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Mitigation Efforts of the Seventh Day Adventist Church Teachings to the Borabu/ Sotik Border 2007/8 Post Election Violence, Kenya
Get PDFThis paper presents mitigation efforts of the Seventh-day Adventist Church teachings to the Borabu/Sotik boarder 2007/8 violence. The paper is an outcome of a study which was conducted whose major objective was to investigate the role of the Adventists in the mitigation efforts to the 2007/8 post election violence along the Borabu/Sotik boarder. The area of study was Borabu  Sub county. The research is anchored on Aristotle’s institutionalization theory of the natural law which states the importance of natural law in guiding the choices of the Christians. The study adopted descriptive survey study design. A sample size of 207 from a total population of 2070 was used. A questionnaire with a 5 point Likert type scale was used to collect data. The major findings of the study were; Seventh –day Adventists along Borabu / Sotik border failed to abide by their known law and they also participated in the 2007/8 post election violence. Mechanisms of validating God’s law were found wanting as well. There were also challenges of security, social reform, historical injustices, and negation of both Christian and secular values. The findings will be useful to policy makers as a complimentary document to build a Kenya of love command and rule of law. The researchers recommend teaching of God’s law which may lead to harmonious co-existence
An assessment of impacts of extractive industries on landscape: A case study of gypsum mining in Kajiado, Kenya
Get PDFKenya is endowed with a wealth of natural resources comprising minerals, forests, wildlife and other forms of biodiversity. In the recent past, the Country has witnessed increased attention in the extraction of minerals such as titanium, gypsum and gold to mention a few. Spurred by a progressive Constitution and an aggressive long term development blueprint, the extractive industry is expected to expand. Mining activities are potentially important contributors to landscape changes and loss of biodiversity.Kajiado County residents have in the past violently protested against land degradation and if nothing is done to understand the nature and magnitude of landscape changes in the study area, environmental management will continue to be a challenge. Discussions in the literature on impacts of gypsum mining on landscape are site specific and lack in details. This study sought to establish the impacts of gypsum mining activities on landscape in Kajiado. The study adopted the descriptive/diagnostic design. Questionnaires were used alongside interview schedules to collect data from a sample of 95 respondents and key informants selected through Simple Random Sampling (SRS), Stratified Random Sampling (SRS) and Purposeful Sampling. Satellite imagery and photography were employed to investigate landscape changes in the study area over the past 32 years. Data was analyzed in descriptive and inferential statistics. Imagery analysis revealed significant land degradation and loss of biodiversity. Questionnaire study however indicated minor importance ( =95, P≤0.001) to the overall contribution of gypsum mining to the county landscape. The study recommends systematic land rehabilitation and re-vegetatio
THE ROLE OF STAFF COUNSELING IN PROMOTING WORK ENGAGEMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY: A CASE OF KABARAK UNIVERSITY
Get PDFSignificant shifts in the global economy have accelerated the need for organizations to find innovative ways to address new technological, demographic and marketplace realities. These shifts have also forced institutions of higher learning in Kenya to reevaluate costs associated with talent, necessitating a need to maximize productivity with minimal work force. At Kabarak University, employees are expected to be proactive, show initiative, take responsibility for their own professional development and to be committed to high quality performance standards. These expectations place high job demands on the staff and in so doing predispose them to burnout. However, there is no comprehensive staff counseling programs aimed at helping the human resource develop their positive psychological capital that would inoculate them from psychological indisposition and thus boost work engagement for higher output. This paper explores the role of counseling in promoting work engagement and increasing productivity at Kabarak University. The article theorizes that engagement, conceptualized as the investment of an individual’s complete self into a role, is a significant factor in job wellness and correlates positively with counseling. Mixed methods research was used to conduct the study. Secondary data was augmented with the participant observation data collection procedure. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis was done using SPSS 22. It was established that work engagement is a human resource concern that can be strengthened by staff counseling programs. The job specification for the professional counselors within the university precludes their active involvement with psychological welfare of staff. HRD researchers seeking to conduct original research in universities, and practitioners interested in creating greater levels of engagement in their organizations will find the discussion and implications sections valuable
Molecular Modeling of Toxic Indole Derivatives from High Temperature Cooking
Get PDFMore than two decades ago, Japanese scientists discovered a new family of highly mutagenic compounds classified as heterocyclic aromatic amines from roasted meat and grilled Fish. This group of compounds will form the basis of this investigation from a theoretical perspective. In order to simulate high temperature cooking and explore the thermochemical properties of these compounds, high level quantum calculations were employed. Accordingly, the theoretical behaviour of indole derivatives; isoindazole, 1-methyl indole, 4,7-dimethyl isoindazole and carbazole were explored at a pressure of 1 atmosphere over a wide range of pyrolysis temperatures (323-923 K) typically at temperature increments of 50 K. Ab initio analytical gradients at MP2 level of theory with 3-21G and 6-31G(d,p) basis sets and Molecular Mechanics (MM) with universal force field (UFF) from Gaussian 03 computational platform were used for geometry optimization, internal energy calculations, molecular orbitals, and vibrational frequencies. It was observed that the internal energy for isoindazole at 323 K was 75.80 kcal/mol whereas that of carbazole was 123.78 kcal/mol under similar conditions of pressure and temperature. The stability of these molecular compounds decreased with increase in pyrolysis temperature. To make decent conclusions on the potency of these indole derivatives and their effect on human health, toxicity values were estimated using Quantitative Structural Activity Relationship (QSAR) method found in HypeChem computational software. Toxicity indices for isoindazole, 1-methyl indole, 4,7-dimethyl isoindazole and carbazole were -0.16, 0.01, 0.14 and -0.07 respectively, while those for their corresponding radicals were -0.12, -0.21, 0.19 and -0.17. These values point to highly hydrophilic species which indicate that they are very toxic. The thermochemical, and electronic properties of these compounds and their analog radicals will be presented. Additionally, theoretical NMR chemical shifts for the most toxic by-product of high temperature cooking are also reported in this work
Factors Influencing Academic Performance in Urban Informal Settlements in Kenya: A Case Study of Public Primary Schools of Kibera Slums, Nairobi County
No full textIn spite of the government’s commitment to provision of Universal Free Primary Education (FPE) to all children that have attained school going age, there are segments of the society which continue to face myriad of hurdles in access of and participation in basic education which affect their academic performance. Key among these are children in the slums. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that influence academic performance in urban informal settlements.The study was carried out in public primary schools located in kibera slums of Nairobi county.The objectives of the study were;to establish social economic factors influencing academic performance,to examine the extent to which environmental factors influence academic performance and to find out pupils psychological factors that influence academic performance. The research employed descriptive survey design as the method for data analysis.Public primary schools located in Kibera,headteachers,teachers and class eight pupils were used as the target population. Purposive sampling was used to sample the schools and the headteachers. Simple random sampling was used to sample the teachers and the pupils. The sample size for the school and headteachers done at 100% hence four schools and four headteachers were used for the study. According to (Kasomo, 2006) Ten (10%) of all accessible population is enough for a descriptive survey study, therefore 10% of the total population for both the teachers and pupils was obtained. The sample size for teachers was 9 and for the pupils was 82. The study used questionnaires as the sole research tool to collect data from headteachers,teachers and pupils. Data collected was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively using tables and percentages
A STUDY OF MARITAL CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AMONG COUPLES IN AINAMOI DIVISION OF KERICHO COUNTY
Get PDFConflict exists everywhere. People experience conflicts in their jobs, families, schools and even in the church. Conflict can neither be avoided nor ignored. Conflict that is not managed correctly diminishes happiness and has the potential to destroy people, it leaves them broken and burnt out. Marital conflict is a part of everyday life and how couples handle conflict in their relationship affects the strength and type of relationship a couple may have. Conflict may have the power to destroy or build a marriage. The study on marital conflict management among couples in Ainamoi Division was conducted through randomly interviewing forty married individuals in Ainamoi Division of Kericho County. The researchers employed a descriptive approach to analyse the data which was displayed through tables, charts, and graphs. The research has shown the following factors causing conflict in marriage in their order of priority: communication problems, financial management conflicts, issues surrounding children, in-laws, sexual issues, and finally, behaviour problems. Therefore, there is a need to counsel and teach married couples skills such as communication, financial management and relational skills in order for them to know how to manage marital conflict. This study concludes that marital counselling is in dire need in the society, and so counsellors, pastors and church leaders should come out and make awareness of it in the societ
DESIGN OF A LOW-COST MICROCONTROLLER-BASED LIGHTNING MONITORING DEVICE
Get PDFLightning data is not only important for environment and weather monitoring but also for safety purposes. A device that monitors and keeps track of occurrences of lightning strikes has been developed. A communication interface is established between the sensors, data logging circuit and the microcontroller. The digital outputs of the lightning sensor and data from GPS are processed by the microcontroller and logged onto an SD card. The interface program enables sampling parameters such as distance from the lightning strike, time of strike occurrence and geographical location of the device. For archiving and analysis purposes, the data can be transferred from the SD card to a PC and results displayed using a graphical user interface program. Data gathered shows that, the device can track the frequency and movement of lightning strikes in an area. The device has many advantages as compared to other lightning sensor stations in terms of huge memory, lower power consumption, small size, greater portability and lower cost. The device shall be used in designing a lightning networks
Toxicity and efficacy of aqueous crude extracts from Allium sativum, Callistemon citrinus and Moringa stenopetala against L. major
Get PDFCutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) treatment involves pentavalent antimonials, amphotericin B, pentamidine, miltefosine among others. These drugs are toxic, costly, and require prolonged use. CL is a protozoan skin infection which may lead to disfiguring and stigmatization. In Kenya, CL is common in Baringo County where it is caused by Leishmania major and transmitted by infected female phlebotomine sand fly. Leishmaniases are common in poverty stricken areas where victims opt for local herbal therapies. Herbs used haven’t been tested scientifically to verify their toxicity and efficacy. The current study determines in vitro toxicity and in vivo efficacy of aqueous crude extracts of Moringa stenopetala, Callistemon citrinus, and Allium sativum against L. major. The IC50 of aqueous extracts against promastigotes ranged from 297µg/ml to 575µg/ml compared to Pentostam and liposomal amphotericin B with IC50 of 0.26µg/ml and 0.82µg/ml respectively. The viability of promastigotes upon exposure to extracts ranged from 52.55% to 60.57%. Similarly the IC50 of extracts against vero cells ranged between  467µg/ml to 2105µg/ml compared to 108µg/ml and 60µg/ml for pentostam and liposomal amphotericin B respectively. Orally administered A. sativum reduced L. major caused footpad lesions significantly (P < 0.05) when compared to control PBS. The efficacy of oral C. citrinus extracts (B) in reducing amastigotes in spleens of infected BALB/c mice was 82.99%, followed by oral M. stenopetala (A) at 66.96% and oral A. sativum (C) at 60.37% compared to pentostam and liposomal amphotericin B at 66.40% and 60.62% respectively. The difference between the mean total LDUs for aqueous oral C. citrinus extracts and control oral PBS was significant (P = 0.017). It was concluded that crude aqueous extracts of A. sativum, M. stenopetala, and C. citrinus show antileishmanial activity at low toxicity. Inclusion of garlic and moringa in the diets of people in leishmaniases foci should be emphasized
Improvement of area accuracy in general boundary areas in Kenya:: Case study of Juja – Kiambu County
Get PDFLand ownership in the vast Kenyan Trust land is through the process of Land adjudication. The Preliminary Index Diagrams (PIDs) are the official map documents that together with adjudication records constitute the adjudication register that forms the basis for determination and registration of interests and rights over land. The PIDs are produced from enlarged, marked and un-rectified aerial photographs; as a result they contain distortions to parcel area which more than often is a source of land disputes, especially in resolving the gap between area contained in the title deeds and the actual parcel area on the ground. Generally, the uncertainty in PID area is about 20% of the actual area. We propose a procedure that can be used to reduce large errors in PIDs by comparing ground survey and PID areas in Juja. To achieve the objectives of this study, PIDs of 31 large plots in Juja were prepared from un-rectified aerial photographs. The area of each parcel was measured in the usual way, using plannimeter. Ground surveyed areas for the same parcels within the area of study were obtained from existing survey plans, normally referred to as folio references (F/Rs), and also through ground survey on parcels without F/Rs. The root mean square of the differences between PIDs and ground survey (F/Rs) areas was ±14.63 hectares. The distortions increased with increase in areal size. A conversion equation was developed to reduce areal errors. Using the conversion equation on PID areas, the root mean square of the differences reduced from ±14.63 to ±2.95 hectares, representing an improvement of 80%. The correction equation obtained can be used to obtain corrected parcel areas to facilitate accurate valuation of land parcels in the PID areas. This technique is simple because it requires only PID areas and it works well
INTEGRATED APPROACH: TRUCKERS’ PARKING BAY FACILITY, AS ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD IN SALGAA “WILD WESTâ€NAKURU, KENYA
No full textTraffic congestion in many areas particularly poorly designed truckers parking bays presents a unique public health threat due to toxicity of its emission, accidents, oil spills and social evils as other studies have shown. Salgaa known as “wild west†situated 20 km from Nakuru city on Nakuru – Eldoret highway in Kenya, began as a small market centre twenty years ago. Since then, it has grown to a middle size urban due to its famous night stop over for truckers moving from Mombasa to other parts of East African countries. The government put a ban on movement of trailers at night due to accidents they cause along the highway. Salgaa not only offered favourable spot to hosts truckers but also attracted sex trade. Despise the economic benefits from sex trade; both truckers and the sex trade business have resulted to negative environmental impacts which are critical and needed to be addressed. The government and NGOs efforts to address the negative impacts have yielded little because of the non integrated holistic approach employed. Drawing on government and NGO reports, as well as other documentary sources, this research study examined the integrated holistic approach to truckers’ parking bay and sex trade on environmental health, safety and socio economic status. Data was collected from 60 respondents drawn from 30 commercial sex workers, 20 truckers and 10 residents of Salgaa using questionnaires, focus group, selected by simple randomization. Reliability and validity of the instrument was tested through Cronbach test. The data was analysed by means of SPSS tool using descriptive statistics and hypotheses tested using regressions, ANOVA, and Lickert scale at 0.05 alpha for testing level of significance. The study found that the truckers parking bay primarily contributed significantly to the sex trade and secondarily resulted to 12 cases of fire accidents from oil spills in a year,5% rate of HIV/Aids infection per year, high level of drugs and alcohol abuses, 3-5 road accidents per week, 15% school dropouts in a year. The prevention and control management of environmental and socio economic hazards using integrated conventional and faith value approach by NGOs and government agents were lacking hence increasing the magnitude of the hazards. The findings will be used to formulate policy for environmental hazard management and provision of education to the public