INSTITUTIONS ADDRESS RESEARCH INTEGRITY

Research in every aspect is a very critical activity for human kind as it creates knowledge that benefits the society. It represents major commitment by different parties involved, whether in the public or private sector. Commitment to upholding research integrity, which has been defined as adherence to ethical principles and professional standards essential for the responsible practice of research, is very fundamental in realizing the immense benefits of research. Research findings constitute the basis for major decisions, and consequently it is only prudent that research process is conducted with integrity, in such a responsible manner and in accordance with high ethical standards.

Researchers the world over are expected to maintain the highest standards of research integrity in responsible conduct of their research. Researchers and research institutions have the primary responsibility to enhance research integrity, while research funding agencies are equally critical in contributing to the creation of a scientific environment to conduct responsible research for prosperity. Responsible conduct of research as espoused in principles of research integrity is instrumental in instilling confidence to the research community and the public at large.

With the witnessed rapid growth of research and expansion of education capacity globally, the issues of research integrity are increasingly becoming even more important than before. These unprecedented opportunities for researchers and institutions to collaborate at all levels to expand scientific knowledge for solving the ever increasing societal challenges calls for more commitment to research integrity principles to enhance trustworthiness of the research processes by the scientific community. Efforts to develop principles and ethical guidelines to promote research integrity have been ongoing from different fronts.

Promotion of collaborative research nationally and across continents to benefit scientific community will flourish when researchers and institutions function within a sustained environment that nurture confidence and trust in research findings and support  free and open exchange of research results and ideas. Research integrity tenets therefore call for upholding both personal and corporate accountability and acknowledgement and respects intellectual contributions of others in the community. While all researchers are expected to be fully committed to set out ethical principles and professional standards, researchers involving human subjects in their research remains with a greater challenge. Studying people, their tissues and their data raises more ethical complexities not seen with basic research, including responsibility for the safety and privacy of study participants. Similarly, research institution should be committed to research integrity through creating an environment that promotes responsible conduct by enacting  standards of excellence, accountability, trustworthiness, lawfulness and professionalism.

Research integrity for individual researcher is more of an aspect of moral character and experience. It is expected this will call for a commitment to intellectual honesty and personal responsibility for individual’s actions and good practices set for responsible research conduct such as:- honesty and fairness in reporting; accuracy; fairness; non-disclosure of conflicts of interest; adherence to set guidelines; protection of human subjects and humane care of animals among others.

Proper conduct of research for researchers and institutions involved in research enterprise to execute the right things as proposed in research protocol should be the guiding principle. Research must be inclined to perform carefully designed research experiments while taking into consideration the ethical issues, accurate data capture and reporting results in time in order to advance knowledge. While this is the desired aim, cases of misconduct in research continue to pose a challenge to research integrity. Particularly research misconduct involving lack of financial integrity in use of research funds, fabrication data, falsification of research findings, plagiarism which is the use of intellectual property without proper acknowledgment.

The Global Research Council (GRC) an organization comprised of the heads of science and engineering funding agencies from around the world advocates for the basic principles of research integrity namely honesty, responsibility, fairness and accountability as very essential to be adhered to within the framework of responsible conduct of research.  I gave presentation during GRC second Annual meeting held in Berlin last week on issues research integrity, from Kenyan perspective. The meeting endorsed research integrity principles committing researchers and research institutions to remain ultimately responsible for undertaking research with integrity and also oblige research funding agencies to ensure that supported research abides to the possible highest standards. In driving the process, the research funding agencies are expected to champion a number of principles to ensure integrity in research which includes:- leadership in the responsible management of research programs, encouraging institutions to develop and implement policies and systems to promote integrity in all aspects of the research enterprise, promote continual training in research integrity, and develop initiatives to educate all researchers and students on the importance of research integrity. They are also expected to publish policies and procedures to promote research integrity and to address allegations of research misconduct, support a process that values accountability, timeliness and fairness during any investigation of misconduct, incorporate integrity in research as a condition for obtaining and maintaining funding by researchers and institutions work cooperatively with partners to support and facilitate research integrity worldwide.

There is every need to continuously raise the public attention to research integrity issues, highlighting weaknesses in institutional research policies and regulatory frameworks. In Kenya, several cases have been highlighted in this regard, these include; conduct of research without ethical approval, Misappropriation of research funds, plagiarism and bio-prospecting.

To address these issues the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST) has come up with several strategies; to safeguard the conduct of research particularly those involving human subject ethical approvals, NCST as funding agency and regulatory body created a National Bioethics Committee(NBC) to promote and monitor ethical practices in Kenya. The role of the NBC is to provide advice to institutional ethics committees, policy formulation and dispute resolution. As the numbers of research applications increases due to the growth of national research and innovation system,  other  institutional ethics committees have been accredited to act on behalf of  NCST in  ensuring that all applications are appropriately reviewed and proper ethical consideration given to each.

In efforts to ensure prudent use of research funds NCST has instituted strict monitoring and evaluation regime. This covers all funded research projects to guard misappropriation of funds through authorized changes in approved research protocols and procurement of unbudgeted items. Regular participatory monitoring and evaluation exercises are carried out to ensure timeliness in project implementation and enhance accountability.  It is now a mandatory requirement to incorporate projects log frames with clear measurable indicators and milestones to be covered in research proposals submitted for funding.

The issue of plagiarism was also evident in proposals submitted to NCST for funding in the last phase. The anti-plagiarism software is already in place and this will address plagiarism cases in future applications. However, Educational institutions must be keen on addressing issues of plagiarism and put in place proper mentorship programs. There has been a case of reported bio-resources taken outside the country without clear material transfer agreements. This calls for strict adherence to ethical research practices while enforcing adoption of access and benefit sharing tenets and increasing awareness of Intellectual property regimes.   

Some of deliberate approaches to nurture research integrity in Kenya could include sustained promotion of institutional and individual capacity building to instill a culture of responsible conduct of research in upcoming researchers and institutions. Formulating deterrent and corrective policies to minimize issues of research misconduct could be useful. We must encourage the culture of being innovative and creative without copying and pasting.

MAXIMIZING BENEFITS FROM BIOTECHNOLOGY TO CATAPULT DEVELOPMENT

The concept of Biotechnology encompasses a wide range and history of procedures for modifying living organisms. Biotechnology involves the application of molecular and cell biology tools to solve problems of health, agricultural and industrial production, and the environment. Techniques of biotechnology including cloning, genetically modified varieties, genetic screening, among others have enabled scientists to manipulate genes (and therefore desirable traits) in ways they could not before - and with greater ease and precision. Biotechnology has been growing very rapidly and its development has covered almost every sector.

In Agriculture, its application has led to increased crop yields and increased food nutrients, improved resistance to diseases and pests, reduced vulnerability of crops to environmental events, reduced maturation time for faster returns, improved taste, texture and appearance of crops, reduced dependence on fertilizers, pesticides and other agrochemicals, tolerance to broad spectrum herbicide, new products and the growing techniques are more adaptable, increased resistance to animal disease, increased productivity and better nutrients utilization, resistance to drought, Improved diagnostic methods for animal diseases and improved animal health.

In medicine, biotechnology has led to: drug production and pharmacogenomics which is influenced by genetic variation, Comprehensive diagnosis of HIV, gene therapy and genetic testing and production of: Insulin for diabetics, human growth hormone which is administered by patients to support normal growth and development, clotting factor VIII for hemophiliacs and Hepatitis B vaccine.

In the environmental management, Biotechnology has been used in Bioremediation to recycle, treat and clean up waste by use of microbial metabolism especially in marine ecosystems. Bioprocesses such as: phytoremediation, bioventing, rhizofiltration, biostimulation, mycoremediation, land farming, composting and bioleaching of heavy metals. Development of friendly bio herbicides and bio insecticides, bioprocessing of forest products and novel natural waste management has provided a means of environmental conservation.

Industrially, biotechnology has been used in the manufacture of biomaterials e.g. plastics, manufacture of chemicals and enzymes like those used in food and beverage industries. Biotechnology has also been applied in processes including treatment of waste water, pharmaceuticals, and textiles. Use of biomaterials in industry is a new approach towards reduction of environmental pollution and great way of conserving resources.  Biotechnology has continued to fuel the world. Switching to biofuels for transportation needs has reduced energy dependency on oil imports and has boosted rural development, providing farmers with an additional source of income. Bioethanol, the principal fuel used as substitute for petrol for road transport vehicles, is mainly produced by the sugar fermentation process of cellulose (starch). Biodiesel on the other hand is mainly produced from oil crops such as rapeseed, palm, and soybean.

As a country, we have the requisite capacity to exploit biotechnology for sustainable development. KARI, KEMRI and other institutions locally have the expertise and equipment to carry out more research in biotechnology. We have applied biotechnology in agriculture and health, albeit, more opportunities to reap from this powerful technology is presented through its industrial applications.

Therefore, Kenya faces a compelling need to develop long-term policies and strategies on biotechnology that reduce restrictive frameworks to: Promote national biotechnology needs assessment and targeted research, provide incentives for creation and financing of local private biotechnology enterprises, promote local public R&D of foreign industry partnerships, improve and enhance scientific capacities and technological infrastructure, and most importantly integrate biotechnology risk management into existing environmental, health, and agricultural regimes.

 NURTURING THE RIGHT ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE FOR INNOVATION 

Culture is simply the way things are carried out in the organization based on the organization’s values and beliefs and rules of operation which shape the organization. This is evident in the organization’s mission and vision statements, core values and rules of operation and guidelines.

The competitive business environment, the ever changing consumer expectations, rapid changes in technology have forced organizations to change their style of operation to be able to focus on delivering quality products and services and rapidly respond to the market needs  in order to remain relevant in the market.  

Organization culture is intrinsically related to how the organization will perform. Culture influences how an organization responds to change; depending on the prevalent culture, an organization can either rapidly respond or impede the change process. We have witnessed that highly successful organizations have developed unique characteristics that sets them apart; this may include how they package their products, deal with customers among other things putting them on the market edge and attract customers hence increasing their market share.

An organizational culture is one aspect of the organization that determines the strategies and goals alignment in the organization. Strategies and goals will only be achieved if the right culture exists in an organization. A strong organizational culture is characterized by clear values, mission and vision, interdependence across departments, communication, continuous improvement and realistic measurements and benchmarks; organizational cultures that provide an environment which empowers employees to be creative and problem-solvers to be able to come up with innovative solutions for every dynamic problem.; an organization where employees work towards the same purpose and goal in order to provide the best quality products and services to meet customer needs and requirements; culture that emphasizes on employee participants, teamwork, risk taking and experiment  and results-oriented.

Leadership has a responsibility to understand existing culture in their organization and work with it. Above everything it is their responsibility to nurture the right culture that promotes organization efficiency and effectiveness. Leaders must create strong organizational culture where everyone is attached to the organization and respects its policies and guidelines.

There are instances where there exists more than one culture in an organization depending on various aspects including gender, age, and profession. It is upon the leader in an organization to encourage common languages and goals for the organization to have shared purpose among the subcultures. The right organizational culture is reinforced through organizational learning, teamwork and interdependence, rewards systems and the management’s support.

An organization culture of innovation affects competitiveness. To remain competitive there is need for organizations to embrace cultures that support innovation, if need be change their existing cultures. It is important to manage culture; the first step is to recognize the types of culture present in an organization and then adopt cultures that encourage innovation.

Organizational norms and values will determine where an organization will go and how fast it can get there. An organization culture will determine how it adapts to innovation and change which may motivate or impede organization’s performance or effectiveness.  Therefore it is important to emphasize innovative cultures in the organization and foster them throughout the organization to gain competitive advantage.

NEED TO ADDRESS MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCES IN SCHOOLS  TO BE ON INDUSTRIALIZATION PATH

Kenya will be celebrating 50 years of Independence this year. It is therefore a critical time to evaluate the performance of key sectors within the country with a view of re strategizing in areas where the performance has not been impressive.

As a developing country, we are still struggling with socio-economic challenges of high level poverty, disease, rapid unsustainable population growth, inadequate social amenities and high rate of unemployment especially among our youthful population. Despite the outlined challenges, the Government has from time to time come up with policies to address some of these issues albeit with little impact in some sectors.

It is already known that solutions to some of the problems our country is facing lies with effective adoption of research based interventions through an effective research and development system. Experience from countries such as South Korea and Malaysia who were at par with Kenya at independence but who are many miles ahead of us show that well-structured forward looking science and technology policies could be the panacea. Many of these countries under studied ST&I policies and practices and adapted those they regarded as suitable to their situations. In many countries that have successfully leveraged their economies by using ST&I, their starting point was a re evaluation of their education systems with regard to the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in lower and secondary school education. In my opinion, I want to suggest that we may have to seriously ask whether with our low performance in mathematics and science we are going to effectively deliver the Vision 2030.

In my view, our education system must address the luster attention given to Mathematics and Science especially at primary and secondary school education levels. The notion that mathematics and science belong to the ‘tough’ and are restricted to ‘special students and teachers’ need dismantling. Such a mindset though rampant have given a majority of students at basic education level reasons to avoid taking these subjects therefore weakening the national science and technology foundation. It is not strange to find students with very impressive scores in social subjects having very demeaning grades in mathematics, biological and physical sciences which impact negatively in their career choices at technical and university training.

Indeed the Government recognizes that Science, technology and Innovation is a critical driver of the Vision 2030 based on its cross-cutting role across key sectors of the economy. Such a recognition require policy backing that with enhance promotion of mathematics and science in lower and tertiary education sectors that will create the required momentum from below to the higher cadres of learning. It has been shown that rapidly developing countries commonly known as the Asian tigers whose economic growth have been driven by effective use scientific technology and working innovation systems have some of the highest student mathematic scores. These countries managed to attain and sustain their development by adopting programs that encourage teaching and learning of mathematics and science in primary and secondary schools. In addition to that program, they had came u with reward initiatives that provided incentives food performance for mathematics and science teachers and scholarships or bursaries to students in those subjects. My appeal is that our education system adopt some of these program to promote mathematics and science education in the country. 

Currently the Annual Kenya Secondary Schools Science Congress Competition offers a platform for promoting Science in secondary schools. This event allows students to think and innovatively apply science principles in solving everyday life challenges. This is not only laudable and a program that should be nurtured and supported by all but should be expanded to encompass both primary and university students. From my experience with the Secondary School Science Congress, the supported provide to them is not only inadequate but the coordination provides a challenges to the organizers given the many activities that teachers are involved during the school term.  More of such contests should also be encouraged among schools within and outside counties. Above all, the national government should develop programs that will build teachers capacities in handling the subjects to increase performance in students. Already organizations such as Centre for Mathematics Science and Technology in East Africa (CEMASTEA), the National In-service Education and Training (INSET) Centre for strengthening of mathematics and Science in Secondary Education (SMASSE) in Kenya are trying to promote Mathematics and Science teaching and learning within the country and in the regions. More teachers should be supported to benefit from such programs.

Overall, strong Mathematics and Science background will lead to many benefits among which will include; demystifying science especially among the general population, directing young mind to take up careers in critical mathematics and science-related areas such as engineering, medicine, ICT, environment and climate change, nanotechnology, nuclear physics and biotechnology among others.  Those with graduate degrees can then proceed to postgraduate training and become scientists and researchers thereby improving the country’s inadequate quality human research capacity required for effective Research and Development.

As shown by most developed countries, effective innovation systems driven by a robust R&D sector depend on a population that have a strong background in mathematics and sciences. We are already importing engineers to fix our infrastructure and exploit our natural resources, are short of adequate doctors and are running late on cutting edge technologies such as nanotechnologies and biotechnology important that hold answers to some of our problems. If Kenya is to catch up with the rest of the rapidly developing world, we have to rethink our education system especially in the critical area of improving our performance in mathematics and Science starting at the lower level far back to the kindergarten. We are already late, so let get moving.

E-LEARNING CAN BRING THE WORLD TO KENYA SCHOOLS

The world is moving at an unimaginable speed in the area of information use and dissemination. The use of Information Technology, knowledge and information can be transferred and cross-fertilized in real time. Hence, the need to pay attention to the way information technology has changed the educational sector through the internet.

The use of new multimedia technologies and the Internet in learning is seen as a means to improve accessibility, efficiency and quality of learning by facilitating access to information resources and services as well as remote exchanges and collaboration. Nonetheless, by the middle of the 20th century the growth in technology and applications even in the field of education became unavoidable to be ignored. The world of technology continued to grow and today the whole world has become a global village. By the beginning of the 21st millennium educational technology has stretched educational boundaries and created new ones on a daily basis. One of these new and rapidly expanding boundaries is e-learning which is offering tremendous advantage to education sector.

E-learning in this sense is the use of network technologies to create, foster, deliver, and facilitate learning, anytime and anywhere. It is also the use of internet and digital technologies to create experiences that educate a young generation and is of great help when they grow up. It has the potential to revolutionize the way we teach and how we learn.

E-learning has therefore become a new paradigm and philosophy in education with a mission to serve as a development platform for present-day society based on knowledge. The TVET, University Education, and Basic Education acts advocate for the use of ICT in education.

 It is evident that the concept of e-learning is considered to be very attractive as a new learning model whose effect will be a positive one to the development of education in Kenya with all its potentialities.

In addition to that, there is need to build and fully equip Science labs in secondary schools in each county. We must realize that it is difficult to get the best result from poor facilities. This is why laboratory facilities in our schools must be revamped to foster e-learning.

E-learning must be built on infrastructural background with highly effective internet connectivity to succeed. More so, to guarantee an effective learning system it is therefore, fundamental to implement self-sustaining Internet and computer training, which will eventually allow teachers and learners to keep pace with latest development and technologies.

Kenya should ensure the availability of accessible, efficient, reliable, and affordable ICT services. The government to encourage the use of ICT in schools, colleges, universities, Technical & Vocational Education and Training  (TVET) and other educational institutions in the country so as to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

There are strategies that must be used to promote the development of e-learning resources such as the need to facilitate public-private partnerships to mobilize resources in order to support e-learning initiatives, promote the development of an integrated e-learning curriculum to support ICT in education and promote distance education and virtual institutions particularly in higher education and training.

The government should ensure that ICT in education sector is easily accessed, properly funded and adequate. Also, the cost of development of interactive e-learning contents should be considered. We should also embrace ICT as a medium of instruction and management tool, build capacity for teachers, and include ICT Curriculum at ECD and primary levels.  

E-learning will ensure that training is enhanced through use of multiple media and trainee interaction and hence boosting the level of education as well as linking learners to other content, experts, and peers.

The power of ICT to connect teachers and learners to the acquisition of knowledge they need wherever that knowledge exists is harnessed through e-learning hence it’s the right way for this country.

Moreover, we must prioritize mainstreaming ICTs into the teaching and learning processes in the current Kenyan education system. There is also need for alternative and innovative methods of learning, which can make education available beyond lecture halls in Kenya, not limited to a particular time, pace, or space.

GREEN ENERGY CAN HELP FUEL KENYA'S GROWTH

The most important determinant in making the transition to a Green Economy from the wasteful, polluting and ultimately unsustainable brown economy is energy where we find it, how we use it, how we recycle it is all that matters.

The world, as a whole, needs to be more efficient in its use of energy and needs to develop new, renewable sources if we are to lessen an excessive dependence on the fossil fuels - oil, gas and coal. Expanded use of geothermal power could be one major advance combining economic, social and environmental benefits needed for true sustainable development.

At a continental level, the energy sector in most parts of Africa is characterized by an acute energy crisis due to high oil prices, persistent droughts and unrivalled demand from unprecedented population growth.

To ensure consistency in energy production in Kenya, there is need to develop renewable energy systems that will help in creating energy independence and even a considerable new source of revenue. This can be done by utilizing a unique combination of solar panels, "biogas" generators, natural wastewater treatment plants, and wind turbines.

It is equally important to create a thriving renewable energy sector in the country that is self-sustaining and abundantly beneficial for the local economy, the environment, and the public.

In 1990s there was an outburst of energy policy changes around the world. Driven by economic, ecological, security and social concerns, energy regulation has been in great flux. As seen today, the world’s population is growing and is to reach 10 Billion people in 2050 according to Boyle, 1990 and also by end of 21^st century UN projection is that the population would be between 10 and 12 Billion people and all this will be there to depend on renewable energy.

According to Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis study and analysis, 2010 of  energy consumption in Kenya most of households (52%) in Kenya use kerosene for lighting and 60% of households use biomass for cooking. The connectivity to electricity also varies from region to region; Nairobi 53.47%, Central 42.4%, North Eastern 14.5% and western 14.7% (ERC, 2010).

With rapidly growing demand for energy, the government has clearly identified renewable energy, such as solar, wind, and geothermal, as a reliable and sustainable way to increase energy supply.

From this case, renewable energy production has presented the potential for income and employment generation to many Kenyans. It has also encouraged private investment while minimizing environmental harm.

There is need to increase policies and create new policy tools that will aim at reducing  inefficiencies existing in conventional bidding processes for grid energy and encourage small players to participate in the development of the energy sector. There is also need to ensure that efforts are presented on exciting opportunities for new players in the market, including social entrepreneurs and impact investors hence growing market opportunity.

Renewable energy is important because of the benefits it provides. For instance, in the physical environment, renewable energy technologies are clean sources of energy that have a much lower environmental impact than conventional energy technologies. Moreover, it is an energy that will not run out ever. Other sources of energy are finite and will someday be depleted. Also, most renewable energy investments are spent on materials and workmanship locally to build and maintain the facilities, rather than on costly energy imports.

According to the government’s National Climate Change Response Strategy 2010, Kenya stands a chance to benefit from carbon markets by putting in place mitigation measures including the promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

It is imperative if the country is to meet the growing demand of energy and reap various benefits including reducing foreign expenditures on crude oil and other petroleum products. Kenya’s power capacity currently stands at about 1,500 MW compared to 40,000 MW in nearby South Africa. It is estimated that Kenya will need 10,000 MW of installed capacity by 2030 to meet peak demand.  Kenya’s population estimate by National Council for Population and Development is estimated to reach 73M by 2030. This is expected to   significantly reduce the cost of providing the Kenya’s energy needs. Further research is required  into  the  interaction  between  population size  and  other variables  which affect  the cost of energy provision, including development of more efficient technology and energy storage.

Increasing energy demand and constrained energy supplies are likely to impact how energy affects your business in the future.

If energy cost is increased the costs of basic commodities will go up, profits will be reduced due to high operating costs, there will be decline of sales of energy-using products, loss of competitiveness in energy intensive businesses and disruptions in supply chains as suppliers are unable to meet cost obligations or go bankrupt and therefore affecting growth in economy.

Kenya needs reliable energy to expand its industrialization sector through major projects like Konza Technology City, Lappset and Laptop project.

It is also vital if the renewable energy resources map is updated to reflect more emerging technologies. Easily accessible online information will potentially attract more investor interest in the region. 

CTBT AND THE OPPORTUNITIES IT AVAILS TO KENYA

The Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) advocates for the elimination of nuclear weapons, and materials and the use of nuclear energy in peaceful applications. In 1996, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) to ban all nuclear explosions in all environments including, land, underground, under water and also in the air.

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) was established to achieve the objectives and purpose of CTBT by means of promotion of treaty signature and ratification for entry into force. It also exists to ensure the implementation of its provisions including those for international verification of compliance and provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among state parties. Its headquarters is in Vienna, Austria.

Kenya is the national focal point for liaison with CTBTO and signed the treaty on 14th November 1996 and ratified it on 30^th November 2000. By signing the treaty, Kenya pledges not to carry out nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosion and to prohibit and prevent any such nuclear explosion under its jurisdiction or control.

Seismic stations monitor shockwaves in the earth especially those caused by earthquakes while infrasound can detect ultra low frequency sound waves that are emitted by large explosions. Kenya hosts two international monitoring stations (IMS), a primary seismic monitoring station at Kilimambogo and an infrasound station at the Geology Department of the University of Nairobi. These two stations are linked to others worldwide and have installed equipment which detect illegal nuclear testing, transmit the same to the other stations and to the International Data Centre (IDC) in Vienna, Austria. A National Data Centre is situated in University of Nairobi which analyzes all data received from the 2 stations for national development then transmits it to the IDC.

Data received at the IDC is processed to derive objective products and services which offer a range of useful civil and scientific applications which could contribute to sustainable development and human welfare benefit the member states.

Data collected by stations can be used for other purposes apart from detecting nuclear explosions.  The IDC provides data for disaster mitigation especially in early detection of tsunamis and earthquakes which can save lives by evacuation of people around the affected regions.

Technologies used for detection of nuclear explosions can also be used for climate change monitoring; supporting research on marine life for instance whale populations and migration patterns that might be affected by climate change.

Why is it important to ban testing of nuclear weapons and materials? Nuclear testing emits deadly gases into the atmosphere which have adverse effects on both human and plant life. Exposure to radiation has been proven to damage body cells and even cause mutation leading to cancer. Humans are exposed to effects of radiation when they feed on contaminated vegetation, meat or milk products from animals exposed to such radiation. Radiation exposure depends on dosage of exposure to radiation and its effects may range from injuries to skin, eyes, and hair loss damage to internal organs or even instant death.  

Some of earthquakes detected by the seismic station in Kilimambogo include the 2002 earth tremors caused by volcanic activity in L. Tanganyika, Tanzania, the earthquakes  of  July  2007 which  originated   from   Lake  Natron  in   Tanzania  and   affected  buildings   in  Nairobi   because  of   movement    and   cracks as well as the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster in Japan in 2011.

The benefits that Kenya has accrued through its cooperation with CTBTO include the setting up of the two monitoring stations and National Data Centre, capacity building through training courses and workshops for personnel who man and interpret data from these stations and technical assistance in the installation and operation of international monitoring systems through the organized missions from the CTBTO headquarters. Other benefits CTBT offers states parties include enhanced international peace and security by supporting treaty.

The IMS Unit at the Department of Geology, University of Nairobi provides technical advice to the national authorities from wave form data obtained from the national stations that are part of the IMS and from the IDC products and act as a communication node for data from these stations and the IDC. The IMS Unit is also concerned with critical issues related to natural hazards of similar magnitudes such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, tsunamis etc.

Enforcement of the CTBT therefore provides international security and protection of human’s health and environment from radionuclides released from radioactivity. Therefore the challenges of provision of adequate facilities and manpower for seismic and environmental monitoring locally must be dealt with.  There is need for IMS equipment upgrading and capacity building to ensure accurate reporting of the location and magnitude of earthquakes to improve the estimation of earthquakes hazards for disaster mitigation management and response efforts.

In the same breadth, there is need to strengthen seismology and geophysics research and training in our training institutions as well as the capacity to carry out earthquake studies and mitigation measures in potentially damaging earthquakes and tsunami related events.