Tuesday 17 January, the Norwegian Council for Africa and HRH co-hosted a seminar called ?Aid and the troubled democracies of East Africa?. The four speakers coming from Kenya and Uganda, including the well-known human rights defender Beatrice Kamau and the former editor at the Monitor, Uganda, Charles Onyango-Obbo all agreed upon the importance of a strong civil society for the functioning of a democracy (18-JAN-06)

The Norwegian Council for Africa and the Human Rights House Foundation
jointly organised the seminar to create a forum for discussing aid and the troubled democracies of East Africa with the presence of both Human right workers from the continent, activists, politicians and researchers.

In 2005 elections or preparations for elections have been held in many East African countries. Many observers are worried about the democratic developments; lack of consensus on the rules of the game; unwillingness by the ruling elites to accept opposition and give up power; and the worsened human rights situation for voices in opposition. Ethiopia has been marked by riots as a response to the elections in May.  In Uganda the constitution has been amended so that President Museveni can run for office yet again, while the main opposition candidate Kizza Besigye is out on bail for treason charges. The opposition and other critical voices feel that freedom of information, assembly and speech are threatened.  In Kenya the December 2003 elections led to a change of government and paved the way to great optimism. But the constitutional referendum in 2005 raised concerns over the true democratic spirit of the president.  The elections in neighbouring Tanzania were marked by violence in Zanzibar.

In some of these cases, the international donor community has called for sanctions and pressure on the respective governments. At the same time others have criticized the conditionalities and interference of the international donor community. At the moment, some Western countries, including Norway, are holding back or considering their financial support to Uganda and Ethiopia. However, some critics say that such sanctions are never implemented wholeheartedly.

During the day the following people shared their insights with the audience:
-Morten Boas, researcher and regional coordinator for Africa, Fafo, and member of the Norwegian Council for Africa?s advisory board
– Beatrice Kamau Executive Director, Social Reform Centre, Kenya
Martin Oluoch, Co-ordinator, the Human Rights House Project, Kenya
– Charles Onyango-Obbo, former editor, the Monitor, Uganda
Nivatiti Nandujja, Co-ordinator, the Human Rights House Project, Uganda
– Axel Borchgrevink Senior researcher, Section Head of Development studies, NUPI

Mr Kjemperud from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stepped in for Mr. Urfjell in order to answer questions from the audience in the closing session. In his closing remarks Mr Harbitz, Project Manager for East Africa at The Human Rights House Foundation rounded the day of by underlining the essential role of an active civil society in a modern democracy.

The seminar was sponsored by Norad and Institusjonen Fritt Ord.

Fellesradet for Afrika / The Norwegian Council for Africa – www.afrika.no
The Human Rights House Foundation – www.humanrightshouse.org