46. Kenya: The Birth and Resilience of a Social Movement

People power has been on display in Kenya as tens of thousands of citizens faced down tear gas and live bullets forcing the government to withdraw legislation that would have mandated higher taxes.  Notwithstanding enthusiastic praise for leaderless movements, Gen Z and the power of digital tools, it should not be forgotten that Kenya has a deep tradition of grassroots organizing dating back to the bitter struggle against British colonial rule. It has regularly re-emerged in subsequent decades to challenge authoritarian rule, election theft and corruption.  One emergent grouping currently organizing countrywide is the Social Justice Centres movement and its coordinating body, the Social Justice Centres Working Group.  National Convenor Happy Olal talks about how the movement took root in the capital Nairobi a decade ago, and has kept on growing.

And in the Coda, how an invitation to tell personal histories revealed Burmese women’s powerful activism.

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