This study was undertaken to evaluate and determine the impact of integrated farming system on livestock and crop production, as socio-economic development of farmers in Nyagatare district, specifically in the sectors of Gatunda and Nyagatare. The main purpose of this study was due to current dominance of subsistence farming being practiced on the limited land resources with rapid growing of population which does not match with the economic development of Rwanda, this leads to food security crisis and low social economic development of the Rwandan farmers. The general objective was to determine the contribution of integrated farming system to social economic development of farmers in Nyagatare district of Eastern province. It was conducted in two case studies of Nyagatare and Gatunda sectors. Five cells of Nyagatare sector and four cells of Gatunda sector were selected. The method used to select the sample was purposive sampling, whereby forty one (41) respondents were selected for questionnaires and five (5) administrative staff responsible for agriculture and livestock related activities from local (sector, district and province) to central government level were purposively selected for interviews. The findings of this study revealed that, IFS has to some extent a positive social and economic impact. This initiative has allowed some households to shift from a lower level of poorer to a relatively poor class. The participants in this research declared that IFS has increased their livelihood due to selling surplus milk and increased agricultural production due to manure use. Findings in tables 7-14 showed that through IFS, farmers increased their income from agriculture and livestock. This was due to the increase of crop production and livestock production (milk). Because of income increase, the findings showed that farmers increased their expenditures on food, education and clothing. Also, the quantity of food taken has improved. Though IFS contributed to the welfare of farmers, it was revealed in the figures 6-11 that IFS is not 100% well-practiced by the farmers. Some gaps exist and were identified in the figure 12. The farmers face some challenges in practicing IFS, such as insufficient knowledge and skills due to lack of or inadequate training in Gatunda sector especially, lack of or insufficient water in Gatunda animal and crop diseases, drought in both sectors, to mention but a few. Some strategies to address the challenges were proposed, namely regular training of farmers; increase the number of famers field school facilitators and farmer promoters, and assist the farmers in cow breeding and use of manure.

‗Understanding Community service as a tool for sustainable development in Rwanda: A Case Study of Nyamagabe District‘ is a study that was carried out in Nyamagabe district. In particular administrative sectors, namely Cyanika and Gasaka, community service was regarded as a way of punishment for people who committed the crime against humanity. Rather, it involves tigistes‘ self-discipline and respect. As a result, it has the potentials for the offender to make a constructive contribution to the community. As reconstructive measure, it exclusively targeted the offenders who committed genocide crimes in Rwanda. With reference to the conceptual framework established for this study, the existing literature accords to view sustainable development as a complex concept that advocates for environment protection, natural resources management, social life and development, and community development. Emphasis being made on the infrastructure development, an urgent need was felt to reconcile both the theoretical and professional point of views to understand the effect of community service on sustainable development. Along these lines, the primary interest of this study was to establish an inventory of community service achievements. On the basis of these achievements, the study discussed the relevance of community service for the sustainable development of Nyamagabe district. In so doing, the study intended to investigate the questions formulated as follows: In which ways does infrastructure development ensure the subsistence of both present and future generations in Nyamagabe? How does infrastructure development contribute to social services in Nyamagabe district? In which ways does the infrastructure development promote economic welfare in Nyamagabe district? How does the infrastructure development ensure environmental sustainability in Nyamagabe district? These questions involved an empirical inquiry to come up with tentative responses. The sample size was of 99 respondents was selected from genocide survivors, offenders in Cyanika labor camp, ex-offenders and other people. These respondents were reached through different research methods and data collection techniques like questionnaire survey, face-to-face interview, observation and documentation. The findings established the alternative punishment to imprisonment promotes social and economic welfare, environment sustainability though infrastructure development. As a matter of fact, the offenders gained professional skills in different fields such as carpentry; masonry, excavation work, joinery, hydraform machine use and weaving. They have built various public offices, established terraces, schools and markets, added value to human and natural resources, protected infrastructures and environment, self-developed themselves as well as their families, kept unity and reconciliation in their cooperatives. As a result, the empirical inquiry supported that the infrastructure development contributes to the subsistence of present and future generations. High quality infrastructure facilities pertaining to community service such as houses for vulnerable groups, schools, and terraces are among the indications widely highlighted. Finally, the study establishes that the infrastructure facilities support commodity exchange and communication facilities within the district and between the neighboring districts. There are few problems, if at all, in transporting manufactured goods, agriculture production, timber and charcoal in these districts. Thus, community service activities have yielded fruits that promote the economic welfare of the population of Nyamagabe district and beyond.

Between April and July 1994, Rwanda was the scene of one of the most brutal genocides in the history of humankind. It is estimated that at least one million people were killed within that three-month period. After the genocide, a deep division between genocide survivors and former genocide perpetrators, as well as their respective family members was evident. Despite the Rwandan Government‘s efforts (creation of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, solidarity camps, traditional courts of justice-Gacaca, community mediators, etc.), the aftermath of the genocide remains a period during which the big challenge is concerned with how to restore relationships across the divides in question. Nowadays, in Rwanda, eyes are also turned toward cooperative organizations assumed to be a recruiting vehicle through which post-genocide recovery, social cohesion and reconciliation could be driven.

This study examines the correlations between Land registration and Land related conflicts Management in Rural areas with reference to Musanze District. Evidence from both developed and developing countries show that land registration have been a core problem among some families. The problem is more severe in less developed countries like Rwanda. Land registrations have not been totally a source of family conflict despite their valuable contribution in the economic development of all nations across the globe. They are well recognized from their contribution to the socio-economic objectives of growth in good living conditions, product output, and in their function as seed beds of entrepreneurship. This study aims to investigate the causes of the problem and what could be done to mitigate the problem. The primary objective of the study is to determine how to improve the living conditions of people and their wellbeing in Musanze District after land registration. The argument is that there are internal factors that cause some conflict based on land registration. For this purpose, the questionnaire was administered to 255 respondents from four sectors of Musanze District. All together 255 questionnaires were administered and all of them questionnaires returned. The response rate was 81%. Six major SMEs internal factors which included; family problems murders to some families and other information related to land registration issues, were investigated to find out their impact on the population of Rwanda in general particularly the four sectors sampled of Musanze District. Quantitative data were analysed using a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) with statistical tools including descriptive statistics, frequency distributions and Bouchard test. To this end, the study sought the perceptions of Musanze District on reasons why the land registration has caused so many conflicts among people. The study focused on three research questions as outlined in chapter one and other relevant sections of the study. The major finding of this study is that there is a significant positive relationship between land registration and related conflicts management in rural areas (divorce, murder, fight, hatreds, and swindling). On the basis of these findings, the study recommended that, as it has been noticed in Rwanda that there is conflicts based on the process of land registration, all local government level should be empowered in order to solve all conflicts based on land registration.

This study aimed at finding out the root causes of dissatisfaction of citizens as one among factors that make people presenting their complaints to the high level authorities while they would have been resolved at local level through existing complaints handling mechanisms in Rwanda. The main objective of this research is to analyze how deeply local leaders handle citizens‟ complaints and to identify challenges which constrain those authorities while accomplishing their responsibilities. The methodology used to conduct this study was qualitative research where functional category based method employed to select respondents. Interviews and focus group discussion were conducted in order to collect data from respondents. The data was collected in Kinyarwanda language, transcribed and then translated into English as a research language. Coding system was applied to identify responses from individual interview and focus group participants. The study found that the dissatisfaction is due to the lack of trust among citizens to their closest leaders, getting responses which are different from the expectations and behaviors of both service providers and customers. However, citizens may also prefer to address their concerns to high rank authority hoping to get direct solution even though the claims require extra-means. The study proved that citizens recognize the existing complaints handling forums and their effectiveness in responding to the requests of people but those forums are not efficiently implemented. According to the challenges, the research sorted out the lack of equipments, financial means and insufficient number of staff as barriers to the performance in lower entities. Despite many responsibilities, the study recommended local authorities to avail enough time and listen carefully complaints, handle them effectively aiming to satisfying aspirations of complainers and involve citizens themselves and other stakeholders in the process of handling complaints. Central government is recommended to empower local entities financially, in capacity building, augmentation the number of the staffs in order to help them to perform their duties.

This study examined the contribution of new land law to women empowerment of Nyamasheke District, Rwanda. The specific objectives are to describe the socioeconomic rights enjoyed by women in line with the new land law, to assess the benefits of land laws in promoting women’s empowerment in addition to identifying challenges associated with the implementation of new land law for women, finally the study, proposed potential strategies to improve the implementation of new land law. A descriptive research design was used with both qualitative and quantitative approaches, the target population was women and local leaders of Nyamasheke District. The sample size was 348 women and 4 local leaders, purposive sampling technique was used for selecting respondents. Primary data was obtained using a questionnaire. Information was gathered, classified and coded for analysis. Findings were presented in form of percentage into tables. The study showed that, 147 (42.24%) of respondents, enjoyed alienation rights, which is the right to transfer, to sell and inheriting land. Furthermore, the findings deduced that there has been a significant difference in mean of income owned by women of Nyamasheke before and after the new land law, this proof women’s economic empowerment due to new land law. In addition, the new land law has contributed to the women social empowerment, because the findings confirmed that now the women’ s opinion and views are recognized in their family as well as in the whole society, and women are able to make life determining decision through different problems in the society. Findings showed that the likely challenges linked to the implementation of new land law for women are poor interpretation of the law and poor services delivered by land officers in local administration. In addition to that, the cost of land mutation services and land taxes are still high vis a vis women income capacity. Finally, the study deduced potential strategies to improve the implementation of new land law that are to increase land services awareness campaign, to harmonize the land services cost to its size, furthermore suggesting land officers to only charge taxes on land that is generating regular income.

Until not long ago, technological developments had an obvious impact on how we communicate, irrespective of the settings in which we are. In the same vein, the rapidly evolving communication technologies have continuously fuelled changes in the provision of interpreting services. It is in this perspective that telephone-mediated interpreting has been introduced in many parts of the globe, but with little traction by practitioners and researchers. As we know, little research, if any, has been conducted in Rwanda regarding telephone-mediated interpreting, and the purpose of this thesis is to bridge the gap by investigating challenges facing those providing mobile telephone-mediated interpreting services in Rwanda in addition to presenting opportunities arising therefrom and proposing solutions. The study relied on secondary data collected from limited research available in the area and primary data collected from a limited sample of nine telephone-mediated interpreters who completed our questionnaire. The study findings suggest that telephone-mediated interpreters in Rwanda face challenges that include, among others, the absence of necessary details ahead of the call and having a hard time managing the turn-shifting. The main research findings of the study further show that other challenges include the fact that telephone-mediated interpreting becomes more complicated when the call involves using visual materials. Also, the study suggests that telephone-mediated interpreting fuels nervousness and stress, and carries in itself inherent challenges related to technical issues arising from sound systems and background noise, contributing to hampering comprehension. According to the findings, however, most of the challenges facing telephone-mediated interpreters in Rwanda are no different from those facing telephone-mediated interpreters in other parts of the world. Along the same line of reasoning, the study identified major challenges that equally apply to other telephone-mediated interpreters, which can be described as common. According to the study findings, there is a need for telephone-mediated interpreters based in Rwanda to receive training in telephone-mediated interpreting, because this mode of interpreting has its own characteristics and practical implications. As concerns potential solutions, the study findings further suggest that it is important for those who seek mobile telephone-mediated interpreting services to be educated.

This research study entitled “analysis of the causes for poor performance in implementation of performance contracts “imihigo” by districts: a case of Burera, Karongi, Nyagatare, Nyarugenge and Ruhango, was carried out to establish the likely causes behind this poor performance. As stressed by H.E President Paul Kagame during “imihigo” signing ceremony on 13th August 2015, “there is always a reason why there are best performing districts and those districts that lag behind hence need for more explanation as to why there are districts that are always last.‖ In reference to this statement from the Head of State and after review of previous imihigo evaluation reports for the financial years 2013/2014 up to 2017/2018, it was observed that there are some districts that have consistently performed well in “imihigo” delivery such as Gasabo, Rwamagana, Gicumbi, Huye, Kicukiro, Rulindo, Ngororero, Kirehe, Gakenke, Kayonza and Gatsibo and those that have persistently performed poorly including Rusizi, Nyabihu, Karongi, and Rubavu in the West, Nyarugenge in City of Kigali, Gisagara, Kamonyi, Nyamagabe and Ruhango in the South, and Burera in the North. But this research focuses on one representative district in the Province and the City of Kigali based on their performance record: Burera, Karongi, Nyagatare, Nyarugenge and Ruhango. Study investigate the causes behind their observed regular poor performance in regard to the implementation of their performance contracts-imihigo. Specific objectives of this study involve the analysis of the planning process of performance contracts-imihigo, assessment of their implementation, role of stakeholders, identification of causes for poor performance contracts “imihigo‖ implementation. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the respondents with skills and expertise in imihigo from planning to evaluation within the district. The total population of respondents is 175 from the five districts where each district was represented by 35 respondents. Target population included members of district council and executive committee, technical team, village leaders and stakeholders representatives. This research applied both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. The findings shows that there are both internal and externally linked causes or factors leading to district‟s poor performance and they include lack of team work spirit among district leadership and staff, poor communication, coordination, weak monitoring systems, lack of adequate planning skills and focus among district leaders and staff. Some of the externally linked factors include contracts management challenges leading to delayed completion of planned imihigo activities or their abandonment, procurement irregularities as a result of conflict of interest, corruption and embezzlement tendencies, implementation of many imihigo activities in the last quarter like infrastructure related activities that require timely execution and completion, committing to achieve imihigo targets at 100% but evaluation finds some targets are uncompleted either due to disbursement delays or limited budget or procurement delays or irresponsibility of implementers, leadership and staff turnover at district level, lack or limited capacity building programs to empower leaders and staff and poor collaboration between Ministries and Districts. Key recommendations to address the above causes or factors include; annual districts imihigo targets should be locally contextualized and identified through participatory and consultative planning process with staff, citizens and stakeholders so as to respond to the specific needs of the communities or citizens in order to enhance their ownership, effective implementation, spur transformation and sustainable impact to citizens‟ livelihoods, building team spirit among leaders and staff, streamline communication, coordination and monitoring mechanisms, proper and verified feasibility studies, efficiency and transparency in procurement processes, empowered and skilled leaders and staff that are citizens minded and development centered to deliver annual imihigo targets, adequate financing and timely disbursements.

Individual behavioral factors are emerging interest in the field of finance and investment and represent the irrational behavior of investors in regard to psychological and social factors. Initially, Investors tended to mainly focus on the market and monetary analysis encountered with lots of alteration and analytical faults. But recently, individual behaviours have been put into consideration alongside factors comprising finances for the purpose of making prudent resolutions which can aid them in getting the most from their investments’ returns. This research work is aimed at establishing the relationship between individual behavior on investments decisions in Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSALs) Groups in Samburu County. The following are the specific objectives that guided the study in order to find out the effect of representativeness on investment choices in the Village Savings and Loans Associations Groups, establishing the effect of sticking to an investment resolution in the Village Savings and Loans Associations Groups; assessing effects of overconfidence on a decision of investing in the VSLAs Groups; evaluation of herd behavior effects on a decision of investment in the VSLAs Groups. The study targeted 66 individual investments in Samburu County. There were 54 out of the targeted 66 respondents who completed and returned questionnaires which represents 81.81% of the total number of respondents. A structured questionnaire was used as an instrument during the collection of data. In the analysis of data inferential and descriptive statistics were employed. Descriptive statistics took the form of percentages mean, frequencies and standard deviations whereas regression models, analyzing by means of correlation comprised inferential statistics to examine the correlation of variables under study. Results of data analysis were in the form of pie charts and tables with frequencies. This investigation found out that individual behavioural factors that is the representativeness, anchoring, overconfidence, and herd behaviour have been considered by the investment groups in their investment decisions, for it is observed that investors tend to use their skills, knowledge, intuitions, representation in making their investment decisions. The study further found out that psychological and emotional factors play a bigger part in making the investment in regard to quantitative models. The study recommends that investors should not isolate the financial and investment analysis models but incorporate both the individual behavioural factors and the financial models in making investments decisions. The final recommendations were that another related research be conducted to investigate how the aversion ambiguity and innumeracy factors effect on the investment decisions and to conduct a study using longitudinal time frame design and to use other forms of data collection methods rather than the use of questionnaires.

Multinational Enterprises play an important role in the economy of host nations. They achieve this through foreign direct investment, corporate social responsibilities, tax remittances, and transfer of knowledge. However, despite their immense economic contributions, multinational enterprises face a myriad of challenges that impede their operations which leading to suboptimal organizational performance in terms of productivity, competitiveness, and profitability. This study, therefore, isought ito iachieve ithe ifollowing objective: To idetermine ithe environmental challenges facing multinational enterprises in Kenya. The study used a idescriptive iresearch idesign where a total of 58 participants were selected for the study through isimple irandom isampling. The collection of data was through use of a istructured iquestionnaire. Data analysis was done using SPSS software. The study used descriptive statistics percentages and frequencies for data analysis and findings presented using tables. The study established those multinational enterprises mainly faced economic and technological challenges that hampered their operations. The study recommends that multinational enterprises should engage the Kenyan government to effectively address the impending environmental challenges facing MNEs in Kenya. MNEs should invest in new technological innovations to sustain their competitive advantage especially due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic.