On Femmes

Rachel Gichinga is exasperated by the predictability of the Q&A at The Kenya We Want conference.

Institutionalism and its Limits

Daniel Waweru argues that institutions alone will not save us.

The Revolution in Middle Age

Will there be a revolution? While the scars of tribalism and the post-election violence persist, it is doubtful that there could ever be a collective repudiation of the current state of affairs.

Stephanie mulls over the Iranian revolution, and draws some lessons for Kenya.

Africa, and Leadership

Is the failure in Kenya- now that we have been proved not so special- and in Africa, really a failure of leadership or this there other, perhaps justified, extenuation?

Musing through recent events, the apparent suspension of the ongoing mediation most of all, some questions are impelled on one's consciousness. Is there something (beer voucher to Ken Opalo for setting off this train of thought) to Chinua Achebe's thesis that the poverty of our leadership is the main obstacle to African progress?

Participate in this open thread here.

No such thing as a Muslim vote

Amir Ibrahim argues that the courting of Muslims by politicians is not only unfair to Kenyans of other faiths, but also dangerous to the Muslim voters themselves as a perception of them as a fifth column, self-serving and inimical to the needs of other citizens is created and reinforced. He also argues that there really is no such thing as an Islamic constituency and pleads that Kenyans come to a universal conception of rights that are due to all citizens regardless of race or religion.
Read more here.

Money Talks: Louder Than Ever

One of the reasons democracy was invented was to ensure that all the citizens of a state had equal say in the decision making process; the poor cobbler had as much say in the conduct of the state as the wealthiest land-owner.

That this is a utopian fantasy is best illustrated by the example of the latest news from the America, the home of world's 'oldest democracy.' To witness the obsessive attention given to the amount and the origin of the money raised by respective candidates, and the way this is spun as indicative of their chances at the national election is to see democracy on its death bed. The power of the lobby groups in raising these colossal sums, and the inevitable payback shows clearly the extensive webs that greed and money can weave.

Vitalis Oyudo on the influence of money in politics.