kenya at last

Mo Ibrahim foundation

The new generation of African leaders faces a major challenge: lifting millions of people from poverty.


This cannot be achieved without strong democratic societies; the functioning rule of law; the provision of health and educational facilities; an empowered civil society; and a framework conducive to strong economic growth. In other words, none of this can be achieved without good governance.



The Mo Ibrahim Foundation is an African initiative that has been established to:
Stimulate debate on good governance across sub-Saharan Africa and the world
Provide objective criteria by which citizens can hold their Governments to account

Recognise achievement in African leadership and provide a practical way in which African leaders can build positive legacies on the continent when they have left office.

A Football Match at Nakivubo Stadium

Photos: Ayoub mzee

Commonwealth day2008-West minister Abbey

H.M QUEEN ELIZABETH II


The Environment – our future’ is the theme for this year’s Commonwealth Week, which took place between 10th and 14th March 2008.

Text of The Queen's Commonwealth Day message, 10 March 2008 :
Last year, Commonwealth Heads of Government met in Uganda on the edge of Lake Victoria and agreed to an Action Plan for tackling climate change. It was an appropriate place to do so: from there, the waters of the River Nile begin a three-month journey to the Mediterranean.

The Nile, throughout history, has served humankind in many ways. But for all its impressive size and importance, this river is a fragile eco-system; and its vulnerability grows with the number of people dependant upon it, so that a single incident of pollution upstream may affect the lives of countless numbers downstream.
The example of the Nile illustrates many of the challenges facing the global environment as a whole which cannot alone sustain our lives as once it did. The competition for fresh water by a growing population is itself becoming a source of potential conflict. Our own attitudes to the environment, and the use we put it to, may have consequences for people on every continent and for every ocean and sea.

The Uganda President was Present in his capacity as the chairman elect of the commonwealth

The impact of pollution falls unequally: it is often those who pollute the least - notably in the world's least-developed nations - who are closest to the razor's edge: most affected by the impact of climate change and least equipped to cope with it.

In the Commonwealth, governments, businesses, communities and individuals should each strive to match words and good intentions with deeds. Every contribution has its part to play. Whatever we do, wherever we live, our actions in defence of the environment can have a real and positive effect upon the lives of others, today and into the futureAnd it is important to remember that the environmental choices available in some countries may not be an option for others. In some parts of the world, for example, fossil fuels can be used more sparingly and buildings can be made of more efficient, sustainable materials; but it is far harder to expect someone to adapt if he or she relies on the trees of a local forest for fuel, shelter and livelihood. If we recognise the interests and needs of the people who are most affected, we can work with them to bring about lasting change. Happily, this approach has always been a strength of the Commonwealth, and awareness of environmental issues is now widespread, with a determination that future generations should enjoy clean air, sufficient fresh water and energy without risking damage to the planet. Few are more aware or energetic in confronting climate change than young people, and we should support them.

Uganda Foriegn Affirs Minister Hon Sam Kutesa With Kenya High commissioner H.E joseph Muchemi

Click below to see :

Commonwealth Day 2008 Videos
Video features for Commonwealth Day2008

The Grave of the unknown solder in westminister Abbey[above]

In the Commonwealth, governments, businesses, communities and individuals should each strive to match words and good intentions with deeds. Every contribution has its part to play. Whatever we do, wherever we live, our actions in defence of the environment can have a real and positive effect upon the lives of others, today and into the future

I was there

And my editor Mr Tobrice

Uganda Representatives

click below to see:
Commonwealth Day 2008 Videos
Video features for Commonwealth Day


GREETINGS FROM CHINA!!!

My co presenter Devon Knudsen in china on her holidays

Dont miss on Monday[The dialogue at 10 am -BEN TV SKY 194] as devon will be there to give us news from china



PHOTOS: Ayoub mzee

Tory,s response to the Budget

This is a bad news Budget. Alistair Darling is kicking Britain’s families when they are down.
- Darling has added £110 a year to every family’s tax bill. The tax take will be £2.8bn a year higher by 2010 – and if benefits are excluded, it will be £4bn higher.
- The new taxes announced in the budget will add up to £1.5bn extra on all alcoholic drinks, £1.6bn on drivers, and £1.7bn on businesses over the next three years.
Taxes and borrowing are up because Labour failed to use the good years to prepare for the bad years. After 15 years of global growth, Britain has the worst budget deficit in the developed world.
Even with the new taxes introduced in Darling’s budget, borrowing will be up £20bn over the next four years, including a £7bn rise next year alone.
The Government has no room for manoeuvre, so they are kicking families when they’re down.
Watch my video response to the Budget

Alistair Darling's introduction to the 2008 Budget
The core purpose of this Budget is stability - now and in the future. And its core values are fairness and opportunity, founded on stability and strength. In every country in 2008, every government has one aim - to maintain stability through the world economic slowdown.Britain with its central role in the world’s financial system is no exception.
With low inflation. Record levels of employment. And unemployment at its lowest level for a generation. And with the action taken last year to curb inflation, Britain is better placed than other economies to withstand the slowdown in the global economy.This year’s Budget is a responsible Budget that will secure stability in these times of global economic uncertainty. And we will do everything in our power to maintain stability – keeping inflation and interest rates low and maintaining our record of growth. While other countries have suffered recessions, the British economy has now been growing continuously for over a decade – the longest period of sustained growth in our history.Because of the changes made by this government to entrench stability and increase the flexibility and resilience of our economy I am able to report that the British economy will continue to grow through this year and beyond.Even in today’s difficult and uncertain times, we are determined that we will not be diverted from our long-term aim – to equip our country for the challenges of the future, confront climate change and to end child poverty in this generation.This Budget is about equipping Britain for the times ahead. Making sure that everyone – no matter what their circumstances - can exploit their potential.It’s about building a fairer society, offering more opportunity, a fair Britain in which everyone can succeed.
Want to comment?

Shame on the BBC
By Joe Street
11 March 2008, 3:00pm
Below we reproduce a letter of complaint from a historian to the BBC about its programme Rivers of Blood - part of the BBC 2 'White season'.
'I write to complain in the strongest terms possible about last night's Rivers of Blood documentary shown on BBC 2. The documentary's position on Enoch Powell was irresponsible, poorly researched and seemed to justify and offer approval for Powell's repugnant views.
The writer of the show seems unaware of the work of Paul Foot, whose biography of Powell was the earliest - and most reliable - source on Powell's political 'philosophy.' Foot offers compelling evidence to demonstrate that Powell was an opportunist, and that his 'Rivers of Blood' speech was not an expression of Powell's patriotism but a calculated ploy to exploit the fears and racial hatred that was welling up in the West Midlands in the wake of Peter Griffiths's short-lived period as MP for Smethwick. The speech was not, as your documentary suggested, a plea from the heart of an English patriot but a cynical attempt to whip up racial hysteria among the White population.
This latter point was twisted by the editing of your programme to suggest that Powell's speech also incited resentment among the British Asian and Black communities. The programme made explicit links between Powell's speech and the Toxteth and Brixton riots over ten years after. The presentation of these events also suggested that they were part of a racial war that was overwhelming British society in the 1970s and 1980s. As any serious historian of the time will confirm, they were nothing of the sort, but were localised responses to White oppression from government authorities. This telescoping of history had the effect of suggesting that Powell's warnings were correct. In fact, they are not. Powell warned of racial warfare in the UK. We have not seen anything of the sort since then, and it is irresponsible to suggest that we have.
The use of music in the programme furthered the producer's aims to exonerate and offer approval for Powell. It was most noticeable that ominous chords appeared at certain points to heighten fears about Black peoples, but that Powell's appearances - and that of the racist crowds who supported him - were met instead with more emollient classical music. A minor point, maybe, but a significant one within the context of the rest of the programme.
The programme's response to Powell's citation of the American civil rights movement was also erroneous and mischievous. The programme was correct to assert that Powell feared the racial tinderbox of the US that he had witnessed in 1967 but the programme's choice of clips gave an entirely false interpretation of his response to the United States. Powell was in the US at a time when race riots were threatening the internal stability of many US cities (including New York City where he was based during his visit - I have no evidence to confirm whether Powell actually visited Detroit and Chicago during this visit, as your programme suggested). These riots were led by African American youths and were normally directed against White law enforcers and businesses that operated in the Black community. The programme, however, offered a different interpretation. By including footage from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's campaigns in Birmingham and Selma, both in Alabama and in 1963 and 1965 respectively, the programme suggested that the moderate civil rights movement, led by Martin Luther King, was in some way responsible for the rioting. That the programme went further, to link the assassination of King to Powell's views compounded this twisting of the historical evidence. There is no evidence to suggest that Powell was moved in any way by King's death, yet the editing of footage in your programme suggested that this was the case. The indiscriminate use of archive footage rendered this section incoherent and suggested to viewers that moderate opposition to racial segregation led directly to race riots. Again, no serious historian of the time would even suggest that this was the case.
The selection of 'talking heads' also seemed very peculiar. Why was no professional historian of the 1960s included? Why was the work of Robert Shepherd, whose biography of Powell is a much more reliable source than Heffer's, excluded? Perhaps more pertinently, why was Paul Foot's work on Powell ignored? The inclusion of A. Sivanandan and Stuart Hall was obviously designed to suggest that both men approved of the programme and to suggest that the programme was racially inclusive, yet Sivanandan's comments were restricted to the present racial climate and Hall did not have a significant period on camera. Roy Hattersley's comments on Powell were welcome, but offered little challenge to the views of Nicholas Winterton and the other White faces on parade. Hattersley's conclusion - that he hated Powell then and hates him now - was presented as a forlorn gesture by a defeated politician.
Overall, this programme seemed designed to suggest that Powell was right, and that he was speaking up for the working classes who had been excluded from political debate in the 1960s. While the latter contains a kernel of truth (both then and now) it does not excuse the programme's suggestion that multiculturalism led to rioting in UK cities, and its approval of racist politicking by British politicians. Powell did not hope to provoke debate in the UK about race, but wished only to further his career. His speech was not a lost opportunity to re-examine the UK's willingness to accept immigrants but an attempt to whip up racial hysteria among the White population. That there were few violent responses to Powell's speech is an indication that the vast majority of British people firmly and categorically rejected his repugnant views, and the programme did nothing to suggest this was the case. Furthermore, that Nick Griffin said that if the BNP had made a documentary on Powell 'it wouldn't have differed too much from this' says it all. (Quoted in the blog on 9.3.08 of the Deputy Leader of the BNP - Simon Darby - http://www.simondarby.blogspot.com/).
Shame on the BBC for broadcasting such a disgraceful mistreatment of our history.'

NCADC Train-the-Trainer London seminar
16 March 2008
The National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC) is holding a workshop on how to set up an anti-deportation campaign.
Sunday 16 March 2008, 10-5pm
Brunei Gallery, School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS), Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG.
Seminars are aimed at:
Anyone who intends to hold anti-deportation campaign workshops or 'talks' on anti-deportation campaigning within their communities;
Asylum seekers and others facing deportation;
Refugee Community Organisation representatives;
Staff / volunteers of organisations that provide support / advice to asylum seekers;
Asylum seeker support groups;
Asylum rights campaigners;
Community activists.

THE BUDGET

Hi
Today I presented my first Budget called Stability and opportunity: building a strong, sustainable future.
Economic stability will always be Labour's first priority. The core purpose of this Budget is stability - now and in the future. Its core values are fairness and opportunity, founded on stability and strength.
The investment the Labour Government has made has supported many people in realising their potential. By maintaining a strong and stable economy we have been able to invest in our public services after years of underinvestment.
Today the global slowdown means we face uncertain economic times. The turbulence in the American mortgage market has touched economies all over the world - including ours. But here in Britain we are better placed than other countries and better placed than we ever were in the past to deal with this.
The Budget reports that the economy is resilient, and continuing to grow. The Government is meeting its strict fiscal rules for the public finances. This is a responsible Budget to secure Britain's stability in the face of global uncertainty.
In particular, the Budget focuses on tackling two of the big issues of today - child poverty and climate change -alongside continuing investment in education and providing extra help for pensioners. I am proud to announce key measures to:
• help lift 250,000 children out of poverty on our path to eradicating all child poverty;
• build a low carbon Britain by giving incentives for people to make green choices;
• an extra £200 million invested over the next three years to bring forward Labour's ambition for no school to have fewer than 30 per cent of its pupils achieving five A*-C grades at GCSE;
•give an extra boost of £50 to over 60's households and £100 for over 80's households on top of the Winter Fuel Payment, benefiting nine million pensioner households.
Labour's choice: Fairness and opportunity for everyone in Britain to secure a strong, sustainable future.
Best wishes
Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP

The day i met H.M QUEEN ELIZABETH II at buckigham Palce

With the duke of Edinburgh,Prince Phillips

1.0. Part (I), Post World War II Political and Economic
System of the Developing Countries.

The end of the Second World War and its aftermath was the beginning of many changes emerged with an opposing socio-economic and political strategies. Also, many countries, particularly in Africa gained their independence during this period. The developmental processes and political strategies in which the LDCs adopted in this period have inevitably shaped and transformed the contemporary developing nations in many aspects relative to the industrialized countries of the capitalist as well as the communist countries notably of the Soviet Union. Before we embark on the main issue of our essay we try to present a brief spectrum of the two systems of capitalism and socialism. I have attempted the following model that might help us to understand in detail the civil society of the developing nations, their relation to power, production and the market.

Figure 1.0; Civil Society's relation to production & Market.

MARKET
RELATION
MARKET
RELATION
Goods &
Services
CONTROL
Capital
Managers
Public
MEANS OF PRODUCTION
Socialism
Goods &
Services
CONTROL
Capital
Owners
OWNERSHIP
MEANS OF PRODUCTION
Private

Capitalism
STATE
Democratic
Non-Democratic



C
I
V
I
L

S
O
C
I
E
T
Y
OWNERSHIPIf we look at this model we notice that there are two opposing political systems which paved the way the social and economic development of all nations and particularly the LDCs in which we are concern. To analyse the arguments associated with the two systems, we discuss separately both systems while we summon together the arguments of how well the basic needs of the Civil Society was met and allocated in both ideologies. States in the Third World countries can be grouped, as shown in our model "figure 1.0", into capitalist and socialist whether they are democratic or undemocratic. In democratic state the civil society elects and can change easily the government through election whereas the non-democratic state is not. Two good examples of these states can be one from Somalia between 1960-69 "democratic state" and the other is from Kenya "non-democratic" until recently.

1.2. Civil Society and the Market in a Socialist State.

In socialism, the model shows the means of production is owned publicly and controlled by managers employed by the state. These managers are members of the civil servants of the government which produce goods and services for public and private consumption. They make no profit of what they produce and no competition between the growing economic sectors; but there might be a moral encouragement or promotion of their position according to their performance. In this case it is assumable that there are no incentives for capital accumulation and further investments or re-investment. Thus, the state is the ultimate power that has the financial capacity and the authority to allocate resource rather than the free-market mechanisms. The state intervention of the economy is seen as a sound environment that the market would satisfy the needs of the civil society without any distortion. Therefore, as it seems, it is a very efficient way to redistribute income and resources among the civil society and provide goods and services for the normally segmented population that represented from different social interests and values.

1.3. Civil Society and the Market in a Capitalist State.

Capitalism system, the means of production is owned by private people "capital owners" who control the production. Profit is the main determinant of production and distribution. To maximize the profit, investment is leaned towards the sectors that have the highest returns. Thus, the goods and services produced were intended only to one section of the society; the well-off people "that are mainly from the urban dwellers" and the rest of the society were left at the verge of deprivation or so. The state has no role to intervene the market system. The free market policies some times called market-friendly polices would allocate domestic resource and decide what goods and services should be produced, for whom and are produced for domestic consumption or for export. This system has dominated the developing nations than ever since the collapse of Soviet Union precipitated by reversal of the China's socio-economic development in the late 1970s.

The theoretical arguments of both systems sounded fair and logic; but the reality is different. Nearly the five decades after the World War II, in which both systems were in practice, have shown no respect on human life and deprived the civil society of both capitalist and socialist countries. Both systems appeared to be a tool of foreign domination that service only the local powers and their foreign patron. The civil societies of the both systems have no control of the means of production and the market. The managers of the capital in the publicly organized production and the capitalist capital owners are the dominant of both societies. Them and their families have the best education, best medical services and the best living condition than others have.

Therefore, to understand deeply how well the states "capitalist and socialist" worked to create a functioning-market in order to meet the needs of the civil society, we try demonstrate in the following two case studies in which the first case study is Kenya that was one of the outstanding capitalist countries in the Sub-Saharan region of Africa. And the second one will be over-viewed about Somalia as an example of socialist state in the period between 1969-1991;


2.0. Part (II), State market policies and Civil Society.

In this part we try to discuss and examine the socio-economic development process of the two nations of Kenya and Somalia. We also, demonstrate the impact of bad government policies on the economy, mainly on the agricultural sector, that has subsequently transformed the social development of the two nations in general and particularly the disadvantaged sections of the civil society.

2.1. Case Study (I). Kenya.

Our case study in Kenya will be focused on the agricultural sector and multinational corporations that involved this industry. We also Centre the impact of the MNCs on the economy and the consequence of the rural/urban underdevelopment. This will help us to analyse the developmental programmes of the state on the agricultural sector and how this had benefited to all sections of the civil society particularly those living in Nairobi. It is not only Kenya, but all developing countries have in common the capital city is the predominant economic and political city which attracts poor people to migrate in search for better life when governments fail to balance the rural/urban societies in terms of living standard and income.

Nevertheless, it was the dream of all civil societies in every developing nation that their governments will eradicate poverty and social inequities. One of the forefront policies taken by the new-states of Africa was to redistribute land. Immediately after the Kenyan people gain their independence, the government started land-transfer programme. Foreign ownership in agriculture was reduced. But this has not helped change the economic situation and the social development of the Kenyan people. In contrast, all the expansion which occurred was foreign-owned and controlled which means 50 per cent increase of output between 1964 and 1970, and 100 per cent increase in the annual level of investment (Colin leys; P. 118; 1975). Because, the land reform programme was not accompanied the necessary financial package and government support. On the other hand, one major factor that hampered the social investment and public services development was that many of the MPs of the new government were involved as owners of some subsidiaries and not interested the local firms or develop the rural agricultural sector. This has given power Multinational Corporations to dictate all government policies related to policymaking and decisions. For instance, the Kikuyu politicians -the ruling class of Kenya after the independence- were the directors of the largest shoe subsidiary in Kenya. The three largest of these subsidiaries reported they had informal channels of access to government and friendly relations with the state (Steven W. Langdon; P. 90; 1981). In that sense, the Kenyan civil society was not benefiting any policies taken by their government. As a result of bad government policies and inappropriate technologies, many rural population deserted their areas and poured into the big cities when they could not keep pace with the growing urban economy, dominated by foreign firms, and increasing rural unemployment.

Moreover, according to UNICEF report of Children and Women in Kenya "a situation analysis 1992; P.19" the agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors of the Kenyan economy have all declined. The manufacturing sector dropped from its rate of 6% in 1986-89 to 3.5% in 1991. This had affected Kenya's economic growth particularly the sector's contribution to the export earnings. But the most dramatic is the decline in agriculture which recorded a negative growth of 1.1% in 1991. The situation is very alarming since the Kenyan poor people depend directly and indirectly on this sector for their livelihood and contribute 29% of the GDP and 65% of exports (Todaro, P.124; 1997). It also quoted from Todaro, Kenya's per capita income dropped from $410 in 1980 to $260 in 1990 which mean they lost almost half of their income while the urban unemployment rate had also rose to 30% at the same time. In addition to that, the economic policies designed to promote industrial growth led to a bitter neglect of agriculture. As a result, farm prices, production and farmer income have all declined in a very dramatic way which in turn exacerbated the already poor conditions of peasant farmers. Due to these circumstances, many farmers migrated to nearby cities mainly to Nairobi pushing up the rate of unemployment and population.


Table 1. Population in Nairobi (1990).

Total population Planned areas slams

1.3million 40% 60%
Source: UNICEF; Children and women in Kenya "A situation analysis"
pp.19; 1992.
The above table shows in 1990 sixty per cent of Nairobi's
population were living in slams with no social and economic infrastructure at all. Another study quoted from the Geography Program of the BBC2 learning zone indicated that Nairobi's population at the moment is about more than two million people, nearly four times of the 1969, in which half of them are living in twenty per cent of the capital city "Nairobi" where as the other half live in eighty per cent of the total area of Nairobi. This is very clear that the social stratification and the gap between the rich and poor is widening, particularly if we look at the worsening situation of the poor people in Nairobi. Most of them live in overcrowded areas with a very poor houses and do not have access to public services such as health and education. No sanitation and clean water. This had deteriorated the already appalling conditions of the civil society particularly this section of the population. For example, according to the Kenya's National AIDS Control Programme the number of AIDS cases has increased and doubled every six to nine months. Estimates show more than one million Kenyans are now infected by the HIV virus. One of the reasons that can be attributed to this change could be the declining income of the poor society that had turned them to practice another activities of means of an income such as prostitution and drug uses. Furthermore, the public health service is declining year after year and most of these people have no access to hospital and health centres. Today, apart from the private health centres and hospitals, about 40% of the health services in Kenya are provided by some 32 different NGOs and most of them charge fees (Children and women in Kenya "A situation analysis, 1992). This is because the public service in general and the health services in particular are disintegrating and not functioning for the civil society. The government elite and their families and those who can afford the private health services have benefited from the system and not by the needed and most vulnerable people of the society. Therefore, the state policies on the economic development and the markets that have prevailed are not functioning for the civil society of Kenya that has in turn decayed the social and political relationship of the state and the civil society.

2.2. Case Study (II), "Somalia".

Somalia's economy is mainly based on livestock and agriculture. Thus, in trying to overview the main domestic problems that deprived the civil society, contributed to the collapse of the state of Somalia and undermined the prospect of future national reconciliation, it is very helpful to begin with a quick review of the colonial economic policies that have cleared the way to be continued by the succeeded governments since the independence. Unlike Kenya, Somalia was colonized by three different European countries Italy, Great Britain and France. This means Somalia was divided into three; Italian Somali Land, British Somali Land and French Somalia Land. Somalia today constitute the two former British and Italian Somali Lands whereas the French Somali Land is an independent country known as Djibouti.
However, after thirty years of independent country the state of Somalia has collapsed and fragmented into small communities just as they were before the colonial invasion. Thus, the focal point of our case study will be concentrated on the market that the socialist government created and how this has contributed to the destruction of the country and the civil society. This is because after the collapse of Somali state in 27 January 1991, to me, it become clear the important role of the state in the economic and the social development. Thus, our area of review and analysis include; land use and land allocation; education; rural development; [to be continued...]

Course:- MSc\ Development Studies.

State Civil Society And Development.

Unit Co-ordinator: Robinson Rojas.

Essay topic:-
"How well, in your opinion, has the state in developing societies fulfilled its role of keeping civil society and markets functioning to meet the needs of the former? Include in your answer at least one case study.

By:- Mohamed Ali-Nur Hagi.

massage from Boris

Message from Boris
This week I launched my transport manifesto, ‘Getting Londoners Moving’, which is packed full of fresh ideas to solve London’s transport problems. After 8 years of power, Livingstone has grown arrogant and out-of-touch. London is in need of a new approach to reduce crime, untangle the transport system and deliver straightforward taxpayer value.
As our campaign approaches the last 50 days, we need your support.

Please sign up at backboris.com to receive updates from the campaign and to get involved, even if you are outside London. Your help is vital. Together we can win this election and bring about a change in London for the better.

David Cameron's recent video blogs

Launching the Military Covenant Commission

F/T Position Available:RESEARCHER ON NIGERIAAfrica Division
Deadline for Applications: March 25, 2008
Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) is seeking highly-qualified applicants for the position of Nigeria Researcher.

Description:

The Researcher will be based in one of the HRW offices in Brussels , London , New York or Washington , DC , and frequent travel to Nigeria will be required. Working with the Team Leader for West Africa, the Researcher will monitor and investigate human rights developments in Nigeria in order to publicize and curtail human rights abuses through writing and advocacy. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, conducting fact-finding trips throughout the country; writing reports, newsletters, articles and press releases, as well as submissions to international bodies on human rights concerns in Nigeria; developing local and international advocacy strategies for improving respect for human rights in Nigeria within governmental bodies in Nigeria, the region and the international community, as well as intergovernmental organizations and international institutions; responding promptly to queries from the international press, the public and colleagues in the human rights community; and working closely with Nigerian human rights organizations to ensure that the work of HRW in Nigeria complements and enhances their own work. The Researcher will engage in joint research and report writing with researchers from local groups, identify Nigerian activists to travel out of the country to engage in advocacy at an international level and develop HRW's research and advocacy strategies in consultation with local groups. Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have several years of human rights experience, ideally in Africa and Nigeria in particular; research, field, and advocacy experience; excellent writing and communications skills in English; and a demonstrated commitment to international human rights. S/he will be highly motivated, well organized, and able to work quickly and well under pressure, both independently and as a member of a team. An advanced degree in law, international relations, regional studies, journalism, public policy or a related field is desired, as is familiarity with international human rights law. Salary and Benefits: HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and generous employer-paid benefits. HRW will pay reasonable relocation expenses and will assist employees in obtaining necessary work authorization, if required. Citizens of all nationalities are encouraged to apply. PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY by emailing in a single submission: a letter of interest describing your experience, your resume, names or letters of reference, and a brief writing sample (unedited by others) no later than March 25, 2008 to http://us.f516.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=robinsc@hrw.org&Subj=Nigeria%20Researcher%20Application. Please use “Nigeria Researcher Application” as the subject of your email. Only complete applications will be reviewed. It is preferred that all materials be submitted via email. If emailing is not possible, send materials (please do not split a submission between email and regular post) to: Human Rights Watch Attn: Search Committee (Nigeria Researcher) 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor New York, NY 10118-3299 Fax: (212) 736-1300
Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices

BUNNY CHOW

On Friday 21 March, Dogwoof Pictures will be releasing the South African award-winning comedy BUNNY CHOW at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London – please click here to book tickets.

The film follows the often ridiculous weekend journey of four dysfunctional stand up comedians, who embark on a road trip to Oppikoppi, South Africa’s biggest annual rock festival. The four set out to perform stand up but get a bit more than they bargained for.

Starring the cream of South Africa ’s contemporary stand-up comedy scene, BUNNY CHOW makes its mark as an energetic, intelligent and extremely funny insight into life in modern day Johannesburg . With mediations on love, sex, drugs, race, and religion, the film takes in the full experience of today’s South Africa , and presents an authentic, and grassroots view of life there.

To find out more about the film, please take a look at the official site - register your email address on the contact page to receive updates about the release, along with the chance to win prizes and other exclusive content.

www.dogwoof.com/bunnychow

Watch UK Prime minister Godon Brown Speech at the Spring Labour Conference below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJXx6cLEiyc

The Zimbabwean Diaspora and the Challenges in Zimbabwe
-8th March, 2008
Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre
School of Oriental and African Studies
Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG

1pm – 1.30 pm: Registration at venue .1.45 pm- 3.00 pmDiscussion Forum

Chaired by Peter Soko

The Zimbabwean Diaspora and the challenges in Zimbabwe

· The role and impact the Zimbabwean Diaspora in meeting the challenges in Zimbabwe
· Current Zimbabwean political initiatives; the Makoni factor - its background and vision
· Towards re-engagement and an all inclusive agenda in Zimbabwe pre and post elections

Panellists:
Nkosana Moyo
He is currently the Managing Partner of Actis, a London-based international private equity firm where he is responsible for managing Actis’ business in the Africa region. In addition to a 20-year career in industry, commerce and financial services, Nkosana served as Zimbabwe's Minister for Industry and Trade. He has wide international experience and has previously worked for the International Finance Corporation in Washington D.C. He is World Economic Forum Global Leader of tomorrow and an Eisenhower Fellow.
Alex Magaisa
He is a Senior Lecturer in Law at Kent Law School, The University of Kent at Canterbury, specialising in corporate and financial services law. Alex writes the ‘Reflections’ column for the Zimbabwe Standard and the Zimbabwe Independent, two of the few remaining privately-owned newspapers in Zimbabwe and is a regular contributor to popular media on legal, economic and political issues appertaining to Africa. Email: a.t.magaisa@kent.ac.uk
Ibbo Mandaza
He is a political scientist and the Director, of the Harare-based Southern African Political Economy Series Trust (SAPES). Ibbo is the former owner of the Mirror group of companies, publishers of the Zimbabwe Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers. He is currently part of the team in Zimbabwe coordinating and leading the presidential bid for Dr Simba Makoni.

BEN TV SKY

SOME OF THE BEN TV SKY 194 AWARDS:

Remember Africa Award[Family Education helpline bringing people Together]

The INGO Achievement Award presented to BEN TV for Excellent Leadership in the area of Global Media[endorsed by the World Bank Group IMF African Group]

USA ELECTIONS

WATCH 'THE DIALOGUE' EVERY MONDAY AT 10 AM ON BENTV SKY 194

Democratic front-runner Barack Obama[BELOW] says rival Hillary Clinton may have to quit if he wins in Texas and Ohio. She says she will stay the course



The Young Obama who is vying for US presidency
Since the nationwide Super Tuesday contests on 5 February, Mr Obama has won 11 states in succession and leads Mrs Clinton in the delegate count.

Mr Obama with his Gand ma in Kenya
Mr Obama currently has 1,385 delegates to Mrs Clinton's 1,276, according to AP. A total of 2,025 is needed to secure the Democratic Party's nomination.

CHINA IN AFRICA

'The 'third tier' of globalization: African traders in Guangzhou',

Prof. Michal Lyons (South Bank University), Alison Brown (Cardiff University) and Zhigang Li (Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou),

5 March 2008 5-7pm Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS Main building.
Synopsis

In recent years, Chinese and African trading cities have witnessed rapid social, cultural and physical change which has accompanied the China's boom in manufacturing and exports, on the one hand, and the boom in commerce in imported goods to Africa, on the other. A small but increasingly significant element of this growth has been the China- to Africa trade. The opening of China's economy has created new spaces for migrant entrepreneurs, for example in Guangzhou where temporary and permanent African migrants, active in the import / export of small-scale manufactured goods to the African sub-continent, are creating new markets in global trade, transforming social and business relations, and reconfiguring urban space on both continents.This paper draws on a pilot study by the authors in Guangzhou in 2007 to challenge established models of global city growth developed by Sassen and others, identifying the critical role of middle class of migrant entrepreneurs in promoting a trade which is having profound impacts on the host city, as on receiving countries in Africa and beyond.
-- Daniel Large Research Director, Africa Asia Centre, SOAS, 36 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PD

STEPPING BACK FROM THE ABYSS

A Talk byJOHN GITHONGOon Tuesday, 18th March 2008At 7.00 pm (Doors open at 6.30 pm)at Victory Services Club, 63-79 Seymour Street , London W2Close to Edgware Road & Marble Arch (Carisbrooke Hall entrance)

There will be a Cash Bar before and after the Talk John Githongo is a former Kenyan journalist who investigated bribery and fraud in his own country. After the 2002 elections, he was appointed byPresident Kibaki as Permanent Secretary for Governance and Ethics, but became disillusioned by the Government's lack of commitment to endinggrand corruption in the wake of the Ango-Leasing scandal.

In February 2005, he went into self-imposed exile in the UK and resigned his Governmentpostion becoming a senior Associate member at St. Antony's College, Oxford . He continues to make a powerful impact in Kenya , to which he will surely return at some point to make a major contribution to his country.

Reply If you would like to attend JOHN GITHONGO'S talk, please reply by return email kenyasociety@aol.com, or telephone The Kenya Society on 020 7370 6758 or in writing to The Kenya Society, PO Box 45628 , London SW10 9XP .Please give your name, names of any guests and your telephone number.

UTALI TANZANIA

Ayoub mzee with MISS East Africa UK [above]

Balozi Mwanaidi sinare na katibu mkuu wa Wizara Ya utali Tanzania wakiwa kwenye ghafla ya uzinduzi wa Kurajamau Tanzania Uingereza

Dr Zuma

The relevance of culture Dr Zuma of south Africa is the man who is vying for Presidency

How do we persuade young citizens to promote equality?
12 March 2008
A talk on how to persuade young citizens to promote equality.
Wednesday 12 March 2008, 12.30-2pm
University of Birmingham, RED ZONE, R18 Strathcona, LT7
Speaker:
Sajida Madni - Lead organiser for Birmingham Citizens