Society - Al Kags — Strategist, Social Entrepreneur, Writer

September 22, 2014

Rare kudos to government, and a warning: don’t mess this up

Note: I submitted this article to the Nation last week but it was not acknowledged, so I shall publish it here now. It is somewhat rare to find good news relating to the government on most days. The week before last, I had the enviable fortune ...

August 27, 2014

4 years later we still hold our Constitution: the speech I wish president Kenyatta made today

Four years ago today, Kenya promulgated a new constitution. This milestone enshrined in law such important ideals as respect for all persons and their rights, equality for everyone regardless of where they live and transparency. For me, it was sad to see that the day passed with no ...

May 18, 2014

Living Memories: a story from Lokitaung, Kenya

Today, I want to share with you one story. From Lokitaung. There used to be a prison there during the colonial era. After independence it has had little relevance in people's lives. A few years ago, I happened to be there, and I met an ...

May 16, 2014

Will the Kenyan Jack Bauer get cracking – and keep me out of it?

Today, I was accosted at my gate by some government officials, who said that they were from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development. They explained that while I have usually seen them around the neighbourhood under the auspices the polio campaign, which is ...

February 11, 2014

Of Africans in Suits and Ties

Tonight when I couldn’t sleep, I happened upon a Guinness documentary on Youtube that is worth watching. The video was about the group of men in Congo Brazzaville who are members of a little known club (at least in East Africa) called the Sapeurs or ...

December 5, 2013

Farewell Nelson

Today Africa - nay, the world - lost a great man. I never met Nelson Mandela but I feel as though I knew him as a friend, a father, a grandfather. We shall mourn this great soldier who paid a great price - being jailed ...

October 2, 2013

Recently, my colleague Bev, asked me a number of strategic questions relating to Africa - What are my dreams for Africa, What do I think of Africa's potential and so on and What really are Africa's challenges and opportunities. You'd think that I will have ...

September 15, 2013

New VAT Law bring savings into my home!

The VAT Act became law in Kenya and was implemented in the past two weeks. With it, came an increase in a number of daily necessities that have seen major changes in my house. These commodities include Milk and Newspapers (among several others) I have not ...

July 24, 2013

Can we “soup up” the National Anthem?

This article was published this past Sunday in the Daily Nation (Kenya). Last week I attended the admission into the roll of advocates of 72 new lawyers presided over by the Chief Justice of Kenya Dr Willy Mutunga. At the colourful ceremony, I noticed two important things. ...

June 16, 2013

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