Joint Command and Staff College

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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.
Socio-Cultural Dynamics Influencing Border Security Management along Kenya’s Northern Border with Ethiopia
(International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 2022-10) Christopher L. Imboywa; Joseph M. Mutungi; Simon Muthomi
The purpose of this study was to assess the implications of the border security management on Kenya’s national security. The study assessed selected socio-cultural dynamics that influence the interactions of the border communities and their impact on border security management at the Moyale One Stop Boarder Post. The study was anchored on the realism and Regional Security Complex theories and adopted a descriptive research design. A total of 493 respondents were targeted by the study, out of which a sample of 220 was obtained using the Yamane Formula. The respondents were sampled, using purposive, stratified and simple random sampling methods. Primary data was collected using both questionnaires and Key Informant Interview (KII) guide. Collected quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and presented in tables and figures while qualitative data was organized into themes for analysis and reported using narratives. The study established that despite the increased revenues and a reduction in insecurity incidents within the territory of Kenya as reported by 64% and 79% of the respondents respectively, incidents of insecurity continued to occur. This points to gaps in the enforcement process, attributable to the absence of a functioning border management committee. There is also lack of cooperation from the local community in providing information on illegal immigrants living among the community. This is mainly due to cross border family ties whose social capital superseded their nationality. The study recommends activation of the border security management committee with clear terms of reference and standard operating procedures to ensure that all border security agencies operate within a multi-agency framework. Further, the national and county governments should collaborate in implementing the African Union Border Programmes in order to incentivize the border community to own the border security management initiative.
Building Sustainable Community Peace and Cohesion in Informal Settlements: The Agency of Grassroots Organizations in Kibra, Kenya
(International Journal of Innovative Research and Knowledge, 2021-04) Christine J. Agaya; Joseph M. Mutungi
Consensus among scholars and practitioners points towards the agency of grassroots organizations in building sustainable peace and cohesion. These organizations are advanced as both organic and all-inclusive, which are important aspects of sustainability. Despite this acknowledgement, little research has been devoted towards establishing the factors that predispose the grassroots organizations as viable platforms for building peace and cohesion. This study which is anchored on the intergroup contact theory argues that the voluntary nature of grassroots organizations, their people-centric nature, emphasis on citizen participation as well as the presence of collaborative abilities render these organizations central to the bottom-up approach to building peace and cohesion. Contact between the groups helps create the kind of social capital necessary for collective action and subsequently reduction in prejudice.
The Role of Research and Development in the Manufacturing Sector in Fostering Technological Innovation and Economic Security in Ethiopia
(International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 2025-10) Tegegn D. Toge; Joseph Mutungi; Paul Gachanja
This study investigates the critical nexus between Research and Development (R&D), technological innovation, and economic security within Ethiopia's manufacturing sector. Despite ambitious national plans to become a lower-middle-income country and a regional manufacturing hub, the sector's contribution to GDP remains low, hampered by low productivity, technological stagnation, and weak innovation capabilities. Employing a mixed-methods case study design, this research collected data from 30 senior officials and researchers across five specialized manufacturing R&D institutes and 9 key informant interviews. The findings reveal a significant systemic disconnect: while Ethiopia has established a structured R&D institutional framework, it is severely hampered by chronic underinvestment (only 0.61% of GDP), weak linkages between academia and industry, and a policy implementation gap. Consequently, promising R&D outputs, such as waste valorization technologies and AI-driven quality control prototypes, fail to achieve commercial scale and transformative impact. The study concludes that without strategic interventions to boost funding, foster robust industry, academia and government manufacturing industry R&D institutes collaboration, and create effective commercialization pathways, Ethiopia's manufacturing R&D will continue to fall short of driving the technological innovation necessary for enhanced productivity, competitiveness, and long-term economic security. Recommendations include increasing R&D expenditure to at least 1% of GDP, implementing targeted policy incentives for private-sector involvement, and establishing formalized triple-helix partnerships to bridge the existing innovation chasm.
Determinants of Climate Action Integration in Health Sector Policy Making in Kenya
(International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 2024-09) Loise Nyanjau; Joseph Mutungi; Zedekiah Sidha
The increasing threat of climate change poses significant challenges to global health, with Kenya being particularly vulnerable to its impacts. As temperatures rise and extreme weather events become more frequent, the country faces a growing burden of climate-related health challenges such as vector-borne diseases, malnutrition, and waterborne illnesses. In response to this threat, Kenya has taken steps to integrate climate action into its health policies, recognizing the urgent need to address the nexus between climate change and health. Despite these efforts, climate action has not been fully integrated into the health sector policies, necessitating this study to establish the barriers thereof. The study used a mixed methods approach and integrated key informant interviews and surveys to collect data, which was then analyzed using various inferential statistics. Statistical techniques such as t-tests, chi-square tests, and regression analyzes were used to identify significant patterns and relationships within the quantitative data. In addition, thematic analysis was used to interpret the qualitative data from the interviews and highlight key themes and insights related to integrating climate action in the health sector. The mixed-methods design followed an explanatory sequential approach, first collecting quantitative data from surveys to provide a comprehensive overview of climate action integration, followed by qualitative interviews to explore these findings in more depth. The target audience consisted of health sector stakeholders, including policymakers, practitioners and climate health experts. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure relevant expertise and perspectives, supplemented by snowball sampling to further broaden the participant base. This comprehensive methodology enabled a detailed examination of the motivations, contexts, progress and barriers impacting the integration of climate action. While existing policy frameworks demonstrate a commitment to addressing climate-related health issues, challenges such as institutional silos, resource disparities, conflicting priorities, and complex stakeholder dynamics emerged as significant barriers to effective integration. Despite these challenges, opportunities exist to enhance integration through targeted actions focused on increasing awareness, improving data availability, strengthening governance structures, and garnering political support at all levels of government.
Gender Dynamics and Land Ownership: Implications for Food Security in Migori County
(International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 2024-10) Edward Orwa Onyango; Joseph Mutungi; Rotich Gladys Chepkirui
Land ownership, a critical factor in food security, is particularly significant in sub-Saharan Africa, where agriculture is the primary source of income and sustenance for many. This study, which focused on Migori County, Kenya, examined the gender dynamics of land ownership and their impact on food security. Anchored on the sociological institutionalism theory, the study used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from a household survey (n=250) with qualitative data from in-depth interviews with key informants (n=20) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) (n=4). The paper delves into how cultural norms, inheritance practices, and a weak legal framework perpetuate these inequalities. The study's findings, which reveal a persistent gender gap in land ownership, with men disproportionately controlling land titles and decision making power, are essential. This patriarchal land system restricts women's access to land, hindering their agricultural productivity and contribution to household food security in particular and human security in general. The study recommends legal reforms to entrench women’s right to land ownership and use, cultural sensitization programs, and promotion of innovative land access models such as joint titling and land leases. These recommendations can potentially make a tangible difference in the lives of women in Migori County, significantly improving their food security.
Push Factors towards Consociational Democracy in Plural Sub National Polities: The Case of Mandera County, Kenya
(International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education (IJHSSE), 2019-10) Joseph M. Mutungi
Consociational democracy has been advanced as the antidote to politically motivated violent conflicts in plural societies because of its strong support for inclusion of all significant segments in the population. This variant of democracy is advanced as favoring peace and stability. The focus of research has however tended to be on heterogeneity at the national level. Little research exists to examine the pull factors towards consociational democracy at the sub-national polities, most of which exhibit heterogeneity within homogeneity, thanks to gerrymandering by the political elite during the review of boundaries. This study which is anchored on the social capital theory, argues that social-cultural networks at the sub-national level strongly influence support for consociational democracy which is organized along ethnic identities. Instructively, the primordial and instrumental identities are used simultaneously depending on what the concerned social group(s) intend to achieve.
Optimizing Multi-Agency Cooperation in Kenya’s National Security Planning and Response
(International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications,, 2023) Mutungi , Joseph M; Tarus , Christopher Boit
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.

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