Mike Nyagwoka

Nairobi

Senior Reporter at The Standard (Kenya)

Radio broadcaster with years of experience in the newsroom. Swahili maestro. Voice over artist. Holds a MA in Development Communication from Daystar University.

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standardmedia.co.ke

Articles

Nyoro ouster could be a wider scheme for the 'mountain'

1 month ago | standardmedia.co.ke | Mike Nyagwoka

Kenya’s political stage thrives on drama, but the recent spotlight on Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, the former Budget Committee chairman, hints at something far more deliberate. Behind the scenes, I see a well calculated strategy. Nyoro has been a known performer and his prudent management of NGCDF is an open book which has seen his colleagues troop to Kiharu for a lesson or two. The sudden criticism of his role thus feels more like choreography. The goal?
It will take effort to restore public trust in Saccos

1 month ago | standardmedia.co.ke | Mike Nyagwoka

The Sacco sector in Kenya is facing its most severe crisis in decades, and the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) has a monumental task ahead: restoring public confidence in a system that has been the backbone of financial inclusion for millions of Kenyans. Unfortunately, SASRA has become part of the problem, failing to address systemic issues that have led to widespread mismanagement and fraud.
Did Kasmuel betray a whole generation in his latest move?

1 month ago | standardmedia.co.ke | Mike Nyagwoka

It is difficult to reconcile the image of the once-celebrated Gen-Z hero, who danced on the streets of Nairobi and inspired his peers with his mobilisation skills, with the man now breaking a leg on podiums alongside those he once called oppressors. If Rex Maasai, the fallen comrade whose death became a symbol of the struggle, were to wake up today, he would likely be heartbroken to see Kasmuel Mc’Oure draped in orange regalia, sharing stages with the very forces against which they fought.
Why Kenya needs Maraga or president with similar belief

2 months ago | standardmedia.co.ke | Mike Nyagwoka

Just before David Maraga was appointed Chief Justice in 2016, I stumbled upon an interview he gave to Hope Channel Kenya, an SDA-run media outlet. Until then, I considered him an unlikely choice among the candidates, who included notable legal figures like Makau Mutua and Jackton Boma Ojwang. However, that interview changed my mind.
Why Kenya needs Maraga or president with similar belief

2 months ago | standardmedia.co.ke | Mike Nyagwoka

Just before David Maraga was appointed Chief Justice in 2016, I stumbled upon an interview he gave to Hope Channel Kenya, an SDA-run media outlet. Until then, I considered him an unlikely choice among the candidates, who included notable legal figures like Makau Mutua and Jackton Boma Ojwang. However, that interview changed my mind.
We need strong leaders but also working systems

2 months ago | standardmedia.co.ke | Mike Nyagwoka

Kenyans love to celebrate heroic leaders who are hands-on and always in the trenches. We cheer for the “field marshals” who roll up their sleeves and get things done. But here’s the problem: while these leaders might deliver short-term wins, their heroics often mask a deeper issue—our failure to build strong, reliable systems that work for everyone, no matter who’s in charge. Let’s be honest: relying on individual leaders to fix everything is not sustainable despite their achievements.
How Ruto should engage with the young and restless

2 months ago | standardmedia.co.ke | Mike Nyagwoka

The fable of the wind and the sun teaches us something important about how the Kwanza Kenya government should deal with young people, if not all Kenyans. As the fable goes, the two entities challenged each other on which is stronger and found a perfect testing ground on a man wearing his jacket. The wind, confident in its brute force, tried to force a man out of his jacket by blowing and howling very hard. But the harder it blew, the tighter the man held onto his jacket—quite expectedly.
When a diploma can be better for you than a degree

Jan 19, 2025 | standardmedia.co.ke | Mike Nyagwoka

Recently, I convinced a 2024 KCSE candidate who passed well enough to gain university admission to consider a diploma course. I pray and hope the advice works for her good because if it doesn’t, she will blame me. But this is someone who had developed a passion for nursing and even retook her exams just to see if she could prop up the grades well enough to qualify for a diploma in nursing. She overdid herself and got grades better than she had anticipated, thus bringing her into this confusion.
Nelson Amenya is hero of Adani collapse, you like it or not

Nov 23, 2024 | standardmedia.co.ke | Mike Nyagwoka

Up until June this year, not many people knew Nelson Amenya, the whistleblower who has now brought down the Adani tower of scandalous deals. Yet, his relentless zeal and push exposed the intricate web of deceit and disregard of legal processes involving the Indian company. While we welcome the decision by the government to cancel all deals involving Adani, we must also admit it is highly hypocritical. The decision was taken under the pretext of new information from partner investigative agencies.
To destroy a society, just kill trust in its education potential

Nov 16, 2024 | standardmedia.co.ke | Mike Nyagwoka

It is continuously becoming harder to have a straight path to success in Kenya. If we do not work to clean our systems, beginning with the educational system, we will end up with a completely broken-down society where no one believes in process. When people lose faith in the process, the alternative is short cuts, and that mostly means activities that disturb the civil order: Con games, corruption, heists.