Boniface Mwangi

Kenya

Occupational Information

Occupation: Media

Occupational Position: Founder and party leader of Ukweli Party

Professional History

Boniface Mwangi is an award-winning Kenyan photojournalist and human rights activist. He is the founder and the party leader of Ukweli Party, a political party bringing citizens together wanting to live in a Kenya where everyone is empowered to engage politically, to realize their full potential, to prosper economically and to thrive in a socially cohesive community. He continues to wage a spirited campaign against oppressive establishments.

He was a staff photographer with The Standard, a leading Kenyan newspaper, for four years. He became the eye of Kenyans during the 2007/8 post- election violence and showed courage and compassion to capture thousands of images, some so gory they could not be published. His work appeared in leading publications worldwide from The New York Times to The Guardian, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, The International Herald Tribune, The Telegraph and The Boston Globe among others.

In 2012, Boniface founded PAWA254, a hub for creatives in Kenya where journalists, artists and activists find innovative ways of achieving social change. He has twice won the CNN Multichoice Africa Photojournalist of the Year Award and is the youngest Prince Claus Laureate. New African Magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2014 and 2016 and he is also a senior TED Fellow. Time magazine recognized him as a Next Generation Leader in 2015 and was selected as Kenya’s Top 40 under 40 men in 2016. He was named as a Top 100 Kenyans in 2019.

Qualifications

Human Rights & Documentary Photography from New York University Tisch School of the Arts
Bible Studies Diploma from Kingdom Academy
Journalism Diploma from the East African School of Journalism

Programs

2020 Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow