Journal of Social Sciences, Education and Humanities

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Albinism as a Literary Trope in Goro Kamau’s Ghosts and Fortune Hunters
(Laikipia University, 2022) Mutie Stephen.,; Albert Rutere.
Debates on the centrality of literature to the modern man have been steadily gaining momentum in literary circles. Writers have also been accused of their disinterest stance in issues that hound the 21st century society. This paper examines albinism as both a literary motif of exposing and indicting other myriad problems affecting modern society and a symbol of resistance in Goro Kamau’s Ghost and Fortune Hunters. The paper argues that since Kamau gives the narrative of albinos’ predicament, he opens other layers of social, political and economic issues affecting the ordinary person in the society, most of which are a product of modernity. The problems range from poverty, corruption, crime, abuse of the law, only to mention a few. Indirectly, the author indicts modern society for marginalising the albinos simply because of their skin colour. By critiquing modern society, the author becomes a conscious examiner of his community. This argument is primarily located within the ideological lenses of postcolonial theory and supplemented by the reader-response theory. Using these theories, this paper examined albinism as a trope for highlighting and condemning issues like poverty, corruption, crime, and abuse of law. The paper obtained its primary data for analysis and presentation from a close reading of the selected text. This study will immensely contribute to literary criticism of children and adult literature as well as literature, politics, and social justice, among other related disciplines. Keywords: Albinism, fortune, ghosts, hunters, marginalisation, unmasking
Biogas Technology Uptake in Tanzania: Improving Energy Pliability, Challenges and Prospects
(Laikipia University, 2013) Wawa, Anna Ibrahim.,; Hashil, Twalib Abdallah.
Energy crisis is a serious problem in Tanzania and its shortage is serious especially in oil and wood fuel, particularly in the rural areas. Several NGOs in the country have therefore introduced biogas technology as an alternative source for renewable energy. Despite its potential, the adoption of biogas technology is however low. This paper tries to address the issues through which biogas technology can be harnessed to improve the current shortage of energy in Tanzania. It discusses such a possibility especially by examining three important areas; the current energy status of the country, challenges on uptake of biogas technology as an alternative energy source, and the future prospects of making biogas technology an effective source of energy in the country. Categorically, authors argue that the provision of energy services has to be implemented through an interdisciplinary process that addresses the interface between climate change, energy provision services, and the role and needs of targeted groups within Tanzania. An ideal prospect of biogas technology in Tanzania depends mainly on local anchorage as an important factor for supporting income-generating activities and government financial support towards fulfilling requirements in respect to alternative energy sources. Ultimately, the prospects of biogas technology in Tanzania can be viewed from its usefulness in the fields of rural energy, agriculture, health, residential housekeeping, and environmental conservation, thus contributing to achieving poverty reduction goals in the development policies. The lesson is that lack of government involvement in promoting and supporting biogas activities will negatively affect the speed of its uptake. Key word: Biogas Technology, Energy, Pliability, Challenges, Prospects
Conversational Songs of Meru Men: The Hidden Proverbial Wisdom in the Performers’ Pragmatic Rivalry
(Laikipia University, 2013) Rutere, Mugambi Albert.,; Kirigia Eliud.
The main objective of this paper is to examine the social significance of conversational songs as sung by Meru men in the Meru community of Kenya, while making a critical linguistic and literary analysis of them. Meru men have a variety of song performances which address the community’s daily activities and are very popular for their educative and entertainment value embodying the community’s accumulated experience passed from one generation to the next. To name a few, there is reenta performed by elderly men, auuthi performed by young, energetic, newly circumcised men and kirarire and Kiama performed across age groups. Though performed in different styles and instrumentation by different age groups, the songs are similar in form and content and take a protracted conversational structure, involving the soloist, the respondent and the choral audience. Proverbial wisdom characterizing the songs is replete with aphoristic expressions, which are highly rated as a source of knowledge. The songs comprise the soloist’s witty lines punctuated with repetitive affirmative syllables aaha -iiihi characterized by a rousing rhythm and a lilting tune. The songs are rich in analogy and metaphor, revealing the community’s verbal economy, in which word power is mystic. The data for this paper was collected by the first author for a period of ten years as a participant as well as a performer in his own right. The songs are used to demonstrate the proverbial knowledge underpinning the pragmatic (mock) rivalry between the soloist and his interlocutor in passing Meru community’s knowledge from one generation to another. This paper demonstrates the vibrancy of Meru men’s creative impulse as custodians of the community’s wisdom. A.L. Austin’s (1962) Speech Act Theory and H.P Grice’s (1975) Theory of Conversational Implicature are used to analyze the songs. Key words: conversational songs, proverbial wisdom
Effects of Experiential Cooperative Concept Mapping Instructional Approach on Secondary School Students’ Motivation in Physics in Nyeri County, Kenya
(Laikipia University, 2013) Wambugu, W Patriciah.,; Changeiywo, M Johnson.,; Ndiritu, G Francis.
The study of Physics in Secondary Schools is necessary in building up knowledge, basic skills, attitudes and competencies necessary for human resource needs in socio-economic development. Students in Universities and Tertiary colleges should therefore be motivated to enrol in Physics and pursue courses that require Physics. Although learner centred instructional approaches have been encouraged in teaching secondary school Physics, there has been low student enrolment in Physics at Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). This study aimed at finding out the effects of Experiential Cooperative Concept Mapping (ECCM) on students’ motivation to learn Physics. Solomon Four Non-equivalent Control Group Design under the quasi- experimental research was used. A stratified random sample of 12 Secondary Schools was drawn from Nyeri County. Four boys’ alone schools, four girls’ alone schools and four co- educational schools were randomly assigned to four groups with a total of 513 Form Two students. Students in all the groups were taught the same Physics content of Magnetic Effect of Electric Current. The experimental groups were taught using ECCM approach while the control groups were taught through Regular Teaching Methods (RTM). Two groups were pre-tested prior to the implementation of treatment. After five weeks, all four groups were post-tested using the Student Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ). The instrument was validated and pilot tested before use. The reliability coefficient for SMQ was 0.81. The instrument was scored and data analyzed using t-test, one-way ANOVA and ANCOVA at a significance level of alpha equal to 0.05. The results of the study showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the motivation means of students who were taught through ECCM and those taught through RTM. The researchers recommend the use of ECCM in addressing motivation of students towards learning physics and the current low enrolment in the subject in Kenya. Key words: Experiential Cooperative Concept Mapping (ECCM), Regular Teaching Methods (RTM), Secondary School students, Physics, Motivation, Nyeri County.
Effects of Interaction of Graduates in Empowering Rural Communities through a BAC- GORTA Scholarship-Training Programme of selected areas in Kenya
(Laikipia University, 2013) Kingau, M John.
Training institutions dealing with agriculture and rural development in Kenya face major challenges in their approaches and methods to education and training. These challenges include but are not limited to; inadequate funding, falling student enrolment, inadequate practical skills, poor quality and irrelevant programmes, diminishing graduate employment opportunities and lack of clear and well articulated vision and mission. This has led to inability of such institutions to achieve their training and education objectives. Consequently, some development partners have shown greater concern and interest in supporting training institutions in Kenya. Against this background, a study was carried out on one such scholarship programme in selected parts of Nyanza, Rift-Valley and Western provinces of Kenya. Both qualitative and survey research design were adopted in the study. Data was collected from a sample of 100 graduates selected from a population of 280 past graduates. A questionnaire was used to collect the required data. The collected data was collated, coded and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics at significance level of 0.05. This paper examines the effects of the scholarship training programme offered by Baraka Agricultural College in Kenya and supported by GORTA, a Northern development partner. The results show how the scholarship support scheme facilitated in the empowerment of communities and enabled them attain some levels of sustainable development. Further, the paper reveals that through the scholarship scheme, graduates have actively played their roles in their communities by contributing positively to changes in communities’ livelihoods as well as achieving their self-reliance expectations. This study concludes by highlighting the need for support for training institutions and key persons in the community to act as facilitators of development and consequently provides recommendations to various stakeholders. Key words: learning, scholarship, rural, empowerment, communities, development
Going beyond Numbers: the Need for a Paradigm Shift in Understanding Women’s Political Participation in Kenya
(Laikipia University, 2013) Ndambuki, Jacinta.
Women continue to lag behind in many countries in the South in terms of political representation and efforts to understand this have mainly focused on the form of democracy such as numerical aspects of women’s participation in the political process. Numerical aspects of women’s representation though undoubtedly important in understanding women’s political participation does not seem to adequately address women’s lack of participation in politics. It is in view of this that I argue that there is need for a paradigm shift to give more attention to the substance of democracy i.e. the discursive aspect in the study of women’s political participation in Kenya. Drawing on findings from research on the representation of women’s issues in Kenya carried out in Makueni District, the argument in paper is that since language plays a critical role in the construction of reality, a study of language is critical to understanding women’s political participation. The study draws on an eclectic model that cuts across language, gender and politics. The findings of the study indicate that at the level of representation, women, politicians and other community leaders use deficit discourses to talk about women’s issues. They all draw on the prevailing discourses about women. This language reflects and reproduces the exclusion of women in the political process because it is hard for women to believe that they have a contribution to make when they are interpellated by these deficit discourses; it might explain the relatively low voices of women in the democratization process in Kenya. A dual focus on the form and substance of democracy illuminates the importance of participation in democracy as a means to social justice. Key words: Women’s agency, Deficit discourses, Participation, Democracy, Social justice.
Influence of Selected Factors on Job Satisfaction among Middle Level Managers in Public Secondary Schools in Rongai District, Kenya
(Laikipia University, 2013) Waiganjo M.,; Bowen, K Dave...(et.al)
Middle level managers in secondary schools play pivotal role in monitoring the implementation of school curriculum which is expected to translate to excellent school performance. However, many schools in Rongai District have continued to perform dismally in national examinations. According to the Rongai District Education Strategic Plan (2009-2014), the students’ performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examinations had continued to plummet continuously for five years. The same strategic plan identified low job satisfaction as one of the major factors which negatively affected performance in the district. Therefore, the objective of this study was to establish the influence of selected factors on job satisfaction among middle level managers in secondary schools in Rongai district, Nakuru County, Kenya. This study employed a cross- sectional survey design. A Sampling frame of Middle Level Managers comprising Deputy Principals and Heads of department was constructed from all public secondary schools in Rongai district. A total of 144 out of a sample size of 153 Middle Level Managers selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques participated in the study. Data was collected using a questionnaire which had a reliability coefficient of 0.83 calculated using Chronbach’s alpha formula. Multiple Regression model was used to analyze the data where Parsimonious models were obtained and validated. The most significant factor that influenced job satisfaction was found to be job-itself factor. Further analysis was carried to determine the influence of each specific job itself variable on job satisfaction. The study found that ‘pride in the job’ significantly influenced job satisfaction. The findings may be used by Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in the recruitment of middle level managers as well as creating clear opportunities for their advancement to boost their job satisfaction. Key words: Job-Satisfaction, Job -Related Factors, Job-Opportunities, Parsimonious Model
Nandi Age Set System and Ethnic Conflict in Contemporary Kenyan Politics
(Laikipia University, 2013) Chelang’a, James K.,; Jeannette Dickerson-Putman.
Kenya is known as home to a number of age-set communities. Among them are the Kalenjin, a speech community made up of eight culturally related groups. Traditionally, the community categorized its members into different distinct age groups and age grades based on annual generational initiation rites. The young community members went through circumcision which marked transition from childhood to adulthood. The male initiates in this community defined their specific generation and age set or grade. This system contributed significantly to the development of male identity and intra-set solidarity, created warriors to protect communities, to carry out raids, and regulated behaviour between generations. It also reinforced the mystical, and judicial status and power held by the community elders. The age set system further curbed inter-group and intra-group conflict while at the same time providing models for conflict resolution and restoration of social harmony. Despite a long history of colonization and globalization, age set/grade principles continue to influence male identity and inter-generational relationships among members of this community. This paper draws upon ongoing research on the Kalenjin groups in Kenya with the interest of exploring the role that male age set identity played in the activities surrounding the 2007 Kenyan General Elections. Key informant interviews were employed to collect primary data from the Nandi sub-ethnic group of the Kalenjin between November 2007 and April 2009. The research findings indicate that politicians manipulated the age set system for political objectives and this has partly eroded the age set institution. The paper recommends the development of a new curriculum for circumcision rituals that can provide some alternative role models for members of contemporary male age sets/age grades and avoid the future misuse of the age set system. It is hoped that these new rituals and intergenerational identities can provide a foundation for a more harmonious response to future social strive especially those that relate to politics. Key Words: Age Sets, Age Grades, Conflict, Ethnic group / community.
Strengthening Institutions for Good Governance: Representation and Electoral Processes in Kenya
(Laikipia University, 2013) Mutiso, Rose.
The end of the cold war not only signified an end to the conflict between the ‘East’ and the ‘West’ but also marked the beginning of an era where authoritarian regimes were being challenged by the emphasis on more accountable and transparent systems of governance and democracy became a ‘catch’ word in International politics. Consequently, many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are in the process of institutionalizing democracy and a democratic culture through various mean; the most notable being the change to new constitutions that entrench democratic principles. The objective of this paper is therefore to evaluate the current political reforms in political representation and electoral processes in Kenya, as well as the challenges in these processes, while at the same time highlighting the role of the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) in these processes. In particular, the paper focuses on two key areas; Representation and Electoral reforms in Kenya. Concerning Representation, the paper seeks to address the issue of greater inclusivity and equality with a focus particularly on the inclusion of women and minorities in political representation and decision making processes. On Electoral processes, the paper seeks to address the entrenchment of well organized, transparent and sustainable election processes, with particular emphasis on the need for a strong, independent and trusted election body as well as the legislation to support its work. The paper has made use of qualitative data and research conducted by the Centre for Multiparty Democracy as well as a review of existing literature. Key Words: Democracy, Governance, Electoral Reforms, Women’s Political Representation, Political Parties.
The 2010 Constitution and Electoral Governance in Kenya: Prospects for the Prevention of Electoral Violence
(Laikipia University, 2013) Mumo, Nzau.,; King’oro, Stellah.
Since the advent of multi-party politics in the early 1990s, Kenya has experienced a series of violent episodes characterized by loss of lives, destruction of property and internal displacement. Interestingly, these spates of violence seemed to be associated with electoral politics, particularly before or immediately after General Elections. The worst of these cycles was that witnessed in late 2007 and early 2008 in which nationwide violence led to 1,300 deaths and the internal displacement of at least 630,000 people. In February 2008, the two main contending sides- Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Party of National Unity (PNU) - agreed to the enactment of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act; a move that brought an end to violent hostilities among their supporters, thereby averting full-scale civil war in the country. The Accord underscored among other issues, addressing fundamental and long-term causes behind the violence, including legal and constitutional reforms. It was against this background that the country promulgated a new Constitution in August 2010. In this paper, we interrogate pertinent issues surrounding electoral governance in Kenya with specific reference to the ability of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya to secure a favourable, sustainable and institutionalized electoral governance environment in the country. At the core of the discussion is the question of whether or not electoral violence can be mitigated, prevented and effectively handled under the new constitutional dispensation.