Peter Kimani on the Disruption the Pandemic Has Created in Kenya

Hosted by Paul Holdengräber, The Quarantine Tapes chronicles shifting paradigms in the age of social distancing. Each day, Paul calls a guest for a brief discussion about how they are experiencing the global pandemic.

Today on episode 86 of The Quarantine Tapes, Paul Holdengräber and writer Peter Kimani explore the many disruptive challenges the pandemic has presented in Kenya. As a journalist, Kimani describes his perspectives on the cultural mosaic of Kenya, and how the national press informs the multitudinous Kenyan society. When discussing his influences, Kimani reads the poem “Nostos” by Louise Gluck, a work that is one of his favorites, and reflects on the mercurial images of childhood and memory reflected in that poem. Kimani and Holdengräber then discuss the imminent Kenyan writer and educator, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, and how his nuanced narratives about cultural imperialism has impacted Kimani’s life and writing.

To listen to the episode, as well as the whole archive of The Quarantine Tapes, subscribe and listen on iTunes or wherever else you find your favorite podcasts.

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Peter Kimani is a Kenyan journalist, poet and author of, most recently, Dance of the Jakaranda, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. He’s also the editor of Nairobi Noir, which was published early this year by Akashic Books. Kimani has taught fiction and non-fiction at Amherst College and the University of Houston. He is on the faculty of Aga Khan University in Nairobi.