About Us

In an age of dramatic global change, Kenya is struggling to rid herself of the pain of a traumatic and hurtful past and the fear of a bleak future. Our governance and leadership architecture has been unable to create a robust civic public space where the aspirations of the people can be manifest in their political and material conditions.  Still, 60 years after we gained independence, Kenya still faces a governance crisis.

In the past, leadership forums and think tanks played a critical role in developing and promoting the public sphere, particularly in times of extreme disruption and change. However, these organizations now operate in despotic, illiberal, and information-flooded societies where evidence and credible research are often ignored and where “alternative dystopian narratives” have gained a stronghold. To envision the future, leadership centres must simultaneously pursue innovation, accessibility, and robust narrative creation imbued out of the African experience.

The UONGOZI LAB is a new kind of civic incubator that aims to deepen good governance and democracy with the intent to improve the human capabilities of Kenyans.

The UONGOZI LAB is committed to developing a robust, responsive civic sphere with the aim of restoring the balance of power — social, economic, and political — for Kenya, especially for the marginalized, alienated, and dispossessed.