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
Nutritionally essential macro and micro mineral contents of aframomum angustifolium and physalis peruviana wild edible fruits of Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, Uganda
(East African Nature and Science Organization, 2026-05-21) Agea, Jacob Godfrey; Akello, Sarah
Eating wild fruits can be really good for you and me, and not just because they taste great. Two types of wild fruits, Aframomum angustifolium and Physalis peruviana, were studied to see how many important minerals they have. These minerals, like calcium (Ca), potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Phosphorus (P), Manganese (Mn), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), are essential for our bodies to work properly. We used special machines to measure how much of each mineral was in the 15 samples of each fruit. K and Na were determined using the flame emission photometer; P was quantified spectrophotometrically, while Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Cu, and Zn were assessed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The findings were compared to the amounts found in common mangoes. It turned out that these wild fruits are actually better sources of many minerals than mangoes. They have more phosphorus, sodium and magnesium, which are all important for our health. One of the wild fruits, Aframomum angustifolium, had more calcium and potassium than the other, Physalis peruviana. Both of them had a lot of iron and zinc, which are crucial for preventing diseases like anaemia. Physalis peruviana was especially rich in manganese, another important mineral. The good news is that eating these wild fruits regularly can help people get the minerals they need. This is especially important for people living in rural areas who might not have access to a variety of foods. The government and local leaders should think about how to make it easier for people to grow and eat these wild fruits. They could create policies to support the use of wild fruits in farming and gardening. This way, more people can benefit from the nutritional value of these amazing fruits. By making wild fruits a bigger part of our diets, we can stay healthier and stronger.
Naming as cultural epistemology: Knowledge, belief, and identity in Lango personal naming
(East African Nature and Science Organization, 2026-05-21) Agea, Jacob Godfrey; Eton, Marus
This epistemological study examined Lango personal naming practices among Northern Uganda’s Lango people as rich cultural narratives that encode identity, ecology, and spirituality. Employing a qualitative design grounded in interpretivist and constructivist paradigms, we analysed 131 personal names collected from 78 purposively selected elders, clan leaders, traditional birth attendants, linguists, and cultural custodians. Data were generated through in-depth interviews, key informant sessions, focus group discussions, and documentary analysis, conducted in Leb Lango and translated for thematic content analysis using open, axial, and selective coding. The findings organised names into eleven thematic domains: birth circumstances and physical conditions; environmental and ecological contexts; hardship, suffering, and resilience; joy, blessing, and prosperity; social conflict and relationships; spiritual and apotropaic functions; power, warfare, and strength; time, sequence, and birth order; place and spatial context; personality and destiny; and rituals, symbolism and kinship. Within these domains, names operate as micro-histories—descriptive, situational, and symbolic cultural artefacts that preserve lived realities and collective memory. Illustratively, Oceng/Aceng signifies daylight birth and social visibility; Alele encodes rainfall and ecological fertility; Okech/Akech reflects famine and resilience; while Owiti/Awiti embodies apotropaic protection through symbolic rejection. Contrasting with Western naming systems that often emphasise aesthetics, Lango anthroponymy reveals profound socio-cultural depth, embedding environmental awareness, emotional experience, and metaphysical beliefs into identity formation. Theoretically informed by symbolic interactionism, Geertzian thick description, and indigenous knowledge systems, the study positions Lango child naming as an epistemological practice through which knowledge is produced, transmitted, and sustained across generations. The study contributes to African onomastics by highlighting the specificity of Lango naming practices, particularly their agrarian ecological consciousness, unreserved acknowledgement of adversity, and protective metaphysical orientation. It underscores the urgent need for systematic documentation, integration of indigenous naming knowledge into educational curricula in Northern Uganda, and expanded comparative research across Nilotic societies to preserve and advance this dynamic and meaningful identity system.
Management of insect and other arthropod parasites and vectors of human diseases
(Springer Nature, 2026-05-01) Owino, Eunice A.; Ajamma, Yvonne Ukamaka; Mburu, David; Opoke, Robert; Opiro, Robert; Dugassa, Sisay
This chapter provides a thorough overview of the management of insects and other arthropod parasites and vectors of human diseases. It covers key insect vectors in the orders: Diptera (mosquitoes, black flies, tsetse flies, sand flies, biting midges, horse flies, house flies, blow flies, flesh flies, and bot flies), Hemiptera (kissing bugs), Siphonaptera (fleas), Phthiraptera (lice), and noninsect orders: Arachnida (ticks and mites) and Crustacea (copepods). Each section details the taxonomy, morphology, life cycles, ecological roles, and disease transmission mechanisms of the vectors while emphasizing their public health and economic impacts. Notable diseases include malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, Lyme disease, and plague. The chapter also discusses and emphasizes the importance of integrated vector management interventions to limit population bionomics and linked pathogen transmissions. In summary, it underscores the need for ongoing research and coordinated efforts to reduce the global burden of arthropod-borne diseases.
Introductory entomology
(Springer Nature, 2026-05-01) Opoke, Robert; Opiro, Robert
Entomology, which literally means the scientific study of insects and their natural world, comprises multiple disciplines, including biology, ecology, agriculture, medicine, and forensic science. Insects are the most diverse and abundant group of animals on earth, and they are essential to the functioning of all ecosystems, through, for instance, processes such as pollination, decomposition, and nutrient cycling. They are a major food source for many species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. This chapter aims to provide a fundamental understanding of insect biology, behavior, taxonomy, and their ecological importance. It encompasses insect classification, anatomy, physiology, behavior, ecology, and interactions with the environment, including humans. Knowledge of entomology is crucial in managing both beneficial and detrimental insect populations to promote sustainable agricultural production, biodiversity conservation, and animal health. Entomological knowledge is also critical for understanding the impacts of climate change on insect populations and their interactions with the environment.
Performance optimisation of hybrid renewable systems for remote off-grid electrification
(Lamintang Education and Training Centre, 2026-03-19) Kalyankolo, Umaru; Kaaya, Salim; Asikuru, Salaama; Ochima, Noah; Mutaburura, Pison; Nansukusa, Yudaya; Nafuna, Ritah
This research focuses on modelling, simulation and optimization of a HRES for off grid electrification in remote areas of Uganda using solar and wind as the renewable sources, targeting a community of 100 households and 10 medical centers in Rigbo Sub-County, Arua District. Using HOMER Pro software, five configurations were evaluated: solar only, solar and wind, solar with generator, wind with generator, and a combination of solar and wind with generator. Costs, electrical performance and environmental impact of the configurations were compared. Load profiles were developed by estimating a daily consumption of households and medical centers, scaled to total annual load of 189,500-189,581kWh. Results indicate that hybrid systems incorporating a generator, particularly the configuration of solar, wind and generator, outperforms others with the lowest total NPC and the lowest LCOE and no unmet load, while maintaining high renewable fraction and manageable CO2 emission. Future studies should focus on validating these simulation results with empirical data from actual pilot deployments in remote Ugandan villages to account for real-world weather unpredictability. Investigating more dynamic and diverse energy demand models would also provide a deeper understanding of consumption patterns beyond uniform assumptions. Exploring the integration of advanced energy storage technologies and smart grid management could offer ways to further reduce reliance on diesel generators while maintaining system reliability.