Introduction On 5 July 2019, the Rift Valley Forum launched the book, Widow Inheritance and Contested Citizenship in Kenya, by Dr. Awino Okech. The book explores the intersection between power, gender and sexuality, and the role of body politics in the construction…
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Tobias Hagmann and Kjetil Tronvoll’s Contested Power in Ethiopia: Traditional Authorities and Multi-Party Elections (2011) focuses on Ethiopia’s 2005 elections. The authors examine the significance of non-state actors, documenting the political strength and limitations of traditional leadership. In Getting…
Charlie Grieves-Cook, coordinator of the RVI Sudan Course 2007-2008, died in Nairobi on 3 March after leaping from a balcony pursued by armed thugs. Raised in Kenya and trained as a chef in the UK, Charlie was widely recognised…
The British Institute in Eastern Africa will hold this year's second Nairobi Annual Lecture on 23 November 2012. The lecture, entitled 'Enforcing Social and Economic Rights', will be given by Justice Albie Sachs, a former Judge of the Constitutional…
‘Textiles that talk’, an exhibition of kangas — East African fabrics incorporating Swahili proverbs — opens in mid-April in the RVI office at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of the late Nigerian author…
On 29 April 2013, the Hon. Mohamed Elmi (MP, Tarbaj) presented a paper at the Nairobi Forum on Lessons from the Ministry of Northern Kenya, reflecting on the work of his former ministry in supporting pastoralism and development in…
Fellows and associates of the Institute responded in online and broadcast media to the attack by al-Shabaab on Nairobi's Westgate shopping mall. RVI trustee Lindsey Hilsum reported from Westgate for Channel 4 News, where she is International Affairs Editor. In an article…
When the supporters of Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto began systematically attacking the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a neo-colonialist institution biased against Africans in the run-up to Kenya's 2013 election, their prime concern was domestic: to ensure their…
(Bloomberg) — Uganda vowed to expel Sudanese rebel leaders living in the country, signaling a potential thaw in relations between two African nations that in the past have accused each other of supporting anti-government insurgencies. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni…
This blog post first appeared on the Mipakani Project website (www.mipakani.net). The Mipakani Project is an open-access knowledge base covering development initiatives in the border areas of eastern Africa. It was written by Liz Mahiri. Liz is a Programme…
Recent Publications

2025 Year in Review
February 16, 2026
The 2025 Year in Review provides an overview of the Rift Valley Institute’s work over the past year across eastern and central Africa. The report highlights RVI’s research and publication outputs, education and training activities, and public forums and convenings,

Rethinking Aid in Sudan and South Sudan
January 28, 2026
The brief draws on a joint convening held in Kampala, Uganda, in November 2025, which brought together more than 45 Sudanese and South Sudanese participants representing more than 30 grassroots organizations and international NGOs. Its primary objective is to amplify

EWNET Writes: Writing Workshop Session I
December 18, 2025
The Ethiopian Women Researchers Network (EWNET) inaugural writing workshop series aims to not only provide women researchers with uninterrupted time for their scholarly projects, but also build a supportive academic community. The first session, entitled ‘EWNET Writes: Writing Workshop Session