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  SAFETY PREPAREDNESS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN EMBU EAST SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

  (UoEm, 2026-06-18)

  Mugo, Kenneth Kivuti

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  School safety is a crucial part of the teaching-learning process because it gives pupils the chance to reach their full learning, development, and growth potential. This study sought to investigate the Embu East Sub-County's secondary schools' safety preparedness, in Embu County, Kenya, using a mixed methods research methodology. Finding out staff knowledge of school safety, identifying secondary school safety measures, identifying barriers they encounter in implementing school safety regulations, and examining teachers' perspectives of school safety were the specific goals of the study. Teachers, security personnel, and deputy principals from public secondary schools in Embu East SubCounty participated in the study. Data was gathered through surveys, interviews, and observations. To confirm the validity and dependability of the data gathering tools, a pilot research was carried out with five deputy principals, six teachers, and five security guards chosen from the target population. The study included a sample of 135 teachers, 44 security guards, and 44 deputy principals. The quantitative data schools was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, median, and standard deviation. The data was presented using tables, graphs, charts, frequencies, and percentages. Qualitative data were audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis for emerging themes. The results reveal that while a majority of teachers (64%) reported some awareness of school safety, significant gaps remain in training and policy implementation. Only 6% of schools had installed the required safety equipment, and over 70% lacked customized safety policies. Key challenges included inadequate safety equipment (74%), lack of training (67%), and financial constraints. Teachers and deputy principals also expressed concerns over low safety preparedness and limited access to safety tools, highlighting the urgent need to enhance awareness, training, and infrastructure for school safety. Through raising awareness of the safety procedures, this study offers helpful insights into initiatives that may be made to enhance the level of safety preparedness in schools.

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  DETERMINANTS OF MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS IN MBEERE NORTH IN EMBU COUNTY

  (UoEm, 2026-05-20)

  Muendi, Annah Mbithe

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  Malnutrition has remained a global public health issue in many developing countries with poor understanding of the sustaining factors of childhood malnutrition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of children under five years, assess the caregiver’s knowledge on child feeding and child care practices and determine the factors associated with child malnutrition in Mbeere North Sub-County, Embu County. This study adopted a cross-sectional study design. The sample size was 388 children selected from 330 households from December 2023 to January 2024. Two structured questionnaires were used to collect data. Anthropometric measurements such as height and weight were taken from each individual child to assess nutritional status of the children. Initial analysis involved converting the measurements into height for age (HAZ), weight for age (WAZ) and weight for height (WHZ) Z scores which were then compared with the World Health Organisation standard measurements to assess the nutritional status. Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate factors associated with the various malnutrition indicators. Overally, the prevalence of malnutrition was 49.7% (95% CI: 44.8-55.1). Undernutrition and overnutrition were estimated at 40.5% (95% CI: 35.6-45.6) and 15.7% (95% CI: 11.3-20.3), respectively. Stunting, underweight, wasting, and overweight/obese prevalences were 30.4% (95% CI: 26.0-35.3), 14.4% (95% CI: 11.1-17.8), 13.7% (95% CI: 9.3-18.2), and 15.7% (95% CI: 11.3-20.3), respectively. Further, 3.9% (95% CI: 0.0-8.9) of the children were stunted, underweight and wasted, 6.7% (95% CI: 2.1-11.8) stunted and underweight, 3.6% (95% CI: 0.0-8.7) underweight and wasted, and 6.4% (95% CI: 1.8-11.5) stunted and overweight/obese. Data on caregiver’s knowledge on child nutrition and child care practices was assessed. The majority of caregivers (59.1%) indicated complementary feeding should begin at 24 months, and limited breast milk as the primary cause. The most common food introduced to the children was mushed food (41%). Only 36.3% of caregivers breastfed their children. Majority of the children (84.3%) had inadequate dietary diversity. The median number of meals given to children per day was 3 (range 0-8) with 57.7% having the accepted minimum meal frequency. Majority of the households (74.2%) were food insecure. Based on multivariable results, overall malnutrition prevalence differed by study sites with children in Evurore ward having higher likelihood of malnutrition compared to Nthawa (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.17–3.15) and child’s immunization status whereby partially immunized children were more likely to have malnutrition than fully immunized children (AOR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.03 – 2.72). Overnutrition was predicted by child’s partial immunization status (AOR = 2.76, 95% CI: 1.52–5.01), severe household food insecurity status (AOR = 2.49, 95% CI: 1.07–5.81) and the caregiver time for child food preparation (AOR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.12–0.74). Child’s age (24-47 months) (AOR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.09–4.71), male gender (AOR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.28–4.54), low birthweight (AOR = 2.19, 95% CI: 1.10–4.60), lack of anthelmintic drug administration (AOR = 4.74, 95% CI: 1.85–11.97) and sharing meals with family members (AOR = 10.04, 95% CI: 2.22–43.83) were associated with underweight. Predictors of overweight/obese included partial immunization status (AOR = 2.76, 95% CI: 1.52–5.01), high birthweight (AOR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.09–1.10) and severe household food insecurity status (AOR = 2.49, 95% CI: 1.07–5.81). Stunting was associated with child’s food allocation practices, particularly sharing meals with family members (AOR = 10.04, 95% CI: 2.22–43.83). The high malnutrition rates are significant, as is the co-occurrence of undernutrition and overnutrition in the same context, suggesting that multiple determinants are at play in child nutrition in this context. This challenge requires extensive and specific interventions on multiple levels that can contribute to decreased malnutrition levels and improved health results for children in the study area

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  TRANSFER HYDROGENATION OF KETONES CATALYZED BY (PHENOXY)IMINO/AMINO NICKEL(II) COMPLEXES

  (UoEm, 2026-06-20)

  Wambui, James Kamau

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  Alcohols are important intermediates in pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, solvent industries, cosmetics, and fuels. Alcohols have traditionally been synthesized by methods like direct hydrogenation, the addition of water to alkenes, reduction of carbonyls using metal hydrides, hydrolysis of alkyl halides, and addition of Grignard reagent to carbonyls. However, these methods have not been effective in meeting the demand of alcohol. This is due to several drawbacks such as complex synthetic routes, most reagents being sensitive to moisture or air, poor selectivity, harsh reaction conditions, and expensive reagents. Catalytic Transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of ketones, which involves the reduction of ketones using hydrogen donors and a metal-based catalyst, is a better alternative route with high percentage enantiomeric excess (ee) and good percentage yields. CTH has been utilizing precious metal-based catalysts like Ir, Ru, Rh, and Pd. However, due to the harmfulness, expensiveness, and scarcity of these precious metals, the field of CTH is turning to non-precious first-row transition metals (TM). In this work, the phenolate ligands 2-[{(2-hydroxyethyl)-imino}methyl]phenol (TL1) and 2-[1-{2-(diethylamino)ethylimino}ethyl]phenol (TL2) were synthesized by condensation reactions between the appropriate aldehydes/ketones and the corresponding amines. Successive reduction of TL1 and TL2 with sodium borohydride resulted to formation of amino analogues 2-[{(2-hydroxyethyl)-amino}methyl]phenol (TL3) and 2-[1-{2-(diethylamino)ethylamino}ethyl]phenol (TL4), respectively. Treatment of ligands L1-TL4 with NiCl2 afforded complexes [Ni(TL1)Cl2] C1, [Ni(TL2)Cl2] C2, [Ni(TL3)Cl2] C3 and [Ni(TL4)Cl2] C4, respectively. These compounds were characterized using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FT-IR, and MS. Upon activation with tBuOK, these complexes displayed high catalytic activities (up to 96% conversion) in transfer hydrogenation of ketones (THK) within 6 h at 100 °C. Notably, the imine-based complexes (C1 and C2) displayed higher activity (69.50% and 69.93% conversions, respectively) compared to the amine analogues (C3 and C4) (63.97% and 62.66% conversions, respectively) indicating the influence of electronic effect in catalytic activity. More importantly, the nature of base, hydrogen donor and substrate employed played an essential role in the catalytic performance of these complexes.

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  INTEGRATED SOIL FERTILITY AND WATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR ENHANCED SORGHUM PRODUCTIVITY IN THE DRYLANDS OF THARAKA-NITHI COUNTY, KENYA

  (UoEm, 2026-05-24)

  Ndegwa, Kanana Jackline

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  The low yields of cereal crops such as sorghum in dryland areas such as in Tharaka Nithi County of Kenya, is predominantly attributed to low nutrients and inadequate soil moisture content. These challenges can be managed by integrating soil fertility and water management (ISFWM) practices. This study sought to evaluate the effect of integrated soil fertility and water management practices on soil chemical and physical properties for enhanced sorghum productivity in the drylands of Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya. The experiment was conducted over 2 seasons employing a randomized complete block design (RCBD) consisting of seven treatments replicated eight (8) times. The first five treatments consisted of high (120 kg N ha-1) or moderate (60 kg N ha-1) nitrogen applied from decomposed goat manure and NPK inorganic fertilizer combined with tied ridging, conventional tillage as well as minimum tillage + mulch, the sixth treatment was beneficial legume intercrop while the seventh one was the control treatment. One and two-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data, and the significant means were separated using the post-hoc honest significant difference (HSD) tests at 5% significance level. Pairwise mean comparison of soil physicochemical properties before and after the experiment was implemented using Students paired T-test at p < 0.05. There was a significant increase in soil pH in all high-input treatments, where there was significant increase in soil carbon within all treatments than the control. Soil P and K increased in all the treatments while soil Na reduced significantly, with the highest decline in the high manure and fertilizer with minimum tillage and mulch treatment. Soil aggregate stability was lowest in the control and highest in Beneficial Legume Intercrops treatment. The soil moisture trend in both seasons recorded highest values in high-input treatments during all the sampling times. The highest stover yields were recorded in high manure and fertilizer with tied ridging, while the least was observed in the control treatment in all seasons. Combined analysis of both seasons showed that the highest aggregate stover yields (7.1 t/ha) were observed in the high manure + fertilizer with conventional tillage and high manure + fertilizer with tied-ridging treatments, while stover yields was lowest in the control (2.6 t/ha). Moreover, the yield of sorghum grains was highest (1.2 t/ha) in the high manure + fertilizer with minimum tillage with mulch and high manure + fertilizer with conventional tillage treatments and lowest in the control (0.5 t/ha). These findings indicate the potential of ISFWM practices in improving chemical and physical properties and enhancing soil fertility, moisture retention and water use efficiency thus promoting sustainable production in drylands agro-ecozones. Therefore, the findings point out the need to adopt ISFWM in dryland soils to increase the potential productivity of sorghum crops. These practices should therefore be promoted among the farmers to ensure the nutrients mined from the soils after every harvest are replenished in a sustainable manner.

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  KENYAN LED UNITED NATION SECURITY MISSION TO HAITI: COMPARING PUBLIC VIEWS IN KENYA AND HAITI

  (UoEm, 2026-02-24)

  Wanyonyi, Elidah Nasimiyu

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  Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica and south of The Bahamas. Since 2018, Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, has been the site of gang-dominated chaos. On 2 October 2023, the United Nations Security Council approved a Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti, in the form of an international police force, to assist the Haitian government in restoring law and order. This study explored the views of a wide cross-section of Kenyan and Haitian citizens on the Kenyan-led mission to Haiti. The study employed a comparative case study research design. Convenience and snowball sampling were used. Data were collected using a semi-structured online questionnaire administered to at least 294 respondents in Kenya and 27 in Haiti, resulting in a final sample of 321. Descriptive analysis was used to explore the views of Kenyans and Haitians, and a Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare their views. Qualitative data were analysed thematically to get a clear understanding of citizens' in-depth opinions and perceptions across both countries. The legitimacy theory of state actions guided the study in evaluating the perceived legitimacy of the Kenyan-led United Nations security mission to Haiti. The findings showed that the mission lacked empirical legitimacy. The majority of respondents in both countries said the mission was unnecessary and that they did not support it. The study, therefore, concludes that although the UN security interventions may have normative legitimacy, they must be socially acceptable to achieve their objectives.

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