Muni Repository (MR)
This repository contains open access publications of Muni University Library.
Objectives:
- To digitally collect, preserve and provide electronic access to scholarly works and research output of Muni University.
- Increase the visibility and impact of our research, making it easy for researchers, students, policymakers and journalists to reference, replicate, and re-use the work.
- Issue permanent, unique and trustworthy identifiers when creating URLs to access the resource without concern that the location of the resource may change.
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- Contact the library through email: libsupport@muni.ac.ug
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Recent Submissions
Implementation of gender-responsive pedagogy in the era of male dominance: Experiences from secondary schools in the West Nile Region, Uganda
(East African Nature and Science Organization, 2026-04-20) Omara, Polycarp
Persistent gender inequalities in classroom participation and learning outcomes continue to undermine the realisation of equitable education in many sub-Saharan African contexts. Gender-Responsive Pedagogy (GRP) has been advanced as a transformative approach for addressing these disparities; however, evidence on its practical implementation in deeply patriarchal settings remains limited. This study examined the implementation and effects of GRP in secondary schools in the West Nile region of Uganda, a context characterised by entrenched socio-cultural norms that privilege male dominance in education and leadership. Adopting a convergent mixed-methods design, the study drew on data from 162 participants, including head teachers, teachers, and students, using surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and classroom observations. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were thematically analysed and integrated to provide a comprehensive understanding of classroom realities. The findings reveal that GRP implementation is moderate and uneven, with teachers demonstrating greater adoption of gender-sensitive language than of structured pedagogical strategies such as inclusive participation techniques and targeted support for girls. Major constraints include cultural resistance, limited teacher preparedness, and weak institutional enforcement of gender policies. Notwithstanding these challenges, the study provides compelling evidence that GRP enhances female students’ participation, confidence, leadership engagement, and academic performance when applied consistently. The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on inclusive pedagogy by highlighting the gap between policy intent and classroom practice in patriarchal contexts. It argues for a systemic and context-responsive approach that integrates sustained teacher professional development, strengthened accountability mechanisms, and community-level transformation of gender norms. These findings have significant implications for education policy, teacher education, and gender equality initiatives in similar contexts.
From belief to institution: The Embedded functions of witchcraft in traditional Lango society, northern Uganda
(East African Nature and Science Organization, 2026-05-06) Agea, Jacob Godfrey
Witchcraft has long been portrayed in African contexts as a source of fear, violence, and irrationality, particularly within colonial and contemporary human rights discourses. However, such representations often obscure their embeddedness within coherent socio-cultural, economic and political systems. This study examines the role of witchcraft in traditional Lango society in Northern Uganda, arguing that beyond its negative connotations, witchcraft historically functioned as a multi-dimensional social institution. Drawing on qualitative documentary analysis and culturally grounded ethnographic narratives, the study applies functionalist and interpretive frameworks to explore how witchcraft beliefs shaped social regulation, conflict mediation, moral enforcement, and psychological coping. The findings demonstrate that witchcraft operated as an informal governance mechanism that reinforced communal norms, mediated tensions, and provided culturally meaningful explanations for misfortune. Ethnographic vignettes from Lango communities illustrate how witchcraft discourse functioned as a symbolic language through which issues of inequality, power, and social responsibility were and are still negotiated. At the same time, the study critically acknowledges the ethical challenges associated with witchcraft accusations, particularly their gendered dimensions and potential for harm. The paper contributes to debates on indigenous knowledge systems by reframing witchcraft as a functional and adaptive institution rather than a purely pathological belief. It calls for context-sensitive approaches that balance cultural understanding with contemporary human rights considerations and or justice systems.
Framing the “Other” : Literary and media representations of pastoral conflict in Kenya and Uganda
(Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Semarang, 2026-04-30) Ocan, Johnson; Kyarimpa, Joan; Imokola, John Baptist; Eton, Marus
Pastoral conflicts in East Africa are frequently narrated through discourses that construct pastoral communities as cultural “others,” shaping public perceptions and policy responses. Although scholarship has examined pastoral conflict from political, environmental, and socio-economic perspectives, less attention has been paid to how literary texts and media narratives together frame pastoral identities across national contexts. This study addresses this gap by comparatively examining representations of pastoral “others” in Kenya and Uganda through literary and journalistic narratives. The study draws on framing theory and the concept of othering to explain how narratives construct social identities by emphasizing difference, marginality, and cultural stereotypes. Methodologically, it adopts a comparative qualitative design that integrates literary analysis with media discourse analysis. The Kenyan case focuses on depictions of the Maasai in the works of Henry Ole Kulet, while the Ugandan case examines media portrayals of Balaalo herders in selected newspaper reports and digital news platforms. Texts were purposively sampled to capture dominant narratives of pastoral conflict and inter-community relations. The findings reveal that both literary and media narratives frame pastoral groups through discourses of cultural alterity, mobility, and contested land relations. However, important differences emerge: Kulet’s fiction tends to humanize the Maasai by foregrounding cultural identity, resilience, and historical marginalization, whereas Ugandan media coverage frequently constructs Balaalo herders through conflict-centered frames that emphasize land disputes, insecurity, and tensions with subsistence farming communities. By juxtaposing literary imagination with media representation, the study demonstrates how narrative forms shape public understandings of pastoral conflict in East Africa.
Comparison of ionospheric irregularities observed by the COSMIC satellites with ground-basedscintillationobservationsoverthelowlatitudeAfricanRegion
(Elsevier, 2026-04-07) Mungufeni, Patrick; Migoya-Orue, Yenca; Aol, ItalySharon; Omondi, George
This study compared the ionospheric irregularities as observed using two different techniques, namely; the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) satellites and the scintillation intensity index(S4) data measured by the Scintillation Network and Decision Aid (SCINDA) receiver which operated at Nairobi University (geog lon 36.8 E, geog lat 1.3 S, dip lat−24.1, Kenya. The data compared were those of the years 2009 (low solar activity) and2011(ascending phase of solar cycle24), for both quiet (Kp3) and disturbed(Kp5) geomagnetic conditions. For the cases of Global Positioning System (GPS)satelliteswithelevationangle0as observed by the COSMIC satellites, a geo-location of the COSMIC S4 data associated with the link between GPS and COSMIC satellites was proposed at the tangent point. The COSMIC S4 data whose geo-locations fall in the vicinity of Nairobi were compared with the S4 data measured by the SCINDA receiver. The coefficient of determination which represents the percentage of the variation in COSMIC S4 data associated with the variation in SCINDA S4 was 50 %. The two data sets depict that scintillation occurs mostly in the seasons of March and September equinoxes of high solar activity conditions. However, there was a moderate positive correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient, r=0.52 on quiet days) between COSMIC and SCINDA S4 data. The results presented signify that the COSMIC S4 could be analyzed to study ionospheric irregularities (which cause scintillations) over locations such as deserts and oceans where it is usually difficult to deploy equipment.
Improving IoT data security with blockchain and SHA-3-based integrity validation for real-time transmission
(IEEE, 2026-04-07) Dhamodharan, R; Charanya, P; Rajeswari, S V; Guma, Ali; Christy, A. Ananthi; Priyanka, Thella Preethi
The increased exponentially use of Internet of Things (IoT) tools has given serious considerations to the issue of security and integrity of data transferred on real time networks or questions of authenticity of data. This study suggests a secure messaging architecture of combining Blockchains with integrity validation protocol of SHA-3 assuring non-manipulated IoT real-time data streaming. The architecture proposed here would leverage the Keccak based SHA3-256 cryptographic hash algorithm to establish a unique data fingerprint to each transmission that it would then store on a Blockchain ledger through Proof-of-Authority (PoA) consensus mechanism. This enables receivers to match the hashes to validate authenticity of data received on the one hand, and compute a new hash to check the one attached by the sender on the other hand. It was then constructed with Python 3.13 and the libraries used included: hashlib, pandas, matplotlib, and time and simulations were carried out on synthetically produced sensor values representing temperature and humidity measurements of 10 abstract IoT devices. The data packets contain nonce, timestamp in real-time, and unique device ID to increase the entropy. The process of integrity validation and blockchain logging was tested with pace of hash computing, the delay of blockchain logging and the authenticity of verification. It was experimentally observed that 100 percent data integrity was achieved by the system in normal circumstances where hashing time of the system was on the order of 0.11 ms, blockchain logging latency ranged between 50 to 150 ms, and verification was as observed < 0.06 ms. These findings confirm the viability of the combination between blockchain and SHA-3 in lightweight, secure, and real-time communication of IoT. There is a guarantee of reproducibility and scalability to be deployed in real-world systems (home automation in smart homes, industry automation, and patient monitoring).