We, the people of Kenya, claim to recognize the aspirations of all Kenyans for a government based on the essential values of human rights, equality, freedom, democracy, social justice and the rule of law. We also claim to promote the values that underlie an …
Category: Gender
The Elephant in Kenya’s Room
The F-word: The Place of Feminism In Contemporary Kenya
This is a transcript of a talk I gave at the British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA) on the topic “The F-Word”: What is the Place of Feminism in Contemporary Kenya? “Patriarchy, in many ways, is the primary form of oppression. Its victims comprise …
Revolutionary Type Love
“The world is changing and they say it’s time to be free But you live with the fear of just being me Living in the shadow feels like the safe place to be No harm for them, no harm for me But life is …
Flower Girls, Girlfriends and Sexist Discourse: The Politics of the Two-Thirds Gender Bill
by Wendy Okolo The African Human Development Report indicates that African countries make up four out of the top 10 countries with high levels of women representation in parliament. These four countries are Rwanda, Seychelles, Senegal, and South Africa. It comes as no surprise …
Open Letter to an African Writer
Dear Friend, I know this letter may come as a surprise to you. And I do not blame you. I have been largely absent. However, I think that I need to talk to you about this thing you call identity, with particular respect to …
What About the Men?
It feels like somewhere along the creation of metaphors the truth was lost. Which is to say that the truth can be hidden in plain sight. What’s right in front of you may actually be what is happening. Occam, a philisohpist by nature but, …
Of Men In Checked Shirts and Little Children
This essay was taken from Brainstorm’s third e-book, Ha!Kuna Matata, which is on security in Kenya and is available for free. DOWNLOAD IT HERE to read more such essays. by Murugi Kagotho I met him the other day, this man. He was dressed in …
On the Shoulders of Broken Men
Bothered by my constant crying my aunt shows me a book “real men don’t cry,” I want to be a real man. I stop crying. I don’t understand why real men didn’t cry. I’m just told they don’t. The only thing worse than not …