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Drivers of Food Choice, Dietary Practices and Nutrition Status of Women Aged 18–59 Years in Kiambu County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2025-07) Muturi, Christine Wairimu
Drivers of food choice are complex factors that interact to influence individual food consumption. Twenty-eight percent of Kenyans between the ages of 18 and 69 are classed as either overweight or obese, with more than half of hospital admissions being due to illnesses related to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In Kiambu, 55.6% of the women are either overweight or obese. This study was to explore the drivers of food choice, dietary diversity and the nutritional status of women aged 18-59 in Kiambu County. A cross-sectional analytical design was employed. Kiambu County was selected due to the residents' exposure to both rural and urban lifestyle influence. The sample size calculated was 420 women with a response rate of 383 women participants’ selected using multistage sampling. Data was collected by use of validated structured tools. Data analysis of mean, percentages, frequencies, Spearman’s rho and multinomial logistical regression was carried out using SPSS version 23.0. The study found that 63.9% of the women were either overweight or obese, while 67.6% had a waist circumference >80 cm, indicating a pressing public health concern due to high visceral fat. The study found a moderate level of dietary diversity among the participants (5.67 ±1.89), with 51.4% of the population meeting their Mean dietary diversity for women (MDD-W). All of the participants (100%) answered affirmatively that when asked whether it was important to them that the food they ate could be bought close by , was nutritious and looked nice as factors of convenience, health and sensory appeal. Marital status was strongly correlated with availability in shops and ease of preparation (is what I usually eat) (P=0.000), freedom from food scare as a factor of risk perception (P=0.000) and familiarity (is what I usually eat) (P=0.000). The study found no significant relationship between drivers of food choice and dietary diversity (P=0.308) as well as drivers of food choice and either BMI or waist circumference) (P= 0.171, P=0.921). Future research should explore various physiological stages of women, specific meals of interest, seasonal variations in food choice drivers, and the relationship between drivers choice of food and nutrition status in populations with specific non-communicable diseases.
Restructuring Strategies and Performance of Selected Public Universities in Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2025-11) Kivindo, Sabbena Nthenya
Public universities are critical to the economic growth of Kenya, contributing significantly by supplying the skilled workforce necessary to achieve the goals outlined in Vision 2030. These institutions play a vital role in supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals by facilitating knowledge creation and spearheading research that lead to new discoveries. Despite their critical importance, public universities in Kenya face several performance challenges, including declining student enrollment, delayed completion rates, missing marks, financial difficulties, lack of new program development, subpar academic performance, and a general decline in the quality of education. In response to these challenges, public universities have adopted restructuring strategies aimed at enhancing their performance. Therefore, this research sought to find out the effect of restructuring strategies on the performance of selected public universities in Kenya. Specifically, the study focused on establishing the effect of operations redesign restructuring, downsizing restructuring and governance reform restructuring on performance of selected public universities in Kenya. Additionally, the research explored the mediating role of organizational agility and the moderating role of the regulatory framework in the relationship between restructuring strategies and performance of selected public universities. The study was underpinned by several theoretical frameworks, including the Balanced Score-card Model, Dynamic Capabilities Theory, Institutional Theory, and Contingency Theory. A positivist research philosophy and explanatory research design was adopted. The study targeted a population of 998 management personnel across selected from 22 public universities in Kenya, with unit of observation as Vice-Chancellors, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Registrars, Chief Finance Officers; and Deans, Directors and Department Chairs. Data was gathered using a semi-structured questionnaire to a sample of 392 participants, selected through multi-stage sampling technique. A pilot study was undertaken that assisted in testing validity and reliability of the study instrument. Content, construct and face validity was ensured while reliability was tested using Cronbach alpha with a cutoff point of 0.7 was considered. Multiple linear regression model was used to test the study hypotheses where 95% level of significance was applied in testing the Hypotheses. Descriptive and inferential statistics analyzed quantitative data while content analysis analyzed qualitative data by utilizing shared themes being reported in form of narrative. Diagnostics tests such as normality, linearity, multicollinearity and homoskedasticity were carried out which are essential in validating the assumptions of the regression model. The analysis revealed that restructuring strategies; operations redesign and downsizing significantly enhanced performance in the selected public universities. Conversely, governance reform negatively impacted performance in the selected public universities. The study further identified organizational agility as a partial mediator in the relationship between restructuring strategies and performance of selected public universities, as the regulatory framework played a significant moderating role. Based on these findings, the study recommends that university management should focus on strengthening operations redesign and downsizing strategies to boost performance in the selected public universities, while carefully reconsidering the approach to governance reform restructuring to mitigate its adverse effects
Headteachers’ Instructional Supervision and Teaching of Adaptive Skills for Learners with Intellectual Disabilities in Special Primary Schools, Meru County
(Kenyatta University, 2025-10) Ruteere, Rosallin Kananu
Effective teaching as well as adaptive skills development for students with intellectual disabilities (ID) is fundamental to empower their educational and socioeconomic development. Despite recognition among educators of the need to empower ID learners with adaptive skills, educational opportunities designed for the acquisition of these skills are limited in the Kenyan educational sector. The persistence of such challenges in the educational sector for ID learners has significant long-term impacts, exacerbating the significant disadvantage faced by individuals with disabilities in society. This study therefore sought to assess the ways in which instructional supervision of head teachers influence how learners with ID are taught adaptive skills in special primary schools and units in Meru County, Kenya. It took a qualitative approach, purposively sampling 20 participants, including 15 teachers and five (5) head teachers drawn from special primary schools and units in Igembe South Sub-County, in Meru County. The data collection process integrated the interview schedules for head teachers and questionnaire for teachers. The pilot study was done within Kathelwa Special Unit that is located within Central Igembe Sub-county. The qualitative data was analyzed thematically, identifying six themes from the data collected. The main themes that emerged were; the importance of teaching adaptive skills to ID learners; strategies used in teaching such skills; head teachers’ professional qualification influences how ID learners are taught adaptive skills; strategies used to supervise teaching of adaptive skills; head teachers’ supervisory experiences and their influence on the teaching of adaptive skills; and perception of teachers towards instructional supervision by the head teachers. The study findings show inadequate professional qualifications in SNE among the head teachers, with this impeding instructional supervision for effective adaptive skills teaching for learners with ID. Another finding was that the head teachers who lacked SNE training failed to use effective supervision strategies in their schools. It was also found that headteachers who lacked experience reported inconsistent supervision, minimal guidance and poor adaptive teaching skills. The teachers reported that headteachers who lacked training in ID displayed little interest in SNE class and concentrated more on the mainstream performance neglecting the learners with ID. Additionally, teachers across the five schools recognized the importance of having SNE/ID trained head teachers as important for instructional supervision to ensure effectiveness of how ID learners are taught adaptive skills. The study concludes that the instructional supervision by head teachers is not effective, negatively influencing the teaching of such skills. Therefore, it recommended that the Ministry of Education should implement policy guidelines on the professional qualification of head teachers by ensuring in-service training and support programs for school heads to ensure effective instructional supervision in specific areas exem-plified by adaptive skills for learners with ID.
Forensic Accounting Techniques and Financial Performance of All Counties in Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2025-12) Omucheyi, Rispah Khamonyi
County governments are mandated to collect revenue and finance projects to ensure proper service delivery. County governments in 2022 collected 11% of their revenue potential and absorption rate was below 80%. This affected the delivery of services and raised concerns about future financial performance. Forensic accounting might help improve the financial performance of county governments. The researcher aimed to study the effect of forensic accounting techniques, audit committee size and financial reporting quality on the financial performance of counties in Kenya. In particular, determine the effect of forensic auditing, fraud detection, and forensic litigation on the financial performance of county governments in Kenya. The moderating effect of audit committee size on the connection between forensic accounting techniques and the financial performance of county governments in Kenya, and whether financial reporting quality mediates the link between forensic accounting techniques and financial performance. Fiscal federalism theory, forensic accounting theory, upper echelons theory, and positive accounting theory informed the analysis. The study used a positivism philosophy and correlational research design. The target population was 47 county governments in Kenya from the financial period 2014/2015 to 2022/2023 and sampled 45 counties. Data from audited financial statements was obtained and recorded using excel. Data was analyzed using R statistical tool and a dynamic panel model was fitted using one or two lag periods. Hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance. Model specification tests, instrument validity, and autocorrelation tests were conducted on each model and all models passed the diagnostic tests. Before collecting the data, a letter from Kenyatta University Graduate School and a NACOSTI license were obtained. The findings showed that forensic auditing had a significant effect on the financial performance of county governments at the first lag (p-value = 0.00419 and 0.04892 for the own source revenue model, p-value = 0.0146 for overall absorption rate and p= 0.002336 for development absorption rate). Fraud detection and forensic litigation had no significant effect on the financial performance of county governments in Kenya (p-value > 0.05). Audit committee size had a moderating effect on the relationship between forensic accounting techniques and financial performance (for own source revenue, the interaction between audit opinion and audit committee size p-value = 0.0196, for overall absorption rate model, audit expenditure and audit committee size had a p-value = 0.0072 and recurrent absorption model interaction between red flag index and audit committee ( p=0.0091458 ), fraud detection and audit committee (p=0.00005739) and cases reported and audit committee size (p=0003749)). Financial reporting quality had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between forensic accounting techniques and own source revenue, the relationship between financial reporting quality and red flag index ( p= 0.01942), financial reporting quality and audit expenditure (p= 0.03029), and financial reporting quality is significant at lag 1 ( p= 0.014724). Financial reporting quality had no mediating effect on absorption rate (p-value > 0.05). The study concluded that forensic auditing is important and that each county should invest in the forensic auditing function to help identify financial crimes. Parliament should introduce tougher rules to ensure accountability and address of audit issues. The study recommended that county leadership should ensure a functional forensic auditing department, have an independent audit committee and prepare quality financial reports.
Perceived Instrumentality and Study Time Management as Predictors of Academic Achievement among Form Two Students in Mombasa County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2025-11) Yaki, Rehema Nthenya
The central problem of this study is academic underachievement of secondary school students over the years. Schools in Kenya, especially in Mombasa County are facing a big problem of poor quality grades which may be attributed to students’ failure to see the importance of current studying and its link to attainment of future aspirations. As a result, students are spending minimal time on school activities and giving up easily when faced with difficulties. The increased emphasis on academics by educators and parents has not resulted in increased effort in studying among students in Mombasa County. Poor quality grades have been consistently realized due to students’ inability to identify with academics and failure to connect current school performance to future outcomes. Therefore, the study sought to find out the extent to which perceived instrumentality and study time management predicts academic achievement of secondary school students. Academic self-esteem and school identification were hypothesised to mediate the relationship. Finally, gender differences in study time, perceived instrumentality, and academic self-esteem, identification with academics and academic achievement of students were also studied. The Future-Oriented Motivation and Self-regulation Theory was used to explain the study. This study used an ex post facto design. Purposive, stratified and simple random sampling were employed. Nine schools were purposively selected from a population of 49 public secondary schools from which a total of 542 students were selected in Mombasa County. Document analysis, self-report questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used. The questionnaire comprised the following scales: Approaches to Learning Survey and the Assessment of Time Management Skills Questionnaire to measure students’ perceived instrumentality and study time management respectively; State Self-esteem Scale to measure students’ academic self-esteem; and Identification with Academics Scale to measure the degree to which students identify with academics. Students’ academic achievement was measured using examination records obtained from school. Semi structured interviews with nine class teachers were conducted to enrich quantitative data. A pilot study was conducted among 30 form two students selected from a mixed day school in Mombasa County. Data were analysed using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Instrumentality and time management significantly and positively predicted achievement. School identification was a strong mediator of the relationship between instrumentality and time management and achievement. Academic self-esteem mediated the relationship between grit and achievement. Learners value school time and were aware of the need to efficiently manage time but were poor in planning. Students also need support from significant others. Findings help to inform policy makers, teachers, parents and students on the importance of valuing academics as well as time management as a skill necessary for optimal academic achievement.