As this unfolds here, the world burns under the violence of whiteness. Genocides abound, with leaders boasting of wiping out nations. Meanwhile, markets receive dumped (pollution) T-shirts like this—we opened this (photo 1) from a bale yesterday..
We spent the rest of the afternoon bringing down her Kibanda, to save the good poles & iron sheets from the bulldozers that will visit tonight/tomorrow. She like many others head home not sure where they will sell from on Monday.
Today at the T-shirt section Wanjeri, one of my mothers in Gikomba, who I sold with for most of Aug, asked me, “You have been studying Gikomba, what is all this, tell us what to do” all I could was divert conversation to my piercing (always a conversation with her and the new loops were my way out:)
Also, note the vibanda are meters from the river. Closer to the river they were being evicted from, but on the other side. Floods and Riparian demolitions always a haux, a conjecture of urban violences…the Chinese construction companies are already on the other side as of this week..
After 30 March, the shoe traders are scattered all over (social infrastructure and planning lost) the allocated location they were advised to move to is too small. See the new small, incomplete vibandas.. (photo from 1st April)
yet the allocation of the stores inside has never been discussed. The cereal traders who were evicted from that section are afraid it will open, and the stores will be divided. Again, no PP on that side, not before the demolitions, not now when that building is said to be opening soon..
Most traders insist, “we are not against the modern market, but we have learnt they are a strategy to get us out.” e.g The cereal section was demolished about 5 years ago, and the building (the modern market) is still under construction. Always said to be “finishing soon”…
My friends and interlocutors have been stressed from Feb. No public participation has been done on the construction of the modern markets. Apparently, a few Wazee were taken to the state house as Market leaders..
They returned the week after, Thursday 26th, with security. Shoe section traders protested around the market, but the 50 meters from the river were measured. And then 30th March demolitions happened.
Riparian demolitions in Nairobi are constructed and travel in interesting ways. After recent floods, authorities said that 20 meters from the river will be demolished. Officials came to the shoe section on 17 March and started measuring 50 meters from the river, they were confronted until they left.
Feb floods created a ground where “riparian demolitions” met with the modern market ideals that led to the 30 March night, 11 pm, demolitions (timing of bulldozers always important to note) These are to be phased demolitions. The shirt section will most likely be demolished tomorrow, if not tonight.
The last two months at #GikombaMarket, Nairobi, have been heavy. To inhabit most parts of #Nairobi is to live under the ever-present shadow of looming demolitions and other violences: floods, fires, police, modernisation…
Event flyer including abstract & author bio.
Please join the Northeast Africa Forum on 10 Feb, 4pm UK time.
@delfmt.bsky.social (Lorraine, Nancy) will present:
'A New "Playground of Europe"? Exploration, colonisation & the naturalisation of Mt Kilimanjaro at the dawn of the 20th century'
*Hybrid event* Details:
talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/2be...
Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies cover with veiled figure reaching toward light in blue green panel on orange background
"Queer Apocalypse," a new special issue (33:1) from GLQ, is now available: buff.ly/sIoCEo8
The issue explores the subcultural limits and pleasures of creating queer art, scholarship, and community across hostile terrains and turbulent times.
“The Roots of Political Transformation in Ethiopia: A Review Essay” published in JMAS.
I bring into conversation three recently published books on the politics and history of Ethiopia.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Event flyer, including abstract and registration details.
Please join for the Northeast Africa Forum's next seminar, 11 Nov, 4pm UK time.
Gedion Onyango (LSE) will present on:
'Gen Z protests and prospects for political change in Africa: A longitudinal analysis'
*Hybrid event* Full details & webinar registration: talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/46e...
Flyer for event, with timing details, registration link and abstract for talk.
Please join us for the Northeast African Forum, 28 October, 4pm UK time.
Dr Prince Guma will be presenting 'Digital scapes beyond capture? How resistance movements in Africa are shaping the way we think'
*Hybrid event* Full details & webinar registration:
talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/d2a...
What happens when Nairobi traders call an “original” Adidas fake — but better than the “real”? In this upcoming #IIAS talk I draw on #ethnography in China & Kenya to rethink creativity, fakes and value in Global South markets. 13 Nov · Hybrid · Register: tinyurl.com/5n8ty8zc
#FashionStudies #IIAS
Also if you want to know why particle physics matters for the future of humanity, I wrote a book about it, and it's coming out on April 7 and you can preorder it now 👽
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/746817...
Here’s the term card for the Northeast Africa Forum in Oxford, a research seminar focused on the broader East Africa region. We meet on Tuesdays at 4 p.m., and most sessions are also held in hybrid format. @jasonmosley.bsky.social @mwangimwaura.bsky.social @terrefebiruk.bsky.social
🌟We are thrilled to present this semester’s #UvA #ASCA #GlobalAfricaSeminar lineup! Join us for a series of fascinating discussions featuring renowned scholars from around the world (details in the poster). Drinks & snacks will be served!
#ERC #ChinaAfricaFashionPower
@uvahumanities.bsky.social
Apply for the UTA-Do 2026 workshop happening in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from February 9-13. This time round, we have 10 full scholarships available through the Wagon2Africa project. Read more here: sites.google.com/view/uta-do/...
Apply by 30 September 2025!
🔥The Struggle Continues!!!
📖 #Issue899 is full of inspiring pieces and answers on Movements for #Reparations, #Liberation, and #Commemorations in Global Africa.
👉Access it here: pambazuka.org
✍️Read, comment, and share
@malangwa.bsky.social @daughterofsahel.bsky.social @hannobrankamp.bsky.social
🏗️The Limits of Infrastructure-Led Politics in Kenya on Our Protests/Our protests are limited by infrastructure-led politics
👉Join Mwaura in conversation on the limits of this politics on vision and the issues it hides.
👉See tinyurl.com/PZ-Infrast-pol
#Infrastructure #Kenya
@malangwa.bsky.social