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Honor Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o by guarding free expression

One of Kenya’s most famous freedom writers Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o (87) died on Wednesday 28 May. As tributes from diverse quarters flood our timelines, I found myself reflecting on his relevance for our lives today.

May 313 min read

Protecting Academic Freedoms: Lessons from the United States

While some attempted to downplay the danger of using state security agencies to muzzle the Butere High School play recently, most recognised the threat it posed to our academic and artistic freedoms. This very issue continues to play out very dramatically in the United States, a country with a long history of academic freedom, in ways we can admire and emulate.

Apr 263 min read

Butere girls arriving in Nakuru to crowds of solidarity

Pheroze's legacy lives on in the courage of the Butere girls

History judges harshly those who try to crush the freedom of expression in children. The scenes from Butere High School this week were appalling. The poet in Pheroze Nowrejee, who died recently, would have been incensed. I also suspect, he would also have been deeply proud of the girls’ principled stand.

Apr 153 min read