Browsing by Author "Mwangi, Judy"

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    Challenges experienced by men and women in informal finance groups in Gachagi informal settlement in Thika Sub-County, Kenya
    (GLOBEEDU Group, 2015) Mwangi, Judy; Kimani, Elishiba
    Studies indicate that most people living in the informal settlements are usually poor and financially excluded. As such, they tend to rely on informal finance groups for their financial upkeep. Given that there exist several informal finance groups and for different purposes, this study sought to establish the challenges facing informal finance groups by men and women. The study was conducted in an informal settlement, namely Gachagi in Thika Sub-County, Kenya. The study adopted a qualitative descriptive design, and was guided by behavioral life cycle hypothesis advanced by Thaler (1954). The target population was 20 informal finance groups comprising 10 Rotating Saving and Credit Associations (ROSCAs), 5 welfare/clan groups, 3 Accumulating Savings and Credit Associations (ASCAs) and 2 investment groups. Out of the 20 informal finance groups, a sample size of 11 informal finance groups comprising 5 ROSCAs, 3 welfare/clan groups, 2 ASCAs and 1 investment group were selected forming a sample of 55%. The main respondents of the study were men and women members of the selected informal finance groups including group officials. Key study informants included the Divisional Social Services Officer (DSSO), the Chief and two elders from the informal settlement. Data collection tools were Focus Group Discussion guides for men and women in informal finance groups and interview guides for key informants. Data collected was cross-tabulated for qualitative analysis. Findings indicated that there were challenges which hindered smooth running of informal finance groups and therefore discouraged the participation and the rate of saving among men and women. These included poor governance, low attendance of group meetings, defaulting by members and burdensome gender roles among others
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    Operations of informal finance groups in Gachagi informal settlement in Thika Sub-County, Kenya
    (2015) Mwangi, Judy; Kimani, Elishiba
    Studies indicate that most people living in the informal settlements are usually poor and financially excluded. As such, they tend to rely on informal finance groups for their financial demands. Given that there exist several informal finance groups and for different purposes, this study sought to find out the salient features of informal finance groups. The study was conducted in an informal settlement, namely Gachagi in Thika Sub-County, Kenya. The study adopted a qualitative descriptive design, and was guided by behavioral life cycle hypothesis advanced by Thaler (1954). The target population was 20 informal finance groups comprising 10 Rotating Saving and Credit Associations (ROSCAs), 5 welfare/clan groups, 3 Accumulating Savings and Credit Associations (ASCAs) and 2 investment groups. Out of the 20 informal finance groups, a sample size of 11 informal finance groups comprising 5 ROSCAs, 3 welfare/clan groups, 2 ASCAs and 1 investment group were selected forming a sample of 55%. The main respondents of the study were men and women members of the selected informal finance groups including group officials. Study key informants included the Divisional Social Services Officer (DSSO), the Chief and two elders from the informal settlement. Data collection tools were Focus Group Discussion guides for men and women in informal finance groups and interview guides for key informants. Data collected was cross-tabulated for qualitative analysis. Findings revealed that the major group operations were regular contributions, holding group meetings, selection of group officials, ensuring safe keeping of group money, using a constitution as an operational guide, loan disbursement, keeping of group financial records and actualization of official registration of the group.
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    The Influence of Training Reforms on the Performance of Law Enforcement Officers in the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Kenya
    (AJER Publishing Inc., 2025-04) Ong'ale, Margaret Awino; Mwangi, Judy; Sirera, Anne
    Police and policing are critical components of any society's criminal justice system. The police maintain law and order, crime prevention and investigations besides ensuring public safety, protection of the basic rights and freedoms of citizens including the right to life. Their duty demands high degrees of competence, proper kitting and support of the government. This study investigated the influence of training reforms on performance of law enforcement in Kenya by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Kenya Police Service. The study was guided by Peelian Principles theory and Legitimacy theory. Mixed-method approach involving descriptive survey with an ethnographic method was used whereby quantitative data was collected using structured questionnaires and the qualitative data obtained using open-ended interview guides and focus group discussions from the members of the civil society. A sample of 384 participants comprising of 230 DCI officers and 154 stakeholders drawn from the civil society and community elders was selected using multistage sampling technique. The data was analyzed using SPSS software version 26.0 using descriptive statistics (frequency distributions, means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (correlation and regression analysis). The study found that there is a significant moderate positive linear relationship (r=.428, p<0.05) between the training reforms and the performance of the DCI officers. The model predicts 49.4% influence of training reforms on the performance of the DCI (β= .429; Std. Error =.83332; t=6.415; p=0.000). For every unit increase in training reforms is .429 increase on the performance of the DCI officers. This study concluded that training of DCI officers equips them with requisite skills to improve their professionalism in execution of their mandates. The study also concluded that there is need for more and continuous trainings to enable officer tackle the ever-evolving world of crime and improve competencies to adapt to the emerging challenges.