Kabarak Journals
Not a member yet
348 research outputs found
Sort by
A Data-driven Model for Sustainable Deployment of Climate Smart Agriculture Practices Among Smallholder Farmers in Kakamega
Get PDFKenya’s agriculture is dominated by millions of smallholder farmers who produce over 75 percent of the national agricultural production. The smallholder farmers, however, are the most vulnerable to climate change because various socioeconomics, demography, and policy trends limit their capacity to adapt to change. To mitigate against the negative effects of climate change on smallholder farmers’ numerous interventions, in the form of Climate Smart Agriculture Technologies have been developed and promoted by development partners and government departments. Not all the targeted smallholder farmers, however, participate in and adopt the technologies at the ideal rates and intensity leading to their dis-adoption and abandonment. This study, therefore, sought to develop a data-driven model for the sustainable deployment and adoption of CSA practices among smallholder farmers in Kakamega County. The study employed a mixed methods research design. Through a quantitative survey of 428 smallholder Climate Smart Agriculture Technology adopters and dis-adopters, this study reviewed and investigated the major socio-economic and biophysical characteristics of the different smallholder farmer categories. Supervised Machine Learning using the Scikit-Learn library of Python Programming language to build, pilot, and review Decision Tree and Random Forest Classifier models for the sustainable deployment and adaptation of CSA practices among Kakamega County\u27s smallholder farmers. 19 key variables were identified for developing a predictive model for CSA Technology adoption. A predictive tool was developed and piloted among 15 smallholder CSA farmers. The classifier model produced a Mean Squared Error of 0.16. The proposed model predicted smallholder farmer adoption at an accuracy of 89.53 percent and 90.0 percent with test data and pilot data, respectively. This study, therefore, proposes a new model for the optimal selection of Climate Smart Agriculture intervention beneficiaries
Interest Rate Risk and Financial Performance of Investment Banks in Kenya
Get PDFThis paper addresses the ascendancy of interest rate risks on the performance of investment banks in Kenya. Methodologically the study was guided by positivist philosophy. The study applied an explanatory sequential mixed method design which allows for both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The population of the study was drawn from 16 investment banks operating in Kenya. Quantitative data was obtained from the annual financial statements of 16 investment banks operating in Kenya. The data was collected using data collection sheets for the years 2011 to 2019 to compute financial ratios. Primary data was analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis to validate the quantitative data results (using an interview guide tool) from interviewees composed of managers in the investment banks, the Exchange, and the Regulator. Both descriptive and inferential analysis methods were employed in the analysis. The regression results reveal that interest rate risk by investment banks in Kenya has a low but positive and significant influence on the financial performance of investment banks in Kenya. From the empirical evidence and conclusion, investment banks should consider leveraging bank debts to improve performance. However, this should be accompanied by enhancing effective management of interest rates by buying short-term debt instruments such as treasury bills and bonds with short-term maturities, use of financial hedging instruments including forwards, swaps, futures, and options, as well as non-financial hedging methods such as cash flow netting
Editorial: Omolo J.A.
No full textIn the year 2019, Kabarak University Law School launched the inaugural edition of the African Journal of Commercial Law as a platform for intellectual discourses on commercial legal themes of relevance or significance to the African continent. I am excited to present to our readers the second volume of the AJCL. In this volume, we have a rich collection of articles on varying topics
PRIVITY OF CONTRACT AND ASSIGNMENT OF ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS IN KENYA: Cedric Kadima
No full textThe assignability of contractual rights has more often than not been discussed in terms of the privity of contract. It is widely accepted that contractual rights can freely be assigned. However, there are exceptions to this rule, which are non-assignability clauses in the contracts and personal nature of contractual rights. Consequently, there are discussions on whether the arbitration agreement in the contract is also freely transferrable through assignment of contractual rights. In intuitu personae contracts (where the relationship and confidence of parties resulted in the arbitration agreement), it is argued that the arbitration agreement is not transferrable, but different jurisdictions conclude differently. This paper exposes Kenya’s stand on assignability of arbitration agreements as rendered by the High Court of Kenya in Kampala International University v Housing Finance Company Limited (Miscellaneous Cause E564 of 2019) [2021] KEHC 105 (KLR) (Commercial and Tax) (16 September 2021) (Ruling)
The Influence of Balanced Organizational Controls on the Organizational Performance of Pharmaceutical Companies in Kenya
No full textThis study aimed at establishing the influence of balanced organizational controls on the organizational performance of pharmaceutical companies in Kenya. The dependent variable, organizational performance, was measured through profitability, customer perspective, and learning & growth. Balanced organizational controls were measured by balancing financial controls with; strategic, sustainability, and autonomy controls. The study adopted a positivist research philosophy and a descriptive design approach. A respondent rate of 82% of the target 390 senior managers in pharmaceutical companies in Kenya was achieved. The study’s null hypothesis was tested using an ordinal linear regression model to establish the relationship between dependent and independent variables. The study showed a result of Nagerlkerke Pseudo R2 = .068, meaning that balanced organizational controls explained 6.8% of the variance in organizational performance. At the same time, parameter estimates indicated that balanced controls significantly predicted organizational performance, β=.134, p ≤ .05, therefore rejecting the null hypothesis that balanced controls do not significantly influence organizational performance. This research established that successful organisations balance organizational controls; consequently, the study recommended that pharmaceutical companies implement mechanisms to ensure balanced controls. Future studies could investigate the influence of balanced organizational controls on employee performance
THE LITERAL INTERPRETATION RULE IN TAX STATUTES: THE BARCLAYS AND THE COMMISSIONER OF DOMESTIC TAXES CASES: Abdullahi Ali
Get PDFTraditionally, tax statutes have been interpreted in a literal and strict manner. Proponents of the literal interpretation of tax statutes approach (also referred to as the ‘traditional approach’) have in principle carried sway for the basic reason that the punitive nature of a tax law demands that the taxpayer ought to know in unambiguous and clear terms whether and how exactly they are liable for tax. This issue was addressed by the High Court and the Court of Appeal in the cases between Barclays Bank of Kenya Limited and the Kenya Revenue Authority’s Commissioner of Domestic Taxes. This case review assesses these cases and the impact of the resulting jurisprudence on the interpretation of tax statues in Kenya
EFFECT OF COVID-19 CONTAINMENT MEASURES ON THE RIGHT TO FREE MOVEMENT UNDER EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY COMMON MARKET LAW: Priscah Wamucii Nyotah
Get PDFThe right of establishment is provided for under the Protocol on the Establishment of the East African Community Common Market (Common Market Protocol). It entitles nationals of an East African Community (EAC) Partner State to move into another Partner State, establish themselves and carry out economic activities. The attainment of the right of establishment is one of the key drivers towards the achievement of the accelerated economic growth and development of the Partner States. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the EAC Partner States have invoked protection of public health as a ground to restrict the movement of citizens of other Partner States into their territories. Through content analysis method, this paper analyses the provisions of the Common Market Protocol in facilitating the realisation of the right of establishment in the wake of pandemics such as Covid-19, with a focus on free movement of persons. It finds that there are no parameters on the invocation of threat to public health as a ground for limiting free movement under the Common Market Protocol. It concludes that this lack of guiding provisions contributes to the violation of the right of establishmen
Foreword
Get PDFI am honoured to have been invited by the Kabarak Law ReviewVolume 2 (2023) student editors to write this foreword. Kabarak LawReview has emerged as an important scholarly journal publishingcutting edge scholarship from its students, faculty and leading scholars.In this issue for example, Professor Issa Shivji, one of Africa’s foremostscholars, has an article in response to an inaugural lecture by ProfessorJustice Willy Mutunga, Chief Justice Emeritus and Professor of PublicLaw, Kabarak University
Challenges Associated with the use of Smartwatches for out of Clinic Blood Pressure Monitoring Among Expectant Mothers in a Developing Country: A Case study of Nakuru County Kenya
Get PDFPre-eclampsia is a leading cause of maternal mortality globally and more so in developing countries. The condition, if detected early, can be prevented to avert death and suffering. This early detection has become easier with the development of devices such as smartwatches with BP sensors which have enhanced the practice of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring (HBPM). However, most of these devices and monitoring practices have not been widely adopted in developing countries due to the high cost of devices and the lack of institutionalization of the ABPM and HBPM in healthcare systems. This study sought to examine the use of low-cost smartwatches, a mobile application, and a support system for the implementation of ABPM and HBPM among expectant mothers in Nakuru county, Kenya. A total of 34 expectant mothers were involved in the study over 8 months. A total of 967 readings were collected with only 3 out of the 34 mothers managing to take at least 71 readings during the period of the study. The study established that the use of low-specification phones that were incompatible with the mobile application, failure of the smartwatches to work appropriately, difficulties in getting mothers who met the inclusion criteria under 20 weeks gestation, poor adherence to the data collection, and loss of the devices negatively impacted the quality and consistency of BP monitoring among the expectant mothers. The study therefore recommends the use of more robust devices such as cuff BP readers and the inclusion of community health volunteers in the early identification of pregnant mothers from the community and subsequent follow-up for ABPM and HBPM
Top Management Commitment and Insurance Fraud Cases Clearance among Life Insurers in Kenya
No full textThere is a modest amount of parenthesis literature that addresses the relationship between top management commitment and the extent of fraud case clearance among Life Insurance Companies in Kenya. The study was based the Administrative Management Theory. The theory has never been used extensively to understand the relationship between top management commitment and fraud case clearance hence this study made a significant theoretical contribution. The study adopted descriptive survey design that utilizes quantitative research to investigate the variables. Data was collected using questionnaires from the 21 life insurance companies with their head office based in Nairobi. Data collected was analysed using the latest Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version V28. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were conducted to understand the rate of fraud case clearance. Inferential statistics such as Spearman correlation coefficient, , was also used to test the relationships. The results of correlation analysis from top management commitment yielded a mix of positive and negative correlation coefficients. Based on the findings of the present study, the life insurers management, their stakeholders, and the regulatory authority are better placed to achieve improved case clearance whenever there is top management commitment by management with regard to ethics when dealing with fraud allegations