closing the sukuma kenya chapter

It's taken me a few months to think this through and now its thought...

It's time for Sukuma Kenya to lay to rest. I believe it has done more than what it was originally set out to do when we started this almost two years ago. It began one not-so-fine day in december...when... ah shit...we seen and heard it all too many times...

Anyways, like all things driven by sense and a desire for change, it evolved and we joined the march to tell the politicians to stop feeding themselves and start feeding the people. So much for that...



But there are those that never tire and never give up no matter how unreachable it seems to be...MARS Group, Philo Ikonya, Bunge La Mwananchi are amongst a handful of movements that Sukuma Kenya has been fortunate enough to learn from.

Unfortunately, the struggle goes on but the noise in the tangled matrix of the internet has grown loud enough to show us all that it might just have a lot more use than telling all our friends what colour underwear we are wearing today.

Or maybe not...

And life goes on...just the way we like it...



As for Sukuma Kenya...clearly there ain't much more to say...the book is incomplete but it's the end anyways...

Pamoja...

Grassroots calling for Resource Persons

From Bunge La Mwananchi

Dear Kenyans and friends of Kenya,

We are looking for patriotic Kenyans who are thoroughly informed on how to link community localised issues to the national policies; are dynamic on national agendas, and are available to volunteer their time to serve as Resource Persons during the upcoming Kibera Wananchi Congress, (herein referred to as the congress). The congress will bring together 1,600 grassroots leaders (drawn all wards in Langata constituency, the 13 villages that form Kibera slums, the diverse ethnic groups, the churches and mosques, active CBOs and NGOs, soccer groups, women and youth groups etc) is scheduled to take place at St. Jude’s Catholic Church near Katwekera area on 23rd and 24th November 2009. The congress dialogues are designed to allow the participants to articulate their understanding on the topic of discussion and their suggestion for wayforward. The moderator/Resource person helps focus the participants and concretize resolutions. We are looking for Resource Person to facilitate tent/group discussions on the following thematic areas:

1. Education and Training

2. National agendas, Governance challenges and Citizens responsibility

3. Impoverishment, Food Security and Opportunity for Wealth creation

4. Land problem, housing and slum upgrading

5. Politics, Conflicts and Peace Building

6. Health, Sanitation and

7. Insecurity and Community Policing

8. Alcoholism and Substance Abuse

9. Sports, Sports opportunities and Sports Infrastructure

10. Gender based challenges

The congress is aimed at empowering and strengthening the capacities of Kibera Citizens in rights awareness, policy analysis, advocacy and networking through a 2-day dialogue activity. At the end of the congress, the grassroots leaders shall outline and adopt resolutions from their dialogues. The resolutions shall be compiled into Kibera People’s Manifesto for change. Similar people’s congress are scheduled to be held in identified constituencies in Central, Coast, Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western regions and then culminate with a National People’s Congress.

If you are available to serve as Resource Person on the said dates, please contact us before 19th November 2009 on this email: grnyongesa@yahoo.com or tel: 0720 451 235.

Mo Faya - they call it a slum, we call it home

DJ Lwanda’s voice rings out daily on local radio, leading and inspiring the Nairobi community of Kwa Maji. But Anna Mali, an avaricious real estate diva, craves the land beneath their slum. She seduces the fiery young DJ away with a job at a top nationwide station, and organizes a violent campaign to terrorize the people of Kwa Maji. When the government and media turn a blind eye to the decapitated bodies in the streets, DJ Lwanda must return home to expose the truth. But at what cost?

"The runaway smash hit of the 2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival"

A Rainmaker production in partnership with Safaricom

A Kenyan musical written and composed by Eric Wainaina
Directed by John Sibi-Okumu
Starring: Eric Wainaina, Valerie Kimani, Atemi Oyungu and Mũmbi Kaigwa

The GoDown Arts Centre - Dunga Rd, off Lusaka Rd

Tickets available at Silverbird Cinemas (Village Market, Junction and Westgate) and selected Uchumi outlets

Contact Info:

Mo Faya 0720 492540

Email: iddimagina@gmail.com

URL: http://www.mofayathemusical.com

November 11th to December 20th:
Wednesdays (1 ticket for 2) - 7.30pm - Sh300 adults, Sh300 students (13-18yrs)
Thursdays and Fridays - 7.30pm - Sh600 adults, Sh400 students (13-18yrs)
Saturdays - 2.30pm & 7.30pm - Sh800 adults, Sh400 students (13-18yrs)
Sundays - 2.30pm - Sh800 adults, Sh400 students (13-18yrs)

Why Kibaki and Raila are top candidates for The Hague

By George Nyongesa

Bunge La Mwananchi

It is foregone that ICC prosecutor Mr. Ocampo shall on 3rd of November be a guest of the people of Kenya. The ICC prosecutor will be in the country to shop around for the fastest ship or airplane services that will shortly route the masterminds of the 2007 post election murders, rape and plunders to The Hague. Mr. Ocampo's excursion seems a basket of mixed reactions for 2012 presidential hopefuls as for all Kenyans.

For Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, Ocampo's mission to Kenya is a living nightmare they wish was just a bad dream. The duo is already sleep deprived and experiencing serious weightloss. For Mr. Kalonzo Musyoka alias 'miracle-man' this a divine tsunami that will drown competitors especially if Raila Odinga is part of Waki envelop. Is it any wonder that Kalonzo is on new found mission to unite Kenyans? Ask yourself where he has been over the last 2 years. For Raila Odinga, Ocampo's visit heralds good tidings for fixing the Ruto problem in the Orange Democratic Movement. On the other hand, Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki are also suffering a migraine from a likelihood of second miscarriage of project Uhuru.

However, Ocampo's mission considered in the right way is not a mission to fix political antagonism. It is a journey of hope for Kenyans who have for so long suffered grand impunity from their political leaders. It is the rays of dawn after a midnight of disrespect of human rights and rule of law by the powerful.

In all these it should slip our mind that it would be great injustice and an even greater debacle of democracy if the two principals are not indicted to The Hague. The violence that ensued after the bungled 2007 elections was composed of wars fought by persons who were doing it for their preferred leader between the two principals. If anything, none of the two principals is on record as coming out in condemnation of the violence. In fact, one of them issued a call for mass action to protest the stolen election, while his antagonist employed state resources of terror to quell the resulting protests. Whichever side of the divide you may have viewed it from, what ensued was nevertheless murder, rape and wanton destruction of public and private property.

If The Hague process is truly about addressing the impunity that has dogged Kenya for a long time, it must remain clear that there are very few top politicians that can claim to be clean of the impunity. The two principals cannot be absolved while their soldiers bear the brunt of the prosecution. No matter that there were people who executed the orders on their behalf, those people acted on the instructions of or misguided ambitions of their principals. Therefore, if the generals are to be indicted, it is only befitting if not imperative that the principals should lead the pack as they did during PEV. Otherwise, the Hague process would be a cosmetic approach to addressing the roots of impunity. Why should ICC come for William Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta and leave Kibaki and Raila? If Uhuru and Ruto are guilt of crimes against humanity for post election violence, Kibaki and Raila are more guilt on the same account. Why should Kibaki and Raila get a soft landing? Who doesn’t know the two were protecting the interests of their masters? Didn’t Waki tell us that some part of violence was planned in the house on the hill?

Further, there is every logical reason that the events that led the run up to, those that characterised the elections and thereafter, are ample basis to indict the two principals. One for having failed as the president of the country, and the other for having failed as a leader of his followers. This leadership vacuum necessarily triggered the senseless killings and plunder by leaving Kenyans confused and with undirected negative energies as the two principals faced off. We cannot pussyfoot around arresting and bundling the principals in MV Hague for fear that their arrest might re-ignite post election violence. We must have the two most powerful men taken to The Hague to reassure the ordinary Kenyans that after all the rich and powerful can also face justice. We must have these two arrested to warn anyone else nursing motives of deploying tools of violence in order to acquire power. Anything short of making Kibaki and Raila to account for their commissions and omissions; for their action and inactions shall be a mockery of justice.

It's Our Money. Where's It Gone?

"In Kenya, members of parliament receive approximately one million dollars per year to spend on development projects in their constituencies through a scheme called the Constituency Development Fund. The MPs are able to spend this money with no meaningful oversight, so the CDF has been plagued with mismanagement and corruption. This documentary presents the powerful story of a civil society organization, MUHURI, that helps a local community in a Mombasa slum investigate their local CDF and take on the challenge of holding them accountable."



For more information, visit the International Budget Partnership at http://www.internationalbudget.org/.

Peace Wanted Alive

(Via NairobiLiving)

Screens at National Museums on Tuesday 27th October 10.00 a.m.

Director: by Judy Kibinge

Producers: Peter Kariuki, Judy Kibinge

DOP / Cameraman: Edvine Maloba

Editor: Raphael Kamuz

A Seven Productions Documentary / Produced in association with Twaweza Communications with the kind support of the Ford Foundation

About Peace Wanted Alive

On December 27^th 2007, 11 million Kenyans queued peacefully to vote for president. The results were bitterly disputed and two days later, the country was on fire. Most badly affected were Nairobi’s informal settlements. The capital city ground to a halt and it seemed as though peace had died.

But as we follow the journeys of a handful of young Nairobians and their struggles during and after the violent post-election violence conflicts in this powerful documentary containing never before seen archive footage , we will find new reason to hope and believe in Kenya.

So UNEP, did you Kick The Habit (Just for today)?

Ok, so I am one day late for Blog Action Day which was all about taking action against Climate Change. There was a lot of noise in the blogosphere and even that chap Gordon Brown had something to blog about


Global Voices reports that there were more than 9000 bloggers who devoted a post to Climate Change. I am wondering what our friends at the UNEP Headquarters were up to yesterday. Do you think they Kicked the Habit for just one day? Wonder what sort of car they drove to work in. Did it look like this?

Or was it one of these ones?

Dear friends at UNEP, Just For Today, did you manage to get the log out of your ass?

tck tck tck...

Join Blog Action Day 09 HERE and find out more about the fight for climate justice HERE

TWO NATIONS, ONE FLAME

Buy It's Our Turn to Eat via M-Pesa...

Visit the Kenya Shop by Clicking HERE and purchase your own copy via

Peace One Day...

Awaaz: The Bombay Africans

Contents:

- Cover Story: The Bombay Africans

- Linguistic Evidence of Bantu Origins of the Sidis of India by Abdulaziz Lodhi

- Alternative Angle: Paradise Revisited by John Sibi-Okumu

- Memories of a Diplomat - Bhupinder Liddar

- Contemporary India-East Africa Relations

o Introduction by Gerard McCann

o Asian Diaspora in Nyanza Province of Kenya by Gordon Onyango Omenyaand Mildred A J Ndeda

o Race Relations between Kenya's Africans and South Asians by Zarina Patel

- Four Generations of the Naidoos in the South African Struggle

- Native African, Wananchi by Ramnik Shah

- The Asian Debate in East African Literature by Mwalimu JKS Makokha

- Bats and Balls: Dr Saleem Rana: Farewell to a distinguished Sportsman and Doctor

- Dialogue through Dance by Neera Kapur

- Origins of a Passage to East Africa by Jarat Chopra

- Art Installation by Prina Shah

- Shailja Patel's Bwagamoyo - The Father: Part II of Migritude

- Book Reviews:

o Child of Dandelions by Shenaaz Nanji reviewed by Sunita Kapila

o Settlers Cookbook: A Memoir of Love, Migration and Food by Yasmin
Alibhai-Brown reviewed by Warris Vianni

o Success with Asian Names by fiona Swee-Lin Price reviewed by John Sibi-Okumu

o Scram from Kenya by James Franks reviewed by Ramnik Shah

o Reading of M G Vassanji by J K S Makokha

o African Identity in Asia by Shihan de Silva reviewed by Shehina Fazal

- Footsteps: Bantu Mwaura (1969-2009) and Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem (1961-2009)

AwaaZ Magazine
P O Box 32843 - 00600
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 020 2063405, 0722 344900, 0733 741085
Email: editors@awaazmagazine.com
Website: www.awaazmagazine.com

Poverty Tourism: the new African zoo...

Have a look at this:

Kibera Tours

Kibera, the friendliest slum in the world and a city of hope


(Click on the picture to take you to the site)



There must be a politician behind this. The donor tap is drying up so you have to find another way to milk those poor bastards. If it ain't a politician, then what kind of sicko thinks we should be selling people living in shit?

Would be curious to hear what others think...

The Age of Stupid

The Age of Stupid Trailer Feb 2009 - SD from Age of Stupid on Vimeo.

TEDxNairobi

Refocusing the People on the March to the Second Republic of Kenya

From the Kenyans For Justice and Development

PRESS RELEASE
Refocusing the People on the March to the Second Republic of Kenya

We, Kenyans for Justice and Development, are appalled by the reckless extent to which President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga are going to ensure Kenya doesn’t change for the better. The two and their cronies want to stay in power at all costs, even at the risk of destroying the country. They and their good-for-nothing, bloated, and over pampered Cabinet are politicking endlessly, outrageously wasting our very limited taxes, doing only those things that perpetuate their grip on power, while avoiding those that would unlock our great potential to make us free, with plenty within our borders.

Even straightforward issues like allowing the country to set up mechanisms to end impunity by punishing those who meddled with the 2007 presidential elections, and the masterminds and perpetrators of the resultant post election violence, has turned out to be a task beyond them. Kenyans will not be hoodwinked by the TJRC or any such phoney mechanisms they are trying to impose on us, in the vain hope of confusing anguished souls, so that they themselves can escape justice.

Justice is our shield and defender and we don’t take it for granted. Kenyans will ensure that those who have looted public coffers, grabbed public land and assets, and those who have murdered, maimed and committed other crimes against humanity, face justice. No amount of smoke and mirrors, or running around in circles, is going to fool us. Crimes do not have an expiry date. There will come a time when each will answer for his or her role in the slaughter of innocent Kenyans, the pillaging, and the general desecration of the Republic.

We demand that the Government saves whatever is left of the country by doing the following:

(i) Engage in urgent national re-construction by tackling the skyrocketing prices of basics such as unga, paraffin, energy, water, sugar, matatu fares, house rents, medical costs, and secondary school fees.
(ii) Deal with insecurity and create an enabling economic environment for Mwananchi to thrive;
(iii) Fast track the Constitution reform process to give the country a democratic constitution by December 31, 2009, to mark the end of the failed First Republic of Kenya;
(iv) To hold General Elections under the new Constitution in February 2010 to usher in the new order.


In the meantime, we are constituting a parallel people’s government to widen the battlefield now that PNU and ODM have closed ranks to protect and propagate impunity. The revolutionary People’s Government will be composed of a People’s Parliament and a People’s Cabinet which, together, will create a formal platform for the people to directly monitor and oversee each Government ministry to ensure that the Grand Coalition Government delivers on the demands we make above.

The People’s Cabinet, to be launched in September 2009, will comprise twelve ministries and the Presidency. The Peoples’ Parliament is the people freely organised around their livelihoods and interests nationwide, including workers, farmers, touts, hawkers, students, teachers, professionals, businesspeople, the youth, and senior citizens.

The issues raised by the People’s Parliament will be used to originate pro-people public policies and programmes that we will use to create a national platform for the people’s march to the Second Republic of Kenya, whose DNA is our National Anthem.

GO DIRECTLY TO JAIL! DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT 200!

TJRC - NO, NOT NOW!

A message from the Solidarity Network Of Kenya:

"The formation of the TJRC at this particular juncture, when it has been in the offing for over a year, is clearly a red herring. It has been dropped into the public arena to distract us from the debate raging over the Hague v Local Tribunal option. The powers-that-be might even be hoping that we will dump the Hague/Tribunal and settle for the TJRC – this is more than possible as Kenyans are noted for the brevity of their attention-span. Then we shall be kept busy and occupied with endless arguments, protests and debates over a non-functioning, highly manipulated and deceptive TJRC. The process is conveniently set to take 3 years – just in time for the 2012 election when all will be forgiven for the villains to renew their money-guzzling and murderous activities.

And of course the long suffering Kenyans will be expected to feel good, if not actually thankful.

Kenya badly needs the TJRC and that we should take control of it and use it to our advantage. But can we? Is there a single mission or commission that we have taken control of for our advantage? I think not, however, that doesn’t mean we should not try. BUT THIS IS NOT THE TIME. First let us settle the Hague/Tribunal issue – let us do our utmost to ensure that we put in place a tribunal here in Kenya (apart from all else we want to SEE justice being done) with all the necessary safeguards for a just and transparent trial. If we can do that then we move to the next step – setting up a credible TJRC where we have a say in the appointment of commissioners and in the process. If we cannot, believe me the TJRC will just pull the wool over our eyes. Let us stay focussed and not get waylaid.

It is 99% agreed that the TJRC chair is unacceptable! But are we going to fritter away our energy, time and resources to evict this one person. He is not the only problem. I say let us demand: ‘No TJRC for now – We want a Local Tribunal first’ and then let us start organising for the kind of tribunal we want. Annan, Ocampo, Waki, the EU and many many others nationally and internationally are all with us on this. It couldn’t be a better time and a better opportunity for us to build solidarity, plan strategy and organise non-violent forms of resistance. If we can do that then we shall have learnt how to achieve our aims and we will ensure we get a TJRC that truly brings the justice and reconciliation that Kenyans have died for."

Zarina Patel
Solidarity Network Kenya
P O Box 32843 - 00600
Nairobi, Kenya
Email: solidaritynetkenya@gmail.com

SNK is environmentally responsible. It recycles, reduces and reuses all its material

Ongoing Campaigns:

Justice for the Mau Mau Freedom Fighters Now!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/www-khrc-or-ke

"Save Lake Turkana - Stop the damming of the Omo River"
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-lake-turkana---stop-the-damming-of-the-omo-river

Free the Cuban Five Now!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/www-freethefive-org

The Phirilongwe Elephants Need Your Help Now!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/the-phirilongwe-elephants-need-your-help-now

Get your XYZ Show Fill

Spotted on Mount Kenya blog:

"Yesterday - the day that the PM answered questions about our water crisis I cycled past a prominent ex MP’s house not far from the PM’s residence. Water was being pumped straight from the river through huge hose to clean his driveway in volumes used, or so I thought, only by firemen...." (Read full post HERE)

We are indeed a country on the brink and nothing more to do but laugh at how stupid we all are. We have done it to ourselves and the only solace I find is the images of myself on the xyz show...


If you can't get enough of yourself, then read the blog, download the previews and purchase the wallpaper because this is MY KENYA!

African Revolutionary Leaders Exhibition

African Revolutionary Leaders exhibition

Nairobi National Museum - Small Exhibition Hall
July 9th to 19th


This exhibition contains the testimonies of great fighters for the dignity of the African people through the work of Venezuelan artist Jorge Cruz.

The itinerary exhibition "Revolutionary Leaders of Africa" is a project that was initiated in March 2008, and is run by the Ministry of People's Power for Foreign Affairs through the Office of the Vice Minister for Africa and the Free Chair for Africa for the furtherance is the People's Diplomacy.

It was conceived with the idea that the Venezuelans know more about the African thought and take a journey at what has been the political history of Africa.

It is also a place for Venezuelans to recognize; the freedom and self-determination of the African people as originating from the same source that allows deepening of historical ties, cultural and ethnic backgrounds that unite the two continents.

With this exhibition, which will be exhibited in all the 18 embassies of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Africa, we seek to approach the struggles of men and women of the African continent, where millions of human beings were uprooted and made slaves. It also shows the policy of solidarity of the Bolivarian Government of African descendants must understand its importance. Finally, it also wishes to pay tribute to the African diaspora, to the scattered blackness that is still struggling and fighting for a better world.