Employee Turnover and Operational Performance of Commercial Banks in Rwanda

Employee turnover was the movement through which an organization hired and missed its employees. This might be voluntary, involuntary, internal transfer, and retirement turnover. The objective of this study was to analyse the employee turnover and operational performance of commercial banks in Rwanda, a case of KCB Bank Rwanda located in Nyarugenge District, Rwanda. The specific objectives were to analyse the effect of employee compensation on operational performance, to determine the impact of employee overscheduling on operational performance, and to find out the impact of employee favouritism on the operational performance of KCB Bank Rwanda. This quantitative research used the descriptive research survey design with questionnaire as research instrument where 80 questionnaires were distributed to 80 employees by using both physical and digital approaches forms due to situations of COVID-19. The data collection took six months and consisted of 15 Microsoft forms, 40 physical forms, and 25 emails responses. The data analysis was done by using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 through which the census method was applied, and the descriptive method was used to make the conclusion and has been applied to determine the reliability and validity at 0.8%. This research contributed to the management of employee turnover to improve operational performance of commercial banks in Rwanda. It indicated that KCB Bank Rwanda recognized a considerable rate of employee turnover at a percentage of 46.5% since its creation in 2008 year to December 2020 where the low number of recruited employees compared to the number of employees who exited. This was caused by factors including poor employee compensation, employee overscheduling and employee favouritism. The study discovered that the research objectives were major causes of employee turnover that affected the operational performance of KCB Bank Rwanda at a percentage of 13.8%. Data analysis showed that compensation affected the bank’s operations at a percentage of 73.8% (see table 4.9.), overscheduling at 50.1% (see table 4.7), and favouritism at 56.3% (see table 4.8). The study discovered that the most concern of KCB Bank Rwanda was not the relevance of number of employees who left but the quality of those employee and the targets they had set during the set and submission of the annual balanced scorecard, which affects the operational performance review. The research recommended that the management should review the compensation policy to match the operational performance, reduce favouritism by approaching marginal employees, and reduce overscheduling by re-examining the job descriptions and visiting employee’s office to discover added and non-corresponding duties that attracted the employee turnover in the KCB Bank Rwanda

Relationship Between Risk Management Practices and Investment Decisions in Bank of Kigali, Rwanda

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between risk management practices and investment decisions in Bank of Kigali, Rwanda. This study adopted correlational research design. Descriptive statistics include those of the mean, standard deviation and frequency distribution while inferential statistics involves use of spearman’s coefficient correlations. Linear regression was used where ANOVA was carried on each variable. The study found that there was a correlation between liquidity risk management, default risk management and market risk management with performance of the Banks. The study findings indicated that credit risk management (r=0.096, p<0.01), liquidity risk management (r=0.347, p<0.01), market risk management (r=0.506, p<0.01) and operational risk management (r=0.612, p<0.01) on financial performance. It however found that the Banks do not involve experts and consultants in market risk management thus recommendations were made for the Banks to revise their credit risk management policies, open up and share information with other players on market risk thus involve consultants more in their market risk management and to be more proactive than reactive in risk management. The study concluded that, risk management has a positive influence on the investment decisions and that risk monitoring can be used to make sure that risk management practices are in line with proper best practice risk monitoring policies which also helps bank management to discover exposures at early stages and make corrective actions. The study recommended that, Senior management should develop strategies, policies and practices to manage risk in accordance with the Banks risk tolerance and to ensure that the bank maintains sufficient liquidity risk cover

Étude des propriétés rhéologiques et du transport du remblai cimenté en pâte en conditions nordiques

"RÉSUMÉ : Le projet minier Meliadine (propriété des Mines Agnico Eagle, Ltée) au Nunavut étudie la possibilité de recourir au remblai cimenté en pâte (RCP) pour remblayer les chantiers souterrains vides. Compte tenu de températures très basses en hiver, il faut que le RCP puisse être transporté et distribué aux chantiers souterrains sans être gelé durant le transport en pipelines à un faible coût de pompage. Du fait que les chantiers miniers sont ouverts dans le pergélisol, le RCP doit aussi atteindre la résistance mécanique visée dans des conditions de cure à basse température. L’évolution de cette résistance mécanique devrait dépendre de l’évolution de la température de cure du RCP, incluant la température de déposition du RCP dans le chantier souterrain. La salinité naturelle de l’eau du pergélisol ainsi que celle apportée par l’utilisation de sels de déglaçage du minerai représentent un nouvel facteur d’influence non considéré dans les études existantes sur le RCP. Il s’avère pertinent de pouvoir prédire non seulement le comportement rhéologique du RCP en fonction des conditions thermiques au cours de son transport en pipeline, mais aussi l’évolution de la température du RCP le long du pipeline. Ce projet de recherche avait pour objectif principal de développer des outils d’aide à la conception du système de distribution de RCP dans les mines souterraines situées dans les zones de pergélisol. De façon plus spécifique, les objectifs du projet de recherche consistaient à : 1) étudier l’effet de la température et de la salinité sur les propriétés rhéologiques et thermiques des mélanges de RCP; 2) réaliser des mini-essais d’écoulement en boucle (mini flow loop tests) afin de déterminer des pertes de charge et la distribution de la température du fluide le long des pipelines; 3) calibrer un modèle numérique avec les données de tests d’écoulement en boucle et simuler l’écoulement du RCP dans un réseau de distribution à une échelle réelle en tenant compte des échanges thermiques internes et externes, et du comportement rhéologique du RCP." et "----------ABSTRACT: The Meliadine mining project (property of Agnico Eagle Mines, Ltd.) in Nunavut is studying the possibility of using cemented paste backfill (CPB) for backfilling the voids in the underground workings. Given very low outside temperatures in winter, it is necessary that the CPB be transported and distributed to the underground workings without being frozen during transportation in pipelines at a low pumping cost. Because the mine workings are open in permafrost, the CPB should also achieve the desired mechanical strength during the time of curing under low temperature conditions. The evolution of this strength should depend on the evolution of the curing temperature of CPB, including the deposition temperature of the CPB in the underground site. The natural salinity of permafrost as well as that provided by the use of salts to deglaze the ore is a new influence factor should also be considered. It is relevant to predict both the rheological behaviour of the CPB based on thermal conditions and the evolution of the temperature of the CPB along the pipeline during its transportation in pipeline (for determining the deposition temperature). The main objective of this research project was to develop tools to support the design of the CPB distribution system in underground mines located in permafrost zones. More specifically, the objectives of the research were: 1) to study the effect of temperature and salinity on the rheological and thermal properties of CPB; 2) to perform mini flow loop tests to determine the pressure drops and the distribution of the paste temperature along the pipeline; 3) to calibrate a numerical model with the mini flow loop test data and simulate the flow of CPB in a full-scale distribution network taking into account the internal and external heat exchanges and the thermo-rheological behaviour of the CPB.

Prevalence of cervical cytology abnormalities among HIV infected women at Rwanda Military Hospital

Objectives: To establish the prevalence of cervical cytology abnormalities, determine the correlation between CD4+ cell count and abnormal Pap smear, determine the correlation between WHO-HIV staging and abnormal pap smear among HIV infected women attending HIV clinic at Rwanda Military Hospital.Design: Cross-sectional descriptive studySetting: Rwanda Military Hospital Kigali, RwandaSubjects: All HIV-positive women, 18-69 years who had been or were sexually active and were attending the HIV-clinic and consented to participate in the study.Results: Two hundred and ninety three women infected with HIV had cervical smear taken for cytology. Of the 293 women who were recruited for the study, cervical Squamous Intra epithelial Lesion (SIL) were present in 58 (20%). Of those with cervical SIL, 33 (56.89%) women had low-grade SIL, 15(25.86%) had Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance (ASCUS), six (10.34%) had high-grade SIL, three (5.17%) had Squamous cell carcinoma ( SCC) and one (1.72%) had Atypical Glandular Cells of Undetermined Significance (AGUS). In the current study, use of ARV drugs was not associated with a reduction in the risk of cervical SILConclusion: A high prevalence of cervical SIL was found among HIV-infected women at Rwanda Military Hospital. Increased immune suppression was significantly associated with cervical SIL

Joint replacement in Zambia: A review of Hip & Knee Replacement surgery done at the Zambian-Italian Orthopaedic Hospital

Background: Incidence of major joint replacement surgery is on the rise in Africa but this trend has not been matched by proper audits in the form of National Joint Registries.Objective: This paper presents the short-term findings from a joint replacement register started at the Zambian-Italian Orthopaedic Hospital (ZIOH) in Lusaka and compares the variables entered in this register with those captured in the Malawian National Joint Register for purposes of synchronizing these in the near future in the East, Central and Southern African region .Methods: Data captured by the different variables entered into the Joint Register covering the pre-op, intra-op and post-op period of all total hip and knee replacement surgery done at the ZIOH from 1998 to 2010 was entered into a spreadsheet after verification with individual patient medical records. This was then imported into spss for analysis yielding the following results.Results: 44 total hips and seven total knee replacement operations were done on 46 patients, 59% of which were female and 41% male. The average age was 58 years. The HIV sero-status of 86.3% was unknown. 36 (70.6%) of the patients had primary osteoarthritis as the diagnosis with pain and joint stiffness being the indication for surgery. Three consultants and one senior registrar did the operations mainly using the Hardinge approach to the hip. 43 (84.3%) were primary Total Hip replacement with only one revision. The 28mm hip head size was the commonest fitted with most patients, 48 (94.1%) being functionally mobile at six weeks post operation.Conclusion: This audit clearly shows a rising trend of major joint replacement over the years and highlights the gaps in variables entered into the ZIOH joint register such as HIV status. It also helps us recognize the need for setting up a National Joint Register that is comparable to others that have been set up in the region such as is the case in Malawi which is key in improving orthopaedic training and patient care.Keywords: Joint replacement, National Joint Register, HI

The use of Public-Private Partnerships in Health Supply Chain Management in Rwanda

BackgroundThe Government of Rwanda considers the private sector to play an important role in supporting provision of strategic national investments through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).ObjectiveThis study aims to describe the various aspects of PPPs in Health Supply Chain Management (HSCM) in Rwanda.MethodsA questionnaire was used to collect data from health professionals and individuals familiar with HSCM Public-Private Partnerships for this descriptive, cross-sectional and quantitative study.ResultsThe PPP interventional areas used in HSCM in Rwanda were namely supply of commodities (99%), delivered health Information Technology (IT) supplies and equipment (operate) (53%), finance (52%), and maintenance area (40%). The main challenges were limited conversation and absence of formal platforms for public and private engagement (83.7%) and complex procurement requirements for medical products and equipment by public institutions (73.3%). The strategies to improve the PPPs in HSCM were effective coordination of PPPs (93.3%) and improved dialogue and formal platforms (90.6%)ConclusionThese findings indicated that private sector through PPPs plays an important role in HSCM in Rwanda. The engagement of the private sector can increase the financial support in terms of financing HSCM activities like supply of health commodities and equipment. Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2021;4(2): 237-25

GOUVERNANCE DE L’ADMINISTRATION PUBLIQUE CONGOLAISE AU DEFI DU PHENOMENE AGENT NOUVELLE UNITE ET AGENT NON-PAYE ; REGARD SUR LE SECTEUR DE L’ENSEIGNEMENT

The Congolese public administration is overcrowded. In 2022, during a televised broadcast on Radio-Télévision Nationale Congolaise (RTNC) on the exact number of government employees in the DRC, a journalist asked the Minister of Public Service Lihau about the exact number of government employees. He estimates a workforce of "450,000 agents in Kinshasa for the central services and 1,080,000 agents in the provinces" (YouTube,2022 https://youtu.be/K-7ji1hxpig). The retreat that was carried out in 2022 by his ministry and that of Education does not always succeed in reducing their number. There are still too many New Unit (NU) and Unpaid (NP) agents in the Public Administration. Many people are concerned that this phenomenon will continue. The objective of this article is to respond to this concern by enumerating the causes of this situation and proposing strategies to eradicate it. Keywords: Governance, Public Administration, New Unit (NU) agent, Unpaid (NP) agent, decentralization, political interferenceL’Administration Publique  congolaise est pléthorique. En 2022, lors d’une émission télévisée à la Radio-Télévision Nationale Congolaise (RTNC) sur l’effectif exacte des agents de l’Etat en RDC,  un journaliste a posé la question  au ministre de la Fonction Publique Lihau sur le nombre exacte des agents de l’Etat, celui-ci  a répondu que « lui aussi ignore cela ». Néanmoins, il estime un effectif de « 450 000 agents à Kinshasa  pour les services centraux  et 1.080.000  agents en Provinces» (YouTube,2022 https://youtu.be/K-7ji1hxpig). La retraite qui a été  exécutée en 2022 par son ministère et celui de l’Enseignement ne parvient pas toujours à réduire leur nombre. Il y a toujours trop d’agents Nouvelles unités (NU) et d’agents Non-Payés (NP) dans l’Administration publique. Beaucoup des gens s’inquiètent de voir ce phénomène perdurer. L’objectif de cet article est de répondre à cette  inquiétude par l’énumération  des causes de ce phénomène dans le secteur de l’Enseignement et par la proposition  des stratégies à mettre en œuvre pour l’éradiquer

Effect of Universal Health Coverage on the Availability of Medicines in Public Health Facilities in Kisumu County, in Kenya

BackgroundStock outs of medicines and unaffordable cost are two major barriers of access to healthcare. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) seeks to ensure that all people have access to quality essential health services without suffering financial hardship.ObjectiveThe main objective of the study was to determine the effect and challenges of UHC program on the availability of medicines in public health facilities in Kisumu County.MethodologyThe study used a Pretest - posttest research design. The study was carried out in twenty-nine health facilities that were selected using stratified random sampling. Data was collected using key informant interviews with a health worker in each facility. Participants also involved four hundred and forty-four patients selected from the chosen facilities using consecutive sampling. Data from patients was collected using researcher administered questionnaires.ResultsThe availability of medicines improved by 3.4% for 20 tracer medicines since the introduction of the pilot UHC in Kisumu County. This was also supported from the patient’s perspective (n= 444; 79.5%). conclusion In spite of this, health workers experienced challenges which included inadequate supply, delays and stock out of some medicines. Other challenges were overworking, shortage of qualified staff and inconsistent supplies. Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2021;4(2): 269-28

Is the Constitutional Court Fanning the Flames of Potential Unrest? A Review of Recent Political Cases

The cases we discuss in this article raise fundamental questions about access to justice. Inefficient delivery of judgments, issuance of unreasoned or thinly reasoned rulings, inordinate delay in hearing matters, and awarding of unwarranted costs in public interest matters all militate against access to justice. Access to justice is important in maintaining law and order and promoting the rule of law. As US Supreme Court Judge, Stevens, stated in Bush v Gore 531 US 98 (2000), ‘It is confidence in the men and women who administer the judicial system that is the true backbone of the rule of law.’ Where institutions fail, the public may resort to self-help mechanisms as a means to exercise their sovereign power under the Constitution which may negatively affect the consolidation of democracy. The warning of Julius Nyerere, first President of Tanzania seems more relevant to the Constitutional Court of Zambia today than ever before: unless judges do their work properly, ‘none of the objectives of our democratic society can be implemented.

L’entre-deux identitaire dans quelques oeuvres d’écrivains francophones “immigrantsˮ, “cas de Dany Laferrière, d’Alain Mabanckou, de Calixthe Beyala et de Lottin Wekapeˮ

This dissertation examines the theme of hybrid identities in Mabanckou, Laferrière, Beyala and Wekape’s novels : Black Bazar, Le Petit prince de Belleville, Je suis un écrivain japonais and J’appartiens au monde. Hybrid identity raises the issue of identity diversity and contemporary francophone literature is characterised by the emergence of fictional narratives increasingly numerous. This research undertaken is driven by the desire to extend the field of investigation in francophone literature by taking into account a varied corpus of Haitian, Congolese, and Cameroonian literatures. I have opted for writers who settled in a foreign country and have adopted a foreign language that they considered to be part of a foreign literary world; writers who are between two or more cultures which they depict in French. The few existing studies on hybrid identities on these four novels focused more on formal and linguistic analysis and omitted meaningful sociocritic analysis. It is clear that a full study on sociocritic approach on hybrid identity on these four authors remains to be done. The research is demonstrating how different characters created by these four postmodern immigrant French-speaking writers occasionally function similarly in their texts. This gives a clear understanding of the specific behaviour of immigrants characters, vis-à-vis their various situations in the novels, and how these immigrants seek to address the problems they encounter. As this research offers reflections related to the identities and nationalities of immigrants, Laferrière, Mabanckou, Beyala and Wekape’s texts are based on the search for social belonging and a literary membership in this modern world. Therefore, they are analysing their position in a literary field as well as in a social field. In their texts they highlight the Space real or imaginary. In which way and how this Space contribute to the evolution of francophone literature? To what extent does francophone literature takes into account this representation of the Space? These questions lead to a reflection on the position occupied by these authors in the francophone field and the source of their literary inspirations. My interest in these authors is motivated by the fact that, by living and writing in a country which is not their place of birth, they each reveal different aspects of hybrid identity. Each of them, has his or her personal and original way of tackling the problem of mixed identity. They present their characters in different situations and different contexts, showing that each has been in contact with several cultures which they have assimilated and each lived in his or her own way a particular story. My study’s focus is to understand the problems of contact of cultures and their consequences, and to explore how through the characters of the novel, immigrant French speaking writers understood their acculturation as themselves have experienced an identity crisis, resulting from the confrontation of the culture of their new homeland and the culture of their country of origin. For this reason, Bourdieu’s approach “la sociocritique” will help me to found out the origin of the author’s obsession with the question of hybrid identity. I have chosen these four immigrant speaking writers to explore the strategies implemented by the novels’ narrators to construct their identities and to find out how the narrators express the intentions of the authors. In their texts, Mabanckou, Beyala, Laferrière and Wekape have used various strategies to express the quest for identity which gives clear indications of the authors’ creativity such as humour, parody, or solemnity and gravity - and the narrative voices reveal distinctive attitudes in relation to hybrid identity. At this level, other approaches will also be called for, such as the work of Westphal, Doubrovsky, Genette, Colona, etc. Through my investigation, these works present similarities and dissimilarities. Each author tackled the questions of hybrid identities according to his own experience. From there, a different commitment emerges, depending on the degree of inquiry into questions about immigration. These authors all evoke the social precariousness of their characters or the immigrant and privilege an urban framework. The examination of these works allowed me to identify their place in Francophonie literature and to discover the importance of their texts. The four novels relate to the search for identity, an aesthetic way and a search for freedom. They possess aesthetic qualities, they have a high degree of coherence. Their romantic choice shows their creativity and their strategies engender a hybrid writing that stems from their position between several languages and place these novels within the world literature