John Onyando: The Journalist Documenting Kenya’s History and Heritage

By Kalee Mercy

John Onyando is a veteran Kenyan journalist, communications strategist, researcher, publisher, and author who has extensively documented the personalities and events that have shaped Kenya. For more than two decades, he has worked at the intersection of journalism, governance, public policy, and publishing, becoming one of Kenya’s foremost curators of public life.

His journalism career began with the now-defunct Kenya Times before he joined The Standard Media Group, where he honed his skills as a reporter and political analyst. Over the years, his work has been published in leading media platforms, including The Standard, Daily Nation, The Star, and the independent global media organisation openDemocracy. His trademark style is based on rigorous research, historical perspective, and an ability to explain complex political and governance issues in ways that resonate with both scholars and general readers.

Beyond journalism, Onyando is widely respected for his work in strategic communications. He played key advisory roles in several of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s presidential campaigns, contributing to message development, media strategy, and public engagement during some of Kenya’s most consequential elections. His firsthand experience inside national political campaigns provided the foundation for one of his most influential books, Kenya: The Failed Quest for Electoral Justice.

Published in the aftermath of Kenya’s historic 2017 presidential election, the book offers a compelling insider’s account of the political, legal, and institutional events surrounding one of the country’s defining democratic moments. Away from a partisan narrative, Onyando examines the systemic challenges facing electoral justice, constitutional governance, and democratic accountability. Today, the book has become a valuable reference in Kenyan universities, where it is consulted by students and researchers in political science, governance, and public administration.

As an author and publisher, Onyando has also become a leading advocate for public-interest publishing in Kenya. Through his work with Free Press Publishers, he has helped preserve the experiences and insights of some of the country’s most distinguished public figures. His publishing portfolio includes works by former Director of Public Prosecutions Sharad Rao, EBS, former Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Philip Kinisu, and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Secretary General Akelo Misori, among many others.

Among his notable works is Teachers, Unions and Labour Relations in Kenya, co-authored with Akelo Misori. The book traces the evolution of teacher unionism in Kenya and explores the relationship between organised labour, public policy, and educational reform, providing an important historical record of one of the country’s most influential professional organisations.

John Onyando approaches every subject with the instincts of a journalist and the discipline of a researcher. His work consistently champions transparency, institutional accountability, and the preservation of history.

The writer is a research assistant at Free Press Publishers.