Author: Ogollah Oluoch Japheth
Date: February 5, 2007
Type of article: Letter
Source: The East African http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/05022007/Opinion/Opinion0502074.htm

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THE JUST concluded World Social Forum held in Nairobi, invited varied responses from delegates the world over.

Whether the forum was a success or not, is as varied as the delegates who participated. For those used to 150,000 participants witnessed in the previous world social fora in Brazil and India, the 50,000 delegates in Nairobi was a shock.

This was the first time the six year old Brazil-born forum was making its debut in Africa. Due to the heavy presence of the civic society in Kenya, the organisers had expected that the 150,000 delegates target would be easily achieved.

Nairobi has a population of about three million people and a good percentage is well conversant with current affairs, but few people bothered to get involved with the forum.

International delegates were shocked at the larger-than-life mentality of the Nairobi forum. Though it was supposed to advocate against the global injustices that continue to impoverish the so-called developing world, the situation at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, the venue of the forum, was not different from Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum was going on at the same time.

Registration was $8, which locked out many local people. As a result, the forum was turned into an elitist meeting dominated by resource holders and non-governmental organisations, which had the resources to sponsor delegates.

I have no problem with NGOs supporting delegates to such fora, but the tragedy is when the beneficiaries participate not because they share in the spirit of the cause being advanced but because they are paid lucrative allowances.. Their loyalty is not to the common vision of “making another world possible.” They pledge their loyalty to their paymasters. That Kenyans had either snubbed or were locked out of the forum was evident at the historic Uhuru Park venue during the official opening ceremony. A majority of delegates present at the park were non-Africans.

Another drawback was that registration was through the Internet until towards the opening day when it emerged that a negligible percentage of the targeted delegates had registered. This was not surprising since most Kenyans still do not have access to computers let alone. Internet. E-illiteracy is highly prevalent. The Kenyan committee was well aware of this but chose to ignore advise from people working with rural and poor populations.

Food and refreshment at the main venue of Kasarani was too expensive for a majority of people who survive on less than a dollar a day. Catering services were offered by two five star hotels. Is it any wonder then that a group of poor people from the nearby slums raided one of the foodstands run by a five star hotel and ate all the food?

Though organisations participating at the forum were organised and saved it from collapse, many tents remained empty throughout the three day forum.

I support a section of the delegates who are proposing that the forum returns to Nairobi in 2009. However, the National secretariat should work on the failures witnessed this year. Let the organisers open up the preparations to different stakeholders with varied skills and abilities so that the forum becomes the open space it is supposed to be.

Ogollah Oluoch Japheth
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