Fresh!

In its continued efforts to strengthen networking among social movements in the country Hakijamii in conjunction with Haki Yetu, Coast Land Non State Actors, Action Aid, Kituo Cha Sheria, Catholic Justice and Peace Commission ( Coast region) organized a highly successful human rights day celebration on the 10th day of December 2011. The event was held at the Karisa Maitha stadium in Kilifi town and was attended by thousands of people from within the Coast region and from Nairobi, Garissa and Kisumu. The theme of the day was land reforms. Participants reiterated that the realization of all human rights depend people's access and control over their natural resources and that land is the most important resource in the country and as such the delay in the land reforms must be condemned. Read more: International Human Rights Day on Land at the Coast

“On the 16 th of November 2011 the High Court sitting in Embu made a landmark ruling that has dramatically changed the direction of economic and social rights jurisprudence in the country. In that case that involved over 1000 residents of Garissa town in the North Eastern of the country, the Court not only found that their eviction by Government agents in 2010 was unconstitutional but it also proceeded to specifically apply international human rights standards to the domestic arena.

Between the 24th and 27th October 2011 Hakijamii was one of the few civil society organizations that attended the Commonwealth People’s Forum in Perth Australia. The Forum was organized by the Commonwealth Foundation and took place parallel to the Heads of Government meeting which was opened by the Queen of England. Hakijamii was represented by its Executive Director Mr. Odindo Opiata. The Forum was attended by over 200 delegates from all the Commonwealth countries and its them was Driving Change for a Dynamic Commonwealth. Among the many dignitaries who addressed the Forum included Hon. Julia Gillard Prime Minister of Australia , Hon. Madame Kamla Persad- Bissessar Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago who was the outgoing chairperson of the Commonwealth Heads of Government, Hon. Colin Barnet Prime Minister of Western Australia, H.E. Kamalesh Sharma, Commonwealth Secretary General , Rt. Hon. William Hague , Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Hon. Michael Kirby, a member of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons.

Land has become one of the most debated issues in Africa today. It is possibly because of this that the African Union has adopted a continental wide policy guideline and framework. Apart from the fact that land remains the primary source of livelihood of the majority of people in Africa, the emerging phenomenon referred by some commentators as land grab or the second scramble for Africa, has made the issue to acquire significant attention. The current food crisis has further exacerbated the situation.