One World

  The whole history in Kenya shows that no real change can be expected within a capitalist system. Not only the two main coalition candidates, but all four candidates up for election in the presidential race, were united in their capitalist and pro-imperialist policy. The national elections have become meaningless rituals: a revolving door to elect this bourgeois scoundrel or the other. Both of the leading presidential candidates have been accused of corruption and theft of public property. The other two are non-entities. George Wajackoya became a talking point on social media and beyond because of his proposals of how to deal with corruption, including death sentences for corrupt government officials and judges, and the legalisation of marijuana for commercial industrial use to help cure the ballooning public debt. He also proposed rearing venomous snakes for antivenom harvesting, largely for export; and exporting dog  meat and hyena body parts to Asian countries. Meanwhile, ...

  William Ruto was the Deputy President of Kenya for the last decade, under an administration that failed to address the economic crisis in East Africa's wealthiest and most stable nation. Food and fuel prices are surging, unemployment is high and public debt rising. One wonders why the solutions he presents in his election manifesto were not successful during his 10 years as vice president? The country’s currency, the shilling, has sharply depreciated. This means Kenya's Treasury will face difficulties paying back its huge dollar-denominated debt. The public debt rose from $16 billion in 2013 to $71 billion in 2021. As a result, Kenya spends nearly 30 percent of its state revenue on interest payments. With a debt-to-GDP ratio of 69.1 percent, Kenya is classified as being at high risk of distress by the International Monetary Fund. A Bloomberg Economics assessment  The World Bank and Euro bond holders account for nearly half of Kenya’s external debt, at 28 percent and 20 perce...

  William Ruto was sworn in as Kenya's fifth president on Tuesday 13 September, a week after the Supreme Court rejected a challenge by his opponent in a close-fought election, in which Ruto received 50.5 percent of the vote against 48.8 percent for Raila Odinga. Neither of these reactionary bourgeois politicians offered any way forward for the Kenyan masses, who face increasingly intolerable conditions. Odinga’s team made allegations that the IEBC electoral transmission system had been hacked and the results tampered with.  Azimio la Umoja  (“Resolution for Unity”), a political coalition headed by Odinga, further accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and Deputy President William Ruto of colluding and “subverting the will of the people”. These claims were however thrown out by the Supreme Court, which affirmed Ruto’s victory. This year’s election witnessed relative calm, with most people displaying apathy towards the entire process. The majority of Ke...

By John Muthoga Wambugu In a nation richly endowed with natural resources, human capital, and entrepreneurial potential, a painful contradiction continues to define the lives of many young Kenyans. While political elites accumulate immense wealth, acquire luxurious properties, and dominate lucrative government tenders, millions of Kenyan youths remain trapped in chronic unemployment, economic despair, and social uncertainty. The widening gap between the privileged political class and ordinary citizens has become one of the most pressing socio-economic crises in modern Kenya. Kenya’s youthful population represents one of the largest demographic groups in the country. Every year, thousands of graduates leave universities and colleges with hopes of securing dignified employment and building meaningful futures. However, these aspirations are frequently shattered by a harsh economic reality characterized by nepotism, corruption, favoritism, and unequal access to opportunities. For many yo...

“The Finance Bill, 2023 wants to raise revenue through tax, but Kenyans are being crushed by the high cost of living, stagnant and limited income,” it stated. On specific proposals in the Bill, 94 percent of respondents indicated they completely do not support a plan to raise Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel products from 8 percent to 16 percent, as 2.2 percent said they slightly do not support the proposal. This was the proposal rejected by most Kenyans, among the respondents. Only 1.7 percent of the respondents indicated that they completely support the proposal. At least 92.4 percent of the respondents completely do not support the proposed 3 percent house levy (which was revised downwards to 1.5 percent by the National Assembly’s Finance committee), with only 3 percent of respondents indicating complete support. Also, 90 percent of the respondents completely do not support a proposal to raise the excise tax on mobile money transfer services from 12 percent to 15 percent, but 2.5 perce...

  Dear Kenyans, The Judiciary under the leadership of Chief Justice Martha Koome has today appalled us and made a mockery of its constitutional role by presiding over the 7.00am swearing in of 50 illegal Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) despite an active case. The case, challenging the appointments of CAS, was due for a mention today at 9.00am. The Judiciary has had numerous opportunities to stop these illegal appointments but failed to act. Instead, the Judiciary by this stroke, is responsible for aiding and abetting impunity. This action undermines the rule of law, and increases the public wage bill, even as Kenyans reel under an economic crisis. When Eliud Matindi and others challenged the CAS appointments, the courts denied them conservatory orders to protect the Constitution. Instead, the court fixed the case for mention (not hearing) today at 9:00am. Yet by sunrise, the same Judiciary had sent a top official to swear in the 50 illegal CAS at StateHouse. These actio...

By John Muthoga Wambugu In Kenya, the question of justice for LGBTQ individuals—particularly gay youths—sits at the intersection of law enforcement practices, societal attitudes, and human rights protections. While the Constitution of Kenya guarantees equality, dignity, and freedom from discrimination, many young LGBTQ persons continue to report experiences that suggest a gap between constitutional ideals and lived reality. This gap is most visible in how some individuals interact with society at large and, in certain cases, with law enforcement institutions. Police institutions are expected to serve as neutral protectors of all citizens. However, human rights organizations and advocacy groups have repeatedly raised concerns that marginalized groups, including LGBTQ youths, may not always experience equal treatment when seeking police assistance. These concerns are not necessarily universal or institutionalized across all police officers, but they emerge in patterns reported by victims...