Kenyatta University Repository
Kenyatta University Institutional Repository is a digital archive that collects, preserves and disseminates scholarly outputs of the Institution
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Women’s Indigenous Brewing Enterprise in Nairobi City: Production and Consumption Dynamics in an Urban Space, 1890–2010
(Kenyatta University, 2025-11) Murathi Antony Kimani
This study examines women’s participation in the brewing enterprise from 1890 to
2010, situating it within the urban context of Nairobi. Its specific objectives were:
to evaluate how socio-cultural norms shaped the brewing and consumption of
alcoholic beverages among precolonial Kenyan societies; to assess how indigenous
brewing transitioned from rural to urban contexts and became commodified in
Nairobi between 1900 and 1928; to analyze the factors that enabled African women
brewers in Nairobi to sustain and adapt their brewing enterprises amid intensified
colonial repression between 1929 and 1963; and to explore how local and global
political-economic dynamics influenced the transformation and resilience of
women’s brewing in Nairobi from 1964 to 2010. The study investigates the
gendered socio-economic factors that underpinned the emergence of women’s
brewing enterprise in Nairobi and examines how women brewers exercised agency
within the constraints of the city’s shifting political economies. An integrated
theoretical framework drawing on the articulation of modes of production and the
concept of women’s agency was employed. Methodologically, the study adopted a
historical research design grounded in qualitative analysis. Data was obtained from
primary and secondary sources and verified for authenticity, consistency, and
reliability. It was then presented thematically and chronologically in line with the
research objectives. Findings reveal that both colonial and post-independence
policies criminalized and stigmatized indigenous brewing, but women transformed
it into a vital livelihood strategy, generating income amid persistent structural
constraints. Women brewers thus emerged not as passive participants but as active
agents who negotiated repression, commodification, and urban transformation to
assert autonomy and sustain livelihoods, which significantly shaped Nairobi’s social
and economic landscape. The study recommends further research on the intersection
of men’s and women’s roles in brewing, on women’s strategies for reinvesting
income within the indigenous alcohol economy, and on the evolving linkages
between small-scale and industrial beer production. Comparative studies between
Nairobi and other African cities could also illuminate broader regional dynamics in
women’s brewing practices and how these relate to wider urban informal
economies. Such inquiries would also help preserve and valorize women’s brewing
knowledge as a crucial resource for reclaiming cultural dignity and advancing the
broader project of economic and intellectual decolonization. This study contributes
both to scholarship and practice by advancing the historiography of gender and
urban Africa and informing contemporary policy debates on alcohol regulation,
informal enterprise, and women’s entrepreneurship in African citie
Kiswahili Teacher Characteristics and Students’ Academic Achievement in Secondary Schools in Murang’a and Kiambu Counties, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2025-09) Munyaka, Lucy Wanjiru
Teachers contribute a pivotal role in shaping students’ academic outcomes,
particularly through effective curriculum implementation. In Kenya, concerns persist
about the declining performance in Kiswahili among secondary school students,
despite the efforts made to improve teacher professional development. This issue
was evidenced in Kiswahili results in 2020 KCSE, in Murang’a and Kiambu
counties, which recorded lower mean scores i.e. 4.3 and 4.4 respectively, than Nyeri
(4.62) and Kirinyaga (4.64). This study examined the influence of Kiswahili teacher
characteristics on students’ academic achievement in Kiswahili in secondary schools
in Murang’a and Kiambu counties. The focus was on three dimensions: (1) teacher
demographics (age, gender, personality), (2) academic and professional
qualifications and teaching experience, and (3) pedagogical content knowledge
(PCK). Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (1979), which gives a holistic
lens for examining the multiple environmental layers that influence a learner’s
development and academic outcomes was used. The study employed a descriptive
survey design and focused on a population of 29,134 individuals, comprising 512
principals, 1,172 Kiswahili teachers, and 27,450 Form Four students. A stratified
proportionate sample of 103 schools yielded 299 Kiswahili teachers and 395
students, while 103 principals were purposively selected. Data was collected through
structured questionnaires, and instrument reliability was confirmed via the split-half
technique, achieving Cronbach’s alpha values above 0.90. Descriptive statistics
(frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations) and inferential tests
(ANOVA, independent samples t-tests) were employed in analysis. Results
indicated that teachers’ PCK, professional skills, and academic qualifications
significantly influenced student achievement in Kiswahili, with mean scores of 4.0
(SD = 1.1), 3.9 (SD = 0.8), and 3.8 (SD = 1.1), respectively. ANOVA further
revealed statistically significant differences in perceptions of gender’s influence
across principals, teachers, and students (p = .000). The study concludes that teacher
characteristics are critical in improving Kiswahili performance. It recommends that
the Teachers Service Commission should enhance teacher development programs
with emphasis on strengthening PCK. Further research is suggested to explore the
influence of gender, personality traits, and instructional methods, across different
types of secondary schools including rural and urban setting.
Relationship among Students’ Achievement Motivation, Teachers’ Self-Efficacy and English Language Performance among Form Three Students in Embu County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2025-12) Mugane Calmen Mary
English language is an essential subject in the Kenya school syllabus as it is the standard language of instruction in most subjects in the school curriculum. Despite its importance, students’ performance in English has remained consistently below expectations in many Kenyan schools, prompting concern among educators and policymakers. This study therefore sought to investigate students' achievement motivation and teachers' English self-efficacy as correlates of English language performance among Form Three students in Embu County, Kenya. The following objectives grounded the study: To find out the relationship between students’ achievement motivation and English language performance, to establish the relationship between teachers of English self-efficacy in teaching English and English performance, to establish the inter-relationship among students’ achievement motivation, teachers of English self-efficacy, and English performance, and finally to ascertain if students’ achievement motivation varied significantly by gender. This research was anchored in the achievement motivation theory by McClelland and Atkinson (1958) and the Self-Efficacy theory by Bandura (1997). A correlational research design aimed at contributing to the limited research on the variables was used. The study targeted Form Three students who were to sit for their KCSE examination in 2024, from a total of 50,675 students in 189 public schools in the county. In the first stage, the study employed simple random and stratified sampling to select 17 schools out of the 189 public secondary schools in Embu County. Adapted instruments: Sadven’s SP Profile (1975) and Teachers Self-efficacy scale developed by Ralf Schwarzer (1999) were used in data collection. A preliminary pilot study was conducted on 26 students, a sample similar to the study's sample to determine the validity and reliability of the study instruments. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed a significant positive relationship between achievement motivation and English language performance, r (312) = .33, p < 0.05. There was a positive significant relationship between teachers' self-efficacy and English language performance, r(312) = .47 , p < .05. The study found significant mean differences in students’ achievement motivation in favor of females, t (312) = -4.68, p < .05. Regarding prediction, the two independent variables significantly predict English language performance and explained 24% of the total variance in performance. Based on the results, the study makes the following recommendations: The Ministry of Education may enhance policies and monitoring frameworks which can influence motivational levels and self-efficacy among teachers in English language. The Teachers Service Commission may implement these policies by incorporating motivational and self-efficacy elements in in-service programs for English teachers, especially in underperforming schools to enhance performance in the subject.
Efficacy of Probiotic Yoghurt Enriched With Purple-Leaf Tea on Gut Microbiota and Lipid Profile
(Kenyatta University, 2025-11) Mucheru,Patrick Kamau
The gut microbiome has been found to have a significant impact on the health status
and diseases of humans. Dysbiosis increases gut permeability that subsequently lead to
increased gut inflammations and metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes
and inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). These disorders cause chronic systemic
inflammation, which subsequently alters the lipid profile and gut microbiota
composition. The purple tea variety (TRFK 306/1) produced in Kenya is loaded with
polyphenols and more anthocyanins than the green tea showing great promise in
production of nutraceuticals and functional foods. Dairy products such as yoghurt have
been used as a vehicle for probiotic microbes delivery. Probiotics are living
microorganisms which provide health benefits to the consumer when taken in sufficient
amounts. However, limited intervention studies consider the impact of probiotics on
health outcomes. Therefore, the current study investigated the synergy of dual health
effects of a novel formulated probiotic yoghurt enriched with purple leaf tea (PYEPT)
against the control without the purple tea. The yoghurt was produced by fermenting
pasteurized milk with probiotic starter culture ABT 5. The benefits were assessed by
analysing the yoghurt nutritional properties (proximate composition, profiling of
minerals and anthocyanin content), consumer sensory acceptability, gut bacterial
community and diversity changes and lipid profile of Wistar rats fed on the yoghurt.
The study adopted a randomized control trial design using an in vivo animal model. A
total of 16 male white Wistar rats were used in the study whereby eight rats were the
control group, while the other 8 were the experimental group. The proximate results
showed significant differences (p<0.05) between the PYEPT and control yoghurt with
higher levels of protein and carbohydrates content. Moreover, the study found that the
mineral profile of the purple tea puree used in enrichment of the yoghurt potassium was
highest with 282 parts per million (ppm), and the total anthocyanin was 211.2 ppm. The
sensory evaluation showed that PYEPT had significantly higher scoring in terms of
appearance, colour, taste, odour and overall acceptability (p<0.05) than the control
yoghurt. The current study found that Bacteroidetes were the most dominant phyla at
the baseline, with 61% of all the bacteria. Moreover, after supplementation with
PYEPT, the level of Bacteroidetes reduced to 48.65%. At the baseline, the species level
of Lactobacillus helveticus was found to be at 0.1% while in the endline enriched group,
it was found to be at 0.8%. The current study found the baseline group had a species
richness of 49. After four weeks of the experiment, the control group increased the
species richness to 51, while the enriched yoghurt group reduced the richness to 45.
Both endline control and endline enriched yoghurt groups were associated with higher
levels of beneficial bacteria after the experiment. Particularly, there were significant
reductions in the pathogenic microorganism between endline control and endline
enriched yoghurt (p≤0.05). Independent sample t-test showed there was no statistically
significant difference between total cholesterol, serum triglycerides, serum high
density lipoprotein and serum low-density lipoprotein between the control yoghurt and
enriched yoghurt group (p>0.05). The current study concludes that the probiotic
yoghurt enriched with purple tea positively modulated the gut microbiota and can be
recommended as an avenue to provide a functional food for dietary intervention of
dysbiosis. However, further clinical studies with humans should be done to confirm the
conclusions and further in vitro studies for understanding the mechanisms of
interventions before releasing the yoghurt as a commercial product
Virtual Field Trips in Instruction and Their Effect on Learners’ Performance in History and Government among Secondary Schools, Murang’a County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2025-08) Laichena, Edward Mutabari
The use of Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) in teaching has presented opportunities for learners to remotely visit educational sites. This has helped institutions to offer learners with quality learning without a corresponding cost. Although VFTs are believed to support experiential learning, their impact on teaching and learning of History and Government has not been extensively explored. Therefore, the main focus of this study was to determine the effect of VFTs on learners' performance in History and Government. The study was guided by the following objectives; (i) Investigate (a) teachers’ and (b) learners’ perceptions towards the use of VFTs in teaching and learning History and Government; (ii) Establish the extent to which teachers utilized VFTs in teaching and learning History and Government; (iii) Determine the effect of VFTs on teaching and learning History and Government and, (iv) Explore the challenges experienced by teachers and learners using VFTs in teaching and learning History and Government in Murang’a County, Kenya. The study was guided by Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge Theory (TPACK) by Mishra and Koehler (2006). The study adopted a Quasi-Experimental Design targeting 35 public sub county secondary schools with a target population of 3,329 respondents. Four public sub county secondary schools were purposively sampled to ensure they were spread accross the county. Also, three teachers in each school under study were purposively sampled while two classes of learners from each sampled school was randomly selected. A sample size of 379 respondents made up of teachers and form one learners of History and Government took part in the study. The research instruments used were learners questionnaires, interview schedules for teachers, History and Government assessment tests, and classroom observation schedules. Piloting was done on all research instruments and reliability accepted at r=0.657. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze data for descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found that teachers and learners had positive perceptions towards the use of VFTs though they faced challenges. Also, the majority of teachers and learners were not using VFTs for teaching and learning. Further, the use of VFTs in instruction significantly affected learners' academic performance at t (365) = 15.50, p=0.00. Thus, a VFT Teaching Model was developed to assist teachers in the preparation and use of VFTs for instructional purposes. The study recommended the Ministry of Education and Teachers Service Commission organize training for teachers of History and Government to equip them with skills for preparation and use of VFTs for teaching and learning. Also, teacher training institutions should endeavor to equip teacher trainees with skills to exploit VFTs in their specific subject teaching areas. It is anticipated that the study findings and recommendations highlighted will provide knowledge and skills to teachers to improve teaching and learning for better academic performance.