Browsing by Author "Kakembo, Frederick"

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    Broadening Perceptions and Parameters for Quality Assurance in University Operations in Uganda
    (Journal of Higher Education in Africa, 2017) Kakembo, Frederick; Makumbi, Rita
    This article explores the stakeholders’ perceptions of quality in university operations in Uganda, specifically in terms of the core functions of teaching, research and community engagement. Conceptually, universities aim to transform, modernise and develop science and technology. A review of the literature suggests that many university communities are an elite group of professors and students who live in relative isolation. Within this ‘protective environment’ occurs a significant research milieu which is more basic than applied and, thereby, not relevant to local systems and somewhat foreign to community members. Further, the linkage between research results and institution policy makers is minimal or non-existent. In light of this background, it is argued that typical quality assurance (QA) initiatives in many universities focus on establishing operational efficiency of conventional structures of teaching and research. The study investigates comprehensiveness of parameters used by various stakeholders to determine quality in and of university education. Making reference to community engagement as one of the universities’ core functions, this study investigates whether community issues and social welfare are central in the conceiving, planning and implementing QA initiatives. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to generate data; specifically, questionnaires, interviews, content analysis of academic and non-academic programme and documents reviews were analysed. Preliminary findings reveal a stronger focus on conventional teaching and scholarly research than on community engagement initiatives. Conceptualisation of a quality university education by various stakeholders (students, lecturers, administration, parents
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    Developing Incentives and Capacity for SustainableWaste Reuse in Uganda
    (2014) Kakembo, Frederick; Nassanga Nakate, Rhodah
    This paper explores prospects for developing incentives and capacity for sustainable waste reuse in Uganda. Whereas urban authorities focus on waste collection and disposal as a sole approach o waste management, there is lack of sufficient resources to accomplish the task. It was premised that a combination of economic incentives, capacity building and policy reforms could be more effective approach to waste management. The study transcended the traditional approach that seems to conceive solid waste management and wastewater management as separate entities. Data was collected through qualitative and quantitative methods involving: personal interviews, documents analysis, literature reviews, baseline surveys and feasibility studies. Findings suggest that opportunities and prospects for waste reuse include; high organic components in the wastes, rising costs of firewood and charcoal, existence of private waste collectors, existence of umbrella organizations (such as UWASNET) and availability of preliminary IEC materials. The barriers facing the reuse of waste materials include: low technical skills, high start-up/capital investments, socio-cultural sensitivities, non-conducive policy environment and lack of a supportive institutional framework. It is suggested that barriers could partly be reduced through capacity building initiatives, sensitization programmes, userfriendly financing models and development of an institutional framework to bring together key stakeholders.
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    Developing the Circular Economy in Uganda: Prospects for Academia-Public-Private-Partnerships
    (Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, 2021) Kakembo, Frederick; Kakembo, Galabuzi Brian
    Circular economy is a production system that optimizes the reusability of by-products/waste as raw materials. As the global population threatens to reach 9 billion by 2050, consumption levels grow proportionally, raising food, material, and energy demands. In Uganda, soil nutrient depletion and energy poverty are key challenges faced by urban and rural communities. Rampart depletion of natural resources calls for transit from the linear economic models towards sustainable production/consumption technologies. This study investigated prospects for APPP to optimize the reusability of by-products/waste as raw materials. Quantitative and qualitative tools were used to collect data via document analysis, interviews, and participant observations. The tools were administered to municipal authorities, private waste-collecting agencies in cities and municipalities; officials in Ministries of energy and Agriculture; officials in universities research units and entrepreneurs that deal in agricultural and energy products; officials from civil society organizations. there are a number of sustainability projects being undertaken by Universities and High schools, Government agencies, companies, and civil society organization isolation. Singlehandedly, individual agencies lack the requisite capacity to develop closed-loop production/consumption models. Analysis of a few successful RRR projects suggests that APPP is positioned to promote CE. Transiting towards a circular economy requires joint ventures to optimize human, technological, and financial resources and develop policy and institutional frameworks. In Uganda, recycling biotic by-products can promote environmental sustainability; reduce stress on natural resources; enable cost savings; promote green entrepreneurship, and create jobs/livelihoods. working jointly, CE could be enhanced via technical and business models by the academia, private capital investment by companies, community engagement by CSOs, and development of supportive policy and institutional frameworks to facilitate decision-making processes. The APPPs are positioned to use interactive platformsfor creating awareness and promote sensitization about green values through education and multimedia communication platforms.
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    Experiences of HIV-related stigma among HIV-positive older persons in Uganda – a mixed methods analysis
    (Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS, 2014) Kuteesaa, Monica O.; Wright, Stuart; Seeley, Janet; Mugisha, Joseph; Kinyanda, Eugene; Kakembo, Frederick; Mwesigwa, Richard; Scholten, Francis
    There is limited data on stigma among older HIV-infected adults in sub-Saharan Africa. We describe the experiences of stigma and disclosure in a cohort of HIV-positive older people in Uganda. Using data from the Wellbeing of Older Peoples’ Study of Kalungu (rural site) and Wakiso district (peri-urban site) residents, we measured self-reported stigma levels for 183 respondents (94 on antiretroviral therapy (ART); 88, not on ART) using a stigma score generated using three questions on stigma perceptions where 0 meant no stigma at all and 100 was maximum stigma. Based on two questions on disclosure, an overall score was computed. High disclosure was assigned to those who often or very often disclosed to the family and were never or seldom afraid to disclose elsewhere. We examined the experiences of HIV stigma of 25 adults (52% females) using semi-structured, open-ended interviews and monthly oral diaries over one year. Mean age of the respondents was 70 years (range 60–80 years) and 80% of all respondents were enrolled in ART. Interview transcripts were analysed using thematic content analysis. Overall, 55% of respondents had a high disclosure score, meaning they disclosed easily, and 47% had a high stigma score. The stigma scores were similar among those with high and low disclosure scores. In multivariate analyses with disclosure and stigma scores as dependent variables none of the respondents’ characteristics had a significant effect at the 5% level. Qualitative data revealed that stigma ranges from: (1) perceptions (relatively passive, but leading to behaviour such as gossip, especially if not intended maliciously); to (2) discriminatory behaviour (active or enacted stigma; from malicious gossip to outright discrimination). Despite the relatively high levels of disclosure, older people suffer from high levels of stigma of various forms apart from HIVrelated stigma. Efforts to assess for different forms of stigma at an individual level deserve greater attention from service providers and researchers, and must be context specific.
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    Traditional & New Media of Mass Communication: Blending Traditions and Modernity: Television, Education and Life-Skills orientation of Urban Youths in Uganda
    (Journal of Communication and Media Research, 2017) Kakembo, Frederick; Kibuka musoke, Martha
    This paper explores opportunities and constraints of using television for enhancement of lifeskills orientation for urban youths in Uganda. In the wave of rapid urbanization, globalization and mobility, African socio-cultural institutions continue to be eroded and the urban youths need alternative frameworks of support to orient them into responsible adults. Creative use of television could be central in imparting the requisite skills for living in the 21st century. Despite its great attributes and abundance in urban homesteads, television has not played a central educational role in the lives of the urban youths. A qualitative study approach was undertaken to determine constraints in the use of television for education and development communication. Focus group discussions, content analysis, in-depth interviews, documents analysis and reviews of recent studies were used to collect data. Findings reveal that television as a medium offers great opportunities for life-skills orientation for the urban youths. The failure to optimally use the medium is attributed to technical and epistemological factors on part of educators and communicators. Recommendations are offered to optimally utilize use this abundant and attractive medium for life-skills orientation
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    University Education and Waste-to-Wealth Entrepreneurship for Youth Employment in Uganda
    (Sankt Augustin, 2019) Kakembo, Frederick
    While universities are mandated to teach, research and do community outreach, studies reveal that typical university communities live in relative isolation where research is more basic than applied. This study focused on; 1) determining how WWE could be fostered through linkages between universities and external agencies (communities, public and private sectors); 2) establishing how universities’ resources could be optimized to promote research and capacity building for WWE. The dimensions of WWE studied were; 1) Technical & Business Models; 2) Capacity building; and 3) institutional frameworks. Baseline studies were conducted in which qualitative and quantitative data was collected through questionnaires, interviews, documents analysis. Experimentations were carried out whereby Laboratory tests on Bio-methane Potential (BMP) for different biomass types was conducted. A complete chain of briquettes production and consumption has been successfully piloted at St Kizito High School in Namugongo, near Kampala. The 20,000 kg of briquettes produced (from municipal bio-waste) by students monthly are used to cook in three schools whose total population is 2000 students. With an average net profit of $ 3000, the project makes business sense even in absence of social-benefit accounting. Based on start-up capital of $ 12,250, the payback period on investment is 14.7 months. Bio-char (from carbonized waste) and briquette-ash are used as organic fertilizers and biocide in vegetable gardens at the schools. New pathways for municipal waste management based on stakeholder engagement and entrepreneurship are demonstrated; departing from the conventional waste collection and disposal models. This circular enterprise which enhances Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land-use and Energy (FABLE) nexus will scale-up to incorporate non-student communities (youths/women), private waste-collectors and entrepreneurs. The application of entrepreneurial models for engaging students in green enterprises integrates technological, social, economic and governance dimensions for promoting municipal sanitation, environment; energy and food security.