This study examines data on the patterns, nature and extent of women’s legislative representation... more This study examines data on the patterns, nature and extent of women’s legislative representation in Kenya and considers the role of education in increasing their participation. The main objective is to determine the status of women within the legislative assembly since Kenya gained independence in 1963 and explore the link between legislative representation, gender, and educational level and achievement. The study attempts to answer the question: Does education and training encourage women’s legislative participation? It concludes that more gender equality in education and training increases the chances of women participation in legislative leadership positions in Kenya.
Received 11 January 2016; received in revised form 26 February 2016; accepted 29 February 2016 / ... more Received 11 January 2016; received in revised form 26 February 2016; accepted 29 February 2016 / Published online: 03 March 2016. Young people are numerically dominant in Africa, but often face harsh risks and hostile socio-economic environments that severely limit their potentials. They seldom have the material or socio-political resources with which to meet the threats of poverty. Those who live in cities are constrained by the boundaries of urban poverty. The situation is worse for those who live in urban slums. Many of them often struggle to maintain even a constrained and deprived livelihood. However, in spite of the constraints, many show resilience. Rather than passively submitting to urban poverty, they frequently become major resources in dealing with urban problems and developing the city. They find ways of coping and even improving their lives. Drawn from ethnographies of the Langas slums of Eldoret city in Kenya, this study examines the plight of young people in the cont...
Drawing from the combined theories of Interaction Rituals and Symbolic Interactionalism, this art... more Drawing from the combined theories of Interaction Rituals and Symbolic Interactionalism, this article analyses the performance of rituals and the social construction of symbols in the mechanisms of art resistance against elite impunity in Kenya. Through ethnographic research, the study explores the unique varieties of art resistance advanced by Kenyan youth, their primacy, creativity and symbolism in the struggle for social transformation and contention, and the power of those typologies to transform both participants and the general public into more tolerant, enlightened, critical and active advocates of social change.
The Anthropocene: Politik—Economics—Society—Science, 2018
The consequences of climate change, and the need to adapt and spur livelihood challenges. During ... more The consequences of climate change, and the need to adapt and spur livelihood challenges. During periods of (un)expected climate change, traditional African communities applied indigenous cultural resources to secure the agrarian sector which almost exclusively supported their livelihoods. This study combines insights from the theories of cultural functionalism and interaction rituals to provide a descriptive interpretation of select indigenous cultural resources the Abagusii community of southwestern Kenya employed to respond and adapt to manifestations of climate change. The study proffers ways of repositioning this hitherto undervalued knowledge in partnership with contemporary climatological science to provide the ‘magic potion’ which will enable adaptation to the ever-enduring challenge of climate change in contemporary Africa.
The Anthropocene: Politik—Economics—Society—Science, 2018
The consequences of climate change, and the need to adapt and spur livelihood challenges. During ... more The consequences of climate change, and the need to adapt and spur livelihood challenges. During periods of (un)expected climate change, traditional African communities applied indigenous cultural resources to secure the agrarian sector which almost exclusively supported their livelihoods. This study combines insights from the theories of cultural functionalism and interaction rituals to provide a descriptive interpretation of select indigenous cultural resources the Abagusii community of southwestern Kenya employed to respond and adapt to manifestations of climate change. The study proffers ways of repositioning this hitherto undervalued knowledge in partnership with contemporary climatological science to provide the ‘magic potion’ which will enable adaptation to the ever-enduring challenge of climate change in contemporary Africa.
This study utilizes insights from resilience presuppositions, combined with perspectives from the... more This study utilizes insights from resilience presuppositions, combined with perspectives from the theory of everyday tactics, to highlight strategies of creative adaptation, methodologies of survival, and ways of making do used by children and youth in urban residential slums and informal settlements of a Kenyan city to cope and deal more effectively with adversity. Based on qualitative inquiry, results show that individual attributes, bonding to family and support systems, involvement in extracurricular activities, lower levels of parental discord, fewer adverse life events, and being less involved with delinquent peers constitute protective factors that enhance resiliency.
Journal of Women S Entrepreneurship and Education, 2013
This paper based on a critical analysis of official reports and related literature, focuses on gi... more This paper based on a critical analysis of official reports and related literature, focuses on girls’ education in Kenya within the context of a larger development paradigm that centres on the importance of their education for both economic and social development. It asserts that a country that does not invest enough in educating and empowering girls is undermining its socio-economic resilience, productivity and competitive potential. Investing in girls’ education is investing in development. Girls’ education has significant multiplier effects; in particular, as resources shrink, investing in girls should be recognized as a high-return investment. Despite the strides that Kenya has made in expanding the educational opportunities since independence in 1963, the access of girls to educational opportunities continues to be limited due to various socio-economic and political barriers. The paper contends that, until all vestiges of these inequities are eliminated, gender equality in education and in the larger development paradigm remains but a pipe dream. Measures to level the educational playing field remain critical for girls, families, communities and the nation as a whole, which cannot afford to be dispossessed off the full potential of over half of its population women.
Journal of Women S Entrepreneurship and Education, 2012
This paper examines the issue of gender inequality in education in sub-Saharan Africa. It argues ... more This paper examines the issue of gender inequality in education in sub-Saharan Africa. It argues that in sub-Saharan African countries, the provision of education for boys and girls is uneven, and biased through gender, location, class and region- resulting to high illiteracy rates for girls and women. The paper concludes that political instability and violence, poverty and economical challenges, negative cultural values, female genital mutilation, early marriage, and sexual harassment are some of the leading contributors to gender inequality in education. Other factors that exacerbate gender inequality are lack of gender responsiveness among the teachers, ineffective teaching, and lack of learning materials, poor learning environment, and impact of HIV/AIDS. The paper contends that gender inequality in education holds back the growth of individuals, the development of countries and the evolution of societies to the disadvantage of both men and women if not addressed-should be at the beginning. Strategies and interventions that have the potential to eliminate gender disparities in education in developing countries are discussed in this paper.
The cycle of ethno-political violence experienced in Kenya every electoral period threatens democ... more The cycle of ethno-political violence experienced in Kenya every electoral period threatens democracy, development, peace and stability. The devastating effects of the violence have variously affected Kenyan society. A section of Kenyans determined to prevent the country from receding further as a result of the violence have (re)conceptualised and (re)formulated graffiti as alternative tools for social transformation. The physical space has become a rostrum of civic advocacy and citizen participation, as graffiti is (re)framed to engage the populace and political leadership, and to develop national consciousness and moral accountability. The graffiti writers ('artivists') use symbols and objects as signifiers in order to relate and understand others, and express concepts in the daily life of Kenyans. Framed within the Symbolic Interactionist theoretical perspective, the study employs ethnographic methodologies to examine the conceptualisation, design and production of objects, physical signs and symbols as primary means of interaction, as used in the graffiti. The study advances a typology of the unique contribution of graffiti to the struggle for social change and contention in Kenya, which is distinct from more traditional social activism and protests. In particular, the study explores the ways in which the graffiti reflects a particular identity, agency, activism and advocacy that values daring, risk, rebelliousness, ingenuity, commitment and sacrifice, while at the same time calling upon and reflecting particular national and traditional values.
Journal of Women S Entrepreneurship and Education, 2014
Without formally enacted methodologies, it is increasingly clear that meeting Millennium Developm... more Without formally enacted methodologies, it is increasingly clear that meeting Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that stipulate gender equality and promote women’s empowerment would be extremely very difficult. Specifically, MDG 3 underlines the fact that women need to be politically empowered by far greater participation if greater equality has to be achieved. Under this goal, countries are expected to formulate deliberate policies that ensure equal representation between men and women in all decision-making levels including politics. It is on this note therefore, that countries in the East African region have enacted constitutional, legislative and electoral requirements providing for the principle of gender quotas as a policy measure for boosting women’s access to their legislatures. Based on a critical analysis of official reports, related literature and data provided by national parliaments, this investigation examines the gender composition of five legislatures in the East African region namely, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, and Kenya. The study underlines the power of gender quotas in expediting and equalizing significant gender imbalances, and alsocaptures the types and nature of quotas used by individual countries. While appreciating the challenges involved in underwriting the affirmative action mechanisms, the analyses notes that affirmative action is not a slogan for politics but a strategy for development; it is a gigantic plan of action for achieving the desired social change.
Historically, the military presents more defined gender boundaries than any other state instituti... more Historically, the military presents more defined gender boundaries than any other state institution. Assignment to traditionally non-feminine roles means crossing gender-assigned and constructed boundaries. This article explores the interplay of the contradictory dynamics of gender in the military through the lens of Kenyan women combatants in the war against al-Shabaab insurgents in Somalia. Military combat roles have traditionally relied on and manipulated ideas about masculinity and femininity. The study uses the twin theoretical frameworks of sociocultural capital and cultural scripts, refined by a gender-framing perspective, to interpret the sociocultural attitudes of masculinity and femininity in terms of war, the military and militarism.
Drawing from the combined theories of Interaction Rituals and Symbolic Interactionalism, this art... more Drawing from the combined theories of Interaction Rituals and Symbolic Interactionalism, this article analyses the performance of rituals and the social construction of symbols in the mechanisms of art resistance against elite impunity in Kenya. Through ethnographic research, the study explores the unique varieties of art resistance advanced by Kenyan youth, their primacy, creativity and symbolism in the struggle for social transformation and contention, and the power of those typologies to transform both participants and the general public into more tolerant, enlightened, critical and active advocates of social change. Résumé Cette étude, s'inspirant des théories combinées des rites interactionnels et de l'interactionnalisme symbolique, analyse la performance des rituels et la construction sociale des symboles dans les mécanismes de la réalité de la résistance artistique au Kenya. A travers la recherche ethnographique, l'étude explore les variétés uniques de la résistance artistique avancées par la jeunesse kenyane, leur primauté, leur créativité et leur symbolisme dans la lutte pour la transformation et l'affirmation sociales et la capacité de ces typologies à transformer les participants et les populations en défenseurs plus tolérants, éclairés, critiques et actifs du changement social.
The imperative to climate change in the African continent is a matter of livelihood and survival.... more The imperative to climate change in the African continent is a matter of livelihood and survival. To secure and maintain livelihoods, historical evidence indicates that, native African communities had rich indigenous knowledge and science of responding to instances of climate change. This study interrogates extant data on the ethnoscience of rainmaking rituals, as a prototype of African indigenous knowledge on climate change, to show not only its prevalence across the African anthropological space, but also indicate its effectual outcomes in responding to manifestations of climate change. To fully tap into the potentials and strengths of this knowledge and science, the study tenders for its marriage with modern climatological science, for both to partner in providing solutions to the ever-recurring problem of climate change in contemporary Africa.
Young people are numerically dominant in Africa, but often face harsh risks and hostile socioecon... more Young people are numerically dominant in Africa, but often face harsh risks and hostile socioeconomic environments that severely limit their potentials. They seldom have the material or socio-political resources with which to meet the threats of poverty. Those who live in cities are constrained by the boundaries of urban poverty. The situation is worse for those who live in urban slums. Many of them often struggle to maintain even a constrained and deprived livelihood. However, in spite of the constraints, many show resilience. Rather than passively submitting to urban poverty, they frequently become major resources in dealing with urban problems and developing the city. They find ways of coping and even improving their lives. Drawn from ethnographies of the Langas slums of Eldoret city in Kenya, this study examines the plight of young people in the context of the risks they face and the resilience they show as they ably negotiate urban adversity, vulnerability and livelihoods. The study borrows insights from the theory of everyday tactics to focus on how they adapt to the constraints they face, make creative use of opportunities that the city offers, and find ways of improving their lives. Policy implications for mitigating the consequences of child and youth poverty in urban Africa are proffered.
This study examines data on the patterns, nature and extent of women’s legislative representation... more This study examines data on the patterns, nature and extent of women’s legislative representation in Kenya and considers the role of education in increasing their participation. The main objective is to determine the status of women within the legislative assembly since Kenya gained independence in 1963 and explore the link between legislative representation, gender, and educational level and achievement. The study attempts to answer the question: Does education and training encourage women’s legislative participation? It concludes that more gender equality in education and training increases the chances of women participation in legislative leadership positions in Kenya.
Received 11 January 2016; received in revised form 26 February 2016; accepted 29 February 2016 / ... more Received 11 January 2016; received in revised form 26 February 2016; accepted 29 February 2016 / Published online: 03 March 2016. Young people are numerically dominant in Africa, but often face harsh risks and hostile socio-economic environments that severely limit their potentials. They seldom have the material or socio-political resources with which to meet the threats of poverty. Those who live in cities are constrained by the boundaries of urban poverty. The situation is worse for those who live in urban slums. Many of them often struggle to maintain even a constrained and deprived livelihood. However, in spite of the constraints, many show resilience. Rather than passively submitting to urban poverty, they frequently become major resources in dealing with urban problems and developing the city. They find ways of coping and even improving their lives. Drawn from ethnographies of the Langas slums of Eldoret city in Kenya, this study examines the plight of young people in the cont...
Drawing from the combined theories of Interaction Rituals and Symbolic Interactionalism, this art... more Drawing from the combined theories of Interaction Rituals and Symbolic Interactionalism, this article analyses the performance of rituals and the social construction of symbols in the mechanisms of art resistance against elite impunity in Kenya. Through ethnographic research, the study explores the unique varieties of art resistance advanced by Kenyan youth, their primacy, creativity and symbolism in the struggle for social transformation and contention, and the power of those typologies to transform both participants and the general public into more tolerant, enlightened, critical and active advocates of social change.
The Anthropocene: Politik—Economics—Society—Science, 2018
The consequences of climate change, and the need to adapt and spur livelihood challenges. During ... more The consequences of climate change, and the need to adapt and spur livelihood challenges. During periods of (un)expected climate change, traditional African communities applied indigenous cultural resources to secure the agrarian sector which almost exclusively supported their livelihoods. This study combines insights from the theories of cultural functionalism and interaction rituals to provide a descriptive interpretation of select indigenous cultural resources the Abagusii community of southwestern Kenya employed to respond and adapt to manifestations of climate change. The study proffers ways of repositioning this hitherto undervalued knowledge in partnership with contemporary climatological science to provide the ‘magic potion’ which will enable adaptation to the ever-enduring challenge of climate change in contemporary Africa.
The Anthropocene: Politik—Economics—Society—Science, 2018
The consequences of climate change, and the need to adapt and spur livelihood challenges. During ... more The consequences of climate change, and the need to adapt and spur livelihood challenges. During periods of (un)expected climate change, traditional African communities applied indigenous cultural resources to secure the agrarian sector which almost exclusively supported their livelihoods. This study combines insights from the theories of cultural functionalism and interaction rituals to provide a descriptive interpretation of select indigenous cultural resources the Abagusii community of southwestern Kenya employed to respond and adapt to manifestations of climate change. The study proffers ways of repositioning this hitherto undervalued knowledge in partnership with contemporary climatological science to provide the ‘magic potion’ which will enable adaptation to the ever-enduring challenge of climate change in contemporary Africa.
This study utilizes insights from resilience presuppositions, combined with perspectives from the... more This study utilizes insights from resilience presuppositions, combined with perspectives from the theory of everyday tactics, to highlight strategies of creative adaptation, methodologies of survival, and ways of making do used by children and youth in urban residential slums and informal settlements of a Kenyan city to cope and deal more effectively with adversity. Based on qualitative inquiry, results show that individual attributes, bonding to family and support systems, involvement in extracurricular activities, lower levels of parental discord, fewer adverse life events, and being less involved with delinquent peers constitute protective factors that enhance resiliency.
Journal of Women S Entrepreneurship and Education, 2013
This paper based on a critical analysis of official reports and related literature, focuses on gi... more This paper based on a critical analysis of official reports and related literature, focuses on girls’ education in Kenya within the context of a larger development paradigm that centres on the importance of their education for both economic and social development. It asserts that a country that does not invest enough in educating and empowering girls is undermining its socio-economic resilience, productivity and competitive potential. Investing in girls’ education is investing in development. Girls’ education has significant multiplier effects; in particular, as resources shrink, investing in girls should be recognized as a high-return investment. Despite the strides that Kenya has made in expanding the educational opportunities since independence in 1963, the access of girls to educational opportunities continues to be limited due to various socio-economic and political barriers. The paper contends that, until all vestiges of these inequities are eliminated, gender equality in education and in the larger development paradigm remains but a pipe dream. Measures to level the educational playing field remain critical for girls, families, communities and the nation as a whole, which cannot afford to be dispossessed off the full potential of over half of its population women.
Journal of Women S Entrepreneurship and Education, 2012
This paper examines the issue of gender inequality in education in sub-Saharan Africa. It argues ... more This paper examines the issue of gender inequality in education in sub-Saharan Africa. It argues that in sub-Saharan African countries, the provision of education for boys and girls is uneven, and biased through gender, location, class and region- resulting to high illiteracy rates for girls and women. The paper concludes that political instability and violence, poverty and economical challenges, negative cultural values, female genital mutilation, early marriage, and sexual harassment are some of the leading contributors to gender inequality in education. Other factors that exacerbate gender inequality are lack of gender responsiveness among the teachers, ineffective teaching, and lack of learning materials, poor learning environment, and impact of HIV/AIDS. The paper contends that gender inequality in education holds back the growth of individuals, the development of countries and the evolution of societies to the disadvantage of both men and women if not addressed-should be at the beginning. Strategies and interventions that have the potential to eliminate gender disparities in education in developing countries are discussed in this paper.
The cycle of ethno-political violence experienced in Kenya every electoral period threatens democ... more The cycle of ethno-political violence experienced in Kenya every electoral period threatens democracy, development, peace and stability. The devastating effects of the violence have variously affected Kenyan society. A section of Kenyans determined to prevent the country from receding further as a result of the violence have (re)conceptualised and (re)formulated graffiti as alternative tools for social transformation. The physical space has become a rostrum of civic advocacy and citizen participation, as graffiti is (re)framed to engage the populace and political leadership, and to develop national consciousness and moral accountability. The graffiti writers ('artivists') use symbols and objects as signifiers in order to relate and understand others, and express concepts in the daily life of Kenyans. Framed within the Symbolic Interactionist theoretical perspective, the study employs ethnographic methodologies to examine the conceptualisation, design and production of objects, physical signs and symbols as primary means of interaction, as used in the graffiti. The study advances a typology of the unique contribution of graffiti to the struggle for social change and contention in Kenya, which is distinct from more traditional social activism and protests. In particular, the study explores the ways in which the graffiti reflects a particular identity, agency, activism and advocacy that values daring, risk, rebelliousness, ingenuity, commitment and sacrifice, while at the same time calling upon and reflecting particular national and traditional values.
Journal of Women S Entrepreneurship and Education, 2014
Without formally enacted methodologies, it is increasingly clear that meeting Millennium Developm... more Without formally enacted methodologies, it is increasingly clear that meeting Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that stipulate gender equality and promote women’s empowerment would be extremely very difficult. Specifically, MDG 3 underlines the fact that women need to be politically empowered by far greater participation if greater equality has to be achieved. Under this goal, countries are expected to formulate deliberate policies that ensure equal representation between men and women in all decision-making levels including politics. It is on this note therefore, that countries in the East African region have enacted constitutional, legislative and electoral requirements providing for the principle of gender quotas as a policy measure for boosting women’s access to their legislatures. Based on a critical analysis of official reports, related literature and data provided by national parliaments, this investigation examines the gender composition of five legislatures in the East African region namely, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, and Kenya. The study underlines the power of gender quotas in expediting and equalizing significant gender imbalances, and alsocaptures the types and nature of quotas used by individual countries. While appreciating the challenges involved in underwriting the affirmative action mechanisms, the analyses notes that affirmative action is not a slogan for politics but a strategy for development; it is a gigantic plan of action for achieving the desired social change.
Historically, the military presents more defined gender boundaries than any other state instituti... more Historically, the military presents more defined gender boundaries than any other state institution. Assignment to traditionally non-feminine roles means crossing gender-assigned and constructed boundaries. This article explores the interplay of the contradictory dynamics of gender in the military through the lens of Kenyan women combatants in the war against al-Shabaab insurgents in Somalia. Military combat roles have traditionally relied on and manipulated ideas about masculinity and femininity. The study uses the twin theoretical frameworks of sociocultural capital and cultural scripts, refined by a gender-framing perspective, to interpret the sociocultural attitudes of masculinity and femininity in terms of war, the military and militarism.
Drawing from the combined theories of Interaction Rituals and Symbolic Interactionalism, this art... more Drawing from the combined theories of Interaction Rituals and Symbolic Interactionalism, this article analyses the performance of rituals and the social construction of symbols in the mechanisms of art resistance against elite impunity in Kenya. Through ethnographic research, the study explores the unique varieties of art resistance advanced by Kenyan youth, their primacy, creativity and symbolism in the struggle for social transformation and contention, and the power of those typologies to transform both participants and the general public into more tolerant, enlightened, critical and active advocates of social change. Résumé Cette étude, s'inspirant des théories combinées des rites interactionnels et de l'interactionnalisme symbolique, analyse la performance des rituels et la construction sociale des symboles dans les mécanismes de la réalité de la résistance artistique au Kenya. A travers la recherche ethnographique, l'étude explore les variétés uniques de la résistance artistique avancées par la jeunesse kenyane, leur primauté, leur créativité et leur symbolisme dans la lutte pour la transformation et l'affirmation sociales et la capacité de ces typologies à transformer les participants et les populations en défenseurs plus tolérants, éclairés, critiques et actifs du changement social.
The imperative to climate change in the African continent is a matter of livelihood and survival.... more The imperative to climate change in the African continent is a matter of livelihood and survival. To secure and maintain livelihoods, historical evidence indicates that, native African communities had rich indigenous knowledge and science of responding to instances of climate change. This study interrogates extant data on the ethnoscience of rainmaking rituals, as a prototype of African indigenous knowledge on climate change, to show not only its prevalence across the African anthropological space, but also indicate its effectual outcomes in responding to manifestations of climate change. To fully tap into the potentials and strengths of this knowledge and science, the study tenders for its marriage with modern climatological science, for both to partner in providing solutions to the ever-recurring problem of climate change in contemporary Africa.
Young people are numerically dominant in Africa, but often face harsh risks and hostile socioecon... more Young people are numerically dominant in Africa, but often face harsh risks and hostile socioeconomic environments that severely limit their potentials. They seldom have the material or socio-political resources with which to meet the threats of poverty. Those who live in cities are constrained by the boundaries of urban poverty. The situation is worse for those who live in urban slums. Many of them often struggle to maintain even a constrained and deprived livelihood. However, in spite of the constraints, many show resilience. Rather than passively submitting to urban poverty, they frequently become major resources in dealing with urban problems and developing the city. They find ways of coping and even improving their lives. Drawn from ethnographies of the Langas slums of Eldoret city in Kenya, this study examines the plight of young people in the context of the risks they face and the resilience they show as they ably negotiate urban adversity, vulnerability and livelihoods. The study borrows insights from the theory of everyday tactics to focus on how they adapt to the constraints they face, make creative use of opportunities that the city offers, and find ways of improving their lives. Policy implications for mitigating the consequences of child and youth poverty in urban Africa are proffered.
Kenya has witnessed a cycle of ethno-political violence before, during and after elections, since... more Kenya has witnessed a cycle of ethno-political violence before, during and after elections, since the (re)introduction of multi-party elections in the 1990s. This worrying trend threatens democracy, development, peace and stability. The devastating effects of the violence have various affected Kenyan children and youth. A section of Kenyan youths determined to prevent the country from receding to the violent conflict have (re)conceptualized and (re)formulated graffiti as an alternative weapon for social transformation. The physical space has become the rostrum of civic advocacy and citizen participation, as the youth (re)frame graffiti to engage the populace and political leadership into national consciousness and moral accountability. Through ethnographic research this study advances a typology of the unique contribution of graffiti to struggle for social change and contention, which is distinct from more traditional social activism and protests. In particular, the study explores the ways in which graffiti reflects a particular identity of youth agency, activism and advocacy that values daring, risk, rebelliousness, ingenuity, commitment, and sacrifice, while at the same time reflecting particular aesthetics that are adored by the public.
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Papers by Mokua Ombati
rebelliousness, ingenuity, commitment, and sacrifice, while at the same time reflecting particular aesthetics that are adored by the public.