Digital Financial Services and Strategic Financial Management: Financial Services Firms and Microenterprises in African Markets

This study highlights the impact of digital financial services as enhancing the capacity of development goals as well as social sustainability. The selected emerging markets are Ghanaian financial service providers (FSP)s and microenterprise customers (CME)s, where we examine how “Ubuntu”, an African philosophy of humanism, legitimizes spaces for a more democratic, egalitarian, and ethical engagement of human beings. This study adopts a grounded theory methodology for investigation of the phenomena with a sample size of 70 relationship managers. The findings further existing sustainability literature pertaining to social sustainability and consumer wellbeing. We contribute to theory by presenting a psychological perspective which be leveraged for digital financial services branding to expand usage within communal systems. This leverage of Ubuntu becomes especially relevant when there is the need to compensate for deficits in weak business infrastructures in low-income but expanding markets. Our study highlights digital financial services can be used to improve the emotional and psychological consumer wellbeing and to strengthen business relationships, meeting joint goals of market share expansion, brand image enhancement and profitability. This perspective also contributes to social sustainability on a global scale since the Western world depends on quality products from emerging markets

Factors associated with intestinal parasites among school going children in Lodwar Municipality, Turkana County, Kenya

Background: Infection by intestinal parasites is a serious health problem affecting an estimated 400 million school age children worldwide. The main objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with intestinal parasites among children in 10 schools within Lodwar Municipality in Turkana County, Kenya.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out amongst a sample size of 310 school going children randomly selected from 10 schools. The data collection included background data of participants and laboratory procedures on faecal specimens collected to determine the various intestinal parasites. The data collated was analysed using SPSS for windows version 13.0.1. Chi square was used to determine associations between the various variables.Results: This study recruited 529 participants, of which 43.5% were women and 56.5% were men. Cyst of Entamoeba histolytica was found to be the most common parasite in the samples tested with a prevalence of 76.6%, followed by trophozoites of Giardia lamblia with prevalence of 13.1%, ova of Taenia spp with a prevalence of 5.5% whereas trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica, ova of Ascaris lumbricoides, cyst of Giardia lamblia, and ova of Taenia saginata had a prevalence of below 5%. This current study found no strong association between the source of water and the occurrence of intestinal parasites.Conclusion: Helmithes infections is still a public health concern in Turkana County which, if unchecked, could affect child growth and development. There is need for both the National and County governments to mount series of campaigns and interventions to deworm all children of intestinal infections especially at the family level among the nomadic Turkana community whose environments and lifestyles are fertile grounds for helmithes

Prevalence of HepatitisB virus infections among HIV infected individuals in Nairobi, Kenya

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of HBV infections among HIV infected individuals in Nairobi, KenyaDesign: A cross-sectional study.Setting: Kenya Medical Research Institute HBV Laboratory, Nairobi, KenyaSubjects: A total of four hundred HIV infected patients randomised from a Nairobi HIV comprehensive care centre between June and October 2015.Results: Of the 400 subjects screened; (27.75%) had HBV immunisation, (3%) had acute disease, (4.75%) were on recovery, (2.5%) were in chronic stage, (1.75%) were asymptomatic and (2.25%) had occult HBV. Statistical analysis showed that age andgender were not significantly associated with the risk of HBV or occult HBV infections.Conclusion: HIV/HBV co-infections is still >5.5% but the rates could be higher than reported here. Utility of HBV sero-markers especially in infection staging is therefore very important in disease diagnosis and surveillance

The Global Financial Crisis, Inflation Rate And Stock Market Returns In Kenya

The moderating effect of events such as the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC) on the relation between stock market returns and macroeconomic variables has attracted very little attention. This study investigates the extent to which the 2008 GFC moderated the relationship between inflation rate and stock market returns. The study uses month-onmonth inflation rate and year-on-year inflation rate from 1st January 1993 to 31st December 2015 and divides the sample data into pre-crisis period (from 1st January 1993 to 31st December 2007); crisis period (from 1st January 2008 to 30th June 2009); and post-crisis period (from 1st July 2009 to 31st December 2015). It uses a product-term regression model instead of the most widely applied additive regression model. Results indicate that a unit increase in the both measures of inflation rate had significant depressing effects on stock market returns after the crisis compared to before the crisis. Likewise, the results reveal that average stock market returns were significantly higher after the crisis compared to before the crisis at low rather than medium or high values of the two measures of inflation rate. These results suggest that the Kenyan stock market is highly sensitive to variations in inflation rate, especially as it emerges from a financial or political turmoil. This study is empirically innovative in the sense that it is the first to examine the moderating effect of the 2008 GFC on the relation between inflation rate and stock market returns in Kenya using a product-term model

Predominance of CCR5 tropism in non-b HIV-1 subtypes circulating in Kisii County, Kenya

Introduction: The chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR4 are considered as the main receptors during HIV infection, replication, transmission and subsequent AIDS progression. CCR5 antagonists are drugs designed to inhibit viral entry by binding to these chemokine receptors. However, characterisation of HIV-1 co-receptor usage before rolling out of CCR5/CXCR4 antagonists has not yet been done in the country.Objective: To determine the HIV-1 co receptor usage among HIV-1 infected individuals and predict possible use CCR5 antagonistic drugs.Design: A cross sectional study Setting: Comprehensive HIV care clinics of Kisii Teaching & Referral Hospital, Kenya.Methods: A total of seventy-two (72) blood samples were obtained from both drug naïve (32) and experienced (40) study participants. Viral DNA was extracted using QIAamp MinElute Virus kit and partial HIV-1 V3 region was amplified and directly sequenced. Coreceptor usage predicted using insilico Geno2pheno (coreceptor) with a false positive rate of 15%.Results: Sixty-one individuals (77.8%) were infected with HIV-1 subtype A1, twelve (18.1%) HIV-1 subtype D and four (4.1%) were HIV-1 subtype C. CCR5-using variants were found in 52 (72.2%) while 20(27.8%) participants were infected with CXCR4–using variants. There was no significant difference in co-receptor usage a cross gender, HIV subtypes, disease staging or impact of treatment or CD 4 counts that was observed.Conclusions and recommendation: The detected high level of circulating R5 strains suggests the likelihood of a successful implementation and use of CCR5 antagonists in Kenya where HIV-1 A1 is the most predominant

Transitional Enrolment Trends within the Different Educational Levels in Kenya: An Analysis of Promoting Facets

Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have for decades grappled with bridging the gap in enrolment numbers between male and female students. Education for All (EFA) goals have provided guidance to these countries on attainment of gender equality in education. EFA goal number 5 articulates the international commitments aimed at achieving global gender equality in education by 2015. This is to be arrived at by increasing the enrolment of female learners at different levels of education. The Ministry of Education in Kenya developed policies and strategies to enable an increase in female students enrolling in school. With these policies and strategies, Kenya has realised tremendous successes in terms of enrolment numbers. However the country still faces challenges in some geographic areas. In as much as there is an increase in the number of girls participating in primary and secondary school levels, Kenya is yet to attain gender equality in education. The number of boys in these levels of education still surpass that of girls by a concerning proportion. Interestingly these trends change in post secondary education levels. Universities have recorded an amplified enrolment of female. This paper documents trends in enrolment numbers by gender in primary, secondary and post-secondary levels of education in Kenya. Further, the paper interrogates the facets that promote the shifts in the enrolment trends. Keywords: Enrolment trends; Gender inequality in education; Education in Kenya; Gender and Education; Gender differences in Education

Analysis of Soft Tissue Injuries and Scarring Following Terrorist Bomb Explosion at the American Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya

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FACTORS AFFECTING CONTRACT MANAGEMENT IN ACQUISITION OF GOODS AND SERVICES A Case Study of Integrated YMR Partnership

This research study was based on factors affecting contract management in acquirement of goods and services in private firms, a case study of Integrated YMR Partnership located at Lion Place, Waiyaki Way, off Karuna Close, Westlands, in Nairobi County. The purposes of the study were to establish how supplier assessment procedures, staff proficiency, strategic decisions and technology affect contract management in procuring of goods and services in private organizations. In this study, descriptive research design was used. A target population of the study was 200 respondents. The researcher used a sample size of 60 respondents, that is, 30% of the population which was selected through stratified random sampling technique. Open and closed ended questions contained in the semi structured questionnaires were used as instruments of data collection. Pie charts, bar graphs and tables were used to present data and Microsoft excel was used to analyze the statistics Excel. According to the study 58% of the study of the majority rated supplier’s evaluation process as good this moved contract management to a higher level. Also 67% said suppliers’ evaluation has effect to contract management while 33% said it do not. Thus concluded that competency affected contract management to great extent, 58% considered staff competency as an important factor which boost morale of the staff and increase productivity. About 58% of the respondents responded that strategic decisions affect contract management and only 42% of the respondents who said that it did not affect at all. Also 77% of the majority felt strategic decisions has great effect to contract management. The 73% believed that technology has great impact on contract management. Majority 54% said that the Technology in the organization was effective, 38% said it was very effective, 8% said it was fair while no respondent rated it as poor. The research Recommendations were supplier’s evaluation process should be encouraged in the organization so as to ensure smooth flow of business activities the organization. The management should ensure that the employees have knowledge in staff competency required to carry out the contract management procedures. Proper strategic decisions should be put in place be established, thereby providing a formal mechanism in the organization. There should be use of technology policy that will ensure timely performance of activities in the organization as it improves technological know-how