Nairobi
Kenya is a beacon in East Africa: the largest national economy, despite many problems a functioning democracy with an active civil society, but above all a young country with well-educated, committed people.
The foundation strengthens democracy and civic engagement in Kenya. It promotes entrepreneurship and free, fair trade. And it is a strong advocate for human rights.
At the same time, Nairobi is home to the Global Partnership Hub, the centre of excellence for development cooperation. The Hub generates knowledge and innovative concepts from the Global South - for a better future for North and South.
News
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The power of art in shaping society and reflecting change
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) Kenya recently hosted a gripping edition of its Freedom Café, spotlighting the launch of “We Refuse to Be Victims,” a powerful poetry collection by Ugandan poet and activist Sam Mugumya. The event brought together over 100 writers, poets, artists, and activists to explore its role in defending democracy and human rights. Mugumya’s collection, written during his eight-year imprisonment in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Prison Militaire de Ndolo, is a riveting testimony of survival and resilience under political repression. The 82 poems capture themes of injustice, endurance, and the relentless pursuit of freedom, offering a stark reminder of the human cost of authoritarianism.
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A new era of collaboration
Berlin, Germany - Friday, September 13, 2024 will be remembered as a historic moment for the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) as it marked the realization of an innovative concept advocating for the exchange of labor and skills between the Global North and Global South. In Berlin, an MOU was signed between FNF, the Government of Kenya, the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, and Qhala Trust. This initiative was born out of the recognition that while the Baby Boomer generation in the Global North is rapidly retiring, creating significant labor shortages, many young, talented professionals in the Global South face a lack of job opportunities.
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Where is President Ruto steering the country?
It was supposed to be a liberating blow. On the evening of July 11, 2024, Kenya's President Ruto issued a press release. Three pages of praise for his own government were followed by the real news on page four: all ministers and the Attorney General were dismissed immediately. The only exception was the Prime Minister, who also heads the Foreign Ministry. Ruto also announced immediate talks to broaden the government's base.
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Black Tuesday in Kenya as Gen Z overrun parliament, police kill 14
Fourteen people were killed and Parliament torched as stalwarts of President William Ruto passed controversial tax law which has provoked a popular uprising among young Kenyans. Gen Z protestors were staging the fifth of their “seven days of rage” hold-out against Ruto government’s hard-line stance on Finance Bill 2024. In 35 of Kenya’s 47 counties, they poured out in the streets in their thousands, shouting down the government, burning and looting properties associated with ruling party MPs.
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Bold Gen Z takes to streets, demands end to punitive finance bill
In what is being hailed as a new dawn for Kenya, the nation has experienced an unexpected uprising driven by a bold, new generation of young protesters. These determined activists on Tuesday took control of majority of Kenyan towns, exerting more pressure on Members of Parliament (MPs) to retract several unpopular tax proposals embedded in the 2024 Finance Bill. Before this spectacle and for days on end, they had joined their elder generations in opposing the tax proposals contained in the bill, a brainchild of President William Ruto’s ambitious plan to have Kenyans fully fund their own budget.
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Skills shortage in Germany
In a policy paper, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation calls on politicians to create conditions for digital outsourcing in the Global South. This could address the skills shortage in Germany and create well-paying jobs in the home countries. However, it is questionable how great the actual potential is. Last week, the IW Cologne published the MINT Spring Report 2024 . The result was sobering: the industry is lacking around 244,000 skilled workers . Against the background of these figures, the IW Cologne recommends “using the potential of immigration even more effectively” .
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Why we need to take sides
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom opens its new office in Johannesburg at a time when there is much debate about the value of that very freedom. A value, that is indispensable for the self determined development of human beings and for democracy. The list of dictatorial regimes that oppress their people remains consistently long. African countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Libya and the Central African Republic are consumed by brutal civil wars.
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Educating Africa for the Future
Africa in many respects is at a crossroads. Decades after the end of colonial rule, much of Africa‘s great potential is unrealized. At the root of this is the crisis in the education sector. Education infrastructure is collapsing in many countries amid an increase in school enrolment, rising cost of education, high teacher shortages in both primary and secondary schools, and reduced public funding for basic and higher education.
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Conflict Minerals Over a Decade of Effort and Impact
Nairobi, 24 July 2023 - Over the past twelve years, international organisations and many states have endeavoured to combat the illicit trade in conflict minerals from Africa, particularly tin, tungsten, and tantalum (3T) sourced from conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs). Despite these efforts, illegal mining and trade of conflict minerals continue to persist. To assess the progress made in tackling this issue, the Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation for Freedom (FNF) commissioned a group of experienced industry experts to conduct a comprehensive study.
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We have an obligation to help democrats in East Africa achieve a liberal restart: Here’s how
The COVID-19 pandemic has not just devastated the health and economies of nations. It has profoundly threatened civil liberties and the fundamentals of democracy throughout the world. Nowhere has this been more apparent than in East Africa where authoritarians such as John Magufuli and Yoweri Museveni have used the opportunity presented by the pandemic to strengthen their grip on power and further erode civil freedoms in their respective countries.
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