Sikiliza

In Kenya, the image of a small-scale farmer and those in its vast value chain are often painted with a narrow, often derogatory brush: impoverished, ignorant, and working the land as a last resort – a path taken only when more ‘valued’ professions like doctors, lawyers, or engineers remain out of reach. This deeply ingrained stereotype reflects a fundamental disconnect in how we measure progress and success as Kenyans. Often, we inadvertently dismiss hardworking, enterprising wananchi who, frankly, form the backbone of our economy; they operate within the informal sector and, critically, attend to our food security. This contradiction is further deepened by what I believe is a colonial conditioning that views a lack of formal education as inherently lacking and the deliberate devaluing of indigenous knowledge passed down through generations, leaving us illiterate and unknowing. We forget that it is the traditional knowledge that many Kenyan farmers possess and skillfully apply to feed ...

In a world that spins ever faster, where convenience often trumps connection and efficiency can overshadow empathy, we find ourselves navigating a landscape increasingly dominated by the digital. Change, as they say, is the only constant, and while much of it propels us forward, there are certain threads of humanity that feel perilously close to fraying, perhaps even breaking.  This isn't a call to reject progress entirely, but rather a gentle, perhaps slightly ginger, plea to pause and reconsider what we might be losing along the way – specifically, the beautiful, tangible, and deeply personal art of heart-to-hand communication. Think about how we mark moments now. A loved one's birthday pops up on a digital calendar, a friendly nudge from our phones. Our response? Perhaps a quick tap, selecting a pre-designed digital card, adding a flurry of emojis – stars, digital glitter, a virtual cake – and hitting send. 'Happy Birthday!' flashes across the screen, and just like t...

Held Captive By an Illusion of Separation We live in a world often defined by separation. Humankind sets itself apart from the living world, nature is seen as an infinite resource mindlessly consumed and exploited, and ‘progress’ is measured in limiting, linear, and rigid ways. This dominant narrative, born mainly from Western imperialist worldviews, places humankind on a lonely pedestal, fostering a dangerous illusion of dominion over the intricate web of life. It is a perspective that has configured the world order and, unfortunately, brought about immense ecological devastation, erasure, loss and a profound sense of exile from ourselves and the world around us. An Indigenous Feminist Counter-Narrative But across the globe, from Africa to the territories of the Mesoamerican, there is much wisdom to be gained from Indigenous voices, particularly feminist siblings whose efforts are rooted in ancient traditions and who offer a powerful counternarrative to the status quo. They remind us...

Hello Mum, It’s Mother’s Day again in this corner of the world, a time when the dominant culture and norms pause to honour mothers. For many, it’s a day filled with flowers, calls, and warm embraces. For me, it’s a day tinged with a familiar ache, a quiet remembrance of a physical presence I haven't felt in a quarter of a century. Twenty-five years. It feels like both a lifetime and just yesterday since I last heard your voice, since I felt the unique warmth of your embrace. Though you visit me often in the dreamscape, a vibrant, knowing presence offering loving gaze, messages, and guidance, I still miss the tangible reality of you. I know that life’s journey, our individual fates, meant our paths diverged in this iteration, finding new ways to connect in the spirit realms. But the longing for that embodied presence remains a tender spot in my heart. It’s been a while since I spoke to you like this, one on one, pouring out the thoughts that tumble through my mind. And if there’s so...

Food, a fundamental necessity for life, is increasingly becoming a battleground in Kenya.   For many Kenyans, particularly the younger generations, the connection to how and where their food is produced has been severed, replaced by a reliance on often opaque industrial food systems. These days, there is a worrying number of folks, especially youth, navigating TikTok trends and the price of data bundles, who, for them, the journey of food to our supper plates is a mystery wrapped in plastic and nestled in a supermarket aisle. They are likelier to know a foodie influencer who Snapchatted avocado toast than the farmer whose back ached to bring that avocado to life.   And this, my dear Kenyans, is an urgent indication of a much larger, unacceptable issue: food injustice, the erasure of our traditional pathways, and the alarming disappearance of our natural bounty. We must confront the erosion of food justice and the degradation of biodiversity, which are significantly worsened by...