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Mob justice and its implications in urban Uganda: a case study of Kampala City
No full textA thesis submitted as a partial requirement for the fulfilment of the award of the Degree of Masters of Laws of Makerere UniversityThe study investigated the implications of mob justice in Uganda with Kampala city as a case study. The main objectives were; to examine the causes and effects of mob justice in Kampala, to examine how mob justice affects the criminal justice system and to suggest solutions to the problem of mob justice with a view of securing criminal justice and rule of law. The study was confined to Kampala city while using intensity purposive sampling of selected community members, Local council leaders, Human Rights Activists, Police officers and Judicial officers while using Questionnaire interview method and documentary review in the process of collecting data. The study established the following major causes of mob justice in Kampala to include the tendency of criminals to bribe their way out of police custody and thereon prosecution in courts of law as a corrupt practice by some police and some judicial officers, the long elaborate and cumbersome criminal justice system from arresting, investigating, prosecuting, bail rights, conviction and Appeal rights to the convicted person are views as unjust practices by some members of the public towards the perceived criminal and therefore resort to quick elimination of their perceived criminal in form of a mob. The thesis is divided into five chapters; Chapter one introduces the subject matter and the study, the background of the problem, the objectives, the research problem, scope of study and significance of the study. The second chapter looks at the concept of mob justice and its evolution, concept of criminal justice, mob justice and its causes, effects of mob justice, solutions and the theoretical framework. The third chapter focuses on research methodology, looks at the research design, area and population of study, sampling strategy and procedure, data collection methods, data management and analysis and data presentation. Chapter four analyses the causes and effect of mob justice as well as its magnitude, it looks at the effect of mob justice and its implication on the criminal justice system finally the remedies to mob justice in securing rule of law. Chapter five highlights the conclusions and recommendations to combat the problem of mob justice
Genetic analysis of resistance to african cassava whitefly, bemisia tabaci in crosses of latin american by Ugandan cassava parental lines
No full textThis dissertation is submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of a Degree of Master of Science in Botany of Makerere UniversityThe African Cassava whitefly, Bemisia tabaci is both a viral disease vector and pest to cassava, causing direct damage through adults and nymphs piercing and sucking behavior and whose infestations can cause up to 50% crop yield reduction. As a staple crop for more than 800 million people, most of whom are in sub-Saharan Africa, cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) improved with pest resistance, notably whiteflies could have enormous impact on farmers’ yields since declines in cassava yields can lead to household food, nutrition, and income insecurity. As a result of this, disease and whitefly tolerant/resistant genotypes from Latin America and regional elites were introduced to Uganda to help improve on selected local germplasm. The objectives of this study were to (1) assess population structures among crosses of introduced Latin American cassava germplasm with local adapted progenitors, (2) identify genomic regions in cassava associated with resistance to African cassava whitefly, and (3) assess the relationship between the cassava whitefly resistance and other important cassava agronomic traits amongst the selected cassava varieties. Data analysis was done using single nucleotide polymorphic genotyped data together with phenotypic data from a panel of 750 clones. For objective 2, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted to uncover genomic regions associated with natural resistance to African Cassava whitefly, while objective 3 assessed phenotypic correlations between whitefly resistance traits, and other agronomic traits (disease (CMD and CBSD) intensity, yield and DMC). A total of 15,625 single nucleotide polymorphism markers were used to assess genetic diversity. The SNP markers were informative, with polymorphic information content ranging from 0.35 to 0.41 and a mean of 0.38 across all the genotypes. The observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.26 to 0.36 with a mean of 0.32 whilst the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.29 to 0.36 and the mean was 0.32, and the minor allele frequency ranged from 0.19 to 0.26 with an average of 0.23. The principal coordinate analysis, model-based structure and the Euclidean distance matrix method grouped the 736 genotypes into four main clusters irrespective of origin. This indicates that the genotypes analyzed in this study may have shared common alleles across the population. The genotypes employed in this study also exhibited a moderate level of genetic variation. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that within-population variation among the seven genetic groups based on pedigree accounted for 92% of the observed variation. The locally adapted progenitors from Uganda were found to have greater genetic diversity in comparison to the imported progenitors from Latin America. A total of 9 significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) markers were identified to be associated with the nymph count trait on nine chromosomes; 2, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 17. Gene annotation analysis revealed the presence of thirty five genes subdivided into categories according to their protein structure namely; pentatricopeptide, protein kinase, zinc finger, 2-oxoglutarate (2OG) and Fe (II)-dependent oxygenase, zinc knuckle family proteins, and auxin-responsive transcription factor genes, which collectively are involved in regulation of a wide variety of functions ranging from developmental and plant defense-related responses to environmental as well as pathogen attack. The results obtained from this work revealed significant SNP variants and genes that may be utilized for genomic-informed selection in order to enhance whitefly resistance in cassava. We observed the highest phenotypic correlation (r = 0.82) between adult whitefly count and nymph count, suggesting the usefulness of single trait data in predicting performance of related traits. The observed high phenotypic correlations between adult whitefly count and nymph count indicate that data obtained on either trait would suffice
PAMOJA: a component framework for grammar-aware engineering
No full textA thesis submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training in partial fulfillment for the award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science of Makerere University.Formal grammars are fundamental to numerous data and text processing applications, including the development of compilers for software languages and natural language processing systems. From formal grammars, tools like scanners, parsers, compilers, and interpreters can be built. Moreover, these tools and grammars have a broader range of applications, extending to fields like speech recognition, information security, genetic sequencing, and more. Collectively, software applications that involve grammar knowledge are termed \emph{grammar-aware} software. While numerous tools exist for implementing software languages, developers often face challenges when integrating them into general-purpose development environments like NetBeans, Eclipse, and Microsoft Visual Studio -- especially for building applications dependent on grammars and associated tools. Many language implementation tools function as standalone systems and cannot be integrated with ease into the work flow of grammar-aware software development. Although various approaches have been proposed to ease this integration, they often come with steep learning curves, posing a challenge for users with limited expertise in language implementation. This thesis addresses the challenge of integrating grammars and associated tools, particularly language processor front ends, into the field of grammar-aware software development. By applying component-based software development principles, the study aims to develop a software component framework that integrates seamlessly into general-purpose development environments. This is achieved through pragmatic, solution-oriented research, guided by the design science research methodology. The research produced key artifacts, including a prescriptive architecture and the instantiation of the PAMOJA software component framework. In the first phase, the study conceptualized the research problem and identified component-based software development as a potential solution by reviewing literature and consulting experts. The second phase involved establishing a conceptual framework to guide the design and development of PAMOJA, followed by designing an architecture encompassing design requirements, guiding principles, key decisions, a structural model, and the development platform. PAMOJA was then instantiated through an iterative design and development process, allowing for continuous refinement. In the third phase, the study demonstrated PAMOJA's value in facilitating grammar-aware software development. Through building and testing, the study confirmed that PAMOJA is technically feasible, works under certain assumptions, and that component-based software principles have the potential to solve or mitigate the identified problem. Demonstration cases, which involved using PAMOJA to create a hybrid text/structure editor adaptable to various programming languages and developing extensible tools for language processor education, further validated its effectiveness. Finally, expert evaluation and technical action research confirmed that users in the grammar-aware community regard PAMOJA as a valuable artifact for improving and facilitating grammar-aware software development
Gender and security sector reform in Uganda
No full textA research paper submitted to the Department of Political Science and Public Administration in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies of Makerere UniversityGender and security are very important aspects of Uganda as a country. And it has been noted that they both influence each other. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition that to cater for gender aspects, security institutions must be intentional while doing reforms to make sure that gender is factored in hence a big emphasis on gender and security sector reform. This research presents a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of existing gender and security sector reforms in Uganda. The primary objectives were to assess the current state of gender and security sector reforms in Uganda, identify stakeholders involved in gender and security sector reforms in Uganda, and establish the key obstacles hindering the incorporation of gender in security sector reforms in Uganda. Security sector reform was explored as a potential avenue to provide space for females as gender in security institutions like the police and military. The research employed a desktop research approach, collecting data from various credible sources and academic literature to fulfill its specific objectives. The research also employed feminist international relations theory and Gender perspective theory. The findings of the study highlighted the efforts made by various security institutions in policy and reforms aimed at including gender aspects in those reforms, main stakeholders in gender and security sector reform including the various reforms that have been made and their impact as well as the challenges faced by different stakeholders engaged in gender and security sector reform
Seroprevalence and serotypes of foot-and-mouth disease virus in apparently clinically healthy small and large ruminant populations in selected districts of the Karamoja Sub-Region, North-Eastern Uganda
No full textFoot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals like cattle, sheep, and goats. It causes significant economic loss to the Uganda livestock industry due to livestock movement restrictions and trade bans. Despite these measures, outbreaks persist due to inadequate surveillance, poor vaccination strategies and inadequate vaccination coverage. This study aimed to determine FMDV seroprevalence and circulating serotypes in apparently healthy ruminants in the Karamoja subregion. Using ID Screen® ELISA kits that detect 3ABC FMDV NSP and not vaccine antigens, serum samples from 2,122 small ruminants and 2,400 cattle were screened. Positive samples were further tested for serotypes A, O, SAT1, and SAT2 using serotyping kits by Pirbright Institute. FMD seroprevalence in small ruminants was 20.6% [95% CI:18.9% - 22.4%] while that in cattle was 45.1% [95% CI: 43.1% - 47.1%]. Amudat district had the highest FMDV seroprevalence for both small [49.1%; 95% CI: 44.3% - 53.9%] and large [69.8%; 95% CI: 65.1% - 74.0%] ruminants, while Karenga had the lowest in both small [10%; 95% CI: 7.0% - 15.1%] and large [38.5%; 95% CI: 34.2% - 43.1%]. Age was strongly associated with seroprevalence of FMDV in both small ruminants [P <0.05] and cattle [p <0.001]. Similarly, Kaabong and Karenga [p <0.01] had lower odds of association with FMDV seropositivity compared to Amudat.
FMDV serotypes A [84.7%] and SAT1 [60.1%] were most prevalent in small ruminants, whereas serotypes O [6.4%] and SAT2 [10.1%] were infrequently detected. Serotypes A [49.3%] and SAT1 [54.2%] were the most prevalent in cattle compared to O [7.2%] and SAT2 [5.6%] which were infrequently detected. The high prevalence of FMDV in Karamoja region indicates that FMDV is still an impediment to ruminant production in this region. This means that there is need to design and implement a risk-based FMDV control program involving cattle and small ruminant vaccination with vaccines made up of FMDV serotypes A, O, SAT1 and SAT2.The currently used FMDV vaccines contain FMDV serotypes O, SAT1and SAT2. They therefore don’t protect cattle and small ruminants against serotype A which is one of the commonly encountered serotypes in Karamoja region.Mercy Corp
The impact of mobile money on digital financial inclusion in Uganda
No full textA research report submitted to the College of Business and Management Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a degree of Master of Economic Policy Management of Makerere UniversityThis study investigated the role of mobile money in promoting digital financial inclusion in Uganda. A quantitative design was adopted for the study and secondary data collected under the FinScope Consumer Survey of 2023 was utilized. The findings highlight several key determinants of digital financial inclusion, focusing on the influence of distance, education, gender, location, and region. A correlation analysis revealed negative correlations between digital financial inclusion (DFI) and distance to mobile money agents, gender, area and region Conversely, a positive correlation was found between education and DFI. Linear regression analysis shows that distance to agents significantly affects DFI (coefficient = -0.074, p-value < 0.001), indicating that increased distance reduces the likelihood of mobile money adoption. Education is positively correlated with DFI (coefficient = 0.081, p-value < 0.001), while marital status (coefficient = -0.058, p = 0.001), gender (coefficient = -0.118, p-value < 0.001), area (c coefficient = -0.087, p-value < 0.001), and region (coefficient = -0.088, p-value < 0.001) present significant barriers to inclusion. The model accounts for 13% of the variance in DFI (R² = 0.130), confirming the complex interplay of geographic and demographic factors in shaping digital financial inclusion. Overall, the study underscores the importance of proximity to financial agents, education, and addressing regional inequalities in enhancing financial inclusion in Uganda. The study recommends that efforts should be made to increase the number of mobile money agents in rural and remote areas to reduce the distance to agents. This could involve partnerships with local businesses to serve as agents or providing incentives to telecom companies to expand their networks
A critical analysis of the law on cybercrimes in Uganda
No full textDissertation submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of Laws of Makerere UniversityThe discovery of computer and information technology has increased the tremendous development and so many technological changes, to the extent that it has affected every area of mankind. Nevertheless, many governments and business Institutions fear of the negative impact the information technologies can have on their own citizens and businesses because of the potential dangers it carries and because of the social, economic and security challenges it poses. Consequently, special attention is needed to prevent cyberspace from turning into a source of danger for states and citizens, and to the business communities. Many countries have adopted particular regulations and legislations as an answer to the need of ensuring security measures. Uganda in particular, with the available legal and institutional framework, the country continues to experience increasing cybercrimes. Crimes such as cyber terrorism, intellectual property infringement, internet usage policy abuses, internet fraud, industrial espionage and altering of data, on-line child exploitation and pornography, illegal goods purchasing, piracy, impersonation and hacking, remain a challenge. This dissertation reviewed and critiqued the Computer Misuse Act law by identifying the gaps therein and how such gaps have encouraged cybercrime in Uganda and whether the current legal regime and available technical skills answer the contemporary complications in the cyber-crime arena in Uganda and further, it proposes the recommendations for necessary legal reforms
Effect of oil price on exchange rate volatility in South Sudan
No full textA dissertation submitted to the directorate of graduate research training in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a Degree of Master of Arts in Economic Policy and Planning of Makerere UniversitySouth Sudan’s economy predominantly relies on crude oil exports, making it highly vulnerable to fluctuations in international oil prices. This reliance on oil revenue poses significant challenges to economic stability, particularly in managing exchange rate volatility. This study investigates the impact of oil price fluctuations on exchange rate volatility in South Sudan, a country with limited economic diversification. The primary objective is to understand how changes in global oil prices influence exchange rate fluctuations, thereby informing policy decisions to mitigate financial instability. Using monthly time series data from January 2016 to December 2023, the study employs the Exponential Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (EGARCH) model to analyse the relationship between oil prices and exchange rate volatility. The Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) theory serves as the theoretical framework for this analysis. The results indicate that oil price fluctuations positively and significantly affect exchange rate volatility, with a coefficient of 0.033. Additionally, a significant leverage effect of 0.559 is observed, suggesting that positive oil price shocks lead to greater volatility in the exchange rate than negative shocks. Furthermore, the study finds a negative relationship between interest rates and exchange rate volatility, with a coefficient of - 0.056, indicating that higher interest rates tend to reduce exchange rate fluctuations. Based on these findings, the study recommends that South Sudan diversify its economy by investing in non-oil sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and services to reduce vulnerability to oil price shocks and enhance economic stabilit
“Barriers to financial access and their impact on the growth of women-led small and medium enterprises (SMES) in Uganda Kampala district" a case study of Kawempe division, Kampala.
No full textA research report submitted to the College of Business and Management Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a degree of Master of Business Administration of Makerere UniversityThis purpose of the study aims to examine the barriers to financial access and their impacts on the growth of women-led enterprises in Kawempe Division, Uganda. Despite the increasing recognition of women's entrepreneurial contributions, financial exclusion remains a significant challenge, hindering the potential for growth and sustainability of these enterprises.
The research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Structured questionnaires were administered to 90 women entrepreneurs in Kawempe, complemented by in-depth interviews with 15 key participants, including financial institution representatives and community leaders. These included both closed and open-ended questions, allowing participants to express their experiences and insights in their own words. The data collected provided quantitative insights into the prevalence of various barriers, while qualitative responses enriched the understanding of the contextual factors influencing financial access. This comprehensive approach facilitated a nuanced analysis of the intersection between gender, entrepreneurship, and financial services in the region.
The findings revealed several key barriers to financial access, including limited financial literacy, lack of collateral, high-interest rates, and discriminatory lending practices. These barriers significantly impede the growth of women-led enterprises, resulting in reduced investment opportunities, limited business expansion, and lower profitability. Additionally, the study highlighted the broader socio-economic implications of these barriers, including the perpetuation of poverty and gender inequality within the community.
Based on these findings, the study recommends targeted financial literacy programs to empower women entrepreneurs, the establishment of more inclusive lending practices by financial institutions, and the promotion of supportive policies from local government to foster an enabling environment for women-led enterprises. By addressing these barriers, stakeholders can facilitate greater financial access and contribute to the sustainable growth of women-led businesses in Kawempe and beyond
Oral mucositis among solid tumor cancer patients on chemotherapeutic regimens at Uganda cancer institute: experiences, incidence, risk factors, and effect of cryo-therapy
No full textA thesis submitted to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training in fulfillment for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Makerere UniversityBackground: Cancer chemotherapy causes oral mucositis (OM) that can be extremely painful, disrupting eating, talking and other daily activities. Sometimes OM can be so severe leading to interruption of cancer therapy. Interventions that reduce OM led to improvement in patients’ treatment compliance, outcomes and quality of life. However, to capture the incidence and monitor the effects of any intervention, a suitable measurement tool for OM must be chosen from the many available. The tool must add minimal burden to the patients, caregivers and clinicians Patients’ perspectives on diseases and side effects of treatment have increasingly taken center stage. Hence mucositis is no exception to this trend. Therefore, it is imperative to capture what oral mucositis means to our patient population. To get a good insight into what patients who suffered from oral mucositis went through, I captured their experiences through a qualitative approach. Objective: Using a patient reported outcomes measures, I set out to determine the experiences, incidence, risk factors for OM and how effective cryo-therapy can be in preventing OM and its resultant complications among patients with solid tumours’ in Uganda Cancer Institute. Methods: This was a multiple methods study that was divided into 4 sub studies. Sub-study I was a validation design meant to translate and validate the Mucositis Daily Questionnaire Mouth and Throat Soreness OMDQ MTS into Luganda. A qualitative approach was used to capture patients’ experiences with OM. In this sub study II,. Data were collected through separate in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) based on semi structured qualitative interviews of 13 cancer patients and 5 FGDs. For the tool validation sub study, validation of the OM measurement tool was done using bilingual patients who were receiving chemotherapy at Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) and had experienced some oral discomfort following treatment. They were asked to complete Oral Mucositis Daily Questionnaire Mouth and Throat Soreness OMDQ MTS Luganda followed by the English version on the same visit. The tools had different order of items and were administered to the participants at least two hours apart. Using the validated Mouth and Throat Soreness related questions of the oral mucositis (OMDQ MTS) questionnaire, oral mucositis was prospectively evaluated among patients undergoing chemotherapy for solid tumors at the UCI. The participants also had specific visits to UCI for clinicians assess oral mucositis. This sub-study III captured the incidence and risk factors of oral mucositis among our patient population.In the quasi-experimental sub study IV, there were two groups each of 100 participants with solid tumors and residing within a 20 Km radius to the Uganda Cancer Institute. The control group had the standard of care as per UCI protocols on other hand, the intervention group had the same but additionally received cryotherapy before, during, and after chemotherapy. Occurrence of moderate and severe mucositis was evaluated for all participants who returned for the clinical evaluation visits and filled the self-administered oral mucositis assessment tool. The study participants were examined clinically: before chemotherapy and after day 3,7,10 and 14 following the initial dose of their treatments using the clinician evaluated the severity of mucositis based on scores 0 to 4 as described by World Health Organisation (WHO). In addition, patients completed an English or Luganda version of the self-assessment OM Daily Questionnaire Mouth and Throat Soreness (OMDQ MTS) that allowed them to grade their degree of oral mucositis. The relationships between OMDQ MTS and clinical data were appraised with Spearman Rank correlation tests. Comparison between the two groups was done using either Chi-square tests or Mann-Whitney U-test (non-parametric t-test).Results: From the qualitative sub study, most of the participants felt they needed more information and counselling before, during and after chemotherapy. Fifty purposively sampled participants accepted to take part by completing both versions of OMDQ MTS questionnaire. All item mean score differences between the two versions were less than ±0.25. The Cronbach’s α for the Luganda and English versions were 0.78 and 0.86, respectively, based on standardized items while the Guttman’s lambada 2 and 3 where 0.89 and 0.79, respectively.The results demonstrated that patient assessment of mucositis was possible in a Ugandan setting at a 76% full compliance rate and therefore it would be worth adopting. Up to 30% of the patients, reported moderate to severe mucositis though the value was lower compared to what was assessed by the clinicians.
There was no statistically significant difference between patients above 45 years and those below, those with and without a history of tobacco use in terms of incidence of moderate to severe OM (p=0.37 and p=0.67, respectively). Chemotherapy regimens that included 5-FU were significantly associated with severe to moderate OM (p=0.04). Neither pre-chemotherapeutic hemoglobin nor neutrophil levels were associated with OM (p=0.53 and p=0.74, respectively). The weight and surface area of the patients were also not significantly associated with increased occurrence of moderate to severe OM (p=0.39 p= 0.15, respectively). Likewise, the oral hygiene status of the patients did not significantly affect the incidence of moderate to severe OM in the study population (p=0.09). Only cancer type was statistically significantly different between the control and intervention groups (χ2=31.09, df =18, p=0.03). Twenty percent (n=19/95), while 8.2% (n=7/85) in the control and intervention group, respectively, developed moderate to severe mucositis (Mantel-Cox and Generalized Wilcoxon p= 0.026 and p=0.0312, respectively).Conclusions: Glaring improvements that are needed included information and counselling before, during and post chemotherapy. A translated Luganda version of OMDQ MTS was reliable and easy to understand. Therefore, in our local setting, self-reported OMDQ MTS can be useful to evaluate mucositis on a daily basis among adults without the need for costly frequent clinic visits. The use of cryotherapy in the present study setting and probably in many sub-Saharan African countries is a feasible and affordable approach to the prevention and control of chemotherapy induced oral mucositis