| dc.description.abstract | The status of freedom of expression in Kenya improved considerably in the 1990s. By the early and mid 2000s, Kenyans could express themselves without fear that the state would arrest, detain, or otherwise interfere with their expression. This relatively expansive freedom was the culmination of historical contests between the modern Kenyan state on the one hand, and anti-colonial nationalists, post-independence liberals and contemporary democratizing elements, on the other. Using a historical analysis of political, cultural and social thought and action, this dissertation explores the evolution of freedom of expression in Kenya. It also offers a holistic examination of the history of free expression in Kenya, which has tended to be treated in bits and pieces, often contingent upon donor or government funding. The interdisciplinary nature of this study strengthens prior research on freedom of expression and places the current free expression climate into a larger context. The historical approach that is utilized adds to this knowledge by examining the tension between liberty and authority in a developmental setting across time. This study also fulfills the need for more engagement with the history and politics of contemporary Africa. In the past, most scholars have focused on precontact, anthropological history of the continent, and tomes have been written about Africa’s archeology and prehistory. However, this is not solely a historical project. It also makes a contribution on how free expression can be mobilized in the effort to consolidate emergent constitutionalism in Africa, and updates the historiography of free expression in Africa. This study is also an attempt to locate emerging formulations of freedom of expression, and to document their recent and current implementations. | en |
