Kenya urgently needs better foreign policy coherence

One of the best ways to ensure that we can competently navigate the emerging environment is to have reasoned public discussions and debates about what it is we are trying to do.

By Ken Opalo 1 month ago

Politicians' verbal insults betray lack of regard to policy

Hypocrisy is underrated. Whether in our personal and family lives, or in public, we rely on a fair amount of tolerance for hypocrisy to maintain our collective commitment to aspirational values.

By Ken Opalo 1 month ago

ODM's challenge is short-term and personal politics

One of the key challenges facing Kenya is the fact that we have elites who are hopelessly unable to coordinate around a set of values.

By Ken Opalo 2 months ago

Nairobi needs long-term planning not sporadic directives

Nairobi is a major global city, and should do well by having high-end high density, in order to pack in as much human capital and possible to power its economy.

By Ken Opalo 2 months ago

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Why William Ruto needs professional economic advisors

Unlike the regular bureaucracy, the Council of Economic Advisors is a slightly different animal in that its members think about both policy and politics.

By Ken Opalo 3 months ago

Ruto's high tolerance for failure in the education sector is a problem

The Ministry of Education and those behind the curriculum reforms have never convincingly explained why we needed the "junior school" stage to make CBC work.

By Ken Opalo 3 months ago

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Why Kenya needs an institutionally strong ODM party

Forget the question of whether the party should be part of the broad-based government, or if it will endorse President William Ruto for 2027 elections.

By Ken Opalo 3 months ago

Parents have a right to question schools' quality

From the outset, it should be clear that as a country we shall not get far if we keep platforming backward ethnic chauvinism.

By Ken Opalo 3 months ago

Let's change our mindset, focus on things that matter

In 2026, we should completely change our mindset. It is very hard to develop as an island. This is as true for individuals as it is for specific regions

By Ken Opalo 4 months ago

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Singapore narrative here to stay, let us use it as a yardstick

As we close 2025 and begin the New Year, it is worth pondering what makes us tick as a nation.

By Ken Opalo 4 months ago

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Ruto still needs to work on earning public trust through effective delivery

President William Ruto highlighted his administration's achievements as well as plans for the future.

By Ken Opalo 5 months ago

ODM at 20: Key lessons for our political parties

This week, the ODM celebrates 20 years of existence. Media reports suggest that the party in Mombasa will be attended, by dignitaries.

By Ken Opalo 5 months ago

Tinga's final lesson dares Kenyans to step in the arena

Raila Amolo Odinga chose to live most of his adult life in the arena. As the longest serving political detainee in the 1980s, he bore the scares of the good fight against tyranny.

By Ken Opalo 6 months ago

Nairobi can be cleaner, if our leaders want

On Friday, Kenyans celebrated Mazingira Day. This year's celebration came at a time when Nairobians are fed up with the filth chocking the city.

By Ken Opalo 6 months ago

Babies' deaths in Kiambu must be a national concern

In a situation like this in Kiambu, did health authorities have the data to monitor goings on during the strike? Could they have intervened after, say, the 9th death? Or 80th?

By Ken Opalo 7 months ago

Somali bigotry has no place in modern Kenya

Kenyan Somalis are as Kenyan as it gets. They have no apologies to make for that fact. And they need not be perfect to be Kenyan. They are Kenyan, period.

By Ken Opalo 7 months ago

How Africa can create decent jobs for youth

Everyone knows about Africa's jobs crisis.

By Ken Opalo 7 months ago

How the great dam in Ethiopia challenges Africa

This past week heads of state from the region gathered in Ethiopia to witness official inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)

By Ken Opalo 7 months ago

Why we should be worried by the rising insecurity

Reports of rising crime are not limited to urban areas, like in Nairobi's CBD. Rural areas, too, seem to be witnessing heightened crime.

By Ken Opalo 7 months ago

Executive attack on MPs over graft is a trojan horse

In the current fight between the Executive and Parliament, Kenyans of goodwill should back the legislators.

By Ken Opalo 8 months ago

Let us celebrate the well-run counties and shame the rest

Devolution is the crown jewel of the 2010 Constitution. This fact should be remembered not just during the annual devolution conference but throughout the year.

By Ken Opalo 8 months ago

Let's make Nairobi Africa's cultural, intellectual Mecca

Officialdom in Kenya has been celebrating planned relocation of three United Nation (UN) organisations - UNICEF, UNFPA, and UN Women - to Nairobi by 2026.

By Ken Opalo 9 months ago

Failure to invest in education will stunt real growth

This week Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi announced that the government can no longer afford to fund free primary education.

By Ken Opalo 9 months ago

Charging demo suspects with terrorism unfair

It is true that during recent protests, there were individuals whose primary motivation was to break the law. Most of them were credibly rumoured to have been sponsored by politicians.

By Ken Opalo 9 months ago

When politicians leave money on the table for us

One of the tragedies of our current political situation is that it is a major distraction from the urgent need to improve the material conditions of Kenyans.

By Ken Opalo 10 months ago

State's approach to demos will only fuel public anger

The protests to commemorate the June 25th protests turned violent. At least 15 people were killed, and 400 injured. Property damage went into the millions.

By Ken Opalo 10 months ago

June 25th protests should spark our national renewal

What does it take to build a coherent nation? As we near the first anniversary of the June 25, 2024 protests, it is worth reflecting on this question.

By Ken Opalo 10 months ago

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How Ojwang's murder exposes rot in elite class

The murder of Albert Ojwang' in police custody is a reminder of the many things wrong with Kenya's ruling elites.

By Ken Opalo 10 months ago

Ruto toying with chaos by arresting opposition leaders

Kenya has about 105,000 police officers against an adult population of 34 million. That translates to about one police officer per 324 people.

By Ken Opalo 11 months ago

The decline of our universities is a national tragedy

It certainly does not feel like the most pressing issue in the country, but the entrenched culture of mediocrity in the management of our public university is a national catastrophe.

By Ken Opalo 11 months ago

Decline of our universities is a national tragedy

The erosion of academic standards in our universities poses a serious threat to the nation's future.

By Ken Opalo 11 months ago

The latest economic survey says a lot on Ruto's presidency

The latest economic survey released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics has some sobering figures.

By Ken Opalo 11 months ago

What new economic indicators tell us about Ruto's presidency

President Ruto's economic scorecard: What the latest data reveals.

By Ken Opalo 11 months ago

Kenyans are not negative, its anger against rogue elite

Kenyans are furious with a ruling elite that has gone rogue. They are demanding better services and respect from the individuals they put in power.

By Ken Opalo 1 year ago

Praise singers doing Ruto more harm than good

Uncritical supporters could be undermining President Ruto's leadership

By Ken Opalo 1 year ago

It's kudos to the brave students of Butere Girls

There is reason to believe that the Butere Girls play was cancelled solely because of the identity of the playwright, former Senator Cleophas Malala - a former official of UDA.

By Ken Opalo 1 year ago

Cholera outbreaks should be a source of national shame

It has become widely accepted that the beginning of the rainy season brings with it cholera - as if we are living in an 18th century time capsule.

By Ken Opalo 1 year ago

Ruto looks set to waste his first term on politics

President William Ruto's reshuffles have not been about improving service delivery but expanding the president's elite coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.

By Ken Opalo 1 year ago

Why reshuffles breed mediocrity in government

To be blunt, the system is simply not structured to deliver results. And no amount of reshuffles can fix that.

By Ken Opalo 1 year ago

Our ruling elites have broken our political market

The political realignments we have witnessed over the last several months are a reminder that the vast majority of Kenyan politicians are really bad at politics.

By Ken Opalo 1 year ago