The African Trumpet

Two years on from the Gen Z revolution that reshaped the country’s political landscape, much has been said and written about its impact. While many have since moved on, a core group of pioneers and changemakers continues to carry its torch, fueling hope through their platforms, projects, and collaborations. In this interview, we meet Keith Ang'ana, whose initiatives have created vibrant spaces...

On September 17-18 2025, the Civic Freedom Forum held a two-day  Civic Space Protection Summit  in Nakuru, a gathering focused on the challenges faced by civil society and human rights defenders. The summit served as a platform for various stakeholders to discuss the increasing threats to fundamental freedoms such as expression, assembly, and association. A key concern raised was the "weaponi...

In this episode, we converse with Prof. Maria Nzomo about what Gen Z misses by bypassing formal institutions, and that achieving policy leverage is not only through protests, but also through formal engagement, to embed their demands into frameworks like Kenya’s Public Participation Act. They will also need to hybridise their quest through protest and litigation by using courts to enforce rights,...

The current political moment is forcing many spaces where power is exercised and visualized to reckon with the Gen Z revolution. And as Prof. Karuti Kanyinga clarifies, in this interim window, some old truths remain salient; that we need to take the youths seriously, listen to their demands and train them to lead the country in the now and the near future.

In this episode of our Intergenerational Solidarity series, we sit down with Martha Karua, a trailblazer, advocate, and political icon, for a candid and insightful conversation on leadership, integrity, intergenerational responsibility, and what it takes to stand firm in the face of adversity. From her early days in activism to navigating Kenya’s political landscape, Karua reflects on her journey...

The online and offline agitation by the Gen Z cluster has forced the centres of power and political negotiations to grapple with their relevance, function, even as the political class try to reconsolidate. And as political scientist Muthoni Wanyeki outlines, we are at an inflexion point which will upend some critical assumptions about who we are as a country.

The Gen Z protests created a critical political moment whose impact has unravelled many political assumptions. In the midst of it, the constitution stands to mediate between the governed and the governing principles. In this episode, lawyer Atsango Chesoni unpacks the crucial turning points in our constitutional moments that have tested the efficacy of our constitutional document as a country.

Since independence, successive Kenyan governments have—even in the worst of times—relied on a few honourable men and women to sustain the civic public. More importantly, these men and women of honour have depended on robust debate and sound ideas, grounded in law and politics, to pursue their vision of a better society. Senior Counsel John Khaminwa invites us to examine the tools available to the...

Kenya’s third liberation is laden with all kinds of tentative solidarities between the Gen Zs and their elders, with lessons drawn from the past finding new meaning and expression in the current fight. In this episode, Senior Counsel Gitobu Imanyara reflects on what it meant to fight in the second liberation and to watch the current crop of young citizens pick up the struggle for a more livable Ke...

In light of the recent political events since June 2024 in Kenya, a dearth of voices have tried to situate and tie these sets of events to immediate pressing concerns and triggers such as theft and high cost of living. In this episode, Senior Counsel Pheroze Nowrojee invites us into an intergenerational conversation to examine the long line of agitation that has kept the power systems in check and...

The Kenyan society is yet to decide what the 2024 protests meant for the country, and its citizens, and where to situate it in a long history of agitation. The widespread offline and online dissent has taken on different dimensions across the generations. What is not in doubt is that the protests were about contesting the nature of the state, and the soul of the nation. In this episode, The Elepha...

As more black folks, particularly black women, in Africa are becoming more interested in exploring non-Christian faith systems, the need for more spaces providing information is becoming more imperative.

In this conversation, we delve into the vibrant phenomenon of street worship in Nairobi City. Righa explains how spontaneous praise and worship events are transforming urban spaces, fostering community, and engaging the youth.

After an eight-decade hiatus, Europe is again at war, and as with all European conflicts past, the invasion of Ukraine is about business; when capitalists want something, they find an excuse to start a war to get it.

The recent protests have brought Kenya’s governance trajectory into sharp focus. As the dust settles, many questions are begging for answers. In this episode, Wanjiru Gikonyo breaks down how the personal is political and the political is personal. She takes us through political participation, Bills in parliament, the debt crisis, and the possible futures in light of the current governance gains an...

The 2010 constitution turns 14 years today and has been observed in breach more than in observance. Key among these is the implementation of the rights of people with disabilities. In this conversation between The Elephant's Joe Kobuthi and Helen Mudora explore the nexus between the PWD statutes and the bill of rights.

This podcast features psychologist and wellness coach Salima Macharia as we explore the unique characteristics of each generation’s protest movements. We shed light on the evolving landscape of social change. What did Gen X do right and what could they have done better during protests? What about Gen Zs? Listen In.

To mark the 14th anniversary of the promulgation of Kenya’s new constitution, we speak to Dr John Mutakha Kangu, a constitutional law expert. As a key person involved in the constitution-making nitty gritty, he walks us through the journey from the clamour to the actual realization and what has happened since Kenyans voted for the new constitution.

People who are involved or directly exposed to the protests may have experienced emotional trauma, anxiety, and stress disorders. Some protesters report feeling anxious and reliving the certain intrusive and distressing, involuntary memories, dreams or flashbacks. How does one handle post-maandamno blues, and decompress? Psychologist Kamau Mwangi walks us through the topic of post-protest trauma a...

People who are involved or directly exposed to the protests may have experienced emotional trauma, anxiety, and stress disorders. Some protesters report feeling anxious and reliving the certain intrusive and distressing, involuntary memories, dreams or flashbacks. How does one handle post-maandamno blues, and decompress? Psychologist Kamau Mwangi walks us through the topic of post-protest trauma a...

Kenyans have always exercised their rights to protest as enshrined in the Constitution. The safety, dynamics, respect for rule of law between the protesters and the police and the state has undergone significant changes. Wambua Kawive breaks down what is similar vs what has changed in the nature of protests in Kenya.

The Gen Z protests have provided an interesting crucible with which citizens interact with spatial spaces as they air their grievances. In this episode, we discuss how the various parties make sense of this political moment out in the streets.

Join us in this compelling episode as we delve into the intricacies of Kenya's recent Finance Bill protests, exploring the pivotal role of fact-checking journalism. Our esteemed guest, Linda Ngari, an award-winning freelance journalist and fact-checker, illuminates the critical intersections of information integrity and public dissent, unravelling the complex narratives that shape our understa...

Gen Z shows the power of digital activism - driving change from screens to the streets.

How was your relationship with your dad and how has fatherhood shaped you? On this Father's Day, we honour grandfathers, foster dads, adoptive dads, stepdads, Godfathers, Father figures, and all the men who uphold paternal bonds. Happy Father's Day.