Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

Peter Mwaura spoke to the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, who is also the spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, on a wide range of issues — from media ownership in developing societies to religion, development and the quality of life, as well as the risks that wealth disparities pose to regional economic and political integration

Kenya’s first president, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, once tried to get one of his relatives to control the Nation Media Group.

In a 2010 book titled The Birth of a Nation: The Story of a Newspaper in Kenya, Gerard Loughran, a former senior editor at the Daily Nation, narrates what transpired after Kenyatta made a proposition for one of his kinsmen to lead the firm.

After the Aga Khan opened Serena Hotel in a ceremony attended by Kenya’s founding father on February 16, 1976, Mzee introduced the businessman to his chosen candidate.

The Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communications (GSMC) and The John F. Kennedy School of
Government at Harvard University (HKS) launched the Transforming Leadership for 21st Century Africa Programme on September 15, 2019 at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nairobi. This marks the second consecutive year GSMC and HKS have collaborated to deliver the leadership programme, which helps executives from Africa, exercise leadership amid uncertainty with skill and effectiveness, while communicating for impact.

There is something about Kenya that many of our people don't seem to fully appreciate.

This is that we are a vibrant democracy surrounded by authoritarian states. Indeed I would say that some of the nations in our neighbourhood are "militaristic authoritarian states". Think about it for a minute.

In Tanzania, it's only now for the first time that there is a genuine chance of the opposition parties wresting power from the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), which has ruled since independence.

For all intents and purposes, Tanzania has been a single party state for the last 50 years.

His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims and founder of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) today emphasised the importance of both press freedom and excellence in journalism in order to help build Africa's future.Speaking at the opening ceremony of the International Press Institute (IPI) World Congress and 54th General Assembly held in Kenya, the Aga Khan stressed the need for journalists to acquire deeper and broader knowledge of new and complex issues that confront Africa.