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Political conflict has decimated vast areas in Africa, and drought, floods, and famine have exacerbated massive refugee mobility. However, attempts at solving the refugee problem have seen varied responses from different countries. While some countries exhibit an unwelcoming position in this regard, others, like Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria, have provided refugees with enormous assistance, such as refugee camps. The generosity of these countries, particularly Kenya, has led to the creation of a series of refugee camps across the country, such as the Dadaab and Kakuma camps. Though these refugees seek better opportunities and often contribute significantly to the economies of their host states, there have also been reports of increasing insecurity. The security challenges have manifested in violence such as rape, killing, armed robbery, child trafficking, and terrorist attacks. The paper explores how refugees have been considered a security threat to Kenyan national security. And how the impacts of the reconstruction of the refugees' have challenged the rights and protection of the refugees in the host state. To articulate its perspective, the paper leaned entirely on a review of existing literature such as papers, textbooks, and archival materials. Until now, the human security paradigm has been adopted as the theoretical framework to establish the relationship between the variables (security, and refugees) in this study. The paper concludes that the overall security of a state is significant and should not be jeopardised at the expense of refugees' rights and protection. as states are not internationally obliged to accept refugees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban heritage is an indicator of people's idiosyncrasies. Significant values and meanings are created, and their decline can be controlled through conservation. Unfortunately, conservation in Kenya has been endorsed somewhat by powerful politicians and administrators for partisan objectives. They have failed to enforce existing conservation law and tried to appropriate value heritage assets. This paper, therefore, assesses the challenges of heritage conservation, the extent of systematic heritage destruction and the causes of conflict in the heritage conservation of Kenya. Three cases have been examined: the Ojijo Road Flats in Nairobi, Endorois court case and the Kaya Forest sacred ritual sites. A research programme was designed which involved participants with relevant knowledge. It emerged that conflict of interest, limited consultation and poor heritage management had resulted in the loss of heritage authenticity, integrity, and values. Furthermore, lack of public involvement and limited resources derailed heritage conservation. A literature review revealed the extent to which national legal instruments lacked reference to community responsibility in heritage conservation. The study concludes that a relevant conservation policy needs to be established to enhance sustainable heritage conservation and management in Kenya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Households in urban informal settlements of Kisumu City use multiple fuels for their cooking and heating. Despite this reality, previous national inventories of fuel choices in these settlements were based on the most preferred fuel rather than the whole fuel composite used by the households. This paper, therefore, examines the fuel combinations that households in informal settlements of Kisumu City use and how their socio-economic characteristics influence their choice of these combinations. The paper is premised on the energy stacking theory. The study sampled 419 households from informal settlements of Kisumu City. Multinomial logistic regression is used to establish correlation between household characteristics and fuel combination choices. The findings show that majority of households in urban informal settlements of Kisumu City use multiple fuels for cooking, with charcoal and liquefied petroleum gas being the most commonly stacked fuels. Education does not have a strong correlation with fuel choices; whereas household size reliably predicts the choice of individual fuels. Household income significantly predicts the adoption of fuel stacks that have liquefied petroleum gas and charcoal. While increase in household income has a positive correlation with adoption of modern fuels, it does not lead to households dropping primitive and transitional fuels from their stacks. The study asserts that the energy stacking theory is a suitable basis for assessing the relationship between household-based socioeconomic determinants and fuel combination choices among residents of SSA cities. The reality of fuel stacking in urban informal settlements requires policies geared towards increasing access to modern household fuel technologies while incentivizing adoption of fuel-efficient biomass stoves. • Inventory of household fuels should include the whole spectrum of cooking fuels. • Multiple cooking fuel use is common in informal settlements of Sub-Saharan Africa. • Income has a significant correlation with all the fuel-stacking choices studied. • Household income is not always negatively correlated with use of traditional fuels. • Energy stacking theory is suitable in assessing fuel choices in Sub-Saharan Africa [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Learning & Technology is the property of Canadian Network for Innovation in Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The essay explores Ngugi wa Thiong'o's and George Lamming's disenchantment with the political dispensation of their countries with flag independence as opposed to actual liberation. The paper adopts a comparative approach to analyze the neocolonial predicament in Kenya and the legacies of the slave trade in the Caribbean through their respective novels Petals of Blood and Natives of My Person. A close examination of both novels reveals that the writers focused on the histories of Kenya and the Caribbean, attributing the predicament of the modern period to the past. The two writers, the essay will reveal, offer diagnoses of the problems of society and of human beings with Ngugi attributing malignancy to the political structures in Kenya, and Lamming arguing that malignancy is embedded in the human personality. While Ngugi's radicalism sees hope for social change through a political revolution, Lamming's psychological orientation as a novelist upholds internal change as a panacea for the Caribbean post-colonial predicament. In Kenya, the journey to Uhuru failed to materialize in the same way that the voyage to San Cristobal was aborted. Despite the author's differences in political orientation, both novels draw upon historical and cultural experiences between Africa and the Caribbean providing a powerful assessment of the shared neocolonial condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock production is affected by climate change, but also contributes to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions. This leads to ambiguity in how livestock are framed in climate and development policy processes. We use the Multiple Streams Framework (MSF) to investigate the role of knowledge brokers in Kenyan livestock and climate change policy processes. We analyse how knowledge brokers deal with ambiguity from different problem and response framings within science-policy interfaces using the case of a project that seeks to inform Kenyan policies relevant to livestock and climate change. We identify ambiguity within the problem stream where actors recognise adaptation and mitigation as dual challenges of livestock and climate change. This ambiguity creates tension between actors but can be strategically deployed to help match the problem and policy streams. Actors use the terms 'climate smart' and 'co-benefits' to link the dual adaptation and mitigation needs. In the political stream, nationally defined priorities and external funding possibilities influence the political will and motivation to adopt identified response options. There are opportunities for knowledge brokers to address the ambiguities and translate knowledge during windows of opportunity when the streams are being coupled, but challenges exist, resulting in slow and inadequate development of policies. This paper makes two contributions to the MSF literature. First, we further refine the concept of knowledge brokers and establish their role across all three streams. Second, we apply the MSF in a lower income country and demonstrate that international organizations must be among the actors considered. • Ambiguity surrounds livestock; they are affected by and contribute to climate change. • Knowledge brokers in Kenya frame issues, offer solutions and influence politics. • International actors shape problem framing and solutions around livestock in Kenya. • The MSF needs to be adapted to apply in developing country contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kenya's new energy legislation provides a framework for participatory national energy planning. This planning process is intended to formulate a vision for the energy sector, and identify and prioritize energy programmes, projects and/or facilities that contribute to realizing the vision. This paper describes an initiative to structure and operationalize the participation of private sector, civil society, and development organizations in this new energy planning process. The initiative leverages knowledge from the field of sustainable transitions research; the transition management approach is applied to establish a transition arena where non-state actors in the energy sector deliberate and develop visions, pathways, and interventions to be presented for consideration during the preparation of the integrated national energy plan. A structure to institutionalize and operationalize the participation of private sector, civil society and development organizations in Kenya's national energy planning process is developed, as well as a standardized approach to develop non-state actor inputs for the preparation and cyclical review of Kenya's national energy plan. The focus of this paper is the inputs developed by non-state actors for Kenya's integrated national energy plan under the electricity access thematic area. • Knowledge, information & expertise amongst non-state actors to inform energy planning. • Need to structure and institutionalize participation of non-state actors in energy planning • Transition management approach facilitates participatory national energy planning. • Transition agenda developed for electricity access in Kenya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was feared that the digital divide would deny citizens in developing countries opportunities for increased participation in politics through internet-enabled communication technologies. However, the divide has been bridged by citizens through the appropriation of Western technologies like internet access through mobile phones and cyber cafes. In fact, the difference between North and South in the use of the internet to participate in politics is quickly becoming unnoticeable, especially regarding the use of social media. This paper describes the unforeseen impact of the rapid adoption of social media in Africa, a continent that has been lethargic to other Western technological advances. The paper uses Anderson's (1991/1983) theory of imagined community and Billig's (1995) banal nationalism thesis to describe the role of social media groups in building banal nationalism, a process that unobtrusively legitimises the otherwise artificial nation-state. Through analysis of the activities of social media groups, the paper describes how, besides enabling the formation of social groups, social media has created a new sense of consciousness and deep attachment to the concept of a nation-state in Kenya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While hopes and expectations for the next generation in many countries of the Global North are shaped by family traditions, gender stereotypes and class affiliation, in countries of the Global South they are closely linked to the development discourse and the associated processes of social change. In this discourse, Western education seems to be the only alternative, not only in terms of one's own future, but also in terms of the development of society. Investigating the case of the Turkana, mobile pastoralists living in Northern Kenya, it became apparent that the aspirations of parents, children and young adults are shaped by this discourse. Reflecting on the biographies of three women and her now adult children, the paper reveals that in view of the economic situation of the Kenyan nation state and the marginalization of the Turkana within the nation state, Western schooling leads not only many young people but also entire families into a trap. Diversification strategies are abandoned and everything is put on one card (schooling). This in turn undermines the conditions that in many cases led to the success of school careers. Fewer and fewer families can draw on resources in mobile livestock farming and sell livestock from time to time to ensure continuous and successful schooling for their children. This development is accompanied by an inflation of degrees and competition in a private education market, in which many Turkana families cannot compete. This leads to an increasing gap between aspirations and the possibilities and opportunities available to young Turkana and their families within the education system and on the labour market. Individual (successful) graduates are confronted with high expectations and many obligations that make it difficult for them to pass on their success to the next generation. This is another reason why, one can speak of an “education trap” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scaling up clean cooking is a priority to address the substantial health burden from exposure to household air pollution resulting from burning of polluting fuels. The costs of cooking equipment and fuel, as well as cooking behaviors, may present barriers to adoption and sustained use of clean cooking. This paper reports novel qualitative findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) evaluating the effects of innovative energy-efficient cooking pots on sustained use of LPG for the first time in a low and middle-income setting. Semi-structured interviews (SSIs) were conducted with 22 of 200 cooks (LPG primary users) from an informal settlement in Nairobi, participating in the RCT. Data were analysed through thematic analysis. Reported benefits of the enhanced pots (compared to standard pots), included perceived fuel and time savings and prestige. Findings also indicate participants' willingness to pay for the pots and ways to support their scale. This study highlights the potential for energy-efficient pots in facilitating sustained/exclusive clean cooking with LPG and their ability to meet all cooking needs. This is relevant to informing commercial scalability of energy-efficient cookware in the local Kenyan market. • Adoption of clean cooking fuels such as LPG is a priority for sustainable development. • Cooking speed and heat retention were valued aspects of the tested innovative cookware • Innovative cookware can support greater uptake of LPG among low-income households. • Affordability is key for innovative cookware to be promoted in the Kenyan market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identifies relevant globally available data to develop basin and water level variation models which can be used for scenario modelling. The case study for the current research is Lake Turkana in Kenya, which is the outlet of 3 main river basins: Omo, Turkwel and Keiro. Due to the lack of data, the present paper only considers the Omo River Basin, which contributes around 90% of the inflow into the lake. Lumped and semi-lumped hydrological models were developed using the USACE’s HEC-HMS tool. The calibration and validation were carried out using the EU computed discharges of the Global Flood Awareness System as observed flow. The validated model was used to assess the impact on the lake due to the operation of three reservoirs in the basin; Gibe I, II and III. The variation of the water level of Lake Turkana was determined by using the model builder tool in ArcGIS. The lake water level model was validated using the Normalized Difference Water Index of Landsat 5 and Landsat 7 satellite imagery. Finally, using the semi-lumped hydrological model and the lake water level variation model, two scenarios were simulated to assess the lake‘s condition due to three consecutive driest and wettest years. The semi-lumped model showed satisfactory goodness of fit compared to the lumped model, therefore it is concluded that it can be used to assess the impact of upstream developments in the Omo basin, on the shoreline and water level variations of Lake Turkana with reasonable accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender equality is critical to achieving transformative action, policies and change towards sustainable ocean management. However, historically women have been largely excluded from ocean science and management programmes, including education. Recent commitment to promoting gender equality in ocean science, notably in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, aims to ensure women have equal opportunity to engage in ocean science education, research, management and decision-making. This paper investigates the roles of women in ocean science education, the challenges they face, the root causes of these inequalities, and the existing interventions to advance gender equality in ocean science. Focusing on Kenya as a case study, the paper uses a feminist political ecology lens to explore staff experiences and perceptions of gender (in)equality in public universities. The data gathered through in-depth interviews revealed that women's participation in ocean science were limited by perceptions of their male colleagues who did not believe that women can do certain technical jobs. In addition, career progression of women was found to be slower than men's, women were more likely to be discriminated against during promotions and denied opportunities to develop their careers, faced sexual harassment and bullying, and experienced work-family conflicts. These factors adversely impacted women's participation and career advancement and thus their potential contribution to a sustainable ocean. This research also revealed some good practices that the universities had in place to tackle gender inequalities such as gender equality policies and staff given a specific gender equality role (gender focal points). In conclusion, we stress the importance of having gender-transformative policies, an effective implementation process, having women-specific support structures and having women in leadership positions as crucial for promoting gender equality and ocean sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is a broad literature on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all (SDG7), the positive impact of electrification on development and on electrification strategies, there is little literature on the topic of devolved electrification governance. The paper addresses this issue by analyzing opportunities and challenges of a devolved electrification governance with Kenya as a case study. Conceptually, we base our exploration on an analytical framework adapted from work on multi-level natural-resource governance, which not only includes actors and policies, but also their interactions and power relations, and the analysis of devolution outcomes in the light of (good) governance principles. Methodologically we rely on an extensive literature review and on 24 expert interviews in Kenya. Kenya is chosen as a case study because Kenya has, after its new Constitution came into force in 2010, implemented an ambitious devolution process and is one of the few countries in Sub-Saharan Africa that has devolved important energy functions. However, our results show that devolved electrification governance in Kenya is (still) fragmented and complex, partly due to the late enactment of the Energy Act (2019). Electrification is still mainly planned and implemented by actors on the national level, although decentralized structures and technologies have become more important in recent electrification policies. We found more challenges than opportunities in Kenya's devolved electrification governance. The biggest challenge is a lack of capability in the county governments; other challenges relate to legitimacy and overlapping responsibilities, transparency and information-sharing, accountability of national actors, as well as a lack of inclusiveness and participation of local communities. Despite existing challenges, our interviewees perceive devolution as dynamic and an opportunity for electrification and universal electricity access in the long run. Overall, the article shows that while devolution provides opportunities for electrification and associated development impacts, a devolved electrification governance is challenging and requires not only transparency and information-sharing, but also support for capacity building at decentralized levels. • Kenya has ambitious legislation regarding devolution in electrification governance. • However, the implementation is delayed or even impaired. • (Good) governance is a success factor for decentralized electrification governance. • Devolution-electrification interdependencies require more case studies and research. • Properly implemented, devolved electrification governance can help to reach universal access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a violation of human rights and must be addressed as such. This paper examines whether donor practices align with a rights-based approach, using data from our comprehensive study of foreign funding flows related to GBV in Colombia, Kenya, and Uganda from 2010 to 2020. By analyzing data from 1,180 grants--and providing parallel analyses of the state of GBV, and GBV reporting and interventions in each country--we demonstrate donors' role in shaping GBV outcomes and their consequent duty to address policies and practices that violate rights. Accordingly, we propose changes in donor practices to promote realization of the right to freedom from violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public service delivery by county governments in Kenya is increasingly being recognised as a pillar of development and public engagement with citizens. Good records management practices ensure that county governments are efficient and accountable. County governments have, however, been riddled with mismanagement due to unprofessional practices that can directly be associated with deficient records management systems. This study aimed at determining the state of records management in relation to services offered by Uasin Gishu County in Kenya. Key findings indicated that Uasin Gishu County generated a lot of paper-based records. The state of records management at the county headquarters was poor, while service delivery practices were of low standards. The study concluded that the poor state of records management had contributed to inadequate service delivery, making the county government inefficient in meeting its objectives. The study recommends that Uasin Gishu County should adopt a comprehensive records management and service delivery model. Top county management should offer its support, records management standards should be adopted and adhered to, and the records system should be manned by professional staff. Research implications include the development of sound policies and pragmatic solutions that affect records management and consequently improve service provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-government practices are universally acknowledged to promote service delivery to citizens. Earlier, public service delivery in Kenya was characterised by a slow pace of service delivery, corruption, and inefficient public service providers. This led the government to implement the Huduma Kenya Programme, comprising a one-stop e-government initiative that centralises public service provision under a single roof, using an integrated system approach. The one-stop-shop model is characterised by high demand for resources and various infrastructural requirements, which pose short- and longterm challenges for governments. This paper employs the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis methodology to evaluate the current status of Huduma centres in Kenya. An integrated literature review is used. This kind of review allows the integration of various contexts and discussions of the research topic. Hence, a manual search of purposively selected articles was carried out on various websites and databases, with the emphasis on the search terms: Huduma centres AND e-government SWOT analysis. The study randomly reviewed a total number of 37 articles. The study revealed that strengths and opportunities (such as political goodwill, egovernment regulatory framework, capacity-building and improved systems interoperability) could enhance the development of Huduma e-government initiatives. Weaknesses and threats that need to be mitigated, include fragmented infrastructure, lack of adequate ICT skills, multiple systems integration complication, and improving cyber security. The SWOT analysis is expected to contribute to the constant improvement of the services offered by egovernment initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the diverse ways in which science and technology are implicated in collective imaginations of urban futures in Kenya. Despite calls for a 'deep reimagining' of African urbanisation (UN Habitat 2014), globalised narratives of urban 'smartness' are intersecting with pan-African tendencies toward top-down Master Planning to constrain spaces for collective imagining of urban futures. Using the conceptual lens of sociotechnical imaginaries and the methodological approach of Q method, we hope to open up and navigate the space of tension between the violence of narratives of failure and crisis in African cities, and the sometimes 'blinding power' of certain hyper-modernist visions of urban futures. We argue that powerful global hegemonic forces around urban transformation can sometimes be most effectively balanced, not by reproducing the same assertive idiom of stylised monothetic categories and set-piece contrasts but by illuminating diversity in the implicated imaginations. Our research describes three distinguishable overlapping imaginaries of Kenya urban futures, which we call: ' Working towards equitable, culturally-vibrant urban habitats for all '; ' Transforming our cities and ourselves to become 'smarter' and thrive sustainability in a digital future', and 'Pragmatically harnessing technology for more inclusive, equitable, liveable cities'. Our findings highlight salient dimensions of difference between the imaginaries including: diverse understandings of technology and culture in urban areas; diverse imaginaries of the urban dwellers of the future; and diverse imagined processes of change. Through detailed analysis of the distinctiveness and similarities/overlap between these imaginaries, we draw out implications for urban governance in Kenya. • Narratives of urban 'smartness' and Master Planning shape imaginaries of urban futures in Kenya. • Q methodology reveals three overlapping imaginaries of Kenya urban futures. • Dimensions of difference between imaginaries, and implications for urban governance are explored. • Combinations of relations between imaginaries are key to understanding the Kenyan context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of gender-based violence (GBV) dramatically increased. While the Kenyan governmental bodies are held responsible for their inadequate response to this "national disaster of GBV", the role of the Kenyan churches is hardly criticized. The churches neither spoke out against this prevalent injustice, nor did they openly support the victims of GBV. Furthermore, it could be argued that churches, through their patriarchal structures and cultural and doctrinal teachings, have contributed to this disaster. This article is written from a woman's perspective and focused on the notion of vumilia, or perseverance, an important notion in the lived faith of women. Vumilia is the Kiswahili word for "persevere" or "endure." It appears that a gendered vumilia theology applied to gender relations, prevents churches from adequately addressing gender-based violence. Unless and until this vumilia theology is deconstructed and balanced with a liberation theology, the church's response to gender-based violence will be superficial and insufficient. In this article, the narrative method is used to bring about the ideas and experiences of women in two Kenyan churches, the Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA) and the African Israel Nineveh Church (AINC), related to vumilia and its cultural and theological underpinnings. The article discusses the teachings of vumilia theology in these churches and their effects on women who suffer from gender-based violence. The paper also traces the resistance of church women, indicating the contours of a woman-affirming Christ-centered theology and spirituality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, the market for off-grid solar (OGS) systems providing affordable sources of energy has seen a remarkable expansion in many developing countries where coverage by the electricity grid is limited. The observed market growth has been fuelled by the provision of finance by a variety of foreign investors to private suppliers of such systems. The development of the OGS market plays an important part in meeting the development imperative of ensuring access to sustainable and affordable sources of energy for all. However, increasing awareness and criticism have emerged about the generation of electronic waste (e-waste) from solar products as an unintended negative side effect of their diffusion. In this paper, we explore whether and how investors of dominant OGS system providers in Kenya, a country that has experienced rapid growth in its OGS market, have reacted to concerns about solar e-waste by changing their funding modalities and practices. Our analysis is based on in-depth interviews carried out with a diverse sample of international investors and industry experts. We find that most investors have not incorporated requirements for managing e-waste beyond a mere box-ticking exercise in their due diligence and monitoring and compliance mechanisms. Hence, e-waste is currently not seen as a priority for investors, which raises questions about the overall environmental sustainability of such investments. To the extent that some investors have devoted attention to improving e-waste management, such efforts appear to have been motivated by the potential risks to their reputations. We also find that the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association – a global industry association for the off-grid solar sector – plays an important role in making investors aware of the link between their investments and the adverse environmental impacts of e-waste. Since most of the solar supplier firms are start-ups that are concerned with developing viable businesses, we find that investors do not want to impose another cost burden on them by requiring the introduction of elaborate e-waste management as part of their investment criteria. Furthermore, our interviews highlight the lack of adequate waste transport and recycling infrastructures and the lack of pressures from waste management regulation as key barriers to the management of e-waste. We discuss the relevance of these findings for strategies on how best to tackle the emerging problem of e-waste from OGS devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of History in Africa: A Journal of Method is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, we juxtapose two different sectors of China's economic presence in Africa: transport and digital infrastructure. Using the case of Kenya, a country that hosts several flagship corridors funded by Chinese loans and where Chinese "digital champions" have been active for two decades, we highlight some of the differences and similarities between these two forms of China's going-out capitalism in the continent. Our argument is that these 'varieties of capital' are conterminous, and they operate through both strategic and contingent overlaps within the same 'state-market nexus' and at the interface with programmes and goals of the African 'infrastructure state'. To illustrate this point, we draw on a comparative research effort inspired by a growing body of scholarship that has been labelled under the tag of 'Global China' and by a political economy reading of 'the market-in-state' system. This paper thus contributes empirically and conceptually to de-essentializing the Chinese presence in the African continent by recognizing the contextual agencies that shape it—the ambitious developmental agendas of the African state, in particular—as well as the interplay between its different corporate forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-induced migration is an increasingly pressing issue in many African regions, as rising temperatures and extreme weather events have caused the displacement of vulnerable populations. This is especially so in Eastern Africa and the Horn of Africa, particularly Kenya and Ethiopia, where extreme weather events have led to rangeland degradation, crop failures, water shortages, and food insecurity. Hence, there is a perceived need to understand these processes better. Against this background, this paper reports on a study investigating the processes associated with climate-induced migration in Kenya and Ethiopia. The research method used consisted of an expert-driven assessment approach, which assesses the causes of climate-induced migration in Kenya and Ethiopia and its human and social implications on local communities. Data were collected from 110 experts residing and working on climate and migration-related issues in Ethiopia and Kenya via e-mail, whose knowledge of the current situation has enabled the identification of some important trends. The results show that climate change is a primary trigger of migration both internally and externally. The high number of migrants, many of whom living within levels of poverty in their home areas is straining resources and services in the receiving regions. Their presence is also leading to increased competition for jobs and resources. Additionally, it has increased urban poverty, as many migrants have little access to living space and health care. This paper provides a welcome addition to the literature in that it lists the causes and implications of climate-induced migration and, by doing so, fosters a better understanding of the current crisis and its implications. The implications of this paper to the overall knowledge of climate change and migration are twofold. First, it highlights the need for governments, international organisations, and other stakeholders better to understand the complex linkages between climate change and migration. Secondly, it shows the usefulness of better recognising how climate change can drive migration and the other factors shaping the decision to migrate. The paper concludes by stating the urgent need for policies and programmes that support climate change-induced migrants. Also, it draws attention to the usefulness of promoting sustainable development in their origin countries and destinations, so that migration is not necessarily perceived as the only response to climate change. A further conclusion is that there is a perceived need for providing access to resources such as education, health care, and livelihood opportunities and establishing mechanisms to ensure a safe and dignified return for those who choose to do so. • Climate change is a significant driver for migration in Kenya and Ethiopia. • Droughts, conflicts, and crop failures are among the key drivers of migration. • Male migration is more prominent than a female one. • Limited access to productive resources leads to outmigration from rural areas. • Lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic did not cause any major migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates how refugees living in camps who graduated from a blended higher education programme have described their journey in building intercultural competences, by analysing the voices of almost 100 refugee graduates of the Diploma in Liberal Studies programme, accredited by Regis University and delivered by Jesuit Worldwide Learning. Focusing on the geographical scope of Dzaleka camp (Malawi) and Kakuma camp (Kenya), this article unveils the transformative intercultural learning that occurs in the Diploma programme, mostly appearing in the elements of knowledge and skills, attitudes, behaviour and outcomes. By anchoring this research in a context of social and geographic marginalisation, this paper contributes to the literature by investigating how a blended learning Diploma programme in Liberal Studies can serve as means to overcome physical barriers faced by students to access higher education and inner ones as graduates develop intercultural competence for their benefits and the ones of their community. Lastly, by bringing seldom heard voices, this paper reconciles the characteristics and values of intercultural competence with the intercultural needs of refugees living in camps to transform this competence into a peacebuilding tool. • Including refugees' views on intercultural competence is crucial for understanding this concept. • Refugee graduates use intercultural competence for peacebuilding and empowerment • Conflict resolution and critical thinking are emerging skills, part of intercultural competence • Blended learning transcends mobility and enables to build intercultural competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we assess the perceptions on fish consumption behaviour at different value chains using survey data from 3 coastal counties (Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale) in Kenya. Study profiled the different sectors; fishers, fish traders, fish shops, fish mongers, fish farmers and consumers. Qualitative and quantitative data was captured to evaluate availability of target species, market trends, pricing and fish consumption. A 1–5 Likert scale was adopted to analyse consumption behaviour. The Likert scale data was subjected to ANOVA analysis in SPSS to assess significance. Rabbit fish showed a higher preference compared to milkfish, Nile tilapia grown in sea water "marine tilapia" and silver pompano. High value fish attracted higher prices per kg in all seasons. The market prices of milkfish and Nile tilapia grown in sea water were 25 − 35 % lower than rabbit fish and silver pompano. There were variations in landings during North East Moonson and South East Moonson and more fish landings from open water as compared to near shore areas. Species preference was influenced by palatability, price, demand and quality meat where more than 30 % of the fisher's preferred rabbit fish based on the attributes. Farming skills, seed availability and management informed species farmed. The study demonstrated significance of demographic characteristics: family, age, culture, gender and education on fish preference. The paper reveals a need for high returns and value for money in the preference of fish species thus guiding mariculture management. Findings recommend rabbitfish as a suitable species for mariculture based on reference from both high income level and low income level consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean water facilities and services are failing the population of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), hindering the goal of "Water for All" owing to unsustainable drinking water projects and infrastructure. A vast body of literature has examined the lack of sustainability in drinking water projects, identifying: economic, technological, planning, social and political factors. However, much of the existing literature reflects fragmented and siloed thinking, often focusing on specific issues without a holistic view, masking root causes, and overlooking multi-level stakeholder involvement, necessitating deeper analysis. In addition, most studies view individual projects as pertaining to a single spatial level—such as the village level—detached from its regional or global ecosystem. This paper introduces the "Holistic Integrated Framework" developed through a study in Siaya County, Kenya, on the sustainability of water projects aimed at bridging these gaps. This tool can enhance our understanding of sustainability, allowing for a comprehensive examination and understanding of the problems. It enables the identification of multiple spatial and governance levels and their cross referencing with sustainability categories. It uncovers essential underlying factors driving project sustainability and assesses stakeholders' interconnectedness as well as the direct impact of their actions, thus assisting in addressing the myriad obstacles to sustainability. Furthermore, it identifies the regional feedback loops that perpetuate these problems. The tool is exemplified through a case study illustrating the complexity and fragility of sustainability's, emphasizing the need for a detailed, comprehensive analysis to mitigate risks. • Drinking water projects' sustainability is a complex goal and unsustainable projects hinder the goal of "Water for All". • The HIF, is a comprehensive approach for evaluating and planning project sustainability with an ecosystem's perspective. • Sustainability can only be evaluated and achieved locally. • The HIF enables to uncover multitude sustainability factors, underlying issues and stakeholders and regional feedback loops. • The HIF, assists to plan for obstacles to sustainability and thus, supports progress toward UN SDG 6.1, in SSA by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Learning & Technology is the property of Canadian Network for Innovation in Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

THIS PAPER EXAMINES AL-SHABAAB AND BOKO HARAM ACTIVITIES IN KENYA AND NIGERIA. IT EXAMINES THE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN EXPRESSED RHETORIC; CAUSAL FACTORS OF VIOLENT ACTIVITIES AND THE MODES OF OPERATION OF THE TWO MOST DREADED ARMED GROUPS IN AFRICA. RELYING ON PRIMARY, SECONDARY DATA AND CONTENT ANALYSIS OF RELEVANT LITERATURE, THE OPINIONS AND FINDINGS FROM SECURITY DEPARTMENTS, IDPS, AND INFORMATION ON THE DATELINE OF ATTACKS IN NIGERIA AND KENYA HELPS IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW BOKO HARAM AND AL-SHABAAB CARRY OUT THEIR ACTIVITIES. ALSO, THEIR OBJECTIVES AND TARGET, ARMS AND WEAPONS USED AND OTHER OPERATIONAL MODES PROVIDE THE BASE FOR COMPARISON. THE COMPARATIVE METHOD IS ADOPTED TO SHOW THAT AL-SHABAAB AND BOKO HARAM ARE SIMILAR IN THEIR MODES OF OPERATION IN SOME ASPECTS AND ARE DIFFERENT IN OTHERS. THE TWO GROUPS COMBINE ELEMENTS OF LIBERATION MOVEMENTS, INSURGENT MOVEMENT, SEPARATIST AND ISLAMIST MOVEMENTS. THEY ALSO HAVE ELEMENTS OF MILITIA, ARMED GROUPS AND REBEL MOVEMENT. AND, FUNDAMENTALLY, AL-SHABAAB AND BOKO HARAM ADOPTS TERRORISM STRATEGIES AND TACTICS COUPLED WITH CONVENTIONAL MILITARY TYPE OPERATIONS BUT BOKO HARAM HAVE BEEN MORE LETHAL IN ADOPTING MILITARY STRATEGIES AND TACTICS SUCH AS GROUND BATTLE AND DIRECT ASSAULT AGAINST THE STATE MILITARY THAN AL-SHABAAB IN KENYA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a case of implementing the free web-based interactive literacy software, ABRACADBRA, in early childhood education classes of Mombasa County, Kenya. A comprehensive model of training and support was offered to classroom teachers to help them integrate the software in preschool English Language instruction for three terms in 2019. The recorded changes in teaching suggest improvements in young students' foundational reading ability and computer skills among others. A combination of teacher resilience and school leadership drove successful implementation of ABRACADBRA. Avenues for future research include studying the effects of the software on a range of preschoolers' learning outcomes and examining the training and support model for optimal, sustainable, and scalable effects on instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, a survey of two sites, known as Jumba la Mtwana and Mnarani in Kenya took place, which date between the 14th and 16th centuries CE. The sites represent some of the Swahili towns on the East African coast that were in the precolonial period taking part in trade along the coastline, to inland Africa and as far as the Middle East, India, and China. Today, the sites feature standing remains of various architectural features constructed of coral rag, a local type of limestone. This paper reports on a high-definition survey, which for the first time documented the entirety of the standing remains, spatial layout, and a configuration of these predominantly Islamic towns. The survey was conducted using a combination of 3D scanning technologies and photography, aimed at achieving two goals - documenting the state of preservation of the architectural remains and, perhaps more importantly, answering research questions in Swahili archaeology pertaining to the organisation of the urban constructed space. The preliminary results show that data from the conducted survey bring new information on the life-cycles of mosque architecture or on the construction of exterior urban space, contributing to the discussion on the existence and organisation of streets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: This paper explored the factors limiting access to and use of hospitalbased rehabilitation services for children with cerebral palsy in Marsabit County, Kenya. The factors were unrelated to healthcare institutions providing the services and the focus was on the perspectives of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy. Method: A qualitative study was conducted with a total of 18 participants who were selected by purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the participants. Data was analysed using Erlingsson and Brysiewicz's approach to content analysis. Results: The major barriers for the caregivers were belief systems, lack of awareness of rehabilitation services, no support at home, transport problems, and cost of transport. Conclusion and Implications: Access to rehabilitation services for caregivers of children with cerebral palsy appear to be limited. Health policymakers, service providers and other stakeholders should ramp up their efforts to improve access to these services and make them services not expensive, but caregivers experience transport problems in terms of its unavailability and cost as well. Efforts at improving access could be supported by information and awareness-creation among caregivers about the importance of rehabilitation services for children with cerebral palsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional ex-ante evaluations rely on a mix of economic, environmental, and social indicators to assess the potential impacts of Genetically Modified (GM) crops prior to their commercial release. While these predictive studies have produced useful knowledge, they have also consistently overestimated the ex-post outcomes of GM crops for African smallholder farmers. Yet these same assessment methods remain the dominant approach to project farmer outcomes for a new suite of soon-to-be commercialized GM staple crops. The research presented in this paper offers a different evaluative approach for these new GM crops by taking inspiration from farming systems research (FSR). We use the conceptual starting point of FSR scholarship—the farming system—to conduct an exploratory predictive analysis of three GM crops currently in the experimental pipeline: Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) in Kenya, disease-resistant matooke banana in Uganda, and Bt cowpea in Burkina Faso. Our findings suggest that the lofty projected benefits of these crops are unlikely to be realized by many, if not most, smallholder farmers due to incongruences with the farming systems they are designed to benefit. This research demonstrates the importance of using farming system-based evaluation methods to better anticipate likely farm-level outcomes of new breeding technologies. • Conventional ex-ante evaluations of new GM varieties are too restrictive and narrow. • Farming Systems Research can be used to anticipate farm-level outcomes. • New GM varieties are unlikely to improve livelihoods for smallholder farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Common simplifications in transformation discourse can entrench unsustainability. • Acknowledgement of complex dimensionalities and temporalities is crucial. • Clear-cut dimensions of distinction before/after transformation cannot be assumed. • Transformations do not always unfold neatly and cumulatively in a given direction. • Examples from Kenya (cities) and the UK (energy) are discussed. Through interlinked theoretical and empirical analysis, this paper explores some important but neglected questions concerning efforts to achieve sustainability. To what extents do currently dominant forms of academic study and policy visions in this field, satisfactorily address the full political depth and scope of vital complexities in pathways for emerging social transformations? Are there dangers that common simplifications in mainstream ways of thinking about transformation, inadvertently help invisibly to reproduce entrenched patterns of privilege and power that drive focal problems of unsustainability? In particular, does a ' monothetic ' focus on circumscribed sites or sectoral formations with notionally few clear-cut dimensions of distinction before and after, risk missing more multiple and messy ' polythetic ' dimensionalities in which power and privilege can hide? What are the implications of common assumptions that pathways for change proceed ' monotonically ' – neatly and cumulatively in a particular direction, if real world transformations actually unfold according to more plural, undulating and unruly ' non-monotonic ' temporalities? In order to investigate these questions, the paper employs the concept of sociotechnical imaginaries to explore the constituting dimensions of contrasting understandings of 'urban transformations' in Kenya and 'the nuclear renaissance' in the UK. Q method and in-depth interpretive policy analysis are used to test patterns in relationships between imagined transformations and their unfoldings over time. The findings suggest that current mainstream approaches may indeed unduly simplify vital complexities in the ways these political dynamics play out – with potentially important practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article delves into the critical domain of sand mining and trade in the context of rapid urbanization and massive infrastructure development in Kenya. It joins the growing body of work in geography and political ecology that interrogates the social and political intricacies that govern the removal and forwarding of this 'mundane' mineral. More specifically, this article seeks to reappraise the concept of extractivism a term often applied in the discussion of mining of more inherently valuable commodities, describing a form of accumulation based on the depletion of resources in the context of unequal relations. The article focuses on Kedong Valley, a place of colossal sand removal operations, significant revenue generation, and enclave characteristics. It is an area where contestations around the environment, land ownership and use, livelihoods and political authority have long intersected and where sand mining ventures have raised the stakes for control over the land. However, uncharacteristic for extractivism, instead of a few dominant actors, the extractive agents in the Kenyan sand business are many, close and fragmented. The need for effective governance of sand extraction ties together different claims to regulatory authority expressed through norms, regulations, interests and coercion. The self-organization of loaders, for example, has built considerable leverage for collective claim-making, exposing the 'socially thick' relations of extraction practices. The paper demonstrates that the concept of extractivism realizes its analytical value when complementing its structural take with attending to how claims to political authority are made through extraction practices in concrete places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pay-as-you-go (PAYGo) financing models play a vital role in boosting the distribution of solar-home-systems (SHSs) to electrify rural Sub-Saharan Africa. This financing model improves the affordability of SHSs by supporting the payment flexibility required in these contexts. Such flexibility comes at a cost, and yet the assumptions that guide the PAYGo model design remain largely untested. To close the gap, this paper proposes a methodology based on unsupervised machine learning algorithms to analyse the payment records of over 32,000 Rwandan and 25,000 Kenyan SHS users from Bboxx Ltd., and in so doing gain detailed insights into users' payment behavioural patterns. More precisely, the method first applies three clustering algorithms to automatically learn the main payment behavioural groups in each country separately; it then determines the preferred customer segmentation through a validation procedure which combines quantitative and qualitative insights. The results highlight six behavioural groups in Rwanda and four in Kenya; however, several parallels can be made between the two country profiles. These groups highlight the diversity of payment patterns found in the PAYGo model. Further analysis of their payment performance suggests that a one-size-fits-all approach leads to inefficiencies and that tailored plans should be considered to effectively cater to all SHS users. • Data-driven analysis shows shortcomings of pay-as-you-go model for solar home system users. • Clustering algorithms reveal new level of user payment behavioural diversity. • High frequency of late payments does not necessarily lead to high default rates. • Current solar home system financing models overlook low payment frequency users. • Distributers should consider more tailored plans to match different customer groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land is an important resource globally and its administration and management are crucial in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for example goal 15 and targets 1.4, 2.3, and 5.a. Most land information, more so in the developing countries, are paper based and manually managed. Several countries are working on digital migration for land processes and administration. This is done by first developing a data model for both land parcel and attribute information. International Standards Organization (ISO) Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) was developed in 2012 as a universally accepted model for managing land information. Since then, several countries have developed their country profiles, while others are in the process of developing their regional or country profiles based on their unique requirements. In Kenya, work on a country profile is underway. Several factors need to be considered while developing or extending a LADM country profile. These include a defined scope and stakeholder involvement. Sound methodology is required to deliver a country model. Reviewing the existing legal framework and processes is key. Consequently, the needs of the users and reviewing the earlier proposed models is important. This research, has in addition, interviewed stakeholders and experts on land administration in Kenya and validated these through Focus Group Discussions. To meet requirements related to gender rights and recordation, community land rights, pastoralists seasonal occupation of land and informal occupation required special attention in the process of developing the model for Kenya. The required attributes, Rights, Restrictions and Responsibilities (RRR) and relationship between the classes were also identified. This paper provides a comprehensive set of requirements for developing an extended country profile for Kenya based on the ISO LADM. • Land administration domain model. • Kenyan Profile. • Adapting LADM. • UML. • LADM Requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Women face unique risks associated with food insecurity and climate change. • Changing childbearing may be an explicit livelihood strategy. • Women respond to growing season conditions by adjusting fertility behaviors. • Ensuring availability of diverse family planning services is a priority. Agricultural production and household food security are hypothesized to play a critical role connecting climate change to downstream effects on women's health, especially in communities dependent on rainfed agriculture. Seasonal variability in agriculture strains food and income resources and makes it a challenging time for households to manage a pregnancy or afford a new child. Yet, there are few direct assessments of the role locally varying agricultural quality plays on women's health, especially reproductive health. In this paper we build on and integrate ideas from past studies focused on climate change and growing season quality in low-income countries with those on reproductive health to examine how variation in local seasonal agricultural quality relates to childbearing goals and family planning use in three countries in sub-Saharan Africa: Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Uganda. We use rich, spatially referenced data from the Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) individual surveys with detailed information on childbearing preferences and family planning decisions. Building on recent advances in remote monitoring of seasonal agriculture, we construct multiple vegetation measures capturing different dimensions of growing season conditions across varying time frames. Results for the Kenya sample indicate that if the recent growing season is better a woman is more likely to want a child in the future. In Uganda, when the growing season conditions are better, women prefer to shorten the time until their next birth and are also more likely to discontinue using family planning. Additional analyses reveal the importance of education and birth spacing in moderating these findings. Overall, our findings suggest that, in some settings, women strategically respond to growing season conditions by adjusting fertility aspirations or family planning use. This study also highlights the importance of operationalizing agriculture in nuanced ways that align with women's lives to better understand how women are impacted by and respond to seasonal climate conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently proclaimed Ocean Decade by the United Nations General Assembly is committed to gender equality and women's empowerment in ocean science research and governance. This paper examines the status of gender equality in ocean science research across higher education institutes in Kenya. Kenya has ratified international conventions for gender equality and developed national and institutional gender equality and sexual harassment policies as its commitment to promoting equitable access to education. However, it is poorly understood whether the implementation of these policies has been successful at the institutional level. This study explores the effectiveness of the institutional gender policies in public universities delivering ocean science-related degrees. Existing policies were analysed using the Gender Integration Continuum and gender ratios of enrolled students and recruited staff in ocean science-related fields investigated. The study identified that while some policy provisions included gender-transformative strategies to increase women in science-related courses, many were outdated. Gender-disaggregated data showed fewer female students and female staff in management positions compared to men. Additionally, the proportion of women in academic posts declined with the seniority of employment level, and women were more likely than men to occupy non-tenured positions. In conclusion, it appears that the presence of gender policies does not necessarily translate to gender balance across the universities. We offer some explanations as to why this should be and where to direct future research needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

East African marine waters, particularly those impacted by the East African Coastal Current, have a reputation for data sparsity that presents significant challenges to efforts to develop, implement, and operate effective management and governance structures to sustainably manage fisheries and the marine environment. As many coastal communities are dependent upon the ocean for livelihoods and sustenance marine resources are a central component of regional food security. However, the growing challenge of increased food insecurity in response to growing human populations, increased pressures on marine resources and the impacts of climate change is significant and improved knowledge about the marine environment is urgently required to better support decision making efforts to address this challenge. In this introductory paper we present the key findings from a series of observational, numerical and socioeconomic studies addressing issues facing marine food security in the coastal regions of Tanzania and Kenya. [Display omitted] • Editorial to accompany special issue on East African Coastal Current. • Focus on fisheries, marine food security and climate change impacts. • Summarises results from physical and social science surveys. • Describes challenges related to use of marine robotics. • Includes studies that range from pelagic to mesophotic to deep-water environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]