Kenya's political history is marked by protests. We can trace the history of protests to colonial times. In this episode, we are joined by Dr Westen Shihalo, a senior researcher from the University of Johannesburg, to examine the history of protests in Kenya from the colonial era to the present day.

We examine how the protests against taxation and racial discrimination in colonial times paved way for the agitation for inclusion, democracy and justice in the post-colonial era. Despite some of the gains that have emanated from sustained political protests, including a new constitution, the legitimacy of protests (maandamano) in Kenya remains contested. While some people see them as a legitimate avenue of raising their grievances, others see them as disruptive and unnecessary.

You can read more about Dr. Shihalo's work on the long and rich history of mass protests in Kenya by visiting the following link: https://theconversation.com/mass-protests-in-kenya-have-a-long-and-rich-history-but-have-been-hijacked-by-the-elites-202979

The Kenyanist is hosted by Kamau Wairuri, who is also the executive producer. This episode was produced by Mark Kivuva and edited by Hope Nabalayo. Our researcher and publicist is David Muruaru while Mark Njeru manages our social media. Steve Molikande is our administrator.