July 31
Kenya: Debt and the Gen Z Protests - the Moral Economy of the African Crowd
A generation after the 1980s debt crisis triggered the rebirth of democracy on the continent, will Kenya's youthful idealists spark a pan-African revolt? Read more »
June 19
Kenya: 'The Roof Does All the Work' - the Rise of Green Roofs in Nairobi
Planting vegetation on buildings can bring many perks for those that can afford them, but the environmental benefits should not be overstated. Read more »
May 07
Kenya: 'This Flood Has Caused a Massive Shift' - Surviving in Kenya's Slums
Washington Mboya, an environmentalist in Nairobi, describes the effects of and response to the devastating floods in the city's poorest areas. Read more »
February 20
Africa: The First Oil Shock - February 1974 and the Making of Our Times
Triggered by the 1973 Yom Kippur war, an unprecedented surge in global oil prices took hold the following year. Spiralling inflation forced workers, students and soldiers onto the… Read more »
January 31
Kenya: Why Kenya Is Hopeful but Hesitant About the Loss and Damage Fund
The new fund is a step towards climate justice. But its host and size leave many questions unanswered. Read more »
January 11
Kenya: City Lights, Silent Nights - Memories of Hiding in Nairobi's Labyrinth
I can still recall my very first glimpse of Nairobi, its neon lights and deafening bustle. It returns to me with a tinge of dread. Read more »
November 28, 2023
Africa: The Idea That Green Growth Will Save Africa Is Gaslighting 101
The marketisation of climate action, epitomised by Kenya's President Ruto, allows the super-rich to buy safety while the rest of us are left behind. Read more »
November 02, 2023
Africa: President Ruto Is Not Africa's Mia Mottley
Kenya's president has reinvented himself as Africa's climate champion, but his policy contradictions reveal that this is just his latest hustle. Read more »
August 21, 2023
Africa: Africa Climate Summit - Kenya's Green Growth Pitch Sparks Justice Concerns
Outcry over McKinsey's role and unease with Ruto's focus on finance raises questions as to whether the summit will truly be "by Africans for Africans". Read more »
May 23, 2023
Kenya: The Rebirth of Anti-Elite Land Politics in Ruto's Kenya
If the invasion of the Kenyatta property resurrected the ghosts of Mau Mau, where did it leave the land question in central Kenya? Read more »
January 05, 2023
Kenya: The 'Hustler' Fund - Kenya's Approach to National Transformation
Debating Ideas aims to reflect the values and editorial ethos of the African Arguments book series, publishing engaged, often radical, scholarship, original and activist writing… Read more »
September 13, 2022
Kenya: What Future for Social Assistance Under Ruto?
The new president's manifesto shows awareness of the need for more social assistance but is light on specific commitments. Read more »
September 07, 2022
Kenya: New Govt Has a Chance to Secure Reproductive Rights
Kenya's sexual health rights are beholden to US decisionmakers. New legislators must take back control. Read more »