The Power Dialogue Africa Podcast

Africa Is Not Poor. It Is Poorly Financed. In this episode of The Power Dialogue Africa, Clement Onyango (Kent Sewe) and Zeddy Bariti break down why Africa keeps failing to industrialize despite having the talent, resources and ambition to lead the future. From Kenya’s Nyayo Car dream and the Goldenberg scandal, to collapsed factories across Africa, to why millions of Africans remain “unbankable” despite fintech growth. This conversation goes far beyond business. Kent speaks candidly about 🚦Growing up in Kenya’s Eastlands, losing KSh50 million in a single day 🚥Why Africa should stop copying China 🚦Why banks ignore the people actually powering African economies 🚥The hidden reason factories collapsing destroys nations 🚦Why M-PESA may hold the blueprint for Africa’s future 🚥How AI could help Africa leapfrog industrialization 🚦Why Africa’s next breakthrough may look nothing like the West One line from this episode stayed with me, “Africa will do it its own way.” Maybe that is exactly what this generation is trying to figure out. Listen till the end if you care about Africa’s future, entrepreneurship, industrialization, finance, technology and what it truly takes to build resilient economies on this continent. The Power Dialogue Africa is where Africa thinks out loud , a platform for odd ball, trailblazers, thinkers and doers. #thepowerdialogueafrica #unreportedafrica The views expressed in this conversation are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect those of The Power Dialogue Africa. The platform assumes no responsibility or liability for any statements made during this interview.

What if the future of electric vehicles wasn’t built in Silicon Valley but in Nairobi traffic? When Zeddy Bariti first sat down with BasiGo MD Moses Nderitu, Basigo had just 2 buses. Today? Over 100 electric buses. Across borders. Scaling fast. This isn’t just a business story. It’s a story about: 🚌 Why 40% of Nairobi moves by matatu 🚎 Why Africa may skip the “car-first” model entirely 🚍Why the biggest EV challenge isn’t batteries, it’s land, infrastructure, and culture 🙌 Moving people, not vehicles Moses Nderitu doesn’t just lead a company, he is riding across Africa on a motorbike asking one question, “What kind of continent are we building?” Inside this conversation we discuss: 🚦The truth about EV myths (range anxiety, flooding, safety) 🚥Why Kenya might quietly be leading Africa’s EV transition 🎢 The real economics behind electric buses vs diesel The uncomfortable truth that we are building roads for cars not for people This is a conversation about how Africa will live, move, and grow and whether we are bold enough to design it ourselves. If African cities double by 2040, do we move people or just more cars? #africanexcellence #thepowerdialogueafrica #unreportedafrica

Did you know that Kenya loses at least 7,000 minutes of electricity a year whereas Kuala Lumpur loses about 20 minutes? Eng. Dr. John Mativo dropped that on the conversation with Zeddy Bariti and we haven’t stopped thinking about it. You pay when the system fails. You pay for illegal electricity connections. With the war, the pinch at the fuel pump is definitely coming. This is the hidden tax nobody talks about but we do. Welcome to the home of the boldest minds in Africa. Welcome to The Power Dialogue Africa.

🎙 In many African households, career conversations tend to follow a predictable script. Doctor. Lawyer. Engineer. These are the professions that make relatives nod approvingly at family gatherings. “Ah, mtoto wa so-and-so is now a doctor.” The applause is immediate. Now imagine announcing something slightly different. “I’m leaving medicine… to become a mechanic.” That sentence alone could stop a family WhatsApp group. But for Joan Nyambura, curiosity had already started pulling her in a different direction. Cars fascinated her, not just as machines that move people from point A to B, but as systems full of clues. And once she stepped into the automotive world, she noticed something interesting. Many buyers in Kenya purchase cars the same way people sometimes buy fruit at the market. Quick glance. A little negotiation. A handshake. Except in this case… the fruit costs millions of shillings. And what Joan began discovering inside garages and inspection yards would eventually become the foundation of her business. 🧠 In this episode, we unpack: ☀️Scams in Kenya's car market 💡Theft in garages ☀️Chartering in a man's world 💡Why radical decisions ☀️Setting yourself apart 💬 “Your oddity is your competitive advantage .” – Joan Nyambura 🔥 This conversation is part of The Power Dialogue Africa, a platform spotlighting Africa’s boldest thinkers, doers, and dreamers from grassroots innovators to government officials to continental icons. We share powerful, practical blueprints of resilience, wellness and strategic growth, bringing Africa’s excellence, wisdom, and power closer to you, one authentic story, one remarkable place, one honest conversation at a time. 🔔 Subscribe, like comment and share for more unapologetic, soul-stirring conversations redefining the African story, powered by The Power Dialogue Africa.

In this episode of Power Dialogue Africa, we sit down with Allan Matata, CEO of ShopZetu, part of Vivo Fashion Brands , to explore one of the continent’s most compelling transformations, how a Kenyan startup is reshaping African fashion by turning its own failures into a blueprint for future designers. Allan offers a rare, honest look into the realities of building a fashion-tech platform in Africa from supporting over 200 brands and 7,000 products to creating systems that help small designers scale sustainably. We examine how ShopZetu uses data, AI tools and quality control frameworks to empower creators, build trust with consumers, and strengthen Africa’s identity in a global market that often overlooks it. This conversation moves beyond fashion. It is a study in African innovation, collaboration over competition and what happens when technology meets cultural pride. We discuss: 🎙️How failure becomes intellectual capital for the next generation of African founders ☀️The role of AI in elevating designers rather than replacing them 💭Why African consumers are increasingly choosing African-made 💡The importance of brand authenticity, systems, and data literacy ☀️How Africa’s “latecomer advantage” is shaping a new approach to tech adoption This episode is both practical and visionary, an essential listen for designers, founders, and anyone interested in the future of African creativity and commerce. 🔔 Subscribe, like comment and share for more unapologetic, soul-stirring conversations redefining the African story, powered by The Power Dialogue Africa.

If our grandparents lived longer, moved more, and aged better without hospitals, what did they know that we’ve abandoned? What happens when a Kenyan doctor throws away his shoes for six years and discovers that the human body can heal itself in ways modern medicine stopped teaching? In this electrifying Power Dialogue Africa episode, we sit down with Dr. Hamisi Ali Kote, chiropractor, fascia specialist and founder of The Human Garage, a man who treats pain, chronic disease and dysfunction without medicine. His journey began with a question most of us never ask: “If our grandparents lived longer, moved more, and aged better without hospitals, what did they know that we’ve abandoned?” Through a lifetime of study and a pivotal moment watching a paralyzed man stand again, Dr. Ali turned his curiosity into conviction. Today, he teaches fascia manipulation across Africa, proving that the hands, yes, your hands — are some of the most advanced healing tools nature engineered. We talk: ☀️Why he believes the missing medicine in the world is African medicine ☀️Why mobility, not disease, is the epidemic of our generation ☀️How shoes, bras, tight clothes and modern living quietly destroy our structure ☀️How grounding and barefoot walking have healed diabetic wounds, chronic pain and inflammation ☀️What the body reveals when we finally listen And, perhaps most powerfully: ☀️How he healed his grandmother using fascia after she refused hospital treatment. If this episode awakens something in you, subscribe. Every share multiplies possibility across the continent. 🔥 This conversation is part of The Power Dialogue Africa, a platform spotlighting Africa’s boldest thinkers, doers, and dreamers from grassroots innovators to government officials to continental icons. We share African ingenuity at its peak, brave, disruptive, deeply contextual and fiercely human narratives bringing Africa’s excellence, wisdom, and power closer to you, one authentic story, one remarkable place, one honest conversation at a time. 🔔 Subscribe, like comment and share for more unapologetic, soul-stirring conversations redefining the African story, powered by The Power Dialogue Africa. #thepowerdialogueafrica #storytellingforchange #cancerawareness #cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month — but for too many women, awareness comes only after the diagnosis. In this powerful episode, Oncoplastic Breast and Endocrine Surgeon Dr. Mariusz Marek breaks the silence on the realities of cancer in Kenya and across Africa, from the subtle signs we miss to the myths that cost lives. 💗 What you’ll learn: – The early signs and symptoms that could save a life – Who’s really at risk — and why men shouldn’t tune out – The new cancer trends every African family should know – Why late detection is still stealing futures — and how we can change that This isn’t just a medical talk; it’s a call to act. ✨ Book your mammogram. Talk to your mother, your sister, your friend. Awareness isn’t a hashtag, it is survival. #BreastCancerAwareness #thepowerdialogueafrica

We Kenyans are olympic champions of optimism. You will hear someone coughing for months say, “Ni homa ya kawaida, itapita.” Someone will find a lump and declare, “Maybe ni mosquito bite ya stubborn.” We postpone hospitals the way we postpone gym memberships. “Next week, kabisa this time.” The truth? It takes a full year for most Kenyans to move from first symptom to diagnosis. A whole year of herbs, whispers and google searches. By the time we act, the disease has already packed its bags and settled in. We don’t have a cancer crisis, we have a delay culture. Early checks save lives and peace of mind. Don’t wait for the pain to shout what your body whispered months ago. October is breast cancer awareness month! Go for cancer screening this month. Do it for you, and for those who’d never recover from losing you. #thepowerdialogueafrica #cancerawareness

Hello Power Tribe, in this episode we delve into the extraordinary journey of Kawira Mirero, the visionary founder of Mambo Pambo. Kawira's story is a compelling narrative of defying expectations and building an empire. Discover how this art prodigy navigated parental skepticism, found her entrepreneurial spark in West Africa's vibrant fashion scene and with sheer grit, launched a luxury brand from her living room. In this powerful conversation, Kawira shares: ☀️Her mission to challenge misconceptions about "Made in Kenya" quality. ☀️The importance of an "abundance mindset" and lifting other creatives. ☀️Practical lessons on consistency, self-awareness, and building a purpose-driven brand. ☀️Her unapologetic passion for dressing the future of Africa with confidence and authentic identity. This is a must-watch for aspiring entrepreneurs, fashion enthusiasts and anyone passionate about African excellence! Don't forget to LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE for more empowering conversations! #thepowerdialogueafrica #madeinkenya #madeinafrica

🚨 1 in 3 women in Kenya experience sexual abuse in their lifetime. Most never speak out. The silence is deafening and the scars are lifelong. This episode of @ThePowerDialogueAfrica breaks the silence. We confront the hidden cost of sexual abuse, the trauma survivors carry, and why speaking up still feels unsafe. 👉 Don’t just watch. Share this. Start the conversation. Speak up and be part of breaking the silence. If you have gone through abuse and need help, or know someone who does, please reach out to FIDA, Usikimye and/or CREAW Kenya. Pyschologist Philip Odiyo can also offer guidance on how to navigate this through info@mvuli.com #thepowerdialogueafrica

Treasury Bonds, MMFs, Saccos, or Chamas. Where Does Your Money Work Hardest? How Does Money Work? An honest look at Kenya’s most popular investment options.

ou believed in 50/50? That’s cute. That’s Netflix. In the real world, especially in Kenyan law, it’s not love that splits property, it’s evidence. Because the judge asks just one question: “Were you even married?” In Kenya, love isn’t law. There are only five legally recognized types of marriage and if yours isn’t one of them, your home can be wiped clean like it never existed. This episode will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about commitment and property in Kenya. 🎧 Tune in as we unpack the law, the loopholes, and the heartbreaks with Advocate Sian Sairo. #ThePowerDialogueAfrica

Zeddy sits down with Dr. Zippy Okoth, Kenya’s first to earn a PhD in Theatre Arts, award-winning filmmaker, gender consultant and unapologetic storyteller who has turned heartbreak into healing and art into activism. From a mattress-only restart to sold-out one-woman shows, from the silence of divorce to the spotlight of red carpets, this is not just an interview. It is a masterclass in resilience, laughter and rewriting your own narrative. In this episode, we unpack: ☀️The “mattress only” moment and what freedom really costs. 💡Why African women must learn to laugh through pain. ☀️The “Foolish 40s” and the beauty of loving again, loudly. 💡How theatre heals wounds therapy can’t always reach. ☀️What it means to rebuild a life, not for validation, but for joy. 💬 “We are not selling theatre, we are selling an experience.” – Dr. Zippy Okoth 🔥 This conversation is part of The Power Dialogue Africa, a platform spotlighting Africa’s boldest thinkers, doers, and dreamers from grassroots innovators to government officials to continental icons. We share powerful, practical blueprints of resilience, wellness and strategic growth, bringing Africa’s excellence, wisdom, and power closer to you, one authentic story, one remarkable place, one honest conversation at a time. 🔔

Most people ruin their taxes before they even start earning. Until you lock this down, clearly, early and consistently, you’re setting yourself up to pay the price later. Today I’m joined by CPA Fiona Witaba, a powerful voice who has made tax knowledge accessible.

The global economy is shifting and Kenya is not immune. From textiles to tech, from lemons to logistics, the US-China trade war is reshaping opportunities and threats for Kenyan workers, entrepreneurs, and investors. In this conversation, we break it down: 🗯️ How de-globalization is already impacting jobs and businesses in Kenya 💭 Where new opportunities are emerging for Kenyan hustlers and entrepreneurs 💬Why quick wealth myths are holding many Kenyans back — and what real success looks like 💭How you can position yourself for the new economic realities This isn’t just global news — it’s a personal call to adapt, grow and lead in a changing world. Don't just watch the world change. Be part of it! #ThePowerDialogueAfrica #MyAfricanStory

Hi Power Tribe, in this power episode, Pauline Shegu shares a life-altering moment that shaped her destiny. Seven months pregnant. Blocked on a lonely Nairobi road by armed carjackers. Faced with the ultimate choice: fear or fight. Pauline chose to fight — and live. From that night on, she vowed to never feel powerless again. Her love for fast, powerful cars, and eventually rallying, was born from survival itself. This is not just a story about racing. It’s about courage. Transformation. Purpose. It’s about a woman who turned trauma into triumph, and who races today not just to win — but to honor the life she fought to protect. 🔥 If you've ever faced fear, felt powerless, or doubted your own strength — Pauline’s journey will show you what happens when you bet on yourself.

On the surface, most career women often seem to have it all together, successful, confident and thriving. But behind the scenes, there is most often a different reality, one filled with struggles that are rarely spoken about. In the second episode of The Power Dialogue Africa, I sit down with Norah Magero, the first Kenyan and second woman globally to win Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation from the Royal Academy of Engineering, TED Fellow, Top 40 Under 40 Women in Kenya, member of UN Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition, RES4Africa Foundation board member and youth task force contributor and entrepreneur, who has successfully carved out her space in a male-dominated field. We unpacked: ☀️ How her childhood curiosity and love for problem-solving led her to mechanical engineering. 💡Defining moments that shaped how she shows up. 💭 Her “power” in creating lasting impact while uplifting communities. 🎙️The real unfiltered journey of success, the setbacks, the sacrifice and the resilience it takes to break barriers. 💬 Developing Kenya's first locally made solar-powered IoT refrigerator 🗯️The challenges of funding for entrepreneurs and navigating these hurdles while driving impactful projects. This is for every woman who’s ever felt unseen and for anyone who’s ever wondered what it really takes to make it. Welcome to a candid Season II! Don't forget to subscribe, follow, comment and share wherever you get your podcast and shows. #powerdialogueafrica #empoweringyou #africanexcellence

This is your sign to embrace competence and confidence. And Rebecca Miano just proved why. From early career setbacks to outshining 90 contenders for a CEO role, she sharpened her competence, rose to the top, and led Kenya’s energy sector for nearly two decades. Now, she’s shaping policy at the highest levels, heading three ministerial dockets, and inspiring a new generation of women to be unstoppable. In this Power Dialogue, she shares: → The lessons that transformed obstacles into stepping stones. → What it really takes to thrive in leadership. → Her advice for every woman ready to break barriers. This isn’t just a story—it’s a conversation that empowers.