An Africanist Perspective

An Africanist Perspective

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On American aid cuts/disruptions
When the music stops, those who’ve outsourced their ambitions get exposed
 • Ken Opalo
What explains the “ambition gap” among Africa’s (ruling) elites?
On the drivers of African elites’ addiction to muddling through developmentalism
 • Ken Opalo
Kenyan Protests, Part One: The political education of President William Ruto
Lessons on the difficulties of governing during turbulent economic times after campaigning as an anti-establishment populist.
 • Ken Opalo
The geopolitics of international development (after foreign aid)
You can't have nice things without strategic independence and policy autonomy
 • Ken Opalo
African countries must urgently start the process of ending aid dependency
On why African countries must seize this moment to start the journey towards self-sufficiency
 • Ken Opalo
On Africa’s “arbitrary” borders and their alleged impacts
Borders are not the leading cause of state weakness or political and economic underdevelopment in Africa
 • Ken Opalo
How Ethiopia avoided colonization in the late 19th century but then lagged behind in the 20th century
Lessons in stateness, (failed) modernization, and economic (under)development
 • Ken Opalo
Raila Amolo Odinga
The man whose political career defined Kenya’s multiparty politics
 • Ken Opalo
Africa in 2026
The 11 trends/factors that will shape African affairs in 2026
 • Ken Opalo
What will become of international development after the end of the aid paradigm?
Some thoughts in response to questions I get from students and young professionals
 • Ken Opalo
There will be no economic takeoff in Africa without lots of large (private sector) firms
On why African states’ jobs agenda must focus on catalyzing firm growth (and not disorganized investments in micro-entrepreneurship)
 • Ken Opalo
The international development community isn’t adapting fast enough to official aid cuts. That’s a big problem.
On the urgent need for a pivot to spending more time trying to supporting specific countries interested in boosting their state capacity; and catalyzing…
 • Ken Opalo
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