Kenya Methodist University

Digital innovations hold immense potential to transform health care delivery, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where financial, geographical, and infrastructural constraints continue to hinder progress toward universal health care delivery. Although a growing health tech sector offers creative solutions, few digital health interventions reach scaled implementation. In this paper, we present the digital fit/viability model-an adapted determinant framework to describe facilitators and barriers to moving from digital tools to integrated digital health implementation. We then use this model to describe the specific challenges and recommended solutions when developing digital health tools for health systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

Pest infestations remain problematic in greenhouse agriculture, lowering yields and increasing costs. Manual pest monitoring is laborious, slow, and error-prone, resulting in delayed interventions and excessive pesticide applications. The main objective of this research was to develop an AI-driven hybrid deep learning model for automated pest detection and outbreak prediction, integrating Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for image-based classification and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks for forecasting to improve response efficiency. This study relied on secondary datasets, such as PlantVillage and IP02, owing to constraints in obtaining primary datasets. These datasets provided pre-annotated pest images and historical climate trends, guaranteeing model robustness. Although the model was trained using secondary data, the study was contextualized by greenhouses in Limuru, Naivasha, and Thika; areas where pest control is an ongoing challenge. To enhance the model's ability to generalize and perform well in an array of agricultural environments, a stratified sampling method which considered farm size and agroclimatic differences was used. Techniques such as image augmentation, noise reduction, and normalization of features were utilized to further improve the quality of the data before the model was trained. Model training and optimization were performed in a GPU-enabled Google Colab environment, which supported batch processing, early stopping, and fine-tuning of hyperparameters. The hybrid model achieved 94.7% accuracy, 93.6% precision, 92.8% recall, and a 93.2% F1-score. With a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.14 and an R² score of 0.89, the LSTM forecasting module demonstrated its efficiency. This hybrid approach enables early pest identification, preventative actions, and reduced pesticide use.

The arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya (ASALs) continue to suffer farmer-herder conflicts as one of the most remarkable threats to peace, stability and development. Tigania East is one such example that is worsened by resource-rich areas, cultures, and politics, which promote conflict between groups. Whereas interventions by the government usually focus on providing security responses, the grassroots peace players have come out as important stakeholders in managing conflicts suitably. This paper examines the principles of managing the farmer-herder conflicts in Tigania East through the perspectives of the traditional mechanisms, community dialogue forums, and participatory conflict resolution models by implementing the involvement of the grassroots peace actors. Guided by Conflict Transformation Theory, the research provides insights into the ways in which local actors, whether by action or beliefs, use culturally entrenched practices to mediate, negotiate, reconcile, and transform relationships using the practices. The research adopted the descriptive research design. As this is a qualitative type of study, the target population includes elders, women's section organisations, youth leaders, religious leaders, and local administrators. The snowball sampling method and purposive method were accepted to give birth to 60 respondents to inform the findings. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires, oral interviews, focus group discussions and archival tools. Themes were utilised to study data. The findings also indicate that the grassroots peace-building is holistic because it focuses on solving immediate disagreements as well as structural inequalities by involving everyone in dialogue, creating awareness, community projects, and traditional reconciliation rituals. But issues like limited resources, political influence, low institutional support and socio-economic inequalities defy sustainability. The paper finds that grassroots strategies (when combined with formal institutional frameworks) are potentially potent in reshaping farmer-herder conflicts into spaces of peace-making, coexistence and developmental opportunities. The conclusion is that although the peace actors at the grassroots level are unquestionably essential, their efforts should be sustained by structural adjustments and collaboration on the multi-level basis to guarantee long-term stability. The paper recommends that there is a need for institutional support, encouragement of women and youth inclusion and mixed models of peace through judicious balance between grassroots legitimacy and state institutions.

With the growing emphasis on sustainability in modern business practices, this research set out to examine the main strategic factors that shape the long-term viability of supermarkets in Nairobi County. The study particularly focused on how marketing strategies and technological progress influence sustainability within the retail sector. The investigation was anchored on Ansoff’s Growth Strategies and the Dynamic Capabilities Theory, which provided the conceptual foundation. The study used a descriptive research approach to accomplish its goals, enabling a thorough evaluation of the elements that were found. Using stratified random selection, 107 individuals who took part were selected from the 147 people in the research's target group, which was spread throughout many stores in Nairobi County. Structured questionnaires were used in gathering primary data; they were given out immediately and then gathered for analysis. SPSS software was used to code, arrange, and process the replies. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between the independent and dependent variables. The study revealed that supermarket sustainability was significantly and favorably impacted by marketing tactics. Hence, the study concluded that competitiveness, technology adoption, marketing tactics, and research and innovation are important factors that influence how sustainable supermarkets are in Nairobi County. To enhance service delivery, the supermarkets should make use of customer-related data, especially in areas like home delivery, customization, and reaction to consumer feedback. This would allow supermarkets to understand customer preferences, gather broad market intelligence, and design marketing programs that effectively respond to consumer needs and changing market dynamics.

Capacity building is increasingly recognised as a cornerstone for strengthening community health systems, particularly in underserved regions where Community Health Promoters (CHPs) play a vital role in bridging the gap between households and formal healthcare services. This study examined the role of capacity building in enhancing the effectiveness of CHPs’ service provision in Nandi County, Kenya. The research adopted a descriptive design and targeted 1,567 CHPs across six sub-counties, from which a stratified random sample of 306 was drawn. Data were collected using a structured five-point Likert scale questionnaire that was pretested in Uasin Gishu County to ensure reliability and validity. A total of 287 responses were obtained, yielding a 93.8 percent response rate. Descriptive statistics indicated that although many CHPs had received some form of training, gaps persisted in the consistency, adequacy, and relevance of these capacity-building initiatives, which in turn affected their ability to deliver services effectively. Inferential analysis using Pearson correlation showed that capacity building had a statistically significant positive relationship with service provision (r = 0.518, p < 0.01), while regression analysis confirmed that capacity building was the strongest predictor among all facilitators, explaining a substantial portion of the variance in CHP performance outcomes. CHPs who accessed regular training, mentorship, and learning resources demonstrated greater confidence, improved efficiency, and stronger engagement with their communities. The findings underscore that beyond financial incentives, supplies, and job security, sustained investment in capacity building remains the most critical enabler of community health service delivery. The study concludes that institutionalising structured and continuous professional development programs for CHPs is essential for equipping them with the skills to respond to evolving health challenges, foster innovation, and build trust between communities and health systems. Policymakers and stakeholders are therefore urged to prioritise capacity building as a strategic pathway toward achieving universal health coverage in Kenya and similar contexts.

The implementation of Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) in public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions is vital for aligning curricula with industry-required skills. Despite government funding, there is no structured financial support for execution of CBET. This study evaluated the adequacy of funding and infrastructure in preparation for CBET curriculum implementation. An exploratory research design grounded on mixed-method approach was espoused. The study targeted a population of 70,591 respondents, including 21 principals, 21 Board of Governors chairpersons, 1,263 trainers, and 69,158 trainees, drawn from Technical and Vocational Colleges, Technical Training Institutes, and National Polytechnics. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 19 principals, 19 Board of Governors chairpersons, and 19 class representatives, while proportionate sampling was employed in selecting 154 trainers from 19 TVET institutions with functional Building and Civil Engineering departments. Data were collected via questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. Validity of the research instruments was ascertained for reliability. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively (mean, standard deviation) and inferentially (correlation), while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Data was presented in tables and themes, and findings revealed inadequate CBET funding. The study concluded that inadequate funding of CBET significantly affects its implementation. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education establishes timely capitation disbursement mechanisms to address budgetary shortfalls, and set standardized minimum funding benchmarks for successful CBET implementation.

Purpose: To find out the influence of Knowledge management on employee performance at Kenya Power and Lighting Company. Methodology: The study was conducted in the Mount Kenya region, covering nine counties, and employed a descriptive research design to collect data from 1200 KPLC employees. Simple random sampling was used to select respondents from each of the nine operational clusters within KPLC. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 25, with descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) for summarizing the data, and multiple regression analysis for examining the relationships between variables. The results were presented in tables to facilitate easy interpretation of the findings. Results: The study established a statistically significant positive relationship between knowledge management and employee performance at Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC). The correlation coefficient of 0.468 indicated a moderate positive relationship between the two variables. The R-squared value of 0.219 demonstrated that knowledge management practices explain 21.9% of the variance in employee performance. The adjusted R-squared value of 0.215 confirmed the model’s reliability even when accounting for additional variables. The regression coefficient (B = 0.504) implies that a one-unit increase in knowledge management leads to a 0.504 unit increase in employee performance. The regression model was statistically significant, with an F-statistic of 30.129 (p < 0.05), thereby confirming that knowledge management is a valid predictor of employee performance at KPLC. These results highlight the importance of structured knowledge-sharing systems in improving efficiency, innovation, and staff productivity in Kenya’s energy sector. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy, and Practice: This study contributes to knowledge management theory, policy, and practice in public utilities, particularly within KPLC. Theoretically, it supports Social Exchange Theory, emphasizing the role of knowledge sharing in improving performance. Policy-wise, it advocates for integrating knowledge management into human capital development, with platforms like digital repositories and mentorship programs. Practically, it highlights the importance of fostering a culture of collaboration, incentivizing knowledge sharing, and incorporating it into performance appraisals to enhance employee productivity and organizational resilience.

The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of organizational culture on the performance of non-governmental organizations in Samburu County, Kenya. A descriptive research design was adopted in the study. The target population included 84 NGOs in Samburu County, where the respondents were 92 directors, 146 operations managers, and 202 program coordinators. The study collected data using closed- and open-ended questionnaires from the respondents and also secondary data to measure performance. Furthermore, the Nassiuma formula was used to obtain a sample size of 66 directors, 89 operations managers, and 107 program coordinators who were selected using a simple random method. A pilot study was conducted in Laikipia County, whereby 8 NGOs were sampled using a simple random method. In regard to descriptive analysis, the study provided frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. In regard to linear regression, the study provided a model summary, ANOVA, and the regression coefficient of the model through multivariate regression. The findings of the questionnaire indicated that the majority of the participants, 119 (53%), strongly agreed, and 87 (39%) agreed (mean of 4.32 and a standard deviation of 0.80), that diversity of staff was encouraged in the NGOs. Nevertheless, 110 (49%) strongly disagreed and 91 (40%) disagreed (mean of 2.61 and standard deviation of 1.65) that open communication was encouraged to enable quick, informed, and reliable decision-making. The coefficient for the constant is 15.413; organizational culture is 0.251. The results mean that when one unit of organizational culture was added, it increased the performance by 0.251. It is also notable that since the significance values were < 0.05 and the t-statistic > 2, the organizational culture was considered significant towards improving the performance of NGOs. Based on the results, it was evident that most NGOs ensured that there was staff diversity in their scope of operations. The conclusion that was made on organizational culture was that there was workforce diversity that allowed collective sharing of ideas, founded on work values. Nevertheless, internal communication was noted to be ineffective, thereby causing a slow decision-making process in the NGOs. The main reason was due to an increase in bureaucracy by the management. The study recommends that the management develop structural policies that will determine the flow of information from the management to the staff. Basic infrastructure to facilitate the flow of information should be supported by the management for effectiveness. Additionally, the study recommends that the management should also develop timelines for making decisions within the NGOs.

The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of trend analysis on the organizational performance of food processing companies in Meru County. Descriptive research design was used on a target population of 78 food processing companies in Meru County. Notably, 97 directors, 121 operations managers, 99 quality assurance managers, 116 compliance managers, 132 marketing managers, and 121 risk managers. The respondents were sampled through a simple random method, and the sample size was determined through Slovin's formula. This led to 78 directors, 93 operations managers, 79 quality assurance managers, 90 compliance managers, 99 marketing managers, and 93 risk managers. Directors answered open- and closed-ended structured questionnaires, while the managers answered closed-ended questionnaires. A pilot test was conducted in 8 processing companies in Tharaka Nithi County. The study examined construct, criterion, and content validities. Internal consistency through Cronbach's alpha was examined as a measure of reliability testing. The information from the questionnaires was analyzed using SPSS software version 27. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, and mean, were conducted. Thereafter, linear regression analysis were done. It was discovered that trend analysis had a positive influence on organizational performance. The processing companies were noted to have invested in training through on-the-job training, e-learning, and workshops for their staff on different methods of analyzing market trends. The management also took time to assess different products to note any abnormality, exposing the company to risk. However, the process of arriving at a strategic decision was rather long due to the insufficiency of market intelligence systems and poor training on resource allocation, hence depriving the company of a chance to capitalize on opportunities. The study recommends that there is a need to support the training programs on market trend analysis. This could be done by increasing funding, benchmarking, and boosting other necessary resources.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of resource allocation on the organizational performance of commercial banks in Meru County, Kenya. The study used a descriptive design targeting 19 banks in Meru County, involving 19 managers and 91 staff. Data were collected via questionnaires and interviews, analyzed using SPSS and thematic methods. Most respondents (87%) reported ICT investment improved communication, efficiency, and reduced resource waste. Financial accountability (84%) also reduced waste, but challenges like poor training, politics, and resistance affected risk allocation. A significant correlation (r = 0.379, p < 0.001) was found between resource allocation and performance outcomes. The study recommends that senior management should ensure that there is impartiality in organizational politics to minimize its interference with even resource distribution among the departments. Furthermore, the study suggests that there is a need for employee involvement measures to minimize the resistance level experienced within the banking departments.