Chuka University is a public university in the Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The university is situated approximately 186 km from Nairobi along the Nairobi-Meru highway, in a rural setting on the eastern slopes of Mt. Kenya at an altitude of approximately 2,000 meters above sea level. Chuka University is within Chuka/Igamba-ng'ombe Constituency, Tharaka-Nithi County.
Solar-powered irrigation Systems (SPIS) are critical for agricultural production enhancement, food security and climate change adaptation, especially in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL). There is increased attention towards shifting to more abundant and cleaner energy potential sources for revitalising irrigation strategies in ASAL areas. This study employed a geospatial approach to identify suitable locations for solar-powered irrigation systems (SPIS) in Baringo County, Kenya. Based on an integrated use of GIS spatial analysis and analytical hierarchy procedure (AHP), suitable locations for solar-powered irrigation were mapped. Precipitation, irrigated areas, proximity to rivers, slope, and solar radiation were analysed and processed to derive spatially explicit SPIS suitability classes ranging from very low to very high suitability. The thematic layers were assigned weights based on Saaty’s AHP method, where weights for each factor were determined from a pairwise comparison matrix, and a Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) approach was used to derive the final suitability classes for the county. The findings reveal that approximately 58
Abstract The paper examines the decorrelation gain achievable for M-ary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (M-QAM) and Binary Phase-shift Keying (BPSK) schemes in spatial diversity configurations, where virtually synthesized signals are applied over Nakagami-m fading channels. The signals are embedded in additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN). The primary form of the suggested virtual signal synthesizer involves shifting the phase of the generated output signals. To obtain the decorrelation gain, an orthogonal transformation matrix is utilized. This matrix ensures energy preservation, is blind to channel correlation, and does not require explicit signal information. The aim is to generate virtual signal that would be equivalent to those received from a system with more antennas. An analytical framework is developed to assess how fading severity, diversity order, and branch correlation influence Symbol Error Rate (SER) characteristics. Monte-Carlo simulations validate the analytical results. Various antenna configurations and fading severities (m = 0.5, 1, 3, 5) are explored. Additionally, the impact of different antenna spacings (0.1, 0.2, 0.5 wavelengths) is analyzed under a uniform angle of arrival. The results indicate that decorrelation gains are obtained, with a moderate dependence on the fading severity parameter m. However, this dependence becomes negligible for higher values of m.
Despite improvements in net enrolment rates, equitable access to primary and secondary education in Kenya remains a major challenge, particularly in rural and low-income areas. Long walking distances to schools continue to limit enrolment, attendance, and completion rates, affecting vulnerable populations. This study presents the first nationwide spatial analysis of school accessibility in Kenya using a GIS-based composite indicator: the Kenya Education Accessibility Index (KEAI). The KEAI integrates seven standardised raster layers, including school density (primary and secondary), number of primary and secondary schools accessible within a 30-minute walking-time threshold, number of primary and secondary schools per 10,000 people, and travel time to the nearest primary and secondary school. Spatial autocorrelation analysis was conducted to identify statistically significant clusters of low accessibility, referred to as Education Deserts. These spatial clusters, mapped at the constituency level, indicate areas where school infrastructure is insufficient and where targeted interventions are most needed. Results highlight substantial disparities in access between urban and rural regions, validating the index against official education indicators at the county level. The study provides critical insights into the spatial distribution of education opportunities and introduces a replicable, data-driven methodology for identifying priority areas at the national scale for school development. Findings support evidence-based policies aimed at improving access to education and achieving Kenya's policy objective of a 100% transition rate from primary to secondary education, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4 on inclusive and equitable quality education.
Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes due to human activities and natural factors significantly influence the variation in Ecosystem Service Values (ESVs). This study assessed the spatio-temporal dynamics of ESVs in Baringo, an Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) county located in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, over 24 years (2000–2024). The Benefit Transfer Method (BTM) was employed to estimate ESV changes using LULC data for the years 2000, 2014, and 2024, alongside updated valuation coefficients from the Ecosystem Services Valuation Database (ESVD) published by de Groot and others in 2020. The analysis revealed a substantial decline in the total ESVs in Baringo County, from United States Dollars (US) 25.70 billion in 2000 to US14.92 billion in 2024, representing a loss of US-10.78 billion (-41.9
Corporate Branding is one of the marketing strategies used to reinforce customer satisfaction. The corporate branding strategy of a company is a powerful marketing tool used to supplement its conventional marketing mix by incorporating the corporate identities, reputations, and goodwill associated with being a good corporate citizen into their marketing endeavours. The study thus sought to evaluate the effect of corporate branding on customer satisfaction of commercial banks in Kenya. The study was anchored on the commitment-trust theory. The study was guided by the positivist philosophy and adopted the explanatory research design. The target population was the 39 commercial bank customers in Kenya, with a sample of 602 customers. The study used a questionnaire as the data collection instrument. Structural equation modeling was used to ascertain the relationship between the various variables. The study found that corporate branding had a positive and statistically significant relationship with customer satisfaction of commercial banks in Kenya. The study recommended that commercial banks in Kenya enhance participation in community activities, reward customers, adopt biometric security mechanisms, enhance mobile banking, use modern banking equipment and appealing banking facilities, hire competent employees, and hold regular exhibitions of their products and services.
