Kabale University Digital Repository (KAB-DR)
KAB-DR preserves research output from the Kabale University community
Communities in KAB-DR
Select a community to browse its collections.
- The collections in this Community are comprised of Indigenous Knowledge emanating from communities in the neighborhoods of Kabale University. These are communities in the great Kigezi Region.
- This community holds students (Graduates) dissertation and Thesis, Staff field reports, Students (undergraduate) study reports
- The community includes research article publications in journals both local and international, conference papers in proceedings and reports, abstracts and reviews by Kabale University Staff and Students
Recent Submissions
Spatiotemporal variability of surface water quality in tropical agriculture-dominated catchments: insights from water quality indices
(Scientific Reports, 2025) Saturday, Alex; Herrnegger, Mathew; Kangume, Susan; Stecher, Gabriel
Surface water quality in tropical, agriculture-dominated catchments faces intense pressure from human activities, yet comprehensive, index-based assessments for these regions remain limited. This study aimed to use an index-based assessment to examine the spatial and temporal changes in water quality within the Maziba catchment in southwestern Uganda, characterised by increasing land-use pressures. Monthly surface water samples were collected from 16 stations between July 2023 and June 2024 to analyse physicochemical parameters. The study employed the Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI) for assessing drinking water suitability, the Comprehensive Pollution Index (CPI) for evaluating aquatic ecosystem health, and a new combined risk framework to deliver an integrated, stakeholder-oriented assessment. WAWQI results ranged from “good” to “unfit for consumption”, with 69% of stations classified as “poor” to “unfit”. CPI indicated “slight pollution” on average. Notably, the integrated risk assessment did not classify any stations as “Low Risk”, while most were classified as “High Risk” (50.0%) or “Severe Risk” (18.8%). Human activities and seasonal changes have a significant impact on water quality deterioration in the Maziba catchment. The simultaneous decline in water suitability for drinking and ecosystem health underscores the need for integrated management strategies that target both diffuse and point-source pollution to protect public health and aquatic ecosystems.
Improving microstructural properties, mechanical performance, and processability of flux-engineered stir cast boron carbide (B4C)- reinforced AA6061 composites with K₂TiF₆ integration
(Taylor & Francis Group., 2025) Baraha, Obinna Onyebuchi; Bori, Ige; Otaru, Abdulrazak Jinadu; Khan, Hayat
Flux-assisted stir casting of AA6061–B₄C is limited by incomplete wetting, oxide films, and porosity. This study optimizes the K₂TiF₆-assisted process, defining a minimal effective flux window (0.5–1.0 wt%) while holding melt (≈750 °C), stirring (≈600 rpm, 10 min), and mold temperature (≈250 °C) constant and varying B₄C (4–12 wt%) in a single, industry-style rig. SEM/EDS/XRD indicate near-uniform dispersion to 10 wt% and mild clustering at 12 wt%. Measurable performance gains. Measured as group means ± SD (n = 3), microhardness (HV₀.₅) increased from 68 → 113 (+62%), and UTS rose from 142 → 215 MPa (+51.4%); porosity rose modestly (~1.5→3.5%). Rule-of-mixtures predictions reproduce the 4–12 wt% trend, supporting a mechanism in which low-dose K₂TiF₆ disrupts oxide films, enhances wetting, and improves load transfer. By quantifying a low-flux regime that limits Ti contamination and salt waste while delivering predictable structure–property outcomes, the work provides process-level guidance for scalable production of lightweight aluminum composites for weight-critical structural applications.
A secret for survival: covert contraceptive use and the burden of male resistance to family planning in Kigezi, Uganda
(Springer Nature., 2025) Kibonire, Ronald Arineitwe; Mphuthi, David Ditaba; Twinomujuni, Muzafaru
In the rural highlands of Uganda’s Rubanda District, a region with a critically high maternal mortality rate, women’s attempts to plan their families are often shrouded in secrecy due to spousal opposition.While male opposition is a well-documented barrier to contraceptive use in sub-Saharan Africa, the literature lacks a deep, context-specific understanding of the dynamics driving this resistance in critically high-burden settings like the Rubanda District, Uganda, where women are compelled to resort to covert contraceptive use.This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of women to understand the underlying drivers of male resistance to Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs). Data were collected through a combination of eight in-depth interviews (IDIs) with individual participants and two focus group discussions (FGDs) comprising seven and nine women respectively. The findings indicate that male resistance is not monolithic but stems from a complex interplay of factors: deep-seated misinformation due to exclusion from health education, powerful socio-cultural norms that equate masculinity with high fertility, and the pervasive impact of alcohol abuse, which leads to the abdication of familial responsibilities. These barriers compel women to adopt contraception covertly, placing them at risk of marital conflict and domestic violence. This secrecy arises from the lack of husbands’ engagement in health programs and reflects women’s determination to safeguard their health and secure the wellbeing of their children. The paper amplifies these women’s voices, illuminating their silent struggle and emphasizing the urgent need for systemic interventions and health programs that actively involve men, challenge harmful social norms, and remove barriers to equitable and collaborative family planning.
Performing Sustainability: The Power of Theatre in Environmental Communication
(African Journal of Climate Change and Resource Sustainability, 2025) Muhumuza, Michael; Jjemba, Eric Lutaaya; Mbabazi, Pamela Byakwaga
This article interrogates the intersections of performance theory and sustainability communication by foregrounding theatre as a critical modality for re-imagining ecological futures. While dominant environmental discourses frequently privilege technocratic or informational paradigms, this study argues that theatre mobilises affect, embodiment, and collective spectatorship to destabilise anthropocentric narratives and cultivate ecological consciousness. Grounded in performance theory, ecocriticism, and sustainability studies, the paper conceptualises theatre as both an epistemic practice and an experience that disrupts linear models of knowledge transfer. Instead, it provides dialogic spaces where audiences encounter environmental crises as lived, affective, and relational phenomena. Drawing on theoretical frameworks such as performativity, liminality, and eco-aesthetics, the paper situates theatre as a transformative communicative practice that reconfigures human–nature relations and expands the discursive repertoire of environmental sustainability. Rather than functioning as a supplementary cultural form, theatre emerges here as a generative site of environmental meaning-making, capable of reshaping imaginaries, contesting hegemonic narratives of development, and advancing sustainability transitions. The argument contributes to ongoing debates in performance, environmental sciences, development, and sustainability by demonstrating how theatrical praxis extends beyond representation to enact ecological agency and social transformation.
Working capital management, accounts receivable, and performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
(International Journal of Financial, Accounting, and Management, 2025) Eton, Marus; Mwosi, Fabian; Ogwel, Bernard Patrick; Olupot, Simon Peter
Purpose: This study examined how working capital managementand accounts receivables influence the performance of SMEs in Uganda and proposes policy options to address the financial and managerial challenges identified. The study provides insights into how efficient financial practices can support SME sustainability in a competitive business environment.
Research Methodology: A cross-sectional research design was adopted to assess the existing conditions of working capital management and accounts receivable practices. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire distributed to 180 SMEs selected for the study. Inferential statistical techniques were applied during data analysis to test the research hypotheses, and several hypothesis tests were conducted to form a sound basis for interpretation and conclusion.
Results: The findings indicate that improvements in working capital management significantly enhance SME performance. Similarly, better accounts receivable practices such as offering discounts and regularly reviewing credit policies—can contribute to improved financial outcomes. The results show that both working capital management and accounts receivables are significant predictors of SME performance.
Conclusions: SMEs that adopt sound working capital and receivables management strategies can thrive even in challenging business environments. Effective financial management also reduces the need for borrowed capital, enabling SMEs to operate more efficiently and sustainably.
Limitations: The study was geographically limited to Lira City, which may restrict the applicability of findings to broader contexts.
Contribution: The study provides important guidance for SME owners and policymakers on how working capital and receivables management practices influence enterprise performance.