RP-Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

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Religion, Politics and War: Recollections on General Ndaya and Kenya’s Quest for Independence
(OASIS, 2024-10) Gathogo, Julius M.
The mosaic law of advocating the paying of life with life, and an “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, [and] stripe for stripe” (Exodus 21:23-25), came out clearly on 15th and 16th October 1953, as the politics of land and freedom [wiyathi na ithaka] in the colonial Kenya brought their ugly faces through a deadly violence. While the 15th October saw the Mau Mau rebels attack and kill two Roman Catholic Sisters (Cecilia Wangeci and Rosetta Njeri) at the Baricho Centre, the 16th October 1953 saw the capture of the rebel’s leader (Wanjagi wa Ndegwa, also known as General Ndaya) and his subsequent killing. In trying to understand the interface between religion, politics, and war in the African context, the research article has sampled the twin issues (the battle of River Ragati and the attacks on the Baricho Catholic Church of 1953)to alert the post-colonial Africa on the dangers of conflict among the trio. Contribution: This research article contributes to the broad scope of Theologia Viatorum journal via a multidisciplinary perspective that interfaces religion, politics, and war. It utilises a theo-historical design, and oral history techniques, such as storytelling, archival sources, personal communications with selected individuals, and through an extensive review of relevant literature.
Beyond Expectations in the Academic World: 17 Years of Publishing with Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae (2006–2023)
(Church History Society of Southern Africa and Unisa Press, 2024) Gathogo, Julius
This research article aims to bring out the author’s 17 years of research and publications with the Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae: Journal of Church History, abbreviated as SHE, from 2006 to 2023, and to establish its impact on his socio-scholarly formation. Methodologically, this drives the researcher to acknowledge the journal’s sharpening and preparatory role that has made it possible for him to be invited as an editor of an East African journal, an external examiner in various universities, and a conference speaker in diverse forums. The methodology also includes surveying the Church History Society of Southern Africa (CHSSA)’s annual conferences whose presentations since 2007—when the author attended for the first time—have enriched his engagements with SHE. Such presentations were later published in the journal. Key events that helped the author to come into contact with the first SHE copy have also been surveyed. The Mombasa Biographical Conference of April 2024, where the author was invited as the closing speaker, is viewed as one of the journal’s impactful events. The author was invited to address the gathering after his interest in biographical research was noted through his publications in SHE since 2006. Given this, the author seeks to usher in an East African perspective by drawing from the 17 years of his active participation in SHE publications and the CHSSA conferences. The latter provides the raw material for SHE’s publications.
covid-19 Pandemic and the Church in Kenya in the Context of Modern Information Communication Technology
(AMJR, 2023) Bwire J. Peter
Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has had devastating effects as well as positive lessons: socially, economically, and spiritually on the church, going forward. Social media or modern technology came in handy to enable the church activities go on during lockdown. This study was premised on the following objectives: to discuss the negative effects of Covid-19 on the church, socially, economically, and spiritually, to examine positive effects of Covid-19 on the church, socially, economically, and spiritually, and to explore solutions of Covid-19 and other pandemics on the church in the era of ICT. Hypothetically, the church has what it takes to provide solutions to pandemics because God has the will power to save his people. This notwithstanding, the problematic question was to find out how ICT was used as an enabler during the pandemic and why a loving God allows calamities to befall his people yet he can avert them. The research methodology was historical discourse analysis of library and archival data which was employed to describe, collect, collate, and to discuss data findings. Discourse analysis was also used to draw summaries, conclusions, and recommendations. The main findings and implications were that the pandemic led to believers’ faith relaxation, low church activities as they hoped in God’s salvific ability and yet questioned why he allowed these prolonged suffering on the church. Conclusively, God in His will power can rescue his people and as well allow them to experience calamities as part of the way of the cross. The lessons of pandemics positively prepare the church for its second advent among others.
Culture, Corruption and Commerce: African Culture Vis-Àvis Corruption and Sustainable Development In Africa
(ajcr, 2022) Samita,Zacharia; Oindo,Joseph Ouma
Discourses on sustainable development in Africa decry deeply-entrenched corruption as a leading obstacle. Sustainable development refers to a system of production, consumption and service delivery that positively contributes to the welfare of both the present as well as the future generations. Corruption, refers to a system that distorts and even decimates means of production, consumption and service delivery. Corruption, therefore, distorts and decimates sustainable development initiatives. Coming to the realization of the effects of corruption on sustainable development, a number of international, regional and local governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have condemned, proposed and put into place various legal and institutional anti-corruption measures. Despite these anti-corruption efforts, corruption remains pervasive, continues to threaten to decimate sustainable development efforts in Africa. A reading of available literature shows that majority of the legal and institutional anti-corruption measures, as well as scholarly empirical studies, have hardly delved into how African culture can be utilized in the fight against corruption within the continent. This therefore, leaves a lacuna that this present paper seeks to fill. This paper, therefore argues that there are elements in African culture that can be effectively used to curb corruption for sustainable development in Africa
How Human Capital Enhances the Sustainability of Informal Businesses for Burundian Women Refugee in Nairobi County, Kenya
(IJRMEC, 2019) Nininahazwe,Bella; Samita,Zacharia W.; Tom Kearney
This study sought to explore how human capital enhances the sustainability of informal businesses. Human capital is the main process for understanding individual income through education, training skills, vocational training and education. Therefore, human capital does make individuals productive which leads to high income and sustainability of informal businesses among Burundian Women Refugees. According to the findings, 99% BWRs were involved in informal businesses, all BWRs were not attending school (100%) and 63.5% were not involved in any vocational training
The Relevance of the Indigenous African Moral Theory in the control of Public Sector Corruption in Kenya
(IJRISS, 2021) Oindo,Joseph Ouma; Samita,Zacharia W; Oyugi, Edward
his paper explores the contribution of African moral theory in the control of public sector corruption in Kenya. This study is based on a literature review method. The principle method used is the documentary analysis that show how African moral theory can be applicable to the development of a national ideology of the common good to curb persistent corruption in Kenya. This study could provide the Government of Kenya with important information relating to how public sector corruption can be controlled through ethical formation that is indigenous to Kenyans. Through documentary analysis, the study found out that African ethics resonates with the indigenous worldview of Africans and can effectively be employed as an anti-corruption initiative in Kenya. This is because, the central premise of African moral theory is harmony and positive relationships. However, corruption distorts harmony and leads to negative relationships in the country. The study recommends an induction program for government employees. This induction program is a value-reorientation program delivered through seminars/workshops with a particular focus on honesty, justice, transparency, fairness, and personal integrity. The study also recommends the use of reward system as well as deterrents
Use of Social Media for Evangelisation: A Case of Full Gospel Churches of Kenya (Fgck)-Meru County
(Consortium Publishing, 2022) Kathambi, Fridah; Gitome, Josephine; Bwire, John P.
The study’s objective was to analyse the use of social media in evangelisation. The study employed a descriptive research design to seek information from various congregants. Interview guides, observation schedules, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and questionnaires were used to collect data. The clergy and lay leaders were interviewed, and the congregants of different age groups filled out questionnaires. Key informants were selected by the use of a purposive sampling technique coupled with stratified random sampling. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis, whereas descriptive quantitative data analysis was performed in SPSS 21. The results indicated that social media had been used for evangelisation through ICT tools such as mobile phones and computers. However, the use of social media for evangelisation has been faced with various challenges, including lack of internet connectivity, misuse of social media by non-Christians through posting of pornographic materials and unavailability of ICT tools. Some proposed ways of mitigating these challenges include educating Christians on the proper use of social media for evangelisation and maintaining active Gospel-based church websites.
Cultural Revival among Kikuyu Christians: Impact and Implications in the 21st Century
(SJAHSS, 2024-05) Kamau, Patrick Maina; Katola, Michael T.; Humphrey M. Waweru
The Kikuyu people were exposed to Christianity in the year 1900 following the arrival of Reverend McGregor. Subsequently, an overwhelming majority of individuals have adopted Christianity, with more than 90% identifying themselves as Christians. Nevertheless, the amalgamation of Western and Christian cultures throughout history has posed difficulties for the revival of Kikuyu traditional rituals. However, Anglican Christians have observed a revival of Kikuyu cultural traditions in Murang'a County, Kenya, during the twenty-first century. This return signifies a deliberate embrace of traditions that were previously forsaken. The objective of this study is to discover and examine the revived cultural traditions within the Anglican community, such as the reverence of ancestors, the categorization of individuals by age, the act of sacrificing animals, traditional marriage ceremonies, and the use of traditional brew. The study investigates the impact of cultural revival on Kikuyu Christianity through qualitative methodologies, including observation and interviews. The primary findings indicate that cultural revitalization entails both benefits and drawbacks. On one side, it assists in resolving identity challenges and enhances relationships with the community and family. Nevertheless, it also cultivates duplicity, undermines the Christian belief system, and engenders discord within the Christian community. These findings emphasize the necessity for dialogue among Kikuyu Christians to reconcile traditional behaviors with Christian principles. This will promote an authentic African Christianity that embraces Christian values while recognizing and integrating indigenous heritage. This study adds to the current discussion on the relationship between culture and religion in modern African settings by examining the intricacies and impacts of cultural resurgence in Christian communities.
Contextual Limitations in Sandra Harding's Epistemological Framework and How they Can be Overcome
(EdinBurg, 2024-05) Mulwa, Beatrice Jannie; Magero, Jacob; Oyigo, Josephat
This paper aims to investigate the contextual constraints in Sandra Harding's epistemology and suggest methods to get around them. The standpoint theory developed by Harding highlights the significance of taking historical, social, and cultural contexts into account when producing knowledge. This strategy essentializes and homogenizes various experiences and viewpoints. The study offers potential solutions to these constraints by critically examining the drawbacks of intersectionality and feminist standpoint theory. This entails embracing a more nuanced understanding of power dynamics, encouraging inclusive and diverse viewpoints, and acknowledging the complexities of multiple intersecting identities. The study aims to strengthen and enhance Harding's epistemology by addressing its contextual limitations and promoting a more equitable and inclusive approach to knowledge production. To achieve this goal, this study employs the laws of thought: three guiding principles: the non-contradiction rule, the excluded middle, and the identity principle. The study is primarily a conceptual analysis that proceeded by library study, employing the typical philosophical argumentation approach of evaluation, analysis, synthesis, reflection, and philosophical speculation. By highlighting the weaknesses of Harding's epistemology and suggesting possible remedies, this study contributes to a broader debate on the potential limitations of epistemology. It offers insights into developing more robust epistemological frameworks that promote social justice and inclusivity in knowledge inquiries, practices, and justification.
Domestic Violence against Women: Mitigation Role of African Inland Church in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya
(ISAR, 2024-03) Ronoh, Lucy; Kavivya, Cyprian; Gecaga, Margaret
Domestic violence is abusive behavior perpetrated by one’s partner in a relationship. Women across the world have been exposed to different forms of domestic violence (DV) according to various studies done. In Kenya, it is reported that almost half of the female population has directly or indirectly experienced domestic violence. It affects the psychological state of the abused party as well as their physical well-being, and in some cases, it leads to death. Uasin Gishu County, particularly Soy SubCounty, has witnessed a significant surge in gender-based violence (GBV) cases over recent years. The community, predominantly composed of the Kalenjin community, with over 75% adhering to the African Inland Church (AIC) Christian faith, forms a substantial and representative sample for this research. This article is an extraction of the thesis on domestic violence. It aimed to assess the ongoing prevalence of domestic violence against women, with a specific focus on the role of the clergy within the African Inland Church(AIC) in addressing these issues. The study employed a stratified sampling method to categorize the population, followed by a combination of simple random and purposive sampling techniques to select interviewees. Data collection involved questionnaire interviews, key informant interviews (KIIs), and focus group discussions (FGDs). Qualitative data analysis utilized Excel to identify leading themes. Quantitative data analysis, conducted using SPSS 2.0 software, employed descriptive and inferential statistics, presented through tables and figures. The study found that the church's coping mechanisms might not completely resolve the issue, as the clergy are not well prepared to handle it. The study recommended that comprehensive training for clergy and church leaders to effectively address domestic violence, accompanied by the establishment of frameworks or guidelines within the church.
Role of Church Affiliation and the Sexual Behaviour Choices of Students in Selected Universities in Nairobi County, Kenya
(CARI, 2024-01) Rotich, Marseline Cherono; Gecaga, Margaret; Gitome, Josephine
Purpose: The current study sheds light on the role of church affiliation in shaping sexual attitudes and behaviour. Not enough was known about how Christianity can influence the construction of values and beliefs that discourage risky sexual behaviour among adolescents at universities in Kenya. Little was understood on the role of church affiliation explaining variation in adolescent sexuality among Christian communities at universities. Spirituality is an understudied subtype of religiosity yet it may explain patterns of sexual behaviour. Most studies that have examined the relationship between sexual behaviours and religiosity have focused on sexual intercourse. These studies have not examined other sexual behaviour choices, like internet sex. Methodology: Using a mixed-methods design, the relationship between church affiliation and sexual behaviour was examined. In quantitative analysis, a stratified probability sample of (n=176 students) who attend regular prayer sessions in three universities: the Kenyatta University (KU) Main Campus, the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) Karen Campus, and the Daystar University was used. Qualitative interviews were conducted with university administrators, chaplains, and other church workers. Undergirding the study was the social identity theory, which articulates the idea of people seeking to gain membership and acceptance in any social group. Findings: The findings suggest church affiliation has a significant effect on sexual attitudes, values, and behaviour. There seems to be an interaction between extrinsic and intrinsic religiosity, with frequent church attendance appearing to induce more conservative sexual beliefs, attitudes and behaviour. Church affiliation had a significant effect on sexual behaviour choices, which includes internet sex and cohabitation and extreme sexual activities.
Factors Contributing to the Increase in Suicide Cases and Its Mitigation among Youth in Ruaraka Deanary, of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi, Kenya
(Journal of Applied Philosophy, 2023) Sunguti, Henry Khakavo; Katola, Michael; Gecaga, Margaret
Several approaches have been used to address the issue of suicide in contemporary society. However, a religious approach in Kenya has received less input. This article, which is a product of a research conducted in Ruaraka Deanery in the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi on the rise of suicide among youth, is an attempt to contribute to a balanced understanding of the causes of suicide as well as the mitigation of suicide among youth from a religious perspective. Religions and cultural traditions strongly oppose suicide. Moreover, several African nations including Kenya prohibit suicide attempts. It is believed that religion serves as a protective coping mechanism that aids people in finding comfort and purpose when dealing with traumatic life events or situations like suicide. The youth deal with a range of challenges in life. One such grave challenge is the rise in suicide-related incidents. The Roman Catholic Church (RCC) asserts that God is the author of life. Suicide has long been seen as an unforgivable sin because of this. As a result, those who committed suicide were not given the required church funeral services. However in recent years, a new understanding of suicidal behaviours from the standpoint of mental health has altered public opinion of the RCC. The research adopted two interrelated theories of suicide: Thomas Joiner’sInterpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS) as first theory and the second being David Klonsky and Alexis May’s Three-Step Theory of Suicide . The research used a descriptive survey methodology. The respondents' attitudes, perceptions, and methods of teaching the doctrine of the sanctity of human life were successfully gathered using this approach for data collecting. Focus groups, questionnaires, and interview guides were the three devices utilized to collect primary data. The youth, catechists, parish administrators, and clergy of Ruaraka Deanery were the study's target demographics. For clergy, catechists, and leaders, the respondents were chosen using a purposive sampling strategy, while the adolescents were picked using a simple random sampling technique that allowed every youth a chance of participating. 161 (70%) of the sample population of 230 participated in the research. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS-2021). The study exposed flaws in the catechists' training and insufficient teaching strategies for the sanctity of human life hence a need to establish new approaches to mitigate problem of suicide.
Nyawiras as communal liberators: Accounting for life preservation roles among African women
(hts, 2023) Gathogo, Julius M.
In his book, Wizard of the Crow (2007), the renowned Kenyan novelist, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, expresses the view that a successful society is only guaranteed when women issues are well settled. In light of post-colonial Africa and the era of COVID-19, African women – like the biblical Miriam, the co-liberator with Moses and Aaron (Mi 6:4) – are seen as Nyawiras (plural for Nyawira, the hardworking woman), as their critical role in preserving the family and society is evident. While relying on a critical review of wa Thiong’o’s works and in engaging a selected religio-cultural literature, the article seeks to explore the role of African women [Nyawiras] in societal sustenance. With postcolonial Africa encountering a hotchpotch of challenges, are Nyawiras the best suited persons to deconstruct the status quo and eventually reconstruct the ‘sick’ society under greedy-grabbing male-leaders of nation-states (Aburirias) that have lost their moral compasses? Are women best suited to bring back sanity; and have they crossed the Rubicon in the 21st century? In drawing from diverse examples from Africa and beyond, the research article will be significant in helping the modern African society understand the myriad of problems they are facing in the local and global scene, and eventually appraise women’s heroine roles. Contribution: This research uses a multi-disciplinary approach and engages a dialogue between African literature and Africa’s religio-cultural discourses in order to better understand the complex situation facing Africa.
The Luo-Nandi Ethnic Conflicts Peacebuilding: A Study of Circumstantial Rationale to Its Persistent Nature and Implications for Building Peace in Kenya
(IJRISS, 2022) Amolo, Fredrick O.; Mwaura, Philomena N.
In Kenya, The Luo and Nandi ethnic communities have had increased ethnic conflicts for over a decade. Ethnic tensions and conflicts have prevailed in the bordering section of the Muhoroni and Tinderet sub-counties. These ethnic conflicts have negatively affected the socio-cultural and political-economic wellbeing of the communities in conflict. The causes of such conflicts are varied in societies. The study investigated the causes of ethnic conflict between the Luo and the Nandi communities. The study was qualitative research designed to explore the reasons behind the persistent nature of the Luo and Nandi ethnic conflicts. The data was collected from community elders, community members, civil society, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). The study employed several instruments, including surveys, an oral interview guide and a focused group discussions guide. The data from the questionnaires were coded and analysed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. The study finds that there are social, religio-cultural, political, and economic determinants in hostile Luo-Nandi relations. The study recommends that (1) The amity actors need to involve a multifaceted method in the ethnic conflict to deal with ethnic conflict causative dimensions; (2) Peacebuilding efforts must take societal issues seriously to prevent ethnic conflicts between Luo and Nandi communities; (3) peace actors must work on social rebuilding and conduct transformation; and (4) the stakeholders in building peace must address economic matters along the border of the Luo and Nandi people.
Towards Religio-Cultural Approach to Ethnic Conflict Peacebuilding: An Appraisal of the Luo-Nandi Ethnic Methods’ Contribution to Community Peace in Africa.
(IJRISS, 2023) Amolo, Fredrick Otieno; Katola, Michael T.; Mwaura, Philomena N.
The vital contribution of religio-cultural methods in peacebuilding has been instrumental in community peace before, during and after conflicts. Traditional societies and cultures are vested with a body of wisdom in myths, riddles, and proverbs relevant to providing meaning, continuity, and stability to a community’s social cohesion. This wisdom is propelled by values including restoration, community harmony, social cohesion, and shared life which are essential in healing broken relationships and enhancing community life. The potential nature of the Luo-Nandi religio-cultural methodology is embedded in their religion and culture as they deal with ethnic conflicts and peacebuilding. Matters of religious and cultural relationship-building are relevant to harmony, coexistence, and harmonious life as a community. The Luo-Nandi cultural approaches in peacebuilding consist of mediation and reconciliation, religious use of ethics and moral behaviour, religious rituals, and ceremonies, as well as the cultural wisdom in myths, proverbs, and wise sayings. Such actions incorporate principles of amicable solutions, negotiation, the consensus in decisionmaking, third-party principles, and interactivity of the process. The ultimate contribution of the Luo-Nandi religio-cultural methodology in peacebuilding is in enhancing mediation and reconciliation, religious rituals and ceremonies and moral and character transformation.
Factors Influencing Sexual Infidelity among the Married in Africa Inland Church -Kitui County, Kenya
(IJRISS, 2023) Munyoki, Dennis Mutua; Katola, Michael T.; Mwaura, Philemona
Sexual infidelity (S.I) is one of the world’s intractable problems. It adversely affects the sanctity of family which is the basic unit of human society. Decades of deliberate and strategic policies to mitigate S.I have not yielded considerable concrete results. This is despite multidimensional approach from the church, state, and non-governmental organizations. Arguably, in the endeavor to ensure believers are sanctioned against unprecedented rates of S.I, Africa Inland Church –Kenya (A.I.C-K)has established Christian Education programs designed to address developmental needs (formative, teenage, and adulthood) of all adherents. Despite church’s effort to eradicate S.I among her married members, the problem still persists. The research sought to examine factors influencing S.I. in A.I.C-K. This study is grounded on the premise that morality marks an essential ingredient in society, especially in the family institution; hence, without family values, society would be disrupted and eventually collapse. The article is justified by the need for the church to regain her moral authority as the conscience of the society. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Simple random and purposive sampling methods were used to choose a sample size of the requisite number of respondents. Key findings revealed that inadequate preparation before wedding, marital dissatisfaction, and geographical migration were among highly rated causes of sexual infidelity in A.I.C-K.
Njega Wa Gioko and the European Missionaries in the Colonial Kenya: A Theo-Historical Recollection And Reflection
(OASIS, 2022) Gathogo, Julius M.
Njega wa Gioko (1865–1948) was one of the pioneer Chiefs in Kirinyaga county of Kenya. The other pioneer Chief in Kirinyaga county was Gutu wa Kibetu (1860–1927) who reigned in the Eastern part of Kirinyaga county. Gioko reigned in the western part of Kirinyaga county (Ndia) that extended to some geographical parts of the present-day Nyeri county and the present-day Embu county. Njega also became the first paramount Chief of Embu district, which refers to the present-day Embu and Kirinyaga counties. As colonial hegemony and the protestant missionary enterprises, and its resultant evangelical theology, began to shape up in the present-day Kirinyaga county and the surrounding areas between 1904 and 1906, it found Gioko and Kibetu as the Athamaki (the most revered leaders). The evangelical European missionaries (Church Missionary Society [CMS]) who were comfortable with the colonial expansion, as it provided western governance structures that favoured their enterprises, employed Calvinistic theology in their dealings with the colonial government, and they dealt with the local leaders (Athamaki), who were eventually ‘promoted’ to the post of Chiefs in 1908 by the new rulers. Nevertheless, the missionary’s emphasis on unrealised eschatology (future concerns) differed sharply with those of Athamaki who were the custodians of African indigenous religion and its resultant emphasis on realised eschatology (present concerns). As an agent of African religion, how did Gioko relate with the early 20th-century evangelical European missionaries and their Calvinistic tendencies that favoured the Church–State relationship as the way of God? The data for this research article are gathered through oral interviews, archival sources and extensive review of the relevant literature. Contribution: This article contributes to the journal’s vision and scope with its focus on the early protestant theologies of the European Missionaries of the 19th and 20th centuries, and their resultant clashes with the theologies of African indigenous religion. As a multidisciplinary article that builds on a theo-historical design, the article contributes to the ongoing discourses on gospel and culture.
African Indigenous Knowledge versus Western Science in the Mbeere Mission of Kenya
(OASIS, 2023) Gathogo, Julius M.
This article sets out to explore the way in which Western science and technology was received in the Mbeere Mission of central Kenya since August 1912 when a medical missionary, Dr T.W.W. Crawford, visited the area. In his dalliance with ecclesiastical matters, Crawford, a highly trained Canadian medical doctor, was sent by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) at Kigari-Embu, in 1910, to pioneer the Anglican mission in the vast area that included Mbeereland, where Mbeere Mission is situated. Contending with the African indigenous knowledge in medicine, environmental conservation, agriculture and other forms of indigenous science, the introduction of Western science and technology, 1912 to 1952, the article argues, did not erase the former; rather, it complimented it. Pockets of general resistance were evident, though Mbeereland, unlike its neighbouring Mutira Mission of 1912, did not offer elaborate opposition to the Western science and technology, partly because the locals could have learnt about it from their neighbours who had experienced it much earlier. Through a historico-narrative design, the research article endeavours to primarily review the coming of Western medicine in Mbeereland: Did it conflict with the African medicine? Methodologically, the data have been collected via archival sources, oral interviews and by reviewing applicable literature. Contribution: The input of this research article to the HTS Journal’s vision and scope is seen by appreciating its focus on the interface between African indigenous knowledge and the European science and technology. Although the main focus is African versus western medicine, and how it was historically received in Mbeere Mission of Central Kenya, it largely speaks for the tropical Africa. The article is within the multidisciplinary areas in missiology and historiography
The Ethical Foundations of Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development
(African Journals Online, 2013) Makokha, Kibaba
One of the major challenges of the 21st century is the need to harmonize efforts at environmental conservation with endeavours to foster human development. This challenge has been on the world agenda for several decades, and was given great visibility through a report by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) in 1987. The report, popularly known as the Brundtland Report, calls for sustainable development to deal with the twin challenges of environmental conservation and human development. This paper reflects on the concept of sustainable development, and unveils some of the ambiguities and politics that have militated against the attainment of this noble objective. The thesis of the paper is that the imperative to attain sustainable development is a moral one, requiring all moral agents to rise to their individual and collective responsibility to secure the well-being of humans as well as that of the natural environment.
Ethical Objections to Commercial Farming and Consumption of Genetically Modified Foods in Kenya
(African Journals Online, 2015) Makokha, Kibaba; Kyalo, Winfred
Food insecurity remains one of the most pressing problems of Third World countries. The causes of this predicament are varied, ranging from drought, inadequate farming methods, poverty, among others. The responses to famine, whenever it strikes in many of these countries, have also been varied, with the most popular one being appeals for food aid from wealthy individuals, corporate bodies and the international community. However, these initiatives have not been sustainable. The need for a permanent solution has attracted varied opinions. On the one hand, some stakeholders take the view that the solution lies in genetically modified foods. On the other, some of the stakeholders are either opposed to such foods, or are cautious about them, citing potential and/or real risks associated with them. This article is premised on the view that technological innovations often raise ethical concerns and even dilemmas that ought to be surmounted in order to enhance public acceptability. In this regard, the article reflects on the ethical objections against GM technology in general, and, in particular, the process leading to the enactment of the biosafety law in Kenya.

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