- He could easily pass as one of the many junior and mid-career African students braving the winter cold and rushing through classes at a prestigious institute in The Netherlands. His calm demeanor and quiet exterior belie the inner turmoil and tension of a man forced to abandon his family, friends and career and flee to a foreign land in fear of his life. Still, his eyes have that earnest look that attests to his bravery and determination to speak out in the face of what he terms blatant injustice and outright violation of the will of a majority of his fellow countrymen and women. The Institute that has for the last 50 years trained thousands of development-oriented professionals, schola…

- I spoke with my sister Leah this morning for the umpteenth time since the post election violence rocked my country. This has become a daily ritual now, a round of phone calls to my entire family and friends first thing in the morning, mid-day and at nightfall. She’s survived yet another night of terror and fear, and so has my little brother Dan and the rest of my family. They live in or near Eldoret, one of the larger towns in western Kenya, the epicenter of the worst of the clashes. The situation may be taking a turn for the better, but according to her, it is way too early to tell. She came close to losing her home and everything in it when her neighbour’s house adjacent to…

- My phone rang in the middle of the night and it’s a phone call I thought I would never receive so many years since the repressive reign of terror of former authoritarian dictator President Daniel Arap Moi. Since he reinvented himself as a democrat and allowed multiparty democracy to take root in Kenya more than 15 years ago, we breathed an air of freedom and cast away the many nights of fear, waiting for a nock on the door that would lead to torture, detention or even disappearance. That was until December 30, 2007 when the unthinkable happened and Mr. Mwai Kibaki, the erstwhile champion of democracy and freedom stole the dreams and hopes of our nation, painstakingly built and nurtu…

- A majority of the polity in the two senior East African Community countries of Uganda and Tanzania seem to be rooting for a win by ODM presidential candidate Raila Odinga. In both countries ruled under a militarized authoritarian regime and a dominant one party system respectively, Kenya is admired for its high level of democratisation and vibrant political environment. In spite of Tanzania’s hesitation regarding the fast tracking of the East African political federation, many citizens across the region increasingly see themselves as sharing not only a common historical legacy, but inevitably, a common destiny. Hence the great interest with which the political contest in Kenya is bei…

- Gulu town, the capital of the war ravaged northern Uganda is a thriving beehive of activity. The markets are bustling with traders, shops are full of products, bars and cafes are alive with music and dance and the restaurants are rich and full. If one didn't know the history of the 20 plus years of conflict, it could easily pass for just another town in peaceful and calm southern Uganda, or even a suburb of Kampala. There is a resurgence of construction and multi-storey buildings go up, taking advantage of the lull in the decades of fighting between the LRA rebels and government forces, the Uganda People's Defence forces (UPDF). There is a mixed air of pessimism and optimism t…

- Having been away from Africa for a while, it is quite a refreshing eye opener to revisit the continent and see it in a comparative perspective. Having reported on and attended endless development workshops, debates and conferences in Europe, almost all permeated with the image of a miserably poor, dark, sick, dying and drying up continent, its refreshing to see how alive and well mother Africa is, its shortcomings not withstanding. My five month research trip starts in Uganda. I have opted to travel by road, through Kenya and also Tanzania in order to better grasp the full essence of Africa Uganda is a beautiful, lush green, highly fertile and agriculturally productive country. Driving…