Dr. Shadrack Nasong'o, professor of international studies at Rhodes, has published a new book titled Kenya and the Politics of a Postcolony (Anthem Press, 2024) that examines the governance and politics of Kenya since its independence from Britain in 1963 to the present.
According to the book, the expectation on the part of the masses was that independence would bring about social justice, restitution of the stolen lands, and a government based on the will and aspirations of the governed, but differences over ideology among leaders, bureaucratic corruption, and electoral malpractice have prevented this. Nasong’o also discusses the implications of these dynamics for the future of the Kenyan polity.
Born and raised in Western Kenya, Nasong’o is a prominent critical voice on African politics and has been widely recognized for his prolific research and scholarship on Africa.
Said Xavier University Professor Steven J. Salm, “Kenya and the Politics of a Postcolony is the most comprehensive study of the politics of independent Kenya from its colonial origins to the present. Nasong’o’s approach is uniquely profound, the analysis is critically rigorous, and the results are insightfully illuminating. The breadth and depth of this volume guarantee it an enduring shelf life, and the final result is a volume whose quality is beyond reproach.”