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Analyzing Challenges and Prospects of Regional Integration in Africa: a Case Study of Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)
No full textRole Of Procurement On Completion Of Public Projects In Energy Sector In Kenya: A Case Of Kenya Electricity Generating Company, Tana Branch
No full textKenya as a country has witnessed a substantial increase in the number of stalled projects due to inappropriate project organization structures and ineffective leadership. Time and serious attention are devoted towards establishment of a procurement function that will be suitable for a particular project. This study aimed to find out the role of procurement in successful completion of public projects. The study sought to establish how various aspects of the procurement function contributed to the completion of projects. Objectives of the study included; to find out the role of contract management on project completion in the energy sector in Kenya; to determine the role of bidding on project completion in the energy sector in Kenya; to find out the role of procurement planning on project completion in the energy sector in Kenya and to determine the role of scheduling on project completion in the energy sector in Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive research design with the target population of interest consisted of 58 staff members at KenGen Tana branch in Murang‟a County. This research adopted a stratified sampling technique in selecting the sample. The main instrument for data collection was a questionnaire that allowed for uniformity of responses to questions. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, frequency distribution and percentages were used to summarize and present data. Pearson‟s correlations coefficient was done to examine the relationship among the independent and the dependent study variables that were set out in the objectives of the study. The study findings revealed that a mean of 4.35 of majority of the respondents showed that contract management played a key role in procurement on project completion in the energy sector and also a mean of 3.62 showed that bidding played a key role in procurement on project completion in the energy sector. In addition, a mean of 4.41 showed that procurement planning played a key role in procurement on project completion in the energy sector while a mean of 4.26 revealed that project scheduling played a key role in procurement on project completion in the energy sector in Kenya. Correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between contract management, procurement planning and project scheduling and completion of public projects in energy sector while a negative weak correlation was observed between bidding and completion of public projects in energy sector in Kenya. The study recommended that supplier selection and evaluation is done transparently, fairly and accurately as it represents one of the significant roles of purchasing and supply management functions hence leads to achievement of quality objectives, timely, periodic and proper procurement planning by the organization should be done in order for to have availability of resources for continuity and effective completion of projects within scope, time and cost, project scheduling is done accurately with monitored timescales and sequences of project activities to timely achieve the project goals and objectives and manage and monitor all the project contracts in the organization ensuring terms and conditions are adhered to for the successful completion of public projects. Finally, further research on similar studies should be carried out in other Counties in Kenya in evaluating other vital factors that are likely to determine the role of procurement in project completion in the energy sector
Association Of Intended Birth To Pregnancy Interval And Uptake Of Immediate Postpartum Long Acting Reversible Contraceptive Methods At Thika Level 5 Hospital
No full textbackground
Contraceptives reduce the number of high-risk pregnancies, high parity births and unintended pregnancies therefore playing a major role in reducing maternal and perinatal deaths. Globally, the unmet need for family planning during the postpartum period is high despite the available methods of immediate postpartum contraception and the prime opportunity to administer the contraceptives during this period. Rapid repeat pregnancy is associated with increased maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.
Objective
The study aimed to determine the association between women’s desire to achieve an inter-pregnancy interval of 2 years or more and uptake of immediate postpartum LARC in an urban public hospital.
Methodology
This was a prospective cohort study conducted at Thika level Five Hospital in Kiambu County, Kenya. A total of 1489 women in the latent phase of labor were recruited and segregated into two groups; those who intend to conceive in less than two years after delivery and those who intend to delay the next conception by two years or more. The women were followed up till they delivered and offered contraceptives within 24 hours. Data was collected for analysis. Summary statistics was performed on intent to delay pregnancy, reproductive and demographic characteristics and presented in charts and tables. Inferential statistics: association of inter-pregnancy interval, utilization of immediate post-partum LARC and other variables were compared. Relative risks have been calculated. A p-value of <0.05 is considered to be significant.
Results
Women who intend to delay their subsequent pregnancy by 2 years or more are likely to utilize long acting reversible contraceptive methods compared to those who intended to get pregnant in less than 2 years, OR 2.86 (95% CI 1.89 – 4.33) p-value <0.0001
The proportion of women taking up immediate post-partum long acting reversible contraceptives among those with intention to delay pregnancy by 2 years or more was 21.9% while those with no intention to delay their subsequent pregnancy by 2 years was 8.9%.
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Women with knowledge about the types of immediate post-partum contraceptives were more likely to accept it in the post-partum period than those with no knowledge. (OR 1.93) P value <0.0001.
Conclusion
The uptake of immediate postpartum long acting reversible contraceptives is higher in this study population compared to other low- and middle-income countries.
The intention for an optimum interpregnancy interval of 2 years or more increases the odds of utilizing immediate postpartum long acting reversible contraceptives by up to three times.
Knowledge about available contraceptive options in the immediate postpartum period increases utilization during this period
Recommendation
Policy and advocacy for reproductive planning with an optimum inter-pregnancy interval towards 2 years and more should be instituted as a crucial intervention in increasing uptake of immediate post-partum long acting reversible contraceptive.
Institutionalizing provision of immediate post-partum long acting reversible contraceptives to increase contraceptive uptake should be encouraged.
More studies should be done on the relationship between optimum inter pregnancy interval and utilization of immediate postpartum contraceptives with an aim of exploiting the relationship to increase family planning uptakea
Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, ; bDepartment of Mental Health, School of Medicine,
Moi University, Eldoret, Keny
Assessment Of The Influence Of Beach Management Units On Fisheries Governance In Migingo Island, Kenya
No full textBeach Management Units in Kenya were established to ensure that fisheries resource are better and sustainably managed and utilized. This was to be achieved by seeking the community‟s participation to aid in the implementation of fisheries regulations and rules. Sustainable fisheries management by the BMUs has however not been realized, years after the institution‟s inception. The study set out to assess the operations of BMUs, as a co management institution, in the governance of fisheries resource in Kenya. Specifically it aimed at; analyzing the community‟s participation in the management of BMUs; establishing how management of BMUs affects the implementation of the regulations and assessing the implementation of regulations with regards to fish stocks. The study was done in Migingo Island located in Lake Victoria, at the border of Kenya and Uganda. Data was collected from BMU committee members and stakeholders at the fish landing site along the island‟s shores. Data was collected from BMU committee members and major stakeholders through the use of questionnaires and semi structured interviews. Data analysis involving both inferential and descriptive analyses such as cross tabulations, chi square goodness of fit and percentage distribution techniques was performed. Results point out that the three out of seven functions were performed satisfactorily by the Migingo BMU. These were; collection of revenues, confiscation of illegal gears and arrest of offenders. The performance of conducting meetings, patrol of the lake, formulation of bylaws and keeping of inventories were unsatisfactory. It was reported that Migingo‟s BMU structure comprised of a committee and lacked an assembly. The representation of BMU committee was dominated by the boat owners while fishermen and women were low in numbers. Implementation of regulations by the BMU faced various challenges such as lack of support from the government, inadequate capacity and inadequate knowledge to operate its functions. These challenges, along with inadequate funds and equipment, hindered the effective implementation of regulations. It was noted that community‟s participation aids in the management of BMUs however their opinion during decision making are rarely sought after and they could hardly access information concerning the BMU, mostly through word of mouth. It was also reported that fish catches from the lake had decreased and the number of fishermen was on the rise. This study shows that the BMUs are viable institutions but operations are unsustainable due to their weak structure, limited support from government and inadequate resources. Capacity building is needed on the BMUs operations, provision of relevant skills, equipment and funds and improved support from the government for the BMU to be sustainable
The Dynamics of street Robbery in urban areas: a case study of Nairobi Central Business District, Nairobi City
No full textStreet robbery is one of the most common crimes in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) and adjacent areas. It has continued to permeate the county despite concerted efforts made by the people, county and national government to combat it. This research project aimed at examining the dynamics of street robberies in urban areas with a case study of Nairobi CBD. The objectives of the study were: To describe the characteristics of street robberies in Nairobi City CBD, to identify timings and hotspots of street robberies in Nairobi City CBD, to analyse perceived causes of street robberies in Nairobi City CBD, and to examine existing strategies to address street robberies in Nairobi City CBD and their effectiveness. The study was guided by three theories namely strain theory, social disorganization theory and routine activity theory. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Quantitative data and qualitative data were collected using questionnaires and key informant interview guides respectively. Simple random sampling, stratified sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used to select respondents for the study. The sample of the study comprised of 94 persons who had been victims of street robbery (25 males and 69 females) according to police records. Key informants were police officers, Nairobi city county officials and National Crime Research Centre officials. Qualitative data were manually analyzed while quantitative data were analyzed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) and the information presented in frequency tables and percentages. The study found out that perpetrators of street robberies were mainly young and middle aged persons of both gender, though males dominated the field of street robberies as compared to females. Crude weapons mostly knives and firearms were used by the robbers in order to intimidate, subdue and overpower their victims before robbing them. It was perceived that unemployment and poverty especially among the youths, inadequate CCTV coverage and street lights, poor urban planning, inadequate police visibility, street families, corruption among security officers, and proliferation of illegal small arms and crude weapons were among the factors causing street robberies in Nairobi CBD. The study established that the government had put up measures and strategies to address street robberies but majority asserted that the strategies were not effective enough. In order to address the problem of street robbery, there was need to; strengthen Community Policing initiatives, rehabilitation programmes for the street children, decongest the CBD, create more employment opportunities especially among the youths, increase police visibility both day and night and curb the problem of corruption among security officers. The study concluded that it is the primary responsibility of the government to ensure safety of its people. Therefore, it should endeavor to promote involvement of the community and other stakeholders in fighting crime in order to achieve long term proactive solutions to street robberies and other crimes in the CBD through information sharing between law enforcement agencies and the publi
Governance dilemma and sustainable provision of ecosystem services by Mt. Marsabit Forest, Kenya
No full textHealth promotion at the workplace setting: a protocol for a systematic review of effectiveness and sustainability of current practice in low-income and middle-income countries.
No full textINTRODUCTION:
Low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) are experiencing a growing disease burden due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Changing behavioural practices, such as diets high in saturated fat, salt and sugar and sedentary lifestyles, have been associated with the increase in NCDs. Health promotion at the workplace setting is considered effective in the fight against NCDs and has been reported to yield numerous benefits. However, there is a need to generate evidence on the effectiveness and sustainability of workplace health promotion practice specific to LMICs. We aim to synthesise the current literature on workplace health promotion in LMICs focusing on interventions effectiveness and sustainability.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS:
We will conduct a systematic review of published studies from LMICs up to 31 March 2019. We will search the following databases: EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest and CINAHL. Two reviewers will independently screen potential articles for inclusion and disagreements will be resolved by consensus. We will appraise the quality and risk of bias of included studies using two tools from the Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. We will present a narrative overview and assessment of the body of evidence derived from the comprehensive review of the studies. The reported outcomes will be summarised by study design, duration, intensity/frequency of intervention delivery and by the six-priority health promotion action areas set out in the Ottawa Charter. We will conduct a thematic analysis to identify the focus areas of current interventions. This systematic review protocol has been prepared according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta- analyses for Protocols 2015 statement..
Effect Of Exchange Rate Changes On Labour Productivity Growth In Kenya (1985-2018)
No full textThe main purpose of this study was to establish the effect of exchange rate changes on labour productivity growth in Kenya (1985-2018). Specifically, the study tested the granger causality between exchange rate and labour productivity growth in Kenya; examined the influence of intervening variables public capital, private capital and terms of trade on labour productivity growth in Kenya and recommended on suitable policy considerations in enhancement of labour productivity growth in Kenya. The study employed secondary data where the information gathered covered period of 1980 to 2018. The study employed a time series data. From the analysis of the findings, it was concluded that exchange rate had a positive but insignificant effect on labour productivity in the short run. Also, it was concluded that public and private capital influenced labour productivity. Both private and public capitals had significant effect on labour productivity. It was also established that labour productivity in Kenya was not significantly influenced by the exchange rate. Moreover, it was concluded that the statistically insignificant relationship between exchange rate changes and labor productivity was as a result of low levels of adoption of technology and human capacity development among Kenyan firms compared to multinational corporations, as technology increases the productivity of goods destined for export. Thus, it was recommended that the government of Kenya should implement monetary policies that put exchange rate on a competitive edge. It was equally recommended that the government should stimulate the economy through investment on public capital formation. This will go a long way in improving exchange rate and consequently improve terms of trade and boost labour productivit
Effect Of Herding Behaviour On Market Performance Of Insurance Companies Listed On Nairobi Securities Exchange
No full textThe aim of the study was to establish whether herding behavior influence the market performance of listed insurance companies in the Kenyan securities markets. The research design adopted was descriptive. Research study involved all NSE listed insurance companies thus it was population study. Data on prices, market capitalization and volumes of shares traded for daily equities from January 2007 to December 2017 as obtained from the database from the NSE was used. Statistical package for social scientists was used to generate inferential statistics as well as measures of central tendency. A multiple regression analysis was then used to determine the effect of herding behavior on market performance of listed insurance firms in the Kenyan stock markets. The study found out that 48.6% of variations in market performance was caused by herding behavior and risk factors as given by the adjusted R square (adjusted R2 = 0.486). The F-test found out that the model was significant implying that herding behaviour and risk factors reliably predict market performance of the insurance companies listed while the regression coefficients established that herding behaviour and risk have a significant effect on market performance of the listed insurance companies at the NSE. The study therefore concluded that there is herding behaviour among investors in the listed insurance companies and that herding behaviour affect market performance of listed insurance firms. Therefore there is a need for keener scrutiny on trading behavior of investors at the NSE with a view to mitigate against probable effects of herding on stock returns if the phenomenon was to occur
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Bacterial Isolates in Patients at Moi County Referral Hospital, Voi
No full textBackground
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing worldwide concern to global health. Infections caused by these resistant organisms increase morbidity, mortality and treatment costs. This study was conducted at Moi County Referral Hospital, Voi. The aim of this study was to bridge the knowledge gap in antimicrobial resistance in order to influence better patient management. The data available in the country mainly focuses on antimicrobial surveillance within the national referral hospitals and Nairobi County private facilities. This study focused on a government facility located in Taita-Taveta County that has been carrying out culture and sensitivity on both pus and urine samples.
Objective
The aim of this study was to identify bacterial isolates cultured from patient samples and their corresponding antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and to describe the WHO antibiotic resistant ‘priority pathogens’ identified in the study population.
Methodology
This was a retrospective study carried out at Moi County Referral Hospital, Voi. It involved a review of patient laboratory records for bacterial isolates cultured from pus and urine samples carried out in the years 2015-2018 and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Information on the patient's age and sex, bacteria isolated, antimicrobial susceptibility, duration of admission and the patient outcome was extracted and entered into a data abstraction tool. Statistical analysis was done on IBM SPSS statistics software.
Results
A total of 1098 cultures were carried out in pus and urine samples from the years 2015-2018, 296 were positive. Isolates with complete records that were included in the study were 250, 46 of them were excluded due to missing data. The samples were obtained from both inpatients and outpatients. Pus samples were (176/250, 70.4%), urine samples were (74/250, 29.6%). Samples from the outpatient department were (197/250, 78.8%) and (53/250, 21.2%) from the inpatient department. Gram negative bacteria were predominantly isolated 149/250, 59.6% and gram positive bacteria were (101/250, 40.4%). The only gram positive isolate was
S. aureus. Gram negative bacteria isolated included E. coli 28%, Klebsiella spp 16%, Pseudomonas spp 10%, and Proteus spp 6%. Resistance was observed with commonly used first-line antimicrobials such as penicillins, macrolides, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and 3rd generation cephalosporins.
Conclusion
There’s a rising resistance to first-line antibiotics and noted emerging resistance to second line antimicrobials. This shows a need for antimicrobial surveillance and antibiotic stewardship in order to combat this rising surge in antimicrobial resistance.a
Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, ; bDepartment of Mental Health, School of Medicine,
Moi University, Eldoret, Keny