Kenya Imagine

• That monster, single-cause ethnic explanation, who doth eat all sense

  Posted: May 29, 2009, 12:18 pm

  Muite and Kiai look only at the benefits that could reasonably have been expected of a Kibaki administration, find that none were realised and move smoothly to the conclusion that Gikuyu voters' support for Kibaki can be explained only by their ethnic identification. They look only at the positive reasons for voting Kibaki, conclude that there were none, and so attribute irrationality to his supporters, on the ground that those voters have fallen foul of the requirement of rational political behavior mentioned in the previous paragraph. Concede, for argument's sake, that the Kibaki administration hasn't realised any of the promised benefits. The point, so banal I hesitate to make it, is that that argument leaves the negative reasons unaccounted for. Even if one assumes that the first Kibaki administration didn't produce sufficient benefits to drive a non-ethnically-motivated vote, Muite and Kiai's argument that Gikuyu supporters of Kibaki are irrational ethnocentrists fails, because Muite and Kiai consider only positive reasons to vote for the Kibaki regime. ODM's 41-against-1 pre-election campaign, and its post-election conduct, give sufficient negative reason: the average Gikuyu voter's expected loss from an ODM victory is sufficient to motivate a vote for Kibaki, given that a Kibaki vote was the only plausible way to prevent an ODM victory.

  
  
  Nicholas Biwott. Joseph Kamotho. The Nation op-ed pages will give it up for anyone these days. Maina Kiai and Paul Muite's recent piece wasn't quite that bad, but it was bad enough; I have a (long!) go at saying why.
  

• Bar & Bakery: NGO made in Heaven.

  Posted: May 26, 2009, 9:17 pm

  Teacher, majamani si ukirudiko Nairobi, unitafutieko Sponsor. Mjombangu aliniambieko Nairobi kuna wazungu wengi.

  Juliet Maruru on the Kenyan way of giving.
  

• The fall and rise of Kenyan nationalism

  Posted: May 7, 2009, 5:47 am

  Nationalism was dealt a final blow when Kenyatta's motorcade was stoned in Nyanza: in reaction, Kenyatta consolidated his power base around a few cronies from Central Kenya.

  
  Thomas Kiarie - come over and welcome him, he's new - has a short and hopeful history of democratic nationalism in Kenya.

• Will it Be Phones or Computers that Close the Digital Divide?

  Posted: May 6, 2009, 9:25 pm

  It is undeniable that an increase in national bandwidth capacity and what should be a corresponding decrease in costs to consumers could drive greater growth in the ICT sector. In turn, this should stimulate an increase in home broadband connection among the middle classes, as professionals take their work home with them and individuals live more of their lives online.

  
  Stephanie has a brief yet thorough review of Kenya's ICT options.

• On the Sex Boycott

  Posted: May 6, 2009, 9:20 pm

  This week, Khainga's muse comes via the sex boycott; we have the results for you.

• Demystifying public perceptions on historical injustices around land

  Posted: May 6, 2009, 9:16 pm

  Nearly two thirds -- 744 of 1133 -- of recorded deaths came in the Rift Valley, and about a third of those -- 230 of 744 -- were in Eldoret. Opinion regarding land ownership in Eldoret matter. CHRDEM find that:
  

  For example, the land where Langas and Yamumbi estates sit in Eldoret town has been cited as one that President Kenyatta (Deceased) allocated to his Kikuyu tribesmen at the expense of the Kalenjin People. However, reports from the workshops and the available documents show that that farm was bought by 52 Kalenjin men in a Cooperative group which got a loan from Settler Fund Transfer (SFT). They later sub-divided the land into plots and sold them to mainly Kikuyu buyers. Every time there's an election, the Kenyatta regime has constantly been accused of having allocated the land in Langas and Yamumbi to his kinsmen.

  
  An interesting report from CHRDEM, challenging, as it does, assumptions regarding the land issue in the Rift Valley.

• Kenyan Women on a Sex Strike: Why They Did It

  Posted: May 5, 2009, 6:04 pm

  Many people have wondered why non-political men should be "punished" for the sins of Kenya's political class. If we are to use this argument then teachers, nurses, doctors, policemen and other civil servants should never go on strike because their pupils, patients et al are not responsible for their grievances. Sex, unlike medical treatment and education, is not even a right.

  
  
  Nekessa explains and defends the reasoning behind the strike.

• Catholics and Condoms

  Posted: May 5, 2009, 2:56 pm

  It has been condemned in Brazil for its anti-abortion stance, it is suspected of sheltering child abusers in the US, Portugal is thinking of legalising gay marriage, Spain is on the brink of legislating for abortion on demand, and the Italians can't be relied on to breed the next generation of churchgoers. All in all, Catholics in the developed world treat the Holy Seen as a mad old uncle who has had one sherry too many at a family party: don't take what he says too seriously, he's just in one of his moods.

  
  
  Stephanie on the Pope in Africa.

• Wallis event pops vital questions

  Posted: May 5, 2009, 2:55 pm

  What became of Mutava Musyimi? Jesse wonders.

Blah blah blah

Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.

The end of the fish cakes