No tantrums – This is geopolitics!
The Jubilee Government’s Pan Africanist (certainly East Africanist) orientation and ambitions were evident even before inauguration day. As candidates, President Uhuru and Deputy President Ruto had separately visited Tanzania and Uganda, signalling their intention to court our East African neighbours. The playing of the East African Community Anthem at the inauguration was merely a confirmation […]
Performance and Integrity Expectations
“I will act swiftly to end the scourge of corruption. Corruption makes our country less attractive as an investment destination. It limits access to much needed services, stifles efficiency and eats away at public values.” President Uhuru Kenyatta at the opening of the 11th Parliament. When the President made that statement, I wonder how many […]
The “Fly in the Soup” Branding Challenge
For 50 years, Kenya’s branding challenge has remained remarkably the same: how to diminish – to insignificance – the ugly in the beautiful. Or, to use a more graphic, if somewhat revolting metaphor, how to avoid the ‘fly in the soup’ curse. (By ‘fly in the soup’ I mean it plainly, not as the usual […]
The Window of Opportunity
It is said that human attention span – the amount of time a person can concentrate on a task without being distracted – is about 20 minutes, 40 minutes if you really stretch it. If this is true, the attention span of the crowd during the inauguration of Uhuru Kenyatta this past Tuesday, must have […]
Of ICC, a foreign dance and domestic ennui
There is a complicated foreign tap dance that is breaking new ground in diplomatic jazz. It involves linguistic improvisation in response to an irritating question: How do you deal with two people who are facing charges of high crimes at the International Criminal Court but who have just been elected President and Deputy President in […]
Challenges beyond the Court Ruling
By the time you read this, the Supreme Court will either have rendered (unlikely) or about to render (likely) its decision on the case challenging IEBC’s announcement of Hon Uhuru Kenyatta as the winner of the March 4 presidential contest. Beyond the ruling; and beyond even the outcome of a re-run – if there is […]
Raila’s Inner Dialogue
We have always known that there is a degenerate – even anarchist – streak in the Kenyan entrepreneurial character. But I must say I was floored by what my taxi driver, a chap with a sinful smile, called a ‘solution’ concerning the presidential election court challenge. He said, “instead of wasting another Kshs 6 billion […]
Uhuru’s Inauguration Address
It is the day after Uhuru Kenyatta took the oath of office as the Fourth President of the Republic of Kenya. There is excited talk about what many say was a stirring inauguration address. The media is ablaze with effusive comments. Some have headlined it “Kenyatta 2.0”. Others are calling it “Digital Jomo.” Here below […]
Challenges Facing The New President
On the whole issue of elections results management, I have a strong urge right now to – as the idiom goes – ‘blow a gasket’. But before I blow my top, let me spare a kind thought for the hardworking officials of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, many went without sleep for three straight […]
History In A Parallel Universe
It is March 2018. Somewhere in a parallel universe, in a country also called Kenya, an historic election was held exactly five years ago. It was a time of great anxiety – and great promise. New leaders were being elected into office under a new constitution; a constitution whose promise in terms of civil liberties, […]
