East Africa Research Articles

Exploring the linkages between anti-money laundering guidelines and earnings manipulation techniques

The objective of this research is to investigate how adherence to anti-money laundering (AML) regulations affects the utilisation of accrual-based earnings management (AEM) and real earnings management (REM) strategies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This study uses the System Generalized Method of Moment method to control for endogeneity due to omitted variables of 430 firms (4300 firm-year observations) from 2012 to 2021. The findings indicate that adhering to AML regulations results in a decrease in both aggressive AEM and REM. Our findings suggest a potential relationship between AML regulations and reduced earnings management, which warrants further investigation. By emphasising the importance of identifying accounting red flags and promoting greater transparency and accountability, our study supports a more radical perspective on the fight against corruption and money laundering.

Evidence of a pelagic nursery area for phyllosomas of the scyllarid lobster Acantharctus ornatus (Holthuis, 1960) (Decapoda: Achelata: Scyllaridae) in a coastal bight in South Africa

Abstract Lobster phyllosoma larvae collected during surveys over the continental shelf of eastern South Africa (southwestern Indian Ocean) were analysed to determine the role of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Bight as a pelagic nursery area. Surface waters in the shallow bight and further offshore, between the 20- and 1,000-m depth contours, were sampled with plankton nets in 2018 to 2023. Phyllosomas were absent from 87.9% of 257 tows, with high variability in the remaining tows indicating a patchy distribution with abundance hotspots. Phyllosomas of four scyllarid and three palinurid species were found among 311 captured specimens. The scyllarid Acantharctus ornatus (Holthuis, 1960) was the most abundant, constituting 94.9% of the phyllosomas caught, with all nine larval stages (I–IX) present. Phylogenetic analysis using the COI and 16S rDNA gene markers confirmed that previously undescribed early larval stages in samples belonged to A. ornatus. Most A. ornatus phyllosomas were caught at shallow-bight stations, with catch rates declining steeply to the north and south of the bight and when bottom depth exceeded 100 m. Season and sampling station (nested within cross-shelf transect) were significant variables in explaining phyllosoma abundance. We provide evidence that the KZN Bight serves as a pelagic nursery area for A. ornatus phyllosoma larvae at all developmental stages, but not for other lobster species with known adult populations in the region.

Chapter 5. Albertine Rift Basin Lakes

The Albertine Rift is dominated by Lakes Albert and Edward, which together represent two of the great rift lakes of East Africa. Rift basin lakes form one of the most obvious geomorphological features in an early continental rift basin, as crustal extension proceeds, causing the rift valley floor to subside and diverting the regional drainage pattern into the depocentre. Modern day open lacustrine sedimentation in Albertine rift lakes is dominated by deposition of organic rich clays and diatomites, with fan deltas and turbidites delivering clastics from the flanks and long-axes of the rift basins, respectively. Oxidation colours in the clays can be used to indicate bottom water anoxia and seasonal mixing. Field evidence from Plio-Pleistocene rift-fill sediments demonstrates that diatomite horizons mark lacustrine transgressions, with deeper clay intervals recording elevated U and Th concentrations. Alkaline lake marly limestones, with algal mats, were discovered in two areas of onshore Lake Edward and preserve exceptionally high U and Th signatures. Similar values were identified in lacustrine clays of northern Lake Albert and suggest the development of restricted alkaline lake conditions within the Albertine Rift during its geological evolution were more common than previously acknowledged.

Chapter 6. Albertine Rift Marginal Lacustrine Environments

Marginal lacustrine depositional environments in the Albertine Rift are highly sensitive to short-term, climatically controlled lake level fluctuations. As such, they act as one of the prime recorders of paleo-shoreline transgression or regression in rift-fill stratigraphy. In both Lakes Edward and Albert, modern day seasonal winds blow parallel with the long-axis of the rift basin, developing wave dominated shorelines at the end of a lake, but sheltered rift flanks display coastal features associated with longshore drift. The different types of shoreline around Albertine Rift lakes today produce characteristic geomorphological features and associated lithofacies, with key sedimentary structures and fauna/flora that can include hippopotamus, elephant, crocodile and fish remains. These can be identified in Pleistocene – Holocene onshore sedimentary successions around the Lake Edward and Lake Albert rift basins, providing a record of glacial – interglacial climatic cyclicity in the Equatorial Tropics of East Africa. Northern hemisphere interglacials result in a wet phase and lake level rise in the Albertine Rift, with marginal lacustrine shorelines back-stepping landward. Whereas, high latitude glacials cause corresponding periods of aridification and rift lake level fall, with paleo-shorelines prograding out towards the centre of the basin.

Community perspectives of heat and weather warnings for pregnant and postpartum women in Kilifi, Kenya.

Extreme weather is a recognised risk factor for stillbirth and preterm birth, disrupts women's access to healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth, and negatively affects the care of newborns. Reliable and accessible heat and weather warning systems are key in alerting individuals to undertake protective measures. There is a notable gap in understanding how women and caregivers in rural East Africa perceive and utilize weather information. We investigated community members' heat and weather warning information-seeking behaviour, identified available sources, assessed their reliability and utility, and examined their influence on behaviour. Our research was conducted in rural Kilifi County in Kenya's coastal region. The area experiences temperatures exceeding 23°C throughout the year, with extended periods of extreme temperatures [> 40°C] and long and severe droughts. We conducted in-depth interviews [IDI] with pregnant and postpartum women [n = 21] and held six focus group discussions [FGDs] involving mothers-in-law and community health volunteers [CHVs]. The data were analysed in NVivo 12 using both inductive and deductive approaches. We found significant gaps concerning pregnant and post-partum women, and their caregivers, having timely access to weather forecasts and heat information from health or meteorological authorities. Information on heat and weather warnings is disseminated through various channels, including television, radio, mobile phones, and word of mouth, which are facilitated by community influencers such as CHVs and local chiefs. Indigenous methods of weather forecasting, such as cloud observation, consulting local "rainmakers", and studying the behavioural patterns of amphibians, are employed in conjunction with warnings from the Kenyan Meteorological Department (KMD). Barriers to accessing weather information include the cost of television and smartphones and a lack of segmented information in local languages. National and county meteorological services need to enhance public participation, communication, and the delivery of heat and weather information to guide community-level response measures and individual behaviour change. They should also collaborate with health professionals to address heat risks for vulnerable groups. Further research is needed to empower indigenous weather predictors with modern weather information and revise national policies to deliver tailored messages to vulnerable populations like pregnant and postpartum women.

Characterising diversity of rural farm households in Eastern Africa: implications for food security and intra-household decision-making

The heterogeneity in East African small-holder agricultural systems influences the farm households’ welfare outcomes. We examine the heterogeneity of rural farm households in Eastern Africa and the influence of such diversity on household food security and how these relate to intra-household decision-making dynamics. Using data from the Rural Household Multi-Indicator Survey (RHoMIS) 1,199 households in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Uganda were typologized using partition-based cluster analysis. These were grouped into relatively homogenous classes reflecting their socio-demographic characteristics, resource endowment and farm orientation based at a country level to reflect the unique institutional conditions within these countries. Additional analysis was then used to characterise the differences in food insecurity and intra-household decision-making of these clusters. Five distinct farm household clusters were identified in Ethiopia and Kenya, four in Malawi and three in Uganda. The main factors differentiating the farm clusters were educational attainment of the household head, levels of resource endowment, market orientation and off-farm income. Market orientated clusters and clusters comprising more educated household heads were generally more food secure across all countries. In Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, women had greater decision-making control in clusters comprising least educated household heads. Female decision-making control was negatively associated with the resource endowment of clusters in Kenya, Malawi and Uganda. This emphasises the importance of understanding rural farm household heterogeneity when tailoring interventions to target household food insecurity and gender inequity in decision-making in Eastern Africa.

The Unidroit Principles of International Commercial Contracts: potential for greater use in the Middle East and North Africa

Abstract The International Institute for the Unification of Private Law’s (Unidroit) Principles of International Commercial Contracts (UPICC) provide a uniform international instrument setting out general rules for international commercial contracts as an alternative to the State law-centred approach to contracting and dispute resolution. While the UPICC are well known among academics and frequently referred to in practice in many regions of the world including Europe, Latin America, and Asia, they are applied far less often in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This is in spite of the fact that their use appears to be widely permissible under MENA States’ domestic legislation, and international trade involvement provides opportunities for them to be applied productively. The reasons for less usage in the MENA region are manifold and include, among others, a judicial tendency to apply domestic law, the hierarchy between the Islamic Sharia and lex mercatoria, the limited involvement of experts from the MENA region in the elaboration of the UPICC and their subsequent promotion, and limited linguistic accessibility. Potential advantages of greater usage include the promotion of fair and harmonized contract practices and facilitating the resolution of cross-border private legal conflicts as well as the UPICC’s use as a model and reference for modernization and harmonization of contract law across the region and beyond. This article examines the use of the UPICC in MENA and the potential for facilitating their future impact in the region, focusing on Arab jurisdictions influenced by Islamic law.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on intra-household gender disparities in the Middle East and North Africa region: A scoping review protocol.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is a global outlier both for its low female labor force participation and investment in early childhood development services, and consistently ranks lowest on global rankings of gender parity. While the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global gender inequity has been acknowledged, specific challenges faced by partnered-women in MENA are underexplored. Additionally, with over half of the region affected by conflict and displacement, exploring these impacts sheds light on understudied gender disparities in humanitarian contexts during the pandemic. This scoping review aims to examine intra-household gender disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding to a more comprehensive understanding of this particular public health emergency's worldwide ramifications. The hypothesis is that the pandemic has exacerbated women's pre-existing constraints in the MENA region, worsening gender inequities in economic empowerment, healthcare access, and general well-being. This review will explore intra-household gender disparities in decision-making, household labor division, economic independence, health, and access to resources and services during the COVID-19 pandemic that have been reported to have been affected by COVID-19 globally. Following PRISMA guidelines for Scoping Reviews, a comprehensive search will be conducted in APA PsycINFO, Arab World Research Source: Al Masdar, EconLit, Global Health, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection, in consultation with an information specialist. Studies in English, French and Arabic from January 2020 to August 2024 will be included. Four independent reviewers will screen studies, and data will be charted, coded, and narratively synthesized. This review is expected to shed light on gender disparities in healthcare accessibility, mobility, and decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic across low- and middle-income countries in the MENA region, adding to the global literature.

A new species of freshwater crab from the East Usambara Mountains of Tanzania, East Africa, with a redescription of Telphusa infravallata Hilgendorf, 1898 (Brachyura: Potamoidea: Potamonautidae)

This work describes a new species of freshwater crab from the East Usambara Mountains of Tanzania from previously unidentified museum material. A second species from these mountains, T. infravallata Hilgendorf, 1898, is redescribed based on reexamination of the type material, and its gonopods and mandible are illustrated for the first time. Diagnoses, illustrations, and a distribution map are provided for these species.

Productivity effects of agroecological practices in Africa: insights from a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Scholars have proposed agroecology as a promising method for promoting sustainable and socially just agricultural production systems. However, the extent to which agroecological practices will generate the yields required to ensure sufficient food globally remains unclear. This notion is particularly true in the context of Africa, where agricultural productivity is low but levels of hunger and malnutrition are high. To address this knowledge gap, this article undertakes a systematic review of empirical studies to assess the overall status of agroecology-related research in Africa. Using descriptive and meta-analytical methods, we evaluate empirical evidence on the effect of agroecological practices on land and labour productivity. Our analysis of 501 peer-reviewed articles reveals that the body of agroecology-related literature in Africa has been growing in the past 10 years from approximately 10 to more than 70 studies per annum before and after 2014, respectively, with a strong focus on East Africa, particularly Kenya. The majority of the reviewed studies relate to but do not mention agroecology in the title or abstract. Thus, solely relying on studies that use the term may introduce bias and overlook valuable research contributions to the field. The meta-analysis could identify 39 agronomic studies with 392 observations in which agroecological practices were compared to monocrop systems (defined as plots where similar plants grow alongside each other simultaneously and sequentially from one season to the next) with or without inputs as the control groups. The meta-analysis indicates that agroecological practices are associated with a positive and significant difference in land productivity, compared to that for monocrop systems especially so when monocrops are grown without inputs. However, the size and direction of yield differs by practice, crop, climatic factor, soil property and type of control.

Climate change perceptions, expectations, observations, and projections at Lake Victoria

Abstract Understanding people's perceptions of climate change and associated environmental risks is paramount in assessing how individuals respond to climate change. Awareness of the consequences of climate change determines the present and future behaviours and expectations, as well as the actions taken to mitigate the likely impacts. We surveyed the perceived and expected climate change consequences of experts and community members in the Lake Victoria basin in East Africa, compared them with hydro-meteorological observations and projections, and established that some perceived trends, such as increasing temperature or rainfall intensity, correspond with meteorological observations.
However, the perceived increase in drought occurrence (believed to be a recent consequence), was not substantiated by the meteorological data. It was only in the northwestern region that drought frequency increased since the year 2000, while the rest of the basin did not experience such a trend. Community members were concerned about the already noticeable consequences of climate change on their livelihoods through agriculture or fishing, while experts were mainly focused on the amplification of hazards such as floods and droughts. This divergence may imply that experts underestimate the consequences that society is already facing. Nevertheless, both groups agree that climate change will undoubtedly lead to the deterioration of human well-being by affecting food security, increasing poverty, and increasing the incidence of disease.
This is a serious concern that requires immediate attention. Such insights into people's climate change perceptions can help policy-makers, researchers, and community members to better tailor adaptation solutions acceptable to the local context. Effective governance is essential to enable people to adapt to climate change and other challenges, including those resulting from the impacts of globalisation, demographic trends, and the degradation and scarcity of resources.

Origins of Extreme CAPE Around the World

AbstractSevere convection, responsible for hazards such as tornadoes, flash floods, and hail, is usually preceded by abundant convective available potential energy (CAPE). In this work, we use a Lagrangian approach to study the buildup of anomalously large values of CAPE from 2012 to 2013 in various regions. Nearly all extreme values of CAPE arise from surface fluxes underneath a layer of convective inhibition (the CIN layer) over several diurnal cycles, but the origin of the CIN layer and the diurnal cycle of surface fluxes differ around the world. In some regions, such as North America and Europe, the air above the boundary layer must be much warmer than usual to form this CIN layer, whereas in other regions, especially the Middle East and central Africa, a CIN layer is common. Additionally, high CAPE occurrences that are over land (those in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia) tend to lose their CIN layers before the time of maximum CAPE due to large diurnal cycles of sensible heating, whereas those that occur over coastal waters (in the Middle East, Northern Australia, South Asia, and the Mediterranean) usually retain substantial convective inhibition. Uniquely, CAPE in Southeast Australia often builds up due to cooling aloft rather than to boundary layer warming. These results show that one hoping to understand or predict CAPE patterns must understand a variety of mechanisms acting in different regions.

Characteristics of longitudinal maternal health studies in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic mapping of literature between 2012 and 2022.

High maternal mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa necessitate the need for aligned research focusing on prevalent causes and neglected conditions in the region. This mapping review aimed to describe the characteristics of longitudinal maternal health studies between 2012 and 2022 in sub-Saharan Africa and identify gaps in priority conditions or geographical locations. We identified references through a Medline (PubMed) search covering September 2012 to June 2022. We included prospective cohort or clinical trials that enrolled at least 1000 pregnant women, with a study site in sub-Saharan Africa, and published in English or French. Screening and data extraction were done in duplicate using EPPI-reviewer software. Descriptive analysis was used to summarize the results, identifying patterns in studies across time, country, study design, topics, and funders. We identified 213 eligible studies, which were covered in 534 publications. We identified studies in 33 of the 48 sub-Saharan African countries, with the majority in east and southern Africa. The predominant study topics were HIV (36.4%), nutrition (20%), and malaria (16.3%), with very few publications on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (6.4%), ante/postpartum hemorrhage (3.7%), and sexually transmitted infections (3.2%). More studies were cohorts (115/213; 54%) than clinical trials. The National Institutes of Health (31.5%), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (22.1%), and USAID (10.8%) were the largest research funders. Identifying research trends and mismatches between research topics and disease burden provides useful information for guiding future research prioritization. In particular, gaps exist for studies on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and ante/postpartum hemorrhage, among the top causes of maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.

Bridging the Knowledge Divide: Journalism Education and Industry Needs in East and Southern Africa

This study explores the perceived gap between journalism education and professional practice in Tanzania and Zambia. Through interviews with educators and journalists and an analysis of 12 journalism curricula, the findings reveal that both educators and journalists acknowledged a gap, with a shared desire for improved alignment between academic programs and industry needs. Educators expressed a commitment to incorporating contemporary content, but face challenges like limited industry collaboration and resource constraints. Journalists, however, observed a hesitancy among educators in implementing recommendations from the industry. Both groups see the need for integrating theory and practice into the curricula.

Global–Local Dynamics and Transformative Approaches in Climate Change Reporting in MENA: Insights from Tunisian Journalists

ABSTRACT In Tunisia, like other countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, climate change (CC) is increasingly prompting a re-evaluation of journalism’s traditional gatekeeping role in favour of transformative, community-oriented approaches that promote climate justice, and foster greater awareness and engagement. This study qualitatively explores the perceptions and knowledge of Tunisian journalists (N = 7) covering CC, within a context of governmental uncertainty and dependence on international non-governmental organisations. Thematic analysis revealed three themes. First, the global–local nexus in CC reporting highlights the interconnectedness of global and local perspectives, revealing how transnational and global issues are contextualised within local frameworks. Second, the theme of solutions-oriented journalism in CC reporting emphasises a shift towards transformative storytelling, focusing on solutions rather than merely reporting problems. Finally, the theme of determinants of attention shaping CC reporting explores the various determinants of attention—such as circulation of disinformation, climate justice claims and youth activism—that dictate the reporting choices, approaches and level of attention CC receives in media coverage. The study calls for addressing these challenges and enhancing CC reporting practices. Further research using diverse methods is needed to explore how journalists frame CC across different contexts.

The extended recovery ring-stage survival assay is a scalable alternative for artemisinin susceptibility phenotyping of fresh Plasmodium falciparum isolates.

Artemisinin partial resistance (ART-R) has emerged in eastern Africa, necessitating regular surveillance of susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum to artemisinins. The microscopy-based ring-stage survival assay (RSA) provides a laboratory correlate of ART-R but is limited by low throughput and subjectivity of microscopic counts of viable parasites. The extended recovery ring-stage survival assay (eRRSA) replaces microscopy with efficient quantitative PCR (qPCR) readouts but has been studied only with culture-adapted P. falciparum clones. We measured susceptibility to dihydroartemisinin (DHA) after a 6-h incubation with 700-nM DHA, followed by culture without drug, by comparing survival with that of untreated controls by microscopy (the RSA) or qPCR (the eRRSA) and also performed standard growth inhibition (half-maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50]) assays for 122 P. falciparum isolates freshly collected in eastern and northern Uganda from March to July 2022. The median values for RSA survival, eRRSA fold change, and DHA IC50 were 3.0%, 46.2, and 3.2 nM, respectively. RSA percent survival and eRRSA fold changes correlated strongly (Spearman correlation coefficient [rs] = -0.7411, P < 0.0001), with modest associations between the presence of validated P. falciparum Kelch13 ART-R mutations (C469Y or A675V) and RSA (median survival 2.6% for wild type [WT] vs 4.1% for mutant, P = 0.01), or eRRSA (median fold change 63.4 for WT vs 30.9 for mutant, P = 0.003) results. Significant correlations were also observed between DHA IC50 values and both RSA percent survival (rs = 0.4235, P < 0.0001) and eRRSA fold changes (rs = -0.4116, P < 0.0001). The eRRSA is a scalable alternative for phenotyping fresh P. falciparum isolates, providing similar results with improved throughput.

Examining Factors Contributing to the Entrenchment and Collapse of Authoritarianism Through the Lens of the Arab Spring

Abstract: This paper hopes to examine the reasons contributing to the failure of the Arab Spring to culminate in a lasting change in political reform and democratisation. The article utilises frameworks by previous authors to explain the phenomenon of the short-lived democracies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as well as provide additional insights of the author in obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the reason why autocratic states are so entrenched within MENA. At the end of this, the aim is to provide political substantiations regarding the failure of the Arab Spring, as opposed to the current focus surrounding violence and civil war as the driver to stunted democratic growth and autocratic resurgence. The article concludes that MENA countries are uniquely situated by their social, political and economic institutions and history that make democratic growth difficult unless as a means to achieve another priority, such as economic prosperity. This can be extrapolated towards analysing the behaviours of a variety of other states, democratic or autocratic, in their interactions with their population and foreign states.

Khajur (Phoenix dactylifera L.): Medicinal importance in perspective of Unani medicine and pharmacological studies

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is recognized as one of humanity's earliest cultivated plants, having served as a food source for over 6000 years. It holds a prominent status as the most favoured fruit in the Middle East and North Africa. Date fruit has a long history of consumption and traditional medicinal use. Whether eaten fresh or dried, dates offer a rich source of energy due to their exceptional nutritional content and extended shelf life. They provide an economical means of obtaining essential nutrients including carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers. Furthermore, date fruit exhibits a diverse range of pharmacological effects including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anticancer, antihyperlipidemic and many more. It is also beneficial in disorders of paralysis, sexual debility, fever etc. Date palm fruits offer a natural and safe alternative or complement to synthetic drugs in managing numerous health conditions. Keywords: Dates, Phoenix dactylifera, Arecaceae/Palmae, Khajur, Unani Medicine.

Towards black methods in research with refugees

Abstract Critical approaches to forced displacement and migration studies gesture towards methodologies and theoretical orientations that are contextualized within the complex socialities of refuge lifeworlds and ways of being. This article offers methodological approaches that account for the forces of displacement as well as the layered and textured experiences of forcibly displaced people. Turning to black studies and black feminist thought, the article examines how forcibly displaced people navigate and contest resettlement processes in the USA. Thinking with empirical material from a research study engaging with forcibly displaced interlocutors from East and Central Africa and refugee resettlement personnel, the article illuminates critical methods of interpreting the experiences of refugees and forms of resettlement through the lenses of black studies and black feminist thought.

Phylogenetic placement of Mt Bamboutos endemic skink, Trachylepis mekuana (Chirio and Ineich, 2001)

African skinks of the genus Trachylepis is one of the most diverse genera of lizards in Africa. Although, many species have not been validated phylogenetically in recent years. In this study we evaluate the phylogenetic status of the Cameroon Volcanic Line endemic montane skink, Trachylepis mekuana. We recover this species as part of the larger Trachylepis varia group, with sister relationship to the morphological similar skinks from Eastern Africa Trachylepis megalura and central Africa Trachylepis raymondlaurenti. Low sequence divergence (&lt;1.6% 16S) have been observed among the three species. Based on some morphological and colouration differences, as well as mostly allopatric distribution we regard them as good species.