The Commission of the African Union acts as the executive/administrative branch or secretariat of the AU (and is somewhat analogous to the European Commission). It consists of a number of Commissioners dealing with different areas of policy. The African Union Headquarters are in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It should be distinguished from the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, (based in Banjul, Gambia), which is a separate body that reports to the African Union..
Groundwater is an important source of water supply in the Niger Delta, and its chemistry reflects interactions between recharge water and aquifer materials. This study characterised the hydrogeochemistry of selected Niger Delta aquifer systems and assessed mineral–water interaction processes using physicochemical parameters, major dissolved ions and diagnostic ionic relationships. Groundwater was sampled from ten boreholes representing different hydrogeological settings. The samples were analysed for pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, hardness, . Groundwater pH ranged from 5.82 to 7.21, indicating slightly acidic to neutral conditions, while electrical conductivity ranged from 186 to 842 µS/cm and total dissolved solids from 121 to 548 mg/L. Sodium and calcium were the principal cations, whereas bicarbonate and chloride were the dominant anions. Higher dissolved-ion concentrations and hardness at selected locations indicated greater mineralisation, whereas lower values at other locations suggested comparatively dilute groundwater. The combined hydrochemical evidence indicates that mineral dissolution, silicate weathering and cation exchange contribute to groundwater evolution, with localised chloride enrichment at some sampling locations. Overall, the groundwater chemistry reflects spatially variable interaction between recharge water, aquifer materials and groundwater flow. These findings provide a hydrogeochemical basis for interpreting groundwater quality and supporting groundwater-resource assessment in the Niger Delta.
Abstract Background Uganda is among the African countries most affected by the ongoing clade Ib Mpox (monkeypox) outbreak, with sustained community transmission since 2024. Effective community-level prevention depends on understanding how risk and protective factors are distributed across the social ecology. We applied a socio-ecological framework to map the determinants of Mpox transmission risk and protective practice in affected districts. Methods We conducted a multi-district, community-based cross-sectional survey of 3,960 community members aged 15–65 years across high- and low-burden districts in Uganda between February and March 2025. Participants were selected by multistage sampling and interviewed using a structured tool administered on tablets. Individual-, household-, community- and structural-level characteristics were summarised descriptively. A modified Poisson regression model with district-clustered robust standard errors was used to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (cPR, aPR) for adequate Mpox prevention and control practice; the multivariable model included 3,916 participants with complete covariate data. Analyses were performed in R version 4.5.0. Results The mean age was 32.0 years (SD 10.7); 51.9% (2,056/3,960) were female and most had secondary education (54.2%). Comorbidity burden was substantial (sexually transmitted infections 28.3%, HIV 13.9%, tuberculosis 8.2%, malnutrition 6.2%). Four in five participants (80.2%) resided in high-burden districts and 60.9% perceived themselves at risk, yet only 18.7% had comprehensive knowledge of Mpox and 53.8% reported adequate prevention practice despite near-universal message exposure (93.2%). In adjusted analysis, comprehensive knowledge (aPR 1.32, 95% CI 1.15–1.52) and message exposure (aPR 1.88, 95% CI 1.31–2.71) were by far the strongest protective determinants; several occupational, income, education and religious categories were also independently associated with practice, whereas biological comorbidities were not. Conclusions Mpox transmission risk in Uganda is concentrated in high-burden districts and overlaps with a heavy comorbidity burden. Although some social and structural factors were independently associated with protective practice, it was driven primarily by the modifiable cognitive factors of knowledge and message exposure rather than by biological characteristics. Community-level interventions that convert near-universal message reach into accurate, actionable knowledge are likely to yield the greatest protective gains.
This study analyzes Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) at Kabete National Polytechnic in Kenya. It is contextualized within global and African educational frameworks, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNESCO's Strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Africa Union's Agenda 2063, Continental Education Strategy for Africa, and the Continental Strategy for TVET. Employing a single-case study methodology with 19 participants, 11 through interviews and 8 through surveys, the research examines the nuanced relationship between educational leadership, teacher preparedness, and institutional governance. Findings indicate critical gaps in the alignment of global CBET frameworks with local educational practices, highlighting the need for a culturally responsive approach. The paper advocates for a decolonized CBET framework informed by African philosophies like Ubuntu, Harambee, and Ujamaa, grounded in complexity theory. This approach is not only pedagogically effective but ethically essential, considering Kenya's unique socio-cultural and economic realities. The research underscores the importance of participatory educational reform rooted in sustainability and social equity. Kabete National Polytechnic serves as an ideal case, given its diversity and alignment with Kenya's national policy framework. The study contributes actionable, culturally relevant strategies for educational leaders and policymakers, effectively bridging global educational aspirations with local implementation realities.
Groundwater is an important source of domestic water supply, but its quality may vary according to geological setting, mineral–water interactions and microbiological contamination. This study evaluated the physicochemical, hydrochemical, trace-element and microbiological characteristics of groundwater across Basement Complex, Younger Granite, shale/sedimentary and weathered-regolith geological settings. Groundwater samples were analysed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, total hardness, alkalinity, major ions, selected trace and potentially toxic elements, heterotrophic bacteria, total coliforms, faecal coliforms, Escherichia coli and enterococci. Hydrochemical facies were determined from the major-ion composition, while differences among geological settings were evaluated using one-way analysis of variance, and relationships between chemical and microbiological variables were assessed using Pearson's correlation analysis. The groundwater was slightly acidic to near neutral, with pH values ranging from 6.21 ± 0.14 to 6.78 ± 0.16. Basement Complex groundwater exhibited the highest EC (486 ± 42 µS/cm), TDS (312 ± 28 mg/L), total hardness (146 ± 12 mg/L), calcium (48.6 ± 4.2 mg/L), magnesium (18.4 ± 2.1 mg/L) and bicarbonate (118 ± 10 mg/L). The shale/sedimentary setting recorded the highest concentrations of several trace elements, including Pb (0.014 ± 0.003 mg/L), Cd (0.0026 ± 0.0005 mg/L), Cr (0.018 ± 0.004 mg/L) and Ni (0.021 ± 0.004 mg/L). Ca–Mg–HCO₃ was the predominant hydrochemical facies. Microbiological contamination varied spatially, with weathered-regolith groundwater recording the highest total coliforms (31 ± 7 CFU/100 mL), faecal coliforms (15 ± 4 CFU/100 mL), E. coli (11 ± 3 CFU/100 mL) and enterococci (9 ± 3 CFU/100 mL). Significant differences occurred among geological settings for the assessed physicochemical, chemical and microbiological parameters (p < 0.05). Turbidity and nitrate showed positive associations with the principal microbiological indicators. The findings demonstrate that geological setting influences groundwater mineralisation and trace-element distribution, while microbiological quality may respond to additional factors associated with groundwater vulnerability and contamination pathways. Integrated chemical and microbiological monitoring is therefore important for evaluating groundwater quality and its suitability for domestic use.
