During crises, people prefer stories of the miraculous rescues and escapes, acts of heroism, bravery and selflessness. Rarely does anyone focus on the grim, monotonous, and challenging aspects of disaster response.
On 15 January 1985, the front page of The Standard newspaper carried the headline: ‘Killer sex disease in Kenya.’ That headline referenced the story of the first HIV-related death in Kenya. Cited in the East African Medical Journal, the story went that the deceased was a 34-year-old Ugandan journalist who had been hospitalised at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, who had died on 8 May 1984. Two years later, Joe Muriuki (the future Dr. Joe Muriuki) went public with his HIV status, becoming the first Kenyan to openly share that he was living with the virus. It was also around that time that the National AIDS Control Council that had been formed in 1986, became fully operational and was renamed the National AIDS/STD Control Programme (NASCOP).
In the last few years, there has been a growing trend in the revival of anti-homosexuality legislation, arguing that non-conforming sexual orientations and gender identities are imports from Western countries and are contrary to African values.
n 1993, Guinea Bissau repealed its Penal Code and decriminalised consensual same-sex sexual acts between adults. Since then, the number of African countries that have legalised same sex relations has grown to 22.
For the third time now — 2014 being the first time a version of it was passed — Ugandan lawmakers have passed the controversial Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
Had Grace Monica Akech Onyango never joined politics, her contribution to society would already have been immense.
If two years ago you’d have asked me whether I’d join a book club, your ears would likely be met
A digital card bearing the logo and social media template of Kamba Insights —a news blog—and quoting Makueni Governor Mutula
Long before the launch of the Hustler Fund on 30 November 2022, I already knew I wanted to test the Fund out. I was particularly drawn to the experiment for two reasons; the Fund had been making headlines during the campaigns and after the August 9 polls. The Fund (not loan) that served as an anchor to the hustlers’ narrative that was the centrepiece of President William Ruto’s campaign promised to reward low-income earners, “hustlers”, by giving them access to interest-free credit, liberating them from predatory lenders in the process. And even though in the time between campaigns and the launch Kenya Kwanza reneged on its interest-free promise, the Fund has still attracted so much buzz (positive and otherwise). The second reason was that I just happen to be an overly curious human being.
A running joke in Kenya today is that if you have a one thousand shilling note you should not bother
