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The coast

My work split me between Kisumu and Mombasa this week. It was the first time that I had managed to visit the Mombasa FIDA office (the most recent addition to the locations for FIDA) and see my friends from the AGM in December. To be true, they are lucky working there; the office is, like, 100 metres from the Indian ocean right at the bottom tip of Mombasa island with a beautiful sea breeze and a view of the waves from the top floor. My view in Kisumu is normally our soldier, Steve, sat patiently in his sentry post and the heat is usually intense, unrelenting and without even the momentary release brought by an occasional light wind….. I’m sensing a relocation coming on……

I was able to get some feedback on the guide and to undertake some training with the staff there about informal systems and access to justice work. I also managed to attend a meeting with two local Elders, Nazir and Hamis. We spent a very enjoyable couple of hours together discussing the issues they face in their localities and the ways in which FIDA can train and help them. Originally, on hearing about the meeting I had arranged, 7 Elders were ordered to attend by the local Chiefs, but thankfully, we managed to convince them that that may have been a little on the ‘overkill’ side….. Nevertheless, it was an excellent opportunity to quiz leaders in a predominantly Muslim area (70%+) and to understand the particular difficulties women face on the Kenyan coast. I felt much more informed and ‘in touch’ than I did when I met the Abagussi Council of Elders on the second day on the job in Kenya!!

But all work and no play….

And Mombasa’s a pretty great place to play in. For all its Muslim and religious tendencies, Mombasa puts on a pretty wild party at night; all night. I had sampled it a little when I was there at Christmas but this weekend I went to ‘Florida’, a club on the island. It houses everything in one massive complex that can possibly exist to counter all religious sentiments and practices (I’ll leave that to the imagination). I spent Saturday exploring Mombasa’s old town; the wonderful Fort Jesus perched on the coast, the old colonial law courts in town, the cardamom and cinnamon intensity of the spice market and the seemingly endless number and variety of Mosques. I also saw some interesting ‘Bin Laden’ T-shirts being worn in town, and they weren’t the kind that said something ‘orrible about him on the back, neither……!

The Constitution

I think I’ve already mentioned that Kenya is in the midst of trying to secure a new constitution. I think it’s the third attempt in less than a decade but it’s the only one that’s had a real chance of success: and by success, I mean a constitution being put to the people for their approval or rejection. It’s a critical document coming in the wake of the 07/08 post-election violence and a further national election tabled for 2012. The Draft constitution – prepared by the Committee of Experts – has been with the politicians at a retreat in Naivasha for the last week or so. They were tasked with resolving ‘contentious issues’ but they have arguably thrown that mandate out of the window in favour of saving their skin and those politicians that come after them. They found it in their hearts to expunge from the Bill of Rights, for example, the Kenyan people’s right to food, water and adequate housing. They don’t consider that Kenyans have a right to social welfare in times of need and they determined, in their superior position of knowledge, to eradicate the one section of the document that guarantees women equality before, during and at the dissolution of a marriage. I was astounded by their sheer arrogance and contempt for their own countrymen and women. Needless to say, our Executive Director was on the television the next morning raising awareness of the political sabotage going on in Naivasha. Little effect it will have. And the politician’s convincing reason for diluting the Bill of Rights? The draft constitution was too lengthy…….

The real reason is that they fear and expect activism: people to rely upon their constitutional rights to demand the basic services and equalities that they deserve from their government. Frankly, I think the whole debacle is an outrage. But the Kenyans will decide their future at some point early this summer.