This week, I share some interesting highlights from a daily writing experiment I'm running over at adventuresandexperiments.com where people send me writing prompts on issues that are of interest to them and I respond with my perspective. For example: What are your views regarding the criminalization of attempted suicide [in the Kenyan context]? Shouldn’t anyone choose if they want to die? Why do we need borders in today's society? Aren't we all the same people after all? Thoughts on Afropolitanism aka ugali fries, muratina mojitos etc? Press play! :)

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#13: Should attempted suicide be decriminalized?

#9: Do we still need borders?

#21: Afropolitanism and the Gentrification of Food

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Yet again, because we are experiencing the effects of a drought, we have a food shortage, and food prices have gone up. 2 kilos of sugar are going for 400 shillings, and until very recently, 2 kilos of maize flour were retailing for 150 to 200 shillings. Recently, to reverse this, KRA lifted the import ban on maize, and opened a window for duty free imports of both yellow and white maize. The first shipment of the maize got here in record short time. People suspect that we are in the middle of yet another maize scandal, so we will talk about this entire event this week. Press play!

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Episode 24: Drought Begins With You Episode 28: Why is Food So Expensive? Importation of maize is insufficient to address shortage What Kenya can do about the end of cheap ugali KRA opens window for maize imports Mexican maize was shipped from South Africa, says Transport PS Maize is from Mexico but was shipped from SA – Govt Imported maize ‘was surplus of old stock in South Africa’ Billionaire millers who shipped maize to Mombasa unmasked Kenya’s first major graft at independence was about maize Still Standing: Kenya's Slow Recovery From a Quadruple Shock [World Bank Report] Kenya lost Sh23b in maize scandal Image Credit

This past week has been a downer for me news-wise, what with the news that the US government (through USAID) is suspending its support of the Ministry of Health's departments due to corruption and weak accounting practices. This support is worth KES 2.1 billion, and affects crucial health services. We also found out that the Jubilee campaign has engaged Cambridge Analytica, a firm said to be behind Donald Trump's victory in the US and the Brexit vote in Britain. I've been asking myself: what does this mean? Press play to find out. Resources USAID suspends funding for health ministry departments United States Agency withdraws Sh2.1 billion health support Launch of $650 Million U.S. Government KEMSA Medical Commodities Program The #LipaKamaTender Movement What is 1.66 Billion? On Resistance Dear Uhuru Kenyatta The Anatomy of a Lootocracy Kenya at 52 Uhuru hires data firm behind Trump, Brexit victories Cambridge Analytica Explained: Data and Elections Trump Data Gurus Leave Long Trail of Subterfuge, Dubious Dealing The great British Brexit robbery: how our democracy was hijacked

This week, we’re gonna talk about Kenya’s middle class, or what I like to call Schrodinger’s middle class – you know, the guys powerful enough to cause the price fluctuation of goods through their tweets, while not being powerful enough at the ballot box to cause change through their votes. What is the middle class? Who is a middle class person? Why does this matter? Press play to find out! Resources Estimation of Size of the Middle Class and Main Characteristics Estimation of the Middle Class (short version) Why middle class Kenyans are living a lie East Africa’s growing middle class hits 29 million The historic roots of the middle class Kenya registers high income gap Number of Kenyan super earners shrinks as income gap grows Growth and the Middle Class The American Middle Class, Income Inequality, and the Strength of Our Economy Kenya's Gini Coefficient Kenya ranked sixth on extreme poverty index