Category Archives: Gender

Wangari Maathai, in her own words – Freedom turns a corner: Part 4

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Njeri Okono

Mothers in war Continuing from the previous excerpt of Wangari Maathai’s autobiography, Unbowed: One woman’s story, the mothers wait for their sons. But as they continue their peaceful and contained vigil, the government does not leave them alone. So, the unarmed … Continue reading →

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Wangari Maathai, in her own words – Freedom turns a corner: Part 3

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Njeri Okono

Mothers petition, pray and fast; and the birthing, naming and living spirit of Freedom Corner The adapted excerpt below from Wangari Maathai’s autobiography, Unbowed: One woman’s story (buy the book), tells of how a slice of Uhuru Park – Freedom Corner – came to … Continue reading →

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Mothers’ Day 2013

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Njeri Okono

https://twitter.com/bettymurungi/status/333503700448452608 The month of May – Mama, Mother, Mummy, Mum While every day is indeed a day to honour our mothers (as in Betty Murungi’s tweet above), on Mothers’ Day, we do it collectively, and perhaps more formally, in the various … Continue reading →

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Governor speaks on stripping: All sizzle and no steak? And other leaders?

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Njeri Okono

Finally, in the NTV video clip below, newly elected Nyeri Governor, Mr  Nderitu Gachagua, this week spoke out on the unspeakable stripping of women in public; a vile and violent abuse of rights, driven by impunity and and flagrant law-breaking, that also prompted this … Continue reading →

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Wangari Maathai, in her own words – Freedom turns a corner: Part 2

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Njeri Okono

Coups, conspiracies and entrenching the culture of fear The 4th excerpt from Prof Wangari Maathai’s autobiograpy Unbowed: One woman’s story. Key message from today’s excerpt: no matter how strong and courageous you are, support and solidarity from like-minded people is … Continue reading →

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Stripping, sniggering and ‘moving on’

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Njeri Okono

A few days ago as we approached the celebration of the late Prof Wangari Maathai’s 73rd birthday on April 1,  in the region Prof Wangari Maathai called home, a woman was stripped naked at a Nyeri bus terminus for being … Continue reading →

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Wangari Maathai, in her own glorious and eternal words – Fighting for freedom

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Njeri Okono

The battle for Uhuru Park Unbowed: One woman’s story by Wangari Maathai This second excerpt from Prof Maathai’s autobiography above is from the chapter Fighting for freedom. Unlike the previous excerpt from Seeds of change, this one has been abridged in the … Continue reading →

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Wangari Maathai, in her own glorious and eternal words – Seeds of change

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Njeri Okono

Unbowed: One woman’s story Were the peerless environmentalist, human rights activist and Nobel Laureate, Prof Wangari Muta Maathai, still walking among us, she would have been 73 tomorrow, April 1. Today is Christianity’s Resurrection Sunday – a fitting day to revive … Continue reading →

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Four questions for March 4

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Njeri Okono

A date with destiny On March 4 2013, Kenyans will elect their next President, in what is being touted as the most hotly contested presidential election in Kenya. Ultimately, the power to decide who becomes President rests with the Kenyan voters, … Continue reading →

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Breast milk substitutes: What’s the real story?

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Njeri Okono

Too much ado about 3%, given that… “…97% of children are breastfed and only three per cent of children less than three years receive commercially produced infant formula.” – Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2008–2009, as cited in this Daily Nation story It would … Continue reading →

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