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Ciku Kimeria is a Kenyan author "Of goats and poisoned oranges" - (https://www.amazon.com/goats-poisoned-oranges-Ciku-Kimeria-ebook/dp/B00HBBWPI6), development consultant, adventurer and travel blogger (www.thekenyanexplorer.com). She writes both fiction and non-fiction focusing on African stories that need telling. She has worked on diverse pieces for various international and local publications including Quartz, Ozy, The East African etc. She has travelled to 45 countries – 16 of them in Africa. 153 countries to go and 63 territories!
"Of goats and poisoned oranges" has been extremely well received in Kenya and beyond. It tells the story of a Kenyan middle aged power couple and their complicated marriage. The novel explores issues of greed, revenge, betrayal and murder. It runs from the 1960s to 2013. It has been described as “Wicked, funny, poignant, wacky, human, a big ball of fun and danger”, “A unique and captivating book”, “Fun and intriguing”, “Impossible to put down once you start reading.”
She recently moved to Dakar, Senegal from Kenya to work on her second novel. She also works at as the Africa Communication Manager at a leading global strategy consulting firm.
She holds a B.S. in Management Science from MIT with minors in Urban Planning and International development studies.
China's New Charm Offensive – Training The Next Generation Of African Elites
Over the past few decades, China's activities in Africa have been on the rise. One area that has not been discussed much is the soft diplomacy being carried out by training thousands of African leaders, bureaucrats, students and business-people in China. In the 1970s China tried to export its communist revolution to Africa, but its new engagement with the continent focuses on gaining support for China and its own unique form of development.
It’s a campaign that achieves several goals at once. The trips help solidify political and business ties between China and its partners on the continent. Like other development partners, China gets to help build capacity in African countries. Most importantly these exchanges cultivate partners on the continent who are more likely to be sympathetic to China and its way of doing things.
Results are already visible: as of 2017, more Anglophone African students are studying in China than in the US or UK.
There are however a few notes of caution. Firstly, even though China says it does not expect countries to copy the Chinese model, working with new countries such as South Sudan will have the exact opposite effects. As a new country that is impressionable, still developing its institutions and political systems, it is quite likely to follow the Chinese model. This is especially true given the other support China is giving to South Sudan: the 2,600 peacekeepers, the more than 100 Chinese businesses and investors and the fact that China has major oil interests.
Additionally, China does not have the best track record in promoting democracy and freedom of speech. It's likely that its star African pupils will not be opposed by China as they crack down on such freedoms.
But not all lessons from China should be learned. Under Xi Jinping, China has tightened its stranglehold over civil society. South Sudan is already familiar with some of these tactics. Local journalists are intimidated into silence or killed.
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