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Sakagwa’s Ghost, originally published in Kiswahil as Kivuli cha Sakawa, is a story about one of Africa’s legendary heroes. A seer, strategist and medicine man, Sakagwa’s legend lives to date, holding that many of his predictions have come to pass. His wisdom, some say, served to assure the survival of the Abagusii community in the face of colonial incursion.
In this this story, Sakagwa finds himself at a crossroads following the death of his father, a prominent leader in his own right. Conservative elders in the community, feeling threatened by this youngster’s demonstrated wisdom and knowledge are determined to dim his rising star. Will they succeed?
Sakagwa Ng’iti was born and lived in the Abagusii community in western Kenya at the turn of 19th Century (1800). The unfolding story in this book did take place, probably in slightly a different way from that depicted here.
By chronicling this episode, the author gives the story a new lease of life, through artistic rendering, and offers chance for others to comment or offer versions of the story as they understand it.
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Oral Poetry in Africa :The Abagusii of Kenya
Oral Poetry in Africa: The Abagusii of Kenya highlights characteristics of African
oral traditions with particular focus on the oral poetry of the Abagusii of Kenya. It
shows that oral poetry in the Abagusii community covered every facet of life. The
community’s social-political and economic life, history, values, norms and customs
were stored in the oral poetry, in addition to proverbs, riddles and folktales. Notably,
oral poetry coloured the entire life of Omogusii and was sung during birth, initiation,
marriage and death ceremonies. This book documents the oral poetry of the
community in its original form, and in various versions that were practised or sung in
different parts of the region inhabited by the community. Further, the book discusses
the context in which this poetry was sung and explains some of the cultural practices,
norms, and customs that surround or motivated the composition of the poetry.
The advent of colonialism had ‘corrupting’ influence on the original poetry, more so
with the adoption of English words and phrases. This kind of poetry has not been left
out.
Aside from the general poetry and the book also captures emeino, the Abagusii
classical oral poetry. While the general poetry utilized improvisation as a technique in
its presentation and performance, the classical poetry was a fixed form that demanded
to be sung in its original form. Unlike the general poetry that, in its ephemerality,
invited additions and subtractions from the text, classical poetry was permanent in
text with no room for improvisation.
Oral Poetry in Africa: The Abagusii of Kenya is meant for students of oral literature
at university level. However, it can also be used by researchers of African oral
literature, culture, anthropology, history and sociology. Indeed, it is also good for the
general reader who is interested in the culture of Abagusii and African people, in general
Inside the Presidency: Trials and Tribulations of a Zambian Spin-doctor by Dickson Jere
Inside the Presidency: the Trials and Tribulations of a Zambian Spin Doctor is a captivating chronicle of the goings on at the centre of state power as told by an insider. It captures the intrigues at the presidency, specifically associated with the author's time serving retired President Rupiah Banda.
The book tells of President Banda's ascendancy to the presidency following the death of Levi Mwanawasa. Telling it as it was, Jere paints well the roles of a number of players in supporting the president's quest to meet his mandate to the Zambian people. This is a first-hand account of the operations of the presidency as well as the challenges (and later failure) by Banda to secure a second term of office. It gives insights into the in the then ruling party, the president's own beliefs and approach to politics, and how the opposition took advantage of these to defeat an otherwise accomplished president.
The book is a window into policy positions, international relations, government bureaucracy and political manoeuvers in high office. Several decisions, popular and unpopular, are laid bare as is their rationale and impact. It paints a picture of the fire-fighting between government positions and public perception and further shows the inter-play of all this with opposition parties and the press.
Deborah and the Chicken
Mother Rat and Her Son Chepsoo
This children’s book teaches about the importance of good behavior and manner among children. It teaches them among other things to respect their parents and elders.
Dorothy Jebet has more than 18 years’ experience in the Kenyan journalism scene. She has worked for various media houses including the Nation Media Group, The Standard, the defunct Kenya Times, The Star and Kass FM in various capacities. She is currently an independent consultant and analyst on matters of journalism and media.
She has had extensive training in the world of journalism, including a stint on US Congressional Reporting under the Bill Clinton Administration.
Dorothy’s work is extensive, some of which has attracted international attention. Her story on the early marriage of a 16 year-old girl won her a Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) sponsorship to study Human Rights and Administration at Lund University.
Ann and the Pen
Critical Thinking
This book, Critical Thinking, is an outgrowth of an undergraduate course that the author developed and taught at Machakos University in Kenya. It presents the definition, nature, and foundations of critical thinking. It further discusses the various schools of thought on the subject of critical thinking, a matter that underlines the broad range of debates that pertain to the subject. In this respect, it demonstrates a great deal of energy that has been expended by theorists of critical thinking on the debate on the nature of critical thinking, generating provocative, interesting and important philosophical perspectives.
The work provides students of Critical Thinking with necessary tools to cope successfully with undergraduate and graduate-level courses, and post-academic life. It contains adequate material supportive of postgraduate studies and research in critical thinking.
What others say
“We hope and expect that this will serve as an important tool for students and scholars alike, and welcome the appearance of this important contribution to the theory and practice of education for critical thinking.” - Harvey Siegel, Department of Philosophy, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA.
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Jama is forced home to his native Somalia, the land of his nomadic ancestors. War is on the horizon and the fascist Italian forces who control parts of East Africa are preparing for battle. Yet Jama cannot rest until he discovers whether his father, who has been absent from his life since he was a baby, is alive somewhere. And so begins an epic journey which will take Jama north through Djibouti, war-torn Eritrea and Sudan, to Egypt.
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Operation Linda Nchi
The book does not cover all aspects of Operational Art as pertains to Operation "Linda Nchi" [ swahili for safeguard or protect the Country ], as some of the details are still classified and the overall operation against Al Shabaab is still a work in progress., ie. it covers the Operational Art aspects of macroscopic maneuver, operational approach and operational objectives. But little information is revealed as pertains to Operational Logistics and the extent of disruption that is still required against Al Shabaab Operations in the Horn of Africa and beyond.
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This was a unique idea for an African Military Force at the present time, but there are significant past conflicts documented in books especially around the colonial era, struggles for independence and post-independence episodes of guerilla warfare. An example of past documentation and appreciation of history that is declining, is that in the 1950s to 1960s, students in Kenyan schools learnt about General Paul Emil von Lettow Voerbeck and "The Great War".
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ISBN:2147483647
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Delicious Kenya Cookbook 2
Welcome to 21st century Kenyan cuisine or, to be less dramatic, modern Kenyan cooking. Now, more than ever before, you can prepare all types of food from any part of the world, right in your kitchen.
All it takes is the right recipes and a little spark of adventure to try something exciting and different. We have partnered easy-to-do international cuisine with some of our own healthy, wholesome foods to create meals that are simply sumptuous. This book is a collection of dishes that combine to form full meals.
There are main dishes, their accompaniments and complementing sauces and salads. A section is dedicated to amazing, easy to make cakes developed from flours like amaranth, sweet potato and cassava that can be served for dessert or tea.
There is a variety of creative, nutritious pancakes perfect for packed meals; and new flavourful porridge for breakfast. Clear step-by-step photographs will guide you through the recipes, showing how to marinate, whisk, pan-fry, bake and make sauces like a professional.
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An Image of Africa
Beautifully written yet highly controversial, An Image of Africa asserts Achebe's belief in Joseph Conrad as a 'bloody racist' and his conviction that Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness only serves to perpetuate damaging stereotypes of black people. Also included is The Trouble with Nigeria, Achebe's searing outpouring of his frustrations with his country.
GREAT IDEAS. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are"
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Unbowed by Wangari Maathai
Born in a rural Kenyan village in 1940, Wangari Maathai was already an iconoclast as a child, determined to get an education even though most African girls then were uneducated. In her remarkable and inspiring autobiography, she tells of her studies with Catholic missionaries, earning bachelors and master's degrees in the United States, and becoming the first woman both to earn a PhD and to head a university department in Kenya.
She tells of her numerous run-ins with the brutal government of Daniel arap Moi and of the political and personal reasons that compelled her, in 1977, to establish the Green Belt Movement, which spread from Kenya across Africa, and which helps restore indigenous forests while assisting rural women by paying them to plant trees in their villages.
Maathai's extraordinary courage and determination helped transform Kenya's government into the democracy in which she now serves as Deputy Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources and as a Member of Parliament. Eventually her achievement was internationally recognized in the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded in recognition of her 'contribution to sustainable development, human rights, and peace'.
In Unbowed, we are in the presence of a hugely charismatic yet humble woman whose remarkable story carries with it an inspiring message of hope. Hers is an extraordinary story, spanning different worlds and changing times, and revealing what the courage, determination, tenacity and humour of one good woman can achieve; how as small a thing as planting a seedling and watering it can made all the difference in the world.
Replenishing the Earth
Brief Summary
An impassioned call to heal the wounds of our planet and ourselves through the tenets of our spiritual traditions, from a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize It is so easy, in our modern world, to feel disconnected from the physical earth. Despite dire warnings and escalating concern over the state of our planet, many people feel out of touch with the natural world. Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai has spent decades working with the Green Belt Movement to help women in rural Kenya plant—and sustain—millions of trees.
With their hands in the dirt, these women often find themselves empowered and "at home” in a way they never did before.
Maathai wants to impart that feeling to everyone, and believes that the key lies in traditional spiritual values: love for the environment, self-betterment, gratitude and respect, and a commitment to service.
While educated in the Christian tradition, Maathai draws inspiration from many faiths, celebrating the Jewish mandate tikkun olam ("repair the world”) and renewing the Japanese term mottainai ("don’t waste”). Through rededication to these values, she believes, we might finally bring about healing for ourselves and the earth.
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Lets Cook Kenya by Susan Kamau
With every passing year, the unique melting pot of communities and cultures mix and blend, allowing Kenyans to live together in relative harmony.
Distinct cultural lines have become less distinguishable with the passing of time as people get on with their daily chores. While Kenyans are not without their problems, their peaceful example stands out among the countries of the world.
Susan Kamau's 1st cook book Jikoni Magic brought you a 2 week meal plan and hit the best selling list at the national paper Nation. This, her 2nd cook book, is a journey through Kenya's diverse countryside and ethnic communities, a book of national heritage.
A journey of culinary delights aimed at bringing back to life long forgotten recipes that our grandparents grew up on. Recipes made from ingredients that withstood drought and that were nutritious and healthy. Susan Kamau has selected these dishes and brought them to you without spoiling their authenticity.
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Belonging in Africa
When Sara and Sam fall in love, they presume Sara's white European skin and Sam's black African skin will not be of interest in 1978 Nairobi, the cosmopolitan and free-thinking capital of Kenya where they both live. They are wrong. Soon they must face painful prejudices from the outside world, as well as their own families. They also slowly realize that unexpected deep-rooted differences exist between them.Sara and her Dutch expat parents have happily settled in Kenya for a few years, but this is only the latest in a long list of countries they called home. Soon Sara's father will be transferred to a new position, and the family must move to a new country again.But things are different for Sara this time. She is 18 years old, and absolutely certain she belongs in Kenya. She plans to stay forever--especially after she falls passionately in love with Sam.After all, on the surface of it, Sara and Sam have a great deal in common. They both come from comfortable middle-class families. They attend excellent schools as academic high achievers. They balance on the cusp of adulthood, and have every reason to think their futures will be bright. But soon enough, the differences between them are too apparent to be ignored, even by them. And this is only the start of the ordeals Sam and Sara must overcome.Sara is a pampered only child. Sam is the eldest son of the first wife of a polygamous Ugandan family. Sara does not at first understand the significance of his position. It takes time for her to see how deeply his young life is influenced by the many responsibilities that rest on his shoulders.The lovers suffer from prejudices from people close to them, as well as from strangers. They are startled to discover that both sets of parents oppose their union, and believe their child should find a better partner within their own cultures.Perhaps most complicated of all is the slow realization that Sara and Sam have very different expectations of each other. Sam presumes he has certain rights as the man in the relationship. Sara does not automatically subscribe to his position of leader, or consider it her duty to follow.
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I Dreamed of Africa by Kuki Gallmann
At the age of twenty-five, Kuki Gallman, divorced and badly injured in a devastating car accident, left Italy to convalesce in Africa with the man who would become her second husband.
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Through My African Eyes by Jeff Koinange
"Through My African Eyes!” is a concise narrative covering some of the major players in 20th century African politics. The book is rich with insights into the personal and intellectual underpinnings of many historical events in Africa. Chronicles of some pretty interesting Africans from warlords, soldiers, victims and politicians lend insight into Jeff’s celebrated journalistic style. Through his eyes we are made to understand the role of journalist’s as binders of our social fabric.
"Through My African Eyes” is very informative and quite humorous, utilizing a modern quick precise narrative style. He is able to describe complex global geopolitical issues with incisive analysis. The book surf’s one through the experience with speed and historical accuracy. We see the visual the words impart, rather than being stuck in prose. The best part is being able to walk the journey informed by a largely Kenyan perspective. Jeff outlines clearly how biased reportage can splinter any society and promote its disintegration by pandering to people’s lowest instincts.
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Brief Summary
Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of the Green Belt Movement, offers a refreshingly unique perspective on the challenges facing Africa, even as she calls for a moral revolution among Africans themselves, who, she argues, are culturally deracinated, adrift between worlds.The troubles of Africa today are severe and wide-ranging. Yet what we see of them in the media, more often than not, are tableaux vivantes connoting poverty, dependence, and desperation.
Wangari Maathai presents a different vision, informed by her three decades as an environmental activist and campaigner for democracy.
She illuminates the complex and dynamic nature of the continent, and offers "hardheaded hope” and "realistic options” for change and improvement. With clarity of expression, Maathai analyzes the most egregious "bottlenecks to development in Africa,” occurring at the international, national, and individual levels–cultural upheaval and enduring poverty among them–and deftly describes what Africans can and need to do for themselves, stressing all the while responsibility and accountability.Impassioned and empathetic, The Challenge for Africa is a book of immense importance.
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ISBN:9780307390288
Author:Wangari Maathai
The Fortunes of Africa by Martin Meredith
Africa has been coveted for its riches ever since the era of the Pharaohs. In past centuries, it was the lure of gold, ivory, and slaves that drew fortune-seekers, merchant-adventurers, and conquerors from afar.
In modern times, the focus of attention is on oil, diamonds, and other valuable minerals. Land was another prize. The Romans relied on their colonies in northern Africa for vital grain shipments to feed the population of Rome. Arab invaders followed in their wake, eventually colonizing the entire region.
More recently, foreign corporations have acquired huge tracts of land to secure food supplies needed abroad, just as the Romans did. In this vast and vivid panorama of history, Martin Meredith follows the fortunes of Africa over a period of 5,000 years.
With compelling narrative, he traces the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms and empires; the spread of Christianity and Islam; the enduring quest for gold and other riches; the exploits of explorers and missionaries; and the impact of European colonization.
He examines, too, the fate of modern African states and concludes with a glimpse of their future. His cast of characters includes religious leaders, mining magnates, warlords, dictators, and many other legendary figures—among them Mansa Musa, ruler of the medieval Mali empire, said to be the richest man the world has ever known. "I speak of Africa,” Shakespeare wrote, "and of golden joys.” This is history on an epic scale."
Keeping Hope Alive
The moving memoir of one brave woman who, along with her daughters, has kept 90,000 of her fellow citizens safe, healthy, and educated for over 20 years in Somalia. Dr. Hawa Abdi, "the Mother Teresa of Somalia" and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, is the founder of a massive camp for internally displaced people located a few miles from war-torn Mogadishu, Somalia. Since 1991, when the Somali government collapsed, famine struck, and aid groups fled, she has dedicated herself to providing help for people whose lives have been shattered by violence and poverty. She turned her 1300 acres of farmland into a camp that has numbered up to 90,000 displaced people, ignoring the clan lines that have often served to divide the country. She inspired her daughters, Deqo and Amina, to become doctors. Together, they have saved tens of thousands of lives in her hospital, while providing an education to hundreds of displaced children. In 2010, Dr. Abdi was kidnapped by radical insurgents, who also destroyed much of her hospital, simply because she was a woman. She, along with media pressure, convinced the rebels to let her go, and she demanded and received a written apology.Dr. Abdi's story of incomprehensible bravery and perseverance will inspire readers everywhere.
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Dead Aid by Dambisa Moyo
In Dead Aid, Dambisa Moyo describes the state of postwar development policy in Africa today and unflinchingly confronts one of the greatest myths of our time: that billions of dollars in aid sent from wealthy countries to developing African nations has helped to reduce poverty and increase growth. In fact, poverty levels continue to escalate and growth rates have steadily declined—and millions continue to suffer.
Provocatively drawing a sharp contrast between African countries that have rejected the aid route and prospered and others that have become aid-dependent and seen poverty increase, Moyo illuminates the way in which overreliance on aid has trapped developing nations in a vicious circle of aid dependency, corruption, market distortion, and further poverty, leaving them with nothing but the "need” for more aid.
Debunking the current model of international aid promoted by both Hollywood celebrities and policy makers, Moyo offers a bold new road map for financing development of the world’s poorest countries that guarantees economic growth and a significant decline in poverty—without reliance on foreign aid or aid-related assistance.Dead Aid is an unsettling yet optimistic work, a powerful challenge to the assumptions and arguments that support a profoundly misguided development policy in Africa. And it is a clarion call to a new, more hopeful vision of how to address the desperate poverty that plagues millions.
Crisis In The Horn of Africa
The most dangerous corner of Africa is its north-east corner where instability reigns and terrorism thrives on the antagonisms of all of its governments. This region, comprising Ethiopia, Sudan and now South Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Eritrea, and stretching to include Kenya and Uganda, is a pivotal geopolitical pressure point in world politics.
It stands at the hinge of Africa and the Middle East. It was of vital interest to the superpowers during the Cold War and remains, in the post-Cold War period, a key area in international relations and a major source of mineral wealth, while its sufferings have been described as a scar on the conscience of humanity.
But seemingly endemic political chaos, failed states, terrorism and international piracy have dealt a death blow to the ambitions of the US and her allies in the international community to further a New World Order of liberal democracy. Peter Woodward's book is essential reading for Africa and international relations specialists, including policy planners."
ISBN:2147483647
Author:Peter Woodward
The State of Africa by Martin Meredith
Africa is forever on our TV screens, but the bad-news stories (famine, genocide, corruption) massively outweigh the good (South Africa). Ever since the process of de-colonialisation began in the mid-1950s, and arguably before, the continent has appeared to be stuck in a process of irreversible decline.
Constant war, improper use of natural resources and misappropriation of revenues and aid monies contribute to an impression of a continent beyond hope. How did we get here? What, if anything, is to be done?
Fully revised and updated and weaving together the key stories and characters of the last sixty years into a stunningly compelling and coherent narrative, Martin Meredith has produced the definitive history of how European ideas of how to organise 10,000 different ethnic groups has led to what Tony Blair described as the 'scar on the conscience of the world'.
Authoritative, provocative and consistently fascinating, this is the updated edition of the seminal book on one of the most important issues facing the West today."
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