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Preparation of activated carbon from tobacco stalks using microwave assisted chemical activation for water purification
No full textTobacco crop is an economically important crop. The remaining stalk after reaping the leaf however presents environmental pollution challenges. The carbonaceous nature of the stalk on the other hand makes it a promising precursor for activated carbon preparation. Optimization of the preparation of activated carbon using tobacco stalks and microwave heating was therefore studied. The prepared activated carbon was further applied as an adsorbent for methylene blue (MB) and lead removal from water. The optimized conditions for activated carbon preparation were a radiation power of 280 W for a period of six minutes having impregnated the precursor material with 30% ZnCl2 for 24 hours. The obtained activated carbon yield and iodine number were 49.43% and 1264.51 mg/g respectively. The activated carbon also had a point of zero charge of 5.81, BET surface area of 684.68 m2/g, pore volume of 0.4508 cm3/g with adsorption capacities of 123.45 mg/g and 39.06 mg/g for MB and lead respectively. The optimum conditions for lead adsorption were a pH of 6.5 with an adsorbent dosage of 0.15 g/50 mL at 250C while those for MB were a pH of 6.5 with an adsorbent dosage of 0.2 g/50 mL at 250C. The adsorption kinetics for both MB and lead followed the pseudo second order kinetic model with the intra-particle diffusion model suggesting a two-step adsorption mechanism. Experimental adsorption data for both MB and lead also fitted well within the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. It can therefore be concluded that tobacco stalks can be turned into an economically important product through the production of activated carbon which performs well in comparison to other products produced from different precursor materials for lead and MB removal from water and waste water
Praying until death: apostolicism, delays and maternal mortality in zimbabwe
No full textThis is
an open access article distributed under the terms of
the Creative Commons Attribution License, which
permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original
author and source are credited.,Religion affects people’s daily lives by solving social problems, although it creates others.
Female sexual and reproductive health are among the issues most affected by religion.
Apostolic sect members in Zimbabwe have been associated with higher maternal mortality.
We explored apostolic beliefs and practices on maternal health using 15 key informant interviews
in 5 purposively selected districts of Zimbabwe. Results show that apostolicism promotes
high fertility, early marriage, non-use of contraceptives and low or non-use of hospital
care. It causes delays in recognizing danger signs, deciding to seek care, reaching and
receiving appropriate health care. The existence of a customized spiritual maternal health
system demonstrates a huge desire for positive maternal health outcomes among apostolics.
We conclude that apostolic beliefs and practices exacerbate delays between onset of
maternal complications and receiving help, thus increasing maternal risk. We recommend
complementary and adaptive approaches that address the maternal health needs of apostolics
in a religiously sensitive manner
Using Africa’s protected area network to estimate the global population of a threatened and declining species: a case study of the Critically Endangered White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis
No full textOpen Access Article,The White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis (WhV) is uncommon and
largely restricted to protected areas across its range in sub-Saharan Africa. We
used the World Database on Protected Areas to identify protected areas (PAs)
likely to contain White-headed Vultures. Vulture occurrence on road transects
in Southern, East, and West Africa was adjusted to nests per km2 using data
from areas with known numbers of nests and corresponding road transect data.
Nest density was used to calculate the number of WhV nests within identified
PAs and from there extrapolated to estimate the global population. Across a
fragmented range, 400 PAs are estimated to contain 1893 WhV nests. Eastern
Africa is estimated to contain 721 nests, Central Africa 548 nests, Southern
Africa 468 nests, and West Africa 156 nests. Including immature and nonbreeding
birds, and accounting for data deficient PAs, the estimated global population
is 5475 - 5493 birds. The identified distribution highlights are alarming:
over 78% (n = 313) of identified PAs contain fewer than five nests. A further
17% (n = 68) of PAs contain 5 - 20 nests and 4% (n = 14) of identified PAs
are estimated to contain >20 nests. Just 1% (n = 5) of PAs are estimated to
contain >40 nests; none is located in West Africa. Whilst ranging behavior of
WhVs is currently unknown, 35% of PAs large enough to hold >20 nests are
isolated by more than 100 km from other PAs. Spatially discrete and unpredictable
mortality events such as poisoning pose major threats to small localized
vulture populations and will accelerate ongoing local extinctions. Apart from
reducing the threat of poisoning events, conservation actions promoting linkages
between protected areas should be pursued. Identifying potential areas for
assisted re-establishment via translocation offers the potential to expand the
range of this species and alleviate risk
The role of breeding phenology and aggregation of waterfowl on avian influenza dynamics in southern Africa
No full textRecent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (AIV) in birds, humans and
other mammalian species calls for a better understanding of virus dynamics in wild bird
species and populations that act as maintenance hosts. Host ecology influences the transmission
of pathogens and can be used to explore and infer pathogen dynamics. Most of the
ecological processes proposed to explain AIV transmission in wild birds have been derived
from studies conducted in the temperate and boreal regions of the northern hemisphere.
We evaluate the role of two key drivers of AIV dynamics in a waterfowl community in
Zimbabwe (southern Africa): (1) the recruitment of young birds and (2) the seasonal
aggregation of birds. We analyse the seasonal variation of AIV prevalence in waterfowl and
overlay these data with the phenology of reproduction and the seasonal variation in the
local abundance of these species. We find that the breeding period of southern Afrotropical
waterfowl species is more extended and somewhat less synchronized among species in the
community than is the case in temperate and boreal waterfowl communities. Young birds
are recorded at most times of the year, and these immunologically na€ıve individuals can
therefore act as new hosts for AIV throughout the year within the wild bird population.
Although host aggregation peaks in the cold-dry to hot-dry season, birds still aggregate
throughout the year and this potentially spreads the opportunities for first infection of juveniles
and other na€ıve birds temporally. We did not find a relationship between season, AIV
prevalence in waterfowl, the influx of juveniles or the gradual aggregation of birds during
the dry season. Therefore, the main drivers of AIV dynamics (juvenile influx and host
abundance/aggregation), although present in Afrotropical regions, could not explain the
AIV seasonal patterns in our study in contrast to results reported from temperate and boreal
regions. These differences imply variation in the risk of AIV circulation in waterfowl
and in the risk of spread to poultry, other animals or humans
Short note chemical composition and rumen degradation characteristics of six Calliandra calothyrsus provenances.
No full textPublished Article,The chemical composition and rumen degradation
characteristics of six Calliandra calothyrsus
provenances were determined. The six provenances
were selected on the basis of their good browse and
seed production attributes under Zimbabwean
conditions. The six provenances were: Oxford Forestry
Institute (OFI) 9/89, OFI 10/91, OFI 11/91, OFI 12/91,
OFI 23/91 and OFI 62/91. The nitrogen content of the
provenances ranged from 27.15 to 32.51 g/kg DM
with provenance 62/91 having the highest value while
provenance 9/89 had the lowest value. The
provenances differed in nitrogen content with 9/89,
10/91 and 23/91 being significantly different (P<0.05)
from 12/91 and 62/91, while the acid detergent fibre
and the neutral detergent fibre content showed
significant differences between provenances 9/89,
62/91 and 11/91.The proanthocyanidins content of the
provenances ranged from 29.3 g/kg DM to 56.0 g/kg
DM with provenance 9/89 being significantly (P<0.05)
different from the other provenances. The rumen dry
matter degradability of the six C. calothyrsus
provenances differed significantly (P< 0.05) with
provenances 9/89, 10/91, 12/91 and 62/91 having
different quickly degradable fractions from
provenances 11/91 and 23/91. The potential
degradability ranged from 790.4 g/kg DM to 890.9
g/kg DM, with the rate of degradation varying from
0.002h-1 in provenance 10/91 to 0.012h-1 in
provenance 12/91 while the effective degradability
ranged from 250 to 411.1 g/kg (2% passage rate) and
203.3 to 308.4 g/kg (5% passage rate) and differed
significantly. The nitrogen degradability of the six C.
calothyrsus provenances also differed significantly (P<
0.05). The quickly degradable fraction ranged from
195.8 g/kg N in provenance 62/91 to 235.0 g/kg N in
provenance 23/91, while the potential degradability
was between 782.2 g/kg N and 888.2 g/kg N. The rate
of degradation varied from 0.005h-1 in provenance
62/91 to 0.012h-1 in provenance 10/91 with the
effective degradability ranging from 195.6 to 399.3
g/kg (2% passage rate) and from 179.2 to 361.3 g/kg
(5% passage rate). The six provenances had adequate
nitrogen contents and were moderately degradable in
the rumen suggesting that they were suitable for
incorporation into ruminant diets as supplements to
low quality forage. However, the high
proanthocyanidin levels could affect their use by
ruminants
An investigation of Social Accountability practices by NGOs operating in the UMP District.
No full textCivic society all over the world has been demanding formal democratic systems in states, where states are expected to be accountable to citizens. There is a tendency for development actors, mainly NGOs, to pressurise governments to exercise accountability, by advocating for, and, strengthening citizen voice and the engagement. Some NGOs tend to ignore their own accountability obligations to the communities and citizens they serve. Accountability as good governance means allowing people, in particular the poor and marginalized to have a say: in how they are governed; and in how decisions that affect them are made and implemented. Social accountability in the NGO sector is about: creating opportunities for information exchange, dialogue and negotiation between beneficiary communities and the NGO; the ability of NGOs to demonstrate accountability both to communities they serve and the government;; transparency and open information sharing, attitudes, skills and practices supporting listening and constructive engagement between the beneficiary community and the NGO as a service provider. Stakeholder participation as a key element of social accountability is meant to ensure good governance, based on a system of checks and balances. NGOs are not-for profit businesses, but still have to practice corporate governance, which is a system by which the organisations are directed and controlled. Since corporate governance is about improving business performance, there is need to place stakeholder participation at the centre of business strategy. A study was carried out in Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe District in 2016 to establish social accountability practices by NGOs in the district. The research population was 95 respondents selected from NGO management and board members; Officials in Government Departments that work with the NGOs; Officials in institutions that receive donor support; and Influential members of communities that receives NGO support. The study found that there were neither documented nor implied Social Accountability practices in NGOs. The research further concluded that there were no clear governance frameworks in NGOs, that guaranteed genuine and effective participation where all stakeholders could have a voice in decision-making, either directly or through legitimate intermediate institutions/sub-structures that represented their interest
Women’s right to land: A critical analysis of the dispute resolution processes of inherited land under customary law and Islamic law. A case of Ilemela district Mwanza: Tanzania
No full textWomen’s substantives right to inherit land from their deceased husband’s estate and their ability to enforce that right through various dispute resolution mechanisms are serious problems that affect thousands of women who live under either customary or Islamic law in Ilemela District, Mwanza in Tanzania This is because the perception of many societies in Tanzania is that women are inferior to men and this adversely affects women’s right to inherit land under customary and Islamic laws. Equality for all citizens before the law and access to justice are two human rights which make ideal tools to inherit land from their deceased husband. This study examines and analyse the challenges faced by women especially widows, not only when they seek to enforce their right before dispute resolution mechanisms which are controlled by men but the substantive rights to inherit land (under customary, Islamic and statutory law )
itself. These challenges essential undermine women’s right to inherit for example, under customary laws a widow does not have the right to inherit the land of her late husband; under Islamic law however women do not have the right to inherit land of their deceased husband or father in accordance with the Holy Quran These are additional factors that make women’s right to inherit of land problematic in Mwanza, and these include the conflicting and discriminatory approaches to women’s right to inherit land.
While customary laws are highly patriarchal and fraught with gender discrimination, Islamic laws is based on the obedience of women to men and their submissive nature. In both cases, women are discouraged from pursuing their rights for fear for loosing their existing economic dependence on male family members or as a result of false accusations of witchcraft against them. The majority of respondents believed that the statutory law was the most supportive of their rights three systems of law as they confirm with the provisions of the Tanzania Constitution and other International human rights Conventions which prohibit discrimination against women. This study recommended that Tanzania should enact or reform its laws to abolish all discriminatory laws which undermine women’s rights to inherit land, and cooperate with international human rights instrument.,NORA
Security sector reform: State security and human security relations in Zimbabwe - the case of Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) 1980-2008
No full textThis thesis examined the origins, concepts and practices of the security sector reform (SSR),
as the independent variable, using state security (SS) and human security (SS) as the
dependent variables for analysis. The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) period 1980-2008
was the main focus of the case study. Findings of the study showed that the ZDF senior
officers perceive SSR differently from the external and internal Western drivers of the SSR,
who popularise it. In its current form SSR is an externally and internally driven prescriptive
exercise which differentiates civilians from the military. The ZDF senior officer’s perception
is that SSR is a process with its origins from the liberation struggle (historical) as an
indigenous and non-prescriptive process. In 1980 the Demobilisation, Disarmament and
Reintegration (DDR), the amalgamation of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation
Forces (ZANLA), Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) and the Rhodesian
Security Forces (RSF) into a single force was one of a successful SSR process as the second
level of consciousness. Operation dissident flash in the 1980s, regional operations and peace
support operations in the 1990s, ‘Operation Murambatsvina or Restore Order’ of the 2000s
and the professionalization process of the ZDF thereafter, remains an SSR process which is
indigenous. The Ubuntu philosophy shapes the major theoretical conceptual framework of
this case study. This case study used quester-views, participant observation and focus group
discussions as major data collection instruments. The data was managed with the use of the
Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) package, which is a
qualitative data-management and analysis tool. This thesis found that the way in which
security sector reform (SSR) was introduced to Zimbabwe betrays the motives of internal
and external Western drivers of the concept and its ideology as a donor-driven security
model. Findings showed that separating the ZDF from direct national, regional, international,
security and political involvement is seen as tantamount to militating against the ideas of the
liberation struggle. Effective functioning state structures are prerequisites and preconditions
for successful defence management system. These should be based on the essentials of
defence institution building process. As a result, the concept of the ‘apolitical’ soldier is a
euphemism for something else because the gun cannot be divorced from the cause for which
it stands. For that reason, the ZDF is part of the state security machinery and therefore is codependent
on the politics from which it derives its authority. On the contrary the current
character of SSR is such that it is based on Western formulae and hence has caused the
development of massive mutual mistrust and suspicion. And yet properly understood, SSR
was mooted during the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe as a concept and continues to be so
as a process uniting civilians and the military. Thus, SSR is not an issue because it is being
practised as a process in the ZDF. As a word SSR is new in its content, philosophy and
ideology but as a concept in the ZDF it is not new. The thesis showed that realism in some
cases is the means, as in the 1980s on national reconciliation, operation dissident Flash, the
Unity Agreement of 1987 and the Global Political Agreement of 15 September 2008, and
Ubuntu as the process and goal in SR, SS and HS relations in terms of uniting the population
as a family in SSR, SS and HS relations
Zimbabwean transnational migration, (in) visible masculinities, and the reconfiguration of gender in Shimmer Chinodya’s chairman of fools
No full textThis article examines the effect of the relationship between Zimbabwean transnational migration and gender on the concept of “invisible masculinities†and how the space that would have been evacuated by these “masculinities,†as a direct consequence of the migratory experience, is reorganized or reconfigured in Shimmer Chinodya’s Chairman of Fools. This space, both marital and familial, compels us to reconfigure our conceptualization of masculinities and femininities, gender relations, and gendered identities in general. However, men’s temporary or permanent return migration results in return masculinities being forced to accept the changes provoked by their absence and in the process transforming gender relations and gendered identities into more democratic spaces of interaction. The transformation of these gender relations and gendered identities also triggers changes in the marriage institution as spouses begin to see and interact with each other as partners and equals. In addition, the changes witnessed in gender relations and gendered identities result in the production of a tolerant masculinity that is adaptive, flexible, and reflexive
The sustainability of street vending as a livelihood strategy of women operating from Harare central business district
No full textThe purpose of this research was to examine the participation of women in street vending and then evaluate its sustainability as a livelihood strategy by women in Harare Central Business District. Livelihood indicators were used in evaluating sustainability and these include, food security, income levels, level and quality of education, ability to acquire assets and the health standards. A sample of 30 women from 5 selected vending sites were selected as respondents. The researcher used structured questioners and interviews in conducting the research. The findings were based on the information captured in the questioners and the interviews which were conducted face to face with the women. Women dominated the number of those in street vending in Harare CBD although man and youths were also in the streets. The participation of women in street vending managed to help women improve the poverty levels in their families. The income in families improved as compare to the period before street vending, but however the incomes were very small and differed with the goods at sell. In education women could now send their children to school but to acquire basic education and also using local schools that had lower fees. Food security in household improved and women and their families could now afford to eat at least 2meals per day. Healthy facilities became accessible, although it was basic and only local clinics. The participation of women in street vending has helped in improving the poverty levels of women but however cannot be sustainable as a livelihood strategy because of the challenges that cripple the vending system and that include, harassment from town officials, cheap and poor quality of good on sell, lack of proper infrastructure, lack of operating licenses discs and low demand and high competition