Landscape dynamics (landDX) an open-access spatial-temporal database for the Kenya-Tanzania borderlands

The savannas of the Kenya-Tanzania borderland cover >100,000 km2 and is one of the most important regions globally for biodiversity conservation, particularly large mammals. The region also supports >1 million pastoralists and their livestock. In these systems, resources for both large mammals and pastoralists are highly variable in space and time and thus require connected landscapes. However, ongoing fragmentation of (semi-)natural vegetation by smallholder fencing and expansion of agriculture threatens this social-ecological system. Spatial data on fences and agricultural expansion are localized and dispersed among data owners and databases. Here, we synthesized data from several research groups and conservation NGOs and present the first release of the Landscape Dynamics (landDX) spatial-temporal database, covering ~30,000 km2 of southern Kenya. The data includes 31,000 livestock enclosures, nearly 40,000 kilometres of fencing, and 1,500 km2 of agricultural land. We provide caveats and interpretation of the different methodologies used. These data are useful to answer fundamental ecological questions, to quantify the rate of change of ecosystem function and wildlife populations, for conservation and livestock management, and for local and governmental spatial planning.The South Rift Association of Land Owners (specifically grants from the European Union and the Lion Recovery Fund), BigLife Foundation, Esri Conservation Program, Mara Elephant Project, Microsoft AI4Earth programme, the Carlsberg Foundation Semper Ardens project MegaPast2Future, and the VILLUM Investigator project “Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World” funded by VILLUM FONDEN, the European Research Council (ERC) project ANTHEA.http://www.nature.com/scientificdataam2023Mammal Research InstituteZoology and Entomolog

A cara humilhante da política e da burocracia no movimento trabalhista Queniano: em busca de uma lei trabalhista efetiva

The Constitution of Kenya, 2010, the Labour Relations Act, 2007, and the Employment Act, 2007, along with several other labour statutes, are designed to facilitate the establishment of employer-employee unions that play a significant role in safeguarding the social, political, and economic rights/interests of their registered members. Employers and employees generally need a conducive environment to perform their daily duties. Of late, however, continuous interference from political and state machineries in the running of union activities has proved to be a bedrock for regular internal disputes between the management and employees of various institutions in the country. For instance, the Kenya National Union of Teachers has accused, on several occasions, the Teachers Service Commission and politicians of sabotaging the affairs of the union. This paper, therefore, aims to evaluate the constitutional and legal framework regulating the establishment and registration of trade unions in Kenya. Besides, with the aid of judicial pronouncements, it analyses the impact of politics and bureaucracy in exercising the right to freedom of association, an essential element in the survival of trade unions in Kenya. Finally, the paper proposes measures to counter the threat posed by external parties in running trade union activities.La Constitución de Kenia de 2010, su Ley de relaciones laborales de 2007, su Ley de empleo de 2007, junto con varios otros estatutos laborales, están diseñados para facilitar el establecimiento de sindicatos de empleadores/empleados que desempeñan un papel importante en la salvaguardia de los derechos/intereses sociales, políticos y económicos de sus miembros. Los empleadores y los empleados generalmente necesitan un entorno propicio para realizar sus tareas diarias. Últimamente, sin embargo, la continua interferencia de las maquinarias políticas y estatales en el desarrollo de las actividades sindicales ha resultado ser la base de disputas internas regulares entre la dirección y los empleados de varias instituciones en Kenia. Por ejemplo, el Sindicato Nacional de Docentes de Kenia ha acusado en varias ocasiones a la Comisión del Servicio de Docentes ya los políticos de sabotear los asuntos del sindicato. Por lo tanto, este documento evalúa el marco constitucional y legal que regula el establecimiento y registro de sindicatos en Kenia. Además, con la ayuda de pronunciamientos judiciales, analiza el impacto de la política y la burocracia en el ejercicio del derecho a la libertad de asociación, elemento esencial para la supervivencia de los sindicatos en Kenia. Por último, el documento propone medidas que deben tomarse para contrarrestar la amenaza que representan las partes externas en el desarrollo de las actividades sindicales.A Constituição do Quênia de 2010, sua Lei de Relações Industriais de 2007, sua Lei de Emprego de 2007, juntamente com vários outros estatutos trabalhistas, são projetados para facilitar o estabelecimento de sindicatos de empregadores/empregados que desempenham um papel importante na salvaguarda dos direitos sociais, políticos e econômicos além dos interesses de seus membros. Empregadores e funcionários pelo geral precisam de um ambiente propício para realizar suas tarefas diárias. Ultimamente, no entanto, a contínua interferência das máquinas políticas e estatais no desenvolvimento das atividades sindicais acabou por ser a base de disputas internas regulares entre a direção e os funcionários de várias instituições no Quênia. Por exemplo, o Sindicato Nacional de Professores do Quênia acusou repetidamente a Comissão de Serviço de Professores e os políticos de sabotar os processos do sindicato. Portanto, este livro avalia a estrutura constitucional e legal que regula o estabelecimento e registro de sindicatos no Quênia. Além disso, com a ajuda de pronunciamentos judiciais, analisa o impacto da política e da burocracia no exercício do direito à liberdade de associação, elemento essencial para a sobrevivência dos sindicatos no Quênia. Finalmente, o documento propõe medidas a serem tomadas para contrariar a ameaça representada por partes externas no desenvolvimento das atividades sindicais

Evaluation of the demeaning face of COVID-19 on labour relations: a new challenge for Kenya’s burgeoning democracy

On March 11th 2020, the World Health Organization was forced to declare the novel coronavirus disease a global pandemic after a surge in reported cases of the disease outside China. The disease has adversely affected, inter alia, the economy and healthcare system in several countries including Kenya. To eradicate the pandemic, the Kenyan Government introduced numerous measures designed to control the infection rate which, inter alia, included closing of non-essential businesses and learning centers, restriction of people movements between 7.00pm and 5.00am and implementation of social distancing rules. These measures have compelled several public and private business entities to either shut or scale down their level of operations in order to remain afloat amid the pandemic. The existing Kenyan labour laws neither incorporate provisions on crisis response nor address the issue of employee safety while working from home. This article therefore seeks to delineate the legal implications of the disease on labour relations in Kenya. Besides, it evaluates effectiveness of the existing labour laws in safeguarding employers and employees’ rights to i.e., health, safety, leave and termination amid the pandemic. It will finally propose measures to be undertaken to fix the loopholes in such laws, if an