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The Election Trap

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  Maybe We Can Shift Course: Elections and the Economy in Kenya Elections are unpredictable, and so is the economy during these periods. On one hand, democratic transitions can usher in improved governance, stronger institutions, and policy reforms that support economic growth. On the other, elections can just as easily produce pitiable economic performance due to abrupt changes in government policies, political systems, and investor confidence, particularly when electoral processes disturb peace, law, and order. In Kenya, where elections are intensely competitive and politically consequential, the relationship between electoral politics and economic stability is both visible and worth interrogating. Research shows that the political environment of a democratic country can influence the performance of the national economy in several ways. Public expenditure levels, investment flows, and social protection measures are among the most measurable indicators of this relationship, mean...
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Gender Inconsistencies In Kenya’s Succession Law: A Constitutional And Comparative Critique

Kenya’s commitment to the principles of equality and non-discrimination is woven in the entirety of its 2010 Constitution expressed predominantly in Article 27 as a substantial improvement on the right as provided in Article 82 of the previous Constitution (Fitgerald, 2010). The family unit has been depicted as the basic unit of the society as expressed under article 45 of the Kenyan Constitution (Shamalla, 2024). The Law of Succession Act, CAP 160, was created to amend, define and consolidate the law relating to intestate and testamentary succession and the administration of the estates of deceased persons. The Act prioritizes division and inheritance of property and seeks to protect and promote women’s right. It provides for the right of women to make wills and contest them. Pursuant to the Act, a wife is the primary dependent and is usually the most suitable to manage her late husband’s estate. The Act also prescribes that children inherit equally, with no preference based on gender...
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The Cost of Survival

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 Apathy. Such a short word, yet so lethal, so poisonous like a viper on a seductress’s shoulders. Scholars define apathy as a quantitative reduction of goal-directed activity compared to an individual’s previous level, affecting multiple dimensions including behavior, cognition, emotion, and social interaction. In other words, apathy is not just “not caring.” It is the slow erosion of motivation, feeling, and connection. When understood this way, apathy becomes less about laziness and more about loss, loss of meaning, agency, and belief that effort will lead to anything worthwhile. It may even explain the quiet misery many people carry: the constant complaining, irritation toward joy, or resentment of those who seem fulfilled, or at least pretend to be. Too harsh? Maybe. But this article is for me too.   I reckon this could explain the whispers in city corners and matatu conversations about the Kenyan 2027 elections, a premonition shaped by the memory of elections...
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