UCU Digital Institutional Repository(UCUDIR)
Welcome to the Uganda Christian University Digital Institutional Repositoy (UCUDIR). This is the University's official Institutional Repository. It aims to collect, preserve and showcase the intellectual output of staff and students of UCU. This growing collection of research includes peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, working papers, theses, and more.
- The Repository ingests documents, audio, video, datasets and their corresponding Dublin Core metadata
- The aim is to open up this content to local and global audiences, with have optimized well for Google Scholar so your items here shows up on Google Scholar searches
- we also issue permanent urls and trustworthy identifiers, including optional integrations with handle.net and DataCite DOI
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Communities in UCUDIR
Select a community to browse its collections.
- Items in this community present a concise summary of information that can help readers understand, and likely make decisions about, government policies.
- This is a collection of Masters and Doctoral theses and dissertations submitted in electronic format to the Uganda Christian University.
Recent Submissions
Occupational hazards and challenges associated with solid waste management: a case of solid waste workers in Kawempe division, Kampala capital city
(Uganda Christian University, 2026-09-15) Okatch, John
Background: Municipal solid waste workers provide an essential urban service while working at the interface of environmental contamination, occupational exposure and public health. Evidence from many low- and middle-income settings shows that occupational risks are shaped not only by the physical characteristics of waste but also by equipment, organisational, financial, governance and community conditions. However, locally specific evidence linking waste streams, occupational hazards and system-level challenges in Kampala remains limited.
Objective: To assess occupational health and safety hazards associated with the types of solid waste handled by waste workers and to characterise the principal challenges affecting solid waste management in Kawempe Division, Kampala Capital City, Uganda.
Methods: An exploratory cross-sectional mixed-methods case study was conducted among waste-management enterprises and personnel operating in Kawempe Division. The study combined questionnaires, key-informant interviews and structured workplace observations. Sixty of 81 targeted enterprises participated (74.07% enterprise response rate), with 122 participants reported in the respondent dataset. Quantitative data were processed using SPSS and summarised using descriptive statistics and factor analysis; qualitative information from interviews and observations was analyzed thematically. The study period covered April–June 2024.
Results: Factor analysis identified two principal dimensions of occupational/environmental risk. Environmental risks had an eigenvalue of 4.465 and explained 44.655% of variance, while health risks had an eigenvalue of 2.995 and explained 29.950%; together they explained 74.604% of variance. The strongest individual indicators included toxic fumes from waste burning (loading 0.768), habitat destruction (0.730), leachate contamination (0.711), fire risk from combustible waste (0.709), waterborne disease exposure (0.667), vector-related risks (0.641), flammability of waste (0.638), and injuries associated with inadequate protective gear (0.613). Plastics were the most frequently handled waste stream (68.3%), followed by food scraps (66.7%), carton/paper (50.0%), yard trimmings (43.3%), wood (31.7%), metals (25.0%), textiles/clothing (23.3%) and glass (10.0%). Major systemic challenges included inadequate equipment and PPE, limited financial resources, inadequate skills, political and institutional pressures, customer/community-related difficulties, vehicle accidents and long travelling distances. Existing practices showed elements of circularity: sorting had a mean score of 3.59 (SD 0.40), composting/organic-waste decomposition 3.55 (SD 0.33), plastic recycling 3.42 (SD 0.41), and waste burning 3.33 (SD 0.35).
Conclusion: Occupational risk in Kawempe's waste-management system is multidimensional and systemic. Worker protection cannot be achieved through PPE or worker behaviour alone. Source segregation, competent staffing, engineering controls, safer transport, health surveillance, stronger regulatory oversight and community participation should be integrated into waste-management planning. The findings also support a transition from a disposal-oriented model toward prevention, recovery, recycling and controlled biological treatment while minimising uncontrolled waste burning.
The effectiveness of christian discipleship in the rehabilitation of inmates: a case study of Mbarara central main prison, Mbarara
(Uganda Christian University, 2026-08-12) Ndyamuhaki, Emmanuel
This study examined the effectiveness of Christian discipleship in the rehabilitation of inmates at Mbarara Central Main Prison, Mbarara, Uganda. The study was guided by the concern that imprisonment should not only punish offenders but also provide opportunities for spiritual transformation, behavioural change, reconciliation, and successful reintegration into society. The study specifically examined the modes of Christian discipleship used in the rehabilitation of inmates, identified the challenges faced by prison chaplaincy in discipling inmates, and suggested effective discipleship programmes that could be used during and after imprisonment. A qualitative research approach was employed, using purposive sampling to select 44 participants, comprising prison chaplaincy leaders, prison officers, and inmates who had received discipleship. Data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions, observation, and documentary review and were analysed thematically and narratively. The study found that Christian discipleship was carried out through Sunday worship services, Bible studies, discipleship classes, counselling and guidance, prayer fellowships, baptism and confirmation, Alpha courses, charismatic renewal, and other Christian programmes. These activities contributed to spiritual growth, moral transformation, hope, forgiveness, and improved relationships among inmates. However, the effectiveness and continuity of discipleship were affected by institutional restrictions, limited trained personnel, inadequate resources, religious diversity, frequent inmate transfers, short sentences, stigma, weak follow-up systems, and limited post-release programmes. The study therefore recommends an integrated discipleship and reintegration model involving prison chaplaincy, prison authorities, churches, families, social workers, counsellors, and other community partners. Such collaboration could strengthen rehabilitation during imprisonment and provide continuous spiritual and social support after release. The study concludes that Christian discipleship can make a significant contribution to the holistic rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates when it is adequately resourced, structured, sustained, and connected to post-prison support.
Church-government relations in the management of church founded secondary schools in Norhwest Ankole diocese in Ibanda since 2017 to 2025
(Uganda Christian University, 2026-07-29) Akatukunda, Ezra
This research aims to explore the Church - the Government's relationships in the provision and management of Church founded secondary education in Uganda. The focus of this study will primarily be on the management of Anglican Secondary Schools located within Northwest Ankole Diocese over the period of 2017 - 2025. Changes in Government education policies particularly the introduction of Universal Secondary Education (USE) have created a strained relationship between the Church as the founder and the Government as the principal financier of education relative to issues of authority, governance, and educational priorities. This study will examine how these relations affect the governance of Anglican Secondary Schools, academic achievement and the Church's mission and purpose in providing education starting from Biblical historical point of view. The study will use a quantitative descriptive research design to collect data from participants selected from the population purposively. Data will be analyzed through quantitative method which will come up with a thematic basis to identify key themes and patterns from the research objectives. The study found that while Government has improved the access to education and the infrastructure associated with educational provision, Government actions have also created a number of challenges for Church authorities with respect to maintaining control and decision-making in relation to the educational operations of their schools and to preserving a Christian identity within Church founded schools. The conclusion from the study will include the strategies and recommendations.
Human rights discourse in Africa: challenges and opportunities for the African Anglican church
(Ghana Journal of Religion and Theology, 2026-06-01) Byaruhanga, Christopher
Abstract: Some scholars have observed that the protection of human rights in Africa has become increasingly complex and challenging, particularly within religious institutions that continue to shape social and moral life across the continent. This article argues that one of the central tensions facing the African Anglican Church lies in the conflict between hierarchical ecclesiastical authority and modern equality-based human rights frameworks. While Anglican structures traditionally emphasise authority, order, orthodoxy, and obedience, contemporary human rights discourse increasingly prioritises equality, inclusion, freedom, participation, and non-discrimination. Recognising the tension between traditional teachings and modern interpretations of human rights, the study underscores the significant role of the African Anglican Church in advancing this discourse. The article contends that unless the African Anglican Church intentionally engages this tension through theological reflection and institutional dialogue, it risks weakening its moral authority within the broader human rights discourse. Using a literature-based and theologically informed methodology, the article critically examines how Anglican authority structures both enable and hinder the Africa Anglican Church’s prophetic role in defending human dignity. It further explores the opportunities available for the Church to reconcile its theological traditions with contemporary human rights concerns while remaining faithful to Christian doctrine and African realities.
Teachers’ motivation and students’ academic performance in selected secondary schools in Rukungiri Municipality
(Uganda Christian University, 2026-09-03) Nuwamanya, Lilian
The purpose of this study was to evaluate how instructors' motivation affected the academic achievement of secondary school pupils in the Rukungiri municipality. In particular, the study determined the impact of teachers' motivation on students' academic performance in secondary schools in Rukungiri municipality, evaluated the relationship between teachers' monetary motivators and students' academic performance, and evaluated the relationship between teachers' non-monetary motivators and students' academic performance. Both qualitative and quantitative
research designs were used in a cross-sectional study design. A self-administered questionnaire and interview guide were used to gather information from 125 respondents, comprising 100 teachers, five head teachers, and twenty deputy head teachers. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data, and SPSS version 20.0 was used to analyse the quantitative data. The findings showed that pupils' academic performance is statistically positively impacted by teachers' financial incentives. The standardised coefficient indicated that financial incentives had a somewhat favourable impact on academic achievement. The findings also showed a weakly positive correlation between students' academic achievement and teachers' non-monetary motivators. Lastly, the findings showed that motivated instructors improve students' academic achievement through efficient instruction, ongoing evaluation, and national test preparation. The study found a weak positive relationship between teachers' non-monetary motivators and students' academic performance, concluded that monetary motivators have a positive and statistically significant effect on students' performance, and concluded that motivated teachers improve students' academic performance through effective teaching, ongoing assessment, and national exam preparation.