Communiqué from Kenyan Public Forum

On June 8th 2007, the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights Coalition, Open Society Initiative for East Africa, ActionAid, UN Millennium Campaign and Oxfam with support from the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized three activities to popularise and inform the Government’s position on the AU proposal on Continental Government.

Fifty representatives from five Government line Ministries, national ECOSOCC, academic institutions and Civil Society Organizations attended an Experts Conference. Twelve print and electronic media houses covered an hour-long media joint Government of Kenya and CSO briefing. The day closed with a Public Forum where close to 300 participants attended and expressed views on the nature of continental government Africa needs.

The meeting took place in a context of very few African citizens having any informed understanding of AU programmes and their significance to their every day lives. This has led to very different interpretations as to what the AU should be delivering. Some may even entertain expectations for an “AU bridge”, an AU road” or “AU disciplinary action against an errant government” was one perspective expressed in the meeting. In a speech read on his behalf, the Hon Raphael Tuju, Minister of Foreign Affairs noted; “This conference is a first of its kind between Government and Civil Society focusing on the important issue of the African Union’s proposal of Union Government. It will help us arrive at a common vision on the matter.”

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs was encouraged to deliberately increase Kenya’s influence and leadership in Africa in line with Kenya’s status as the third largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa. Non-state actors were likewise challenged to go beyond protest at being excluded but to give propositions at how to build a firmer relationship between the Government and Civil Society. As one person put it, “we cannot expect to be a crocodile at AU Summits, when we behave like a lizard at home”. It was noted severally that there is a growing interest in African affairs within Kenya (regular newspaper pages focussing, expanding KQ flight routes and a large number of Kenyans working in Nairobi based Pan African institutions).

Hon G.G, KARIUKI, Chairman of the parliamentary committee on defence and foreign affairs argued that the unity of all Africans is critical for reaching the desirable goal of the Africa Union Government. Both external and internal forces frustrated past efforts aimed at consolidating the East African Community. He compared the journey to the Kenyan fight for independence where independence sceptics unsuccessfully tried to discourage freedom fighters before 1963. Cross-border trade, grazing of livestock, family relationships, refugee-ism and new information technologies has made the boundaries of countries in Africa meaningless. He promised to share with the organisers the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Foreign Affairs’ position on the Africa Union Government proposal.

Following a recent Presidential visit to Libya, Thuita Mwangi, the Permanent Secretary noted that Kenya may embrace more warmly the idea of accelerated integration. The Leader of Libya convincingly made the case for the Continental Government in meetings with the Kenyan Head of State.

Participants agreed on recommendations from four round table discussions namely; economic integration and the African Community; institutional effectiveness, public accountability and transparency; common policy standards; and peace and security. They recommended that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs refine its position for the July Summit and push for the adoption of:
• Policies that enshrine and accelerate the freedom of movement for people, goods and services and African citizenship
• An integration process driven by the concept of African peoples sovereignty over Africa’s natural resources based on transparency and cross border trade
• Faster adoption and implementation of the Protocol on rationalisation of the RECs
• Strengthened executive powers of the AU Commission
• Adoption of an AU information disclosure policy that ensures public access to information.
• Introduction of performance contracts for senior staff and an Ombudsman to oversee all AU affairs.
• A review of the jurisdiction of the African court of Justice and African Commission to allow for citizens direct representation and enforcement capacity
• Encouragement of defaulting Member states to pay their dues
• Propose the adoption of minimum conditions for participating in AU affairs that extends beyond defaulting of dues and unconstitutional seizure of power to the disregard to human rights standards.
• A strengthened the Peace and Security Council to act more decisively on five imperatives;
• Conflict and human rights abuses (Zimbabwe, Darfur and Somalia among others)
• The establishment of the African Standby Force with clear codes of conduct for civilian protection
• Prioritisation of the role of women as peace-makers
• Post conflict demobilisation and post conflict rehabilitation
• Civic education to strengthen public early warning and political action

Participants made recommendations on actions needed for Kenya to influence and benefit from the proposal. The Government and non-state actors should;
• Actively inform and create a domestic public constituency for African affairs with Kenya by regular public outreach and consultations prior to the Summits. This will increase the level of participation of citizens in AU affairs and deepen political will in Kenya for a more active role abroad
• Consult with key productive sectors and interests on what form of an African Economic Community
• Institute the proposed National Commission on the AU with its Commissioners representing different constituencies
• Prepare mechanisms and ways of informing the Kenyan public ahead of the impending election of the African parliament in 2009
• Actively reach out to non-state agencies to facilitate and strengthen the capacities of Kenyan peace workers that may be offered to support peace efforts around the continent.

During the public forum, Ambassador Franklin Esipila, Kenya’s representative to the African Union and Dr Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, Deputy Director to the UN Millennium campaign spoke on the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal. Their interventions generated over thirty questions from largely young Kenyans.

Ambassador Esipila welcomed the public debate on the United States of Africa. He stated that the Government position was not closed but that they felt that there is need for an audit of the Union in order to accelerate integration. He agreed with the proposed values namely; democracy and good governance and stressed the promotion of sustainable development by rationalizing of RECs to act as the building block for overall integration.

Dr Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem stressed that the time for Union Government is now and its mandate must rest with the African people. As one participant said, “it is better to have imperfection with ownership than perfection without any ownership.” He argued that an African Union government must espouse African peoples visions and values. A Union government would accelerate growth and development by allowing for free movement of people, goods and services across the continent. It would also reduce the brain drain of African professionals to the Western countries. He dismissed the argument that the proposal was ambitious declaring, “The fear of tomorrow cannot prevent you from waking.”

The three activities were preceded by a televised debate on national television the previous night and a newspaper supplement in one of Kenya’s largest newspapers. The public discussions received extensive coverage as news stories on the two main national TV and radio stations, Kenya Broadcasting Cooperation (KBC) and Citizen. It also received coverage in two daily newspapers, the People and the Kenya Times. About six private, religious and/or vernacular radio stations covered the discussions as a news story.

To view photos from Kenya’s Public discussions please visit: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/ivyciku
For a copy of the full report of the Experts Conference email panafrica2 at oxfam.org.uk

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