Determinants of Successful Implementation of Early Childhood Development Education by County Governments in Kenya; Implementing Partners Perspective

The purpose of this study was to assess the determinants of successful implementation of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) by County Governments in Kenya from the implementing partners‟ perspective. This study was guided by the following specific objectives: to determine the influence of the capacities of the County Government staff on the implementation of early childhood development education by County Governments in Kenya, to determine the how management of early childhood development education affects its implementation by County Governments in Kenya, to assess how availability of physical facilities affect the implementation of early childhood development education by County Governments in Kenya and to examine how policies affect the implementation of early childhood development education by County Governments in Kenya. Decentralization theory and organization learning theory were used to explain the relationship between the study variables. Descriptive research design was used in the study. The population for the study was implementing partners working with County Governments in Kenya to support ECDE. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the respondents to participate in the study. A total of 100 respondents were targeted from the 10 organizations studied out of which 70 participated giving a response rate of 70%. Questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques were used to analyze the data. The study found that the implementation of ECDE by County governments in Kenya was generally successful from the implementing partners‟ perspective and indicated by 56.8%. It is also worth noting that beside the general success, there were myriads of challenges facing the implementation of the program by county governments. Findings from regression analysis showed that the coefficient of determination indicated that 63.5% of the variations on the implementation of ECDE by county governments can be explained by staff capacity, management of ECDE, availability of physical facilities and ECDE policies. The remaining 36.5% can be explained by other variables not included in the study. R square and adjusted R is above average an implication that an above average variation can be explained by the model. The study recommended that county governments should allocate more funds for the renovation and construction of more ECDE centres, allocate adequate funds for the implementation of ECDE and that they should organize consistent in-service training for ECDE teachers and at the same time employ more ECDE staff to cater for the large number of children in ECDE centres.

Persistent Sciatic Artery: A Cadaveric Case Study

Objective The persistent sciatic artery associated with birth is a rare anomaly with a high rate of abnormal dilatation, blockage and stenosis prompting in extreme thrombosis, caudal embolisation, or aneurysm rupture. This is a case report on cadaveric specimen (50-year-old) African female cadaver in the Human Anatomy Laboratory, Department of Human Anatomy, Uzima University. Methods: During routine cadaveric dissections by first year medical students a peculiar structure was noted behind the right thigh after exposure of gluteal muscles. Results: The structure, identified as persistent sciatic artery, entered the gluteal region through the greater sciatic foramen and lied superficial to the sciatic nerve. The vessel was large and it passed out of the pelvis through the greater sciatic foramen below the pirifomis and descended posterior to the sciatic nerve. Muscular and articular branches branched off from artery through its course. The artery descended behind the thigh and was traversed obliquely by the long head of the biceps femoris muscle posteriorly. The sciatic artery continued as the popliteal artery that lied alongside popliteal vein, which was retraced back from the infrapiriform fossa. The femoral arteries were hypoplastic and had no obvious connections with the sciatic artery. Conclusion: It is a vital practice to recognize the position and tendency of sciatic artery to develop aneurysms and subsequent deep vein thrombosis that may be life threatening. Furthermore, understanding of this principle changes the approach to surgical interventions that are required during the process of bypass grafting

Pyramidal Lobe of the Human Thyroid Gland: A Case Report

Background The thyroid gland is amongst the most anatomically variable structures in the human body, with incidence of the pyramidal lobe ranging from 57-65%. While these anatomical variations remain overlooked or misinterpreted by students during routine laboratory dissection, they are of clinical relevance in terms of functional disorders and illnesses associated with thyroid gland. Multiple patterns of the pyramidal lobe have been identified during routine dissections and reported in the literature. The knowledge of these pattern differences is vital for surgical practice and patient management. This is a report on a 42-year-old African male cadaver with a pyramidal lobe noticed during routine dissection in Human Anatomy Laboratory, Department of Human Anatomy of Uzima University. Method: Dissimilarity was encountered during routine cadaveric dissections, overlying neck muscles were exposed, and the tissue was examined. Results: The macroscopic assessment revealed a capsulated glandular tissue with three lobes. Pyramidal lobe was located deep to the strap muscles of the neck at the midline below the Adam’s apple. Conclusion: Pyramidal lobe is considered a normal component of the thyroid gland with variable morphology and position. Its removal during surgery of the thyroid to treat non-malignant disease cases has proven to significantly reduce chances of cancer recurrence

Intussusception: Lab Report and Review of Literature

Objective: Intussusception is the invagination of a proximal portion of the gastrointestinal tract into an adjacent distal portion. This unusual form of bowel obstruction occurs less frequently in adults. We report a case of small bowel intussusception in a 39-year-old African male cadaver in the cadaveric laboratory in the, Department of Human Anatomy at, Uzima University. We have also performed a literature review of this rare condition. Method: Student cadaver groups at Uzima University were assigned with a ratio of 8:1 meaning that eight students received one cadaver to work on. There were a total of nine cadavers. One out of the nine assigned specimens had a lead point in the ileocecal valve resulting in ileocecal intussusception upon dissection. Results: At the ileocecal junction, an intussuscepted distal small bowel was discovered. We concluded it to be an ileocecal intussusception. Conclusion: The rarity of intussusception in adults makes it an exceptional finding in standard anatomy laboratory. Intussusception can occur anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract. Surgeons should consider intussusception as a severe cause of intestinal obstruction and consequently, anticipate different clinical presentations. Diagnosis of intussusception is difficult to make without surgery, therefore, surgeons need to familiarize themselves with different imaging modalities

Anatomical Variations of Human Pulmonary Fissures: A Cadaveric Study Conducted in Western Kenya

Aim and Objective:  This cadaveric study was done to describe the variations in the pattern of pulmonary fissures in Western Kenyan population. Data were sourced from 68 lungs fixed in formalin in gross anatomy laboratory of the Department of Human Anatomy, Uzima University. The fissures were studied and the results compared with the previous studies. Results: In this study 83.82% of lungs had a classical appearance a “textbook” lung: three major fissures that were complete without any accessory fissure. Out of the 31 right lungs examined, the horizontal fissure was absent in 0% lungs, incomplete in 6 lungs (16.13%), and complete in 25 lungs (80.64%). Out of the 37 left lungs, the oblique fissure was incomplete in 4 lungs (10.70%) and complete in 29 lungs (86.30%). The fissure was absent in one of the lungs (2.70%). Four right lung accessory fissures were observed (12.90%). Six left lungs (16.67%) had accessory fissures. Conclusion: Incidence of complete of oblique fissure was greater in our present work when compared our results with other authors. The incomplete oblique fissure and incomplete horizontal fissure in our study varied compared with other studies.  Our study recorded a prevalence of absent oblique fissure in the left lung that was greater in relation to absent horizontal fissure. The superior accessory fissure was higher in our study compared to other studies as well as compared the inferior accessory fissure in our study. The left minor fissure was the most frequently appearing accessory fissure in our study. Anatomists should note that lung fissure anatomy is more variable than orthodoxly presented. Clinicians must be warranted towards the depth and occurrence of these variations. Considering these variants we recommend more explorative research should be done on this topic to cast more light on this

The Wretched African Traditionalists in Kenya: The Challenges and Prospects of Customary Law in the New Constitutional Era

The modern African judge will be the first to acknowledge that, in many senses, the problems faced by British judges in colonial Africa have not vanished. Almost one hundred percent of the African judiciary is now African. But even though there is no longer the gross disparity of national origin between a judge and his community, a judge often does not come from the particular locality whose ethnic law he is administering. A part from this ethnic question, there is an enormous educational and cultural gap between a senior judge with a western education and the ordinary families he may deal with. Thus, the judicial system may have moved from a problem of race and ethnicity to one of class

Is Migration the Solution to Poverty Alleviation in Kenya? Rural-Urban Migration Experiences of Migrants from Western Kenya to Kisumu and Nairobi

Out-migration from western Kenya to Kenya’s urban areas dates back to the colonial period and remains a reflection of regional inequality, as migrants try to move out of their poorer origins to destinations with promising economic opportunities. Out-migration in Western Kenya, mainly from the Siaya and Vihiga counties, is directed towards the regional city of Kisumu and the national capital of Nairobi city, which for long has been the country’s primate city. Underdevelopment in western Kenya and the desired lifestyle of the cities drive both rural-urban migration and rural-rural migration to the county’s economic hubs that rely on commercial agriculture. Siaya and Vihiga are two contrasting counties. Siaya has vast landscapes wallowing in poverty due to subsistence agriculture whereas Vihiga is unsuitable for agriculture because of large boulders occupying much of the cultivable land. Using mixed qualitative methodology consisting of key informant interviews, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the study found that although Kisumu is closer to the region of origin than Nairobi, the latter has the greater attraction. The migrants fare much better in urban destinations where they maintain strong contacts with their origins, to where they send remittances for relatives left behind. At the end of a migratory life, the vast majority of migrants expect to return to their homes to try and lead better lives than non-migrant folk, and to develop their communities as well as their counties of origin. The findings of the study corroborate findings of previous studies in Kenya that underscore the contribution of rural- urban migration to poverty reduction.DFI

Causal Effect of Financial Market Frictions and Flight to Quality on Cost of Credit in Kenya

Financial market conditions have been declining over the past ten years globally as most developing countries continue to adopt more liberal financial policies, such conditions may amplify adverse shocks to the economy. The Kenyan Banking sector was highly profitable before the implementation of financial market frictions, with industry return on equity’s average of 20%. The ratio of credit supply to gross domestic product was 35%; and the economy grew by 5.6 %. Nonetheless, after its adoption, listed Banks recorded negative Earnings per Share growth of 8.2%, compared to an average positive growth of 14.1%, The Net Interest Margin declined to 8.4% from 9.4%. Studies relating to financial market frictions, flight to quality and Cost of Credit have produced mixed results. It was on this basis that this study sought to establish the effect of financial market frictions and flight to quality on cost of credit in Kenya. The study adopted correlational research design. Secondary data from the Kenyan Market for the period January 2009 to December 2019 was analyzed. Augmented Dickey Fuller and Philips-perron unit-root test was used to test the stationarity of the data. VECM was estimated to establish the speed of adjustment towards the long run equilibrium; Wald statistics was also estimated to establish short run causalities amongst the variables. Based on cointegrating equations, the error correction term indicated a negative sign and was significant at 5% level (C (1) = -0.153042, .0429 < 0.05), an indication that a long run relationship exists amongst the variables. Wald statistics revealed that the estimated coefficients in the VECM were insignificantly different from zero (.8417; .5603; .9188>p=0.05),however, Central Bank rate was found to be different from zero and significant at 5% level (.0163>p=0.05), an indication that there was a short run casualty running from the Central Bank rate to cost of credit. The study therefore recommends that for Micro finance institutions to maximize their profits they should adopt new technologies like Mobile Banking for their credit facilities, this does not require administrative and operation costs, in a bid to cope with the market shocks and frictions. Keywords: Financial Market Frictions, Flight to Quality, Cost of Credit, Kenya DOI: 10.7176/JESD/12-6-07 Publication date:March 31st 202

Cash Management Techniques Adopted By Small And Medium Level Enterprises In Eldoret Town, Kenya

The purpose of this paper was to examine the cash management techniques adopted by small and medium level enterprises in Eldoret town. The study was carried out in 17 selected SMEs all capturing 108 personnel distributed among the said SMEs equitably. The researcher sampled 52 respondents through simple random sampling and stratified sampling to help arrive at better results and minimize research cost. Data from primary sources were then analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The study concluded that cash management is a working capital management component that contributes to a great extend on survival or failure of SMEs in Kenya. Among the cash management techniques commonly used are speeding cash collection and delayed payment of creditors and they did not have a direct significance with SME performance. However optimum cash held significantly, and positively influenced SMEs performance, SMEs used cheques, cash receipt, and petty cash to control cash movement and finally non financial measures of performance did not have a significant relationship with SME performance. Key Words: Cash Management, Techniques, Small and Medium Entreprise