kenya, through declining crop yields and increased food insecurity. While various communication tools exist to support climate change adaptation, their effectiveness among this population remains underexplored. This study investigated the role of social media, traditional media, and volunteer groups in promoting the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. It also examined how socio-demographic factors—including age, gender, education, and income—influence farmers’ responsiveness to climate communication.
The study was grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Agenda-Setting Theory, and Social Cognitive Theory, providing a multidimensional framework for understanding communication-driven behavioral change. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining quantitative data from structured questionnaires with qualitative insights from open-ended responses. A stratified random sample of 384 smallholder farmers across 12 sub-counties was selected. Quantitative data were analyzed using a multivariate probit model, while thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data. The findings revealed that all three communication channels significantly influenced the adoption of climate-smart practices. Social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook enhanced access to real-time, peer-driven advice but were limited by digital access and literacy. Traditional media, especially radio, was widely trusted and accessible, though less interactive. Volunteer groups—including NGOs and local community organizations—emerged as especially effective in fostering trust, contextualizing technical knowledge, and encouraging participatory learning. Socio-demographic factors moderated the relationship between communication exposure and adaptation behavior. The study concludes that risk communication media play a critical, complementary role in supporting climate adaptation among smallholder farmers. However, disparities in digital access, infrastructural limitations, and the one-way nature of some media channels present barriers to inclusivity. To address these gaps, the study recommends a multi-platform communication strategy that enhances digital infrastructure, promotes localized content in traditional media, and strengthens the capacity of volunteer networks to deliver climate information in trusted, participatory formats
Protection of data sovereignty and cybersecurity: a study of cross-border data transfer regulations in Kenya
No full textFull - text undergraduate research projectAs the global economy digitizes, data flow across borders becomes vital for trade, communication, and innovation. However, this brings challenges in privacy, cybersecurity, and regulation. In Kenya, cross-border data transfer regulations like the Data Protection Act, its accompanying Kenya Subsidiary Legislation, 2021 and the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act aim to address these issues and protect privacy rights. Yet, their effectiveness remains uncertain, amid concerns about data sovereignty, jurisdictional conflicts, and rapid technological change. This study examines the adequacy of these regulations, using a doctrinal research approach. Through legal analysis and policy evaluation, it explores the regulatory landscape, identifies challenges, and assesses implications for businesses, government, and individuals. The study aims to highlight strengths and weaknesses, inform policy reforms, and contribute to the discourse on data governance and digital rights in Kenya and globally. By shedding light on cross-border data transfer regulations in Kenya, this research advances understanding of data governance dynamics in the digital age. It emphasizes the need to balance privacy protection, cybersecurity, and regulatory flexibility to foster innovation, economic growth, and social progress in Kenya and beyond
Social innovation practices, entrepreneurial ecosystems and sustainable performance of social enterprises in Kenya
No full textFull - text thesisSocial enterprises in Kenya face growth and sustainable performance challenges with more than 50% not attaining their third birthday after inception. Besides, most social enterprises lack involvement of beneficiaries or stakeholders in decision-making, fail to serve the intended target population or marginalized groups and engage in activities that result in excessive waste production, energy consumption, or water usage without efforts to reduce or offset these negative impacts. The purpose of the research was to determine the influence of social innovation on the sustainable performance of social enterprises in Kenya. The study’s objectives were to examine the influence of co-creation, impact investing, community-led development, and open innovation on the sustainable performance of social enterprises in Nairobi, Kenya. The research also assessed the moderating influence of entrepreneurial ecosystems on the association between social innovation practices and the sustainable performance of social enterprises in Nairobi, Kenya. The research was based on the social innovations’ theory, cluster theory and triple bottom-line framework. This study used the post-positivism philosophy and a quantitative research design which values scope, statistical description, and generalization. The population for this study was 51,000 social enterprises in Nairobi Kenya and a sample of 394 enterprises selected using quota sampling. Data was gathered during the months of March and April 2025 using a questionnaire and analysis was through descriptive statistics, correlation, and ordinal regression analysis. The research findings determined that the main social innovations practices by social enterprises in Nairobi Kenya were impact investing, community led development, open-innovation, co-creation, and partnerships. Those that were rarely practiced included behavioural insights, collaborative consumption. crowdfunding and crowdsourcing. The findings also determined that co-creation, impact investing, community-led development and open innovation have a significant effect on the sustainable performance of social enterprises in Nairobi, Kenya. The study however, determined that entrepreneurial ecosystems have no significant moderating influence on the link between social innovation practices and the sustainable performance of social enterprises in Nairobi, Kenya. The study recommends to management in social enterprises to enhance their interaction with universities, research labs, and even rivals. Further, social enterprises should keep emphasising communities as the centre of their creations by including beneficiaries in the design and execution of solutions to guarantee relevance and ownership but also foster long-term sustainability and confidence inside the society. For policymakers, the study recommends that they should have programs for capacity-building that should concentrate on improving localised development plans and participative innovation. Further a policy framework should support knowledge sharing platforms with regular forums, innovation centres, and digital platforms which help to promote peer learning, copy-on-demand of successful models, and cross-sector alliances
Influence of mobile phone advertising on consumer purchase behaviour: the case of Kenya’s fashion industry
No full textFull - text undergraduate research projectMobile phone advertising and consumer purchase decisions aligns the general communication and objectives of the fashion businesses in Kenya by enhancing customer awareness and finally leading to informed buying decisions. Using the case of Kenyans fashion industry this study establishes how the influence of mobile phone advertising affects customers purchasing decisions. This study targeted 100 participants both fashion marketers and consumers particularly in urban areas such as Nairobi, Kitengela and Rongai. Using the theory of planned behaviors as a framework the study explored how certain aspects such as behavioral controls are affected by location based, personalized and SMS based advertisements. Data was collected through questionnaires. The findings aimed to provide insight to the researchers, policy makers and marketers on mobile phone advertising strategies to drive customer engagement and sales generation in the Kenya's vibrant fashion industry. A good advertisement persuades the customer to make a final purchase and keeps them motivated to do a certain action (Kenneth and Donald 2010). They are used to derive sales, create awareness and promote traffic on the physical stores. Mobile advertising channels include in-app advertisements, mobile web banners, and social media ads tailored for mobile devices. These channels are commonly used to reach consumers on their smartphones and tablets. To assess mobile advertising the study answers the following questions where used, To assess the influence of location-based mobile advertising on consumer purchase behavior in the fashion industry in Kenya, To assess the influence of personalized mobile advertising on consumer purchase behavior in the fashion industry in Kenya, To assess the impact of SMS-based mobile advertising on consumer purchase behavior in the Kenyan fashion industry. The study therefore concluded that mobile advertising through location based, personalization and SMS based advertising influences consumer purchase decisions and behavior. Though each portrays potential challenges and benefits, they can be leveraged to yield maximum leads for the fashion industry in Kenya
Effect of integrating 21st Century skills in the curriculum on teachers’ pedagogical competence: a study of selected private colleges in Kiambu County
No full textFull - text thesisIntegrating 21st-century abilities into teacher education has become an essential component of preparing educators for modern classrooms. Specifically, incorporating integrating the 21st Century Skills such as communication, critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving is crucial to the teaching and learning processes, hence need to be part of teachers’ pedagogical competence. This study looks into the effect of incorporating 21st-century abilities, notably critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation, on teachers' pedagogical competency in selected private colleges in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study was guided by three objectives: (i) determining how critical thinking skills influence teachers' instructional practices, (ii) assessing the impact of collaboration skills on effective teaching strategies, and (iii) investigating the role of innovation skills in improving teachers' adaptability and instructional effectiveness. The study used a descriptive survey research design with questionnaires and interviews to collect data from 93 pre-service teachers chosen at random from six private colleges in Kiambu County. The data was examined using descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as multiple regression analysis. The study found that critical thinking abilities, particularly problem identification and logical reasoning, greatly improve instructors' capacity to create learner-centred instructional techniques. Collaboration skills, such as classroom management and course development, also help teachers increase their efficacy by creating inclusive and engaging learning environments. Furthermore, innovative skills, such as technology integration and digital resource usage, have been shown to improve instructional adaptability, making learning more engaging and efficient. The study concludes that incorporating 21st-century skills into teacher training programs is critical to improving pedagogical competence. It suggests that teacher education institutions should improve experiential learning methodologies, enhance digital literacy, and implement organized cooperation frameworks to better educate pre-service teachers. These findings add to the continuing debate on teacher education reforms and provide practical insights for curriculum authors, legislators, and educational stakeholders trying to improve teaching standards in Kenya and worldwide
Determinants of emerging technology adoption (Artificial Intelligence, blockchain and machine learning) in credit analysis among Deposit-Taking SACCOs in Kenya
No full textFull - text thesisEmerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and machine learning (ML), are significantly transforming credit analysis; however, their adoption among deposit-taking SACCOs in Kenya remains limited. This study sought to examine the factors influencing the adoption of these emerging technologies in credit analysis among DTSs in Kenya. The specific objectives were to establish effect of financial capacity, board characteristics and technological characteristics on the adoption of emerging technologies in credit analysis. The study was guided by the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) theory. The descriptive cross-sectional design was used in this study wherein primary and secondary data was collected from 110 DTSs. Primary data was collected using questionnaires administered to managers of the DTSs in Kenya, including key roles such as credit managers, information technology managers, and operations managers, which focused on technology characteristics and extent of adoption. Secondary data was collected from 2024 annual reports of DTSs, and were used to obtain data on financial and board characteristics. Regression results confirmed these patterns, with board characteristics and financial capacity emerging as significant predictors, while technology characteristics showed no significant independent effect. The findings indicate that SACCOs with stronger financial positions (higher profitability, better asset quality, and capital adequacy) and robust board structures (independent, diverse boards) were more likely to adopt advanced technologies, regardless of their perceptions about the technologies themselves. These results have important theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, they support but qualify the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, demonstrating that organizational factors outweigh technological considerations in resource-constrained environments like SACCOs. Practically, the findings suggest that efforts to promote digital transformation should prioritize building financial capacity and board structures before addressing technological perceptions. Policymakers and SACCO managers should focus on improving financial management practices, strengthening board independence and diversity, and securing capital for technology investments. The study was limited to three categories of determinants and focused only on licensed deposit-taking SACCOs in Kenya using a cross-sectional design. Despite this, the study contributes to existing knowledge by extending the TOE framework to SACCOs, highlighting the primacy of organizational factors over technological perceptions in low-resource settings, and integrating both primary and secondary data to provide a comprehensive view of adoption dynamics
Optimized renewable energy powered irrigation system using mathematical programming: a case study for Kiserian, Kenya
No full textFull - text thesisEnergy supply for irrigation in remote areas has been a challenge. Energy is needed to support agricultural activities like pumping water required to enhance crop development and growth in areas that receive less rainfall. There have been efforts to expand the grid for universal access. However, it has been proven to be costly to extend the grid network to remote areas. A suggested solution is to use decentralized systems such as wind and solar. They are affordable, clean sources of energy and readily available. They are affordable, clean sources of energy and readily available. This approach could work well, however, there is insufficiency of data that could help decision makers to settle on the most appropriate solutions. This creates a need for researchers to innovatively develop more data on how solar and wind resources could be optimized for energy applications in agriculture. This study looked at the optimization of solar photovoltaic and wind turbines to pump water for irrigation as a hybrid system that could be utilized at Kiserian, Kajiado county. Tomato crops were used to determine the energy needed to supply water on a hectare piece of land. A hybrid energy system of solar PV and wind turbine was designed using an Equilibrium Optimizer (EO) algorithm and simulated using MATLAB R2024b software. The model was used to perform the net present cost of the integrated system to generate the optimal result. Then the levelized cost of energy was determined to assess the economic performance of hybrid system. The results were compared with standalone solar PV and wind turbines. The study revealed that it was economical for small-scale farmers to power an irrigation system using solar PV as a standalone, and the hybrid of solar PV and wind turbine would work well for large scale farmers.
Keywords:
Renewable energy system, solar photovoltaic, wind turbine, Equilibrium Optimizer Algorithm, Net Present Cost, Levelized Cost of Energy and Optimization
An Evaluation of organizational factors influencing the extent of digitalization of Deposit-Taking Savings and Credit Co-Operative Societies in Kenya
No full textFull - text thesisKenya has gained global recognition for its advancements in financial technology, notably exemplified by the transformative impact of Mpesa on the economy since its inception in 2007. However, amidst Kenya's ongoing strides in financial sector innovation, the organizational factors influencing the extent of digitalization among Deposit-Taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies remain a compelling area for investigation. This study sought to elucidate the organizational factors influencing the degree of digitalization within Saccos, with a focus on understanding the effect of management support, organizational culture, and employee capability. The study carried out the control effect of firm size on the relationship between organizational factors and the extent of digitalization. The study was premised on the theoretical frameworks of the Diffusion of Innovation theory and Technology Acceptance Model and focused on the 176 licensed and authorized Deposit-Taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies in Kenya as of 2023. Data was gathered from secondary sources, such as the regulator’s portal, i.e., SACCO Societies Regulatory Authority websites, as well as primary sources, including sending questionnaires to the institution's management over one month. The collected survey data was analyzed using a mix of descriptive, correlation, and ordinal regression analysis. Correlation analysis showed that organizational culture had a weak positive and significant relation to the digitalization of Saccos. The analysis further revealed a positive and significant association between employee capability and digitalization. On the third variable, the results demonstrated that there was a weak and positive relation between management support and digitalization. The regression results confirmed that organization factors and firm size had a positive and significant effect on the digitalization among the Saccos in Kenya. Regarding the first objective of management support, the study revealed a positive and insignificant effect on digitalization among DT-SACCOs in Kenya. The research further established that the effect of organization culture on the digitalization among deposit-taking DT-SACCOs in Kenya was positive and statistically significant. The analysis of the third variable, employee capability, demonstrated that employee capability had a positive and significant effect on digitalization among DT-SACCOs in Kenya. The analysis of the moderator variable firm size indicated that both the number of branches and the age of the DTSACCOs had no significant effect on digitalization levels. The study then recommends that institutions cultivate a culture that values innovation, adaptability, and openness to technological change. The firms should make sustained investments in employee training, especially in emerging technologies relevant to financial services. The study further recommends that institutions should continue investing in advanced digital infrastructure, including mobile applications, online platforms, and secure transaction systems, that enhance service accessibility and efficiency. Further research could also be conducted on other financial institutions, such as microfinance banks or commercial banks, to offer insights into best practices, challenges, and unique factors influencing digitalization across different financial service providers
Looking ahead: striking a balance between privacy and national security and public interest in the use of Digital Intermediary Platforms
No full textFull - text undergraduate research projectIndividual Privacy rights are the basis of most privacy protection laws but with increased development and societal interests, the need to limit the rights has increased. Society at large has had a growing reliance on the different technologies being developed, especially on Digital Intermediary Platforms. This study recognizes this reliance especially on Digital Intermediary Platforms that function as intermediaries between different service providers and potential customers. These platforms have lately been threatened and are used to facilitate criminal activities threatening internal security in the country. Due to this reliance, there is a need to balance privacy rights with national security concerns and public interest concerns which leads to a limitation on privacy rights. The study examines the legal and regulatory framework challenges that arise when balancing privacy, security, and public interest concerns. It also examines the risks and benefits of privacy threatening practices such as surveillance and their implications to give practical recommendations to be implemented that balance the different concerns. The study is grounded in the understanding that to be able to manage modern situations, such as the Digital Intermediary Platforms, and address modern concerns, the law should constantly evolve to cater for such situations and concerns. The study identifies the gaps in the legal framework and seeks to provide ways to balance privacy, security, and public interest concerns in relation to Digital Intermediary Platform
Access to adult vaccines in Kenya: a case study of COVID-19 vaccines
No full textFull - text PhD thesisIn contrast to childhood immunization, less emphasis has previously been placed on adult vaccinations. However, its importance has gained appreciation since the COVID-19 pandemic. The government of Kenya rolled out the COVID-19 vaccine in March 2021. This study aimed to examine facilitators and barriers to access of the COVID-19 vaccine among the Kenyan adult population. A mixed methods single case-study was conducted in four counties of Kenya. Data was collected using document reviews, epidemiological models, in depth-interviews, focus group discussions, and surveys. An activity-based approach was used to estimate the incremental costs of COVID-19 vaccine delivery. The cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted from a societal perspective over a 1.5-year time frame. The survey was phone-based and cross-sectional in nature. Qualitative data was analyzed using a framework approach. While the quantitative survey data was analyzed using a multilevel logistic regression. The cost analysis reports financial vaccine delivery costs per person vaccinated with 2-doses, ranged from 3.29 in the 30% and 100% coverage strategies: The cost-effectiveness analysis reports that slow roll-out at 30% coverage largely targets over 50-year-olds and was cost-saving (ICER=US-1,607(-1,609 to -1,604) per DALY averted) compared to slow roll-out at the same coverage level. The process evaluation reports that COVID-19 vaccine delivery activities resulted in increased access to COVID-19 vaccines. In practice, most deployment activities leveraged on existing systems and were integrated with other routine processes, resulting in increased efficiency. A mixed approach to service-delivery increased vaccine reachability. The electronic data management system resulted in timely availability of vaccines and limited expired vaccines. Despite these strengths, some challenges persist. First, vaccine stock outs presented a barrier to uptake due to vaccine preferences or eligibility criteria. Second, financing for some deployment activities was insufficient and donor reliant, with limited financial autonomy at county and facility level. A month prior to vaccine rollout in the country, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was high: 36.5%. The qualitative inquiry reports that barriers to COVID-19 vaccine uptake were related to individual characteristics (males, younger age, perceived health status, belief in herbal medicine, and the lack of autonomy in decision making among women - especially in rural settings), contextual influences (lifting of bans, myths, medical mistrust, cultural and religious beliefs), and COVID-19 vaccine related factors (fear of unknown consequences, side-effects, lack of understanding on how vaccines work and rationale for boosters). These drivers of hesitancy mainly related to psychological constructs including confidence, complacency, and constraints. In conclusion, with prior exposure partially protecting much of the Kenyan population, vaccination of young adults may no longer be cost-effective. Further, I highlight the importance of pandemic preparedness including addressing public finance management bottlenecks, resource mobilization, and multisectoral approaches to alleviate inequities during vaccine deployment. Lastly, addressing vaccine hesitancy could include gender responsive immunization programs, appropriate messaging and consistent communication that target fear, safety concerns, misconceptions and information gaps in line with community concerns