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STAKEHOLDERS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ADOPTED ON ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES IN NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA
(Egerton University, 2025) KAKAI,FATUMA LINDAH
The adoption of environmental policies by large manufacturing firms has been shown to enhance
their economic performance. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are now also adopting
these policies to reduce their economic footprint. However, there is limited documentation on how
these policies affect their economic performance. This study aimed to assess stakeholders'
perceptions of the influence of environmental policy adopted on the economic performance of
manufacturing SMEs in Nakuru County. Ecological modernization theory guided this study. The
study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-method research design. The target population
comprised proprietors of 400 registered manufacturing micro and SMEs in Nakuru County, while
the accessible population included proprietors of 94 SMEs with 10–99 employees and at least five
years of operation. The sample size was 76 SMEs proprietors, and stratified random sampling was
used to select participants for the survey. Simple random and purposive sampling were used to
select SME proprietors and environmental officers, respectively, for the qualitative component.
Data collection tools included SMEs proprietor’s questionnaire, SMEs proprietors’ interview
guide, and county environmental officer interview guide and were validated by five policy experts
at Egerton University. The questionnaire was piloted, and its reliability was estimated using
Cronbach's Alpha, with a coefficient of 0.870 obtained. Descriptive and inferential statistics were
used to analyze quantitative data using SPSS version 26. Qualitative data was analyzed using
content analysis using MaxQDA. Hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The study
found that majority of respondents adopted environmental management practices (EMPs) to appeal
to new customers, enhance their firms' image and reduce production costs. Additionally, to a larger
extent SMEs adopted regular and routine maintenance of equipment, selling waste to other
organizations and use of energy-efficient bulbs. The study also established that stakeholders
perceive that energy efficiency practices adopted had a significant influence on the economic
performance of manufacturing SMEs. However, stakeholders perceived waste management
practices adopted had no significant influence on economic performance of manufacturing SMEs.
Overall, it was found that stakeholders perceived that EMPs have a significant influence on the
economic performance of manufacturing SMEs. The study concluded that environmental policies
have an influence on the economic performance of manufacturing SMEs in Nakuru County from
a stakeholder perspective. In this study, it is recommended that the government should raise
awareness among SMEs about the importance of adopting EMPs in their operations.
COVID-19 MEASURES EFFECT ON FOOD CONSUMPTION PATTERNS FOR URBAN LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA
(Egerton University, 2023-11) MWORIA MUNGAI KELVIN
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted food chains worldwide. The Kenyan government
initiated measures to curb the spread of the novel disease. Some measures include lockdown, a
ban on social gatherings, and the closure of institutions like school restaurants and eateries,
potentially changing households' food consumption patterns. This study contributes towards
improving the livelihood of low-income households in Nakuru County by assessing the effects of
COVID-19 measures on food consumption patterns in Nakuru County. Specifically, the study
aimed to determine the changes in consumption patterns due to COVID-19 measures, assess the
factors influencing changes in consumption patterns, and determine COVID-19 measures' effect
on food consumption patterns. Data was collected through structured questionnaire interviews.
Multi-stage sampling was used to select a sample of 246 Household respondents in Kaptembwa,
Rhonda, and Kapkures wards residents in Nakuru West Sub-county. Paired-sample t-tests were
undertaken to determine significant differences in the mean level of shopping frequencies and
food consumption of different food categories during the pandemic and before. The study used
the ordered logistic regression model to assess the factors influencing change in food
consumption patterns. The effect of COVID-19 measures on FCP was determined through the
multinomial endogenous switching regression model. Study results indicated a significant
decrease in household consumption of meat, dairy, fruits, snacks and wheat products (p-values
<0.001). Findings also revealed that there was a significant decrease in shopping frequencies of
readymade food, snacks and meat products (p-values <0.001) and a significant increase in
shopping frequencies of vegetables and wheat products (p-values <0.001 and fruits (p-values
<0.05). The factors including HFDM age, Change in food prices, income changes and change in
the person in charge of food before COVID-19, fruits and vegetables shopping frequency, and
the ban on social gatherings significantly affected the decrease in food consumption patterns
while money spent on food and movement restrictions significantly affected an increase in FCPs.
Out of the sampled 246 households. 63.01% were affected negatively, 7.32% had no effect.
6.10% experienced positive effects, while all other partial combinations had a negative effect on
FCP. Recommendations drawn from the study include subsidies of staple foods during a crisis,
educational programs and effective communication of proposed measures to spur the local
economy by enabling local production and sourcing of materials required during a crisis.
WO-STAGE NEGATIVE BINOMIAL GROUP TESTING MODEL FOR ESTIMATING PREVALENCE OF A RARE TRAIT
(Egerton University, 2023-09) KARIUKI, MWANGI FRANCIS
Group testing is an economical screening strategy that is beneficial in terms of efficiency and
cost-cutting. The idea dates back to World War II, and it entails amalgamating individual
specimens into pools that are tested for the presence of a trait of interest. Since its inception,
group testing literature has branched into two research areas: classification and estimation.
Research work in group testing has concentrated on designs without errors and has mainly
developed under the binomial model. However, a combination of inverse sampling and group
testing has been established to be useful when there is a need to report estimates early in the
screening process. The main focus under the negative binomial group testing designs has been
to develop more efficient estimators and to determine optimum group sizes under the
assumption that the testing process has no misclassification. However, errors associated with
labelling, and misclassification are prone to occur in an experimental design. Retesting of pools
has been established to improve the efficiency of an estimator and increase the precision of a
test. This research has constructed and analyzed a two-stage negative binomial group testing
model for estimating the prevalence of a rare trait when imperfect tests with known sensitivity
and specificity are used. The study utilized the Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE)
method to obtain the estimator and the Cramer-Rao bound method to compute the Fischer
information of the estimator. The properties of the constructed estimator were examined. The
efficiency of the constructed estimator relative to other estimators in pool testing designs was
determined by computing the Asymptotic Relative Efficiency (ARE) and the Relative Mean
Squared Error (RMSE). The procedure was illustrated, and the model was verified by
performing Monte Carlo simulations using R programming language version 3.5.2. The
research findings showed that the model was superior to the one-stage negative binomial group
testing model with misclassification as low variances were obtained as the proportion p
increased. Also, the constructed estimator performed more efficiently for higher values of p.
Furthermore, the study can be used for surveillance of pathogens and monitoring the prevalence
of infectious diseases such as the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to prevent another
pandemic resurgence.
ANALYSIS OF EFFECTS OF HUMAN ENCROACHMENT ON KIBORGOCH WETLAND AND ITS ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(Egerton University, 2025-10) ISIAHO, GLARION
Kiborgoch Wetland is an ecologically and socio-economically important ecosystem in Kenya, but
faces increasing pressures from human-induced activities. Dominant macrophyte species include
Cyperus papyrus, Vachellia reficiens, Indigofera spinosa, and Cyperus alopecuroides. In Marigat
region, the most members of the local communities obtain their livelihoods from Kiborgoch Wetland
resulting in overuse. The wetland degradation drivers such as uncontrolled grazing in dry and wet
seasons, unclear land tenure, rapid population growth capitalizes by climate change and poor
implementation of policies that protect wetlands have intensified unsustainable activities, including
water abstraction, excessive harvesting of wetland vegetation, and agricultural expansion. The
objective of this research study was to assessed the extent, drivers, and impacts of wetland
encroachment from 1994 to 2024. The study utilized a mixed-methods research design combining
macrophytes assessments, Geographic Information System analyses together with social surveys to
evaluate spatial-temporal changes, ecological conditions, and socio-economic implicationsThe
Southern section of the wetland showed the highest form of diversity for both Shannon Diversity
Index and Simpson’s Diversity Index, with an overall index of 0.81 for the entire wetland. This
showed that the wetland is relatively diverse. Fabaceae and Cyperaceae were the most dominant
macrophyte families in the wetland, with 36 plants species identified from 18 families. Drivers of
degradation were also analyzed with overgrazing being the largest contributor together with
encroachment as a result of agricultural expansion. Population growth, reduced river discharge and
climate variability were also identified as drivers of Kiborgoch Wetland degradation. This work
is important as it gives a spot light to conservation strategies that combine indigenous knowledge
with scientific methods. It also emphasizes the need for sustainable land policies that would
encourage the protection of ASAL wetland and enhancement of community involvement that
would improve the resilience of Kiborgoch Wetland.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL CULTURAL FACTORS, SEXUAL AND GENDER VIOLENCE AMONG CONGOLESE MALE REFUGEES IN KAKUMA CAMP, TURKANA WEST COUNTY, KENYA
(Egerton University, 2025-09) MANYANYA, MARGARET
Sexual violence is a significant public health and human rights issue worldwide. Refugees and
asylum seekers affected by armed conflict are particularly vulnerable. In Kenya, the extent of
sexual violence in humanitarian settings remains underexplored. Although many organizations
address gender-based violence, little is known about male refugees who are victims of sexual
violence. The study established the relationship between social cultural factors, sexual and gender-
based violence among Congolese’s male refugees. It also established, the different types of SGBV,
cultural norms and values, dominant notions of masculinity, gender identities and their relationship
to SGBV among Congolese male refugees. The study adopted trauma theory and employed the
mixed cross-sectional survey research design, employing both quantitative and qualitative. The
target population 17,848 registered Congolese male refugees, in Turkana West-sub- County. A
sample size of 382 male refugees and 6 key informants were selected. Data were collected using
structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and key informant interviews. A total of 382
male refugees and 6 key informants were interviewed. Quantitative data were analyzed using
descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, and standard deviations, with the
assistance of SPSS version 28. Qualitative data were transcribed, translated, and coded
thematically. Thematic analysis identified patterns and themes related to the research questions,
and verbatim quotes were used to amplify the voices of the informants. Findings revealed that
Congolese male refugees in Kakuma experience various forms of SGBV, including physical abuse
(46%), sexual abuse (33%), and psychological abuse (21%). Younger males (18-29 years) reported
higher incidences of SGBV compared to older age groups. Cultural norms significantly impacted
the reporting and perception of SGBV, with societal stigma and the pressure to conform to
traditional masculine roles discouraging many victims from seeking help. The dominant notions
of masculinity, which emphasize strength, control, and heterosexuality, further compounded the
issue, as male survivors often faced additional psychological trauma and societal emasculation.
The study concluded that addressing SGBV among male refugees requires a multisectoral
approach that includes cultural sensitivity, awareness programs, and support systems tailored to
the unique needs of male survivors. Recommendations include enhancing the capacity of service
providers to recognize and address SGBV against men, promoting community sensitization to
reduce stigma, and implementing policies that protect and support male survivors of SGBV.