Mentalacrobatics – The deepest pothole on the information superhighway
The Kenyan Twittersphere is buzzing with tweets on the referendum on the proposed Constitution of Kenya. We are using the hastag #KenyaDecides.
Uchaguzi a technology platform that allows citizens and civil society to monitor and report incidences around the electoral process built on the Ushahidi engine is also accepting reports via Twitter through the hashtag #uchaguzi.
Tags: Kenya, KenyaDecides, Twitter, uchaguzi
No Kenyan vote is complete without a picture of long queues at the Holy Family Basilica, Cathedral of the Catholic Archbishop of Nairobi and Primate of Kenya, one of the most central polling stations in the heart of Nairobi.
Here is a short video as we walked the queue of 500 people from the entrance of the polling station to the end of the queue.
The queue lengths varies tremendously throughout the day, sometimes it is almost twice as long as the one in this video, other times it is just a few people.
His Eminence John Cardinal Njue, Archbishop of Nairobi had voted moments before I took this video and media scrum around the Cardinal held things up for a while. Not that Nairobians seem to mind, so long as they had a newspaper to read while they wait.
Tags: Holy Family Basilica, Kenya, KenyaDecides, queue, uchaguzi, vote
4am in Kenya and across the country election officials of the Independent Interim Election Commission are waking up at the polling stations where in two hours time Kenyans will stream in ready to vote for or against a new constitution. These IIEC officials spelt at the polling stations watched over by at least 2 policemen to ensure that the election materials they collected yesterday evening were not tampered with overnight.
The last time Kenyans voted, on the 27th of December 2007 brought one of my proudest moments as a Kenyan. Watching the queues of people patiently waiting for hours to cast their ballots and choose their representatives for the next 5 years without drama, even in the face of fierce provocation was special. The next two months after that day brought my most heart breaking moments as a Kenyan as brother turned on brother, sister on sister and brother on sister.
But I believe in Kenya. I believe that the true picture of Kenya was December 27th 2007 not the two months that followed. Yesterday as I went around asking people if they are going to vote, the vast majority said yes they were. Some are making huge sacrifices, travelling over 400kms overnight from Nairobi to their polling stations. Others devoting a whole day to the exercise, a big sacrifice for someone who earns money on a daily basis surviving hand to mouth. Actually the only people I know who have said they will not vote are relatively well to do members of the so called Kenyan “intelligentsia” often justifying their choice by misquoting a random ancient philosopher.
We’ll be out there voting and watching and thanking God for our country.
Vote!
Tags: KenyaDecides, referendum, vote
A Kenyan army paratrooper with the Kenyan national flag at the 2009 ASK Show in Nairobi. Photo: Daudi Were
I’m not just Red. I’m not just Green.
I’m a tricolour of black, red, and green, charged with two crossed white spears, behind a red, white, and black shield.
Kenyan.
Tags: constitution, katiba, Kenya, Kenyan flag, referendum2010, uchaguzi
Zulu dancers welcome Chilean fans at O.R. Tambo International Airport
In Short, O.R. Tambo International Airport has a lot it can boast about. By extension South Africa has a lot it can boast about. World class infrastructure, world class stadia, Nobel Laureates, world class universities, beautiful landscape and a wide and diverse culture.
So why was the first thing that international passengers saw after the cleared immigration and customs at this, Africa’s most modern airport remember, a bunch of scantily clad dancers doing a Zulu dance?
In his infamous satirical essay, “How to Write About Africa” Binyavanga Wainaina reminds us to
Never have a picture of a well-adjusted African on the cover of your book, or in it, unless that African has won the Nobel Prize. An AK-47, prominent ribs, naked breasts: use these. If you must include an African, make sure you get one in Masai or Zulu or Dogon dress.
So there! Zulu and Maasai dance are only allowed as a last resort! And even then only in satire! In Kenya there is a growing cultural revolt against having “jumping Maasai in red shukas” as the only advertised symbol of Kenya culture. There has to be more to show than this, we cry. In a similar way how can these dancers been selected as the most promiment ambassadors of South Africa culture? You never get a second chance to make a first impression the saying goes. Are these dancers the first impression South Africa wants to give about its culture?
But perhaps it is because South Africa has been so successful in many other areas (technology, construction, logistics, tourism, marketing and university education for example) that the display of half naked dancers at the airport reflects a country comfortable enough in its skin to dance in animal skins rather than one afraid to celebrate any other aspect of its culture? After all even the president put on some skins and does some dancing occasionally! Why shouldn’t South Africa highlight this aspect of its culture prominently if it wants to?
Having said that it was difficult to spend a day during the World Cup without bumping into yet another group of semi clad dancers, especially on match days.
Tags: dancers, fans, football, south africa, WC2010, world cup, worldcup, zulu, Zuma
MTN banner at Soweto Fifa FanFest
Sportcal Global Communications, the independent sports business and financial information consultants, state in their report The Sports Market Insight: 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa that,
The 2010 Fifa World Cup will set the benchmark for global sports events on many levels. Not only will it be the first truly global event to be staged in Africa, it is due to smash previous records for media rights revenue, audiences, new media coverage, broadcast quality and sponsorship income.
A year before kick off at the 2009 annual Highway Africa Conference the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organinisng Committee (LOC) hosted African journalists for an evening at the then newly-built Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth. The 2010 LOC’s Chief Executive Officer, Danny Jordaan, stressed again and again that the World Cup would be a financial success for FIFA. It was clear that this was one of the key messages that Jordaan and his committee wanted African journalists to take and spread at home. Why is it so important that the World Cup made money, a lot of money, for FIFA?
FIFA’s Finance Director, Markus Kattner explains that 95 percent of FIFA’s total revenue comes from the sale of rights relating to World Cup, a very risky venture leading to a “high exposure”. This is confirmed by FIFA General Secretary, Jerome Valcke, who states, “We [FIFA] are not rich. We are making quite good money thanks to the World Cup, but that’s the only money we have.”
In other words if the World Cup flops financially it would be catastrophic for FIFA and the organisation would probably not survive. For example, profits from the World Cup go towards funding its many other activities and less lucrative competitions such as junior and women’s World Cups and even the very popular and hig profile Confederations Cup between continental national teams champions.
All these important tournaments make financial losses which are only covered by the profits from FIFA’s premier competition. For example, in 2009, FIFA spent a significant amount of money on the Confederations Cup in South Africa USD 44 million, the under 17 World Cup in Nigeria USD 43 million, the Club World Cup in United Arab Emirate USD 30 million and the under 20 World Cup in Egypt USD 21 million. FIFA also spent USD 30 million for women’s competitions in 2008. Without the profits from the World Cup these tournaments would not be possible.
That FIFA was “allowed” to make all this money, tax free at that, has been labelled obscene. Especially when it is portrayed as FIFA makes this money at the expense of the ordinary South African, who is excluded from the football party due to high ticket prices, high food and breveage prices at official FIFA FanFests, and dracorian FIFA marketing rules.
The true impact, positive or negative, of the World Cup on the South African economy of the improved transport infrastructure, tourism, job creation, sporting legacy, country branding and nation building will not be known for, perhaps, another 10 years when it is possible to conduct reliable costs-benefits analyses to get an accurate assessment.
One group of people who we know will not be complain about FIFA’s healthy finances are the six FIFA confederations which each get an extra USD 2.5 million, and the national football associations which each get a USD 250,000 bonus from the windfall.
Tags: fans, FIFA, football, south africa, WC2010, world cup, worldcup
Bafana Bafana played a world cup final on Tuesday the 22nd of June 2010 as the whole of South Africa stopped and came together at 4.00pm to see if their team could, against all the odds, win the match against France with four clear goals and qualify for the knock out stages of the FIFA World Cup 2010.
Bafana Bafana fan in Cape Town before the South Africa v France FIFA World Cup 2010 match. Photo by DAUDI WERE
AYOBA! Photo by DAUDI WERE
Predictability can be positive. In delivering each match the same way the organising committee ensures that nothing goes wrong with the technical side of things. Everybody, the players, the officials, the sponsors, the fans know what to expect. Routine and predictability more than anything else perhaps proved to the world what many had been saying for the last year, South Africa is ready.
The question, however, was that as a clever outsider who had manage to craftily embed myself deep within the troops of the Bafana Bafana auxiliary wing, enthroned with a lekarapa to complete my cunning disguise, would there be anything unique about being part of the South African fan experience?
Four years ago the ever efficient Germans managed to fill streets across Deutschland with flag waving fans, so Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh in itself wouldn’t quite cut it. Four years before that Korea and Japan showed that celebrating your unique football culture was to be encouraged, so the Makarapas and Vuvuzelas on their own wouldn’t quite cut it. Four years before that in France we saw a national team made up of different ethnicities (dare we say nationalities?) gel to conquer the world, so the “Rainbow Nation” in itself would not cut it.
South African fans celebrate a goal by Bafana Bafana during the South Africa v France FIFA World Cup 2010 match. In the background you see Cape Town City Hall where on 11 February 1990 Nelson Mandela made his first public speech after being released from prison. Photo by DAUDI WERE.
What South Africa has managed to do is make its uniqueness predicable. Codified uniqueness if you like. The extraordinary masquerading as the ordinary. And that is extraordinary. As La Marseillaise died out and the National Anthem of South Africa sung by a choir 50 million strong first in Xhosa, then in Zulu, moving into Sesotho and Afrikaans, before finally ending in English that unity is extraordinary being ordinary. When you’re standing a few metres away from where, almost 20 years ago to the day, on 11 February 1990 Mandela made his first speech as a free man watching Cameroon play the Dutch in Cape Town, that is the extraordinary being ordinary. When the only painful words bothering Archbishop Desmond Tutu are that his beloved Bafana Bafana did not get the four goals they need, that is the extraordinary being ordinary.
And that is worth celebrating.
South Africa’s relationship with the rest of Africa is fascinatingly complex.
On one hand, South Africa fascinates the minds of other Africans in a largely positive way. Here we have an African country that is a development giant illustrated in its status as a key member of the G20 not merely as Africa’s representative but in its own right as an economic powerhouse. Here we have a new democracy which behaves like an old democracy, changing heads of state as easily and bloodlessly as cutting a toe nail. Here we have a country that is comfortable enough in its multi-ethnicity to have 11 official languages and a national anthem with verses in three languages. A nuclear power, the home of the first open heart surgery, with a gross domestic product (GDP) four times that of its southern African neighbours and comprising around 25% of the entire continent’s GDP. South Africa leads the continent in industrial output (40% of total output) and mineral production (45%) and generates most of Africa’s electricity (over 50%).
On the other hand, you have South Africa’s relationship with the hearts of other Africans. Here too South Africa’s story is largely positive. Here are a people who fought the longest battle for liberation from oppression with apartheid falling only in 1994 meaning that the “born frees” are only 16 years old, not yet of voting age. Despite this South Africans have managed to lift themselves up, decide that their focus is forward not at looking backwards. In addition South Africa is double rugby world cup champion (1995, 2007) and African Nations Cup Champion in 1996 only two years after the fall of apartheid.
However, while South Africa has managed to capture the minds of Africans, it has had a much harder time winning over the hearts of other Africans. No doubt South Africa generates intense respect that comes with a recognition and acceptance of its status as the economic and political leader on the continent. The warmth of brotherhood, which is different from respect, while there, is not as intense.
There are several reasons why this could be the case. The one I have encountered most regularly is the “except South Africa” syndrome. The “except South Africa” syndrome ironically is a direct consequence of South Africa’s huge strides in development. It presents a unique dilemma as the same things about South Africa that fascinate positively African minds are the same ones that push away African hearts by making it appear so apart. For example take Wikipedia’s entry on Sub-Saharan Africa:
Sub-Saharan African countries top the list of countries and territories by fertility rate with 40 of the highest 50, all with TFR greater than 4 in 2008. All are above the world average except South Africa. Figures for life expectancy, malnourishment, infant mortality and HIV/AIDS infections are also dramatic. More than 40% of the population in sub-Saharan countries is younger than 15 years old, as well as in the Sudan with the exception of South Africa.[47]
Sub-Saharan African countries spent an average of just 0.3% of their GDP on S&T(Science and Technology) in 2007. This represents an increase from US$1.8bn in 2002 to US$2.8bn in 2007. This represent an increase of 50% in spending in S&T in Africa. South Africa is the sole exception. South Africa spends 0.87% of GDP on S&T.[85][86]
(emphasis mine)
In so many ways, some positive, some negative, South Africa seems so removed from the rest of Africa. It is almost impossible to get any meaningful statistic on Sub-Saharan Africa that does not exclude South Africa as the inclusion of that data would transform the results completely. I first noticed this during Idris Mohammed’s talk at TEDAfrica in which most of his statistics on the economy of Sub Saharan Africa excluded South Africa. While it is a blessing to be a trailblazer and a honour to be a leader, South Africa has also found that it can be lonely place to be.
This explains South Africa’s obsession with making the world cup not just about celebrating South Africa but about celebrating Africa. This I believe is not so much about selling Africa to the world but about selling South Africa to the rest of Africa. South Africa is tired of being just the cleverest kid in school; South Africa wants to be the most popular kid in school.
MTN, official sponsor of the World Cup, main advertising campaign is centred around urging us to support team “Africa United”. South Africans in particular were urged to make “every African match a home game” by buying tickets to matches involving African teams and (equally important) to go to the stadia and support those teams with the same passion they support Bafana Bafana. MTN also shouts, “Let’s go Africa. Let’s go 2010.”
South Africa is reaching out to the rest of Africa, perhaps “except South Africa” and “accept South Africa” do not have to be mutually exclusive.
Tags: Africa, Africa United, south africa, WC2010
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s Prize Committee which chooses the recipient of the Ibrahim Prize has resolved, for a second successive year, not to award the prize.
The prize is awarded to a democratically elected former African Executive Head of State or Government who has served their term in office within the limits set by the country’s constitution and has left office in the last three years. The Prize consists of USD 5million over 10 years and USD 200,000 annually for life thereafter. It is the largest annually awarded prize in the world. The Foundation will consider granting a further USD 200,000 per year, for 10 years, towards public interest activities and good causes espoused by the winner.
If I was Kufuor or Mbeki I’d be sulking. Obasanjo can’t be seriously considered can he? Not that they need the money! Obasanjo certainly doesn’t!
Tags: Ibrahim Prize, Kufuor, Mbeki, Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Obasanjo
Check out the visualization below which superimposes The Deepwater Horizon oil spill over a map of Kenya.
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 superimposed over a map of Kenya
If the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico had happened in Nairobi it would now cover an area stretching from Nairobi south to the border with Tanzania, north all the way to Isiolo (covering the whole of Limuru, Naivasha, Thika, Nyeri, Murang’a, Mt. Kenya National Park, Nyanuki, Embu, Meru). Westward it would stretch into the Mau Forest heading towards Kericho, Eastwards it would have past Machakos heading towards Makindu.
Visit If It Was My Home and move the oil slick anywhere you want through a clever mash up using Google Maps. While cool, innovative (and scary) it is also important as descriptions such as “the size of Puerto Rico,” or “the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined” carry no weight with me as I am not familiar with those areas.
I increasingly believe that context is as equally important as content.
Tags: Deepwater Horizon oil spill, maps, mashup
The centre of Nairobi is a very ripe onion. Layer upon layer upon layer upon layer. A tourist can “do” Nairobi in a couple of hours. Start at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, drive past the houses of parliament, with the cursory nod to JK’s tomb, up Langata road to the Nairobi Safari Walk where in 45 mins a lady in cultured tones (through pre-recorded messages shared via loudspeakers) will challenge you to think of the Hyena as a friend not a foe, the obligatory visit to the Maasai Market for a bunch of spears you will never be able to get past airport security, rounded off with a meal at the Nairobi Java Coffee house before getting completely “plastered” on Dawa at Carnivore. That is the top most layer, the one most sensible people throw away before cooking with the onion. You can peel and strip and peel, layer upon layer in this magnificent city.
The Goethe-Institute, Nairobi and Alliance Française de Nairobi in association with the Kenya Cultural Centre have come together to remind us of several missing layers that in the same movement take us back to our traditional roots while also revealing our future to us.
For the past three days I have been watching Kiswahili (with some English and little bit of German) performance literature at Jukwaani! – a four day festival of literature as performance. Kiswahili poets and storytellers from up and down the East African coast holding fort in the cultural embassies of German and France, surrounded by an amazing traffic jam of Japanese, Korean, British and yes German and French cars, Nairobi is now spelt cosmopolitan.
A session called “Swahili Poetry” is simply magnificent. Moderated by Prof. Abdulaziz we hear from Ahmed Nassir, Ahmed Sheik Nabhany, Amira S. Msellem, Mahmoud Mau and Abdilatif Abdalla. What you see is not what you see. A poem about a family feud offers lessons on fighting corruption for example. Globalisation, infidelity and yes even love are all dealt with. However the strengths of classic Kiswahili poetry are also it weaknesses for how much influence does this poetry have on the people, does it move them, does it influence them, does it bring about changes? Is the message to hidden, in this age of instant communication who has the time to search for the hidden message of each piece? It was widely acknowledged that the greatest challenge facing the Kiswahili poets is that very few people know of them, their work is hard to find, making it next to impossible to engage in their discussions. After a couple of hours of feeling very irrelevant and inadequate it was good to see relevance again. If there ever was a problem that blogging was created to solve then this is it, giving people with a lot to say but nowhere to say it a place where they can say it, in their own words without relying on anyone.
These are voices that need to be heard. Take Abdilatif Abdalla for example, one of the most well known Kiswahili poets and scholars. Abdalla holds the inevitable distinction of being probably the first Kenyan post independence political prisoner as Kenyatta felt it fit to throw him in jail for sedition for his pamphlet, “Kenya Twendapi?“. He was incarcerated in Kamiti, Kenya’s most notorious prison. He shared with the audience that his three years in solitary confinement there rather than break him simply strengthen his convictions. Those convictions and the convictions of all the Kiswahili poets, storytellers, and artists can be shared and distributed rather easily through blogs. Like I keep saying, blogging is the most African thing you can do online today.
Jukwaani! Is a project by Goethe-Institut and Alliance Française in association with the Kenya Cultural Center. It is a joint initiative supported by the special fund for cultural projects established by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both France and Germany created on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty sealing reconciliation and friendship between the two countries. The festival is held in conjunction with the conference “Swahili poetry in performance” organized by Bordeaux and Bayreuth universities and IFRA at IFRA-BIEA.
For other perspectives on Jukwaani! check out Harvesttone and the Professor.
Douglas Alexander the UK government’s Secretary of State for International Development – a cabinet level position – has one of the hardest jobs at the London Summit as it falls on his shoulders to persuade us that this Summit intends to tackle the concerns of the people and countries who have been deemed not important enough to be represented here directly.
Alexander did this in his press briefing by throwing numbers around, for example:
Alexander is in the unenviable position in that many UK citizens feel that their government has lost focus on what should be its key mandate, domestic issues and tackling hardship at home in the UK in order to play big on the world stage tackling global problems.
To make Alexander’s position even more challenging when you consider that many of the initiatives this summit promotes, while helping some countries in desperate need of help, hurt others in the same position. Cheryl Contee who writes as Jill Tubman for the award-winning and top-ranked black political blog JackAndJillPolitics.com which she founded in 2006, and I came face to face with a such a scenario on Wednesday during the World Have Your Say phone in programme on BBC World Service. Asked to comment on the G20′s proposed initiative to close down tax havens both Cheryl and I spoke strongly in favour of the policy. Coming from Kenya where our former president the dictator Daniel arap Moi together with his cronies and family looted Kenya for over 20 years stashing away billions in these tax havens, my position is not that surprising. One caller from a tax haven, The Bahamas, emailed the BBC show to disagree stating that many people in the Bahamas relied on the tax haven financial system for their livelihood.
How would you balance all these competing interests as the UK’s Secretary of State for International Development has too?
Alexander’s response during the press briefing when remarking on the UK, but this could be equally applied to the caller in The Bahamas, was to remind us that yes in some places livelihoods would be lost however in other places lives would be lost and saving lives take priority over saving livelihoods.
Tags: dfid, Douglas Alexander, G20, g20buzz, g20voice, londonsummit2009
20 of the most powerful global political leaders gather to take decisions that will impact the whole world in far reaching ways and Africa is has only one seat at the table occupied by South Africa. This under-representation of Africa is sadly a recurring feature and indeed a defining characteristic of these international summits.
As Africans we have to start focusing our energy on adopting strategies to counter this state of affairs beginning with a harsh reality check. We are under-represented at these summits because we are increasingly irrelevant. On the global scene African countries have very little influence, even less power and no force at all (except against other African countries).
Relying on our current political leaders to draw up and implement a strategy to make Africa relevant in a positive way is a non starter. Indeed those who have succeed in making African relevant to international policy making have done so for increasing negative reasons, for example Mugabe in Zimbabwe and Bashir in Sudan. Ethan Zuckerman labelled the position taken by such political leaders as a strategy of, “If we act deranged enough, maybe they’ll just give us the country.”
The burden rests on us, the ordinary citizens of Africa, to come up with a strategy that will increase our positive relevance to important global conversations and thus make it impossible to ignore Africa, Africans and the issues they feel important. I would love to hear your thoughts on what this strategy should adopt.
As a first step we can start by breaking the cycle of ineffective negative political leaders. The veteran British political warhorse Tony Benn proposes 5 questions to ask anyone in power or who wants power:
I am in London at the kind invitation of G20Voice. 50 bloggers will be your eyes and ears at the G20 Summit in London, April 2. We come from 22 different countries, and between us represent a global audience of over 14 million readers and online participants. Some are journalists who use blogging as their medium to disseminate their views. Some are ‘professional bloggers’, others of us are are ordinary citizens who have become known through our blogs.
We have been given the same media accreditation as the main stream media to enter the G20 Summit tomorrow and hopefully we will be able to make a positive impact for citizen journalists and some of you will be invited to the G8 and other high level meetings in the future.
Leaders of the world’s major economies and of global economic financial institutions have been invited to attend the London Summit. This includes the leaders of the G20 countries, which represent:
Having said all that only two African leaders are here:
Kgalema Motlanthe – President of the Republic of South Africa
Meles Zenawi – Prime Ministe of Ethiopia in his role as Chair of NEPAD
This is a dire state of affairs even if you go beyond the numbers. Motlanthe is just keeping the seat warm until South Afrcian elections later this month, and Zenawi well you couldn’t have asked for a better example of a “soft” dictator that are the bane of our continent!
So who speaks for Africa here? Or even – should Africa be speaking here? Should Africa want to be involved in the G20? I think the important thing is to keep a sense of perspective by keeping an eye on the big picture and to question even the basic assumptions.
Arriving in London this morning and making my way by tube from Heathrow to Westminster, in the heart of the city, (the Houses of Parliament, 10 Downing Street etc are only a few steps away) was notable only in that it was uneventful, none of the chaos that has been hyped to a ridiculous level by people with various agendas.
Tags: Africa, ethiopia, G20, g20buzz, g20voice, londonsummit2009, south africa, whitebandradar
Update 1: Official Transcript now avaliable. (Thanks Mark).
At 15.00 local time on January 21 2009 the United States Ambassador to Kenya Michael E. Ranneberger hosted a webchat (online discussion) with Kenyan citizens on topics of interest in Kenyan-U.S. relations. Here is the transcript:
Webchat Moderator (Mark): Welcome to today’s webchat! We are glad you are with us. Ambassador Ranneberger will begin answering your questions at the top of the hour.
Webchat Moderator (Mark): We are taking your questions now. Our first question comes from Justus ole Ndutu Narok
Justus ole Ndutu Narok 2: Now that the American people have elected their first ever African-American President, are we likely to see more African-Americans being elected to this office in future?
Ambassador Ranneberger: Yes, I believe we will. The election of Barak Obama demonstrates how far the United States has traveled to build and strengthen democratic institutions. The U.S. presidential election was clearly decided on the basis of the issues, not on the basis of race. President Obama received support from a broad cross- section of American voters. His election also reflects the impact which the civil rights movement has had in transforming the United States. Democracy is, however, always a work in progress and much more remains to be accomplished.
brigid koskei 2: brigid koskei from Kenya. the political party system in America not only favors the majority but also the minoority.it also ensures that political leaders are not only in officeas a result of support from a specific race or tribe but leaders with right qualifications and those who merit those position. Does the Kenyan political party support this? if not what can be done to ensure theres a suitable and fair party system?
Ambassador Ranneberger: You are right about the American political party system. Political parties in the U.S. have developed over a period of more than 200 years. The parties nurture talent and enable individuals to run for office on the basis of merit. Although our political parties are well-developed, there are still a number of issues which must be addressed, including the ways in which parties and candidates finance political campaigns. In Kenya political parties are not as developed. First, there are too many parties (over 100), and many of these are tiny, personality-center “briefcase parties.” Second, corruption has a negative impact on political party development in Kenya. Third, many parties are based on ethnic affiliations rather than on issues. Development of more effective issue-focused political parties is very important to the future of democracy in Kenya. We are working to foster more effective political parties focused on issues. This is part of a broader effort to strengthen democratic institutions.
omweba shadrack- moi university 2: obama says, “…those from largest capital to smallest villages(Kogelo/Nairobi) will feel him…” Through your embassy how will you make Nairobi(Kenya) reform its institutions especially parliament hence feel Obama’s effect as he promised now that you are our big brother? Asks Omweba S.M a Political Science Student from Moi university ( Kenya.)
Ambassador Ranneberger: Even before the inauguration of President Obama, we were working to support reforms. As you know, during the post-election crisis, the U.S. intervened to press for formation of the coalition government. That government committed itself to carry out an agenda for fundamental reform. While there are many reforms, constitutional revision, establishing an independent electoral commission, and formation of the Special Tribunal to try perpetrators of post-election violence, and fighting corruption are among the most important. We have made clear to the leadership of the coalition government that the partnership between the U.S. and Kenya is based on shared democratic values and, therefore, on implementation of the reform agenda. Parliament must play its role to support implementation of the reforms. I also want to emphasize, however, that the Kenyan people have a most important role to play. Although the U.S. helped on formation of the coalition government, it was the fact that the Kenyan people spoke out and insisted on a political solution that was the most important factor in resolving the crisis. The Kenyan people did this directly, and through the media, civil society, religious groups, and the private sector. It is important that the Kenyan people now insist upon implementation of the reform agenda.
Aaron cheruiyot 2: well yesterday president Obama moved from his usual hope speeches to one full of pragmatic demands both for his government and the citizens of the US. For us in kenya, after his inpiration we are faced with the enormous task of getting things rollong in our own country. where do you think is the place for us to start especially the youth?
Ambassador Ranneberger: I believe that the inauguration of President Obama will inspire young people in Kenya to be more active in political life. Despite the fact that there are now many younger Kenyans in Parliament, I do not regard them as really the voice of the young people of Kenya. It seems to be that genuine youth leadership has not really emerged yet. The young people of Kenya has the advantage of being relatively well education. I believe that young people should become more active in forming and participating in civil society organizations, and in speaking out peacefully through the media. Young people should be asking their Members of Parliament and the coalition leadership hard questions about why the reform process has not moved more quickly and about why more is not being done against corruption. Young people should take advantage of new technology, like the internet, to communicate, and to promote activism. Young people can also insist on the reform of political parties so that young people can participate more transparently. We will support these efforts.
Jeremiah – Kenya: Dear Mr Ambassador – I have read your bio about your career with the State department. With the new administration are you going to stay on in Kenya or will you be moving to another position?
Ambassador Ranneberger: It is always up to a new President to determine whether an Ambassador remains in his position. We serve at the pleasure of the President. As a career, professional diplomat, I am non-partisan and strongly committed to advancing the policies of the United States regardless of who is President.
Tuikeny from Nairobi: Bearing in mind that Obama’s ancestral home is kenya, does the America’s Embassy have any plan to encourage, support and boost tourism through initiatives like cultural activities in Kogelo and its neighbourhood?
Ambassador Ranneberger: In the wake of the post-election crisis, the Embassy has been working to boost American tourism to Kenya. We have no specific plans to become involved with Obama’s ancestral home. How that is handled is strictly up to the Obama family members in Kenya. It will be important to respect their privacy and their decisions regarding to what extent they might or might not want to become involved with tourism promotion.
Daudi: Good afternoon Ambassador. There is no mention of Africa on the White House Foreign Policy agenda page: http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/foreign_policy/ indicating that perhaps Africa is not a priority for the new Obama administration. Can you share any information you have on the Obama’s administration foreign policy agenda for Africa?
Ambassador Ranneberger: During the political campaign, Obama and his team made clear the importance they attach to U.S. policy in Africa. There has been strong bi-partisan support from Democrats and Republicans for programs like the PEPFAR anti-HIV/AIDS program, for promotion of democracy, for resolution of conflicts, for education, and for other programs as well. I am sure that the new Administration will give appropriate attention and priority to African issues. The U.S. greatly values its partnership and friendship with Kenya and with other countries on the continent. We will continue to support these and remain engaged with the people of Africa to promote their well-being.
Kamene Mutua – Machakos, Kenya: You were instrumental in encouraging power sharing at the begining of last year at the height of post-election violence. What is your take on the coalition government so far?
Ambassador Ranneberger: Thank you for your kind words. I believe that establishment of the coalition government was the best option to end the post-election crisis. I have talked extensively with President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga, and they have assured me of their commitment to carry out the reform agenda. I believe that they will do this. We will insist upon this, but the clear message they are hearing from the Kenyan people will also help push the reform agenda forward. At the same time, this will not be an easy process. There are vested interests on both sides who do not want to see the reform agenda fully implemented. It is important that the Kenyan people continue to make clear to the President and Prime Minister the importance of moving forward quickly to implement the reforms (particularly establishment of an independent electoral commission, establishment of the Special Tribunal to try perpetrators of post-election violence, and constitutional reform) and the urgent need to end corruption. The vested interests want reform that will be merely window dressing. President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga need the support of the Kenyan people to carry out real reforms that will begin a process of fundamental change. Largely because of the faith I have in the Kenyan people, I remain positive about the coalition government, and am optimistic that Kenya will move ahead to strengthen democratic institutions.
Nekesa: Good Afternoon Mr. Ambassador. As I’m sure you’re well aware the USA under 20 team has qualified for the Junior World Rugby Trophy to be held in Kenya this year. Do you plan to attend this tournament?
Ambassador Ranneberger: Nekesa: Unfortunately, I don’t know much about Rugby, but I am excited by the prospect that a U.S. team may participate in the tournament here. Kenya is well-known for its athletes, yet another dimension of this great country.
Webchat Moderator (Mark): Thanks for joining everyone. We hope you will understand that the Ambassador tried to address as many of your questions as possible during the 60 minutes allotted for today’s webchat. The Q/A portion of today’s webchat is now closed.
Tags: foreign policy, Kenya, obama, united states, webchat
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