Policy In Kenya Research Articles

One Hundred Percent Transition Policy in Kenya & Self-Esteem among Learners

This article progresses from a research that was done to investigate the effects of one hundred percent transition policy on the self-esteem of learners in public secondary schools, within Butula Sub County, Busia County, Kenya. Guided by resilience theory, the article employs a descriptive survey design. The target comprises of 3235 participants, including 3206 students, 28 school principals and 1 Sub County Director of Education. Stratified random sampling was employed to ensure that all parts of the population were represented in the sample, as a measure of increasing its efficiency. Simple random sampling is utilized to give all participants an equal opportunity to participate in the study where the selection process was entirely based on luck. Purposive sampling was used to gain a deep understanding of phenomena from Sub County Director of Education sample as representative of education office. Data collection tools included interviews schedule, questionnaires, and observation guides. A pilot study ensured validity and reliability of data collection instrument. Quantitative data were analysed, revealed that implementation of 100% transition policy did not statistically significantly influence self-esteem of the learners, β = -0.694, t = -0.1250, p > 0.05. Consequently, the research article recommends for professional counselling to help students navigate emotional hurdles effectively thus improving their self-esteem

Kenyans' perspectives on parenting roles and strategies used to raise young children in Kenya.

Research and parenting programs across the world emphasize two dimensions of parenting: warmth and control. Cross-country literature demonstrates many commonalities across samples on warmth; however, differences are evident with control, largely due to cultural and contextual nuances. Scant literature exists on parenting in Kenya, where half of Kenyans report experiencing child maltreatment typically by parents. Kenyan culture is a unique developmental niche important to understand and inform policies and parenting program development to reduce maltreatment. The purpose of this study was to understand perspectives on parenting strategies with young children, from a sample of Kenyans with varying experiences involving children (e.g., parents, community members). To our knowledge, this study is the first qualitative assessment of parenting practices among children under age 6 in Kenya. The 91 participants (62% female, all ≥ 18 years) completed interviews or focus groups. Based on a thematic data analysis, five themes emerged: (a) parental roles, (b) expressions of warmth, (c) cultural practices with children, (d) control strategies, and (e) factors impacting effective parenting. This study's findings have several implications for both informal and formal supports of families with young children. The findings offer insight into how Kenyans engage in parental warmth and control strategies, including those that are seen as culturally acceptable or harmful, and can inform the development or adaptation of parenting programs for Kenya. Furthermore, these findings offer important considerations for local and federal leaders in how to advance Kenya's policies and efforts to reduce childhood violence and promote healthy child development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Power and positionality in the practice of health system responsiveness at sub-national level: insights from the Kenyan coast

BackgroundHealth system responsiveness to public priorities and needs is a broad, multi-faceted and complex health system goal thought to be important in promoting inclusivity and reducing system inequity in participation. Power dynamics underlie the complexity of responsiveness but are rarely considered. This paper presents an analysis of various manifestations of power within the responsiveness practices of Health Facility Committees (HFCs) and Sub-county Health Management Teams (SCHMTs) operating at the subnational level in Kenya. Kenyan policy documents identify responsiveness as an important policy goal.MethodsOur analysis draws on qualitative data (35 interviews with health managers and local politicians, four focus group discussions with HFC members, observations of SCHMT meetings, and document review) from a study conducted at the Kenyan Coast. We applied a combination of two power frameworks to interpret our findings: Gaventa’s power cube and Long’s actor interface analysis.ResultsWe observed a weakly responsive health system in which system-wide and equity in responsiveness were frequently undermined by varied forms and practices of power. The public were commonly dominated in their interactions with other health system actors: invisible and hidden power interacted to limit their sharing of feedback; while the visible power of organisational hierarchy constrained HFCs’ and SCHMTs’ capacity both to support public feedback mechanisms and to respond to concerns raised. These power practices were underpinned by positional power relationships, personal characteristics, and world views. Nonetheless, HFCs, SCHMTs and the public creatively exercised some power to influence responsiveness, for example through collaborations with political actors. However, most resulting responses were unsustainable, and sometimes undermined equity as politicians sought unfair advantage for their constituents.ConclusionOur findings illuminate the structures and mechanisms that contribute to weak health system responsiveness even in contexts where it is prioritised in policy documents. Supporting inclusion and participation of the public in feedback mechanisms can strengthen receipt of public feedback; however, measures to enhance public agency to participate are also needed. In addition, an organisational environment and culture that empowers health managers to respond to public inputs is required.

Landscape analysis of the Kenyan policy on the treatment and prevention of diarrheal disease among under-5 children

ObjectiveDiarrhoea remains a leading cause of morbidity and death among under-5 children in Kenya, despite multipronged policy and programme initiatives to increase access to treatment. This study interrogates the comprehensiveness...

The Challenges of Inclusion of the Refugees in Development Plans and National Policy in Kenya: A Case of Urban Refugees in Nairobi

The Challenges of Inclusion of the Refugees in Development Plans and National Policy in Kenya: A Case of Urban Refugees in Nairobi

Towards Learning Excellence in Universities: A Critical Review of Information and Communication Technology Policies in Education in Kenya

The current reality is that technological advancement has shaped how learning is being conducted in education. Communication technology has been embraced in education by both educators and learners. However, the embracement has been slow, and this was experienced during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, when teaching and learning had to shift and relied heavily on communication technology, but in actuality educational institutions were not ready. The virus continues to linger on and has served as a wake-up call for the education sector. This therefore makes Information and Communication Technology (ICT) an essential component in education today, not only to be implemented during crises, but also due to technological advancement and stakeholders’ needs in the current times. Governments have made efforts to integrate ICT in education, as is the case in Kenya. This paper reviews the National ICT policy in Kenya since its formulation in 2006 and its revision in 2019. These two policies were national, and education was integrated into the policies. However, in 2021, an additional policy on ICT in education and training was formulated and will also be analysed in this study. The paper analyses the strategies and implementation in higher learning institutions and outlines the barriers and challenges experienced in its implementation. Accessibility and equity have been pinpointed as some of the major factors influencing ICT integration. As higher learning institutions focus on blended or hybrid learning, ICT becomes a fundamental tool to facilitate education. The paper makes recommendations based on the policy inadequacies and how to focus on ICT in education for future meaningful impact.

Motivation for Using Translanguaging in Kakuma Refugee Camp School

This paper explores the motivation for translanguaging in the Kakuma refugee camp school. The study aimed to examine the reasons for using translanguaging in Kakuma refugee camp schools. This study was guided by translanguaging theory. Through a case study approach, classroom observation and interviews were used to collect data. The data collected was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the reasons for using translanguaging are the facilitation of students’ understanding of the subject matter, enhancing meaning-making in the lesson, activation of the classroom, and fostering communication. The findings of this study may inform the need to recognise translanguaging as a legitimate teaching pedagogy in the language-in-education policy in Kenya and in refugee camp schools in Kenya

Kenyan Policy on Organ Donation, Transfusion, and Transplantation: Implications for Africa and the Greater Transplant Community.

Kenyan Policy on Organ Donation, Transfusion, and Transplantation: Implications for Africa and the Greater Transplant Community.

An Assessment of Development of National Irrigation Policies in Kenya

An Assessment of Development of National Irrigation Policies in Kenya

INTERTEXTUALITY AND INTERDISCURSIVITY IN POST-COLONIAL LANGUAGE POLICIES IN KENYA

Addressing the intricate challenges within the realm of language planning and policy involves establishing meaningful connections between language policy texts, discourse, and actual language practices. Moreover, navigating connections across diverse domains, contexts, levels, layers, and scales presents a formidable challenge. Therefore, this study endeavours to unravel intertextual connections as a means of comprehending language-policy texts in the Kenyan context. Focusing on post-colonial language policies in Kenya, this paper explores intertextuality and interdiscursivity. Employing Fairclough's (1992) Critical Discourse approach, this analysis explores how language policy documents undergo decontextualization from prior discourses (intertextuality) and examine their correlation with different generic chains (interdiscursivity). The study employs a qualitative research design, specifically historical and documentary analysis. The study's findings reveal that post-colonial language policies exhibit links to both pre-colonial and current policy documents, showcasing vertical and horizontal intertextuality. Additionally, these policies are linked to a myriad of past and present discourses, such as those related to culture and diversity (interdiscursivity). Notably, the analysis of intertextuality and interdiscursive discourse reveals revisions to language policy and tracks the shifts in discourses surrounding this policy over time. In conclusion, this study emphasises that the meaningful interpretation of intertextuality and interdiscursivity renders language policy texts significant. It is anticipated that this research will shed light on understanding language policy through the lens of intertextuality and interdiscursivity, contributing to a more comprehensive perspective on language policy dynamics.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0089/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Between international norms and land politics: the role of translocal actors in Kenyan arenas of land policy reform

AbstractIn Kenya, the return to the multiparty democracy of the 1990s and the initiation of the Constitutional Review of the early 2000s were two critical junctures that catalysed reform momentum and the development of transnational reform networks. Transnational relations were developed between Kenyan professionals (lawyers and academics among others), their international counterparts, and the local activists representing rural constituencies, so as to influence policymaking during constitutional and land policy reforms. These transnational networks influenced content and shape of land policy narratives by vernacularising the international norms that promote formal recognition of customary land rights. These international norms were not straightforwardly imported into Kenyan policies and statues: intense negotiations amongst actors in policy arenas resulted in their vernacularisation. Kenyan translocal actors appropriated the community land narrative, hybridised and reinterpreted it. This paper documents and analyses how the notion of community land was enshrined in Kenyan policy and constitutional documents through transnational relations. I argue that this notion of community land was shaped to the Kenyan historical and political context, at times defeating the original goal of promoting a property rights model alternative to land privatisation, and at times echoing the colonial category of tribal land, and exclusive territorial control.

Mothers' Willingness to Use Workplace Lactation Supports: Evidence from Formally Employed Mothers in Central Kenya

BackgroundFormally employed mothers are vulnerable to early cessation of exclusive breastfeeding. Kenyan national policy requires employer-provided maternity benefits and workplace lactation supports. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate willingness to use nationally mandated workplace lactation supports among formally employed women in Kenya. MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey among 304 mothers of children ages ≤12 mo in Naivasha, Kenya, who were currently formally employed and employed before delivery of the most recent child to assess availability of and willingness to use current and potential future workplace lactation supports. ResultsThe most available reported workplace lactation supports were schedule flexibility to arrive late or leave early (87.8%) or visit a child to nurse during lunch (24.7%), followed by company-funded community-based daycare (7.6%). Few (<4.0%) reported the availability of lactation rooms, on-site daycares, transportation to breastfeed during lunch, refrigerators for expressed milk, or manual or electric breastmilk pumps. If made available, >80% of mothers reported moderate or strong willingness to use flexible schedules to arrive late or leave early, break during lunch, and transportation to visit a child to nurse. A moderate proportion reported strong willingness to use on-site daycares (63.8%), company-funded community-based daycare (56.9%), on-site lactation rooms (60.5%), refrigeration for expressed milk (49.3%), manual (40.5%), and electric pumps (27.6%). Mothers expressed fear of missing production targets and reported more willingness to use on-site compared with off-site daycare to save transportation time but noted concerns about chemical exposures and early arrival times with young infants. Hesitations regarding the use of on-site lactation rooms included concerns about privacy, milk identification and storage, and use and sharing of pumps. ConclusionsFlexible schedules were the workplace lactation supports in highest demand among formally employed mothers. Maternal willingness to use lactation rooms, refrigeration, and pumping equipment was moderate to low, suggesting sensitization may help to increase demand as the implementation of Kenyan policies moves forward.

AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF THE INFLUENCE OF EARLY MARRIAGE AMONG PUPILS ON LEARNER RETENTION PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION IN KENYA, A CASE OF TURKANA COUNTY

The Dakar Conference of 2000 evaluated development in attaining Universal Primary Education (UPE) within the continent of African. An EFA target was established that is eradicating gender inequality in primary schools within the year 2005 and by 2015 be able to attain gender impartiality.Despite all efforts by governments, retention of pupils in primary schools is a major challenge to most governments in the world and in sub-Saharan Africa in particular. Among other social –cultural factors, early marriage among primary school going learners have had a negative impact on the Free Primary Education policy since its re-introduction in 2003 in Kenya. The country faces 23% early marriage among girls and might be a contributor factor in low learner retention in the country especially in Turkana County which has so far had the lowest retention in the county with 7.8% compared to 79.6% nationally. The purpose of this study was to have an exploratory factor analysis to understand why this situation has been experienced within the FPE policy in Kenya. The findings establishedthat girls are married early by young and old men who can afford paying dowry, payment of dowry has driven many girls to early marriage, and majority of early marriages are done according to the traditions of the community. It concluded that early marriage is predominant among the pastoralist communities in ASAL regions in Kenya and has had tremendous influence on learner retention in primary school education contributing negatively to the implementation and success of FPE policy.

Language ideologies, policies and practices within the multilingual Kenyan context

Kenya is linguistically diverse with approximately 66 native and 8 non-native languages; out of which 33 are developing, 15 are vigorous, 2 are in trouble and 4 dying. Generally, actively used native languages in Kenya have been on the decline due to a number of forces such as colonisation, globalisation and language policies. This presentation focuses on educational language policy implementation in Kenya and illustrates its effects on the use of “minority languages”. The study establishes that language policies in Kenya are ad hoc declarations that have had negligible impact on the use of native African languages in schools and other formal settings. The policies greatly favor English following the logic of pre-colonial practices of assimilation and exclusion. English and Kiswahili, the regional lingua franca, remain the most prominent languages in formal education, overshadowing over fifty native African languages spoken in Kenya. English continues to be used in classroom and formal settings even in areas where native languages are dominantly spoken. Those who advocate for the use of English view it as a language of science and technology and that which propels one to a higher social status. English is also promoted as a language that helps to ease mobility within and beyond the East African region

Institutional Ownership And Dividend Payout Policy In Kenya

This purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of institutional ownership on dividend payout policy among listed firms in Kenya. The study used a sample of 40 Kenyan listed firms over the period of 2009-2019 collected from published audited financial statements. To test the hypothesized relationships, this study used the fixed effect and random effect panel data. The study used a sample of 40 Kenyan listed firms over the period of 2009-2019 collected from published audited financial statements. To test the hypothesized relationships, this study used the fixed effect and random effect panel data. The empirical findings indicate that foreign and domestic institutional ownerships are significant and positively associated with dividend payout policy

Sustainable Construction Transition (SCT) Policy Regime in Kenya

The global construction industry is lagging in transitioning to sustainability, and the Kenyan construction industry is not excluded. As a result, and in response, there are Kenyan policies with specific provisions on SCT. Despite this progress, there is limited empirical research on their scope and implementation dynamics. Against this backdrop, this study examined Kenya's SCT policy regime regarding its priorities, instruments, and stakeholder orientation, including any inherent shortcomings. This aimed to make appropriate recommendations for an improved SCT policy regime to enhance and optimise industry SCT performance. Qualitative research design, specifically, qualitative content analysis technique, was used to analyse the 34 policy documents identified. The findings indicate that the regime: priorities – primarily focus on environmental sustainability targeting strategic and tactical implementation levels with minimal focus on SCT socio-economic objectives and operational level of implementation, which reduces its comprehensiveness; instruments – driven by regulations, the constitution, and Acts of Parliament, as well as codes, guidelines, and plans, from multiple sources, primarily aimed at regulation and control and not the other policy instruments functions hence not delivering on their full potential; and, stakeholder orientation – primarily targeting developers/owners/occupiers and government with less focus on the other stakeholders and thus not leveraging their specific roles in SCT supply chain. The resulting recommendations were: priorities – need for improved focus on SCT's socio-economic objectives and operational level of implementation; instruments – need for a central database and leveraging them to support economic incentives, supporting activities, liability compensation, education and information, voluntary programs, and management and planning; and, stakeholder orientation – improved targeting of contractors, suppliers/producers/manufacturers, professional consultants, non-governmental and civil society organisations, and media. Lastly, given that this study focused on SCT policy evaluation, future research can focus on other parts of the policy-making process. Keywords: Business, Construction, Content analysis, Kenya, Performance, Planning, Policy regime, South Africa, Strategy, Sustainability, Sustainable Construction Transition (SCT).

The Sub-Saharan Refugee Crisis: Three Decades of Somali Refugees in Kenya, How did Kenya become the home of half a million Somali refugees?

The case study seeks to unpack the origins of Somali displacement and the subsequent Kenyan policy responses to the unfolding crisis.&#x0D; The Somali refugee crisis is unique. Somalia has been the site of one of the longest humanitarian crises in the world. There is not simply one reason for so many globally and internally displaced Somalis, but an accumulation of factors. &#x0D; The research paper shall follow a threefold structure. Firstly, an outline of the context under which these people became refugees to aid understanding of the displacement from Somalia over three decades. Secondly, this paper shall address why Kenya is the predominant destination of those leaving Somalia. This section shall also focus on Kenyan policy in response to the evolving refugee situation. Finally, this paper will focus on the changing policy of Kenya, the attempts to resettle Somali refugees and to close the Dadaab complex. One will pose the question why this policy is not working.

Knowledge brokers within the multiple streams framework: The science-policy interface for livestock and climate change discussions in Kenya

Livestock production is affected by climate change, but also contributes to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions. This leads to ambiguity in how livestock are framed in climate and development policy processes. We use the Multiple Streams Framework (MSF) to investigate the role of knowledge brokers in Kenyan livestock and climate change policy processes. We analyse how knowledge brokers deal with ambiguity from different problem and response framings within science-policy interfaces using the case of a project that seeks to inform Kenyan policies relevant to livestock and climate change. We identify ambiguity within the problem stream where actors recognise adaptation and mitigation as dual challenges of livestock and climate change. This ambiguity creates tension between actors but can be strategically deployed to help match the problem and policy streams. Actors use the terms ‘climate smart’ and ‘co-benefits’ to link the dual adaptation and mitigation needs. In the political stream, nationally defined priorities and external funding possibilities influence the political will and motivation to adopt identified response options. There are opportunities for knowledge brokers to address the ambiguities and translate knowledge during windows of opportunity when the streams are being coupled, but challenges exist, resulting in slow and inadequate development of policies. This paper makes two contributions to the MSF literature. First, we further refine the concept of knowledge brokers and establish their role across all three streams. Second, we apply the MSF in a lower income country and demonstrate that international organizations must be among the actors considered.

Participation of Nurses in National Politics and Health Policy Development at Meru Level 5 General Hospital

The nurses in Kenya have the numerical power because they form the highest population of the health care system in Kenya. Despite this, they have been unable to have a strong voice to champion their rights and influence health policy formulation at policy tables. In the hospital management and at national level, the nurses hold mostly subordinate roles compared to medical counterparts. No record exists for nurses who have made it to the Kenyan National Parliament and Senate. Literature on the participation of Nurses in national politics and health policy in Kenya is scanty. This makes the situation wanting because without nurses’ participation at legislative arena the nursing profession will retrogress. The purpose of the study therefore aims at determining the participation of nurses in national politics and health care policy development. The specific focus was to find out the knowledge, perception and participation in health policy development and national politics and health policy development. The study adopted a descriptive cross- sectional study design. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. The sample size was 49 registered nurses. Simple random sampling was used to select the respondents. Knowledge and perception were assessed using a set of questions that were scored on a Likert scale. Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2007. The findings revealed that nurses at Meru Level 5 General Hospital had limited participation in national politics and healthcare policy development, with political participation majorly limited to voting in the general elections and health policy implementation respectively. Very few nurses were engaged in agenda setting, policy formulation and policy evaluation stages. 92% reported that politics was good for the profession, with 65% expressing that political discussions have a direct impact on their salaries and working conditions. All participants (100%) reported that nurses have a responsibility to engage in health policy development because they are knowledgeable and direct healthcare providers. Keywords: Advocacy, Health care policy, Health policy development process, Participation, Politics, Policy.

“The Dregs of the Mau Mau Barrel”: Permanent Exile and the Remaking of Late Colonial Kenya, 1954–61

Abstract This article seeks to illustrate the emergence and significance of permanent exile in the latter years of British rule in Kenya. Drawing on concepts of the “state of exception” in the imperial context, the analysis places Kenyan policy into a longer history of penal practice. Exile as a mode of punishment was a permanent fixture in the repertoire of the British Empire as a method of controlling rebellious subjects. In Kenya, it was a tool to ostracize “troublemakers” from their home community, stabilizing the body politic in fractious moments. However, during the State of Emergency declared against the anti-colonial Mau Mau movement, the legal and spatial production of spaces of exception, settlements in the far-flung corners of the colony, reached its apotheosis. Drawing on long histories of colonial banishment, and specific legal precedents shrouded in liberal language, administrators hoped to make Kenya safe for a loyalist ascendancy by excising the “irreconcilables.” Critically, permanent exile was deemed necessary for a section of the population “infected” with Mau Mau ideology. In large exile settlements, rebellious subjects were expected to be remade into pacified workers. Colonial correspondence, as well as the petitions of the displaced, reveal the production of exile during these years as well as its misdiagnosis of the various imaginations of the exiled. “Settlers,” at exile camps like Hola, retained an autonomous vision of “land and freedom,” refusing their forced migration, and eventually precipitating the collapse of the scheme.