It's Our Turn to Eat

The Story of a Kenyan Whistle-Blower

Description

"A fast-paced political thriller.... Wrong's gripping, thoughtful book stands as both a tribute to Githongo's courage and a cautionary tale." —New York Times Book Review

“On one level, It’s Our Turn to Eat reads like a John Le Carré novel.... On a deeper and much richer level, the book is an analysis of how and why Kenya descended into political violence.” — Washington Post

Called "urgent and important” by Harper's magazine, It’s Our Turn to Eat is a nonfiction political thriller of modern Kenya—an eye-opening account of tribal rivalries, pervasive graft, and the rising anger of a prospect-less youth that exemplifies an African dilemma.


Based on the explosive true story of Kenyan anti-corruption czar John Githongo, who secretly recorded his own government’s ministers—a decision that would force him into exile.


  • A Kenyan Whistle-blower: Follow the harrowing journey of John Githongo, the man appointed to fight graft who became the government’s most dangerous enemy.
  • The Anglo Leasing Scandal: Uncover the secrets of a multi-million-dollar phantom contract, a scheme of greed so vast it reached the highest levels of power and threatened to bankrupt the nation.
  • Reads Like a Political Thriller: Discover why the Washington Post compared this true story to a John Le Carré novel, complete with secret tapes, death threats, and a hero on the run.
  • Tribalism and Power: Explore the deep-seated ethnic fault lines and the rise of the ‘Mount Kenya Mafia,’ revealing how tribal loyalty provides cover for systemic theft.

About the author(s)

Michela Wrong has worked as a foreign correspondent for Reuters, the BBC, and the Financial Times. She has written about Africa for Slate.com and is a frequent commentator on African affairs in the media. Her first book, In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz, won the James Stern Silver Pen Award for Nonfiction. She lives in London.

Reviews

“Wrong’s book is packed with detail and solid sourcing and tells its story clearly.” --Jeffrey Gettleman - New York Review of Books

“A gripping profile of an anti-corruption crusader.... Githongo...is a magnetic protagonist for Wrong’s expose of the machinery of corruption.” - Publishers Weekly

“Explosive…a book about the crushing effects of Kenyan corruption” - Christian Science Monitor

“Written with the pace of a thriller and a depth of analysis of a nation and a man, this is a compelling look at a nation struggling to overcome its past.” - Booklist

“...urgent and important...” - Harper's Magazine

“Important and illuminating…Reads like a John Le Carré novel…On a deeper and much richer level, it’s an analysis of how and why Kenya descended into political violence.” - Caroline Elkins, Washington Post

“A gripping saga…a down-to-earth yet sophisticated expose…a devastating account of how corruption and tribalism reinforce each other.” - The Economist

“Urgent and important. . . . The story Michela Wrong recounts, ranging from the disaster of British colonial rule in Kenya to its disappointing existence as an independent state, focuses above all on corruption, the one evil she, like John Githongo, sees as the source of almost every other African problem.” - Harper's Magazine

“A tumultuous journey through the official networks of sleaze that drained billions of dollars from Kenya’s coffers... The extent of the fraud, and the level of destruction it wreaked, is shocking…” - Newsweek International

“A fast-paced political thriller—with echoes of Graham Greene and John le Carré. . . . Wrong’s gripping, thoughtful book stands as both a tribute to Githongo’s courage and a cautionary tale about the dangers of challenging a thoroughly corrupted system.” - New York Times Book Review

“A fast-paced political thriller—with echoes of Graham Greene and John le Carré.... A gripping, thoughtful book.” - New York Times Book Review

A solid investigative exposé - Kirkus Reviews

“Wrong offers a compelling analysis of Kenya’s history of tribalism and corruption...and the dramatic story of one man’s bravery and the ultimate price he paid. Written with the pace of a thriller and a depth of analysis of a nation and a man, this is a compelling look at a nation struggling to overcome its past.” - Booklist

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