PROFESSOR PETER KAGWANJA: The return of intellectuals in politics
Peter Kagwanja
By: Dan Mwangi
Worth Noting:
- Kagwanja’s philosophy of life is anchored in the ideals of shared prosperity and building a community of shared future for his Kinsmen. In giving back to the community, Kagwanja is the Patron for Murang’a Council of Elders, with a membership of approximately 5,000 men distributed across the whole county.
- He is the Chairman of the Board of Murang’a Technical Training College which has so far registered more than 350 students within a span of one year. The institution is now transforming the lives of not only the students but also the region through attracting investors both locally and internationally.
Any nation that desires to run clean politics must utilize its bet brains and professionalism to realise the santity of politics.
In Kenya we have several professionals who have deeped their legs into the murky political arena and emerged clean one of the living sung hero is professor Kivutha Kibwana, the governor of Makueni County. Another id professor John Lonyangapuo the governor of West Pokot.
Professor Peter Kagwanja a renown scholar has shown his interest to run for Murang’a Senatorial seat. He brings wealth of academic and political knowledge both local and international not only to the people of the great county of Murang’a but to the entire nation as he shall be utilizing his skills and knowledge in the bicameral parliament.
WHO IS PROFESSOR PETER KAGWANJA
Professor Peter Kagwanja is a Kenyan intellectual, policy adviser and strategist on African affairs, currently contesting for the Muranga Senatorial seat in the August 2022 General Elections through the Democratic Party (DP) of Kenya. He holds a Ph.D in Politics, International Law & History from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA. He is currently the President and Chief Executive at the Africa Policy Institute (API) and Adjunct scholar at the Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies at the University of Nairobi and the Kenya National Defence University (NDU). Kagwanja was adviser to the Government of President Mwai Kibaki on governance and reforms strategy (2007-2013). He was also Chief strategist and co-director in the Government secretariat for Kenya’s New Constitution (2010).
From the early 1990s, Kagwanja was associated with Kenya’s pro-democracy movement through his research and writings in the media, and was one of the founders of the University Academic Staff Union (UASU). As an emigre in South Africa (2003-2008), he was in the team of experts that provided technical backing to the intense policy processes that led to the creation of the African Union (AU) and its peace and security architecture. He was Lead expert in the drafting of the first-ever Kenya Foreign Policy (November 2014).
Quintessential Kagwanja was born in August 8, 1963 in Kenya-Njeru, Rwathia location of Kangema Sub-County and brought up in Maragua town – Ichagaki location of Maragua Sub-County in Muranga County.
Kagwanja’s philosophy of life is anchored in the ideals of shared prosperity and building a community of shared future for his Kinsmen. In giving back to the community, Kagwanja is the Patron for Murang’a Council of Elders, with a membership of approximately 5,000 men distributed across the whole county. He is the Chairman of the Board of Murang’a Technical Training College which has so far registered more than 350 students within a span of one year. The institution is now transforming the lives of not only the students but also the region through attracting investors both locally and internationally.
Kagwanja is also the Chairperson of Kirogo High School Alumni Association, a network of old boys whose aim is to give back to the school through mentorship and development programs within the school and the region. Also, Kagwanja is a Member of Mount Kenya Foundation (MKF), Patron and Member of Murang’a Economic and Social Council, and Member of Muranga Initiative.
As a believer that development in its nature enhances freedom, Kagwanja through the Africa Policy Institute Academy in partnership with the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, and other International Academic Institutions has granted scholarships to over 100 students both in undergraduate and graduate level in top universities abroad.
The Kagwanja Foundation has also initiated projects such as the construction of ACK Kenya Njeru gate, and the tiling of Ichagaki Catholic Church, both located in Ichagaki ward Maragua constituency. Through the Muranga Economic and Social Council, Kagwanja has initiated the Green Corps Initiative with an aim of providing tree seedlings (Fruits trees and indigenous trees) to the locals in Murang’a County to enhance food security, economic development, and environmental protection.
Regionally, Kagwanja was part of the team of African experts that supported the intense policy process that led to the creation of the African Union and its Africa Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the African Peer Review Mechanism. He currently serves as Special Adviser to the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). He was the lead expert in the development of IGAD’s “Regional Strategy for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism” (2018); and the drafting of the “Nairobi Declaration on Refugees” (March 2017). In 2018-2019, he served as Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, Federal Government of Somalia.
Globally, Kagwanja served as Director of Research and Executive Director of the Democracy and Governance Research Programme at the Human Science Research Council (HSRC), South Africa (2007-2008) and Director at the Brussels-based the International Crisis Group (2004-2007). He provides technical support to African partner governments, and agencies including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, China and European Union, and various UN agencies. Kagwanja is currently adviser at the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR); and consults for UNDP and UNOCHA. He is also a Member of the International Advisory Board of the China-Africa Institute (CAI), Co-Chair of the Academic Committee of the China-Africa Cooperation Network and member of the Researching Solution to Violent Extremism (RESOLVE), United States. Kagwanja sits in the Advisory Boards of leading professional Journals on African Affairs. He has been a visiting scholar at Oxford University, Rhodes University and University of Pretoria, among others.
As a prolific writer, Kagwanja has authored many professional articles, books, and book chapters. His recent books include (editor) War for Peace: Kenya’s Military in the African Mission in Somalia, 2012-2020 (Nairobi: Kenya Defence Forces, May 2020) and Shared Prosperity: Tracking the Belt & Road Initiative in Kenya, 2018-2021 (Africa Policy Institute, November 2021).
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