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National Food Policies and Food Security in Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands
(International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR), 2024-08) Asma Diramo Kofa; Kizito Sabala; Joseph Mutungi
Food insecurity remains a persistent challenge in Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) due to a combination of frequent climate shocks such as droughts, floods and livestock diseases. These extremes disrupt traditional ways of life and devastate crops and livestock, leaving communities with little to no food. This paper examined the effect of national food policies and strategies on food security in these fragile regions, specifically focusing on initiatives designed to address the recurring problem. The arguments of the decentralization and institutional capacity theories were used to guide the analysis. Methodologically, the study employed a descriptive survey research design to inform data collection and analysis. The research established that despite government interventions, food insecurity remains prevalent in ASAL regions. The causes of this insecurity are multifaceted, encompassing factors such as climate variability, restricted access to resources and socio-economic disparities. The paper recommends a review of national food policies targeting ASALs to align them with the drivers of food insecurity. The review should include community engagement and stakeholder collaboration to attain effective and sustainable solutions.
Institutional Mediation of United States Grand Strategy in Defence Policy-Making in Botswana
(International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 2026-06) Thaga L. Steven Thaga; Joseph Mutungi; Henry K. Mwenemeru
This study examines how the United States grand strategy is mediated within defence policy-making in Botswana. It addresses a key debate in International Relations on whether external strategic actors directly shape defence policy outcomes or whether their influence is filtered through domestic institutional structures in small states. The study advances the argument that grand strategic influence is not linear, but institutionally mediated through domestic political and bureaucratic arrangements. A convergent mixed-methods design is employed, combining survey data from 51 respondents with qualitative interviews from defence and policy actors. The analysis focuses on actors, institutions, and norms to assess how external influence is processed within Botswana’s defence policy system. Findings show strong executive centralization, with the Presidency as the primary decision-making authority, while the Ministry of Defence and the Botswana Defence Force play advisory and implementation roles. The United States influence is present but indirect, operating through defence diplomacy mechanisms such as training, joint exercises, and doctrinal exposure. These channels shape capacity and professional exposure rather than policy direction. Institutionally, Botswana demonstrates moderate to strong administrative capacity, but limited strategic planning depth and an absence of a consolidated defence policy framework. Normatively, civil–military relations are stable and professional, with external norms selectively absorbed rather than fully transforming domestic practices. The study contributes to theory by demonstrating that grand strategy influence is conditionally mediated rather than directly exercised. It introduces institutional mediation as a mechanism explaining how small states filter external strategic pressures while maintaining policy autonomy.
Towards Civil–Military Synergy in National Security Governance: Challenges and Opportunities in Nepal
(Unity Journal, 2026-02) Joseph M. Mutungi; Victor Muithya
This study investigates the challenges and opportunities of integrating military leadership into Nepal’s civilian governance structures, focusing on the period from 2015 to 2024. Grounded in Network Governance Theory, Civil Military Relations Theories, and Realism, the research employed a pragmatic mixed methods approach. Data was collected using key informant interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and semi structured surveys among policymakers, military leaders, and national security experts. The study identifies legal institutional gaps, political resistance, and trust deficits as key barriers, while pointing to opportunities in strategic education, leadership development, and defense diplomacy. The article concludes that a structured, democratically accountable integration can significantly enhance national security outcomes.
Rethinking Anti-Corruption Efforts In Kenya: A Critical Analysis Of The Performance Of EACC
(International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 2024-07) Ignatius Wekesa; Joseph M. Mutungi; Dennis M. Ndambo
Despite the establishment of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to prevent, investigate and recommend offenders of ethical conduct and corruption for prosecution, the two vices persist within Kenya’s public service space. This paper sought to review the level of awareness on the commission’s mandate, the impact of decentralizing her services and effectiveness of her anti-corruption strategies. Using a mixed-methods approach, a sample of 86 respondents drawn from state agencies that collaborate with the EACC provided the data used in the analysis. Data was collected using a questionnaire and a key informant interview guide and analysed using descriptive and content analysis. The study established that whereas 70% of the respondents were aware of the EACC’s mandate as by law established, they held the view that the commission was ineffectiveness, partly due to lack of prosecutorial power and inadequate political goodwill. Further, the study determined that decentralization of EACC’s services helped deter corruption at the subnational level but was also undermined by resource gaps, both human and financial, as reported by 62% of respondents. The findings also revealed that the commission’s anti-corruption strategies were inconsistent and incompatible with those used by other state agencies in some cases. These dynamics, the study noted, had a negative impact on her overall performance and hence the undermined the fight against corruption in Kenya. The inconsistencies were despite the presence of a robust legal and institutional framework grounding the organization’s mandate. The study recommends optimal resourcing and synchronization of anticorruption effort across state organs in a move that typifies a whole-of-government approach in fighting the vice to ensure complementarity and synergy. There is also need for expeditious disposal of cases relating to graft and ethical breaches, whether they lead to asset recovery or prison sentences, to give impetus to the deterrence component of the efforts.
Optimizing Multi-Agency Cooperation in Kenya’s National Security Planning and Response
(International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 2023-10) Christopher Tarus Boit; Joseph M. Mutungi
Shifting geo-political, environmental, and socio-economic factors on the global front continue to herald new realities to the national safety and security of individual countries. To address security challenges and the emergent threats, nations have had to adopt contemporary perspectives. One of the most common, and fruitful of these perspectives in the Kenyan national security setup is that of multi-agency cooperation (MAC). This qualitative inquiry therefore sought to establish the nature and structure of interagency collaboration, collecting data from 111 participants sourced through the snowball sampling method. The data was collected using interviews and thematically analyzed based on emergent themes. The study established that MAC in Kenya is structured at the cabinet level, but also often takes the peer-to-peer collaboration format, and the in-group structure of collaboration. The study proposes Blending Outsider Insights and Techniques (the BOIT Model) to enhance the operational effectiveness and outcomes of MAC frameworks within Kenya’s vast and dynamic security landscape. The model would be useful in improving perspectives, and enhancing Tactical Resourcefulness under Stress (TARUS) within agencies and services involved in managing Kenya’s national security and safety.