The African Trumpet

Madaraka Day is a special occasion in Kenya's calendar. But beyond the festivities, Madaraka Day is also a time for reflection and unity. Do you feel Kenyans still attend national events, and what drives them to attend or not? What would you want the leaders to address on Madaraka Day? And what would you want older Kenyan folks to tell you about the Madaraka experience? Listen in on Gen Z'...

For a long time, very few used to talk a lot about mental health, and thankfully many more people do now. In this episode, we explore what has changed, because these days everyone, everywhere is mental health this and that. Still, do we have a generational gap between Gen Z, Millennials and our folks on the attitudes towards seeking mental health services? We also ask, how much do family dynamics...

We are hostages of this venal, idiotic class that harps on sovereignty and independence because all they can do now is enclose us in these colonial borders in the name of Handshakes and Handouts.

In recent years, Generation Z has garnered a reputation for being both entitled and woke, but what does this mean for the future? This conversation explores the nuances of Gen Z's identity, questioning whether their perceived entitlement clashes with their woke ideals or if it's a manifestation of their desire for a more equitable world.

Gen­er­a­tion Z has emerged as a pop­u­la­tion increas­ing­ly wor­thy of atten­tion, espe­cial­ly now as its old­er mem­bers are in their 20s and have become a polit­i­cal­ly engaged force in recent elec­tions.

Fresh controversy is swirling over Kenya's ballooning debt crisis even as President William Ruto prescribes painful tax measures to fund his 3.68 trillion debut budget that has been squeezed by debt service costs.

More than 90% of Kenyans have rejected the Finance Bill 2023, which includes the government’s taxation plan for the financial year starting in July 2023, a new survey has shown. The courts have extended the conservatory orders on the Bill. The Elephant speaks to Abraham Rugo, PhD, the International Budget Partnership's Country Manager. He has a passion for homegrown solutions to society's problems...

The Kenya Finance Bill 2023 is an unfair and regressive legislation favouring the wealthy and corporations at the expense of the working-class and poor majority. The Elephant in conversation with Diana Gichengo, National Coordinator at The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA).

The rise of movements such as Feminism and the Men’s Rights Movement in a landscape long divided raise valid concerns regarding gender-specific issues that as a society need to be addressed.

Failing to examine youth engagement trends may be a serious blind spot— and thus a threat to democracy. It is a question that merits closer examination. When youth disengage, they are often saying they don’t have a high level of confidence or trust in existing economic, political, or social entities. Nerima Wako is the Executive Director at Siasa Place.

The Kenyan government's new tax proposals that seek to boost revenue collection and cut public borrowing have been met with much opposition, especially from Kenyans who already fill the burden of a high cost of living. Former Laikipia Governor Nderitu Muriithi speaks to The Elephant.

The Kenyan government's new tax proposals that seek to boost revenue collection and cut public borrowing have been met with much opposition, especially from Kenyans who already fill the burden of a high cost of living.

Kenya’s cost of living demonstrations has as much to do with popular discontent as they do with the opposition capitalizing on frustrations. The Elephant in conversation with Zein Abubakar, a director at the Orature Collective and former Member of Parliament at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).

In recent weeks, lawmakers and politicians in Kenya, including Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua have decried the alleged spectre of widespread alcoholism and sparked a nationwide hysteria. There is only one problem; all available data from state agencies, civil society, and global health firms do not back up their alarming claims about an alcoholism problem in Kenya. So what is the so-called war...

This government faces significant political risk in the middle of an economic crisis. Lucky governments are those that are able to avoid having both, at least concurrently. President Ruto's decisions as he tries to balance political deal-making versus economic risks are creating the impression of an overwhelmed regime and the public is getting agitated. How is this likely to play out in the short...

Property invasion has emerged as a core facet of the recent demonstrations including the Northlands in Nairobi, and Kedong ranch in Isiolo. Is our failure to implement Agenda 4 of the 2007 National Accord coming back to bite us? What is the future of the land question in Kenya? The Elephant's Joe Kobuthi talks to conservationist Mordecai Ogada.

How the myth of ‘institutions’ has shaped the fight against graft and wasted precious time and money. The Elephant in conversation with Sheila Masinde, Executive Director at Transparency International Kenya.

Despite the enormous burden that mental ill-health imposes on individuals, their families, society, health systems and the economy, mental health care remains a neglected area of public policy in Kenya. Dannish Odongo speaks.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), labour leaders, faith-based organizations, religious leaders and other civil society representatives play a critical and diverse set of roles in societal development. Will the shifting external environment for civil society have any place in civil society? The Elephant in conversation with Dr Wandia Njoya, a scholar and a social and political communicator.

Dr Wandia Njoya explores developments in Kenya’s education sector since independence. She explains that the initial 7-6-3 system was designed to recreate a British style elite; 8-4-4 created more rounded Kenyans who were better critical thinkers; now we head into the uncertainties of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which seems to be a throwback to the original 7-6-3 system. Dr Njoya also ex...

In Kenya, the question of who, what and when the civil society started and evolved remains a contentious issue. The nature, scope and operations of the civil society tend to be bandied to the identity of the few known stalwarts while many key parts of the sector remain relatively obscure. And as Muthoni Wanyeki explains, these sins of omission and commissions take away interesting and insightful h...

In the 1990s, a group of intelligentsia arose to partner with the then civil society, and the new crop of firs-time politicians in parliament. The three different factions were all conflated to be part of the civil society. But as senior economist David Ndii clarifies, these three groups were distinct yet cooperative in expanding the political space in the country's democracy.

As long as we focus on the tribe, we will lose the nation and be stuck in the tribal mire. Kenya will cease to be a society. We will lose our sense of collective responsibility and find in its place a culture of competitive victimhood. The Elephant in conversation with Rev. Canon Francis Omondi, a Priest of All Saints Cathedral Diocese of the ACK, a Canon of the All-Saints Kampala Cathedral of the...

Kenyan youth are not to blame for their election apathy. For decades, elections have hardly made a difference in curbing violent plunder by Kenya’s ruling class. The youth are wondering whether this would be any different. The Elephant in conversation with Dr Alex Awiti, Associate Professor and Vice Provost - Aga Khan University, East Africa.

For tax justice to truly work on behalf of the citizen, it must be founded on the principles of human rights. This demands that the fiscal architecture in place allows for citizen participation; non-discrimination, and empowering processes that enhance social mobility. The Elephant in conversation with Leonard Wanyama, regional coordinator of the East African Tax and Governance Network (EATGN).