The Kenyanist Kamau Wairuri

Somalia was recently formally admitted into the East African Community, a regional bloc with aspirations for deeper economic and political union. Somalia joins a more expanded bloc with members Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South-Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.



The recent admissions into the bloc have drawn criticism, with some analysts arguing that South Sudan, DRC and now Somalia are unstable and would bring instability into an already fragile region. However, others have argued that Somalia’s admission was long due as the people of Somalia are already deeply embedded within the East African Community besides sharing a border with Kenya. Our guest, Dr Sylvanus Wekesa, agrees with the latter. He is a foreign policy expert and a Research Associate at the African Leadership Centre, King’s College London. In a previous episode of the Kenyanist, he helped us understand Kenya’s foreign policy during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s time in office. That episode can be found by following this link https://www.thekenyanist.com/kenyas-foreign-policy-in-uhuru-kenyattas-era/

Most Kenyan youths live under the gloom of economic uncertainty which leads to hopelessness. This has
been against a backdrop of multiple interventions from the government and other stakeholders. Regardless, the subject of youth and livelihoods has endured massive interest within Kenya, with the youth bulge described as an ‘opportunity’ and a ‘ticking time bomb’ in some quarters.



What cannot be understated however is that the conversations are often single sided focusing on youth unemployment which leads to other conversation son how young men find themselves in crime. A less talked about group is the youthful middle class and the challenges they face since their issues take a backseat as the government focuses on dealing with crime and unemployment. 



In this episode, we hosted Dr. Peter Lockwood who is a political economist and research fellow at the University of Manchester and has done research on the issues facing the youths in Kenya to give us a better perspective. More details about
Peter’s work can be found by following this link ⁠https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/discover-institute/peter-lockwood-0⁠

In a past episode of the Kenyanist, we talked about reforming the NHIF, which the government has recently undertaken to improve healthcare delivery. We also heard about how African countries spend about 6% of their GDP on health, which is less than the 9.5% of GDP in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Yet, the Abuja Declaration commits African countries to invest 14% of the national budget in health. It is no secret, therefore, that many problems affect the healthcare system in African countries, including Kenya, with issues such as poor infrastructure, unharmonized medical records, inadequate personnel, and insufficient healthcare financing.



African Governments, and indeed Kenya, are attempting to address the problem of manpower and financing by adopting the use of Community Health Workers, usually working as volunteers. Yet, this complicates things further, as health is a devolved function under the 2010 Constitution, and county governments claim they have no funding for community health.



We brought Dr. Kathy Dodworth, a Research Fellow at the Centre of African Studies at the University of Edinburgh, to talk about the role of Community Health Work in Kenya. You can read about Kathy’s work on this topic by following this link https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953623004835?via%3Dihub

For many Kenyans, being part of an ethnic group is an important mark of their identity. It symbolizes belonging, and access to resources. The question of which ethnic groups belong in Kenya is another part of this salient debate.



Ethnicity is often used as a means of mobilizing for state resources especially around elections. The question of which ethnic groups belong in Kenya therefore elicits sensitive emotions as some groups have in the past been denied citizenship on the basis of their ethnicity. Moreover, when the question of how many tribes are in Kenya is posed, the number ranges depending on who answers this question. 42, 43, 44+ are figures often thrown around. It is however important to note that there is no official list of these ethnic groups, despite the recognition of ethnicity in the constitution for cultural identity, regional balance in state appointments, and fair distribution of state resources to avoid marginalization.



Dr. Samantha Balaton-Chrimes, who is our guest for this episode of the Kenyanist, has researched the issue of ethnicity and identity politics. She shared with us her thoughts on why she thinks ethnicity has been politicized in Kenya. We also interrogate the impact of ethnic recognition by the state and why ethnicity is often weaponized by those in power. You can read more of Sam’s work on this topic by following this link https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17531055.2020.1863642

Kenya is renowned for producing world star athletes such as Eliud Kipchoge, a marathon legend, Faith Kipyegon, a top middle-distance runner, and the promising sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala. These among other athletes have consistently brought honor to Kenya with their stellar performances. Despite their success, the State of Athletics in Kenya is characterized by a paradoxical situation. On the one hand, the country continues to produce superstar athletes who excel on the global stage. On the other hand, Kenya has been struggling at the team level in international competitions. A glaring example of this was seen in the 2022 Olympics, where Kenya managed to win 10 medals and found themselves in the 4th position, behind countries like the United States, Ethiopia, and Jamaica.



One common issue faced by Kenyan athletes is the lack of comprehensive support and investment in their training and development compared to some of the other countries they compete with. There has also been recent challenges, including scandals like the controversy surrounding the Olympics, allegations of fake uniforms being issued to Kenyan teams and doping claims. Such incidents not only tarnish Kenya’s reputation but also hinder the athletes’ morale and their performance.



The lack of adequate support has driven some athletes to opt to run for other countries, especially those in the Gulf region, where they may receive better incentives and resources. This loss of talent is detrimental to Kenya's sports development and international competitiveness.



In light of these challenges, there is a growing recognition of the need to go beyond merely producing individual superstars and to consider broader investments in sports infrastructure, training facilities, and athlete development programs. By addressing these issues and providing better support for athletes, Kenya can aim to not only maintain its position as the home of superstars but also improve its performance at the team level in international competitions.



We speak to Louis Kimanzi, Sports Manager and Researcher based in the UK who has experience in Sports Management in Kenya with a focus on Athletics Management.




Learn more about doping in athletics by visiting the following link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0ej5k_SxUs&ab_channel=UnreportedWorld

In this episode, Dr. Ken Opalo, a Georgetown University Professor provides a comprehensive analysis of Kenya's cost-of-living crisis. We unpack the underlying factors, assess government responses, and examine potential outcomes of current economic policies aimed at easing the cost of living.



On the political front, blame games persist, with the opposition (Azimio) pointing fingers at the government. The Kenya Kwanza government on the other hand blames the global economic environment and the previous regime.



We also delve into Kenya Kwanza's fiscal policies, which prioritize a populist agenda under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation (BETA). These policies include the introduction of a Housing Levy and changes to income tax and VAT. In agriculture, the focus is on subsidizing production rather than consumption, with reductions in the cost of fertilizers and importation of edible oils and food commodities. Protests against some of these policies and increased taxation have persisted since the introduction of the Finance Bill.



So, what is the way forward? Our guest underscores the need for effective governance and prudent economic policies to address the cost-of-living crisis and its associated challenges.


You can read more about Dr. Ken Opalo's work by visiting the following link: https://kenopalo.substack.com/p/understanding-the-economic-foundations