Imagine Unlimited

Blogging, I think is the new frontier of information, opinion and news in our local society. Here we have a pool and a variety of news and information from different people on a wide range of issues.

For political junkies, or people just interested in current affairs, you are sure to find bloggers who have something to say about a politician: one will find a Martha Karua diehard supporter as easily as they will find a Raila Odinga one. 

Most Kenyan bloggers devote themselves to the politics andsocial activism beat, SukumaKenya for example fuses politics,econ-social issues in his posts, as he tries to get Kenyans to maketheir leaders accountable. This being heady political times, oneunderstands why it is interesting for bloggers to decide to writeabout politics as that is what has currently engulfed the nation, thesmall matter of it being just one year after general elections aside.

Blogging in Kenya started out aspersonal journals, same as other parts of the world, and some of themcontinue with offerings of a dose of their daily lives. In the The Diary of a JKUAT Girl , a young Kenyan woman blogs on campus life. 

For blogs on wildlife, and endangered animals check out Predator Aware .

Technology blogs which are the rage allover the world right now are slowly appearing in the Kenyablogosphere. While there might not be too many techie blogs, it is not because of a dearth of writers but because of the infancy of theKenyan tech industry. Blogs of note here include, Rombo's site ,Becky-it and Alkags. 

Bankelele as a blog ofhas notably monopolized the finance beatby offering information on investment opportunities and the state ofthe Nairobi Stock Exchange. Coldtusker also blogs a lot on financial matters as does Kainvestor .

Blogs that cover niche markets andspaces also straddle the Kenyan blogosphere, Kenyanpoet offers aregular outpouring of poetry and a diary of sorts of the Nairobientertainment scene. Nairobi Notebook writes about being a westernjournalist based in Kenya, while Theatre of Inconveniences mixesconservation and economic issues in the same page.

The place of Kenya's Diasporans cannotignored, Whiteafrican writes mostly on technology issues and how theycan be applied to alleviate Africa's poverty and economic situation,while Afromusing writes on renewable energy and if you want news tohelp you out when migrating out of Africa head onto DisplacedAfrican.

Suffice it to say that Kenyan blogsoffers a eclectic mix of issues which more than fulfills any reader'stastes.

Going Mainstream

The place of blogs in our current wiredworld has evolved to the point that blogs are now mainstream, in thathitherto aloof news sites are now looking at blogs for opinions andinformation on any item in the news and Kenya is no different,though, the news vendors are reluctantly doing so and sometimes whenthey do the plagiarize from blogs and sometimes offer no attribution.

One example comes to mind, during thechaos that was the post election period, the world outside Kenyarelied on blogs and Kenyan discussion forums and websites to publishnews that the media which had been gagged. Kenyanpundit , which gaveout a up-to-date stream of news and the other sites like MashadaForums and  Kenyaimagine were the only available source of information. 

I am of the opinion that once our local news sites begin to accept and source news and information from, the Kenyan public will be better for it.  Check out the blogs, you'll be amazed.

Editor's Note: This is list is by no means comprehensive. We will be doing a series of posts highlighting bloggers. If you would like to be featured please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Comment below on why you read the blogs you read!