A Human Rights Defender's Perspective

I recently finished reading a book by William Makepeace Thayer titled " From Farm House to the White House" - a book on the life of George Washington I got a beautiful quote from it ... some thing to ponder over: " Happy it is for this country that the general of their forces can safely be entrusted with the most unlimited power, and neither personal security, liberty, or property, be in the least degree endangered thereby ." And so we ask ... are our governments (or those that control them) willing - if afforded sweeping powers over security matters - to guarantee their citizenry, personal security, liberty, or property, freedom from endangerment is the least degree? Is the government of Kenya - even as it seeks more authority on matters security by means of the Security Laws (Amendment) Bill - committed to ensuring that personal security, liberty, or property shall be protected?? If not then fuck that piece of proposed legislation! My Ta...

It is quarter to ten in downtown Nairobi, the crazy traffic has eased up with still a few people trying to catch a bus or matatu home.  Suddenly the scene changes, a matatu drives fast and carelessly, suddenly stopping in the middle of an intersection on the Tom Mboya - Ronald Ngala streets. The matatu has blaring music, its horn is on permanent hoot mode, the neon lights are sparkling in the dark changing from red to green to yellow to white. All the while, tens of young men in the matatu are screaming and shouting at anything and everything, sticking their bodies out of the windows yelling all sorts of gibberish.  I soon realize it is a new matatu ... "Fresh from the kitchen" they say ... It is called "nasty" the name displayed all around in different sizes alongside colorful graffiti. It is being presented to the city-the world for the very first time ... People must celebrate the new mathree! Suddenly another matatu drives and stops right in front...

Education is a human right. The Constitution provides for it in Article 43 as a socio-economic right and more importantly in Article 53 where free and compulsory basic education is an immediately realizable right for every child in Kenya. The Constitution which reflects the aspirations of Kenyans in letter and spirit envisages education as playing a very important role in our society. Kenya’s Vision 2030 – our development blue print, has gone a step further according education its rightful status as a foundation for national transformation. The Medium term plans which implement this blue print are therefore important for monitoring and evaluating progresses made towards observing, respecting, protecting, promoting and fulfilling this very important right. The state cites that an achievement of the first Medium Term Plan (MTP 1) was that the transition rate from primary to secondary education increased from64.1 % in 2008 to 73.3 % in 2011 - progress worth noting and appreciating....