Kenya and the Politics of a Postcolony critically examines key themes in the politics of Kenya from the establishment of British colonialism in the late nineteenth century to the end of the Uhuru Kenyatta presidency in 2022. The largest economy in East Africa, Kenya has remained relatively peaceful since the time of independence from Britain in 1963 even when the region has periodically been engulfed in civil strife and political turmoil. On account of this, the country serves as an anchor for Western strategic interests in the region and many international organizations and media houses have set up their regional offices in Nairobi, Kenya's bustling capital city. Indeed, Kenya is the only country outside of the global north to host the headquarters of a United Nations agency. It is home to the headquarters of the United Nations Environmental Program, which is located in the Gigiri suburbs of Nairobi. It is this important country, both regionally and internationally, that this book is all about.

The book is thematically split into nine chapters with a concluding tenth chapter. The first chapter explores the roots of colonialism as a pernicious global enterprise. It explains why colonialism, types of colonialism, and the uses that colonies were put to, with particular focus on Africa. It examines the rise of anticolonial nationalism in Africa, concluding with an exposition of the different waves of decolonization on the continent. Chapter 2 focuses on the colonial context of the making of contemporary Kenya, from the establishment of British colonialism in 1895 to independence in 1963. The chapter grapples with the most critical issues that defined the political development of Kenya within this colonial context. These include the White settler demands, the Indian question, the land and labor issue, and the rise of anticolonial nationalism. These critical issues in the colony are examined with the objective of evaluating their impact and implications in the making of contemporary Kenya.

Chapter 3 focuses on political independence and the betrayal of anticolonial nationalism. It notes that whereas anticolonial nationalism was characterized by interethnic unity, within the first decade of independence, the sense of unity and collective purpose irreparably atrophied, and, by the end of the decade, it had virtually died. More than six decades since independence, Kenya is much less of a nation than it was in 1963.