 |
Boniface Mwangi | |
|---|---|
 Mwangi in 2018 holding Nanjala Nyabola's book | |
| Born | 10 July 1983 |
| Nationality | Kenyan |
| Occupation | Photojournalist |
| Website | bonifacemwangi |
Boniface Mwangi (born July 10, 1983) [1] [2] [3] is a Kenyan photojournalist, politician and activist involved in social-political activism. He is known for his images of the post-election violence that hit Kenya in 2007 and 2008.
Mwangi was born in Taveta, Kenya, on the border with Tanzania. His mother was a businesswoman who traded across the border. Mwangi started living with his grandparents in Nyeri, Central Kenya, when he was six.
He later moved in with his mother in Nairobi's low-income suburb of Ngara, then a high-rise in Majengo, Githurai 45, before finally settling in Pangani. Mwangi dropped in and out of school during this period and helped his mother vend books. [4]
When his mother died in 2000, Mwangi, then 17, decided he had to change if he was to survive. He joined a Bible school with the intention of becoming a pastor, and secured a diploma in biblical studies. Whilst at school he became interested in photography. He was influenced by the Kenyan photographer Mohamed Amin.
Despite not having a high school education, Mwangi managed to gain a place at a private journalism school. To fund his studies he had to continue selling books on the street, but soon began to gain experience as a photojournalist. He published photographs in the national newspaper The Standard , and in 2005 won his first photography prizes. Within three years he received international recognition as one of Africa's most promising photographers. [5] He was awarded the 2008 and 2010 CNN Africa Photojournalist of the Year Award. [6]
However, he put his photography career on hold, to work on Kenyan social justice.
Mwangi quit journalism after witnessing and documenting post-election violence in Kenya in 2007 as a newspaper photographer. He experienced posttraumatic stress and depression (and he was also directly affected having to move temporarily after people of his community were being threatened). More importantly, he was frustrated he had to cover the same politicians that had incited the violence but remained unpunished.
His first initiative was the project Picha Mtaani, Swahili for "photos in the street", showing photographs of the violence in 2007 after the national elections, between the different tribes. This traveling street exhibition was shown around the country for people to discuss reconciliation and promote national healing. Over 600,000 people saw the exhibition. [7] [8] This was later complemented by the documentary Heal the Nation, which was shown mostly in slum areas.
Following these initiatives Mwangi started to develop a stronger human rights stance in his work on fighting (political and corporate) impunity, speaking out against bad and corrupt political leadership, and promoting a message of peace for the elections planned for 2013 with initiatives called MaVulture and Team Courage. Team Courage is a Nairobi-based lobby that strives to enable a patriotic citizens' movement to take bold and effective actions in building a new Kenya.
His latest initiative is Pawa 254 which was launched in 2011, [9] a hub and space for artists and activists to work together towards social change and advancing Human rights in Kenya.
Mwangi was arrested by police in May 2019 for allegedly organizing a revolution in Kenya. [10] [11]
In October 2016, Mwangi linked William Ruto to the assassination of a murdered Jubilee government critic Jacob Juma [12] [13] [14] and that Ruto also wanted him dead as well. [15] [16] In the same month Ruto sued Mwangi for defamation. [14] In December 2016, Mwangi was accused of fabricating allegations against Ruto including coaching a witness to lie about allegations about Juma's murder, in court and to the Kenyan media. [17] In the same month it was reported by Daily Nation that a person from Ruto's office delivered a letter to Mwangi to help him with his defamation case. [18] That person later recanted his statements and claimed Mwangi coached him to fabricate stories about his claims on Juma's murder yet Mwangi had nothing provable about any of his claims but had just concocted non-existent and non-provable allegations about the murder. [17]
He formed Ukweli Party and was a candidate for the Starehe Constituency member of Parliament seat in the 2017 Kenyan general election. [19]
He is married to Hellen Njeri Mwangi, whom he works with at Pawa 254. They have three children. [20] [21]
Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta is a Kenyan politician who served as the fourth president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022.
Wangarĩ Muta Maathai was a Kenyan social, environmental and a political activist and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. As a beneficiary of the Kennedy Airlift, she studied in the United States, earning a Bachelor's Degree from Mount St. Scholastica and a Master's Degree from the University of Pittsburgh. She went on to become the first woman in East and Central Africa to become a Doctor of Philosophy, receiving her PhD from the University of Nairobi in Kenya.
William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto is a Kenyan politician who is serving as the fifth and current president of Kenya since 13 September 2022. Prior to becoming president, he served as the first elected deputy president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. Previously, holders of the position were referred to as Vice President and the officeholder was unelected and appointed by the President. He previously served in three cabinet portfolios as the Minister for Home Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture and as Minister for Higher Education.
Raila Amolo Odinga is a Kenyan politician who served as the Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. He served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Langata Constituency from 1992 to 2013 and has been the Leader of Opposition in Kenya since 2013. He is the leader of Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition Party.
Daniel Robert Eldon was a British-Kenyan photojournalist, artist and activist, killed in Somalia while working as a Reuters photojournalist. His journals were published posthumously in four volumes by Chronicle Books, including The Journey Is the Destination, The Art of Life, and Safari as a Way of Life.
Charles Njagua Kanyi, better known by his stage name Jaguar, is a Kenyan politician, singer and philanthropist.
James Mwangi CBS is a Kenyan accountant, career banker, businessman, and entrepreneur. He is the current Group Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of Equity Group Holdings Plc, the banking conglomerate with one of the largest customer bases on the African continent, over 14 million as of December 2019.
The presidency of Uhuru Kenyatta began on 9 April 2013 after being sworn in as 4th president of Kenya and ended on 13 September 2022 after handing over to William Ruto. He succeeded Mwai Kibaki. During his inaugural speech Uhuru promised economic transformation by 2030, unity among all Kenyans, free maternal care and that he would serve all Kenyans. In 2017, he won a second term on 8 August and upon a Supreme Court verdict, the results were repealed. The resulting elections were controversial as Raila Odinga boycotted the elections and as the only other active candidate, he won by a 98% victory with the lowest turn out. A stalemate would result as Raila and His partners would carry out a parallel swearing in ceremony after Kenyatta's swearing in. Riots would break out as Raila entered the country resulting in a number of deaths. On 28 March the two partnered to form the Building bridges initiative ending the tense political atmosphere present in the country.
Rachel Chebet Ruto is a Kenyan educator currently serving as the First Lady of Kenya. She is the wife to William Ruto, the fifth and current President of Kenya.
Irungu Kang'ata is a Kenyan politician. He is the governor of Muranga County. He also is the former senator of Murang'a County, and the former Senate of Kenya Majority Chief Whip, former member of parliament for Kiharu Constituency and a former Councillor for Central Ward in Murang'a town. He is a law graduate from the University of Nairobi and a principal in the firm Irungu Kangata & Co. Advocates located at Flamingo Towers 4th floor, Upperhill, Nairobi. He holds PhD (Law) University of Nairobi and teaches law at Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi.
Johnson Arthur Sakaja is a Kenyan politician serving as the governor of Nairobi City County since 25 August 2022. Previously, he served as the Senator of Nairobi from 2017 to 2022, and as a nominated Member of the National Assembly from 2013 to 2017. He was nominated to Parliament by The National Alliance (TNA) party which was part of the ruling Jubilee Coalition. He was the National Chairman of The National Alliance (TNA) until 9 September 2016 when the party merged with 12 others to form the Jubilee Party.
Rebecca Miano is a Kenyan lawyer, who is currently the Cabinet Secretary for the East African Community, Arid and Semi Arid Lands and Regional Development in the 5th Government of Kenya, headed by president William Ruto. She is a corporate executive who, since November 2017, has served as the managing director and chief executive officer of KenGen Plc., the largest producer of electricity in the East African region. She was confirmed on 1 November 2017, having served in acting capacity since August 2017.
Amb. Dr. Monica Kathina Juma, CBS,EGH,MBS,PHD. is a Kenyan diplomat who currently serves as National Security Advisor to President William Ruto. She previously served as the Cabinet Secretary for Defence in the cabinet of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Njeri Waithaka is a Kenyan lawyer and criminologist, who served as Director of Safety at the National Transport and Safety Authority of Kenya (NTSA), from January 2016 until February 2019.
Yasuyoshi Chiba is a Japanese photojournalist, based in Nairobi, Kenya. In 2020 he won World Press Photo of the Year.
Beatrice Waithera Maina is a Kenyan journalist and human advocate who participates in street demonstrations to fight for human rights She has also participated in protests about corrupt leaders in Kenya. In 2019 she was named a heroine by one of the Kenyan political leaders for leading demonstration to end corruption in public institutions in the country. The county was marking Labour Day that was held at Uhuru Park, the Kenya's recreational park known for historic events in the country's capital city. She is also known as Waithera Wanjiru and operates through a group of women called Grassroots Women Initiative Network-Kenya to condemn sexual gender based violence.
General elections were held in Kenya on Tuesday, 9 August 2022. Voters elected the president, governors, senators, members of the National Assembly, and members of county assemblies.
Softie is a 2020 Kenyan film, based on the life of political activist and photojournalist Boniface Mwangi and his family. The film, directed by Sam Soko first premiered internationally at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival where it won a special jury prize for editing. Softie, which is set to premier in Kenya on October 16, 2020, also won the Best Documentary at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) 2020. An award that has qualified the film for consideration for the Oscar documentary shortlist for the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony.
The Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) was a proposed set of amendments to the Constitution of Kenya initially proposed in October 2019. In the wake of the 2017 general election annulment and subsequent re-run, incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta mandated the formation of the Presidential Taskforce on Building Bridges to Unity Advisory on 31 May 2018. The Taskforce was assigned to provide constitutional and legislative solutions in 9 broad categories:
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
