The Kenyanist
Hallo and welcome to ‘The Kenyanist’ hosted by Kamau Wairuri.
In this show, we step back from the rush of current affairs to take a broader and deeper view of issues that Kenyans fight about.
In each episode, I speak to an expert who will help us understand a particular social or political issue better and hopefully propose how we can address some of our most pressing challenges as a society.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the guests on the show are not necessarily those of the host.
Taking Stock of the EAC: Leadership, Competition and Security
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...
Pressures of ‘making it’ for young Kenyan men
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 yo...
Dispossession and voluntarism: The dynamics of Community Health Work in Kenya
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 hea...
Fuzzy arithmetic: Kenya’s 42+ ethnic groups
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 deb...
The State of Athletics in Kenya
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 consi...
The Politics of Kenya’s Cost of Living Crisis
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 outcom...
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Recent Blog Posts
Kamau's commentary on the popular support for brutal policing in Kenya
This week, Kamau wrote a piece for The Conversation Africa which examines why police vigilantes, also known as 'super cops' have become so popular in Kenya. In the piece, he argues that the under-protection of communities by the Kenyan state …
Seminar: Smart Cities and African Urbanism by Prince Guma
Yesterday, I had the privilege of Chairing the African Studies seminar at the final University of Edinburgh.The speaker was Prince Guma from the Urban Studies Institute at the University of Sheffield. His presentation was titled "Smart Cit…
Book Review: Power, Politics and the Law by Githu Muigai
My review of Prof. Githu Muigai's book, "Power, Politics and Law: Dynamics of constitutional change in Kenya, 1887- 2022." was published The Elephant earlier this week. The book delves into the history of constitutional change from the coloni…
About the Host
Kamau Wairuri
Host
Kamau Wairuri is an academic researcher, educator and public affairs consultant with expertise in security & justice (criminal justice systems), human rights, youth empowerment and gender in Africa. Presently, he is a Lecturer in Criminology at Edinburgh Napier University (UK) and a Director of the Institute of Public Policy and Governance (IPPG) at the Strathmore University Business School (Kenya).
Kamau is an experienced academic researcher whose work has been published in respected academic journals and books. He has also presented his research work in various conferences in Nairobi (Kenya), Johannesburg (South Africa), Paris (France), Edinburgh and Cambridge (UK).
Kamau is an experienced educator in the Higher Education sector having delivered lectures and classroom teaching at Edinburgh Napier University, the University of Edinburgh and Strathmore University. He is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK).
As a public affairs consultant, Kamau has extensive experience advising leaders and organisations in the public, private and development sector on matters relating to politics, public policy and governance. Previously, he worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Co, where he advised senior government leaders in Africa on various areas of development. Beyond that, he has advised various local and international agencies in the development sector including the Danish Agency for Human Rights (DIGNITY), the Election Observation Group (ELOG), the Economic and Social Rights Centre (Hakijamii) and Equality Now. He has also work… Read More