Master Theses and Dissertations

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    Effects of dexamethasone on antibody response and anaemia in Sprague Dawley rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei.
    (Kenyatta University, 1991-09) Gitonga, Linus Muthuri
    Sprague Dawley rats infected with Trypanosom·a brucei brucei strainIL3579 (2616) developed parasitaemia characterised by intermittent remission and relapses. Infected rats developed progressive anaemia that was macrocytic normocytic. The rats responded to trypanosome infection by formation of antibodies, as shown by, enhanced y-globulin levels and agglutination of trypanosomes by serum derived from infected rats. Dexamethasone treatment, using different concentrations administered 24 hours before infection, ablated the antibody response as evidenced by reduced r-globulin levels in the treated groups. In dexamethasone treated rats, parasitaemia were elevated and remission eliminated, suggesting the involvement of an antibody in trypanosome clearance in rats whose humoral response was not compromised. The corticosteroid treatment also ameliorated the infection induced anaemia, as evidenced by reduced percentage fall in haematocrit. It is, therefore, most probable that the r-globulin fraction not only plays a key role in trypanosome clearance but also in the aetiology of anaemia in rodent trypanosomiasis.
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    Gender Relations and its Implication in Rural Development: A Case Study of Mwingi Central Division, Kenya.
    (University of Nairobi, 2004-08) Mwenzwa, Ezekiel Mbitha
    In every human society, gender relations are an integral part of everyday life. In Kenya, they are crucial in rural development particularly when it is observed from a human development perspective. Based on the foregoing, the study set out to explore the prevailing gender relations and their implication for rural development in Mwingi Central Division, Mwingi District, Kenya. The objectives of the study were: to determine the effect of an individual’s decision-making capacity on personal access to community resources; to find out the nature of conjugal property ownership and its relationship to individual empowerment; and to investigate the interaction between gender-based division of labor and individual participation in development activities. Three theoretical frameworks guided the study.
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    Survey of Production Practices and Evaluation of Onion Varieties Susceptibility to Thrips in Kirinyaga District, Kenya
    (2009) Kibanyu, James Kimani
    In Kenya, dry onion, Allium cepa L., is among the most important vegetable crops for domestic market. However, records indicate that onion production does not meet the local market demand resulting to imports. To identify onion production constraints experienced by onion growing farmers, a field survey was conducted in Kirinyaga District of Central Kenya, an area where commercial production of onions was promoted since 1950s. Insect pests were significantly rated as the most limiting factor in production of onions followed by diseases, lack of capital, unreliable onion market, weed control and inadequate supply of water for irrigation in that order. The findings of the present study were expected to provide baseline information upon which solutions to the many problems affecting onion production would be addressed. The second part of this study involved evaluation of the level of susceptibility of onion varieties to attack by onion thrips (Thrips tabaci Lind.). Field trials were conducted at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) centres at Mwea and Thika. Results indicated that different onion varieties available in Kenya had different levels of susceptibility to attack by onion thrips. BSS 230 Hybrid and Red Comet onion varieties significantly harboured the highest and the lowest number of onion thrips respectively. Red Creole, Bombay Red and Texas Grano had medium levels of susceptibility. Highly leafy onion varieties tended to harbour a higher number of thrips compared to the less leafy ones. Infestations of onion varieties by large number of onion thrips adversely affected the growth of onion crop. Red xxi Comet although significantly harbouring the least number of onion thrips displayed the highest loss of growth and was, therefore, the least tolerant to damage by thrips. Onion varieties grown in Kenya had the capacities of producing over 30 t/ha. Texas Grano onion variety significantly produced higher yield than all other varieties tested. BSS 230 Hybrid was also high yielding despite the high number of thrips harboured by the variety. Red Creole and Bombay Red had moderate yield capacities. Red Comet significantly produced the lowest yield. Increased thrip load led to increased yield loss for all the varieties. However, Red Comet onion variety recorded the lowest thrip load but had the highest percent yield loss implying that it was least tolerant to damage by onion thrips. Infestations of various onion varieties by thrips were found to peak three months after transplanting. High temperatures and low rainfall tended to encourage higher levels of onion thrips on onion plants. It was revealed that the damage of onion leaves by onion thrips depended on their numbers. BSS 230 Hybrid and Bombay Red onion varieties were found to significantly show the highest foliar damage score compared to the rest of the varieties. There were no significant differences in the mean frequencies of onion foliar disease incidences among the varieties. However, infestations by onion thrips had the potential of increasing incidences of onion foliar diseases. Results indicated that Texas Grano and Red Comet onion varieties significantly produced the highest and the lowest quality onion bulbs respectively. Arising from the above findings, it could be recommended that regular outreach programmes should be conducted in the onion growing area by relevant stakeholders to address the identified production xxii constraints. The present study should closely be followed by another survey to evaluate the impacts of the implementation of intervention strategies. On the other hand, Texas Grano could be recommended as an important variety to be grown in Kenya for markets where pungency was not an important quality factor. BSS 230 Hybrid, Red Creole and Bombay Red could also be recommended to farmers in Kenya. BSS 230 Hybrid and Red Comet required improvements through plant breeding programmes.
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    Impact of teacher burnout in secondary schools In Mathira east district, Kenya
    (Karatina University, 2014) Waithanji, Grace Wanjiru
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    Developing a Knowledge Management Strategy for The Marist International University College, Nairobi - Kenya.
    (University of South Africa, 2015-02) Anduvare, Everlyn Mmbone
    Marist International University College, Nairobi – Kenya is challenged with problems like duplication of work due to lack of a central repository for knowledge, loss of knowledge through expertise leaving the institution without knowledge being captured and over reliance on a few known subject experts as others have not been identified. This research thus set out to address these problems. The aim of the study was to conduct a knowledge management assessment at the Marist International University College (MIUC) in order to identify and recommend a suitable strategy for the institution. The study employed a concurrent triangulation mixed methodology approach which encompassed a questionnaire and an interview schedule to collect data from 33 academic staff and 9 members of the MIUC management respectively. These two groups were purposively selected as the target population for the study as they play the key role in knowledge creation at MIUC. All 33 copies of the questionnaires that were distributed to the teaching staff were returned by respondents and all the 9 MIUC members of management were successfully interviewed. Data transformation analysis was applied during which qualitative data from open-ended questions and interviews were quantified using content analysis. Quantitative data in the questionnaires was descriptively analysed using SPSS. The study revealed a variety of informal knowledge management structures and resources at MIUC and the challenges of managing knowledge at Marist. The main challenge was that there was no uniformity and consistency in the management of knowledge. The study hence, formulated a KM strategy for MIUC that would help leverage its knowledge assets.
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    Factors influencing the low enrolment in physics among secondary school students in Murang’a south district, Kenya
    (2015-05-12) Kimani, Gilbert Ng’ang’a
    Kenyan Secondary school students in form one and two are exposed to a broad curriculum that comprises of eleven or more examinable subjects. Towards the end of form two, the students are given an opportunity to reduce the number of these subjects to a minimum of seven. By so doing, they are given the opportunity to make their choices from a group of optional subjects, which include Physics. It has been observed that Physics has been faced with declining popularity amongst the students leading to low students’ enrolment both in Murang’a South District and also at the national level when compared with other optional subjects. In the year 2012 only 31% of the students registered for KCSE within the country had chosen Physics while in Murang’a South only 32.5 % had selected it. The main objective of this study was to investigate how the low enrolment in Physics is influenced by student related factors, subject teacher, parents and availability of physical resources in a given school. In carrying out the study, the researcher was guided by Atkinson’s achievement motivation theory. The study employed descriptive survey research design. It was carried out in 4 public secondary schools within the Murang’a South District. The respondents included 4 secondary school principals, 4 physics teachers and 64 students giving a total of 72 respondents. Sampling of the schools was done in a way that ensured representation of single gender schools and mixed schools. The students sample was drawn from the form threes and the form fours. The research instrument used was a questionnaire. To establish the validity of the research instrument, the researcher involved experts in research, mainly the supervisors and lecturers of Karatina University. Reliability of the research instrument was established through piloting. The data obtained was subjected to test retest technique, out of which the reliability coefficient was computed and found to be 0.82. The research instruments were then proved to be reliable. Data was then analyzed and interpreted. The results obtained indicated that student related factors such as peer pressure and attitudes contribute to low enrolment in Physics. The low enrolment was also found to have been influenced by the subject teacher. Findings from the study indicated that the parents and physical facilities have little or no influence in the low enrolment. The study therefore recommended that peer influence should be discouraged among the students while teachers’ workshops and seminars should be organized to educate them on how to uplift the enrolment in Physics. It was further recommended that the parents should be brought on board regarding subject choices.
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    A balanced scorecard approach to measuring performance of five star hotels in Nairobi, Kenya.
    (Kenyatta University, 2015-07) KUIRA, JOB
    Performance measurement is a term that refers to the process of quantifying the efficiency and effectiveness of past actions. Traditional models for determining the performance and effectiveness of employees rely heavily on financial accounting indicators. However, this study shifts the perspective of how performance measurement can be conducted. In today‟s competitive environments, hotels are competing in terms of non-financial measures like product quality, delivery, reliability and customer satisfaction. None of these variables are measured by traditional financial measures despite the fact that they represent major goals of hotel operations. The purpose of this study was to measure performance using the balanced scorecard. This study sought to measure the performance of five star hotels in Nairobi County using the balanced scorecard approach; to compare selected indicators in five star hotels in Nairobi according to perceived performance; to establish if there is a relationship between performance of hotels using the balanced scorecard with selected variables such as age, gender, professional qualification and experience of the managers. The study was a complete census of five star hotels in Nairobi. The research design was a cross sectional survey and purposeful sampling method was utilised. Research instruments comprised of semi structured questionnaires which were administered to the respondents who were the departmental managers in the hotels sampled. Research instruments were pretested so as to establish their validity and reliability. The research had fifty-five respondents. Data was analysed both qualitatively and using descriptive statistics. One way ANOVA was used to compare the performance of the selected indicators in successive years. Chi-square test and Correlations were also used. The findings of the study revealed that 20 (36%) of the respondents used a balanced scorecard as a method of measuring performance, while 16 (29%) used key performance indicators (KPI). The use of a balanced scorecard for measuring performance in five star hotels resulted in improved quality of guest profiles for 40 (73%) of the managers in five star hotels in Nairobi County whereas 37 (67%) of the managers experienced an increase in training hours per employee. From the analysis of variance (ANOVA), there were significant differences in the mean performance of financial (p=0.000), learning and growth (p=0.014) and internal process (0.000) indicators at 5% level of significance. The study recommended that employees in the five star hotels in Nairobi County through the departmental heads should be enlightened on the value of performance measurement especially using a balanced scorecard approach.
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    Impacts of Bush Encroachment By Euclea divinorum on Wildlife Species Diversity and Composition in Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya
    (2018-09) Mutunga, Kavwele Cyrus
    Savannah landscapes are extensively social-economically important ecosystems which support livelihoods. Despite their importance, they are facing a biome shift due to natural and anthropogenic induced perturbations leading to increase in woody species, a phenomenon referred to as bush encroachment. In Ol Pejeta Conservancy (OPC), Euclea divinorum, unpalatable woody species has become a concern due to its invasion into other habitat types which can potentially affect resources for various feeding guilds, consequently affecting ecosystem services. This study examined vegetation cover changes from 1987 to 2016, topographic features attributable to these cover changes, differences in species diversity and composition in encroached and non-encroached habitats as well as habitat preference or avoidance by various feeding guilds in the conservancy. Landsat images acquired during dry seasons were processed and classified into various vegetation cover types. Infra-red motion triggered camera traps were deployed in 2km by 2km grids for 14 days and nights in June 2016 to examine species diversity, composition and habitat preference or avoidance by various feedings guilds in OPC. Results revealed that E. divinorum cover increased upward significantly from 1987-2016 (Mann Kendall test for trend analysis tau 1, n=6, p<0.01). Further, digital elevation models, contours and slope based normalized difference vegetation index had influence on encroachment patterns by E. divinorum. Shannon Weiner diversity revealed that species diversity and richness was higher in E. divinorum and lowest in Open grassland dominated areas while Hierarchical Cluster Analysis revealed that percentage similarity in species composition was highest between E. divinorum and mixed bushland habitats. Jacobs’ Index means revealed that E. divinorum habitat was significantly avoided by all feeding guilds (t1=2.253, d.f=3, p<0.01) while A. drepanolobium dominated habitats were significantly preferred (t1=2.353, d.f= 3, p=0.03). The findings show that increase in E. divinorum cover, which has higher species diversity and evenness, however is avoided by all feeding guilds in OPC. As such, there is need to actively manage encroaching species as well as further research on impacts of encroachment on grass biomass and diversity. These findings are beneficial to policy makers regarding management of healthy ecosystems.
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