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The Linguistic Devices of Euphemism in Kamba: a Case of Kamba Benga Music
No full textThis research presents a relevance theoretical approach on the linguistic devices of euphemism in Kamba Benga music. The work sought to establish whether listeners of Kamba Benga music were able to interpret euphemisms used in the music correctly. It also sought to establish the process of comprehension of euphemisms as well as the role of context in the interpretation. Additionally, this research work focuses on identifying the linguistic devices of creating euphemism and the specific functions of euphemism in Kamba Benga music. The research utilises Relevance Theory by Dan Sperber and Deidre Wilson (1986 & 1995). The theory explains how hearers infer meaning (from a non-compositional language). The researcher obtained data through recordings of songs and also questionnaires. The euphemisms gathered were analyzed using the tenets of Relevance Theory. The tenets that proved useful in this study are context, cognitive principle of relevance, communicative principle of relevance, relevance theoretic comprehension procedure, processing effort and implicature. The research found out that listeners of Kamba Benga music are able to interpret the euphemisms in the music correctly provided they understood the context in which the utterances were used in. It was also established that the linguistic devices of euphemism in Kamba Benga music include: metaphor, overstatement, understatement, circumlocution, metonymy, implication, internal borrowing, external borrowing and lastly using stories from religion. Further, the functions of euphemism in Kamba Benga music were found to be: shielding offence, misrepresenting information and deceiving, isolating and also entertainment
Fiscal Consolidation Constraints And Budget Imbalance Dynamics In Kenya
No full textKenya needs substantial and sustained fiscal consolidation to create fiscal space for financing the government‟s election pledges (the Big Four Agenda), the Vision 2030 development projects, and sustainable development goals. This calls for optimal allocation of the limited resources to create a platform for the realization of the set goals. However, the government has found it hard to sustain its fiscal consolidation attempts. This study investigates the fiscal consolidation constraints and the budget imbalance dynamics in Kenya. The study consists of three papers. The first paper examines the fiscal consolidation constraints that act through the persistent rise in public recurrent expenditure using four Auto-regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) error correction models. The second paper acknowledges that economic growth creates an environment conducive for sustainable fiscal consolidation and assesses the economic growth effect of public recurrent and development expenditure using Pooled Mean Group (PMG) estimator. The third paper investigates the fiscal consolidation constraints in Kenya that act through the budget imbalance dynamics. The paper employs the Olivera-Tanzi effect approach. The study covers the period 2000 – 2015 using panel data in the second paper, and time series data in the first and third paper. The main data sources for the study were the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the World Bank, Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Central Bank of Kenya as well as the reports of Annual Estimates for Development Expenditures and Recurrent Expenditure from the Kenya National Treasury. The first paper shows that in Kenya, the fiscal consolidation efforts constraints are persistent public sector wage adjustments and committing much of the tax revenue collections to fund recurrent expenditure with the intent of borrowing to finance development expenditure. The paper points out that the fiscal adjustment efforts are not effective in limiting the rise in recurrent public expenditure. In the second paper, the study concludes that the persistent increase in the sectoral recurrent public expenditure retards economic growth whereas the sectoral public development expenditure improves economic growth in Kenya. However, this is only evident in the long term. The third paper also indicates that inflation, minimum wages adjustment, rise in perceived level of corruption in the public sector and political budget cycle worsen the budget imbalances (deficits) thus constrain fiscal consolidation efforts in Kenya. The paper also shows that the Olivera-Tanzi propositions partly explain the budget imbalance dynamics in Kenya. Finally, the study provides policy implications that include how to carry out credible fiscal consolidation and control the persistent rise in public recurrent expenditure. Other recommendations are on enhancing chances of successful fiscal consolidation, and reducing the fiscal imbalance gap. The recommendations affirm that the government should focus on significant expenditure reforms to signal its commitment to fiscal management and sustainability, and strictly enforce the principles of financial responsibility as provided in the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act of 2012. Measures to reduce the fiscal imbalance gap in Kenya are proposed in this study. The measures include controlling both supply and demand side inflationary pressure and dealing with rent-seeking behavior in the public sector.
JEL Classification: E60, E61, E62, H62, J38
Keywords: Non-Wage Recurrent Expenditure, Budget Imbalance Dynamics, Fiscal Consolidation, Compensation of Government Employees, Public Recurrent Expenditur
Knowledge and Risk Factors for Foot-and-mouth Disease Among Small-scale Dairy Farmers in an Endemic Setting
No full textFoot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral infection of cloven-hoofed animals. In Kenya, the disease is endemic with outbreaks typically occurring throughout the year. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in Nakuru County to investigate farmer knowledge and risk factors for clinical disease. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on 220 smallholder farmers, selected using random spatial sampling. The majority of respondents (207/220 [94.1%]) knew of FMD and 166/207 (80.2%) of them could correctly identify the disease based on their knowledge of the clinical signs. Forty-five out of 220 farmers (20.4%) vaccinated their livestock against FMD in the previous 6 months, although of those who knew of FMD only 96/207 (46.4%) perceived it as a preventive measure undertaken to reduce the risk of disease in their farm. FMD had occurred in 5.9% of the surveyed farms within the previous 6 months (from May to November 2016). Using multivariate analysis, the use of a shared bull (OR = 9.7; p = 0.014) and the number of sheep owned (for each additional sheep owned OR = 1.1; p = 0.066) were associated with an increased likelihood of a farm experiencing a case of FMD in the previous 6 months, although the evidence for the latter was weak. This study reports risk factors associated with clinical FMD at the farm level in a densely populated smallholder farming area of Kenya. These results can be used to inform the development of risk-based strategic plans for FMD control and as a baseline for evaluating interventions and control strategies
Demand for Hypertension and Diabetes Screening in Kenya.
No full textNon communicable illness has emerged as a major public health issue and are accountable for about 60% of the global mortality rates. In order to deal with this global burden of NCDS, an improved healthcare system, early detection and timely treatment is required. This research paper has used a secondary cross section data from Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS 2014) data. The data comprise of information on demographic and socio-economic activities of individuals in the entire country. The data was analysed in Stata 14 where the regional pattern of screening and the determinants of demand for screening for each NCD was established. The multivariable probit model showed that residence, region, sex, age, and wealth quintile were significant to screening for hypertension while sex and age were significant to screening for diabetes. The study had a total of 43898 respondents. Out of these, 16,489 did not offer any information on whether they undertake any physical activities and 16,461 did not answer questions on alcohol consumption. Level of screening for either disease was very low. Screening was poorest in North Eastern (n=13, 4.3%) followed by Western (n=30, 10.1%) and Coast (n=30, 10.2%). Majority of the screened people lived in rural parts of the country (n=150, 51%) while those in the urban area were 145(49%)
Policy recommendations are based on statistically significant variables which have been established to be age, wealth index, education level, physical activity, and region. Age, education level and physical activities were found to positively affect hypertension and diabetes screening while sex, wealth index and region was found to negatively affect screening for diabetes. Policy makers should prioritize Non-communicable Diseases prevention if the country is to deal with these epidemics. A budget should also be set aside for countrywide campaigns to increase the awareness and importance of NCDs screenings in the country
The Effect Of Interest Rates Capping On The Perfomance Of Commercial Banks In Kenya
No full textFor a long time, interest rates in Kenya have been market determined without government intervention. Kenyan banks enjoyed higher interest rates as compared to the world average thereby making exorbitant profits. These profits were as a result of interest rate spreads where banks charged high loaning interest rates while paying low rates on savings. The legislature of Kenya intervened by introducing a law capping the maximum loaning interest rate at four points above the central bank rate (CBR) and a minimum savings interest rate at 70% of the CBR which got presidential assent in September, 2016. This move caused uncertainty on the effect that interest rate capping would have on the performance of commercial banks in the country. The objective of this research was to find out the effect of interest rate capping on the financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya with a specific focus on tier one commercial banks which dominate the sector with respect to advances and mobilized deposits. Descriptive research design was used to analyze the effect of interest rate capping on financial performance of the commercial banks. Eight tier one banks licensed by CBK were the sample of this study. Data for the study was obtained from published financial statements of the eight tier one commercial banks. Paired t-test model was used to establish whether there was significant change of banks financial performance 24 months before and 24 months after the interest rates capping law was enacted. The study established that after the interest rates capping law was implemented, the average quantity of loans given by banks has not significantly changed. The study also found out the average tier one banks liquidity has been on a decrease trend since the interest rates capping law regime. However, average banks revenue decreased for one quarter after the interest rates capping law became effective and then started increasing gradually. The study revealed that interest rate caps regulation had no significant effect on both quantity of loans given by banks and banks liquidity, therefore, interest rate caps regulation may not be the appropriate way of attaining the objective of financial access with lower long-term interest rates. The study recommends that the government of Kenya should review the interest rate capping law to eliminate interest rate caps and encourage market determined rates. The study also recommends further study to determine the long term effect of interest rates capping on the financial performance of other tier commercial banks
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No full textIntroduction:
There were almost 1 million deaths in children aged between 5 and 14 years in 2017, and pneumonia accounted for 11%. However, there are no validated guidelines for pneumonia management in older children and data to support their development are limited. We sought to understand risk factors for mortality among children aged 5-14 years hospitalised with pneumonia in district-level health facilities in Kenya.
Methods:
We did a retrospective cohort study using data collected from an established clinical information network of 13 hospitals. We reviewed records for children aged 5-14 years admitted with pneumonia between 1 March 2014 and 28 February 2018. Individual clinical signs were examined for association with inpatient mortality using logistic regression. We used existing WHO criteria (intended for under 5s) to define levels of severity and examined their performance in identifying those at increased risk of death.
Results:
1832 children were diagnosed with pneumonia and 145 (7.9%) died. Severe pallor was strongly associated with mortality (adjusted OR (aOR) 8.06, 95% CI 4.72 to 13.75) as were reduced consciousness, mild/moderate pallor, central cyanosis and older age (>9 years) (aOR >2). Comorbidities HIV and severe acute malnutrition were also associated with death (aOR 2.31, 95% CI 1.39 to 3.84 and aOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.12 to 3.21, respectively). The presence of clinical characteristics used by WHO to define severe pneumonia was associated with death in univariate analysis (OR 2.69). However, this combination of clinical characteristics was poor in discriminating those at risk of death (sensitivity: 0.56, specificity: 0.68, and area under the curve: 0.62).
Conclusion:
Children >5 years have high inpatient pneumonia mortality. These findings also suggest that the WHO criteria for classification of severity for children under 5 years do not appear to be a valid tool for risk assessment in this older age group, indicating the urgent need for evidence-based clinical guidelines for this neglected population
A Semantic Analysis of Suba Kinship Terminologies
No full textThis study is a semantic analysis of Suba kinship terms using Frame Semantic Theory. One of the ways of preserving a dying language is by writing about it; Olusuba is grouped among the endangered languages in Kenya. The focus of the study was to discuss the terms used to refer to different kinship relations in Olusuba. The main factor that forms kinship relations is genealogical relationships, therefore, even though kinship terminologies are mainly based on biological relations, social relations also form part of these kinship terms. Furthermore, differences in languages brings out the differences in kinship terminologies from one society to another. Cultural difference with regard to organization, structure, content and meaning of this kinship terms is the most important aspect that makes these kinship terms different.
The study examined Olusuba kinship terms by discussing how the culture of Olusuba forms the background to the meanings of their kinship terms. The focus was on Olwivwang’ano dialect spoken in Mfangano Island, where this study’s data was collected. Seven participants who were 36 to 83 years old were interviewed in the process of data collection. The process used in data collection was a focused group discussion.
Through this study, it was established that Suba made use of both classificatory and descriptive system of classification. Suba is a patriarchal society as lineage is carried through the male line. There is a distinction between the consanguine and affine kin in Suba community. Different kinship terms profile different frames and some of these frames form sub frames. There are attitudes associated with specific kinship terms hence qualifying them to be prototypical
Assessing Quality of Non-communicable Disease Data in Kenya- a Case Study of Medicines Sans Frontier Project in Kibera
No full textThe main objective of this study was to assess the quality of Non communicable disease
data. The assessment utilized secondary data collected by the Non-communicable disease
program and stored in the ‘Non communicable disease database’. The study used a crosssectional
study design to answer to its study objectives. This study used quantitative data.
Data on age, sex, type of Non-communicable disease, creatinine result counts and date of
enrolment into Non-communicable disease programme was extracted. Document review,
especially patient files was used to allow for verification of information. Descriptive
analysis was the main analysis. The assessment focused on three aspects of data quality;
data completeness, data timeliness and data validity.
The findings of the study revealed that there were data quality gaps in the Noncommunicable
disease data. These gaps included; discrepancies in data completeness and
data timeliness. The database had 4893 individual patient records entered into it with 1886
of those having been entered before the beginning of the year 2012. More than 40% of the
total 4893 records entered in the ‘Non communicable diseases database’, had data
incompleteness and data timeliness gaps. Data validity was the only data quality principle
that passed the test of good quality data.
Based on the findings of the study, assessment concluded that the NCD data at Medicines
Sans Frontiers project was not of good quality. The study recommends a systematic review
of the programmatic data collection system to address data quality gaps identified in the
study
Factors Affecting Roles And The Changes In Gender Rolesthe Socio-Economic Effects Among Borana Women In Kenya ;a Case Of Wabera Ward ,tullu Roba Location In Isiolo Town ,isiolo County
No full textThe aim of the study was to ascertain the factors impacting changes in gender roles and the socio -economic effects among Borana women of Isiolo County .The research was based on specific objectives which were ........