# Godwin Murunga > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Godwin_Murunga > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Godwin_Murunga.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin_Murunga > Source revision: 1345380783 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Kenyan scholar and political analyst}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Godwin Murunga | other_names = Godwin Rapando Murunga | image = Godwin Murunga in 2025.jpg | alt = | caption =Murunga in 2025 at the ECOWAS 50th Anniversary, Abuja | birth_date = | birth_place = Kenya | citizenship = [Kenyan](/source/Kenyan) | alma_mater = [Kenyatta University](/source/Kenyatta_University); [Northwestern University](/source/Northwestern_University) | education = [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) ([BA](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts)); [Master of Arts](/source/Master_of_Arts) ([MA](/source/Master_of_Arts)); [Doctor of Philosophy](/source/Doctor_of_Philosophy) ([PhD](/source/PhD)) | occupation = [Political scientist](/source/Political_scientist); [Public intellectual](/source/Public_intellectual); [Policy analyst](/source/Policy_analyst); [Executive Secretary](/source/Executive_director) of [CODESRIA](/source/Council_for_the_Development_of_Social_Science_Research_in_Africa) }} '''Godwin Murunga''' is a [Kenyan](/source/Kenyan) [scholar](/source/scholar), [historian](/source/historian), [political analyst](/source/political_analyst), and [public intellectual](/source/public_intellectual) whose work focuses on [African politics](/source/African_politics), [governance](/source/governance), [security](/source/security_studies), [higher education](/source/higher_education), and the [political economy](/source/political_economy) of development.{{cite web |title=Godwin Rapando Murunga |url=https://amandlainstitute.org/team/godwin-rapando-murunga-2/ |website=Amandla Institute |access-date=18 December 2025}} He currently serves as the Executive Secretary of the [Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa](/source/Council_for_the_Development_of_Social_Science_Research_in_Africa) (CODESRIA), a pan-African social science research organisation headquartered in [Dakar](/source/Dakar), [Senegal](/source/Senegal).{{cite news |title=CODESRIA appoints Dr Godwin Murunga 7th Executive Secretary |url=https://newafricanmagazine.com/press/codesria-appoints-dr-goodwin-murunga-7th-executive-secretary/ |work=New African Magazine |access-date=18 December 2025}}{{cite news |title=Kenyan scholar Godwin Murunga lands continental think-tank job |url=https://nation.africa/kenya/news/kenyan-scholar-godwin-murunga-lands-continental-think-tank-job-372800 |work=Daily Nation |access-date=18 December 2025}} == Early life and education == Murunga was born in Kenya, and obtained [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) ([BA](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts)); and [Master of Arts](/source/Master_of_Arts) from [Kenyatta University](/source/Kenyatta_University) and a [PhD](/source/PhD) in history from [Northwestern University](/source/Northwestern_University) in Evanston, Illinois, US.{{cite web |title=Godwin Murunga |url=https://codesria.org/godwin-murunga/ |website=CODESRIA |access-date=18 December 2025}} == Career == Before his appointment as Executive Secretary of CODESRIA, Murunga held a range of academic, research, and leadership roles across institutions. He taught in the Department of History, Archaeology and Political Studies at [Kenyatta University](/source/Kenyatta_University) in Nairobi.{{cite web |title=Dr Godwin R. Murunga |url=https://securityanddevelopment.org/archive/dr-godwin-r-murunga-5620.pdf?view=article&catid=49%3Afellowships-and-training&id=168%3Adr-godwin-r-murunga-&format=pdf |website=Security and Development Programme |access-date=18 December 2025}} He also lectured at the Institute of Development Studies of the [University of Nairobi](/source/University_of_Nairobi) and later served as director of the [African Leadership Centre](/source/African_Leadership_Centre), Nairobi. According to an interview in [Feminist Africa](/source/Feminist_Africa), Murunga's work emphasises historically grounded, Africa-centered approaches to social science research and critiques externally imposed narratives about African governance and security.{{cite journal |title=In conversation with Godwin Murunga |url=https://feministafrica.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/fa_14_-_in_conversation_godwin_murunga.pdf |journal=Feminist Africa |access-date=18 December 2025}} == Leadership at CODESRIA == In 2017, Murunga was appointed Executive Secretary of CODESRIA, becoming the organisation's seventh executive head since it was founded.{{cite news |title=Godwin Murunga emerges CODESRIA's 7th Executive Secretary |url=https://www.itrealms.com.ng/2017/03/godwin-murunga-emerges-codesria-7th.html |work=ITRealms |access-date=18 December 2025}} Murunga oversees CODESRIA continental research networks, training programmess, and initiatives supporting early-career African scholars, while centring Africa-centered knowledge production and challenging neocolonial narratives in social science research.{{cite news |title=Council head challenges neo-colonial narrative about Africa |url=https://www.modernghana.com/news/762518/council-head-challenges-neo-colonial-narrative-about-africa.html |work=Modern Ghana |access-date=18 December 2025}} == Public scholarship == Murunga is a regular contributor to Kenya's [Daily Nation](/source/Daily_Nation), writing on governance, security, [democracy](/source/democracy), and [regional politics](/source/regional_politics).{{cite web |title=Godwin Murunga |url=https://nation.africa/kenya/godwin-murunga-314030 |website=Daily Nation |access-date=18 December 2025}} He has also written opinion pieces for [CNN](/source/CNN_International), appearing as an expert commentator on African politics and security issues.{{cite news |last=Murunga |first=Godwin |title=Kenya's security failures |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/24/opinion/kenya-security-godwin-murunga |work=CNN |date=24 September 2013 |access-date=18 December 2025}} His interviews and commentary have also been featured on platforms including ''Africa Uncensored'' and ''The Elephant'', particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |title=COVID-19 Conversations 17 |url=https://africauncensored.online/blog/2020/06/09/covid-19-conversations-17/ |website=Africa Uncensored |access-date=18 December 2025}}{{cite web |title=Dr Godwin Murunga on the COVID-19 pandemic |url=https://www.theelephant.info/videos/2020/06/09/dr-godwin-murunga-covid-19-pandemic-provides-opportunity-for-africa-to-show-its-capabilities/ |website=The Elephant |access-date=18 December 2025}} == Selected publications == * Murunga, Godwin R., Ibrahim O. Ogachi, and Jimi Adesina. “Reflections on Social Policy in Africa.” ''CODESRIA Bulletin'', no. 6 (2021): 2. * Murunga, Godwin R., Ato Kwamena Onoma, and Ibrahim Oanda Ogachi. “CODESRIA’s Meaning-making Research Initiatives (MRI).” ''Africa Development / Afrique et Développement'' 45, no. 4 (2020): v–x. * Murunga, Godwin R. “Moments of anxiety and fear: The Kenyan post-election violence, 2007–2008.” In ''Kenya after 50: Reconfiguring the Future'', edited by Kimani Njogu and John W. Harbeson. Nairobi: Twaweza Communications, 2014. * Murunga, Godwin R., and Shadrack W. Nasong’o (eds.). ''Kenya: The Struggle for Democracy''. Dakar: Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), 2007.{{ISBN|978-1842778579}} * Murunga, Godwin R. “The state, civil society and democracy in Kenya.” ''Review of African Political Economy'' 36, no. 122 (2009): 156–157. * Murunga, Godwin R. ''Spokes of the Wheel: Ethnicity and the Politics of Nationalism in Kenya''. Dakar: Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), 1999. == See also == * [CODESRIA](/source/Council_for_the_Development_of_Social_Science_Research_in_Africa) * [Pan-Africanism](/source/Pan-Africanism) * [Isabel Casimiro](/source/Isabel_Casimiro) ==References== {{reflist|30em}} == External links == * [https://codesria.org/godwin-murunga/ Godwin Murunga – CODESRIA profile] {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Murunga, Godwin}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Kenyan political scientists Category:Kenyatta University alumni Category:Northwestern University alumni --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Godwin Murunga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin_Murunga) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin_Murunga?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.