7th July in Kenya is Saba Saba Day, a historic day on which Kenyans protested successfully for multiparty democracy in 1990, with many losing their lives and getting beaten and tortured by the police. This year, there was the Saba Saba March for Our Lives, organized by the Social Justice Centres Working Group, which consists groups from Mathare, Dandora, Kayole, Mukuru, Kibra, Kamukunji and Githurai. The demand? An end to extrajudicial killings, investigations into the ones that have occurred, and most importantly, justice. We're joined by Wangui Kimari, Urban Anthropologist and Participatory Action Research Coordinator, Mathare Social Justice Centre, to discuss this. Press play!
This episode is dedicated to everyone who lives and loves in Nairobi, as well as everyone who’s been in the city. We’re joined by Mutheu Mbondo, one of the organizers of Nai Ni Who?, a festival which explores of Nairobi, celebrating the good, the bad & the possibilities. This year, the festival is from July 3rd to August 8th, and the neighbourhoods include the Jua Kali area and Burma Market, which are both in Kamukunji; Kibra, Eastleigh, Mukuru and Huruma; there are inter-neighbourhood games in Lang’ata, a crafts tour as well as a game tour in Karen; a city parade in the Nairobi Central Business District, as well as walking tours of Kenyatta Avenue and River Road.
What is the motivation for the festival? What informs the selection of the places the tour will take place? Why these areas/neighbourhoods and not others? Why a walking tour? What unique flavour do they add to Nairobi? Press play to find out!
Rafiki, a film by Wanuri Kahiu, is a story about two young women who fall in love, despite their families being on opposing sides of the Kenyan political divide. It is adapted from the 2007 Caine Prize-winning short story, Jambula Tree, by Ugandan writer Monica Arac de Nyeko. On 12th April 2018, it was announced that it would debut at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard category in May 2018. This made it the first Kenyan feature film to achieve this feat.
On 27th April 2018, the head of Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB), Ezekiel Mutua, announced that the film had been banned from screening and distribution in Kenya because of “its homosexual theme and clear intent to promote lesbianism in Kenya contrary to the law.” We are joined by Wanuri Kahiu to discuss the film, the story it tells, and what it mean whens stories that are made primarily for a Kenyan audience are denied this audience. Press play!
On 16th May 2018, Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, despite critiques from multiple parties, including the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE), Article 19, and the Kenyan Union of Journalists, among others. As a result, BAKE moved to court to challenge this law, and 26 out of 46 sections were suspended, and this was upheld earlier this week until a later hearing in October 2018.
While some people think it does the important work of protecting our country against cybercrime and protecting the digital economy, others rightfully believe it is an attack on internet freedoms, constitutional rights to privacy, freedom of expression and to access information. We are joined by Grace Mutungu, a lawyer and associate at KICTANET, to discuss the Act. Press play!
Resources
The Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act (2017)
Kenya: Computer and Cybercrimes Bill 2017
Kenya: Passage of flawed Computer and Cybercrimes Act threatens free expression
Kenya’s Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Bill Signed into Law
Review on the New Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act – Kenya
The Computer and Cybercrimes Bill of 2017
New cybercrime law ‘is not too bad’, says CS Mucheru
Cybercrime law changes too harsh, lobbies say
High Court suspends portions of cybercrime law
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