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Mr. Amon Kipyegon KIRUI

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Staff Information
PERSONAL DETAILS
Designation
Lecturer, Music
Department
Office of the Dean, School of Music & Performing A
Address
KABARAK UNIVERSITY P.O. BOX PRIVATE BAG, 20157
SUMMARY

Amon Kipyegon Kirui is a Lecturer in Music at Kabarak University whose research focuses on the nexus of the digital economy, music streaming platforms, and Artificial Intelligence within the African music industry. Employing a decolonial theoretical framework, his inquiry scrutinizes platform capitalism and algorithmic bias with the aim of advancing cultural preservation and epistemological reimagining in African musicology. As a Research Associate and Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Venda, South Africa, Kirui's academic pursuits are distinctly grounded in substantial practical experience in music production and live sound engineering. This expertise allows him to effectively bridge the divide between technical application and theoretical investigation, thereby promoting the global visibility of African musical heritage.

 

Google Scholar
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=s1VBXncAAAAJ&hl=en
ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Amon-Kirui?ev=hdr_xprf
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

2024 – 2026   PhD in Musicology, Kabarak University, Nakuru, Kenya

Dissertation: Kenyan Musicians in the Age of the Digital Economy: A Platform Capitalism Perspective.

In Progress   Master of Arts in Peace & Conflict Management, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya

Thesis (data collection in progress): Music as a Medium of Peace and Conflict Framing: A Case of Nairobi County.

2017 – 2023   Master of Musicology, Kabarak University, Nakuru, Kenya

Thesis: The Impact of Digitalisation of the Music Industry on the Socio-Economic Status of Kenyan Gospel Artists.

2003 – 2007   Bachelor of Education (Arts) – Music, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya, Second Class Honours (Upper Division)

FIELDS OF SPECIALIZATION

African Musicology

African & Digital Musicology, Political Protest Music, Music Theory & Analysis, Digital Activism

Music Technology & Film Scoring

Live Sound Engineering, Music Production (Logic Pro and other industry-standard DAWs), Sound Design, Film Scoring & Mixing for Film

Education & Praxis

Competency-Based Education (CBE), Music Technology Praxis, Curriculum Development

Tech & Economy

Platform Capitalism, Algorithmic Discrimination, Generative AI Frameworks

Policy & Governance

Creative Industry Policy, Cultural Governance, Peace & Conflict Management

WORK EXPERIENCE

2016 – Present   Full-Time Lecturer & Head of Practical Section, Kabarak University, Kenya

  • Deliver advanced, learner-centered instruction across 15+ specialized courses in Music Production Technology, Live Sound, Film Music, Research Methodology, and Research Methods.
  • Direct departmental audio infrastructure and coordinate the Student Attachment Programme to bridge academic theory with industry praxis.

Feb 2026 – Present   Manager: Networks and Funding, African Musicology Institute (AMI), Kabarak University, Kenya

  • Spearhead international collaboration and strategic partnerships, securing critical staff and student exchange programs.
  • Drive funding acquisition and establish reliable revenue streams to support the operational growth and academic mission of AMI.

Sept 2025 – 2028   Research Associate and Adjunct Lecturer, University of Venda, South Africa

Support vital publication activities and lead cross-border sub-projects contributing to decolonial musicology scholarship.

May – Jun 2026   Doctoral Exchange Residency (Fellow), University of Venda & African Musicology Institute, South Africa

Two-month doctoral exchange residency finalising thesis write-ups under Prof. M. G. Mapaya; academic and cultural engagement with Univen and AMI scholars.

2026 – 2029   External Examiner (Music Modules), University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia

Evaluate technical formats, examination standards, and learning outcomes for undergraduate Studio Work (Music Production, Mixing, and Mastering) to international quality standards.

Apr 2025 – Present   Part-Time and Visiting Lecturer, University of Ibadan, Nigeria (Online)

Develop and deliver remote courses in Live Sound Engineering and Digital Music Production to an international student body via modern LMS.

KEY PROJECTS
  1. Kirui, A. K. (Accepted). Digital Epistemic Sovereignty in Music: Decolonising the Algorithm through African Musicology. [Taylor & Francis Monograph]. Routledge (Commissioning Editor: Hannah Rowe). Accepted; manuscript to be submitted by February 2027.

  2. Kirui, A. K., & Kimani, G. T. (2026). Professional Guide to Live Sound Engineering: A Comprehensive Textbook for Live Sound Professionals (1st ed.). [Authored book]. Utafiti Press, Nairobi, Kenya. Accepted; under production.

  3. Kirui, A. K., & Shimanyula, C. S. (Eds.) (Production). Cultural Studies in Kenya: Sound, Screen, and the Digital Music Economy. [Edited volume]. University of Venda & Kabarak University. Call for chapters issued.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Research Foci

Platform Capitalism, African Musicology, Artificial Intelligence & Digital Economy.

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS

Book Chapters

  1. Kirui, A. K. (2026). Artificial Intelligence and the Transformation of African Music: Innovation, Identity, and Societal Impact. In Music and Society (Ed. Dr. Tolu Owoaje), University of Ibadan. [Published].

  2. Kirui, A. K. (in press). From Extraction to Equity: Codifying Algorithmic Sovereignty for African Music. [Book chapter]. Bloomsbury (Scopus-indexed). In press.

  3. Kirui, A. K. (in press). Advancing Mapaya’s Vision: A Systematic Review of AI and the Future of Endogenous African Musicology. In Mapaya Festschrift (Eds. Kimani, Zulu, Pelewe, Mbuti & Kirui), University of Venda. In press.

  4. Kirui, A. K. (in press). Protest Music in Kenya. In Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World. Anticipated December 2026. (Book Entry)

Journals

2026

  1. Kirui, A. K., & Munene, M. (2026). Platformed Invisibility: Algorithmic Discrimination and the Sustainability of African Music: A Scoping Review. Eastern African Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 5(2), 600–618. org/10.58721/ehf33w22
  2. Kirui, A. K., & Keitany, P. (2026). Algorithmic Amplification versus Cultural Extraction: The Media Dynamics of AI Music Activism in Kenya’s 2024 Gen Z Protests. Journal of Linguistics, Literary and Communication Studies, 5(1), 112–126. org/10.58721/6gjgeb50
  3. Temba, S. M., & Kirui, A. K. (2026). The ‘Plasticity’ of the Algorithm: Affective Labour, Machine Inference, and the Defence of Kibagenge in Kenya’s Creative Economy. Journal of Science, Innovation and Creativity, 5(2), 93–107. org/10.58721/j983k785
  4. Sofola, K., Mbatia, B., & Kirui, A. K. (2026). Bridging Music and Media: AI-driven and Human-based Solutions for Detecting Audio Deepfakes in an Era of Misinformation. Kabarak Journal of Research and Innovation, 2025(1), 31–45. org/10.58216/kjri.v2025i1.657
  5. Kirui, A. K. (2026). Music Streaming Services for Indigenous Language Preservation and Cultural Sustainability in Kenya. Journal of the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO, 6(2). org/10.62049/jkncu.v6i2.561
  6. Kirui, A. K., & Wanyama, M. N. (2026). The Metaphysics of African Music: Sound as Vital Force and Communal Being. Journal of Contemporary African Studies (Taylor & Francis), 1–15. org/10.1080/02589001.2026.2687614
  7. Kirui, A. K. (2026). The Harmony of Hegemony: Sonic Coloniality, Pop-Humanitarianism, and the Quest for an Afrocentric Pluriverse. African Identities (Taylor & Francis), 1–14. org/10.1080/14725843.2026.2691806
  8. Kirui, A. K., & Mapaya, G. M. (2026). Decentralised AI Agents for Smart Contracts and Royalty Management in African Music. African Journal of Development Studies, 16(2), Article 11. org/10.31920/2634-3649/2026/v16n2a11
  9. Munene, M., & Kirui, A. K. (2026). Digital Media Fluency and Innovative Content Creation Among Mass Communication Students at Kabarak University, Nakuru, Kenya. Research Journal of Education, Teaching and Curriculum Studies, 4(1), 137–152. org/10.58721/rjetcs.v4i1.1737
  10. Zulu, T., & Kirui, A. K. (2026). Artificial Intelligence and the Crisis of Musical Authenticity: Examining the Implications of AI-Generated Music on Creativity, Copyright, and Artistic Integrity. Journal of Science, Innovation and Creativity, 5(1), 61–70. org/10.58721/jsic.v5i1.1730
  11. Kirui, A. K., & Nyandieka, B. B. (2026). The African Politics of the Dataset: AI, Indigenous Music, and Neo-Colonial Power Dynamics. Eastern African Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 5(1), 239–251. org/10.58721/eajhss.v5i1.1674
  12. Shimanyula, C., & Kirui, A. K. (2026). Unmasking Greenwashing in Africa: A Digital Oramedia Perspective on Environmental, Social, and Governance. Journal of Linguistics, Literary and Communication Studies, 5(1), 63–72. org/10.58721/jllcs.v5i1.1670
  13. Kirui, A. K., & Owoaje, T. (2026). From the Communal Music Making to Deep Learning: AI, Copyright, and the Soul of African Music. African Musicology Online, 15(1), 27–40. org/10.58721/amo.v15i1.1602 
  14. Kirui, A. K. (2026). Does the Listener Care? Emotional Resonance and Connection in the Age of Algorithmic Music. E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (EHASS). Accepted for publication; September 2026 issue. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2026785 
  15. Kirui, A. K. (2026). Ontological Disruption or Data Colonialism? Institutionalising Kibagenge for Artificial Intelligence Integration in African Higher Education. Journal of Education and Learning Technology (JELT). Accepted for publication; September 2026 issue https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2026781 
  16. Kirui, A. K. (2026). Refracting the Local: How Digital Streaming Platforms Mediate and Redefine African Musical Identities. Journal for the Interdisciplinary Art and Education. Accepted for publication; September 2026 issue.

2025

  1. Kirui, A. K. (2025). From Rebellion to Revenue: Revisiting Commercialisation and Digital Platforms in Kenyan Political Protest Music. African Musicology Online, 14(1), 26–36. org/10.58721/amo.v14i1.957
  2. Kirui, A. K. (2025). Music Dualism: Political Intolerance in Kenya and the Gen-Z Movement. Journal of Music and Creative Arts (JMCA), 4(1), 1–15. org/10.51317/jmca.v4i1.683
  3. Kirui, A. K. (2025). TikTok and the Rise of Protest Music in Digital Activism in Kenya. Editon Consortium Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies, 7(1), 47–60. org/10.51317/ecjahss.v7i1.598
  4. Kirui, A. K., Wanyama, M. N., & Mapaya, G. M. (2025). Epistemics of African Music Performance: Navigating Knowledge, Tradition, and the Digital Frontier. African Musicology Online, 14(2), 14–24. org/10.58721/amo.v14i2.1107
  5. Agata, F., & Kirui, A. K. (2025). The Evolution of Digital Dance: Choreography in the Age of Motion Capture and Avatars, a Case of Nairobi City County. Journal of Visual and Performing Arts, 3(1), 44–52. org/10.58721/jvpa.v3i1.1515
  6. Ndongo, M. J., & Kirui, A. K. (2025). The Transformative Role of Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Transparency and Efficiency in Music Royalty Distribution in Kenya. Journal of Visual and Performing Arts, 3(1), 63–74. org/10.58721/jvpa.v3i1.1517
  7. Odeke, L. W., & Kirui, A. K. (2025). Reclaiming the Sonic Archive: AI, Data Sovereignty, and the Future of Mijikenda Music. Journal of Visual and Performing Arts, 3(1), 53–62. org/10.58721/jvpa.v3i1.1516
  8. Ngatiah, D., & Kirui, A. K. (2025). Algorithmic Creativity: A Systematic Review of AI and Artistic Expression in the Digital African Landscape. PAN African Journal of Musical Arts Education, 3(1), 33–45. org/10.58721/pajmae.v3i1.1518

2022 – 2024

  1. Kirui, A. K. (2024). Digital Literacy for Musicians: Navigating Music Streaming Services for Independent Artists in Kenya. Journal of Music and Creative Arts (JMCA), 3(1), 10–22. org/10.51317/jmca.v3i1.479
  2. Kirui, A. K. (2024). Ethical Dilemmas and Copyright Challenges Among Independent Artists in Kenya’s Music Industry. Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (JHSS), 3(1), 13–22. org/10.51317/jhss.v3i1.482
  3. Kirui, A. K. (2023). Free Music Streaming for Kenyan Independent Artists: A Blessing in Disguise? African Musicology Online, 12(2), 90–102. org/10.58721/amo.v12i2.361
  4. Kirui, A. K., Wanyama, M. N., & Shitandi, W. O. (2022). Disruptive Innovation: Exploring the Impact of Skiza Tunes on the Kenyan Music Industry. Journal of Music and Creative Arts (JMCA), 1(1), 1–10. org/10.51317/jmca.v1i1.297
CONFERENCES & INVITED PRESENTATIONS
  1. Sept 2026   The ‘M-Pesa’ of Higher Education: Challenging Western Tech Hegemony Through Smartphone Appropriation in Kenya and Nigeria. PASMAE Conference for the Eastern Africa Region, Kabarak University, Kenya.
  2. Aug 2026   Automating Extraction or Empowering Custodians? Rethinking the Economics of AI and African Music through the Kibagenge Epistemology. Association of Nigerian Musicologists (ANIM) Conference, Nigeria (Online). 
  3. July 2026   Resisting Digital ‘Mugeni’: Kipchamba Arap Tapotuk, Epistemic Sovereignty, and African Music in the Age of AI. 2nd Organ House International Symposium on African Musics, Mountain Top University, Nigeria (Hybrid).
  4. July 2026   Cultural Sustainability in the Digital Age: Decolonizing Artificial Intelligence for African Music Learners. ISME Policy Commission Pre-Conference, University of Toronto, Canada.
  5. June 2026   Sustainable Careers in the Attention Economy: Reimagining Revenue Models for Kenyan Creative Industries in an AI-Driven Ecosystem. School of Business, Economics & Commerce International Research Conference, Kabarak University, Kenya.
  6. Feb 2026   Refracting the Local: How Digital Streaming Platforms Mediate and Redefine African Musical Identities. 5th ISIPAE, Türkiye (Virtual).
  7. Oct 2025   Kabarak University – 14th International Research Conference, Nakuru, Kenya. Presented peer-reviewed papers including:
  8. Aug 2025   The African Politics of the Dataset: Deconstructing “Authenticity” & Neo-Colonial Power Dynamics in Training AI. University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
  9. July 2025   Makerere University – 14th PASMAE Conference, Kampala, Uganda: four peer-reviewed papers on streaming, education, and notation software.
  10. July 2025   Platformed Invisibility: Algorithmic Discrimination & Sustainability of African Music. Toyin Falola International Conference (Online), UT Austin.
  11. June 2025   The Sonic Doppelgänger: AI Voice Cloning and the Reconfiguration of Musical Identity. 4th International Research Conference, Kabarak University, Kenya.
  12. Feb 2025   Music Streaming Services for Indigenous Language Preservation. UNESCO Mother Language Day, Kabarak University, Kenya.
  13. Oct 2023   Free Music Streaming for Kenyan Independent Artists: A Blessing in Disguise? 13th International Research Conference, Kabarak University, Kenya.
  14. Oct 2022   Disruptive Innovation: The Impact of Skiza Tunes on the Kenyan Music Industry. 12th International Research Conference, Kabarak University, Kenya.
HONORS, PRIZE AND AWARDS

Best Researcher of the year-2025

TEACHING AREAS
  1. Music Theory
  2. African Music
  3. Music Production Technology
  4. Live Sound
  5. Film Music
  6. Sound Design
  7. Research Methods
  8. Music Practical (Piano & Guitar)

Our Moral Code

As members of Kabarak University family, we purpose at all times and in all places, to set apart in one’s heart, Jesus as Lord. (1 Peter 3:15)