Conflict management in Kenyan electoral conflict: 2002-2012
- Authors: Muhindi, Solomon Peter Kavai
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Conflict management -- Africa Elections -- Kenya Kenya -- Politics and government
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/12286 , vital:27051
- Description: In the recent years, majority of African countries have been faced by conflicts during election periods. Some of the electoral related conflicts escalated into violence, and they have been transformed or managed. While other electoral related conflicts have just been prevented during the election periods but remain latent conflicts that would escalate triggered by future elections. This study focuses specifically on electoral conflicts in Kenya and its conflict management perspective from 2002-2013. To transform and manage the conflict, peacebuilding initiatives have been integrated in the study. The prime actors in Kenya electoral conflict includes the; the ruling party coalition, the leading opposition coalition and ethnic groupings affiliated to the ruling party and opposition. Other peripheral actors include: the Independent, Electoral and Boundary Commission (IEBC), the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the judiciary. Triangulation (the combination of two or more methods of collecting and analysing data) has been adopted both in data collection and analysis. Focus group interviews, selected individual interviews, and literature reviews were used to collect data, while research findings were analysed systematically using the constructivist grounded theory. Moreover, the liberal peace theory, Institutionalisation before Liberalisation (IBL) and findings from other researchers like (Elder, Stigant and Claes 2014:1-20), and the Afrobarometer research findings (Kivuva 2015) have been used to authenticate the research findings. Research findings indicates that claims of election rigging, numerous institutional failures, negative ethnicity and economic disparity, among other factors heighten the fear and anxiety that escalates during elections. Towards achieving peacebuilding and sustainable peace, the following reforms were undertaken: constitutional changes and reviews, electoral body reform, judicial reform, pursuit of transitional justice, extensive range of local initiatives reforms and police reforms. However, findings in the study also reveal that despite the latter reforms, peacebuilding measures have been short-term, temporal, and not fully successful, leaving behind a latent conflict that could be triggered again with future electoral conflicts. Besides that, negotiation, dialogue and mediation played a role in restoring trust and confidence in the democratic structures after escalated elections. We also recommend that multi-ethnic composition for electoral coalitions should also be adopted as a means to mitigate ethnic triggered conflicts.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Nonlinear optical behavior of lanthanide phthalocyanines and their conjugates with a selection of nanomaterials
- Authors: Sekhosana, Kutloano Edward
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/4580 , vital:20695
- Description: This thesis presents novel asymmetrical and symmetrical lanthanide phthalocyanines (Pcs) characterized using a number techniques including proton nuclear magnetic resonance, electron spin resonance, time correlated single photon counting, FTIR spectrometry, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, UV-Vis spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy and CHNS elemental analysis. The design of theses lanthanide Pcs takes the form of mononuclear, binuclear, trinuclear, bis- and tris(phthalocyanines). Nanomaterials such as zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene oxide nanosheets (GONS) (oxidized and reduced) were employed for covalent linkage to mono- and binuclear phthalocyanines as conjugates. Transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize ZnO NPs, MWCNTs and GONS alone and when linked to lanthanide Pcs. Lanthanide Pcs alone and when linked to ZnO NPs, MWCNTs and GONS where embedded in polymers such as poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly (bisphenol A carbonate) (PBC) and poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) for thin film preparation. The thickness of the thin films was determined by utilization of the knife edge attachment of the A Bruker D8 Discover X-ray diffraction (XRD). Optical limiting properties of lanthanide Pcs alone and as conjugates in solution and when incorporated into polymers were determined by employing a Z-scan technique. It emerged that low symmetry lanthanide Pcs (19, 20 and 21), the blue forms of bis(phthalocyanines) (only in solution; 24 and 28) as well as tris(phthalocyanines) (30 and 31) exhibit low limiting threshold (Ilim) values in solution and thin films (particularly PBC and PAA). The low limiting threshold values make these lanthanide Pcs reliable optical limiters.
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- Date Issued: 2017
South Africa and Malaysia: identity and history in South-South relations
- Authors: Haron, Muhammed
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Critical theory South Africa -- Foreign relations -- Malaysia Malaysia -- Foreign relations -- South Africa South Africa -- Politics and government -- History Malaysia -- Politics and government -- History South Africa -- Politics and government Malaysia -- Politics and government South Africa -- Social conditions -- History Malaysia -- Social conditions -- History South Africa -- Economic conditions Malaysia -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2780 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002990
- Description: The focus of this thesis is on the bilateral relationship between South Africa and Malaysia. The thesis appropriates ‘critical theory,’ and as a flexible theoretical tool, and, as an open-ended, loose frame in order to give voice to the marginalized and voiceless from the South. The thesis thus looks at the politico-economic ties that have been developed and brings into view the socio-cultural relations that had been established between the peoples of the two sovereign nation-states during the apartheid and post-apartheid eras respectively. The basic purpose of this study was fivefold: (a) to contribute to the extant literature that concentrates on South Africa’s relations with Malaysia, (b) to examine the relationship at political and economic ties in some detail, (c) to demonstrate that apart from the afore-mentioned bonds IR specialists should also take into account the socio-cultural dimensions of international relations, (d) to bring to light the nation-state’s limitations when discussing the role of non-state actors and considering the contributions of other factors such as globalization, and (e) to stimulate further research on bilateral and multilateral relations in the South – particularly between South Africa and other states in Asia and Latin America - that would assist to better understand the past, present and perhaps the future.
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- Date Issued: 2008
The adoption of green building in South Africa
- Authors: Simpeh, Eric Kwame
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Ecological houses -- Design and construction -- South Africa , Sustainable buildings -- Design and construction -- South Africa Sustainable construction -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/35653 , vital:33771
- Description: In South Africa there is pressure to deliver green building due to environmental issues such as climate changes, the energy crisis, as well as persistent water shortages. Although awareness and promotional effort have increased drastically concerning the adoption of green buildings, the South African design and construction industry is still lagging due to the conservativeness and slow rate of change in the construction industry. While enablers / facilitators have been recognised as opportunities to advance green building development, the South African built environment has not extensively explored the various possibilities to initiate enablers / facilitating conditions to enhance the adoption of green building. This study therefore investigates the critical factors impeding the adoption of green building and to explore the economic and non-economic facilitators / enablers regarded as the most important to stimulate stakeholders’ behavioural intentions to adopt green building. After an extensive review of literature with respect to barriers and factors that engender green building adoption, coupled with theoretical arguments relating change agents to construction innovation and sustainability theory, an exhaustive mixed-mode research approach was adopted. The sampling frame for the study was limited to four provinces, namely the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Kwazulu–Natal, and Western Cape, given that 99% of the green building accredited professionals registered with the GBCSA are from these four provinces. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, namely paired sample test, ANOVA test, Factor Analysis (FA), and logistic regression analysis (LRA). The qualitative data obtained across individual cases by means of a semi-structured interview was analysed using content analysis. In total, 106 professionals participated in the survey, and three respondents indicated their willingness and availability to be interviewed, hence three case studies were conducted. The results emanating from the study, inter-alia, indicate that the factors constraining the adoption of green building are categorised as: lack of information and incentives; inadequate skilled professionals; behavioural barriers; regulatory and steering factors, and the cost of green building. The results also indicate that green building consultants and environmental groups are classified as ‘innovators’, whilst architects are ‘early adopters’. However, government; municipalities, and general contractors are characterised as ‘late majority’. It was also evident from the empirical findings that the key attributes of adopters that encourage the adoption of green building were classified as: qualities of consultant team and contractor, and developers / clients’ experience. The perceived benefits of green buildings emanating from the findings were categorised as socio-economic, financial, and health and community benefits. The enablers that engender the adoption of green building were also categorised as: extended knowledge base and technical capacity; research and training of professionals; green lending incentives; progressive green building policy; economic incentives, and reward scheme and technical assistance. Two models have been developed using logistic regression model (LRM), model one (1) examined the predictable effect of economic and non-economic factors on the intention to adopt green building, whereas model two (2) examined the likelihood of the extent of green building adoption. The LRM results revealed five predictors and two control variables made a unique statistically significant contribution to model 1. The strongest predictor to enhance the intention to adopt green building was financial benefit (FB), recording an odds ratio of 9.1, which indicates that the likelihood to adopt is approximately 9.1 times more if financial benefits is evident. With respect to Model two (2), the LRM results showed that only two of the independent variables and three control variables contributed significantly to the model. The strongest predictor that determines the extent of adoption of green building was research and training of professionals (RTP), with odd ratio equal to 2.9. In effect, to engender the adoption of green building within the South African built environment, there is the need for an integrated and holistic approach forecasting on the importance of economic and non-economic enablers / facilitators in enhancing decision to adopt green building.
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- Date Issued: 2018
The idea of regionalism in West and Southern Africa : a critical social enquiry
- Authors: Lindsay, Albert Domson
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Regionalism -- Africa, West Regionalism -- Africa, Southern Africa, West -- Politics and government Africa, Southern -- Politics and government Africa -- Foreign relations
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2848 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006118
- Description: Traditional views on International Relations dominate regional analyses. These invariably emphasize the dominance of state and market forces in inter-state relations. Experiences and expectations of people are less prominent in these discourses, and the practices they foster. This thesis critically analyses the regional processes in West and southern Africa within the framework of Critical Theory. It argues that these processes are constrained by instability and the increasing legitimacy crises of the State. The thesis demonstrates that the State, through exclusive nationalist practices, hinder the growth of a cosmopolitan order, and it argues that neo-liberal regionalism is a contested phenomenon because of its exclusive nature. Finally, the thesis suggests steps needed to resolve the legitimacy crises and to build an inclusive regional order, based on cosmopolitan values.
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- Date Issued: 2007
The state of constitutionalism in Uganda: 1962-2018
- Authors: Bashasha, Turyatemba Alex
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Constitutional history -- Uganda , Constitutional history Constitutional law -- Uganda
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23669 , vital:30596
- Description: This Thesis examines the state of constitutionalism in Uganda between 1962 and 2018. The central question which it seeks to answer is: ‘why did Ugandan governments persistently fail to adhere to the basic requirements of the doctrine of constitutionalism between 1962 and 2018?’ In answering this question, which has challenged and continues to challenge many academicians, politicians, government officials, researchers and the international community alike, the Thesis adopts the Theory of Neo-patrimonialism as a theoretical lens through which the behaviours of the post-independence presidents of Uganda are examined. The Thesis discovers that, indeed, Neo-patrimonialism is a fundamental framework for analysing and explaining constitutionalism in post-independence Uganda. Against this backdrop, the Thesis concludes that, the collective behaviours of Uganda’s post-independence presidents viewed through the lens of neo-patrimonialism are more fundamental in understanding the failure of democracy and good governance in Uganda than the country’s structural problems of constitutionalism. The originality of the Thesis is in: (a) its being the first comprehensive investigation into why Ugandan governments have persistently failed to adhere to the basic requirements of the doctrine of constitutionalism for the entire period of 56 years (1962-2018) of post-independence Uganda; and (b) its being the first study to apply the Theory of Neo-patrimonialism in explaining the volatile nature and state of constitutionalism in Uganda. The contribution of the Thesis to the existing knowledge lies in its; (a) generation of detailed and well-researched information about the volatility of constitutionalism in Uganda between 1962 and 2018, (b) recommendation of strategies that should be adopted to effectively enhance consititutionalism in Uganda, and (c) authentication of the validity of the claims that despite its shortcomings, Neo-patrimonialism is a Theory which not only continues to define and drive African politics but its application can suitably be used to explain the volatile nature of constitutionalism in post-independence Uganda and the rest of Africa.
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- Date Issued: 2018