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Assessment of Human Health Risks Emanating from Underground Water Quality Based on Selected Physicochemical Parameters
Full text linkThis study was designed to assess groundwater pollution from four borehole samples commonly used at Kibaha district informal settlements. This was achieved using grab sampling with three replications. The samples were tested for physicochemical groundwater quality. The maximum temperature was recorded at Msufini borehole sample, reaching 28.81ºC, while the minimum temperature was observed at Kikongo, registering 26.31ºC. There were variability pH levels, with mean values ranging from 6.55 at Msufini/Boko Kibaoni to 7.21 at Ruvu Darajani. The lowest mean total hardness was found at Boko Kibaoni borehole samples (24.14 ± 2.48 mg/L), whereas the highest was detected at Ruvu Darajani borehole samples (147.20 ± 1.01 mg/L). The highest nitrate concentration, reaching 3.85 mg/L, was observed at the Ruvu Darajani borehole sample, while phosphate concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 2.41 mg/L at the Kikongo and Ruvu Darajani boreholes, respectively.The Hazard Index (HI) via oral intake for adults ranged from 44.8 at Kikongo to 3,447.1 at Ruvu Darajani, while for children, it varied from 44.8 to 5,389.0 at Kikongo and Ruvu Darajani, respectively. A high Hazard Index for both adults and children via oral intake signals a notable risk to human health, warranting prompt action to mitigate exposure and address contamination sources. This may entail implementing water treatment measures to borehole water sources, enhancing wastewater management practices, and enforcing regulations to safeguard the safety of borehole drinking water supplies
Assessment of Community Participation in Solid Waste Management in Lindi Municipal Council, Tanzania
Full text linkThe study examined determinants of community participation in solid waste management in Lindi Municipal Council, Tanzania. The results of the first objective found that majority (92%) of household members were willing to pay for solid waste management services. Female were more willing to pay by (94%) in comparison with males (88%). In the second objective, 87 (64%) respondents reported that motivating factors to pay for solid waste management services was for them to make their environment clean. The other findings indicated that respondents 79 (59%) were not satisfied with the services of solid waste management provided by Lindi Municipality. Further findings revealed that (88%) of the penalties imposed on those who breach solid waste laws and regulations agreement were weak. It is recommended to community and all the stakeholders to cooperate in participation and willingness to pay for solid waste management services. Further, the Municipalities, Ministries of the Environment, Health and Social Services, Education, Water and energy resources, Policy makers, NGOs, CBOs, as well as private-public partnerships (PPPs) must collaborate in coordination, facilitation, monitoring and evaluation on solid waste management in Tanzania. There should be a separate department to deal directly with waste management in the country to enhance effectiveness
Personality Traits in the Characterisation of the Main Characters in “Watoto wa Mamantilie” and “Daladala Kutoka Mbagala: A Psychoanalytic and Narrative Analysis”
Full text linkThis paper examines the representation of character traits through the fictionalisation of protagonists in Emmanuel Mbogo’s Watoto wa Mamant’ilie and Mussa Shakinyashi’s Daladala Kutoka Mbagala. By analysing how protagonists are constructed, the study provides insight into the cultural narratives and societal values reflected in contemporary Tanzanian literature. The research adopts a qualitative approach and employs a hybrid analytical framework that integrates Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory and Puckett’s Narrative Theory. These theoretical lenses enable a detailed examination of how characters’ personalities are expressed, narrated, and performed within the selected texts. The study is grounded in the Constructivist Paradigm, an interdisciplinary theoretical perspective widely recognised in education, psychology, sociology, and epistemology. This paradigm holds that individuals construct meaning and perceive reality through personal experiences, beliefs, interpretations, and social interactions. Guided by this framework, the study relies on close textual reading as its primary method of data analysis, focusing on narrative description, dialogue, behaviour, and social interaction to interpret the development of key characters. The analysis reveals that Peter is portrayed as a psychologically complex character whose personality is marked by sociability, empathy, analytical thinking, and creative adaptability, reflecting resilience shaped by social marginalisation and personal loss. In contrast, Fikara emerges as a more authoritative and force-driven figure, whose personality is defined by assertiveness and controlled emotional expression, suggesting a limited yet distinct rhetorical dominance within the narrative. Together, these portrayals demonstrate how characterisation functions as a critical literary device for revealing personality types, power relations, and social identity, thereby enriching the interpretative depth of African literary analysis
Security Assessment for Guest-to-Guest and Host-to-Guest Isolation in Type 1 and Type 2 Open-Source Hypervisors: A Focus on Attack Vectors
Full text linkThe global IT management landscape has shifted from physical to virtual computing. The transition process that makes virtualized execution environments possible is controlled by the underlying software apparatus known as a hypervisor. Based on the design architecture and configuration, hypervisors differ in the degree of virtual machine isolation, making security a serious concern for technology adopters. This paper presents the security assessment of open-source hypervisors using attack vectors for guest-to-guest (G2G) and host-to-guest (H2G) penetrations. The study uses Proxmox VE and XenServer for Type 1 hypervisors and Kernel Virtual Machine (KVM) and Oracle Virtual Box (OVB) for Type 2, with secondary data analysis based on software vulnerabilities and exposures retrieved from publicly available online databases. For clarity, the source codes of each hypervisor were scanned to identify vulnerable files in an experiment conducted on a Kali Linux testbed with prebuilt virtual machines, each hosting one hypervisor. The vulnerability level was determined using 11 attack vectors extracted qualitatively from relevant literature. The soft memory management unit was found to be the most common attack vector among all hypervisors. Type 1 hypervisors are far better at responding to virtual resource attacks, whereas type 2 hypervisors are more vulnerable to attacks that suffocate computational resources, especially virtual CPUs. OVB outperforms other hypervisors in terms of disk and network performance as it is more resistant to attacks involving I/O networking, interrupt and timer mechanisms, and hypercalls. The results also show that all hypervisors perform better against G2G than H2G attacks. For H2G attacks, the Proxmox VE and KVM have demonstrated better performance compared to other hypervisors. According to analysis, the most prevalent hypervisor flaws are mainly due to design faults rather than misconfigurations by adopters. To get rid of hypervisor weaknesses and fully capitalize on the technological shift from physical to virtual computing, adopters should consider industry-accepted best practices when selecting, installing, and deploying open-source hypervisors
Milk Value Chain, Gender Equity and Poverty Alleviation in Tanzania
Full text linkLiterature reveals that there is no consensus about how value chain interventions contribute to gender equity and poverty alleviation among different gender groups. This study was conducted to assess the prospect for enhancing gender equity and alleviating poverty under formal and informal market arrangements within the milk value chain in Tanzania. The study also examined changes in gender roles and relations in the chain. A cross-sectional research was designed and conducted in Tanga City and Iringa Municipality. Proportionate and systematic sampling techniques were used to identify respondents to participate in the study. Descriptive statistics were computed using SPSS and ethnographic content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. The study found that men and women are important actors in the milk value chain but the extent of their participation differ significantly. The participation of men and women in the milk value chain has increased both their earnings and workload. There are gender specific constraints that hinder the performance of men and women in the milk value chain such as limitation on mobility, access to and control of resources, and decision making over income accrued from dairying. Some traditional social norms and practices also hinder women's participation in some activities within the value chain like engaging in more rewarding milk markets. The study recommends that market development programmes should understand location specific gender contexts to avoid generic intervention that may exacerbate the existing gender inequity
The Influence of School Quality Assurance Practices on Pupils’ Academic Performance in Public Primary Schools in Moshi Municipality, Tanzania
Full text linkThis study examined the influence of School Quality Assurance (SQA) practices on pupils’ academic performance in public primary schools in Moshi Municipality. It focused on key quality assurance components, including inspections, teacher evaluations, and curriculum implementation checks. The study adopted ISO 9000 Theory as its theoretical framework, recognising it as a global standard for quality management and assurance practices. A mixed-methods approach with a convergent design was employed, involving a sample of 260 respondents. Teachers were randomly selected, while headteachers and School Quality Assurance Officers (SQAOs) were purposively sampled. Data collection involved questionnaires with closed-ended questions for teachers and in-depth interviews with headteachers and SQAOs. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics with IBM SPSS v20, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. Findings revealed that over 83% of teachers reported that SQA practices—particularly through formal reports—had a moderate to significant positive impact on pupils’ academic performance. This impact was attributed to improved curriculum implementation, qualified teaching staff, and the use of appropriate instructional materials. However, several challenges hindered effective SQA implementation. These included inadequate instructional resources, limited motivation among SQAOs, time constraints during inspections, and teachers’ reluctance to implement recommended changes. The study concludes that while SQA practices contribute meaningfully to academic improvement, their impact is undermined by infrequent visits and systemic limitations. It recommends the development of a digital monitoring system, increased investment in SQAOs' professional development, and enhanced resourcing to support more effective and timely quality assurance processes
Empowering Youth and Women Small and Medium Enterprises: A Study on Enhancing Government Loans Operations in Tanzania
Full text linkThis study investigated the small and medium enterprises owned by youth and women, which received government loans from a local government authority in Kinondoni Dar es Salaam. Qualitative design was adopted for the study and used focus group discussions as a data collection tool. A total of four focus group discussions were conducted with participants ranging from six to nine. The results showed that Ward Executive Officers and Community Development Officers were sources of loan scheme information. The SMEs group adhered to its formation. The study revealed the suitability of certain business practices and environments. The study identified challenges impeding the development of SMEs, including discouragement from surrounding communities, insufficient business education, inadequate space for business ventures, low purchasing power among customers, competition, and insufficient capital. The study also disclosed that strategies for enhancing government loan operations to better empower youth and women's SMEs included augmenting the quantity of government loans, lengthening the repayment period, offering subsidies for successful SMEs, conducting regular training for entrepreneurs, and notifying the bank about loan reimbursement. The study concludes that, by empowering youth and women entrepreneurs, Tanzania can strengthen its economy and create more inclusive opportunities for development. The study recommends that the government and all relevant stakeholders enhance the business operations environments to bolster the SMEs established through government loans
Factors Affecting Adoption of Sustainable Agriculture Practices in Avocado Production by Smallholder Farmers in Njombe Region
Full text linkBorrower Characteristics and the Level of Non-Performing Loans among Saving and Credit Cooperative Societies in Tanzania: Moderating Effects of the Educational Level of Loan Committee Members
Full text linkThis study investigates how borrower characteristics influence non-performing loans (NPLs) among 45 SACCOs in Ubungo Municipality from 2017 to 2024. Specifically, the study analyzed the influence of borrowers’ income level, borrowers’ loan purpose, and borrowers’ credit history on NPLs, while also examined the moderating effect of loan committee members’ educational level, covering financial statements and regulatory supervision reports. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation and regression analysis using pooled OLS) were computed using SPSS Version 23, supported by robustness checks. A two-way fixed-effects panel model shows that higher borrower income, productive-purpose loans, and stronger credit histories reduce NPLs, while higher loan-committee education further strengthens these relationships. Policy recommendations include stricter borrower profiling, committee qualification standards, and alignment of repayment schedules with income cycles
