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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Plant species diversity and composition in Kanyabaha wetland in Rukiga District, Uganda
(KeAi Communications Co.Ltd, 2025-10-27) Walakira, Paul; Gichuki, Cecilia; Muriuki, John; Ndunda, Ezekiel; Olanya, Peter B.; Kasoma, Pantaleon M.B.
Wetlands are ecologically and socioeconomically vital ecosystems, yet they remain highly vulnerable to humaninduced disturbances. This study assessed plant species composition, diversity, and ecological dominance within
Kanyabaha Wetland in Uganda to generate baseline ecological data that can inform sustainable management.
Standard vegetation survey techniques and ecological indices, including Shannon-Wiener, Simpson’s Diversity,
and Importance Value Index (IVI), were employed across sites with varying disturbance levels. A total of 31 plant
species belonging to 19 families were recorded, with notable variation in species richness and composition across
sites. Less disturbed areas (e.g., Rutenje and Burime) exhibited higher native species richness and stronger
ecological integrity, while highly disturbed sites like Kandago were dominated by introduced species, particularly Eucalyptus spp. Interestingly, Kandago recorded the highest diversity indices, suggesting that while
disturbance may increase species evenness, it compromises ecological balance. The dominance of few species in
disturbed areas indicated a shift in vegetation structure, potentially disrupting ecosystem functionality. To
address these issues, the study recommends targeted conservation measures, such as the removal or control of
invasive species, promotion of native species regeneration, and community-led restoration initiatives. These
findings are crucial for wetland managers, conservation agencies, and policy-makers, offering a scientific basis
for prioritizing conservation areas and designing context-specific management interventions. The study contributes to the broader understanding of plant community responses to disturbance, supporting ongoing
ecological monitoring and evidence-based restoration planning
Police Use of Social Media and Public Trust in Nairobi City County, Kenya
(Reviewed Journal of Social Science & Humanities, 2024-10) Kemboy,Leonard Kipngetich; Zakayo,Chris Ndunda
This studylookedinto how the police department uses social media to foster public trust and how that usage affects security operations in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study looked at a number of objectives including social media platforms, public attitudes and perceptions, the strategies thatpolice useonsocial mediato enhance public trust, the challenges they encounter in gaining public support, and the effects on Nairobi City County's security management. The technological acceptability model and information flow theory directed the investigation. The study being mixed research used explanatory sequential research design. In this type of a mixed research design, quantitative data is collected first, followed by qualitative data. Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers, General Duty Officers, Human Rights Activists, National Police Service Headquarters' Communication Department, Youth Groups, Local Administrative Officers, Independent Policing Oversight Authority, and Senior Ministry of ICT officials were amongthe study's target population. Questionnaires and interviews were utilized as data gathering tools in the project, which employed simple and purposeful random sampling approaches. Quantitative data was analyzed using the SPSS output for descriptive statistics, while qualitative data was analyzed thematically as per study objectives. The study established that Facebook and Twitter are the most preferred social media platforms for police communication. On the same note, study found out that public perception and attitudes significantly influence public trust on police use of social media. Further the study established that the people of Nairobi are aware of the police's social media strategies and the most common strategies are incident reporting and updating, with moderate use of public relations. Community discussions are less common. Thestudy revealed that police face challenges in using social media to build public trust, with false information, misuse, privacy concerns, technical issues, lack of resources, and inadequate training being the most significant issues.The study recommends that police should expand their use of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and TikTok, and address concerns about misinformation and privacy. Regular updates and active interaction are crucial for building public trust. Police should be transparent, monitor content, engage the community, and use proven strategies like incident reporting. Overcoming challenges like misinformation, privacy concerns, investing in tools, and initiating public awareness campaigns can further enhance social media efforts
Treasury Budgeting Mechanisms and Financial Performance of Selected Commercial Parastatals in Kenya
(INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS OF ACADEMICS & RESEARCH, 2024) Joel,Evans Okemwa; Simiyu, Eddie
The study sought to research the impact of budgetary control on the economic overall financial performance of the industrial
parastatals in Kenya from the year 2013 to 2023. This was accomplished by specifically analyzing the influence of budgetary
planning on the financial performance of the industrial parastatals in Kenya. The study used a descriptive research design and
targeted the chosen 10 industrial parastatals in Kenya from the listed 46 business parastatals in Kenya. The study utilized
primary data collected through structured questionnaires from commercial parastatals. The gathered data was coded and
cleaned using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics provided an overview of the sample, including demographic details of the
respondents, as well as measures such as central tendencies, standard deviation, range, and variance. The results were
presented using tables, charts, themes, and graphs. Causal relationships were evaluated using R², F values, and beta
coefficients, with a significance level set at 0.05, and coefficients were tested accordingly. The findings indicate that budgetary
planning (β=0.277, p=0.000), have a significant and positive effect on the financial performance of industrial parastatals in
Kenya. The moderation analysis revealed that budgetary planning has a positive but marginally non-significant effect when
moderated by treasury mechanisms. Thus, the study provides a clear direction for improving financial performance through
several key budgetary practices. Strengthening budgetary planning by developing guidelines, investing in training, and using
advanced tools will create a more strategic approach to financial management
Effect of Stakeholder Expectation on Performance of Projects Funded by Nongovernmental Organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya
(research publish, 2024-09) Muthinja, Winfred Kawira; Kyalo, Josphat
The success of a project relies on effective leadership and coordination among the many project
stakeholders. Nevertheless, numerous NGO initiatives worldwide still struggle to meet their goals and do not meet
expectations. Because of ineffective stakeholder management methods, more than 30% of NGOs in Kenya experience
project failures and may not achieve their objectives. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the
impact of stakeholder expectations on the project outcomes of NGOs operating in the healthcare industry in Nairobi
County. The suggested assessment was based on a descriptive study design. A total of 118 NGO staff in the health
sector involved in seven projects in Kenya were targeted for the research study. Using a method of stratified
sampling, one hundred and ten 110 respondents were randomly selected from senior managers, project managers,
project supervisors, project and team members of chosen Health sector NGOs, and community leaders of project
beneficiaries. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data through the drop and pick method. The
findings uncovered in the survey noted an insignificant negative effect of stakeholders’ expectation on project
performance funded by NGOs. This implies that the level of expectation held by stakeholders, such as community
members, beneficiaries, or other relevant actors, does not have a substantial direct effect on the outcomes of the
projects funded by NGOs in Nairobi City County. The study recommends that NGOs should prioritize developing
and implementing effective stakeholder engagement strategies.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Trichodermaspp Influence on Nutrient Uptake and Water Stress Tolerance in Cowpea (VignaunguiculataL. Walp)
(2023-11) Wanjala, Daniel; Mutune, Adelaide; Mugendi, Ezekiel
Drought and nutrient un-availability are amongst the major environmental stresses that hinder plants productivity. The use of synthetic fertilizers in drought-stricken lands is unaffordable to most small-holder farmers and contributesto environmental pollution. This study was conducted to determine the influence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi and Trichoderma spp onnutrient uptakein cowpeaat different soil water levels under greenhouse conditions. The experiment wasconducted using a 3 × 2 × 8 factorialarranged on a completely randomized block design with the three water levels treatmentof90 % (no stress), 60 % (mild stress), and 30 % (severe stress) of field capacity (FC). Two cowpea varieties (KVU 27-1 and K80) were used in each water level and each was subjected toeightfungal inoculation treatments: Funneliformismosseae,Rhisophagusirregularis,Trichodermaharzianum,Trichoderma asperellum,Funneliformismosseae+Rhisophagusirregularis,Trichoderma harzianum+Trichoderma asperellum, T. harzianum+ Funneliformismosseae+ Rhisophagusirregularis, and control (un-inoculated) that were in the replicates of four. The shoot tissue analysis wasdone to determine the nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) contents. The data were subjected to a Two-Way ANOVAto determine the influence of the two fungi on nutrient uptake.Means were separated using Bonferroniat p <0.05. Results showed that all the shoot nutrient contentswere significant at (p<0.05) with soil water level treatment in both varieties. Water stress negativelyinfluencedshoot nutrient contents. The combined inoculation of HarS and HBB greatly influencedshoot nutrient levels for both cowpea varietiesthan the controls. The highest N and P shoot content were 3.7 % (in KVU 27-1) and 0.12 % (in K80) inoculated with HBB and HarS respectively. The highest K content was 2.7 % in bothvarieties inoculated with HarS. Therefore, co-inoculation of HarS and HBB was the most appropriate tonutrient uptake in the cowpea varieties.