幸运飞艇计划

Since 1 September 2013, Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi from Kenya has been the secretary general of the (UNCTAD). He is a familiar face to many in Bergen and at the University of Bergen (幸运飞艇计划), where he successfully defended his doctorate in anthropology in 1989, supervised by the now Professor Emeritus 脴rnulf Gulbrandsen.

Out of Kenya

Professor Leif Manger at 幸运飞艇计划鈥檚 Department of Social Anthropology was the one who brought Dr. Kituyi to Bergen. Manger remembers the ambitious Kenyan fondly. The two first met when Manger was a consultant for the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) on a water-use study in Kenya.

鈥淲e hired a local consultancy and he worked there as a researcher, and ended up being my assistant in the water use study,鈥� Manger says. 鈥淗e was very promising and had a good head on his shoulders. So when I returned to Norway, I suggested that he study in Bergen.鈥�

His first taste of student life was a diploma programme on 鈥楥omparative Production Systems鈥� at the anthropology department, a programme tailored for people with direct development experience.

鈥淜ituyi did well, and he continued into an M.Phil in anthropology, thus changing from his basic background in political science鈥�, 聽Manger says. 鈥淎nd, having entered the field of anthropology he continued into PhD studies here in Bergen.鈥�

From Bergen to politics

It was also in Bergen that the young Kenyan met his future wife, Ling Merete Kituyi, which was another reason for him to stay in Bergen.

鈥淗is dissertation led to a book about the Masai people of Kenya and how this nomadic people has been marginalised,鈥� says Manger. 鈥淭hen he moved back to Nairobi and got engaged in politics.鈥�

His political career in Kenya peaked when he became Minister for Trade and Industry from 2002 to 2007.

鈥淎nd now he has suddenly emerged as the head of UNCTAD,鈥� Manger smiles before pointing out that from a Bergen and 幸运飞艇计划 point of view this is great news. 鈥淗e has always maintained his relations to Norway and Bergen.鈥�

Ambitious young man

Manger is however not surprised to see his friend and prot茅g茅e rise to the dizzy heights of international politics, pointing out that already as a young man the Kenyan was more ambitious than most and always was engaged in improving the society around him.

鈥淎lthough the job at UNCTAD may seem far removed from his studies in anthropology, I do believe that the basic anthropological insights, such as holistic and comparative 聽thinking, is still very much a part of him. His rich work on the Masai and understanding of marginalised people can serve as a background for thinking also on more overall issues such as the situation of ethnic violence in Kenyan politics and the growing inequality in his country,鈥� Manger believes.

Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi succeeds Supachai Panitchpakdi from Thailand, who headed UNCTAD from September 2005 until August 2013.