Foreword

The first article, on Anglican Responses to Western Secularism in Ugandan Urban Dioceses of Kampala and Namirembe, explores how Anglican congregations in Ugandan urban centres, particularly in Kampala, respond to the influence of Western secularism, characterized by moral relativism, individualism, and the rejection of religious authority.  The second article, on Good Governance and Management for a Sustainable Future of the Church: Exploring Ubuntu as a Framework of Necessity, examines the Ubuntu philosophical framework as a transformative approach to enhancing good governance within churches. Ubuntu, rooted in African philosophy, champions interconnectedness, generosity, and communal responsibility, reinforcing ethical leadership and sustainable governance structures.  The third article, Equipping Pastors for Holistic Ministry: A Contextual Evaluation of Pastoral Training in Tanzanian Anglican Theological Colleges, examines the extent to which Anglican theological colleges in Tanzania prepare pastors with the practical competencies required for effective and context-responsive ministry. The fourth article, Integrating Missional Priorities into Theological Education: A Qualitative Case Study of Anglican Theological Colleges in Tanzania, investigates the integration of missional priorities into theological education within Tanzanian Anglican institutions to develop curricula that are both contextually relevant and practically effective. The fifth article, Human Deified: The Case of Behavioral Relationship between Èṣù and Ìdòwú in Yoruba Beliefs, adopts empirical approach based on interview, participant observation, and textual reports: oríkì- panegyrics or praise poetry, proverbs and aphorisms, ọfọ̀- incantations. These methods are tools by which the behaviors under examination are accessed. Adopting code, a semiotic mode which concentrates on the channel through which sign is communicated. The outcome of the study reveals there is synergy in behaviors of Èsù- divinity of justice in Ifá- the divinity of wisdom and Ìdòwú.  The sixth article, The Role of Teachers, Cultural Elders, and the Interreligious Council of Uganda in Instituting Learners' Lunch Meals in Christian and Muslim Founded Public Schools, examines the roles that classroom teachers, cultural elders, and the Interreligious Council of Uganda can take on to sustainably institute learners' lunch meals in Christian and Muslim founded public schools.  The seventh article, Accessibility of Higher Education, Local Revenue Mobilisation, and Financial Sustainability: The Case of LivingStone International University Academic Programmes in Uganda, investigated the accessibility trends of education in Uganda. Relying on contemporary research methodology; the strategies that Livingstone International University can utilise to influence communities to get involved in the education process of children, and at the same time, to raise local revenues towards the support of the institution's academic programmes were examined. The eighth article, The Digital Doorway: Technology Access and Digital Literacy as Determinants of Youth Participation in the Gig Economy in Embakasi Sub-County, Nairobi County, Kenya, investigated how technology access and digital literacy determine youth participation in the gig economy in Embakasi Sub-County, Nairobi City County, Kenya.  The ninth article, The Status of Primary School Libraries in Limuru Sub-County, Kiambu County, provides a comprehensive analysis on the status of school libraries in Limuru Sub County, Kiambu County.  The objectives of the study were to; establish the status of school libraries in Limuru Sub -County, Kiambu County and evaluate the challenges affecting primary school libraries in Limuru Sub-County, Kiambu County.  The tenth article, Financial Distress Mechanisms and Corporate Governance in Kenya: An Empirical Analysis of Listed Companies and Regulatory Framework Assessment, examines the effectiveness of financial distress mechanisms among companies listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) and assesses Kenya's regulatory framework against international standards.  The eleventh article, Lecturers’ Perceptions on the Democratization of Open Science in Kenya: Case of Two Private Christian Universities in Nairobi County, Kenya, investigates the university lecturers’ perceptions towards democratization in Open Science (OS) in Kenya, case of schools from 2 Private Christian Universities in Nairobi County, Kenya.

Editor