Michael Soi is a visual artist based in Kenya. He graduated from art school in 1996, and has been making visual commentary on Kenyan social and political trends. We sat down with him one rainy afternoon and discussed what he thinks Kenyans need to do in 2012.

Get the transcript here. [Adobe PDF]

The Revised Harmonized Draft (presented to the Committee of Experts on 29th January, 2010) DID retain the ‘right of recall’ clause that Soi refers to. However, the clause was rewritten to allow Parliament itself to legislate the rules of the recall.

Download the Revised Harmonized Draft here, and read the report detailing all the changes made to the Committee of Experts Draft. Also, keep up with what the Committee of Experts are up to on their website and on (shock!) their Facebook group!

UPDATE [FEBRUARY 25, 2010]: The Committee of Experts re-inserted the ‘recall clause’, ignoring recommendations from the PSC noted above.

Njoki Ngumi – who wrote “Someone Lied to you, Mwananchi” – explains why she doesn’t like to read newspapers, and wonders what will happen to us all in 2012.

Get the transcript here. [Adobe PDF]

Following reports of the illegal sale of Kenyan identification papers to foreigners, the government issued a directive to restrict issuance of identification papers to ethnically Somali individuals (whether from Somalia or Kenyan-born). We met Abdullahi Ahmed, a Kenyan journalist, who explained how directives such as these are affecting Kenyan citizens of Somali origin.

Abdullahi also discussed how rampant anti-Somali discrimination (such as that highlighted by the directive above) probably provides a basis for the youth from Kenya’s neglected northeastern region to fight in Somalia.

Get the transcript here. [Adobe PDF]

Read media references to these two stories here and here, and here.

We met Emmanuel Dennis – the convener of the National Youth Convention – and asked him what he thinks will happen in 2012. He told us of Parliamentary cartels, and how difficult it must be to change someone like Michuki. You can find out more about the National Youth Convention on their Facebook Page.

Get the transcript here. [Adobe PDF]

Just A Band’s second album – 82 – features a song called “Usinibore”, written by Blinky Bill; a member of the band. “I think we’re all very tired of seeing politicians who’ve been there from the 60s still clinging to power and not doing anything to better our lives. That’s something that affects all of us. If the country starts to burn like it did in 2007, we all go down with it.”

He sat down with us to talk about his views on “whiny” Kenyans, and how desperately we need a new breed of politicians in this country.

Get the transcript here. [Adobe PDF]