A Palace For The People

In the season finale of A Palace For The People, we go back to Kenya’s independence era to uncover the roots of the country’s labor movement. Writer and historian Shiraz Durrani speaks about the struggles of workers under colonial rule, the rise of trade unions, and the forgotten figures who fought not only for fair wages, but also for freedom itself.

In this special live episode of A Palace for the People, Wanjiru Koinange and Angela Wachuka sit down with writer, editor, and cultural organizer Keith Ang'ana to unpack the past, present, and future of protest in Kenya.

Reverend Timothy Njoya risked everything to stand up to authoritarianism in Kenya—armed only with his Bible and his voice. In this episode, we revisit the story of the fiery cleric who challenged both government and church to speak truth to power. From colonial Kenya to the Saba Saba protests of 1990, Njoya’s journey is one of spiritual conviction, political courage, and personal sacrifice in the face of brutality.

In 2014, a viral video of a woman being stripped in public sparked national outrage and led to the My Dress My Choice protest in Nairobi. This episode traces how a social media uproar became a powerful street movement demanding safety and dignity for women. Organiser Rita Mutheu reflects on what it took to reclaim public space — and how the fight for bodily autonomy continues today.

In this episode of A Palace for The People, smallholder farmers in Kenya push back against a law that criminalizes saving and sharing seeds. What begins as an artistic protest reveals a deeper struggle over food, culture, and control. As we unpack the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act, we ask: who benefits from these laws—and what do they cost the farmers who feed the nation?

This episode was reported by Iddah Apondi and Enock Wanyama

Kenya’s boarding schools have long been sites of silence and discipline—but what happens when students push back? In this season opener of A Palace for The People, we explore a little-known high school protest and what it reveals about power, punishment, and the right to be heard.

This episode was reported by Esther M. and Clinton Otieno

Live from the NBO Litfest, Shiro and Wachuka speak with author Petina Gappah about her work and the importance of history and archive in literature. We also take some questions from you - our listeners.

Shiro and Wachuka dive into the McMillan Library’s newspaper archive to look at the history of journalism - and dissent - in Kenya. A love letter to our writers, journalists and truth tellers.

What’s in a name? Wanjiru and Wachuka look at the politics and history of name changing in Kenya. Who gets memorialized and who gets forgotten? And we turn the spotlight onto the McMillan Memorial Library and ask if it is time to find a new name.

When Wanjiru and Wachuka find an old scrapbook full of Mau Mau news articles they ask: What do you remember about the Mau Mau? What were you taught at school? What does the legacy of Mau Mau mean in Kenya 60 years later?