General insurance companies in Kenya are linked with several reinsurance practices, including reinsurance capacity, underwriting capacity, risk management, and re-insurance pools. The assessment focused on effect of reinsurance practices on profitability of general insurance companies. Descriptive cross sectional research design was adopted. All the 29 general insurance companies in Kenya were targeted. Primary data were gathered from the insurance companies using questionnaires. The 29 reinsurance managers and underwriting managers of these firms were the target respondents. Twenty-two (22) questionnaires (75.9%) were successfully completed and returned. Data were analysed using descriptive analysis. The findings showed that reinsurance practices, involving reinsurance capacity, underwriting capacity, risk management, and reinsurance pools have significant effect on profitability of general insurers. Based on the study findings, the implication is that general insurers should engage in reinsurance practices which are closely related to the firms’ business underwriting approaches for better profitability results. The assessment recommends that for general insurers to improve their overall profitability, they should participate in reinsurance practices as a priority, bearing in mind their status in previous loss experience, loss frequency, as well as risk size. It is imperative for general insurers to have optimal risk management measures. It further recommends that general insurers should incorporate more branches across the country. In order to increase penetration which is still low in Kenya hence capturing a wider market, especially by reaching out to the many potential customers staying away from major town centres who may demand general insurance products to tap more revenue and increase profitability.

Change is an inevitable continuous process which establishes long-term direction as well as competitive advantage of organizations for ensuring cautious formulation, effective implementation as well as incessant evaluation of strategy in progress. Saccos have embarked on a number of strategic changes in the recent past which have made the Saccos to come up with organization structure that makes it to be competitive. The general purpose of this research was to explore the influence of strategic change management practices on competitive advantage of by Deposit Taking Saccos in Nairobi County. This study was based on two theories, Kotter's 8 Step Model of Change and Resource Based Theory. The target population for this study comprised of 142 deposit taking Saccos in Nairobi. The data was collected from one senior business and innovation manager per Sacco. Analysis was done using descriptive analysis, linear regression and correlation analysis. It was established that resistance to change and training influence change management to a great extent while many Saccos embraced communication change, coaching and feedback practices at moderate extent. The study established a positive association between strategic change management practices and competitive advantage. It was concluded that communication change, coaching and feedback and training were positively related to competitive advantage. The study recommends that leadership of Saccos should be committed to change management process and all employees and stakeholders should be part and parcel of the strategic change process so as reduce resistance to change. URI

This study focuses on the social media sphere in Africa with specific focus on Kenya and the various implications on national security. As internet technology continues to proliferate through the continent, there is a need to assess the role of social media in national security and develop appropriate policies to regulate online content. Issues such as cyberterrorism are still new to the continent, and Kenya as the technology hub of East Africa needs to pioneer change in online forums to better develop security policy. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of social media on national security in Africa: case study of Kenya. The three specific objectives guided the study; to assess the nature of social media in Africa; to determine the impact of social media use on national security in Kenya; to examine the use of social media in Kenya and how it has impacted on national security. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The researcher used primary and secondary data as the main source of information. Primary data was obtained from questionnaires filled by social media influencers and users with different exposure to different platforms, different genders and careers. Secondary data was obtained through in-depth study of the findings of various material in this topic of social media. The target population comprised of 30 respondents in Kenya. The data collected and findings from the various sources made inferences through discussions based on the three objectives of this study. The data collected for the study established that social media has a significant impact on national security in Kenya. The government applies social media in various aspects of governance with varying results. The study further proved that social media is growing in popularity in the country and security agencies lag behind in the application of internet technologies to address crucial security issues in the country. The study concluded that cybercrime and cyberterrorism remain a significant threat to national security and security agencies are not doing enough to curb online crime. In Africa, social media usage is on the rise and governments are increasingly engaging citizens through online platforms. Similarly, terrorists and other non-state actors are using the platforms to spread propaganda and compromise national security. The readiness of security organs to deal with the online threat is critical in today's world. The study identifies the various weaknesses of cybersecurity in Kenya, especially in relation to social media, such as phishing attacks, trojans and malware. It recommends that Kenya needs to reevaluate the internet technology framework and provide lasting solutions to cybercrime. The government needs increased focus on education and research in the field of cybertechnology to ensure that security agencies are proactive against online threats. The study also recommends that the government needs stricter laws on social media platforms to protect against hate speech, misinformation and propagation of crime.

Over the past decades, international relations have adversely experienced increase in cooperation among different states in form of agreements and policies. The move towards greater common understanding and cooperation has become a global aspect driven by trade forces, shared natural resources, human rights issues, migration policies and politics, as they open opportunities for cooperation and integration. The goal for cooperation is to create common economic, social, political and cultural space among the participating countries. Cooperation evolves from economic links, historical or cultural ties. Different natural resources exist around the world and have helped to shape the society. In history, man has managed to earn a living through natural resources, thus, it is through the same natural resources which can bring cooperation among states and bring conflict between states, to examine the impact of shared resources as a source of conflict and a hindrance to state cooperation in the EAC To assess the effectiveness of legal and policy frameworks established in the EAC that foster cooperation within the EAC states, and to evaluate the prospects and challenges faced by states in the EAC in management of Lake Victoria as a shared natural resource and provide recommendations on strengthening capacity of the key institutions and frameworks on Lake Victoria as a shared natural resource in the region. The most serious environmental problems in Lake Victoria Basin relate to land use especially agricultural practices; destruction of protected areas in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems particularly to destruction of forests and depletion of fishery resources respectively; and discharge of municipal and industrial wastes which cause pollution. It has been demonstrated in this paper that without exception, there are legal and institutional arrangements in the books to deal with these problems. In reality, the hopes may remain frail, if the Ministry of Water and Irrigation together with the Authority do not depart from the traditional lethargy of line ministries or agencies to date. That lethargy also characterized the conduct of the office of the attorney general, the supposed defender of the public good, at least as far as environmental matters are concerned. It is therefore curious that the protocol for sustainable development of the Lake Victoria Basin made no provision at all on access to environmental justice. The framework treaty, similarly, makes no such specific provision. Here, the Partner States agree to grant rights of access to the nationals or residents of other partner states to their judicial and administrative machineries to seek remedies for transboundary environmental damage, there is a uniform agreement that deliberate action be taken to develop and harmonize laws in the main problem areas. There are at least two primary aspects to this. On the one hand there is an urgent need to bring the national sectoral statutes in harmony with the framework statute. It was pointed out earlier that where any statute is in conflict with the framework law then the latter prevails. Thirdly, all the instruments call for strengthening of enforcement machineries and procedures, a matter which is grossly wanting in Kenya. We have recognized the overwhelming lethargy in the sectoral agencies as far as enforcement of environmental laws are concerned, all the instruments urge for public participation in development and enforcement of environmental law. As pointed out earlier the Kenyan framework environmental law has abundant and appropriate provisions for public participation and access to environmental justice. The fifth basic matter recognized by the regional instruments is capacity building and awareness creation. Beyond these levels, it is essential to introduce and intensify continuing education in environmental law. Judges, legal practitioners, parliamentarians, policy makers and civil society groups should be targeted.

This research project is titled the effect of strategic change management on performance of Coast General Teaching and Referral hospital (CGTRH).The hospital is located in the coastal city of Mombasa, the second largest city in Kenya. The hospital serves as a regional referral hospital serving 6 coastal counties which consisted of the former coast province in Kenya. The hospital serves a catchment population of 4 million people. The hospital has used resources obtained from the government and donors to improve service delivery to the many patients who seek services from the hospital. Government health care institutions in Kenya have been characterized by change management failure and poor customer satisfaction. Changes occurring in the hospital have significantly improved the quality of healthcare services. The research design was that of a case study. Data collection was done through interviews with the help of an interview guide and responses documented. Data analysis was done through content analysis and a descriptive format was used in data presentation. The findings revealed the challenges faced in strategic change management at CGTRH as;behavioral and systemic resistance to change, poor government support, inadequate finances, shortage of medical supplies, limited bed capacity and poor referral system in the region. The hospital has responded to some of the challenges by strategic planning as evidenced by the presence of strategic plans 2010-2013,2013-2017 and the current plan 2020-2024 which is in draft stage. The hospital has a new visionary management team that meets regularly to formulate plans, implement and evaluate the strategic plan. The strategic plans from the senior management are cascaded to lower management levels. The hospital has pushed for the employment of new staff at all levels, improved revenue collection through the MPESA platform, improved equipment as well as expansion of the wards and ICU facilities. The hospital has established centers of excellence where complex surgeries are done, cancer treatment, treatment of complex heart diseases. The management has been able to implement changes, such as computerizing patient records for ease of retrieval of medical information, mobile money payments have improved cash collection. The hospital has been able to improve healthcare services after many donors came on board. The donors have been able to finance numerous projects within the hospital, this happened due to improved confidence in the management after implementation of strategic plans. URI

The objective of the study was to establish the influence of dairy value chain networks on performance of Dairy Saccos in Kiambu County. The project utilized a Census research design centering on all members of the population. The total population was 12 dairy Saccos in Kiambu County. The researcher obtained primary data using structured type of questionnaires. Quantitative technique was used in analyzing the data. For easier understanding, the researcher used averages, percentages, standard deviation and tables to depict descriptive statistics. The researcher also included quantitative data, analyzed based on regression analysis model. Findings from the regression analysis indicated the presence of significant positive linear relationship between value chain network and performance as presented using the correlation coefficient of 0.781. In addition, 61% of the variation in performance was due to value chain network. This also implied that 39% of the performance variation resulted from factors or errors overlooked during the study. This study also found that value chain network was incorporated in the running of the Saccos. The main way through which this incorporation was done was by support of feeding programs and the least way through which value chain incorporation was felt was through equipment financing to farmers; the major way through which this performance was demonstrated was through increased sales and the least way through which performance was felt was through the creation of high value dairy products. The study therefore recommends that various Saccos in the County should integrate dairy value chain network in the operationalizing of the Saccos in a manner that is sustainable and efficient to ensure that performance for the Saccos is enhanced and thus translated to profits. The study also recommends that the various Saccos should identify which value chain activities are the most effective in enhancing performance and invest heavily in them. The Saccos should also seek to understand those elements that are not effective and work towards addressing the challenges they pose in their performance. Finally, the study recommends sharing of information on the concept of value chain among the Saccos. Benchmarking leads to successful integration of the concept into their performance.

A United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC, 2016) report reveals alcohol abuse has been on escalation globally, thus distressing economies of states and societies at an estimate of 0.5 to 1.3% of GDP-Gross Domestic Product. In Kenya, the capital city Nairobi has the highest rate of alcohol consumption and abuse at 18.4%, posing need to find mitigation measures that will help curtail the problem. The study was geared towards investigating the levels of self-efficacy in spontaneous recovery among alcoholics within Nairobi County. The viability of the research was tested by a pilot study in Kibera Slum in Nairobi County, owing to the study conducted by NACADA in 2007, which attributed alcoholism to low income areas. This formed the basis for recommendation for measures to curb and cure alcohol abuse. The study aims to investigate and determine the level of self-efficacy among spontaneous-recovered alcoholics and is informed by Social Learning Theory. Data collection took place at Mathare North in Nairobi County. This study embraced a descriptive research survey design and targeted alcoholics who recovered and relapsed. Using snowballing, the researcher began with a small number of respondents, who were available at the initial stage. Consequently, the researcher asked these respondents to recommend other persons willing to participate and who met the requirements of the research. This process was applied until the sample of 83 respondents was arrived at. The study was guided by Social Learning Theory by Bandura. Interviewing was the main method of data collection while main tools for data collection in the interview included CAGE hierarchy of assessment tool and Bandura’s self-efficacy scale. The responses from the interviews were reported by descriptive narrative arising from content analysis. From the findings and conclusions of the research, key areas that have been identified as influencing spontaneous recovery among recovered alcoholics in Nairobi County included: financial burdens on the respondents and their families, fatal and near death situations in addition to health problems occasioned by alcohol consumption. The study therefore recommended that the respondents should apply cognitive appraisal coping mechanism through using techniques and procedures such as: finding distraction like physical exercise and listening to music to overcome alcohol consuming thoughts, talking to therapist, as well as reaching out to friends for comfort and support

Studies done in the field of behavioral finance have showcased how human beings use behavioral biases to aid in decision making when investing, resulting to market anomalies. Differing with traditional finance theorists, who suggested that investors are rational and make investment decisions after conducting fundamental analysis about the securities, behavioral finance literature has suggested that investors are affected by emotional predispositions. This leads to them making irrational investment decisions resulting to poor investment returns. Behavioral biases are categorized under two broad factors – Heuristic factors and Prospect theory. This research was taken to ascertain the effect of behavioral biases under prospect theory and heuristic influences on decision making in unit trusts by investors in Kenya. Descriptive research design was utilized and primary data collection tool was a questionnaire which was administered online using google forms to a convenient sample of 200 respondents. The response rate was at a 100% and the data was analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Scientists (SPSS) software and descriptive statistics, regression analysis and correlation analysis were used to summarize the research findings. The research established that unit trust investors were affected by Overconfidence, loss aversion, regret aversion mental accounting and gambler’s fallacy when making decisions about unit trusts. Availability bias was found to have an insignificant negative effect on investment choice by unit trust investors. The R square value (Coefficient of determination) from study was 0.161, which means that 16.1% of the discrepancy in Investment Decision making is elucidated by the fore mentioned independent variables. The study recommends that investors be made aware of behavioral biases that exist and how to avoid them through trainings offered by unit trust fund companies in order to get desired returns from their investments. The study also recommends financial literacy programs to be introduced to the school curriculum to ensure that people become aware of biases from a very early age, thereby creating better informed investors in the future.

The rising cases of stateless population worldwide and on the African continent particularly in the 21st century is a cause of concern within the international system. The phenomenon of statelessness is reported to be scattered throughout the world and has long been infringing on people’s rights to decency and justice. Despite the many awareness programs aimed at eradicating statelessness both globally and on the African continent, statelessness in the present century has proved to be an on-going challenge with varying causes ranging from illegal immigration, failure by some countries to relinquish past colonial laws, discrimination and technical and administrative challenges. However, despite these, the international community has shown renewed interest and commitment to end statelessness. On the African continent, statistics from UNHCR show that statelessness is found in many African countries and has proved to be a substantial challenge of human rights violations on the continent. UNHCR further states that the information it has acquired on statelessness in Africa shows that statelessness is more pronounced in Cote d’Ivoire and Kenya, with approximately 700 000 and 18 000 stateless populations respectively. While the Governments of Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire have demonstrated efforts to bring to an end the phenomenon of statelessness in their respective countries, the challenge of statelessness in the two countries is still acute. Nonetheless, the Governments of the two countries have over the years demonstrated concern and political will to bring to an end the challenge of statelessness, thus giving some hope to the stateless populations in the countries. Challenges faced by stateless people in Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire were seen to be more or less similar, however, the degree at which the two countries have committed themselves to put an end to the phenomenon of statelessness has not been the same. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methodology. Primary data was collected using online and telephone interviews and questionnaires were transmitted and received through emails. The study established that even though there had been renewed efforts in the fight against statelessness in the 21st century, there is still a significant number of stateless population on the continent whose plight needs urgent attention. The findings further showed that Kenya’s level of commitment to end statelessness was more enhanced than that of Cote d’Ivoire. However, it was observed that while Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire had made efforts to reform their Constitutions, there were still some gaps in the two countries’ laws and policies as well as technical and administrative glitches which needed attention for the two countries to effectively end statelessness. Key recommendations made by the researcher include abolishing colonial era laws which are discriminatory and give rise to statelessness in the world, particularly in Africa. Regarding nationality and birth registration in Africa, where the challenge is reported to be more pronounced, there is need for the African countries to enhance birth registration so as to protect populations from statelessness. The study also recommends that both the Governments of Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire enhance collaboration with UNHCR and relevant stakeholders to ensure that the fundamental rights of stateless people in their countries are safeguarded as this help to reduce disgruntlement and resentment amongst stateless populations which can trigger instability in the two countries and on the continent in general.