Census and ear-notching of black rhinos (Diceros bicornis michaeli) in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya

This paper updates the status of the black rhino population in Tsavo East National Park (NP). Data were acquired through aerial counts of the black rhino between 3 and 9 October 2010 using three fixed-wing husky aircrafts and a Bell 206L helicopter in an area of about 3,300 km2. Based on previous sightings of rhinos, the area was divided into 14 blocks, with each block subdivided into 400 m transects. An aircraft flying at about 500 m above the ground was assigned to carry out the aerial survey following these transects within each block. Observers scanned for rhinos about 200 m on either sides of the flight paths. Intensive searches in areas with dense vegetation, especially along the Galana and Voi Rivers and other known rhino range areas was also carried out by both the huskies and the helicopter. The count resulted in sighting of 11 black rhinos. Seven of these individuals were ear notched and fitted with radio transmitters and the horns were tipped off to discourage poaching. Three of the seven captured rhinos were among the 49 animals translocated to Tsavo East between 1993 and 1999. The other four animals were born in Tsavo East. Two female rhinos and their calves were not ear-notched or fitted with transmitters. It is recommended that another count be carried out immediately after the wet season as the rhinos spend more time in the open areas while the vegetation is still green. The repeat aerail count is to include blocks north of River Galana

An exploration of opportunities and challenges facing cervical cancer managers in Kenya

BACKGROUND: Kenya like other developing countries is low in resource setting and is facing a number of challenges in the management of cervical cancer. This study documents opportunities and challenges encountered in managing cervical cancer from the health care workers’ perspectives. A qualitative study was conducted among cervical cancer managers who were defined as nurses and doctors involved in operational level management of cervical cancer. The respondents were drawn from four provincial hospitals and the only two main National public referral hospitals in Kenya. Twenty one [21] nurse managers and twelve [12] medical doctors were interviewed using a standardized interview guide. The responses were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and the content analyzed in emerging themes. FINDINGS: Four themes were identified. Patient related challenges included a large number of patients, presenting in the late stage of disease, low levels of knowledge on cancer of the cervix, low levels of screening and a poor attitude towards screening procedure. Individual health care providers identified a lack of specialised training, difficulty in disclosure of diagnosis to patients, a poor attitude towards cervical cancer screening procedure and a poor attitude towards cervical cancer patients. Health facilities were lacking in infrastructure and medical supplies. Some managers felt ill-equipped in technological skills while the majority lacked access to the internet. Mobile phones were identified as having great potential for improving the management of cervical cancer in Kenya. CONCLUSION: Kenya faces a myriad of challenges in the management of cervical cancer. The peculiar negative attitude towards screening procedure and the negative attitude of some managers towards cervical cancer patients need urgent attention. The potential use of mobile phones in cervical cancer management should be explored

Sustainable tourism and economic growth nexus in Kenya: policy implications for post-Covid-19

Purpose: The COVID-19 global pandemic has caused an unprecedented socio-economic impact. It has also raised our awareness of the role sustainability needs to play in our economic activities. This study investigated how sustainable tourism has contributed to economic growth in Kenya. Research Methodology: Eviews 10 software was used to analyze the time-series data. Drawing on data from 1995 to 2020, Johansen co-integration, Granger causality, and regression approaches were used. Results: The study found out that tourism employment and GDP are positively connected to economic growth in Kenya. The causality was unidirectional from economic growth to tourism contribution to GDP and employment, with a long-run linkage of the study determinants. Limitations: Since this research used the secondary sources of data, similar studies in the future may concentrate on the primary data sources to investigate the relationship between tourism employment and economic advancement. Contribution: At the new normal in the post-Covid-19 period, the study suggests that legislators and tourism policymakers should focus on the policies aimed at promoting sustainable tourism. Sustainable tourism should be managed following the three pillars of sustainability. Keywords: Development, Domestic, Moderate, Regional, Scenari

Contribution of Sustainable Tourism to Economic Growth in Kenya: Implications for Policy

Sustainable tourism presents an essential engine for social and economic development, and has a great capability for stimulation of employment and enterprise, especially for youth and women. Over the last decades, the measurement of sustainable tourism has been expanded and diversified even as debates on the appropriate approaches continue. In spite of this, the significance of sustainable tourism to employment and GDP is mostly underestimated in policy-making and strategy in tourism development. In recent years, there have been limited studies that established the effects of sustainable tourism development on economic growth. A longitudinal research design was adopted in obtain secondary data about Kenya from the World Travel and Tourism Council and the International Monetary Fund. E-views 10 software was used to analyze the time-series data. Drawing on the data from 1995 to 2020, Johansen co-integration, Granger causality, and regression approaches were used. Tourism GDP and tourism employment were adopted as measures of sustainable tourism, while real GDP per capita was employed as a measure of economic growth. The study found out that tourism employment and GDP are positively connected to economic growth in Kenya (β = 0.546086, p=0.000 < 0.05). The results indicated unidirectional association between economic growth, contribution to GDP and tourism employment. The findings indicated that a rise in Kenya’s economic growth significantly improves sustainable development of the tourism industry. The study suggests that legislators and tourism policymakers should focus on the policies aimed at promoting the ability of the tourism industry to provide more employment opportunities and contribute to GDP by tapping on the current economic growth. For long-term economic growth, tourism should be developed following the three pillars of sustainability

Factors Influencing the Development of Capital Markets in a Developing Economy: A Case Study of Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya

The study examined the factors influencing the growth and development of capital markets in an emerging economy.  The study focused on the factors that influence the growth and development of the Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya (N.S.E.). This study sought to survey the factors that impinge on the growth and development of the stock market. The Nairobi Securities Exchange has experienced lack luster performance over its entire existence since it was founded in 1954. Over the years the number of stocks traded has stagnated at around 53 quoted companies. Ordinarily one would expect to find a significant degree of correlation between economic growth and the growth of the stock exchange. The former has averaged 3.8% p.a. in the period 1985-1996 while the latter averaged only 0.6% as measured by the number of quoted companies. To achieve the study objectives both primary and secondary data was used. Primary data was generated through the administration of questionnaires to the stakeholders of the NSE. Key informants were drawn from managers of investment banks; staff of the NSE, capital markets Authorities, Ministry of finance, Economic planning and the Central Bureau of statistics. The target population were all the 53 firms listed at N.S.E.  Stratified random sampling based on the segmentation of the trading counters was used for sampling the population of the study.  A sample of 30 firms was selected. Data was summarized using the inferential statistical methods. Descriptive research design was adopted and used for the study. The findings of the study indicated that the government policy reforms were viewed as having major influence on the growth and development of capital markets in Kenya. The NSE has experienced growth over the previous years, however the rate of growth has been dismal. The key factors that influence the growth and development of NSE include the strong regulatory and legal framework, good macroeconomic environment, investor education and awareness, improved market infrastructure, and increased participation by foreign investors. Keywords: Capital Markets, Nairobi Securities Exchang

Influence of Market Development Strategies on Sustainable Conservation of Heritage Sites in Nyeri County, Kenya

In the recent years, heritage sites have faced numerous challenges, including cultural commercialization, organic dilapidation, development pressure, inadequate marketing and improper use and maintenance. Kenya has begun to embrace sustainable heritage tourism development goals that are aligned with Kenya\u27s Vision 2030. This paper examines the influence of market development strategies on the sustainable conservation of selected heritage sites in Nyeri County. Ansoff\u27s marketing and sustainable development theories underpinned the study’s theoretical foundation. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was adopted. The target population included local community, tourists, and key informants from the County government of Nyeri, the National Museums of Kenya, and site supervisors. The sample size was 762 respondents, consisting of 384 locals, 367 tourists, and 11 key informants. Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative data analyzed using the SPSS through descriptive and inferential analysis. Qualitative data followed a content analysis, with responses grouped as themes. The response rate for questionnaires was 66.2%, while that of interviews was 100%. The results of correlation analysis revealed that market development strategies (r=0.551, p=0.000) statistically exhibited a positive significant relationship with the sustainable conservation of heritage sites in Nyeri County. The study concluded market development strategies a catalyst for attaining sustainable conservation initiatives by promoting tourism activities using aggressive marketing techniques, utilize market segmentation to increase customer bases, and having a management department that orchestrates viable marketing ideas resulting to increased market bases, translating into sustainable initiatives of heritage sites to meet the demand and uphold sustainability. The study recommends a market development strategy to be anchored on the County\u27s economic policies and plans to ensure that heritage sites are allocated the required funds to develop their marketing goals, with a structured management team for accountability on matters of heritage sites and active involvement of the locals

Promotion of hand hygiene for patients with memory problems : a guide for caregivers to promote hand hygiene

Hand hygiene is the practice that involves cleaning the hands using water and soap or hand wash to remove harmful microorganisms that are capable of causing healthcare-associated infections. Hand hygiene adherence rates among patients with memory problems remains a concern in many care homes worldwide. Hand hygiene is the cornerstone to infection prevention and control in care homes. Poor hand hygiene increases the risk of acquiring of healthcare-associated infections among patients, with the infections presenting significant threats to care homes, and influencing the rates of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. The purpose of this thesis was to create an educational poster that could be used by caregivers to promote and maintain hand hygiene practices among patients with memory problems. The thesis discussed the interventions to promote hand hygiene for patients with memory problems. The interventions targeted caregivers of patients living in care homes. The evidence based on the key messages of the poster revealed hand hygiene interventions and strategies for patients with memory problems including the use of reminders, environmental modifications, simplified teaching methods, routine integration, use of musical cues, and peer support and group activities. The thesis recommended the need to conduct further research on how the level of awareness of caregivers about hand hygiene influence their abilities to ensure hand hygiene adherence for patients with memory problems and what caregivers consider as the most effective strategies for promoting hand hygiene for patients with memory problems

Does Portfolio Quality Influence Financial Sustainability? A Case of Microfinance Institutions in Kenya

This article studies the relationship between portfolio quality and the financial sustainability of microfinance institutions in Kenya. The analysis is based on a panel dataset of 30 microfinance institutions in the period 2010 to 2018. The study is guided by institutional theory which is built on conformance and continuity. The study adopts an explanatory research design where a panel approach is used under positivist paradigm. The study finds that portfolio quality has a positive significant effect on the financial sustainability at 1% statistical significance level. Based on this finding, the study concludes that portfolio quality is an essential element of MFIs financial sustainability. The study recommends that MFIs managers should devise good collection policies to improve portfolio quality while lessening loan default rate. The portfolio quality may improve the overall profitability and enhance investor confidence in their strategic decision-making on refinancing. It is important to note in order to ensure financial inclusion; the stakeholders must be involved

ICT Marketing and its Influence on the Growth of Serviced Accommodation Facilities in Kwale County, Kenya

The hospitality industry is increasingly utilizing Information Communication Technology (ICT) for product and service development, serving a discerning customer base. The dynamic and complex business environment demands constant innovation and adaptation of management concepts and emerging technologies. This study aimed to assess the influence of ICT staff marketing and the growth of serviced accommodation facilities in Kwale County, Kenya. A descriptive design research method was adopted and focus on serviced accommodation facilities within Kwale County. The data mainly used primary data and supported by some secondary which was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire (closed and open-ended questions). The questionnaires were dropped and collected at a later time to owners, supervisors, and managers of the serviced accommodation facilities. The sampling was done through simple random sampling and the size was 254 respondents. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as regression analysis was used and the former presented using mean, percentages, graphs, and frequencies. Thematic analysis was used to present qualitative aspects and help group data for statistical analysis. Findings from the study indicate a strong correlation between ICT marketing and the growth of SAFs in Kwale County. (R = 0.698). Some of the barriers to ICT adoption identified include high costs, lack of infrastructure, insufficient training, and resistance from staff. Strategic Recommendations for Improving ICT marketing include; more government support, more incentives, and continuous training among staff. The findings of this study were useful to various stakeholder groups including academicians, policy makers, hotel managers, and potential investors. Keywords: ICT marketing, serviced accommodation facilities, hospitality Industry and Tourism Growth

Influence of Financial Leverage on Financial Sustainability: A Case of Microfinance Institutions in Kenya

Microfinance institution plays a crucial role in economic development and financial inclusion. Financial sustainability is the key dimension to microfinance institutions growth. This further indicate the importance of which Financial sustainability is. Therefore, the present study investigated the effect of financial leverage on MFI financial sustainability. The specific objective was to establish the effect of financial leverage on the financial sustainability of MFIs. The study was guided by agency theory and life-cycle theory. The study adopted an explanatory research design where a panel approach was used as well as the positivist paradigm. The study adopted the census approach method. Panel data was drawn from 30 MFIs for a period between 2010 and 2018 from the mix market database using the data collection schedule. The study used both descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze data with the help of STATA software. Fixed effect model based on Hausman test (X2 = 45.41, p= 0.000 ≤ 0.05). Based on the findings of the study financial leverage ( the study had a positive and significant effect on the financial sustainability of MFIs. The study recommended MFIs managers to engage in the prudent use of financial leverage so that they enhance their overall profitability and boost investor confidence in their strategic decision-making resulting in financial sustainability. The results have an implication to business managers and policymakers given the vital role in service delivery and the challenges hindering the sector from the realization of financial sustainability in the economy