Academic literature on the topic 'Arusha (African people)'

PurposeThe study examined users' perceived level of service at the African Union Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (AUCHPR) library in Arusha, Tanzania.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a quantitative approach in line with the tenets of the LibQUAL and SERVQUAL protocols, which were used as theoretical lenses and informed the development of questionnaires which were used to collect data. The target population consisted of 94 library users.FindingsThe study found that the library's best services, in terms of their quality and as perceived by users, lie in its human resources (i.e. affect of service, assurance and responsiveness). On the other hand, the lowest perceived level of services was recorded in the aspects related to information collection and physical facilities (i.e. library as a place and tangibles).Research limitations/implicationsThis study was based on the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights library in Arusha, Tanzania. The study covered both internal and external users of the library.Practical implicationsThe study identified strengths and weaknesses of the African Court library as far as the perceived level of service is concerned, and the findings can therefore be used to inform decisions on the improvement of quality of the library services. In so doing, the library will be in a stronger position to offer quality services and assist the court in attaining its objectives of promoting and protecting human rights in Africa. With improved library service quality, the non-judicial staff, external users and society in general will stand to benefit from the library.Originality/valueWhile drawing lessons from previous service quality studies, this study is the first quality assessment study to be done in the African Court library. It is also the first to use a combination of LibQUAL and SERVQUAL models in the context of the African Court library services.

Abstract The article aims to think anew about the jurisdiction ratione materiae of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The Court, based in Arusha, enjoys a distinctive contentious jurisdiction which extends to the interpretation and application of any other relevant human rights instrument ratified by the States concerned. The Court’s striking features set it apart from human rights bodies and most international courts. Its jurisdiction has been received with scepticism and fear arguing that, if the Court extends its jurisdiction over treaties other than the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, this will lead to jurisprudential chaos and will undermine the formation of the African corpus juris. This article discusses the case law of the Court since 2013, when the Court started functioning, and argues that these concerns are over-emphasized. The analysis underlines the shifting authority of specialized and/or regional courts; the need not to overstress but to appreciate positively instances of divergence; and the consideration of new conceptual and geographical topoi, in which international law is to be found and produced.

Livestock keepers in sub-Saharan Africa face a range of pressures, including climate change, land loss, restrictive policies, and population increase. Widespread adaptation in response can lead to the emergence of new, non-traditional typologies of livestock production. We sought to characterise livestock production systems in two administrative regions in northern Tanzania, an area undergoing rapid social, economic, and environmental change. Questionnaire and spatial data were collected from 404 livestock-keeping households in 21 villages in Arusha and Manyara Regions in 2016. Multiple factor analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to classify households into livestock production systems based on household-level characteristics. Adversity-based indicators of vulnerability, including reports of hunger, illness, and livestock, land and crop losses were compared between production systems. Three distinct clusters emerged through this process. The ethnic, environmental and livestock management characteristics of households in each cluster broadly mapped onto traditional definitions of ‘pastoral’, ‘agro-pastoral’ and ‘smallholder’ livestock production in the study area, suggesting that this quantitative classification system is complementary to more qualitative classification methods. Our approach allowed us to demonstrate a diversity in typologies of livestock production at small spatial scales, with almost half of study villages comprising more than one production system. We also found indicators of change within livestock production systems, most notably the adoption of crop agriculture in the majority of pastoral households. System-level heterogeneities in vulnerability were evident, with agro-pastoral households most likely to report hunger and pastoral households most likely to report illness in people and livestock, and livestock losses. We demonstrate that livestock production systems can provide context for assessing household vulnerability in northern Tanzania. Policy initiatives to improve household and community well-being should recognise the continuing diversity of traditional livestock production systems in northern Tanzania, including the diversity that can exist at small spatial scales.

Background Continuous occurrence of snakebite incidences and the vulnerability of some communities remain a critical problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite causing permanent disability to almost half a million people annually and numerous deaths, snakebite and associated complications are still largely neglected. This study aimed at elucidating risk factors associated with snakebite cases, treatment availability and case management practices for vulnerable agro-pastoralist communities in Northern Tanzania. Methods Data was collected in the Monduli (Arusha region) and the Simanjiro (Manyara region) districts in Tanzania. Interviews with 101 snakebite victims or their guardians and 13 health professionals from 3 health centers in the districts were conducted. Additionally, case records of patients admitted between 2007 and 2019 to the Meserani Snakebite Clinic were obtained. Results This study showed that appropriate treatment for snakebite including anti-venom, is difficult to access and that snakebite incidences were significantly linked to factors such as gender, age, socio-economic activity, season of the year, and whether being at home or out in the fields. Anti-venom and trained health professionals were only available at the Meserani Snake Park Clinic. Men were bitten most often (χ2 = 62.08, df = 4, p-value < 0.0001). Overall, adults between the ages of 18 and 60 years (χ2 = 62.08, df = 4, p-value < 0.0001) received most bites, usually while outdoors herding cattle in the dry season. A significant majority of victims looked for traditional treatment first (52.7%, χ2 = 29.541, df = 2, p-value = 0.0001). The results of this study present crucial information on what is needed to improve the accessibility to appropriate treatment after a snakebite among agro-pastoral communities. Conclusion The situation regarding morbidity and mortality due to the inaccessibility of common treatment for snakebite in northern Tanzania is challenging. Reliance on traditional medicine exacerbates the situation. There is dire need to involve affected communities, researchers, the government, clinicians and the public in general, to work together and take part in the global snakebite initiative. Communities and health professionals recognise the underlying challenges and have valuable suggestions on how to improve the situation.

PurposeGroupthink happens in-group decision-making processes whereby members of a group prematurely arrive at a decision that may indicate consensus but for the aim of protecting group harmony. This limits the contributions of the individuals' talents, ideas, competences and experiences to more effective decisions. Although there are a number of studies on predictors (forecasters) of groupthink, they do not consider the influence of the African cultural aspects of collectivism, high power distance and tolerance on groupthink that may characterise the decision-making context in African settings. It is in that context that this case study analyses groupthink in a public sector organization in Tanzania.Design/methodology/approachThis paper unveils the presence of groupthink predictors that can affect the quality of decisions made in groups within the Tanzania context. The study was conducted in one of the public institutions in Tanzania that is under the Ministry of Home affairs. The study population included Directors, Managers, Heads of units, District registration officers and other officials as shown in Table 1. These are the people who participate in decision-making processes in the organization and were drawn from different offices of the organization including the headquarter office, Kibaha Data centre, District Registration offices from different regions including Dares Salaam, Coast region, Arusha, Mtwara, Mwanza, Manyara, Mbeya, Singida, Dodoma, Geita, Lindi and Njombe – these 12 administrative regions are among the 27 regions that make up the Tanzania mainland. Through simple random and purposive sampling methods, a total of 97 participants participated effectively. The criterion for participation being participants must have been involved with at least one decision-making group experience. The choice of the organization was done on the basis that it is a relatively a new institution of importance; it was also possible to get from it the needed data.FindingsThe results of the study show that there is the presence of groupthink predictors of high trust, conformity and promotional leadership in decision-making groups in the organization. Furthermore, the diversity of group members alone indicates to be insufficient reason to avoid Groupthink. It is suggested that other important factors might be at play in group decision making including the influence of African cultural characteristics.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was limited to only one institution. For a study of this nature to be undertaken access to data could be a very significant problem. Limiting it to one organization we are familiar with made it a bit easy to achieve access.Practical implicationsGroup decision making and groupthink are rarely in discourse in Africa. Tanzania is not isolated from the world, and being a country that unity is a cultural tenet that is promoted at every level from the family to national level (Rwegelera, 2003; Tripp, 1999) effects of groupthink is reasonably conspicuous because of the inbuilt national culture that has shaped people to be tolerant and accepting of different perspectives, ethnic groups, religious and races (Tripp, 1999). The same tolerance and acceptance may be transferred to decision-making groups and easily cause the occurrence of groupthink that can affect the quality of decisions made.Social implicationsThe Tanzania government has dedicated itself to putting strict measures to prohibit unethical and erroneous decisions that cost the nation including reducing employees' misconduct. The findings of this study indicate that there are hidden aspects like groupthink that are not reached by those measures yet ironically impacts the decisions made in organizations and in turn costs organizations and the country at large and calls for the government and its institutions together with the private sector to be awakened and alerted if they are dedicated and concerned about the quality of decisions they make.Originality/valueThis is an original research work building on previous research. Some findings on groupthink and implications have Western origins. In Africa, we need to figure out what is making the continent not to make significant steps to change the social-economic environment. This study highlights to both African academics and leaders with no management background to make them understand groupthink as a phenomena that has implications to quality decisions. It will also prompt similar studies and therefore widen understanding on decisions making.

A validation study was conducted in the Maasai and Batemi communities of Arusha, Tanzania between December 1996 and January 1997. The aim of this study was to compare a participatory nutrition status assessment procedure carried out by community members with an assessment completed by a professional. The study validated women (15--50 years of age) dietary intake assessments and assessed the reliability of anthropometric assessments of preschool (12--71 months) children in the hands of non-professionals. The prevalence of under-nutrition was similar for the two data sets and reliability of anthropometric measurements was found to be good except for the mid-upper-arm circumference measurement for which the difference between measurements of the professional and the nonprofessional and between two occasions differed significantly (p < 0.001). Results suggest that participatory nutrition status assessment procedure by community members is useful and fairly reliable, giving results similar to a procedure administered by a professional for some anthropometric indices. The correlation between a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire administered by community members and a series of three 24-h recalls administered by a professional for assessing the risk of inadequate intake was found to be weak for vitamin A and protein but moderate for iron. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients between the mean of three 24-h recalls values and semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire estimates were 0.47 (p < 0.05) for iron, 0.29 (p < 0.05) for protein and 0.26 (p < 0.05) for vitamin A. The questionnaire produced results showing significantly higher intake estimates of protein (p < 0.001), vitamin A (p < 0.001) and iron (p < 0.01) than the average of three 24-hour recalls.

After living in Ngaramtoni for five years, Charlotte and Pete buy a vacant piece of rocky land in Embaseni village near Arusha, in the tribal land of the Meru people. Pete and Charlotte O’Neal construct a multi-building compound consisting of their home, guest house, dormitories for visiting students, dining facility, classrooms, workshops, and a home for over twenty underprivileged Tanzanian children. They establish friendly relations with the Meru and work to bring piped water and electricity to parts of the village. With financial help from Omar Jamal, a Washington, D.C., businessman, they create the United African American Community Center to promote Tanzanian development and share Tanzanian traditions with Americans. In separate interviews, Pete and Charlotte assess their lives and experience raising a family in Tanzania. Pete also describes meeting attorney Paul Magnarella and asking him to review his 1970 trial.