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Biochar is a carbonaceous solid produced through pyrolyzing biomass under limited oxygen. It is widely recognized for its role in soil improvement, carbon sequestration, and contaminant adsorption. This study optimizes biochar production from bagasse, bamboo, and eucalyptus for industrial effluent treatment. Mixed biomass sources are explored, and the effect of pyrolytic parameters on biochar performance is examined. Experimental trials evaluated the impact of temperature, residence time, heating rate, and particle size on the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) porosity. Bamboo biochar showed the highest activation, with surface areas > 700 m2/g and porosity 0.85 cm3/g. Bagasse showed high porosity of 1.02 cm3/g but required careful temperature regulation due to its rapid devolatilization. Eucalyptus exhibited a moderate surface area of 333 m2/g with stable pore distribution. Thermal modeling using the transient heat conduction equation confirmed feedstock‑specific heating behavior, aligning with experimental pore formation trends. These thermal gradients agreed with observed experimental trends, validating the role of feedstock-specific heat transfer in pore formation. Overlay plots for dual-response optimization (BET ≥ 250 m2/g, porosity ≥ 0.5 cm3/g) confirmed that bamboo is the most adaptable feedstock, with bagasse and eucalyptus offering unique advantages, since they can be tailored. The development of a multistage biofilter is recommended to exploit the distinct features of the three feedstocks.
This paper explores the construction and negotiation of Bukusu identity through popular songs, examining how these musical narratives historicise the community, represent particular localities, and portray political figures. The selected popular Bukusu songs analysed are Wanyonyi Omukoyi’s Mayi Muro, the Webuye Jua Kali’s Mama Mzazi, and Wanjala Okumu’s Likumba. By employing a Peircean semiotic framework, the study attends to signifiers and signifieds in textual (lyrical) analysis of how Bukusu popular songs encode and transmit historical narratives related to geography, community formation, and political authority. The analysis reveals that these songs function as ‘living archives’; for instance, Likumba recounts the colonial community leaders like the paramount chief, Nabongo Mumia; and foregrounds local leaders like the late Wamalwa Kijana, the vice president from the community while at the same time critiques (the then) contemporary political leaders like Musikari Kombo, preserving collective memories that complement official records and illuminate lived experiences of the Luhya of Western Kenya. The findings indicate that popular music constitutes a valuable, though presently under‑exploited, archive for reconstructing local histories. Scholars have traditionally privileged written documents and oral testimonies, overlooking songs because they are often dismissed as entertainment rather than systematic records of communal experience. This omission is especially salient today, as rapid sociopolitical change threatens the survival of everyday narratives that music routinely preserves. Furthermore, the songs’ lyrics contain explicit references to political figures, portraying leaders’ rhetoric in the pre‑electoral period and reflecting public response in the post‑electoral phase; in doing so, the songs dramati and critique these leaders, thereby revealing how authority is imagined, contested, and reaffirmed within particular locales and communities. Consequently, a focused investigation of popular music is essential for a fuller understanding of local historiography and leadership dynamics.
Political transitions frequently intensify tensions between democratic governance, public order management, and police accountability within marginalised urban settlements. Globally and across Africa, electoral transitions have exposed challenges of coercive policing, selective law enforcement and weak civilian accountability in informal settlements characterised by socio-economic inequality and uneven security provision. In Kenya, post-election periods have been associated with heightened police deployment, securitisation, and allegations of excessive use of force within Nairobi’s informal settlements of Kibera, Mathare and Mukuru. Political transitions act as catalysts that intensify existing socio-spatial inequalities by increasing security operations, protest mobilisation, and uneven enforcement practices, thereby shaping police behaviour and professionalism across different localities. This study examined the influence of spatial inequality on police professionalism during political transitions in Nairobi’s informal settlements. Specifically, it examined the extent of adherence to professional policing standards, analysed the influence of spatial inequality on police professionalism, and assessed the role of civilian oversight institutions in monitoring and documenting policing malpractices. The study adopted a mixed-methods descriptive survey design grounded in the pragmatic paradigm and complemented by interpretivism. Data were collected from a sample of 384 respondents through questionnaires, key informant interviews, focus group discussions and documentary review. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. Findings revealed that police professionalism remained moderate, spatially differentiated, and operationally inconsistent. The Police Professionalism Index (PPI), computed from weighted indicators of legality, accountability, political neutrality, proportional use of force, ethical conduct, and police–community engagement, recorded an overall score of 46%, with Mukuru scoring 55%, Kibera 45%, and Mathare 38%. Spatial inequality emerged as the strongest predictor of professionalism outcomes. The study recommends spatially responsive police training, equitable resource allocation, and community-centred policing to address spatial inequalities and enhance professionalism during political transitions.
NbS are increasingly recognized for their ability to bolster ecosystem resilience and alleviate climate change impacts. This study evaluated the relationship between these solutions and vegetation health in the River Isiukhu Basin, using the NDVI to assess their effectiveness in addressing climate challenges. Focusing on the period from 1990 to 2023, the research analysed shifts in NDVI alongside temperature and precipitation patterns in the basin, while evaluating how NbS such as afforestation acted as moderating factors. Four key afforestation projects were instrumental in the region. Data on NDVI were sourced from Google Earth Engine and ArcGIS Pro 3.2, while precipitation and temperature information were obtained from the Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) and TERRACLIMATE, respectively. The interactions among NbS, NDVI, temperature, and precipitation were analysed using Pearson correlation at a 95% confidence level. Findings revealed that afforestation NbS significantly impacted vegetation health and climate conditions. Notably, NDVI in the Isiukhu basin increased by 39.86% from 1990 to 2023, coinciding with a 22.8% rise in precipitation (an increase of 428.53 mm) and a 7.33% increase in mean annual temperature (1.48 °C). A strong positive correlation was identified between NDVI and precipitation (r = 0.6105, p = 0.000), while the relationship between NDVI and mean annual temperature was negative and non-significant (r = −0.006539, p = 0.9737). Therefore, sustaining vegetation health through NbS is not only an ecological necessity but also a strategic policy pathway for mitigating climate change impacts, enhancing sustainable landscape management, and securing long-term ecosystem services in climate-vulnerable Isiukhu River Basin.
Purpose: Specific objective was to establish the effect of environmental corporate social responsibility on performance of Commercial Banks in Kenya Design: The study applied the correlation design. For this study, the target audience was from 10 commercial banks selected. The target population for this study comprised of bank foundations under categories of executive leadership 10, senior management 20, technician/specialist 130 and operation/support team 10 leading to 170 foundation members. The entire population was censured hence none sampling. A self-administered questionnaire was developed to capture the data from sampled Banks employees. Pilot study took place in Diamond Trust Bank on 17 respondents. Validity was done through expert opinion and reliability by aid of cronbach alpha where a value of 0.7 was deemed fit. Descriptive statistical techniques that were employed in this study were frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Findings: The Regression Analysis results that Environmental corporate social responsibility is a satisfactory variable in explaining performance. R-square of 0.686 support this. Thus, suggests that Environmental corporate social responsibility explains 68.6% variations in Commercial Banks performance. The overall model was statistically significant as noted by the findings. In addition, research findings connotes that, independent variables were good performance predictor. Therefore, researcher concluded that, Environmental corporate social responsibility significantly and positively impacted Commercial Banks performance. Value: Banks should partner with environmental agencies to support community-led clean-up initiatives, tree planting campaigns, and environmental awareness programs. Such partnerships amplify impact while ensuring activities are coordinated and sustainable.
