#politics kenya

[phydoro]

KENYA AT A POLITICAL CROSSROADS: NAVIGATING TRIBALISM, GENDER IMBALANCE, AND THE BOLD VOICE OF GEN Z

Kenya stands at a pivotal juncture in its political evolution, as a profound generational shift challenge entrenched power structures, unmasking the deep-seated issues of tribalism, gender inequality, and political hypocrisy. At the core of this transformation lies a younger, reform-driven cohort determined to hold the ruling elite accountable, demand transparency, and dismantle the barriers that have long hindered equitable progress. The future of Kenyan politics hinges on this emerging generation, which brings both a renewed sense of urgency and a commitment to redefining the nation's political norms. This moment, marked by widespread public dissatisfaction and unprecedented activism, signals a watershed in the country’s democratic journey.

Political Hypocrisy and Public Dissatisfaction

The Kenyan political landscape has long been marred by a palpable disconnect between political promises and the lived realities of ordinary citizens. This gulf has been most evident in the cynical disregard for public welfare by the political establishment. The experience of leaders like Morara Kebaso, who was subjected to violence while advocating for accountability and the impeachment of rogue officials, underscores the perils faced by those seeking to challenge the status quo. These incidents illuminate the extent of political repression and the existential challenges of confronting an entrenched elite. For Generation Z, the widespread political hypocrisy has become intolerable. Their frustrations are driven by the growing realization that the political system is rigged in favor of a powerful few. The call for transparency and reform has never been more urgent, as young Kenyans demand an end to the perennial cycle of deceit and broken promises.

Gen Z’s Entry into Politics and the Generational Shift

A seismic shift is underway in Kenya’s political ecosystem, driven by the rising engagement of Generation Z in the political sphere. This cohort, once perceived as apolitical or disengaged, has proven to be an invaluable force for change. Individuals like Kasmuel McOure, an artist turned activist, embody the new wave of political leadership that prioritizes integrity, social justice, and accountability. McOure’s announcement to run for office in 2027 signals a burgeoning political ambition within the youth demographic, one grounded in a vision of a more inclusive, transparent, and accountable government. Recent protests against the Finance Bill of 2024, organized through viral social media campaigns such as #OccupyParliament and #RejectFinanceBill2024, further illustrate Gen Z’s capacity to galvanize large-scale political movements, utilizing the digital realm to bypass traditional media and rally citizens from all corners of the country.

 Digital Activism and Direct Engagement

In an era defined by digital connectivity, Generation Z has leveraged social media as a powerful tool for civic engagement. The ability to organize protests, share grievances, and expose political wrongdoing has empowered youth to bypass the gatekeepers of traditional media and engage directly with both government officials and the public. Campaigns like Tuwasalimie, which published the contact details of public officials to facilitate direct citizen advocacy, represent a radical departure from previous forms of political engagement. This approach reflects a preference for grassroots activism, wherein digital platforms serve not only as organizing tools but as mechanisms for holding the state to account. The protests against the Finance Bill were organized largely through online channels, demonstrating how virtual spaces can transcend geographical divides, amplify marginalized voices, and challenge the political hegemony of those in power.

Tribalism’s Legacy and the Shift Toward Unity

Kenya’s political history has been inextricably linked to ethnic affiliations, with tribalism often dictating the nature of political alliances and national policy. The dominance of the Kalenjin and Kikuyu ethnic groups, embodied in figures such as President William Ruto (Kalenjin) and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua (Kikuyu), has historically shaped the country’s political direction. These power dynamics have contributed to systemic exclusion, with smaller communities finding themselves marginalized within the national discourse. However, the recent youth-led protests signal a dramatic shift away from tribal allegiances towards a more unified, issue-based approach to politics. The growing convergence of diverse ethnic groups around common economic grievances—rather than ethnic identity—marks a transformative moment in Kenyan political culture. Generation Z’s emphasis on shared struggle over tribal loyalty signals a nascent, more inclusive political identity that could redefine the national fabric.

 Gender Imbalance and the Struggle for Women’s Representation

While Kenya has made significant strides in addressing gender inequality, the political sphere remains a male-dominated arena, with women continuing to face significant barriers to full participation. The proposed gender-balanced ticket by President Ruto, while an admirable step forward, has yet to translate into tangible change in terms of female leadership representation. The legal mandate of the two-thirds gender rule, enshrined in the Constitution, remains largely unenforced, leaving Kenya's political institutions skewed toward male leadership. This persistent imbalance exacerbates the underrepresentation of women’s perspectives in governance and impedes the advancement of policies that could address the unique challenges faced by women and marginalized communities. The call for structural reforms to guarantee equal representation in political decision-making processes has gained increasing traction, with a growing chorus of activists advocating for genuine gender parity in leadership.

Institutional Corruption and the Push for Transparency

Corruption within Kenyan institutions remains a formidable obstacle to progress, eroding public trust and exacerbating socioeconomic disparities. The pervasive culture of impunity that has characterized Kenya's political establishment for decades has entrenched a system where public resources are often siphoned off by the political elite. Generation Z’s demand for accountability and transparency has found expression in their vocal opposition to corruption, with activists calling for a paradigm shift in governance. The protests against the Finance Bill, which focused on issues of financial mismanagement and the exploitation of public resources, highlight the growing appetite for reform among young Kenyans. This generational shift places transparency at the forefront of political discourse, signaling a move away from the patronage politics that have long defined Kenya’s governance.

Human Rights, Police Brutality, and Civic Liberties

In recent years, the issue of police brutality has emerged as a focal point for civil rights activists, particularly among Kenya's youth. The excessive use of force during protests, as well as the targeting of marginalized communities by law enforcement, has sparked widespread outrage. Campaigns like #EndPoliceBrutalityKE have gained momentum, with activists calling for comprehensive reforms to Kenya’s police service and a reimagining of law enforcement practices. The viral dissemination of videos documenting police violence has helped amplify the voices of victims and galvanized support for systemic reform. This demand for accountability is not merely about addressing police abuse but is part of a broader push for the protection of civil liberties and the establishment of a more just and equitable society.

As Kenya navigates its current political crossroads, the forces of change, driven by the demands of Generation Z, are shaping a new vision for the country’s future. The legacy of tribalism, gender inequality, and political hypocrisy continues to haunt the political landscape, but the vitality and determination of Kenya's youth offer a promising path forward. Their calls for transparency, accountability, and inclusivity represent a powerful repudiation of the status quo, offering hope for a more equitable and just society. In this decisive moment, Kenya’s political trajectory hangs in the balance, as the nation contemplates whether it will embrace reform or remain mired in the divisions and injustices of the past.

[hadesoftheladies]

palestine is a wake up call to all the people in the global south and all countries and peoples that have experienced colonialism by western empires. especially following the western world's response to ukraine.

when you're flooded with footage of children starving, their bodies shredded by missiles, shrapnel and collapsed buildings, when you see once vibrant, beautiful lands reduced in seconds to rubble . . . you realize how easy it is to provoke a white man. all you have to do is a be a person of colour on your land with all its natural resources. that's it. all you have to do is exist on the same soil as your ancestors. and if a white man says you're in the way of his expansion, it doesn't matter what moral ethics you think white people have. it really doesn't matter what you expect of a human being. what conscience you think they have.

you will die. no one will rescue you. they will murder you. torture you. they will justify it. they will make jokes about it. and years later, when it's not too inconvenient for their people to feel guilt, they will feel sorry and still make what they did to you about them. about their "human complexity" and their "nuance." your people will be dead for thousands of years before they "apologize" (not to you but) to their descendants. and even then they'll lie. they'll blame the "internal conflicts of the region." conveniently leaving out who supplies the guns and military gangs. why. what they get in return.

what's happening in congo, tigray, palestine, haiti, iran, afghanistan, etc is not an isolated event. you cannot afford to think so. it's literally what they did from the 17th-20th centuries. the exact same tactics. the exact same propaganda. these are millions of people dying and set up to die within this year alone.

white man sees resource, white man cuts a bloody path toward it. he is superior, so it's his right. it's that simple.

if you are self-righteous about politics (especially toward western empires like france, britain, russia, canada and the u.s., etc.) please understand that the only thing between your "peaceful" or stable country and all-out war is how agreeable you are to the demands of these empires. please don't think these people have evolved or will consider you in any way. they will nuke you, too, if you resist. that isn't peace. we don't have peace with them. they aren't peaceful. complying under threat of war isn't peace. coercion is not consent.

if these insane people can hear from the mouths of their own scientists that their wars are killing their own people and accelerating the death of life on this planet, i don't know why you'd think they have a shred of humanity left in them. that there's anyone in this life they could possibly care for.

reject that lie. that you can appeal to their humanity. how many fucking "peace talks" have we had since hitler? for fucks sake. begin to build your community and focus your aid and efforts on each other. be aware, but also think smaller. focus on local businesses and markets rather than imports. let's change the way we consume (this is hugely important). wherever you are, whichever people concern you, take care of your own communities. give back. even if you're part of the diaspora. just find a way to give back and strengthen your communities. don't let "the drain" empty out in the west. i'm not claiming its simple work, or that i have all the answers. i'm just saying increase your awareness of how these empires and their propaganda function and don't give into them however you can afford to. you know what you can do. you know your own communities and countries better than i do. and we all know that one of the prime ways the empires keep us weak is by destroying or own intracommunity solidarity.

because there is no UN we can appeal to. there is no western "mediator" we can rely on.

they'd kill us all if it wouldn't tank their economy.

internalize that. don't ever let them coax any trust out of you. there is no "international unity" we can have with them because their prosperity will always require our suffering. resist, at least, by reclaiming your mind from them. see them outside of how they have conditioned you to see them. every time your president shakes one of their hands, see the blood smearing them.

don't trust a single word out of their dirty, lying mouths.

[labutansa]

via okayafrica

Preemptive measure due to tags: I am a pro-trans woman blog, transmisogynists kill yourselves ✌🏽

[crossdreamers]

LGBTQ-refugees in Kenya are facing a tough dilemma

Photo: Nakafeero Swabulah, a young lesbian LGBTQ-leader in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya

Ugandan LGBTQ refugees in Kenya's Kakuma camp face a difficult choice between staying there with little hope for resettlement or moving to South Sudan's Gorom camp, which offers better prospects for relocation to LGBTQ-friendly countries.

The refugees fled severe and violent persecution in Uganda but continue to face discrimination and violence in the camps.

While the UN aims to help, they are constrained by the need to maintain good relations with local governments.

The government of Kenya is not accepting persecution for being LGBTQ a valid reason for refugee status. The local LGBTQ movement has won some victories, but also many tragic losses.

Some refugees have moved from Kakuma to Gorom, where the US and Canadian governments have granted resettlement status to several Ugandan refugees. However, the actual relocation process is complex and uncertain.

Photo: Ugandan LGBTQ-refugee from Gorom on his way to Canada

Nakafeero, an LGBTQ refugee leader, is considering moving her group from Kakuma to Gorom. She is currently visiting Gorom to assess conditions and gather information.

She says that the camp provides basic housing and services, but resources are limited and costs are higher than in Kenya.

The situation remains fluid, with refugees spread between both camps.

Unfortunately a large number of African countries persecute LGBTQ people. The argument is that being gay or trans is against local tradition and that queer identities are part of Western colonialism. The opposite is true. It was for the most part Western colonial powers that introduced the kind of bigotry we see today, and it is Western right wing religious fundamentalists that feed the flames of hate now.

Photo: UN refugee tents in the Gorom camp in South Sudan.

More here: Where to find hope of escape: In Kenya or South Sudan?

See also:

A lesbian refugee from Uganda is doing her best to assist LGBT people living in a refugee camp in Kenya. You can help her.

Report from a young Ugandan lesbian refugee in Kenya.

LGBTQ Kakuma refugees decide to move to South Sudan camp in hope of repatriation

Petition demands Kenyan government stop discriminating against queer asylum seekers

Gay and targeted in Uganda: Inside the extreme crackdown on LGBTQ rights

Uganda’s 2023 anti-homosexuality act is already costing the country.

Donations to LGBTQ-refugees in Kakuma in Kenya.

Donations to LGBTQ-refugees in Gorom in South Sudan

[nando161mando]

Kenyans returning Bibles in crates to the British colonial office in an East German cartoon from 1953, with the caption, "Here, we are giving you your Bibles back, now give us our land back."

[allthegeopolitics]

The number of children who were burned to death in a school dormitory in central Kenya has risen to 21, the government spokesperson said Saturday.

Officials began removing the bodies of the children as they tried to account for dozens of boys who were still missing.

Journalists were moved to wait outside the Hillside Endarasha Primary School compound as a team that included the government pathologist and morticians from the Nyeri provincial hospital set up tables outside the dormitory on Saturday.

The Thursday night fire razed down a dormitory that was housing 156 boys aged between 10 and 14. More than 100 boys have been accounted for and the government is urging parents and people living near the privately-owned school to help account for all the boys. [...]

Continue Reading.

[victusinveritas]

[ohello0]

Yes I’ve seen the israeli blackface video

Yes I’ve seen zionists saying that calling it and the people in it racist is antisemitic

No further comments or questions at this time

[compacflt]

What does Ice (or Mav) think about the Obama gay rumors? Will they be tuning in to hear the story of the man who allegedly fucked Obama? Are they bi Obama truthers? Is Rooster? Is Hangman? Any other Icebama interactions you're hiding from us? His cameo cracked me up and I need to know more...

the obama gay rumors

first im hearing about this

[ophilosoraptoro]

PROOF Obama's Birth Certificate is Fake

[afrotumble]

[leftistfeminista]

THE DEMONSTRATIONS THAT LASTED ELEVEN MONTHS and THE DAY MOTHERS STRIPPED NAKED.

On March 3rd 1992, mothers of the political prisoners stripped naked at Uhuru park to demand for the release of their sons caught in Moi's torture chambers.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the political atmosphere in Kenya was characterized by brutal government repression and terror, under the de-facto single-party rule of President Daniel Arap Moi. 

Any form of political dissension was swiftly met with government interrogation, detention, and torture, using the justification of the Public Order Act, the Chiefs Authority Act and the Sedition Law. 

This resulted to the arrest, killing and exiling of many students, politicians, lawyers and journalists. Those arrested were tortured and thrown in prisons, some came back alive while others died in the torture chambers and prisons. 

On Feb 28th, 1992, Mothers of Political Prisoners, aged between 60-80 years presented a Petition with a list of 52 political prisoners who had been imprisoned for perceived anti-government statements, ideas, and actions, to the then Attorney General, Amos Wako. 

The mothers then proceeded to a now famous corner at the Uhuru Park in Nairobi for an undefined hunger strike. The mothers were supported & led by the late Nobel Laurent, Prof. Wangari Maathai who joined them in their protest, which was ignored by the mainstream media, KBC & KTN. 

The mothers set up camp in the Uhuru (Freedom) Park that is located across the infamous “Nyayo House Torture Chambers” and not far off is the Parliament Building. There, they staged a hunger strike and waited for the release of their sons. 

The striking mothers soon garnered much support for their cause. Several sympathizers set up a tent under which the mothers could sleep, and many frustrated Kenyans came forward and openly recounted their stories of torture. 

These supporters joined in on the mothers’ singing of traditional Kenyan songs, which included such lyrics as, “Go and take the child back…” The mothers set up banners and handed out flyers to curious Kenyans as they continued their vigil. 

On March 3rd, the Moi government decided to forcibly disperse the demonstrators. Government police forces beat protesters with batons, fired gunshots into the air, and hurled tear-gas into the tent where protesters were gathered. 

Wangari Maathai who was criticized by President Daniel Arap Moi, being called a “madwoman” & “a threat to the order & security of the country”, was was beaten into the coma. This made it to the newspaper headlines, causing uproar across the nation and criticism internationally. 

To ward off the police, two of the protesting mothers stripped their clothing and dared the police to kill them. They shouted “What kind of government is this that beats women! Kill us! Kill us now! We shall die with our children!” 

Perhaps the mothers were inspired by the 1922 bravery actions of women led by Mary Muthoni Nyanjiru, who stormed a police station in Nairobi to demand the release of Harry Thuku. Men who had come along started retreating upon coming face to face with armed colonial police. 

In disappointment, Nyanjiru stripped to shame the fleeing men, and asked them to give women their trousers since they were brave. The charged crowd overrun the police station, and Mary Nyanjiru was shot dead on that day. Her brave actions aroused people into active resistance. 

Back to 1992, the police officers on seeing the nakedness of mothers in their 60s, responded by turning away and leaving the scene. According to Maathai, the tactic of disrobing was particularly effective in stopping the police because.... 

... “In the African tradition,people must respect women who are close to their mother’s age, & must treat them as their mothers. If men beat mothers,it is like sons violating their mothers, & the mothers respond by cursing them & they cursed them by showing them their nakedness.” 

The news of the violent beatings of the mothers sparked riots all over Nairobi. Transportation workers boycotted their work in protest of the govt beating the mothers, & large crowds of stone-throwing demonstrators had to be dispersed by tear gas-firing riot police. 

[whiskeysorrows]

It should be mandatory that any cunt who agrees with Suella Braverman's comments on multiculturalism are banned from takeaways, fancy Italian restaurants, bubble tea, chinatown, Brixton as a whole, fish and chips, chicken tikka masala, blues, jazz, rap,

[bright-and-burning]

what the actual fuck is uk athletics on. like what do you mean “setting tough standards helps improve performance levels” my brother in christ you are refusing to take athletes who have qualified for the olympics to the olympics. and there are a NUMBER of examples this year of people who did qualify (including a woman whose best throw this season would have placed her 6th at the last olympics) but weren’t selected. what kind of logic is it that having teammates that don’t make it out of early rounds is going to bring performance down? how do you know that being selected for the olympics isn’t going to inspire crazy PRs, like molly seidel getting bronze at the 2020 olympics in her third ever marathon? you know what country always takes the absolute maximum number of athletes in track and field, even when that means people are going to get eliminated in round 1? team usa. you know what country has the most medals in track and field? team usa.

there’s a lot of complaints abt how the us olympic trials works whenever a big name goes out in a shocking or tragic way but jesus christ at least we avoid all this bullshit. if you make it, you make it; top three at the trials and you’ve qualified, congrats, you’re an olympian. none of this qualifying but arbitrarily not getting selected nonsense.