The marine fishery in Kenya is predominantly small-scale and artisanal with about 11,000 fishers intensely fishing near shore coastal reefs using minimally selective fishing gears. A large majority (88%) of fishers use outdated equipment such as basket traps, beach seines, hand lines (hook and lines), fence traps, gillnets, spearguns and cast nets. Handmade canoes propelled by paddles (kasia) or sail power are used to access offshore waters, while only a few fishers have motorized boats. Although fishers along this coast know and express the potential of offshore fishing, most of them are disempowered and unable to access any of the largely untapped offshore pelagic resources. Using a unique dataset from four distinct coastal areas: Funzi-Shirazi bay area, Diani-Chale area, Mombasa-Kilifi north coast area and the Malindi-Ungwana bay area, containing species level length frequency catch data from the multi-gear and multi-species fishery, abundance of specific species, gear use comparisons in various regions, catch per unit effort and total catch estimate over a nine year period (2001 – 2009) were evaluated. Despite high diversity in the fishery, five species (Lethrinus lentjan, Siganus sutor, Leptoscarus vaigiensis, Lethrinus harak and Parupeneus macronemus) represented over 75% of the catch. A total of 11 legitimate gears were observed in this coastal artisanal fishery with basket traps (42%) being the most popular. Fishers along the Mombasa-Kilifi area predominatly used beach seines while those in Diani-Chale, Malindi-Ungwana bay and Funzi-shirazi bay predominaltly used spearguns, gillnets and basket traps, respectively. Apart from gillnets, a general declining trend for most of the gear types was observed since 2004. Beach seines recorded the lowest (20.9±0.2 cm) mean length while gillnets recorded the highest (34.2±0.3 cm). The highest catch (~26,000 metric tons) came in 2001 and the lowest (~15,000 metric tons) in 2005. The highest number of fishers was observed in 2008 while 2009 recorded the highest (4.8±2.3) mean number of hours per outing. The mean annual CPUE per region ranged from (1.5 kg.fisher-1.hr-1) in Diani-Chale to (1.0 kg.fisher-1.hr-1) in Malindi-Ungwana bay. Making use of questionnaire data, the attitudes towards offshore fishing strategies, FADs in particular, were evaluated. Some communities (about 25% in every location) were not even aware of FAD fisheries. With the imminent introduction of a FAD fishery in Kenya, it was concluded that, for this fishery to realize its full potential, training on FAD fishing techniques has to be done. Finally, effective management is necessary if small-scale fisheries are to continue providing food security for many poor coastal communities. Gear-based management in Kenya, although under represented and under studied, has the potential to be adaptive, address multiple objectives, and be crafted to the socio-economic setting. Management effectiveness in near shore fisheries has generally been evaluated at the scale of the fish community. However, community level indicators can mask species-specific declines that provide significant portions of the fisheries yields and income. This thesis seeks to identify ways in which the Kenyan artisanal fishery can be sustained and managed from within coastal communities, giving them the resources and education to effectively improve their lives. The introduction of a offshore FAD fishery and hence access to offshore pelagic species provides an opportunity to not only alleviate pressure on coastal resources but also to empower coastal communities and contribute to the growth of Kenya’s national economy as a whole.

A 20 X 30 km2, 15 station, seismic network operated for 3 months in 1985, near Lake Bogoria in the Kenya Rift. The array provided both continuous and triggered seismic data. This thesis is concerned with the local earthquakes which occurred within 30 km of the network, in a 50 X 80 km2 study area including parts of the Rift shoulder and the central trough. 572 small events (ML < 2.7) could be located accurately (+2 km) in 3 dimensions. Unexpectedly, most of the seismic activity is associated with the major faults of the Rift shoulder, rather than the younger, minor faults in the central trough. A linear group of events in the central trough do not correspond to any surface feature, and seem to indicate a buried fault. The depth distribution of the seismicity peaks at 9 km and diminishes below 12 km, and the "brittle-ductile" transition is inferrred to occur within a 12 - 16 km depth range. This distribution is similar to those in other young intracontinental regions, suggesting a normal crustal rheology. Only a few events provided well-constrained focal mechanisms. Normal, steeply dipping, N-S striking fault plane solutions could be fitted to almost all events in the central trough. 12 of the best solutions were used to determine the stress orientation, the results indicated near-horizontal E-W extension, but this direction was poorly constrained. Suitable seismograms displayed shear wave polarisation and splitting compatible with the predictions of Extensive Dilatancy Anisotropy (EDA) theory. Instrinsic anisotropy, due to the basement fabric, is probably present, but the EDA should dominate the observations, thus allowing a determination of present-day stress orientation. Suprisingly, two dominent polarisation directions were seen in different parts of the array, indicating a change from E-W to NW-SE "tension" within the network.

The subjects of this research are Kenyan medical scientists. The study aims to investigate the Kenyan medical scientists' information behaviour in the context of their research information acquisition. It also aims to show how research can function in conditions of relative information deprivation. The theoretical framework of the study has been designed to include both quantitative and qualitative methods. Wilson's model of information behaviour is used to develop the conceptual framework of this study. Triangulation is used in data collection and is achieved by the use of interviews, documentary analysis and observation. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques have been used for the analysis of data It is found that the medical scientists work under conditions of relative information deprivation. Libraries are inadequate and have deteriorating collections, while informal personal contacts are difficult to establish and maintain. Personal collections are thin and disparate while travel to conferences is also severely constrained. In spite of this, excellent research is continuing using the limited resources available. An attempt is made to show how research functions.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Tian Xia / Between the years 2008 and 2017, pasta imports in Kenya grew at a rate of 16.12%. This is from data obtained from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Growth is projected to continue and can be attributed to factors such as population growth which grew from 38 million to 50 million for that period of time. This population is projected to keep growing and double by the year 2050. GDP per capita grew 58% from US$ 916 to US$ 1,455 between the years 2008 to 2016. This has resulted to growth of middle-class families and increased their purchasing power. Changing lifestyles has led to increased number of dual-income families where both husband and wife work, creating food habits that call for fast and convenient foods. Without domestic production, Kenya imports all its pasta. With the increased demand, it might be the right time for import substitution. This research seeks to find out if it is economically feasible to commercially produce and market pasta in Kenya. The research begins by simulating investment in a small scale pasta production plant in Kenya, followed assessing costs and revenues expected in the seven-year life of the investment. It involves starting up the plant, producing, marketing, and distributing the resulting pasta goods. It is funded through a Kenyan Shilling (Ksh.) 12 million loan from a local bank, payable in seven years at a 14% interest rate. From costs and revenues projections, cash flows are determined. The project’s feasibility is determined by evaluating the cash flows using both Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) methods. Using the NPV method, the project has a positive NPV of Ksh.1,286,282.00. When using the IRR method it has an IRR of 45% which is above the cost of capital. It is concluded that the project is feasible. It is also noted that both semolina cost (main pasta production raw), and pasta sales price are important feasibility drivers. NPV’s sensitivity to both is therefore determined. From the analysis, the project remains feasible at all proposed pasta sales prices, as long as semolina cost does not exceed Ksh.56/Kilogram.

D.Phil. (Curriculum Studies) / The study highlights the conceptual and practical challenges in providing initial teacher education that promotes, amongst other factors, coherence with the prescribed school curriculum. It investigates a History Teaching Methods (HTM) course offered by a university in Kenya to clarify how course related documents, lectures, students’ microteaching lessons, and perceptions about these three aspects obtained from interviews with a teacher-educator and students addressed what the course had to provide as possibilities for the acquisition of professional knowledge and skills that would enable students to teach effectively the secondary school History and Government (H&G) subject. Through a review of literature on curriculum coherence and theories on ethical pedagogic practice and communication combined with primary data collected in Kenya, I explain the nature of the challenges in the HTM course. The challenges, I argue, are primarily a result of overlooking the disciplinary requirements of History. The findings suggest that misconceptions about professional responsibilities of the teacher-educators are largely responsible for the descriptive approach that characterises the pedagogical practices they promoted. The absence of engagement with disciplinary requirements in lectures contributed to the nature of the devices that were used by students to teach. In order to clarify the nature of these pedagogic challenges, I adopted a generic qualitative approach to the research. The direct contact and discussion with a teacher-educator and students enabled me to explore their understanding of the requirements of teaching history at school level. Through observations of lectures I established how the teacher-educators considered these requirements as important to the teacher education they provided. Through observing students’ microteaching lessons I was able to establish their understanding of the nature of historical knowledge and how it ought to be approached when teaching. The study contributes to the general field of teacher education by having devised a conceptual orientation that can be drawn on to establish what is necessary to teach school history effectively, namely, the importance of normative critical thinking and contextual sensitivity. In this study, I indicate the pedagogic processes that need to be considered and constantly in place to teach history by drawing on relevant paradigms and conceptual orientations belonging to the discipline. I found that teacher-educators underplay the importance of these factors and view them as having to be considered by academic entities that are directly involved with history as a discipline. It is due to this oversight that the programme seemed to emphasise descriptive and procedural orientations in initial teacher education. I conclude by suggesting that a course that educates student teachers for, amongst other reasons, teaching H&G at secondary school in Kenya, has to consider firstly, what is essential to history teaching and learning as a discipline and secondly that effective history teaching has to be informed by reasoning that is not only relevant to History as a discipline but also its practicality to the objectives of school history.

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / Chronic low back pain is a highly prevalent condition in industrialized nations. It is associated with activity limitations, disability, has significant economic impact on society and incurs personal cost. Today's working environment increasingly demands more time spent sitting due to computerization and other advances in technology. Sitting for hours without taking breaks may influence posture, and alignment of the lumbar spine. Therefore, it may influence low back pain. Kenya as a developing country has an increasing number of people involved in sedentary work. The aim of this study was to identify the predisposing factors of chronic low back pain among sedentary office workers in Nairobi. The main objectives were to establish the prevalence of chronc low back pain; to determine the possible predisposing factors of chronic low back pain and to determine the impact of chronic low back pain on work related quality of life among sedentary office workers in Nairobi, Kenya. / South Africa

An examination of an organic extract of the cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula collected from Wasini Island off the southern Kenyan coast led to the isolation of the known cyclodepsipeptide antanapeptin A (7), recently isolated from a Madagascan collection of L. majuscula, and a new bioactive cyclodepsipeptide, homodolastatin 16 (42). Although L. majuscula is a common, pantropical cyanobacterium this study represents the first investigation of the natural product chemistry of a Kenyan population of L. majuscula. The structures of the two cyclodepsipeptides were determined from 2D NMR and mass spectrometry data. The L- stereochemistry of the proline, valine, and N-methylphenylalanine amino acids in 7 and the L – proline configuration in 42, was confirmed by Marfey’s HPLC method. Chiral GC was used to determine the absolute stereochemistry of the hydroxyisovaleric acid moiety in 7 and 42, the lactate residue in 42 and tentatively propose an L-stereochemistry for the Nmethylisoleucine amino acid in 42. Homodolastatin 16, a higher homologue of the potential anti-cancer agent, dolastatin 16, exhibited moderate activity against two oesophageal cancer cell lines.

The aim of this study was to examine the changing image of women in the oeuvre of Francis Imbuga. Focusing on seven stage plays and two novels published between 1976 and 2011, the study examines the depiction of female characters within the social, cultural and political contexts of post-independence African societies. The depiction of female characters in literature has attracted the attention of numerous scholars globally, particularly with regards to negative female stereotypes in male authored works. This study explores Imbuga’s attitude towards female stereotypes and gender inequalities in literary texts. Using an eclectic framework that includes feminist criticism, feminist stylistics, gender theory and the formal strategies of literature, the study examined gender relations in these texts through the analysis of language and discourse of characters. Further, the study uses the interpretive methods of textual analysis to categorize these works into three phases based on their portrayal of female characters. This method reveals a systematic transformation in the characterization of women from disadvantaged positions in the patriarchal society to more prominent positions in the contemporary society. The study demonstrates that Imbuga makes a positive response to feminism and devices a unique perspective on feminism that celebrates both the domestic and public roles of female characters. In this sense, the female characters contribute to the moral content and aesthetic values of Imbuga’s works. The study concludes that Imbuga views the transformation of female characters in literary texts as part of the broader social change that is desirable in the society. Ultimately, this vision involves shifting focus from the preoccupation with gender inequalities to concern for the welfare and dignity of the human person. Based on the conclusions, recommendations for further study include investigation into the educative and social role of the performing arts as a means of raising consciousness on issues such as HIV/Aids, use of indigenous knowledge in solving contemporary issues, incorporation of African morality and traditions in contemporary literature and a comparative study of Imbuga’s feministic vision with that of other writers.

The metabolic disorder diabetes; is a global epidemic affecting people in developed countries and increasingly in developing countries. In two decades time, 350 million people will be diabetic at the current rate of prevalence. In a preliminary study, insulin resistant rats were treated with Prunus Africana (plant A) for 28 days. Plasma samples obtained from P. africana treated rats had increased insulin levels compared to normal and untreated insulin resistant rats (Karachi, 2009). The treatment of insulin resistant rats with P. africana also showed increased glucose uptake in rat adipose tissue (Karachi, 2009), suggesting that P. africana had anti-diabetic properties. The aim of the study was to investigate the mechanism of the anti-diabetic properties of P africana extract. Increased insulin secretion was confirmed by the increased Cpeptide concentration in plasma samples of rats treated with P. africana. In order to explain the high insulin levels, several hypothesis’ were investigated: (1) P. africana may increase insulin secretion in β cells, hence the effect of P. africana on insulin secretion by INS-1 cells was investigated; (2) P. africana may increase insulin secretion by prolonging the half-life of glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) by decreasing dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) activity; the effect of P. africana on DPP IV activity was determined spectrophotometrically, (3) P. africana may increase the half-life of insulin in the plasma by decreasing the activity of insulin degrading enzyme (IDE); the effect of P. africana on IDE in rat muscle and spleen samples was investigated. To explain the increased glucose uptake in adipose tissue observed in the previous study two parameters were investigated: (1) increased GLUT4 expression in P. africana treated rats; the effect of P. africana treatment on the expression of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), (2) P. africana may increase glucose utilization; the effect of P. africana on glucose utilization was determined in 3T3-L1 cells. The plant extract did not significantly increase insulin secretion by INS-1 cells in the absence of glucose. P. africana decreased DPP IV activity in rat plasma when compared to the untreated insulin resistant rats and this could be a mechanism by which insulin secretion is increased during plant treatment. P. africana decreased IDE activity (however not significantly) when compared to the untreated insulin resistant The effects of a Kenyan antidiabetic plant on insulin homeostasis KY Suleiman VII rats. P. africana appeared to have no effect on GLUT4 expression. The plant appeared to increase glucose utilization in 3T3-L1 cells in the absence of insulin suggesting that P. africana may have insulin like activity. In summary, this study indicates that P. africana is indirectly involved in inhibiting DDPIV. This in turn can increase the half life of GLP-1, which in turn can enhance the secretion of insulin. P. africana increases glucose utilization although there was no evidence that the GLUT 4 transporter has a higher expression in the plant treated rats. Further studies should be conducted to investigate the expression of GLUT1 under the same conditons.

This study focuses on the Kenyan mediation of the Somali conflict and strategic intervention engagement between 2002 and 2012. The core aim of the study was to establish and evaluate the role and effects of track-one diplomacy on conflict management and post-conflict reconstruction as pertains to the Somali conflict and on the basis of the Kenyan experience. A qualitative approach was followed in this study. It employed a descriptive, explanatory and analytical case-study method. The data were collected through interviews and documentary analysis. The twenty-two participants in the study were drawn from the Kenyan Foreign Ministry, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA), the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), the East African Standby Force Co-ordination Mechanism (EASFCOM), the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), the African Peace Forum Organization (APFO), and selected respondents representing the Somali people. The documents comprised policy treatises, protocols, treaties, and communiqués highlighting the actions of the Kenyan government and other track-one actors in the Somali peace endeavour. Other scholarly research on official diplomacy, soft-power and conflict management by small States – in particular African case studies – were also utilised. The study revealed that Kenya’s diplomatic and stabilisation efforts had their own dynamics and challenges. This is especially so with regard to the preferred policy option of exercising diplomacy that utilises soft-power resources. This diplomacy had to contend with the challenges of dealing with sensitive aspects of the process. These sensitive aspects involved a recognition of and complicated engagement with the Somali conflict-constituencies, and a complex mapping of various actors and their respective interests. Contrary to the expected outcomes, interests and issues 17 proliferated, and the original peace-making agenda was consistently slowed down and complicated. The study also revealed that Kenya ought to have exercised a non-directive role in dealing with the different Somali conflict players. This role provides that such an “interested mediator” ought to exercise some considerable influence over the mediation environment. It also emerged from the study that as pertains to the current peace-making developments in Somalia that began in 2005 onwards to 2012, it is important that different intermediary co-operative roles be recognized and utilised. Towards this end, the study recommends that Kenya’s diplomacy should adopt a strategy of co-operation with those regional regimes that it helped to establish. A case in reference is the diplomatic opportunity of utilising regional arms control and disarmament diplomacy. This is Kenya’s intermediary co-operative role with RECSA, which is mandated to support arms control and disarmament implementation efforts in the East African region. The study also recommends that strategic foreign policy and regional actions by Kenya should be taken up given its new lease of engagement, noting that it was officially integrated into AMISOM in 2012. The study posited that in the ongoing engagement environment there would be a ‘revisiting’ of the experiences and complexities of the first phase of engagement (2002-2004). It is, therefore, recommended that Kenya should seize this opportunity and continue with its ‘facilitative and enabling role’ in its peace diplomacy, while utilising the lessons learnt in past engagements.