This coming Friday, HRH F co-hosts a seminar with the Norwegian Council for Africa on the current crisis in Kenya. Four speakers who have witnessed the country-wide violence, will answer the questions ‘What is the political, humanitarian and human rights situation in Kenya now? What are the underlying reasons for the election turmoil? Are there viable and permanent solutions to the crisis and what are the chances of reaching those?’ (23-JAN-08)

Based on the invitation that has been distributed, this article has been prepared for publication here by HRH F / Niels Jacob Harbitz.

«Nations are forged through situations like this. Leaders are made. We have been play-acting nationhood. Do we want to be a Kenyan nation? Do we really want this? The time has come to decide»
Binyavanga Wainaina, Kenyan journalist and author
 
Optimism prevailed in Kenya on Election Day, December 27. Masses of voters turned out at the polling stations. They cast their ballots peacefully, expecting a fair count of the results. The election was to be a manifestation of Kenya’s democratic transition in recent years. But the events that followed with allegations of fraud, disorder, violence and ethnic tension, has left Kenya in a protracted political crisis threatening to undermine past achievements.
 
As negotiation efforts from national and international leaders have failed, President Mwai Kibaki and his challenger Raila Odinga are locked in a political stalemate with few clear outcomes, but potentially many more victims if a solution is not brokered.
 
What is the political, humanitarian and human rights situation in Kenya now? What are the underlying reasons for the election turmoil? Are there viable and permanent solutions to the crisis and what are the chances of reaching those?
 
Speakers:
Bård Anders Andreassen, Kenya expert, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights
Martin O’bongo Oluoch, Coordinator, Human Rights House Network, Kenya
Koigi wa Wamwere, former Member of Parliament and Assistant Minister for Information in Kenya
Onyango Makongango, Political Scientist, ODM strategist and election observer

Chair:
Niels Jacob Harbitz, Programme Coordinator for East and Horn of Africa, Human Rights House Foundation
 
Date: Friday, January 25
Time: 09.00 – 12.00
Place: Human Rights House, Tordenskiolds gt 6 B, conference room (1st floor / 2. etasje)
 
Organizers: The Human Rights House Foundation and The Norwegian Council for Africa (Fellesrådet for Afrika)
 
With thanks to Joh. Johannson for the coffee.
 
To let us know that you will participate, contact

Thorodd Ommundsen
thorodd@afrika.no
Informasjonsansvarlig
Fellesrådet for Afrika
www.afrika.no
Information Officer
Norwegian Council for Africa
Office: (+ 47) 22989311
Private: (+ 47) 94488681

Feel free to pass on this invitation. And if you receive it more than once, please accept our apologies.