Turning Tables: Hay at 25

Hay Festival is turning 25 and in doing so it has come up with an ingenious way of crowd sourcing views from its audience

The way we live now from Hay Festival on Vimeo.

This could be as a result of understanding the wisdom of crowds. So this is our chance to turn those tables on the writers and thinkers that have graced Hay Festival over the years.

Hay Festival organizers asked a panel to come up with 25 questions which would be put to the audience. These questions are;

1. Why do we read novels?
2. 25 years ago, the whole world lived in fear of an aids pandemic, the Berlin wall divided east and Western Europe, China and Latin America were considered part of the developing world and less than 1% of the world's population used mobile phones or computers. What changes will we see to the way we live now in 25 years time?
3. What was the last thing you made with your hands?
4. Which smell makes you happiest?
5. Do you think we are reaching a point at which technological 'progress' kills the spirit and what we are or will it liberate us all?
6. Which freedoms are you prepared to trade for greater security?
7. How can we see the ratio of women to men reach equality in every walk of life, from birth to death, in education, work and play?
8. What would you do if you knew you would never be caught?
9. What piece of writing has most changed your heart and mind? Phrase, lyric, letter, book, poem, inscription.
10. Would you like the United States of America to a) grow stronger? b) stay more or less the same? c) grow weaker? Why?
11. 25 years from now climate change will have created over 100 million refugees. Where should they go?
12. Are you happy? If yes, why? If not, is there something you can do about it?
13. How will the world benefit from a realignment of economic superpower in the 21st century?
14. Are religion and democracy incompatible?
15. Half the world's languages are so seriously endangered that they are likely to die out during the course of this century. Does it matter?
16. What determines what food you buy?
17. Will genetically modified crops and lab meat save the world from famine?
18. What can the country and the city learn from each other?
19. If you became the leader of your country what would you fix first?
20. Which season matters most to you and why?
21. Mental health problems afflict 25% of us every year. Do we need to treat the perception of mental illness in the sufferer or in society?
22. Is it possible to truly care about events that will happen after the death of one's great grandchildren?
23. Teach us something important that you know.
24. Which living leaders, writers, scientists, and artists, are opening the doors of the future for humankind?
25. We're building a library of literature, music and cinema. Which one book, film and album would you contribute to it?

These questions have reminded me of rapper 50 cent who saw this way before them! When he came up with his 21 questions.

This questions in my opinion do NOT feature or address Africa because the 'panel' which came up witht e questions is mainly compromised of people from Europe [not that I have any 'beef' with Europeans or Eurocentric thinking]. Also it could be as a result of Hay festival having a massive footprint in other continents. In Africa Hay has a presence ONLY in Kenya through Storymoja. However, this said, question 2 is the one I relate to;

25 years ago, the whole world lived in fear of an aids pandemic, the Berlin wall divided east and Western Europe, China and Latin America were considered part of the developing world and less than 1% of the world's population used mobile phones or computers. What changes will we see to the way we live now in 25 years time?  

It would also be great to map out the responses in a website so that we can see the response of the world.  I plan on attending the festival and raising more Africa centric questions and telling the world what I think. Will you?

Republican & Democratic National Conventions: Wheels of Democracy? A dispatch from Kenya

Watching the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina last week & Republican National Convention the previous week in Tampa, Florida I couldn’t help but think what if Kenya had such conventions. This may sound farfetched but what we have in Kenya is National Delegates Conference. Though, both serve the same purpose, which is to oil the wheels of democracy. They serve as a sign of internal democracy [to nominate a presidential candidate] and fulfill party constitutions.  This and the scripted version of these events [well apart for the Clint Eastwood moment] may be the only similaries between conventions made in USA and conventions made in Kenya.

So what are the differences?

Well Kenyan conventions called National Delegates Conference are usually a one day affair. Party delegates are transported from all over the country booked in hotels and the due date they ‘just’ rubber stamp what is usually obvious. There are NO fancy speeches [like Michelle Obama well executed speech which had the Kenyan Social media was abuzz] or first ladies allowed anywhere near the podium.

However, things seem to be changing. Watching the TNA/Uhuru Kenya Party there we’re semblances with ‘conventions made in America’. There we’re fancy speeches [well ONLY Eugene Wamalwa did it for me with a well crafted speech. More like the Obama 2008 hope speech] and tele prompters. Well that’s the far as they would push it. So why was TNA able to pull this? This is because it is lead [we are so told] by young persons. Well, this would be true BUT would they call the shots if Uhuru won the 2013 polls? Or would the politicians high jack the professional party machinery… [This we can ONLY wait and see]

Going Forward

I am of the opinion the Raila camp which going by all indications might try to pull a ‘convention made in the USA’. The Raila Camp seems to be assembling a ‘kick ass’ machinery. This camp seems to be target the youthful vote. They have a presence in social media and are courting creatives [musicians-Jaguar & Redsan and reality TV celebrity Prezzo who almost won the Big Brother Africa] just like the democrats seem to have a hold of Hollywood. Also, NOT to be left behind are the other ‘youthful’ politicians [Ruto & Martha Karua]. This third force has gone forward to emulate the campaign fundraising tactics of their brethrens in the grand USA. Now they are holding fundraising dinners and a plate can go as high as Kshs 100, 000. How times change. Little has been written on campaign fund raising and politics in Kenya. But it has been an open secrets foreign funds play a key role in Kenyan politics. The big question is if the Chinese, Americans & Europeans have placed their bets on their horses. A telling sign has been the foreign trips undertaken by the presidential candidates. I bet an info-graph on this would be revealing!

Back to the USA Conventions

My favourite takes on this are; On the Republican convention I liked East Clintwood unscripted moment. I am a sucker for Clint Eastwood movies his monologue made me laugh.

On the Democrats front I liked Michelle Obama, Bill Clinton speeches.

Also appreciated we’re the artist who rocked the DNC convention. As a practitioner in Kenya’s Creative Economy this is something I will take stock of.

I think President Barack Obama speech lacked the oomph and style he had a while back when it was a joy to read his speeches. I guess being president in a declining America has its due pressures!

Now, I wait for the conventions made in Kenya. This is bound to happen because almost all presidential candidates have not named their running mates. Good times ahead await!

Events: Storymoja Hay Festival - Imagine the World, Sept. 13-16 2012 @ National Museum

Storymoja Hay Festival Poster

The line-up for the fourth Storymoja Hay festival in Nairobi is out. The Storymoja Hay Festival runs from 13—16 September and features international and local writers.

Dates: September 13-16, 2012

Venue*: National Museum of Kenya

Tickets: Kshs 1,500/Season and Kshs 1,000/day

*The festival will be based for the first time this year in the National Museum of Kenya.

About

Hay Festival works across five continents bringing writers to debate and meet with audiences around the world. Storymoja Hay Festival is the ONLY HAY festival in Africa.

Scribes

Writers this year include Jung Chang, author of Wild Swans, Dinaw Mengestu, Ethiopian-born American author of Children of the Revolution, Giles Foden, Professor of Creative Writing at UEA, UK and author of The Last King of Scotland, Precious Williams, author of the memoir Precious and ambassador for the charity Africans Unite Against Child Abuse, Billy Kahora, author of The True Story of David Munyakei and Urban Zoning, Muthoni Garland, author of Tracking the Scent of My Mother, No Violet Bulawayo, winner of the Caine prize in 2011 for Hitting Budapest, Michael Logan, author of Apocalypse Cow, which won the Terry Pratchett Prize, Tony Mochama,Chris Lyimo, Sunny Bindra among others

Festival Programme

Check the festival programme online: http://www.storymojahayfestival.com/programme/

Day 1: http://www.hayfestival.com/s-291-thursday-13-september-2012.aspx

Day 2: http://www.hayfestival.com/s-292-friday-14-september-2012.aspx

Day 3: http://www.hayfestival.com/s-293-saturday-15-september-2012.aspx

Day 4: http://www.hayfestival.com/s-294-sunday-16-september-2012.aspx

Fourth Storymoja Hay Festival

The fourth Storymoja festival will have the following events:

1.       The inaugural Wangari Maathai Lecture

Wangari Maatthai Memorial Lecture Poster

This will be given in honor of Nobel Peace Laureate and founder of The Green Belt Movement Prof. Wangari Maathai. It will be given by the Chinese author and historian Jung Chang.
Hay at 25
The way we live now from Hay Festival on Vimeo.

2.       Masterclasses in art, poetry and creative writing

Master classes are an essential part of this festival. 

Lemn Sissay who is artist-in-residence at London's South Bank Centre and the poet and film-maker Imtiaz Dharker will run a masterclass on writing and performing poetry. 

Lola Shoneyin, Nigerian poet, will run a poetry workshop and Swedish born Dutch illustrator Marit Tornqvist, best known for her illustrations for Astrid Lindgren's books, will run an art workshop for children. 

Eurig Salisbury the Children's Laureate in Wales will run a workshop for children's poetry, Precious Williams, daughter of a Nigerian Princess, raised by a white family in Sussex will describe the growing pains of an African foster child in her first book Precious while Dinaw Mengestu, born in Addis Ababa will delve in his fiction accounts of displacement and identity experienced by immigrants; the two will run a workshop together on Creative Writing.

3.       Panel Talks/Discussions

Giles Foden, Professor of Creative Writing at UEA in the UK and author of Zanzibar and The Last King of Scotland will talk about his fiction and the Oscar-winning film based on his novel.

Ory Okolloh, head of Policy and Government Relations Africa for Google, will discuss freedom of expression with author John Kampfner. They will be joined by the High Commissioner to Kenya HE Dr. Turner who served as the Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before being appointed ambassador to Kenya.

This year's festival will also see the first Commonwealth Writers panel debating The Writer and the Reader: Who are Contemporary African Authors Writing For? Jekwu Anyaegbuna (Commonwealth Writers Short Story regional winner, Africa 2012), NoViolet Bulawayo (2011 Caine Prize Winner) and Claudette Oduor and Lauri Kubuitsile (from Botswana, 2011 Caine Prize nominee) will talk to Billy Kahora (managing editor of Kwani, 2012 Caine Prize nominee and 2012 Commonwealth Writers Short Story Prize judge).

4.       Music

Music will be from the Kenyan Boys Choir, who sang at Obama's inauguration, and a Poetry Gala with Lemn Sissay, Susan Piwang, Paula Biraaro and Beverely Nabozo.

5.       Kids events

Children have a designated area called Story Hippo village where they can play and interact with other children. Writing and Poetry workshops will also be conducted for children in this tent.

6.       Screenings

There will be screening of The Last King of Scotland [Giles Foden will introduce the screening], A Small Act, Getting Justice, Tomorrow will come, Internal Flight, Yes Man!

2012 Contributors

Jung Chang, Dinaw Mengestu, Giles Foden, Precious Williams, Billy Kahora, Muthoni Garland, NoViolet Bulawayo, Michael Logan, Tony Mochama, Chris Lyimo, Sunny Bindra, Lemn Sissay, Imtiaz Dharker, Lola Shoneyin, Marit Tornqvist, Eurig Salisbury, Ory Okolloh, John Kampfner, Jekwu Anyaegbuna, Claudette Oduor, Lauri Kabuitsile, Susan Piwang, Paula Biraaro and Beverely Nabozo

Visit festival website for more information: http://www.hayfestival.com/storymoja/index.aspx?skinid=10&currencysetting=GBP&localesetting=en-GB&resetfilters=true

Politics: Hon. Charity Ngilu Tosses Her Hat into the Presidential Ring

Hon. Charity Ngilu [Current Water Minister] becomes the second woman after Martha Karua to toss her hat into the Presidential Contest ring.  Charity Ngilu launched her presidential bid yesterday at KICC. In a well orchestrated party delegates conference that saw her endorsed as the party's flag bearer on Narc party. 

This will be her second shot at the presidency after 1997 polls that saw her come number four. 

Many of us will remember Ngilu as being instrumental in the 2002 polls. She was the one of the leading lights who advocated for the then opposition to unite. Her efforts bore fruit and saw President Kibaki then head of opposition on Democratic Party ran on her party ticket Narc Kenya as a compromise party and saw the opposition through Kibaki clinching the presidency for the first time. 

She later fell out with the president and has been closely linked with the prime minister's ODM party.  In 2007 election she was the only woman pentagon member. She was given leeway by the ODM party  to contest her Kitui Central seat on her Narc Party.

Observers have pointed out that she is launching a presidential bid to increase her odds of being picked by the PM as a running mate.

The positive thing but her run for presidency is that it is igniting the ongoing campaign with fresh ideas especially on policy as opposed to name calling we have been getting. During her launch she set out the priority areas her administration would focus on. These are;

1. Eradicating poverty;
2. Fighting illiteracy;
3. Improving healthcare;
4. Women empowerment and
5. Enhancing food and water security in the country

However, this seemed like a well choreographed reading of her party manifesto as opposed to what she believes in.

Critics will be eager to point out that her ministry has not been one of the best performing and we have had instances of corruption pointed out in this ministry. 

She is also ranked as an average MP on Mzalendo platform

Constitution Second Anniversary: What the Media Reported

Below are snippets of what the fourth estate featured to commemorate our constitution's second anniversary;
K24

GBS

Daily Nation

Daily Nation gave prominence to Kofi Annan Statement that he released on the eve this anniversary. His statement noted;

The adoption of the Constitution on 27 August, 2010 was a watershed moment in the history of the country; the product of a decades-long struggle to reform the way in which Kenya is governed. It also marked the most significant milestone in the implementation of the reform agenda of the Coalition Government, which both partners had committed themselves to when the National Accord was signed in early 2008.

Kofi Annan's statement also goes ahead to note the missing gaps that we should have implemented at this junction.

There are still some gaps in key areas of constitutional implementation. These include the areas of police reform, in particular the creation of the National Police Service Commission and the appointment of the Inspector-General of Police; and the conclusion of the process to appoint commissioners to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. It is also critical that the issue of gender representation within the National Assembly receives the attention it deserves and is authoritatively concluded before it affects the electoral preparedness timetable. We are confident, however, that these and other outstanding tasks will be completed.

However, he does NOT point out some of the outstanding issues which they pointed out rightly after 2007/8 disputed polls 'famously referred to as Agenda 4' which in my opinion are the reason we still not out of the woods yet. Some of this are; 

1. Unemployment, particularly among the youth
2. Land reform
3. Poverty,inequality and regional imbalances

As we go ahead we hope the other items below will be addressed before the March 2013 poll

1. Institutional reform: The Police
2. Institutional reform: The Civil Service
3. Institutional reform: The Parliament
4. Consolidating National Cohesion and Unity
5. Transparency, accountability, impunity

My eye catching event of this day is when the Prime Minister Raila Odinga led the second liberation brigade to Nyayo House [former torture chambers under Moi’s government].

The PM with other 2nd Liberation Fighters. Source PMPS

However, the sad thing to note is that on this day we had a daylight assassination in Mombasa which has left the coast province reeling with violence

Recommended

Watch Mutahi Ngunyi on the bench as he gives his views;

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

2nd Year Anniversary since the Promulgation of the New Constitution-What has changed?

Kenya celebrated the second anniversary since the promulgation of the new constitution without much fanfare. On this day [August 27] two years ago Kenya had ushered in the new constitution with celebration and fanfare at Uhuru Park. There was a lot of hope as we set in a new constitution two years ago. However, we seem to have gone back to our old ways. One would have expected this being an important day we would have gone back to see the success that we have achieved so far. However, the air is now filled with talk of 2013 March polls and with it comes fear of a repeat of what happened in 2007/08. So the president through the Ministry of Justice & Constitutional Affairs requested for peace forums to be conducted in all counties and on August 27, 2012 was the culmination of this forums. The agenda for this day was peace. This peace conference that was attended by all branches of government. 

Wisdom of COE

The drafters of this constitution, the Committee of Experts CoE had foreseen a legislature NOT keen on enacting new rules on time and had come up with an inbuilt timetable on which parliament was expected to pass in key legislations to give life to this constitutions. Failure to which the legislatures would be sent packing if citizens petitioned parliament. Any citizen could petition parliament for failing to enact laws as spelt out in the fifth schedule in court and have parliament dissolved on this account. Also, this constitution created Constitution Implementation Commission CIC to track and make sure Parliament and Executive carry out the key legislations required by this constitution following the letter and spirit of the new leviathan.

The Good

Within this span of two years we have had our success especially when it comes to the appointment of new judicial officers beginning with the chief justice, the setting up of Interim Electoral & Boundaries Commission IEBC.

The CIC led by Commissioner Charles Nyachae has live up to its bill and has always been forthright with Kenyan’s on matters pertaining to implementation of the new constitution. Other successes of this constitution have been the Kibunja led Commission, National Cohesion & Integration Commission NCIC that tracks instances of hate speech. This body was created by the COE to make sure that incidences of hate speech similar to those that occurred in run up to 2007 elections do NOT occur again. This body has made sure our MP’s do whip up ethnic vibes in the run up to the March 2013 polls.

The Bad

As much as we have done well in some spheres of implementing the new constitution we are lagging behind on reforming our police force. Currently, we have a reformed Judiciary [however, the CJ has been on record saying it will take a few more years until we achieve international standards]. However, as we approached the second year anniversary the last date according to the schedule on implementing the new constitution that we should have an Inspector General. A new inspector General has not been appointed. The position of Inspector General is a new post created by this constitution. The Police have been of the opinion that they do NOT favor a ‘civilian’. This is a term meaning that they would prefer one of their own ‘rank & file’ to ascend to the new position. It remains to be seen what will transpire.

The Ugly

However, even with the new constitution in place we have seen the emergence of Mombasa Republican Council MRC which calls for the cessation of the Coast Province from Kenya. Its clarion call is ‘Pwani si Kenya’ meaning Coast in not in Kenya.

The other big problem we face as a nation has been the eruption of violence in Tana River delta and the emergence of trouble this week at the Coast after the broad daylight assassination of Sheik Rogo who is linked to have ties with Al-Qaida.

We have also witnessed the rise of tensions and animosity in the country with the Miguna Miguna book tour of Kenya. To me some of these happenings seem orchestrated.

When the American’s were in Town: US Secretary of State Visit to Kenya and the after Shocks

A lot has been written on the US Secretary of State visit to Kenya earlier this month. However, as is the case most of it has been partisan and crucial questions and key observations have been left missing.

I like many other Kenyan’s was NOT privy to the secretary of State visit BUT I made a point to watching her visit unfold on television and read opinion pieces about her visit on our dailies.

One thing that emerges is one part of the coalition was angered by her visit because she outlined her government’s position on some presidential candidates. It is said that she made it clear that the US is NOT pleased with the two Presidential aspirants who are also ICC suspects contending for the country’s top position. She must have made this clear when she met with our president at State House. The TV footage of this visit showed that present on this meeting was the Chief of General Staff Kenya Gen. Julius Karangi.

Her delegation also met with the IEBC chairman Ahmed Issack and made an offer to secure BVR kits which was rejected by the commission.

Clinton with Raila. Source: PMPS

However, the interesting meeting was between the Secretary of State and our Prime Minister. The Secretary of State got a hug from our ‘western & media savvy’ Prime Minister and in his entourage was the Water Minister Ms Charity Ngilu! Maybe, the PM’s office did their homework and knew the Secretary of State being the second woman after Condoleezza Rice to hold the current office appreciates women in power.

However, the missing narrative in this discourse was the Secretary of State meeting with Somali President in Nairobi. I have seen few narratives on this issue mainly from the East African Standard [a weekly publication focusing on the region owned by nation Media Group]

.

The Secretary of State also met with the head of the Judiciary, CJ William Mutunga. This is the meeting that had some commentators raising eye brows because our Foreign Minister Hon. Ongeri was NOT present in the meeting. But the Secretary of State and her entourage we’re correct in locking out the FM because he is NOT a member of the Judiciary.

The interesting thing is that all this meetings occurred in one day and for that matter on a Saturday [August 4, 2012].

Other talking points of this visit were that the US was now getting to see Africa through the eyes of the Chinese. In fact during her trip in Africa the Secretary had made some comments which annoyed the Chinese and from her meeting with IEBC and Civil Society it appears the Chinese were on hand to question her.

Above all this visit by the Sec. of State highlights the importance the Obama administration attaches to Kenya especially as it approaches the elections in March 2013 and the region and as America changes its approach to Africa. 

Some of the silent features of this visit were the US Embassy in Kenya was not in order because of changes at the US Embassy in Kenya.

Recommended reading: 

http://www.nairobiwire.com/2012/08/hillary-clinton-kenyas-visit-crazy.html

Watch: Sauti Sol Documentary ‘Voices of the Sun’ by Lebogang Rasethaba

Kenya is currently buzzing with creativity and the documentary below Voices of the Sun of Sauti Sol made by Lebogang Rasethaba from South Africa is proof.
voices of the sun from lebogang rasethaba on Vimeo.

This documentary also offers some ‘behind the scenes’ shots of Spoek Mathambo and Sauti Sol in studio working on their new EP. Below is a single from the EP they have been working on.

There is also news that Just a Band documentary is being filmed by Wanuri Kahiu 

Prince of China: Raila’s Visit to the East

The Prime Minister meets with the Chinese VP HE Xi Jin ping
Source: PMPS

The Prime Minister’s visit to the East couldn't come at a better time than it did. Miguna Miguna [a former aide to the prime minister turned foe] had just released an explosive book (Peeling back the Mask-A Quest for Justice in Kenya). The usually calm and collected office of the primemister had been caught napping and needed some time to realign themselves and the FOCAC meeting in China offered that chance!

What was interesting to note was NOT the Miguna debacle unfolding [you could say still unfolding because the man is back into the country] BUT what ‘really’ transpired in China. The Prime minister through the office of the Prime Minster Press Service [PMPS] has its own account of what happened and was eager to paint a picture of the prime minister socializing with the Chinese elites and football stars [Drogba & Anelka]. Back here it is an open secret that the PM loves football and calls the shots in Gor Mahia FC. So the timings of these photo ops were NOT coincidental.

Anelka, Drogba & the PM
Source: PMPS

The Chinese might have known this and to play ball into the prime ministers court organized for these photo ops for the prime minister. However, what we the public we’re NOT told is if there we’re any backdoor negotiations that the Chinese had with the PM. Currently, the PM is the man to beat in the next year’s elections and the Chinese having some massive investments in this region would want to secure their investments should the PM ascend to the presidency. So what happened in China leaves more to be desired and the PM’s office has NOT been open on what really transpired in China.

The Prime Minister has been known to have leanings in the west while the president and his men are known to have a soft spot for the East. Therefore, months ahead we will witness a lot of activity in Kenya as different countries try to secure their interests in Kenya.

A toast to......
Source: PMPS