Faculty and Staff Publications

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Charitable giving
(Steward Ministries, 2022-06) Prof. Sampson M. Nwaomah
Charitable giving may be defined as the willingness and decision to give money and other resources directly or doing so through organizations for worthy causes. Charitable giving is the kind act of making donations for the benefit of the underprivileged or for other worthy causes. Generally, charitable giving be could be secular or religious on nature. Secular charitable giving may include giving for the benefit of persons or causes without religious motivations. In some parts of the world, there are registered foundations/organizations which either give or receive money and other resources for this kind of purposes Religious charitable giving may be considered as the commitment to cheerfully give money or other resources beyond the regular tithes and offerings for a religious or other worthy cause(s). This kind of giving could be considered as part of a Christian’s response of gratitude to the unsurpassed sacrifice of God to save humanity by supporting worthy causes through his/her resources.
An Evaluation of Machine Learning Techniques for Crop Detection from Garden Images
(IEEE Xplore, 2023) Samson O. Ooko; Grace Kwagalakwe; Lossan Bonde
Agriculture is a major driver for different economies across the globe. With the continued advancement in technology, there is a move towards precision agriculture. A major area of research interest is the detection of crops by use of computer vision. Such can help in controlling pests and diseases and thus increase yields. However, given the wide range of techniques applied, there is a need to evaluate them to recommend the most suitable for the detection of different crops. This study was thus aimed at evaluating both traditional Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) techniques for the detection of banana and cassava crops from a set of garden images. First, a crop classification model was built using the traditional machine learning model with feature extraction algorithms being applied before training using K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) and Naïve Bayes. Another crop classification model was also built using deep learning (CNN) on an annotated dataset. The performance of both models was evaluated with deep learning giving the best result. Deep learning is thus recommended as the best model for crop detection.
Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML) Based Self Diagnostic Kit for Respiratory Diseases
(IEEE Xplore, 2023) Samson O. Ooko; Jimmy Nsenga
The World Health Organization (WHO) 2022 statistics show that over 3 million deaths globally result from chronic respiratory diseases yearly. Interestingly 90% of these deaths are reported from middle- and low-income countries. This may be attributed to the poor health care systems with few medical experts to enable early diagnosis and treatment of the diseases. There is therefore a need for cheap and accessible solutions to help solve the problems. The use of the latest technologies of Machine Learning (ML) and Internet of Things (IoT) provide capabilities that can enable cheap and convenient detection and monitoring of respiratory diseases. However, existing solutions are cloud-based and thus depend on the availability of internet connectivity to function. This poses privacy, security, and even connectivity challenges, especially in Africa. The concept of using an emerging ML technique for inferencing on resource-constrained devices known as Tiny ML was used as a solution enabling the development of a self diagnostic kit. The system captures breath Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) the collected data will be processed on the device and a Tiny ML algorithm used to detect if the sample is infected or not. The designed prototype was used to collect from healthy and unhealthy volunteers. The collected data was then used to train the prediction model. The ML model predicts respiratory diseases with an accuracy of 95.4% using less than 20% of the device resources. The proposed solution will reduce the dependency on medical experts and healthcare facilities and enable early detection of respiratory diseases.
Use of Machine Learning for Realtime Water Quality Prediction
(IEEE Xplore, 2023) Samson Otieno Ooko; Elaine Kansiime Pamela; Grace Kwagalakwe
Water is an essential resource that is a foundation not only for people’s lives but also for economic development. According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2021, over 2 billion people across the globe use water from contaminated sources leading to life-threatening diseases with over 485,000 deaths as a result of waterborne diseases being reported annually. There is therefore a need for tools and techniques that can be used to ensure water quality. Traditional water quality index calculations consume time and are often prone to errors. In the recent past use of Machine Learning (ML) in predicting water quality has generated interest among researchers as a real-time solution. From the reviewed literature, existing models only consider a few chemical properties of water while ignoring others. In addition, there is a need to compare the performance of different models. This study thus presents a supervised learning model for predicting water quality. Our hypotheses were that (i) most of such parameters are all important and none can be ignored and (ii) with supervised learning one can predict water quality based on its physio-chemical properties. Open data sets are explored as inputs with different models being evaluated. The results show that the Random Forest algorithm gives the best results with a 79 percent accuracy. The use of this model will go a long way towards ensuring water quality and thus reducing related diseases and fatalities.
The Significance of Τοῦτο in Act 2:16 to the Eschatology of Acts
(Pan-African Journal of Theology, 2024-07-12) Odhiambo David Odhiambo
The demonstrative pronoun “τοῦτό” in Acts 2:16 carries pragmatic weight, suggesting markedness and emphasizing the eschaton (v. 17). Despite scholarly oversight, verse 16’s syntactical placement within the main clause underscores its significance. This article seeks to rectify this neglect by examining Acts 2:16’s theological and syntactical importance, particularly the usage of “Τοῦτο” and its implications for understanding Acts’ eschatological framework. Through linguistic analysis, theological exploration, and intertextual connections, this study aims to reveal the profound implications of Acts 2:16 for the eschatological discourse in Luke’s narrative.
Biblical Foundations of Giving Insights Through the Seven WH Questions
(Steward Ministries magazine, 2024) Melak Alemayehu Tsegaw, PhD
Giving is a fundamental aspect of God’s kingdom, rooted deeply in the foundation of love. As the saying goes, “You can give without love, but you cannot love without giving.” This principle is woven throughout Scripture, illustrating how God designed His kingdom to operate on the principle of receiving in order to give. Understanding and embracing the concept of giving is crucial for anyone who desires to be part of His kingdom. This article explores the biblical foundation of giving, structured around seven key questions: What?, Why?, Who?, To Whom?, Which?, When?, and Where? From a biblical perspective, we will uncover the importance of giving in the Christian faith and how it should be practiced according to biblical principles.
Shaped in Iniquity or Knit Together by God? An Inquiry into the Psalmist’s Understanding of Humanity’s Sinful Nature
(Old Testament Essays, 2024) Melak Alemayehu Tsegaw, PhD
Several authors have employed Ps 51:5 as a foundation for teaching the doctrine of original sin, which portrays the complete depravity of human nature (cf. Ps 58:3). Nonetheless, various passages in the book of Psalms offer an alternative portrayal of the moral condition of the same human nature. These passages depict a close relationship between the worshipper and God from infancy (Pss 22:9; 71:6; 139:13). A sound hermeneutical principle necessitates that interpreters analyse both sets of passages rather than emphasising one and undermining the other. This essay endeavours to examine these passages and expound upon a comprehensive understanding of the nature of sinful humanity, as presented in the book of Psalms. Furthermore, it highlights not only the pervasiveness of sin but also the extent of YHWH's hesed, which makes such an intimate bonding with God possible even from the womb.
The Verbal Usage of עבדin the Book of Psalms: ExploringitsContextual Meaning and Theological Implications
(Pan-African Journal of Theology, 2024) Melak A. Tsegaw
The Hebrew word עבד, commonly translated as “serve, "holds significant theological implications in the Book of Psalms, particularly concerning worship of God. This article addresses a notable gap in scholarship by examining the contextual meanings of עבדin its verbal form across the Psalms and exploring its theological implications. Contrary to previous limited interpretations, this research reveals a broader semantic spectrum including total submission, gratitude expression, offering gifts, trust in God, and proclamation of His name. Furthermore, this study explores the theological implications derived from the contextual analysis עבדin Psalms. It highlights the significance of divine kingship in messianic Psalms where עבדappears frequently. The importance of knowledge is emphasized as essential for genuine worship, providing a basis to understand God’s nature and actions. Additionally, the study reveals the interconnectedness of submission, trust, and praise, forming a holistic framework for faithful service to God
Effectiveness of Spiritual and Moral Leadership in the Administration of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Run Schools in Bulawayo Province, Zimbabwe.
(International journal of research and innovation in social science (IJRISS), 2024-06) Yamukelani Humprey Ngwenya,PhD; Musa Nyakora ,PhD
The growing occurrence of moral decline in church-sponsored schools highlights the need for research on its impact on school administration. This study aimed to examine school administrators’ views and experiences regarding spiritual and moral leadership and how it influences school management. The research employed a qualitative interpretive approach to investigate school administrators’ views concerning spiritual and moral leadership and its impact within a school setting. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews, transcribed verbatim, translated to English, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study focused on administrators from Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) schools in Bulawayo Province, with a sample size of twenty (20) selected from four purposively chosen schools. The majority of participants highlighted key qualities of spiritual and moral leadership, including being centered on God, integrity, setting a good example, and serving others. Subsequently, the study identified specific traits associated with effective spiritual and moral leadership practices in schools, such as achieving high-quality outcomes, fostering disciplined learners, ensuring sufficient resources, and maintaining excellent infrastructure. The findings of this study strongly indicate that by adopting the highlighted attributes, educational leaders in SDA-run schools could decrease moral decline. Within the school environment, the impact of spiritual and moral leadership is demonstrated through achieving high-quality outcomes, fostering disciplined learners, ensuring ample resources, and maintaining top-notch infrastructure. These findings were crucial for school administrators and researchers as they heightened awareness about spiritual and moral leadership practices. Additionally, it was expected that these findings would influence the values and practices of future school leaders.
Frontline Leadership in Communicating Organizational Policies and Its Mediating Influence on Employee Commitment in Nonprofit Organizations in Monrovia, Liberia
(Pan-African Journal of Education and Social Sciences (PAJES), 2024-12-24) Frank O. Bannor; Dr. Derrick O. Deya; Josephine Ganu, PhD
This study examined the influence of frontline leadership communication on employee commitment within nonprofit organizations in Monrovia, Liberia. Four key questions guided the research: (1) perceptions of leaders’ communication and transparency, (2) commitment levels, (3) the relationship between communication, transparency, and commitment, and (4) the mediating role of transparency. Data from 388 respondents show that employees perceive communication and transparency positively. A strong positive correlation (r=0.891, p < 0.001) was found between these factors and commitment, which predicted 82.5% of the variance. The Sobel test confirms that transparency mediates this relationship (z = 7.403, p < 0.001). This highlights the importance of strategic communication in enhancing employee commitment. Recommendations include broadening the study’s scope to determine if the findings are applicable across various cultural and organizational contexts.
Corporate Social Responsibility: A Paradigm Shift towards Organizational Care for Employees’ Wellbeing
(East African Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 2024-06) Josephine Ganu, PhD
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has gained significant attention in recent years, with organizations increasingly focusing on their impact on society and the environment. However, while many organizations prioritize external stakeholders, the well-being of internal stakeholders, particularly employees, is often overlooked. This article contends that an authentic socially responsible organization should care for the well-being of both external and internal stakeholders equally. Through a literature review, this study examined the concept of CSR in the context of employees’ well-being. It developed a conceptual framework to theorize how deliberate organizational initiatives can improve employees' overall well-being, ultimately contributing to their quality of work life and life satisfaction. The study highlights the importance of responsible organizations demonstrating a strong sense of responsibility towards their employees through organizational care and implementing sound workplace practices and policies. This study emphasizes the need for increased attention to the internal dimensions of CSR and greater transparency in reporting structured practices that support employees’ well-being
Does Strategic Leadership Impact Organizational Performance Outcomes Mediated by Crisis Management Practices in Faith-based Health Institutions in Malawi?
(International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 2024-03-27) Martha Kanchiputu Kamwiyo; Prof. Josephine Ganu
The paper aims to identify the links between strategic leadership practices, crisis management and organizational performance. Specifically, the paper will examine the characteristics of the top management team, their decision-making process and skills, and how they influence crisis management practices and organizational performance. All data were gathered by means of a methodical review of the literature. Based on the COVID-19 circumstance, it was observed that crisis management was difficult in many firms. The gap that was discovered during the COVID-19 timeframe served as the basis for the paper. This study is a component of the ongoing main research project. Top management makes decisions and presents them to staff members in strategic leadership. A crisis is an unwelcome event that could occur in an organization and affect the organization negatively or positively. In healthcare crisis management must be effective from the onset to achieve organizational performance outcomes. Therefore, strategic leadership will enhance crisis management to achieve organizational performance outcomes. Strategic leadership has been identified to have been critical in crisis management because it is visionary. The findings of this literature review identified that organizations must train employees to become strategic leaders because strategic leaders are visionary. Crisis management training should be conducted and have crisis management committees in place. Crisis preparation must be done in all organizations to manage any disaster/crisis.
Perceived Spiritual Leadership Behavior, Leadership Skills, and Spiritual Well-being in Seventh-day Adventist Congregational Settings in Rwanda: A Quantitative Study
(Pan-African Journal of Education and Social Sciences (PAJES), 2024-07-02) Obed Byiringiro; Prof. Josephine Ganu
This quantitative study investigated the relationship between perceived spiritual leadership behavior, leadership skills, and spiritual well-being in Seventh-day Adventist congregational settings in Rwanda. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire among 312 Seventh-day Adventist congregants. The results showed that spiritual leadership (r = .69; p<.01), leadership skills (r =. 31; p< .0l), and age (r =. 13; p< .05) are significant correlates of spiritual well-being. The study also revealed that spiritual leadership behaviors, such as leading by example (β = .14, p < .01) and integrity (β = .13, p < .01), significantly influence congregational spiritual well-being. Additionally, spiritual caregiving (β = .21, p < 0.05) and counseling (β = .16, p < 0.05) were identified as significant and positive contributors to spiritual well-being. On the other hand, factors such as age, educational level, and gender did not significantly impact congregational spiritual well-being. The overall results indicate that spiritual leadership significantly predicts congregational spiritual well-being (adj. r2= 0.47; β = 0.69, p < 0.001) when all variables were considered. These results underscore the importance of spiritual leadership behaviors in enhancing congregational spiritual well-being within the Seventh-day Adventist congregations in Rwanda. They emphasize the necessity for spiritual leaders to demonstrate authentic spiritual leadership qualities to positively influence their congregations. The study provides valuable insights that can assist leaders in purposefully nurturing the spiritual well-being of their members.
Relationship between leadership, intangible and tangible resources, and sustained competitive advantage in selected Adventist institutions in Zimbabwe
(Pan-African Journal of Education and Social Sciences (PAJES), 2024) Godfrey Musara; Dr. Marie-Anne Razafiarivony
This quantitative study investigated the effects of leadership and tangible and intangible resources on sustainable competitive advantage. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the Seventh-day Adventist Church Institutions in Zimbabwe, comprising 150 schools, 12 clinics, an NGO, and a university. A questionnaire was administered to 341 purposively selected respondents to participate in the study. The results of the correlation analysis show that leadership (r = .57; p<.01), tangible resources (r =. 53; p< .0l), and intangible resources (r =. 43; p< .05) significantly correlate with sustainable competitive advantage. Furthermore, the regression analysis showed that all three variables combined had a significant effect on sustainable competitive advantage (adjusted R-square = .359) (F (3, 327) =62.61, p<0.05). Additionally, the analysis shows that leadership (β = .370; p < 0.05) and tangible resources (β = .273; p < 0.05) contributed the most to the institutions’ sustainable competitive advantage. However intangible resources, singly, do not significantly affect the competitive advantage. The results confirm the key role of leadership in creating a competitive advantage in organizations. Thus, the study highlights that without leaders’ willingness and effective engagement, those institutions cannot effectively compete in the marketplace despite the presence of resources.
Monitoring and Predicting African Rural Household Air Pollution Using Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence
(Pan-African Journal of Health and Environmental Science (AHJES), 2024-07-02) Samson O. Ooko; Enatha Rweyemamu
According to a 2020 report from the World Health Organization (WHO), household air pollution has led to over 3 million deaths globally, with recent statistics showing a worsening situation in Africa. Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies can help address this global challenge. IoT enables real-time data collection for monitoring pollution levels, while AI algorithms predict pollution before it reaches hazardous levels. However, existing solutions are not tailored to the African context, where wood fuel is a primary pollutant, and they predominantly focus on monitoring rather than prediction. This study presents the design and implementation of an IoT-based solution for monitoring and predicting indoor air pollution in rural African households. The system collects data in real time and transmits it to the cloud for storage, processing, and analysis, with alerts to users when pollution is detected. An AI model was successfully trained and tested to predict indoor air pollution based on the collected data. The results indicate that this approach significantly improves the accuracy and timeliness of pollution alerts, potentially reducing health risks associated with indoor air pollution. The successful implementation and testing of the system demonstrate its potential for broader applications in various indoor environments.
A Machine Learning Model for Prediction of Malaria from Microscopic Blood Cell Images
(IEEE Xplore, 2024) Samson Otieno Ooko; Charles Theuri Kagwi
Machine learning (ML), a pivotal subset of artificial intelligence (AI), has been instrumental in developing systems that learn from and enhance their performance based on data. This technology has facilitated the creation of predictive models for a range of diseases, including pneumonia, heart disease, and COVID-19, allowing for diagnosis based on specific data parameters. Traditionally, malaria detection has relied on the microscopic examination of blood cells, a method that is not only time-consuming but also prone to misdiagnosis, leading potentially to the incorrect treatment of patients. This study introduces a machine-learning model designed to identify patterns in microscopic images of blood cells to differentiate between healthy and malaria-infected cells. Utilizing publicly available datasets from Kaggle for both training and testing, we evaluated the performance of K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) algorithms. Our findings show that the CNN model significantly outperformed the KNN model, achieving an accuracy of 94%, and requiring less memory and computational time. Therefore, the CNN model is recommended for further development and use. The implementation of this model represents a significant step forward in achieving the sustainable development goals related to health and wellness, offering a more reliable, efficient, and scalable tool for malaria diagnosis.
Application of Tiny Machine Learning in Predicative Maintenance in Industries
(Journal of computing theories and applications, 2024-08-02) Samson O. Ooko; Simon M. Karume
The advancements in the Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Learning (ML) have enabled significant improvements in Predictive Maintenance (PdM) in industries, providing economic benefits by reducing equipment downtime and maintenance costs. Traditional ML approaches, however, re-quire more computational resources and are often limited to cloud-based processing, leading to in-creased costs and high latencies. Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML) offers a novel solution by enabling ML models to run on low-power, resource-constrained devices at the edge, facilitating real-time, on-device inference. This review analyzesTinyML applications in PdM, highlighting the technology's po-tential to transform industrial maintenance practices. We explore the differences between TinyML and standard ML, discuss the economic and operational advantages of adopting PdM, and present practical case studies where TinyML has been successfully implemented. In addition, we address the challenges facing TinyML, including hardware limitations and the need for specialized algorithms. Our findings indicate that while TinyML is a promising technology for PdM, further research is needed to overcome these challenges and fully realize its potential. This review contributes to understandingTinyML's role in industrial PdM and outlines a roadmap for future research and development in this emerging field.
Evangelism Strategies, Conversion Patterns, and Membership Retention Strategies in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sub-Saharan Africa: Report of Findings for East-Central Africa Division of Seventh-day Adventist Church, Nairobi
(Andrews University, 2024) Prof Sampson M. Nwaomah; Williams Kwasi Peprah; Rei Kesis; Warren S. Simatele
The initiative for this study began in December 2021 when a team of Seventhday Adventist educators and researchers from the Adventist University of Africa (Kenya), University of Eastern Africa, Baraton (Kenya), Rusangu University (Zambia), and Valley View University (Ghana) formed the Africa Seventh-day Adventist Study Group (ASDASG). The group’s primary aim is to use research to support the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in sub-Saharan Africa. After communicating with divisional leadership across the continent, the East-Central Africa Division and West-Central Africa Division endorsed the initiative. They provided funding for the first phase of the study. Consequently, the fieldwork was conducted between April and August 2023 in these two divisions. The analysis of findings and the report writing began in late 2023. We hope and pray that the findings and recommendations of this study will significantly contribute to advancing the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in these divisions. The Africa Seventh-day Adventist Study Group (ASDASG) conducted a comprehensive study to understand the dynamics between Evangelism Strategies, Conversion Patterns, and Membership Retention in The Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study, which used a quantitative method, aimed to interpret the demographic segment relationship between conversion patterns and retention factors. It sought to provide insights and strategies for strengthening evangelism and member nurturing within the Church in the East-Central Africa Division (ECD).
Ethical Implications of Deceit in Religious Narratives
(Internationmal journal olf research and innovation in social science(IJRISS), 2025-01-03) Augustin Tchamba
This paper investigates the ethical dimensions of divine deception through a case study of the biblical story of Hebrew midwives in Exodus 1. It zeroes in on the moral dilemma faced by the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah from Exodus, who courageously defied Pharaoh’s directive to kill newborn boys. The narrative pits faith against ethics and deception against a higher moral calling, then asks whether there is any justification for lying in the latter’s execution. The midwives’ story is an object lesson in examining big-picture moral philosophy, e.g., providentialism, cross-temporal differences, or the intersection of civil disobedience and laws regarding a whistleblower concept (the ethical practice of revealing information that is believed to be evidence of wrongdoing). This mirrors the moral quandary when the authority conflicts with the moral code. By conducting contextual, interpretive, and semantic analysis, the thesis highlights the depth of the midwives’ actions and the lessons they hold for current ethical conundrums, like the ethics of civil disobedience and the moral significance of whistleblowing. It raises the question of how spirituality informs decision-making today. No matter how one interprets the moral standing behind the midwives’ decisions, the paper ultimately asserts that this is a central parable with a potent allegory about the moral crossroads one faces between justice, mercy, and supporting oppression. It ends with the lesson that deception is not a means to an end and that God does not support deception in reaching something higher. The midwives were praised for fearing God, not for lying.
The Meaning of Integrity in Postmodernism
(International journal of research and innovation in social science (IJRISS), 2024-12-23) Augustin Tchamba
This paper aims to analyze the concept of integrity, how it should be defined, the importance of the concept throughout history, and whether or not the concept of integrity is still relevant in a postmodern world. Integrity, derived from the Latin word “integer,” which reflects wholeness and moral completeness, is traditionally defined as following moral and ethical principles and being consistent and honest. In the paper, we explore how Job, Ruth, and Daniel are just three examples of individuals who stood in their integrity despite losing jobs, family members, homes, and even their own lives. The influence of postmodern relativism on truth and morality is then analyzed, and it is shown how this contemporary philosophical trend has shaped a notably situational definition of integrity. It ends by asserting the timeless relevance of integrity in today’s world despite the obstacles of mediated notions of morality and identity politics that accompany contemporary life.

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