African Flames Brenda Zulu speaks with Wahu Kaara, Convener of Mobilisation, WSF

On the main challenges of hosting the WSF in Kenya

The irony of it is that many members of the Kenya Social Forum can not afford to pay the US$ 5 registration fee and these people are from homeless communities like Kibera. The other thing is that we were operating under the budget. I have been convener of mobilisation but was not able to raise the funds.

On the main issues that Kenyans would love to address

Kenyans would love to create a consciousness of good governance because of multi party politics. It should be known that not all the solutions are in politics

On what WSF will do for Kenya and Africa?

It would be able to give us another identity of being an equal actor with others. It would put the record right that we are not a nation of insecurity and not what the Americans are doing to Somalis by chasing them out of their own country.

The World Social Forum has already demonstrated that the government, civil society and mass movements can work together. We have enjoyed having meetings with our government. The World Social Forum has also bridged the working relation between us and the government.

This World Social Forum will give Africans presence and voice in bringing about paradigm shift from neo-liberalism that has perfected exclusion, disposition, violence in the guise of globalisation for prosperity; yet it is globalisation for commoditisation of all aspects of life and natural wealth to serve the interest of market and wealth.

On the impact of the forum

The NGOs and Civil societies have no choice than let go the leadership of social movements in demonstrating this leadership.

On the Forum’s handicap

For our local media there have been no media reports. This has been the main handicap because the media has not been interested in publicising this event.

* Please send comments to or comment online at www.pambazuka.org

The launching of the Charter of Feminists Principles for African Feminists at the 3rd International Feminist Dialogue marks a major contribution by the African Feminist Forum (AFF) and the larger feminist movement to the on-going world social forum. The AFF took place last year in Ghana and this space was created as an autonomous space in which African feminists from all walks of life and at different levels including local levels and the academia, could reflect on a collective basis and chart ways to strengthen and grow the feminists movement on the continent.

Mercy Siame an activist from Zambia sees the launch as a breakthrough in African feminism and encouraged other feminists to rally behind it and support it. “It may be difficult for the AFF to be accepted. We should spend more time and explain the ideologies to the people especially our leaders”. Director Coalition of African Lesbians, Fikile Vilakazi a first time participant to the International Feminist Dialogue is amazed that the space has rallied people from different background of fundamentalism. She says she has learned a lot on the situation of women in conflict situations and issues on gender based violence which she say is a different experience from her native South Africa.

The International Feminist Dialogue was held prior to the WSF from 17th to 19th January 2007 under the theme “Transforming Democracy: Feminist Visions and Strategies”. Over 250 women from different parts of the World attended to deepen the intensive dialogues on feminist perspectives and strategies in addressing fundamentalisms, militarism and neo-liberal globalisation. In organizing the third International Feminist Dialogues, the Coordinating Group (CG) created a vital space for critical minded feminist activists to re-examine, re-imagine and move forward the vital political project of feminist movement building and new forms of democratic processes.

The setting of the WSF in Africa in January 2007 offers a strategic space for feminists to come together in their broad diversity to explore the current moment, their differences and common ground, and their role in the larger social movements. Feminist Dialogues (FD) is a transnational meeting of feminist networks and organizations usually held before the WSF being one such space for this kind of strategic dialogue. The pre-WSF meeting is meant to promote effective intervention in the broader WSF process as feminists organizing for change, and to establish strategic and politically relevant links with other social movements. The first FD was held in Mumbai in January 2003, the second in Porto Alegre, Brazil and the third now in Nairobi, Kenya.

* Please send comments to or comment online at www.pambazuka.org