Sikiliza

We navigate a world seemingly alight with crises, demanding urgent feminist action and thought leadership. International convenings become critical nexuses for this work – spaces to connect, strategize, and hopefully, forge pathways forward. Yet, accessing these spaces, even participating fully within them, remains fraught with structural barriers, particularly for many of us connecting from the African continent. It’s a reality that adds layers of complexity to our efforts to engage globally.   Many international meetings see a handful of African feminists, artivists, and thinkers invited. We are often hardly involved in shaping agendas and bringing crucial perspectives. Outside of being invited to this spaces that are other major obstacles we must face. Firstly, there’s the notorious visa gauntlet, especially for events hosted in the global North. While we discuss dismantling oppressive global systems, brilliant and insightful comrades from the global South are frequently barred ...

Sage Smudge Enough with this nonsense. Not when lives are at stake. I have had it up to hear with ‘rape jokes’, ‘sexist jokes’, body shaming and the casual normalisation of making a mockery of women and their daily struggles and lived realities. This running for Women’s Rep stunt by Maina Kageni of Kenya’s hard earned affirmative action seats to try and at the very least acknowledge and restore some historical injustices that prevented women from being voices of influence and decision making in this country. It took two decades, insurmountable resources, blood and guts to get a semblance of equity in terms of gender equality in the Constitution of Kenya 2010. It is not perfect and we have a long way to go to adjust our attitudes and norms particularly around women in political leadership but this was a huge moment in the long arduous journey. We got our independence in 1963 and it was not until 1969 that we got the first elected woman Member of Parliament. Several wom...

A few years back, I came across a typical post on an LGB page about a new emerging group in North Eastern Kenya. I was drawn to this post, and spoke to a much-surprised Brian* who ordinarily had most of his posts ignored. Getting to know him and the group Upper Rift Minorities which mainly comprised of nomadic LGB group organizing and growing and finding ways to occupy spaces that are hostile in every sense of the word. I took it upon myself to write about this very inspiring group and their story caught the attention of many. Kenya : Nomadic minorities seek entry into mainstream Kenyan lgbti movement I guess after that, the rest is history. The group has really managed to grow from strength to strength; and it has even managed reach out to even more vulnerable populations, LGB refugees based in the area and they have support groups. Over the years, we have become great friends.   I do not write much anymore but today I would like to share with you some rath...

And so I am watching with bemusement at Kenyan’s (sudden) outrage at Mututho’s incredulous and almost manic obsessive policing of Kenyans and their drinking habits. I on the other hand, I’m less surprised with this sad state of affairs. When a journey begins overrunning personal choices its a long slippery path and there is no escaping it. Now conveniently, Kenyans are being reminded to get licenses to hold house parties. Ten bob for your thoughts on what criteria would be used if police invade some dinner party to inspect the validity of their license.   Suddenly there is this thin line between state regulation and invasion of privacy. Soon, there will be a special unit to inspect your bathrooms, bedrooms, your relationships (which are already under a spot light needless to say) and oh we cannot leave out the law that governs uteruses! All the while Kenya is on its knees with a collapsing economy to pay for a ridiculously expensive government, with a legacy of lowly paid ...

Tomorrow, Tuesday the 8th of March 2011 is International Women's Day. To many this day may not mean very much to our otherwise busy lives...it was the same case for me for a long time. But then I came across amazing women, great thinkers and women who are driven to make a positive difference in palpable ways. Women who are generous with thought, ideas and sharing of skills and experience. Women who are courageous to stand against all wrong. Motherhood and sisterhood meshed together. And so I paid a little bit more attention to these kinds of women and on what they do to make a difference no matter how small... I consider them all very much as my mentors and I learnt the lesson of replacing self gratification to a much wider scale; that of lifting the lives of others. This year, I was invited to participate in a journey of art called "Curving the Visual" it involves the photographic art of Wambui Mwangi, Silvia Gichia, Barbara Minishi, Kasyoka Mwanzia and me, Sikiliza. The...