PhD Candidates September 2020

Lodompui, Jonathan Ltipalei

Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science and Public Administration
Research Topic
The Intermittent Escalation of Conflict Among Nilotic Pastoralists of Northern Kenya: 1990 – 2017.
Lodompui, jonathan ltipalei
Biography

Lodompui is a PhD finalist in Political Science and Public Administration UON with a bias in Conflict Transformation, a Master’s Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy and a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration and Political Science biased on Reforms and Transformational Development all from the University of Nairobi. He also holds two Diplomas.

Jonathan has many years of management experience in various organizations and in national consultancies in transformative development, peace building and conflict management, with a bias on security matters. Lodompui has made presentations at local and international forums and contributed in academic journals. Some of his works include; Conflict Analysis and Mapping in Kenya, Impoverishment of the Pastoralists Groups in Kenya, Fathers are parents too, the Collapse of the EAC in 1977, the National interest of Tanzania, Samburu Origins, Migrations and Settlement and Internal and external conflict triggers among others.

He is the Vice Chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, and the immediate former Director for the Enablers and Macros Directorate at the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat. The Directorate is charged with coordination of the implementation of infrastructure projects such as roads, railways, airports, sea ports, water infrastructure, security, police reforms, Science, Technology and Innovation, Information Communication and Technologies among others.

Prior,  Lodompui also worked with the Military as an Air Force Officer, the Child Fund as a Regional Coordinator – North Rift, Teachers Service Commission as a Chief Research Officer and a Director at Kenya Vision 2030 Secretariat in Charge of Infrastructure Development and Reforms. He also taught at various universities including the University of Nairobi, Technical University of Kenya, Africa Nazarene University and the United States International University. Lodompui holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy and a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration and Political Science biased on Reforms and Transformational Development. 

Jonathan has many years of management experience in various organizations and in national consultancies in transformative development, peace building and conflict management, with a bias on security matters. Lodompui has made presentations at local and international forums and contributed in academic journals. Some of his works include; Conflict Analysis and Mapping in Kenya, Impoverishment of the Pastoralists Groups in Kenya, Fathers are parents too, the Collapse of the EAC in 1977, the National interest of Tanzania, Samburu Origins, Migrations and Settlement and Internal and external conflict triggers among others.

He is the Vice Chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, and the immediate former Director for the Enablers and Macros Directorate at the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat. The Directorate is charged with coordination of the implementation of infrastructure projects such as roads, railways, airports, sea ports, water infrastructure, security, police reforms, Science, Technology and Innovation, Information Communication and Technologies among others.

Prior, Lodompui also worked with the Military as an Air Force Officer, the Child Fund as a Regional Coordinator – North Rift and the Teachers Service Commission as a Chief Research Officer. He also taught at various universities including the University of Nairobi, Technical University of Kenya, Africa Nazarene University and the United States International University.

 

Abstract

Abstract

The Thesis analyses the internal and external dynamics that were happening in Kenya and the impact they had on pastoral communities. This Thesis argues that with the coming of Moi into power in 1978, and with political and economic liberalization happening in the late 80s and early 90’s, a trend emerged where traditional pastoral conflict was increasingly being used for political and economic gains. In order to find out if multiparty contributed to the rise of conflict, the survey was conducted in Samburu, Pokot and Turkana. The study concluded that the transition from cultural to commercial raiding has tremendously escalated conflicts. The cultural raiding had rules that governed the number of cattle to be raided, the manner in which to carry out the raids and prohibited any killing especially of women, children and the elderly. This assisted to control escalation of conflicts. The weapons used were inferior and incapable of mass destruction. With introduction of more sophisticated weapons like AK-47 riffles, conflicts resulting to deaths, mass displacement and annihilation of some villages became a new phenomenon. This in turn encouraged more arming of communities and cyclical retaliatory attacks. The cattle industry out of cattle rustling is a huge one supplying meat in urban areas. It is controlled by business people who are not necessarily pastoralists but very well politically connected. This has in turn increased black market for the meat out of stolen cattle thus further enhancing the illegal industry and demand for more cattle leading to more rustling and conflicts.

 

Research Supervisors

Research Supervisors
  • PROF. FRED JONYO
  • DR.  JOSHUA KIVUVA

MARY NJERI NDUNG’U

Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Kiswahili Linguistics
Research Topic
The Grammatical Structures Of Figurative Language: An Investigation Of Kiswahili Metaphorical Constructions
Mary Njeri
Biography

Mary Njeri Ndung’u is a PHD graduand, 2020 class, at the University of Nairobi. Her area of research is in Kiswahili Linguistics. She now holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Kiswahili Linguistics, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Kiswahili Studies and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Kiswahili and Geography. Mary Ndung’u is a lecturer in the Department of Kiswahili at the University of Nairobi. Her areas of specialization are Linguistics, Language, Communication, Translation, and Research. She is competent and fluent in Kiswahili, English and Kikuyu languages.

Abstract

Abstract

This study is an investigation of how Kiswahili metaphorical constructions are lexically, syntactically, and semantically structured. The study was library based and was to a large extent qualitative. The data were sourced from four Kiswahili literary texts: Mazrui (2003), wa Mberia (2004), Arege (2009) and wa Mberia (2011), which were purposively selected. Data was collected by reading the literary texts, identifying the metaphorical constructions there in and listing them to make it easier for classification into lexical, phrase or clause categories. The study was guided by Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) which was supplemented by Cognitive Grammar (Langacker 1987) and Construction Grammar (Goldberg’s 1995) approaches. The three theories were used as tools of analysing the data as they guided on the identification of Kiswahili metaphorical grammatical constructions in the selected literary texts, investigating and explaining how they are structured in the formation and interpretation of metaphor, and determining the extent to which they express socio-cultural context and embodied experiences of language users. It was revealed that the concepts of Conceptual Metaphor Theory, Cognitive Grammar, and Construction Grammar can be utilized in the interpretation of Kiswahili metaphorical constructions.  In the study it was also revealed that the verb and the noun are the two major lexical categories in the formation of Kiswahili metaphorical constructions that evoke metaphor. However, other lexical categories like the adjective, adverb, and prepositional phrases are understood and interpreted metaphorically in the context of nouns and verbs. The study further revealed that in the Kiswahili clause, the verb manifests the source domain while the target domain is manifested by the noun and its immediate constituents in a construction. Other constructions which evoke metaphor are the DO, IO, complements, and subordinate clauses in compound and complex sentences. The Kiswahili verb interacts with other constructions for metaphorical interpretation to occur. These include the noun phrase in the argument position, the adjectival phrase, noun phrase, prepositional phrase, and other complements within the predicate position. In examining the Kiswahili lexical, phrasal and clausal levels, it was revealed that meanings of constructional elements such as verbs and nouns are relativised to frames or cognitive models which include the language users’ knowledge of their referents. This knowledge includes social cultural contexts and the encyclopaedic entries of the referents and entities targeted. Finally, the study has brought into perspective areas for future and further research which are largely on use of other construction grammar theories and on interrogation of sense relations, under Goldberg’s Cognitive Grammar, such as antonymy, homonymy, and synonymy. The study has thus provided a pioneering research on the analysis of Kiswahili metaphorical constructions by examining how they are utilised in the building of conceptual metaphors while expressing the socio-cultural contexts and embodied experiences of language users.

Research Supervisors

Research Supervisors

Prof. John Habwe

Dr. Gideon Marete

Prof. Kineene Mutiso

Prof. Helga Schroeder

Important Links

Omboto, John Onyango

Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology (Criminology)
Research Topic
Thesis Title Analysis of the Linkage between Punishment and Recidivism among Prisoners in Nairobi County, Kenya
John Onyango Omboto
Biography

John Onyango Omboto, a Crime and Offender Rehabilitation expert is a Criminology and Security Studies Lecturer at Egerton University. He holds a Master of Arts Degrees in Criminology, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology and Public Administration, and a Distinction Diploma in Criminology and Social Order all from the University of Nairobi.  John served Kenya Prisons Service as a senior officer for over ten years before venturing into full time university teaching. Besides Egerton University, he has taught Criminology, Security Management and Sociology courses at the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, and Mount Kenya University. At Dedan Kimathi University of Technology he served as the head of Criminology and Security Management department.

 

Onyango Omboto has a special interest in Criminology and Security Studies; in these broad areas he has published several research and academic papers in peer reviewed journals. In addition he has two books under his name: Challenges Facing the Control of Drugs and Substance Abuse in Prisons-ISBN 978-3-659-46266-5, and Readings in Criminology and Security Studies: A compilation of Journal Papers- ISBN 978-9966-814-69-2. John has also developed several learning modules for different universities in Kenya, in addition to supervision and examination of various MA theses.  He was among the experts contracted by Kenyatta University in the year 2019 to developed training curricula and modules for all cadres of Rwanda Correctional Service staff, and was part of a seven member team who launched the training in Kigali on request by the Rwandan Government.    

Abstract

Abstract

The study was designed to establish if there is a connection between the initial punishment and recidivism. Its objectives were to ascertain the profiles of recidivists, investigate the typology and severity of recidivists’ crimes, and establish control strategies for recidivism in Kenya. The study reviewed literature on fundamental themes and was guided by deterrence theory of punishment, as well as strain and labelling theories of crime. The research participants who were purposively selected comprised of 167 respondents, 17 focus group discussion members, and 27 key informants. Both primary and secondary data were collected by the study, and quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques were utilized.

 

The study established that there is no significant link between the initial punishment and recidivism since other factors such as poverty are responsible for the vice. It also established that recidivists are from lower social class, young adults and individuals under 40 years who are illiterate or semi-illiterate, and mostly in non-marital relationships. In addition, convicts who abuse alcohol and drugs have a higher propensity to reoffend. It also emerged that male recidivists graduate from petty crimes to felonies unlike their female counterparts who generally commit the same petty offences with reconvictions.

On control strategies, it was established that petty first-time offenders should be awarded community based punishments instead of imprisonment to curtail contamination and institutionalization while for known recidivists, individual based strategies are vital to take care of their unique needs. Other effective measures are community acceptance of ex-convicts, and economic empowerment.

 

 

Research Supervisors

Research Supervisors
  1. Prof Gidraph Wairire (PhD)
  2. Dr Mike Chepkong’a (PhD) 

Important Links

RUFUS KARANI MUNYUA

Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Kiswahili Translation
Research Topic
An Evaluation of Linguistic and Cultural Implications of Localising Software in Kiswahili: The case of Google
RUFUS KARANI MUNYUA
Biography

Rufus Karani Munyua is an interpreter/translator trainer and lecturer at the Centre for Translation and Interpretation (CTI), University of Nairobi (Kenya). He holds a Bed (Arts) from Kenyatta University, MA in Interpretation (University of Nairobi) and has been awarded PhD in Kiswahili Translation (University of Nairobi). His research and academic interests include: translation and localization, terminology development, conference interpretation, semantics and pragmatics and research methods. Rufus has a number of publications in peer-reviewed local and international journals. At CTI, he is also a member of the CTI Academic Board and the coordinator of timetables dissertations and programmes.

In addition to teaching, Rufus is a certified freelance interpreter/translator with broad experience interpreting and translating for local and international organizations.

Abstract

Abstract

Localisation of software products and computer Applications from English into major world languages has been going on for a fairly long time as global companies try to reach local markets for their products. However, it was until early 2000 when companies such as Microsoft started localising their software products in Kiswahili with the aim of availing computer programmes and applications to the over 150 million Kiswahili speakers within the East African region where Kiswahili is a lingua franca. So far, a lot of content in software products and mobile Applications has been localised in Kiswahili by Google. However, although generally the project has been successful to a larger extent, the endeavor has had to deal with some linguistic and cultural challenges. These two challenges informed the overall objective of this research, which was to study linguistic and cultural elements in localised Google products with the aim of assessing how they impact on localisation quality. The findings revealed that the skopos (functions) of source texts was achieved to a larger extent in the target text (TT). However, there were linguistic challenges encountered by localisation translators. These challenges were mainly equivalence related borne from the fact that there are several lexical and structural differences between English as the SL and Kiswahili as the TL which prevent a one-to-one textual relationship within the technical environment. The study recommends that a follow-up research be done to understand user demographics. This is because quality evaluation for localisation and translation particularly for public use highly depends on the users’ perception rather than the perception of linguists.

Research Supervisors

Research Supervisors

Prof. Iribe Mwangi

Prof. K.W. Wamitila

Prof. Tom Olali

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