This study examined the extent to which the identified determinants influence the effective utilization of routine health information in the private health facilities in Kampala. The study was based on the following research objectives: to describe how technical determinants influence utilization of routine health information in private health facilities in Kampala; to determine how organizational determinants influence utilization of routine health information in private health facilities in Kampala; and, to examine how behavioural determinants influence utilization of routine health information in private health facilities in Kampala. The study adopted a cross sectional survey research design and both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used. Four health facilities from each of the five administrative divisions that make up Kampala Capital City (Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Nakawa Division, Makindye Division and Lubaga Division) were selected as a study sample. In total, a sample of 122 respondents were chosen who included division health officers, district health officer, health facility managers/directors, frontline health workers, district biostatistician and health information officers in the different health facilities in the five divisions. In collecting the data, the researcher used both secondary and primary sources. Data collection methods used were questionnaires and KI interviews, and the collected data was analyzed using multinomial logistic regressions analysis, Chi-square tests and Pearson correlation coefficient. The study findings revealed that: organizational and behavioural determinants are statistically significant in influencing effective utilization of routine health information than the technical determinants. Further analysis revealed that among the organizational variable composite index, planning had greater statistical significance than other organizational variables. It was concluded that: (i) among the technical determinants, only IT complexity was found to optimally have a statistical significant influence on routine health information use in the private sector; (ii) organizational planning has the most significant contribution to information use and this demonstrated the need for health facility management in establishing systems that support and promote routine evidence-based decision-making. It was recommended that: (iii) there is need to continuously provide technical support supervision to the private health facility in data and information management. Secondly, there is also need to support training of private health staff in RHIS management. Thirdly, private health facility managements should promote information use for evidence-based decision-making through integration of RHIS in the facility planning and management.

Solar thermal energy storage technology has made solar energy a potentially viable supplement for fossil fuels in much of the developing world. However one of the challenges in adopting the technology is the low efficiency of the storage media. Many thermal energy storage materials have difficulties and limitations such as handling, containment, storage and cost. Sand which is abundant, cheap, easy to handle and contain, can be used to alleviate the difficulties. Research carried out on sand as thermal energy storage material has been concentrated on the amount that can be stored. Literature on factors that influence the rate of charging sand thermal energy storage media could not be accessed. There is no existing information on the rate of charging various types of sand

The study sets out to investigate the effect of macroeconomic factors on commercial banks‟ lending to agricultural sector in Kenya. The relationship between the effect of macroeconomics factors and sectoral lending by commercial bank is of major concern in the bank lending function in an economy. Commercial banks use the findings of the effect of macroeconomics to predict the performance of sectors in order to take precautionary measures in lending to avoid financial crisis. Insufficient supply of agricultural sector credit is one of the constraints to modernizing agricultural production. Lending by commercial banks to the agricultural sector has not lived up to expectations. To this end, the study set out to investigate the effect of macroeconomic factors on commercial banks‟ lending to agricultural sector in Kenya. The findings have established the effect of Inflation rate, Interest rate, Exchange rate and (GDP) on commercial banks‟ lending to Agricultural sector. The population of the study comprised of all commercial banks‟ in the entire period in Kenya that were licensed and registered under the Kenya banking act. All the commercial banks in Kenya were sampled in order to provide a complete picture on the effect of macroeconomic factors on commercial banks‟ lending to agricultural sector in Kenya. The data required for the study was obtained from secondary source in the central bank of Kenya that was used to investigate the relationship between dependent and independent variables. The theoretical framework that was used in this study explored business cycle theory and contemporary banking theory of financial intermediation as the main root of limited percentage share of commercial banks‟ lending to agricultural sector in Kenya .The researcher employed descriptive survey design and data analysis used descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and regression analysis. While commercial banks were found involved in lending activity, they continued to lend low to agricultural sector. It was clear from the study that, a unit increase in interest rate, inflation rate and exchange rate negatively affected theamount of credit provided by the commercial banks respectively. This resulted to decrease in the amount of credit.GDP was found to have a positive relationship to lending. A unit increase of GDP led to increase to amount of credit provided by commercial banks. To cater for the credit needs of agricultural sector, it is incumbent upon the commercial banks to review its lending dimension. The study has important implications in terms of policies that will enhance economic growth through agricultural financing. There is need to increase the amount of lending to agricultural sector through the reduction of interest rates and controlling the negative effect of exchange rate and inflation to allow more economic growth in the country.

Abstract

In response to globalization and decreasing funding from governments and donors, research institutions like Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) have had to lay off a number of their staff. This reduction in the number of staff has necessitated an improvement in employees’ performance in terms of efficiency, productivity and also effectiveness. To ensure consistency in employee performance, KEFRI has been adopting performance feedback systems. However, despite the use of performance feedback system, employee performance in research institutions still remains low. The researcher therefore sought1to evaluate the nexus between performance1feedback system and employee performance (EP) in KEFRI. The researcher used descriptive research method. Moreover, unit of analysis was KEFRI Headquarters domiciled within Kiambu County, while unit of observation was one hundred and seventy-eight (178) members of staff working in seven divisions in KEFRI. The research used a census approach and hence involved all the one hundred and seventy eight (178) members of staff in the headquarters of KEFRI. The researcher utilized primary1and also secondary1data. Specifically, secondary1data on KEFRI was gathered from annual reports. Primary data was obtained by employing semi structured questionnaire. The questionnaire provided quantitative and also qualitative data. Moreover, qualitative data was then analysed by employing thematic content analysis while quantitative data1was analysed by employing descriptive and also inferential statistics1with assistance of SPSS1version 22. Moreover, descriptive statistics included frequency distribution, percentages, standard deviation and means. The1study employed regression and1correlation analysis to evaluate the link between performance feedback system and employee performance. The study discovered that performance feedback system has positive and significant effect on employee performance in KEFRI. The study also found that feedback frequency has significant and positive influence on employee performance in KEFRI. The study established that performance feedback communication channels have statistically significant positive effect on employee performance. Moreover, feedback based training has significant positive influence on the employee performance in KEFRI. The study recommends that management should provide open and honest feedback on1regular basis to enable the employees1to create trust and accept responsibility for improving performance and increasing their abilities. In addition, the management of Kenya Forestry Research Institute should provide clear, accurate, precise and detailed performance feedback so that employees can acquire information on their weaknesses and strengths that can1help them1to improve1their performance. Further, the management of Kenya Forestry Research Institute should provide performance feedback on frequent basis in order to motivate and help the employees improve their productivity and reach their goals.

Abstract

nairobi security

Abstract

Child sponsorship is one of the strategies adopted globally to fight poverty among the disadvantaged and impoverished in the community. Sponsorship, as a development model, began in the 1930s, and throughout the subsequent decades has evolved from a direct benefit relationship to one that benefits the broader community. Compassion international is among the leading global charities that adopted child sponsorship model in empowering local communities in fight against poverty. Compassion’s sponsorship program focuses on holistic approach to poverty and focuses on four main domains namely: the spiritual, physical, socio-emotional and educational/economic needs of a child. Compassion achieves this through a partnership model with local churches. This study sought to establish the influence of Child Sponsorship on Community Empowerment in Limuru District. The survey was conducted through interviews of the formerly sponsored youth in this region, the church leaders and Project Directors of Compassion Assisted Programs. One hundred and ten questionnaires were issued to randomly sampled formerly sponsored youth in four compassion assisted projects in Limuru District. The questionnaires that were duly completed and returned were ninety eight questionnaires which represented a response rate of 89%. The study results showed that formerly sponsored children were actively involved in the community and had significant influence at the community-level decision making process. Based on the findings of this study, it was evident that child sponsorship has a significant positive influence on the community empowerment in Limuru District in Kiambu County. Whereas education support was rated the highest in the ways Compassion’s Child Sponosrship was empowering the community, inadequate funding for furthering education was cited as a common obstacles among formerly sponsored children after they left the sponsorship program. The study recommends that more funding is committed to programs that can empower the caregivers to ably take-up the responsibility of furthering the education of their children after sponsorship funding is expired.

The environment around radio navigation aids systems (navaids) includes buildings whose roofing materials interfere with signal propagation. This interference may cause partial loss of intelligence in communication between navaids and flying aircrafts. Buildings around airports have been restricted partly because they pose threats to flight navigation. This restriction as captured in the Laws of Kenya has not been supported by sufficient data. Previous studies have shown that about half of air accidents occur during landing. However, no data has been availed to determine the contribution of navaids to these accidents. The purpose of this research was to study effects of roofing materials on air navigation signal propagation. The method involved use of a 9.4GHz transmitter, a receiver and a computer to measure signal level transmitted through roofing materials at various angles of incidence.