The Golden Rule as An Alternative Approach in the Fight Against Corruption

Just a few months ago, a boy in one of Kenyan high schools on hearing his teacher share about the extent to which corruption has affected the moral make-up in the country, retorted, “Then why not legalize [legitimize] corruption?” The boy’s statement suggests not only that corruption is so deep-rooted that we can do nothing about it, but also a call for a live-with-it situation. A recent survey conducted among the youth drawn from the four East African Countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda) revealed that a good number of young people are so obsessed with getting rich by any means (including corruption) so long as they play it safe – i.e., they don’t get caught. This predisposition raises a number of ethical questions: Do moral values hold anymore? Is corruption a moral or a legal issue? How effective (or ineffective) are the anti-corruption initiatives and do they signal an end for corruption? Is there an alternative for dealing with corruption?This paper addresses corruption in its different forms along with some of the global anti-corruption initiatives that have been formed in an attempt to stamp out the graft. The paper proposes the Golden Rule (GR) as an alternative approach in the fight against corruption because the issue is moral rather than legal. It concludes with the claim that the GR, in its emphasis on love, fairness and selfless disposition would be a preferred option towards fighting corruption and advancing a moral and responsible society – as opposed to the rather punitive legal or anti-corruption approaches which tend to heighten hate and irresponsible behavior in the society and that the focus of the fight against corruption ought to be on the restoration rather than destruction of the agents. Keywords: corruption, the Golden Rule (GR), anti-corruption initiative

Factors Influencing Farm Crime in Kenya: Opinions and Experiences of Farmers

Although agriculture is the backbone of Kenya’s economy, the industry is faced with rapid social, cultural, economic, and technological changes that have significantly increased crime levels in rural areas. In particular, communal, social, and individual controls are diminishing, and the result is an increase of criminal activities against agricultural operations. The aim of the study was to assess factors associated with levels of agricultural theft and vandalism in Kenya, based on the perceptions of farmers themselves. The research was carried out in the Soy division of Uasin Gishu County. A multistage sampling approach, which incorporates purposive, random, and systematic techniques, was used to select respondents within the case study locations. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to a representative sample of 200 farmers. Key informant interviews and informal discussions were conducted with local administration officers, namely, village elders, sub chiefs and chiefs, to supplement information derived from the survey. The study used routine activity theory to explain how perceived changes in communities where the farmers lived have created opportunities for the commission of crime. Based on the findings, the study recommends programs which create employment opportunities for both youth and disadvantaged persons in rural Kenya

Mass treatment for trachoma: how does it all work?

The World Health Organization (WHO) initiated a global programme to eliminate trachoma by 2020. At its core is the SAFE strategy: Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement to reduce transmission. Trachoma control efforts have increased with mass drug administration (MDA) of azithromycin (Zithromax), an antibiotic donated by Pfizer Inc. The goal is 80% coverage in endemic areas for at least 3 years.To maximise coverage, programme managers and health workers must understand the community’s knowledge and health priorities as well as their attitudes and beliefs

Application of paired student t-test on impact of Anti-retroviral therapy on CD4 cell count among HIV Seroconverters in serodiscordant heterosexual relationships: A case study of Nyanza region, Kenya.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection leads to rise in HIV-RNA resulting in CD4 T-cell decline leading to AIDS-related illness. Knowing the effect of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) on CD4 cell count is vital in assessing the progression of the disease and treatment planning for treatment.  This study sought to apply paired t-test distribution to assess the effect of CD4 cell count just before and after initiation of ART among HIV infected individuals. The target populations were HIV sero-converters enrolled in a prospective randomized placebo controlled trial in Nyanza region, Kenya.  CD4 cell count was measured at the time of sero-conversion and subsequently after very six months of follow up. Participants were referred for initiation of ART at patient support centre once the criteria for initiation was met and report back the ART regime they were put on and the date they were started on .  We applied paired t-test to assess the change in CD4 cell count after initiating ART. Use of ART within a median time of 9 months resulted rise in CD4 cell count by 241 cells per ul, 95% CI (60-422) which confirms the effect of ART in protecting depletion of CD4 cell count. Keywords: Sero-converters, Progression, ART, HIV, CD4 cells, t-test

Perceived Impact of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund on the Youth Towards the Establishment of Small Scale Rural Enterprises in Turbo Division, Uasin-gishu County, Kenya

The inception of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund has seen the rise of youth groups in rural areas. This paper is thus aimed at understanding the impact of the fund towards the youth establishment of small scale enterprises in Turbo Division. A descriptive research design was used in this paper. Data was collected using focused group discussion and self-administered questionnaires thus they were administered to the selected youth groups found in selected parts of the Turbo Division. Purposive technique was used in the specific youth of aged bracket 18 year to 35 years. Further, purposive and stratified sampling techniques were used in targeted youth groups. The sample size used was 147 drawn from Turbo Division. The salient findings of the study are that indeed the youth joined the small scale enterprises to obtain benefits through collaborative efforts, to gain and obtain skills and experiences, obtaining start-up capital and finally due to the unemployment. Moreover, impact made by the fund on individual life included; promoting togetherness, promoting income and sustained livelihoods thus improved economic statues, and eventually enhanced skills and experience that led to acquiring of more skills by joining polytechnics. Furthermore the fund had enhanced group development and participation. It is recommended that there should be enhanced youth group sustainability towards proper utilization of the fund

Development and Validation of a Smartphone-Based Visual Acuity Test (Peek Acuity) for Clinical Practice and Community-Based Fieldwork.

IMPORTANCE: Visual acuity is the most frequently performed measure of visual function in clinical practice and most people worldwide living with visual impairment are living in low- and middle-income countries. OBJECTIVE: To design and validate a smartphone-based visual acuity test that is not dependent on familiarity with symbols or letters commonly used in the English language. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Validation study conducted from December 11, 2013, to March 4, 2014, comparing results from smartphone-based Peek Acuity to Snellen acuity (clinical normal) charts and the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) logMAR chart (reference standard). This study was nested within the 6-year follow-up of the Nakuru Eye Disease Cohort in central Kenya and included 300 adults aged 55 years and older recruited consecutively. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Outcome measures were monocular logMAR visual acuity scores for each test: ETDRS chart logMAR, Snellen acuity, and Peek Acuity. Peek Acuity was compared, in terms of test-retest variability and measurement time, with the Snellen acuity and ETDRS logMAR charts in participants' homes and temporary clinic settings in rural Kenya in 2013 and 2014. RESULTS: The 95% CI limits for test-retest variability of smartphone acuity data were ±0.033 logMAR. The mean differences between the smartphone-based test and the ETDRS chart and the smartphone-based test and Snellen acuity data were 0.07 (95% CI, 0.05-0.09) and 0.08 (95% CI, 0.06-0.10) logMAR, respectively, indicating that smartphone-based test acuities agreed well with those of the ETDRS and Snellen charts. The agreement of Peek Acuity and the ETDRS chart was greater than the Snellen chart with the ETDRS chart (95% CI, 0.05-0.10; P = .08). The local Kenyan community health care workers readily accepted the Peek Acuity smartphone test; it required minimal training and took no longer than the Snellen test (77 seconds vs 82 seconds; 95% CI, 71-84 seconds vs 73-91 seconds, respectively; P = .13). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The study demonstrated that the Peek Acuity smartphone test is capable of accurate and repeatable acuity measurements consistent with published data on the test-retest variability of acuities measured using 5-letter-per-line retroilluminated logMAR charts

Cane Yield and Juice Volume Determine Ethanol Yield in Sweet Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench)

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) contains fermentable sugars in the stem that can be converted to ethanol. The current study aimed at evaluating the performance of three sweet sorghum genotypes with five checks and contributes towards availing suitable sweet sorghum for industrial ethanol production. Field studies were carried out in Kenya at varied locations in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Sorghum was harvested at hard dough stage of grain development and evaluated for several stem juice production traits including plant height, cane yield, juice volume, degrees Brix, total, reducing, and non-reducing sugars, and ethanol yield via juice fermentation. Analyses of variance using SAS version 9.1 showed a significant effect of genotype for morphological characters and ethanol yield. Genotype EUSS10 produced the greatest cane (27.4 T/ha) and juice yield (7806.7 L/ha) whereas ACFC003/12 recorded the greatest ethanol yield (423.1 L/ha). At all sites, EUSS10 had the greatest plant height and days to 50% heading whereas SS04 had the greatest Brix and total sugar concentration. The greatest grain yield and non-reducing sugar concentration was produced by SS17 and SS21, respectively. Results of this study show that though Brix and total sugars are desirable for ethanol yield, cane yield, and juice volume of sweet sorghum determines the ultimate volume of ethanol produced

Chemical Assessment and Antimicrobial Activity of Solvent Extracts from Kalanchoe densiflora

ABSTRACT Kalanchoe densiflora leaves were sequentially extracted using hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform, acetone and methanol. The solvents were evaporated through rotor evaporation under vacuum to yield five extracts. The extracts were then subjected to chemical and photochemical analyses to identify the components present and their functional groups. In addition the extracts were tested for antimicrobial activities against eight micro-organisms; Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The extracts were found to posses' tannins, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides. It was also found that unsaturated bonds, carboxyl groups and aldehydes were present in the extracts. In addition, the extracts showed antimicrobial activity against Bacillus spp, E. coli and P. aeruginosa as indicated by presence of zones of inhibition. Acetonic and methanolic extracts were sensitive to P. aeruginosa, Bacillus spp. and S. aureus while hexane extract was highly sensitive to E.coli. K. densiflora extracts was found to have broad antimicrobial effect since it was active against gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Crude extracts from K. densiflora can be used in control of diseases such as; acute enteritis, pneumonias and opportunistic diseases amongst other diseases caused by these microorganisms