Research Publications

Frequency of floods and land use changes in Kibra and Mathare informal settlements, Nairobi, Kenya

2026-10-26T07:43:04Z

Frequency of floods and land use changes in Kibra and Mathare informal settlements, Nairobi, Kenya Mosiori, Hesbon Nyagaka Rapid urbanization and inadequate infrastructure exacerbate the risk of flooding in informal settlements, where 1.6 billion people live globally. This study, based on the theories of Political Ecology and Social Capital, explored the frequency of flood occurrence in Kibra and Mathare informal settlements in Nairobi City County, Kenya, where more than 60% of urban residents reside in informal settlements. The study adopted descriptive cross sectional research design with the target population being household heads, community leaders, non-state actors and state government agencies. Data was collected from 455 respondents (398 household heads, 42 focus group discussion participants, 10 non-state actors and 5 state actors) using multistage sampling techniques (stratified, purposive and simple random sampling). The primary data collection instruments were structured questionnaires, semi-structured interview guides, and focus group discussion guides, with secondary data and photographic evidence. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse quantitative data. The results indicated that 93.1% of the surveyed households experienced floods, with 47.9% experiencing 4-5 floods between 2020 and 2024. The spatial analysis showed that the flood prone areas have significantly increased from 2005 to 2024, with Kibra increasing from 0.8 km² to 2.0 km² and Mathare from 1.2 km² to 2.5 km². Household size (β=0.506, p=0.001) and average monthly income (β=-0.775, p<0.001) were significant predictors of flood frequency, explaining 47.5% of the variance. Land use analysis showed that built-up areas increased by 36% (Kibra) and 19.5% (Mathare) and riparian vegetation decreased by 56-57%, which reduced natural flood buffers. The study concludes that the flood risk in these settlements is chronic and structurally embedded, due to unplanned urbanization, ecological degradation and socio-economic inequalities. The results recommend the need for hyper-localised, ward-specific Disaster Risk reduction (DRR) strategies, combining engineered solutions with participatory planning and ecosystem-based strategies such as riparian restoration for sustainable urban resilience.

The Political Economy of Preventive Justice

2026-10-22T14:01:10Z

The Political Economy of Preventive Justice Khamala, CA Introduction What is to be done about the emergent problem of widespread riots against established authority? Critical criminology shows that crimes are socially constructed by powerful elites, to reflect their own political ideologies of a good society. Modern punishments are nuanced to protect private property. Take the United States, home of the world’s first written constitution. It was a consensus among White, Anglo-Saxon Protestant framers, established to secure life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They believed that happiness is synonymous with property. Yet, happiness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Corresponding author: Charles A Khamala, Senior Lecturer, Africa Nazarene University Law School, Academic Leader Criminal Justice and Security Management Programme, Advocate, High Court of Kenya, Kenya, Email: chalekha@yahoo.co.uk

The Truth about Dag Hammarskjold’s Killers

2026-10-22T13:52:40Z

The Truth about Dag Hammarskjold’s Killers Khamala, CA Introduction. From 1953-1961, Dag Hammarskjöld served as United Nations’ second Secretary General. He pioneered the Responsibility to protect concept. In 2015, Ban Ki-moon the organization’s eighth Secretary-General, instituted Eminent Persons to investigate the circumstances resulting in Hammarskjöld’s tragic death with colleagues accompanying him aboard ill-fated flight SE-BDY. Two years later, the General Assembly extended former Tanzanian Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman’s investigative mandate. On 7 October 2019, their final report calls on Britain, Russia, South Africa and the United States to conduct a dedicated internal review of sensitive records to determine whether relevant information about that incident exists. These four nations may be withholding information that could solve the puzzle. Who benefits from continued secrecy shrouding Hammarskjöld’s death and why? Are murderous “acts of state” immune from prosecution? In 1960, Belgium invaded the Congo. In response, Hammarskjöld’s anticipatory and preventative strategy relied on information and political intuition. These charismatic personal mediation qualities first exploded onto the global stage in 1954, releasing US airmen from China. Subsequently, during the 1956 Suez crisis, to end the inaugural UN “Operation Musketeer,” Israel and Egypt accepted Hammarskjöld’s international peacekeeping force, prompting Britain’s and France’s withdrawals. Third, in 1958 without a UN resolution, he called for stronger action in the Jordan-Lebanon crisis. Fourth, in 1959 at the invitation of Thailand and Cambodia, he deployed a special envoy to settle a border dispute. These interventionist performances gave rise to the “Leave it to Dag” slogan, expanding the good offices role of international organizations. Yet, proactively driving the UN’s 1960 Decolonization Charter irked Western interests, including the military superpowers.

Bureaucratic corruption, gender equality and gender stratification: evidence from healthcare financing policy processes in subnational governments in Kenya

2026-10-22T13:39:57Z

Bureaucratic corruption, gender equality and gender stratification: evidence from healthcare financing policy processes in subnational governments in Kenya Mwangi, Justa The present article examines bureaucratic corruption in the form of nepotism, cronyism, elite capture, bribery, sextortion and embezzlement, and its relationship to gender inequality and, more specifically, gender stratification. This is explored in the context of policymaking processes relating to healthcare financing in the county governments of Kiambu and Nairobi City, two subnational governments in Kenya. The empirical research presented in this article is shaped by radical feminist theory and methodology. Responses from 58 women were gathered through interviews and focus group discussions. It was found that bureaucratic corruption affected women and men differently and produced outcomes that exacerbated gender inequalities within the subnational policymaking processes. The results indicate that reducing bureaucratic corruption could improve gender equality and decrease gender stratification.

Digital surveillance and big data: Balancing the rights to privacy and security in Kenya

2026-10-22T11:23:00Z

Digital surveillance and big data: Balancing the rights to privacy and security in Kenya Khamala, CA Education, personal identity and democracy fl ourish in private. Generalised surveillance of disenchanted groups stifl es them. Although the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights is silent on the right to privacy, Kenya’s Constitution expressly protects against surveillance abuse. Informed consent is required from data subjects prior to collecting or sharing their personal information. Yet, Kenyan courts have upheld laws and policies introducing generalised surveillance. Th e conundrum confronting Kenya’s judiciary regarding surveillance of mobile telephone data is: If counter-terrorism relies on mass surveillance, such policies necessarily violate privacy rights, in the guise of enhancing security. Nonetheless, enhancing the state’s surveillance capacity to intercept digital communications was accepted by the Court as a justifi able violation of privacy rights. Conversely, in Communication Authority of Kenya v Okiya Omtatah Okoiti, the Court of Appeal observed that globally, the theft of mobile phones and proliferating counterfeit devices have become major regulatory concerns. Problematically, it reversed the High Court’s prohibition on generalised surveillance. Subsequently, in Katiba Institute v Attorney General, the High Court directed the state to conduct a data protection impact assessment as the Data Protection Act requires. In April 2023, the Supreme Court dismissed the Law Society of Kenya’s appeal seeking to stop the CAK embarking on a device management system, which threatens to surveil subscribers. Three conclusions emerge. First, Kenya’s DPA accords absolute governmental power to gather personal data unrelated to national security or suspicion of crime. Second, the Court of Appeal’s Mobile Telephone determination is oblivious to the chilling effect that any generalised surveillance created even on groups that value confidentiality. Third, neither the National Intelligence Services Act nor the Prevention of Terrorism Act protect citizens’ communications from limited interception. It is preferable to introduce similar provisions authorising interception of specific communications in other legislations to facilitate investigation of serious organised crimes. This article examines the implications of digital surveillance and big data for privacy rights and national security in Kenya. It explores the challenges of balancing security interests with the protection of individual privacy, constitutional rights, and data protection principles. The article highlights the need for effective legal frameworks and accountability mechanisms to regulate digital surveillance and prevent the misuse of personal information.

Ecological ethics in African traditional religion: indigenous wisdom in relation to the Book of Isaiah

2026-10-21T17:13:40Z

Ecological ethics in African traditional religion: indigenous wisdom in relation to the Book of Isaiah Kamau, Patrick Mburu; Masika, Joseph Kisoi Africa faces an escalating ecological crisis rooted in the widening gap between modern conservation models and indigenous worldviews. This article bridges African indigenous ecological wisdom with the prophetic theology of Isaiah to construct a contextual ecological ethic that responds to African realities while engaging global concerns about sustainability. Whereas previous scholarship has often treated African Traditional Religion (ATR) and biblical theology as distinct spheres, this study employs hermeneutical and postcolonial methodologies to facilitate an intercultural dialogue between the two. It reveals that ATR’s principles of communal stewardship, sacred natural spaces, and restorative taboos resonate profoundly with Isaiah’s critique of exploitation and his vision of cosmic shalom. By integrating ATR’s tangible reverence for creation with Isaiah’s eschatological hope, the article advances a holistic ethic of covenantal responsibility. Its original contribution lies in formulating a contextually grounded African ecotheology that reclaims ATR from notions of primitivism, enriches Christian ecological discourse with indigenous insight, and offers practical pathways for policy, education, and grassroots movements toward ecological renewal in Africa.

The church and its theological reflection in light of reform agenda in Africa

2026-10-21T16:56:42Z

The church and its theological reflection in light of reform agenda in Africa Amolo, Frederick Otieno I. Introduction: Christianity deeply rooted in Africa but facing challenges. Christianity as a religious phenomenon in Africa traces its roots to the time of the apostles. It is neither a recent happening nor a byproduct of colonialism. Egypt's shore, for example, saw the church flourishing under their church leaders and theologians who were pillars of the universal church.1 The rise of theological schools in Carthage and Alexandria with Cyprian and Tertullian gave the church its doctrinal stance.2 Even with the rise of Islam, the history of Christian presence in Africa began like a drop in the ocean but later flooded the whole continent. Of lasting influence were the numerous missionary works that followed the footsteps of pathfinders like David Livingstone3 and Vasco D Gama.4 The result of such endeavors was Christianity becoming part of the landscape of the continent.5 Today, Christianity has become a majority religion in most countries south of the Sahara.

Faith and the Public Square

2026-10-21T16:43:35Z

Faith and the Public Square Mtukwa, Gift

The People of God and Kingdom Political Ethics in Romans 13:1–7

2026-10-21T15:30:05Z

The People of God and Kingdom Political Ethics in Romans 13:1–7 Mtukwa, Gift Greetings and welcome to Didache: Faithful Teaching Volume 14, no 1 (Summer 2014). This edition serves as a continuation of our last volume and the Global Theology Conference held in South Africa last March. The following articles comprise the rest of the material submitted as a resource to the conference. We are delighted that we have twenty more articles to offer our readership from around the globe. Readers will note that all of the Spanish language articles include English translation. Our thanks to Dorothy Patton Bullón and Simone Twibell, who worked so diligently to provide these translations for the Global Review Teams mentioned below. The translators’ efforts made possible the publication of these articles in both languages. As noted last edition, the shear size of the number of original submissions required we form global review teams to ascertain which articles to publish prior to the conference. I chose not to publish the reviewers’ names prior to the conference, but thought it appropriate to acknowledge their contribution at this time. Just to note, we originally hoped to have a larger, global, team working with the final review. However, global commitments hindered such an arrangement (particularly with so many participating scholars working on submissions). Many of the reviewers accepted their responsibility on short notice and worked diligently to select a solid, representative, set of papers that you will find published in Didache: Faithful Teaching 13:2. Mtukwa, Gift. “The People of God and Kingdom Political Ethics in Romans 13:1–7.” Didache: Faithful Teaching 14, no. 1 (Summer 2014). The article is included in the introductory issue material edited by Dean G. Blevins, Senior Editor, and published in connection with theological contributions to the Global Theology Conference in South Africa.

A Reconsideration of Self Support in Light of Paul's Collections

2026-10-21T14:58:57Z

A Reconsideration of Self Support in Light of Paul's Collections Mtukwa, Gift Scholars have rightly recognized the importance of Paul’s collection for the poor Christians in Jerusalem, and the fact that it is something to which he dedicated much of his time and energy. Paul’s collections amongst the churches he planted partially reveal the economic relationships that existed among them. There is no doubt that “the collection for the saints” formed part of the glue that united various Christian congregations. This paper seeks to reconsider the call for the Church (particularly the African Church) to be self- supporting in light of “the collection for the saints”. Since Paul did not write a treatise on money, we will derive his theology from his instructions to his fledgling churches to assist the poverty-stricken believers of Jerusalem (especially Rom. 15:25-32, 1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8-9). The Roman Empire’s economic systems will be described to help illuminate the subversive nature of Paul’s practice in light of the region’s dominant culture. It is anticipated that the Pauline approach can liberate the Church of Jesus Christ to use God’s resources wherever they are and wherever they are needed for God’s work. The study proposes that if Christian giving is properly done, it has the capacity to “equalize” our unequal world as resources will move from where they are to where they are most needed. Paul’s approach can free the African church to be as missional as the Pauline newly founded church communities were. Mtukwa, Gift. “A Reconsideration of Self-Support in Light of Paul’s Collections.” Africa Journal of Evangelical Theology 33, no. 2 (2014). This article re-examines the concept of self-support in Christian ministry in light of the Apostle Paul’s teaching on the collection for the saints, particularly in 1 Corinthians 16:1. It explores the biblical and theological implications of Paul’s instructions for financial support, Christian stewardship, and the practice of ministry.