Political Science

In January of 2008, my country, Kenya, was nearly destroyed due to the botched presidential elections.  The rigged elections triggered the escalation of long standing ethnic tensions, mostly over land ownership, as the news reports.  Anyone Kenyan, however, knows that the problem is much more than that.  Having been born and raised in Kenya, I know that the problem is not simply land but that of extreme poverty.  Fifty-five percent of Kenyans are living below the poverty line.  There are those who say this is because of the endemic corruption that has plagued this countrys government but that is still only part of the bigger problem.
It is in search for the solution, however, that I have been led to this point in my life.  I feel that I do understand the problems of my country but at the same time acknowledge the limitations that I have when it comes to solving these problems.  The fundamental problem that has led to the poverty and the all-pervasive corruption is that the laws, the constitution and institutions do not ensure equity and justice.  This failure of the public policy in Kenya is one of the reasons that have led me to my interest in earning a MAPP degree.

Having worked for the Kenya Revenue Authority, I have gained a deep appreciation of the importance of appropriate policies that will benefit the society as a whole.  I realize, however, that I need to gain a better education in order to be able to really contribute towards helping others and making the world a better place.  This, I feel, is the advantage a MAPP can bring me, teaching me, through practical application and theoretical thinking, how best to implement the change that I see as necessary for the growth and development of my country.

During my undergraduate studies, I focused on economics and philosophy.  I have also just gotten my Masters in Business Administration.  It has been said, however, that desire and natural talent are nothing if they cannot be harnessed properly.  In order to harness these talents, I firmly believe that taking my MAPP at this institution would be the best way to achieve this.  One of the many wonderful concepts I have learned from my parents is to strive for academic excellence while balancing life with other activities and contributions.  It is this fine balance that I feel will be provided if I am accepted in this program.  I strongly feel that in order to reach my full potential I need to be in an environment that best caters to my interests and goals.

I feel that I am ready to tackle the challenges of this masters.  If anything, I feel that the narration of these experiences serves to substantiate my claim that I do realize what I need to do in life and what I aim to make of my career.  Unlike most people, I genuinely believe that I have been fortunate to get these experiences and I know that I should make the most of this.  As such, I would like to thank you for your time and consideration for this application.