The University of Zambia Journals
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Book Review: The Lucky Man Bar
No full textThe action of The Lucky Man Bar is set in both Zambia and Nepal. There are also snippets of action that occur in Congo and Greece. In Zambia, the action vacillates mostly between the city of Lusaka and the small town of Kafue. The descriptive narration of the Kafue area suggests that the author is very familiar with the geography of the area in and around Kafue. A good example is the description of the physical features of the area where the drive takes place in the prologue. This is indicative of the fact that the author actually worked in the area for Sino Hydro, a Chinese construction company. Some of the similarities between the author and the narrator, as a matter of fact, invite questions regarding whether or not the novel is a palimpsest of part-fact and part-fiction
A Deterministic Risk Assessment of the Human Exposure to Cadmium, Lead and Chromium Through the Consumption of Well and Bottled Water in Lusaka District, Zambia
Get PDFThe United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number six is to ‘Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, which is an essential component for human survival. Access to safe drinking water is essential for health, a basic human right and a component of effective policy for health protection. Safe drinking water implies that the water does not represent any significant risk to health over a lifetime of consumption, including different sensitivities that may occur between life stages. However, water is prone to contamination with heavy metals through natural and anthropogenic sources, making it unsuitable for human consumption due to the cumulative potential risks associated with the presence of heavy metals.
This study was conducted to assess the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk of human exposure to cadmium, lead and chromium through the consumption of well and bottled water in Lusaka district of Zambia. Secondary data was used to determine the mean concentrations of heavy metals in well and bottled water in Lusaka district as well as to calculate the hazard index (non-carcinogenic risk) and cancer risk for the metals under study.
The results revealed that a hazard index for cadmium, lead and chromium in both well and bottled water was higher than 1, indicating adverse effects on human health over a lifetime of consumption. Similarly, the total cancer risk through exposure to cadmium and chromium in well and bottled water was 1.2 x 10-1 and 2.25 x 10-1, respectively, higher than the safe threshold limit set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) of 1 × 10−4.
The study concludes that there is a possible non-carcinogenic risk of exposure to cadmium, lead and chromium through the consumption of well and bottled water in Lusaka district. Further, the study concludes that there is a possible carcinogenic risk of exposure to cadmium and chromium through the consumption of both well and bottled water. Owing to the proportion of both well and bottled water samples that exceeded the Zambia Bureau of Standards threshold limit, cadmium poses the greatest concern and requires intervention to reduce exposure. Therefore, it is recommended that heavy metal concentrations in drinking water should be periodically monitored to minimize health risks to consumers
A Qualitative and Biochemical Analysis of Biofloc from an Indoor Biofloc Technology System Culturing Oreo-Chromis Karongae.
No full textThe structure of microbial communities in a biofloc Technology (BFT) system has a great influence on the optimal functioning of the system. This makes understanding the microbial composition in BFT of paramount importance. A study was conducted to characterise the microorganisms in an indoor biofloc technology system. The microorganisms were qualitatively and biochemically analysed. Qualitative analysis of microorganisms in BFT was carried out using microscopy and plate culture of bacteria and fungi. Isolated bacteria were identified by colony morphology, gram staining, and microscopic observation. Catalase test, as a biochemical test, was also used to identify bacteria. Biochemical analysis of the biofloc was achieved through proximate analysis of nutrients following AOAC (2002) methods. The biofloc sample used in the present study was obtained from culture water of three 1000l circular fiberglass tanks with a working volume of 580l of biofloc water per tank. Oreochromis karongae fingerlings were stocked in the three tanks at a stocking density of 6kg/m3 per tank and cultured for 12 weeks. The fish were fed 30% CP on-farm formulated feed (2mm pelleted) with a feeding rate of 1.5% of the total estimated fish biomass. Maize flour was added in tanks to maintain an optimum C/N ratio (above 10) for heterotrophic bacteria production. Microscopy of the biofloc water revealed various types of microorganisms, which included Protozoa (e.g. ciliates), Zooplanktons (e.g. Rotifers and copepods) and nematodes, heterotrophic bacteria and fungi. It was noted that the bacteria were all heterotrophic, confirming their utilisation of organic carbon in the BFT system to produce microbial protein. The biochemical composition of biofloc showed that the nutritional quality of biofloc was appropriate for tilapia with the exception of lipid content, which was found to be 3.25%. This value is considered low for aquaculture feed as a range of 5- 10% lipid content in feed is recommended. BFT is a promising field, which will enable aquaculture to grow towards an environmentally friendly approach because of the ability of microorganisms to recycle nutrients in the system
Letter to the Editor: Making flood adaptation suitable for farming households
No full textZambia's smallholder farmers largely maintain maize growing as their primary source of sustenance even though the yields tend to be extremely low. Maize production continues to be dominant as it is still seen as the best way for them to sustain their livelihoods despite having limited access to external resources. As smallholder maize production is rain-fed, it carries a high risk of being affected by climate change. Climate risk for smallholder farmers is in form of droughts, high temperatures and excessive rainfall which results in floods. The floods being experienced in most parts of the country during the 2022/2023 agricultural season have brought to the fore the importance of adopting climate resilient and sustainable agricultural practices. Despite the heightened social media buzz, the recent flooding is not new. It is part of wider increased climate variability, noted for its severity and higher frequency. Climate change has resulted in flooding in many regions [3], and impacted many sectors. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the most impacted sector is the smallholder agricultural sector. The impacts of climate change and its related events on food production and food security threaten SSA, a region which has a long history of poverty and food insecurit
HIV and cardiovascular disease: A review of awareness and control of risk factors
Get PDFBackground: People living with HIV (PWLH) face an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), posing a significant public health challenge. Understanding the intricate mechanisms behind this heightened risk is imperative for crafting precise interventions aimed at alleviating the burden of CVD within this demographic. Methods: To capture evolving trends pertaining to HIV and CVD and their interplay, this comprehensive review encompassed a thorough search of diverse literature types, encompassing peer-reviewed research, editorials, and research papers. The search spanned various databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, and the National Library of Medicine's hub, with a particular emphasis on articles bearing the "association" tag. This exhaustive exploration continued through March 28, 2023, with additional pertinent studies identified through a meticulous examination of citations within these articles. This narrative review endeavors to scrutinize the intricate relationship between HIV infection and CVD, elucidate the underlying mechanisms contributing to the heightened risk, and underscore the pivotal significance of early screening and the vigilant management of conventional CVD risk factors among PWLH.
Conclusion: An accumulating body of evidence underscores that PWLH confront a significantly augmented risk of CVD in comparison to the general populace. This elevated risk encompasses a multitude of factors, encompassing traditional CVD risk factors, HIV-related variables, chronic inflammation, immune activation, and metabolic perturbations associated with antiretroviral therapy. The proactive screening and meticulous management of traditional CVD risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, alongside steadfast adherence to antiretroviral therapy, stand as paramount strategies for mitigating the CVD risk among PWLH. This review underscores the imperative for further research to unravel the intricate mechanisms underpinning CVD in PWLH and to formulate precision-targeted interventions aimed at alleviating the burden of CVD within this population
The Nature of Current Zambian Secondary School Religious Education
No full textThis article is the product of a desk study aimed at describing, examining and explaining the nature of Zambian secondary school Religious Education (RE). The motivation for the study arose from the fact that despite undergoing reforms over the years, the nature of Zambian RE is still unclear and many questions continue to be raised with regard to its educational status and standing as a curriculum subject in the country. In order to address the task at hand, five criteria derived from the natural meaning of the word ‘nature’ (of something) were used as a guide in the study. Thus the criteria adopted were: Aims of the school RE syllabuses; Content of the syllabuses; Model of the RE syllabuses; Pedagogical features of the syllabuses; and Teaching and learning materials used in the syllabuses. In line with desk research, secondary data from the national education policy documents, the school RE syllabuses, and other relevant documents such as books and journal articles were read and analysed in order to address the researchers’ questions. In brief it was established that the aims of the current school RE in Zambia are multi-faith with the intent of equally covering the four main religious traditions in Zambia namely, Christianity, Zambian Indigenous religious beliefs, Hinduism and Islam, but the content of the syllabuses is more of Christianity than multi-religious. The model of Zambian RE is unclear as the subject is partially confessional and partially phenomenological. The main pedagogical features include using both life themes and biblical themes, using three teaching-learning stages (junior secondary) and four teaching- learning stages (senior secondary syllabuses 2044, 2046). The teaching- learning materials used include the bible, pupils’ text books, teachers’ guides and any other literature and materials relevant to the syllabus topics. Finally it was recommended that there is urgent need to further reform Zambian RE not only in line with the provisions of latest Government education policy provisions, but also in line with key recommendations of various Zambian scholars and students of the subject
EDITORIAL COMMENT
Get PDFKnowledge has been passed on from generation to generation throughout the centuries to help people navigate life’s challenges and triumphs. It is done not only with purpose, but with an undeniable beauty and flair. That is why there exists an old African proverb that equates the death of an old person to the burning of a library - the wisdom acquired from the forefathers, and his or her own lived experiences go with the person. ZANGO, however, continues to preserve human wisdom and experiences by documenting scholarly writings from different scholars and academic disciplines. The six papers and one book review in this issue of ZANGO (Zambia Journal of Contemporary Issues) are written by 14 authors based at different universities in India, Zambia and Zimbabwe.The scientific and unique styles with which these scholarly papers are written, indeed brings out the undeniable beauty and flair of human experiences and wisdom that are worth sharing with the knowledge thirst minds
THE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE OF SEXUAL PERFORMANCE: THE CASE OF CINAMWALI SONGS OF THE NGONI PEOPLE OF MTENGULENI IN CHIPATA DISTRICT OF EASTERN ZAMBIA
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This article examined the figurative devices used in the composition of Cinamwali sexual performance songs of the Ngoni people of Mtenguleni in Chipata District of Eastern Zambia. Using the phonological, lexical-semantic, and syntactic levels of stylistic analysis, it was established that the songs embody messages for imparting skills of sexual performance in marriage; onomatopoeias, metaphors, symbolism, personification, and refrain. It was established that poetic devices were used to enhance understanding and perception of ideas, bring abstract situations to life, facilitate easy flow and connection of ideas, condemn and exalt certain behaviours related to sexual performance in marriage, and many others
RESEMIOTISATION AND INTERTEXTUALITY IN MUSICAL DISCOURSES: THE SOCIOCULTURAL NARRATIVES OF ‘DUNUNA REVERSE’, A ZAMBIAN POLITICAL PARTY CAMPAIGN SONG
Get PDFWe draw on ‘Dununa Reverse’, the Patriotic Front’s 2016 campaign song to argue that the lyrics are politically charged discourses best understood as semiotic assemblages. As our locus, we foreground resemiotisation and intertextuality as defining attributes for the production and the consumption of political messages to leverage on the sociological construct upon which the voters’ lifeworld is built. This is in a quest to trace and glean sociocultural narratives that often inform the Zambian people. Thus, the article is guided by three interrelated objectives. Firstly, it intends to interrogate the notion of translanguaging to show how artists deploy various semiotic resources at their disposal while ‘sliding in and out’ of multiple languages such that the perceived boundaries among languages become blurry. Secondly, the article attempts to show how sociocultural discourses are resemiotised from different sources, including the lived experiences of the people to musicology. Lastly, taking the lyrics of the song as a text, the article intends to explore how individual texts are inescapably related to other texts in a matrix of irreducible plural and provisional meanings
DICTION AND SYMBOLISM IN SISTA D’S VITENDENI: A SEMIOTIC APPRAISAL
Get PDFIn exploring agency and phenomenology in the fight against child abuse and molestation, we turn to Sista D’s Vitendeni, zooming in on two interrelated aspects of semiotics: diction and symbolism. Composed and launched at the height of cases of girl child abuse and molestation in Zambia, Vitendeni mixes diction and symbolism to provide phenomenological commentary, awareness, and prescribes the punitive measures to end the scourge as encapsulated in the song title. Thus, the article conflates two theoretical constructs – semiotics and literary appraisal – to explore the semiotic potential of diction and symbolism in Vitendeni as lenses into the appreciation of agency and phenomenology. We conclude that: as both a semiotic and literary text, the song Vitendeni, provides analysable materiality, which extends beyond the immediate context of the song, and confirms not only the attitude of the artiste towards the vice in question, but also re-echoes the collective feelings and judgments of the public towards the perpetrators of girl child abuse. Invariably, attesting to the idea that meaning making is always a joint project arising from the shared socio-cultural knowledge and histories of a given society and polity