The Parklands Diary

 Image from Fintech Association Africa, by Google The recent protests in Kenya, dubbed "Reject the Finance Bill," have illuminated the relationship that exists between religious institutions and the political class. These protests, predominantly led by the youth, emerged in response to a controversial bill perceived as yet another ploy by the government to extort its citizens . Despite the lawmakers' failure to heed the concerns of their constituents, they proceeded to pass the bill through various legislative stages, awaiting only the president's signature. As the protests unfolded over several weeks, they revealed deeper issues plaguing the Kenyan populace, including systemic corruption, poor governance, and a pervasive sense of extortion. These challenges have persisted since the country gained independence from colonial rule, and the mounting frustration among citizens has become palpable. The demonstrators voiced their demand for accountability, urging their repr...

 Image powered by Microsoft Bing The advancement of artificial intelligence (herein referred as AI) in Africa is poised to shape the continent’s future. More than ten (10) states have positively embraced this transformative technology to enhance efficiency and accessibility of government services. In Tanzania, farmers are now using an AI assisted app called Nuru to detect crop diseases while in South Africa computer scientists have built AI models to analyze the impact of racial segregation [1] . In the bustling city of Nairobi, Kenya we have surveillance cameras perched on lampposts which use AI to classify images [2] . Following this rapid evolution of AI, there are challenges that have necessitated comprehensive governing frameworks. Many governments have resolved to policymaking and building strategies to regulate AI within their jurisdictions. [3]   The African Union (AU) has proposed a draft AI policy aimed at establishing a cohesive regulatory environment across its...

                            Image from Pexels by Katrin Bolovstova Fear took the better part of me as I stood in the University of Nairobi moot court room, feeling the weight of my newly black coat. The moot court room was not like any other classroom but a stage for combat where arguments backed by legal justifications was my weapon and a sole defence. I was about to start pleading before the learned judges, my first big moot, the annual All Kenya Moot Court Competition.   My co-counsel, Emmanuel seemed to be composed and that gave me a reassuring gesture. My fear started to deplete, changed into courage and determination. We might have been the underdogs, amateurs but we were armed with months of research, sleepless nights and a strong quest to emerge triumphant. The thirty minutes we were allocated by the court proved not to be enough and we struggled to finish our submissions. I never worried about that a...

                        Image from Pexels by Kelly The 1960s and 1970s stand out as the years when Africans in many countries were freed from the white man’s rule. These two decades marked the end of the era of colonialism. Whenever I watch the black and white film reel of the moment when the British Union Jack flag went down and the Kenyan flag was hoisted at Uhuru Gardens on December 12, 1963, I can only imagine the emotions that must have flooded the hearts of the elated onlookers as they shouted joyfully; filled with indescribable relief, immense satisfaction and immeasurable hope. Hope for a better future where poverty would be a thing of the past, for the vast resources whose benefits they had been robbed of for almost a century would revert back to them. A restoration of wealth. An economic system that seeks not to take away, but to ensure that every person is able to live comfortably by being able to afford the basic ne...