A New Dawn for Kenya

Who knew that I'd be in Nairobi on such a historic day for Kenyans everywhere. As all of the newspapers and TV stations reported, it is a "New Dawn" for Kenya.

So what brings me back to Africa? This time I am working directly with Family Health Options Kenya (FHOK)- it's the International Planned Parenthood Affiliate here. This week I worked with their Programs Pharmacist and the pharmacist from their Nairobi West Clinic to determine how many contraceptives their program will need for 2011. I first met Dr. Louis and Francis at the workshop that we held here in Nairobi in April. Louis, the Programs Pharmacist is 28, and Francis is probably just about 40, and we worked all week in Excel crunching numbers....we had some rest today as it was a public holiday- constitution signing day!

Kenya achieved its independence from Britain on Dec 12, 1963, and its original constitution was written in Great Britain and signed by the queen of England!
















Photo above: "June 1, 1963, reads: “Nairobi, Kenya – Waving his ‘wisk’ the newly-elected Premier of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta (R, foreground), greeted throngs of cheering citizens as he rode through the streets of Nairobi. Accompanying Kenyatta are Tom Mboya (L), Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs; A. Oginga Odinga, Minister for Home Affairs; and James S. Gichuru, Minister for Finance. The motorcade was part of the National Holiday celebrations which marked the start of internal self-government for the African nation.” Photo: © Bettmann/CORBIS "

Earlier this month Kenyans voted and approved a new constitution and today it was approved in a huge ceremony at Uhuru National Park in the center of Nairobi. Traffic began last night as roads were being blocked off, preparations made, and Kenyans coming in from all parts of the country and world to secure a piece of grass to watch the event. The festivities began at 8 a.m. today and ended around 1 p.m. From my hotel room, I could hear almost in stereo from t.v. sets around the hotel, the news coverage from the event. It was almost like watching a presidential inauguration. The president, VP, and Primate Minister along with other heads of state had to re-take their oaths under this new constitution.

A newspaper article this morning read..."Nairobi, Aug 27 – Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki Friday signed into law a long-awaited new constitution, weeks after it was passed in a national referendum. A massive crowd gathered to watch the president sign the document, which is part of a reform process aimed at preventing a repeat of the violence that followed disputed presidential elections in December 2007, at a ceremony in the city centre Uhuru Park. The assembled masses cheered as Kibaki waved the document in the air triumphantly, before a 21-gun salute and the hoisting a giant national flag heralded the dawn of what politicians are referring to as ‘the second Kenyan republic’."

My hotel is fairly close to the park, and I was eating lunch outside when the festivities let out. Everyone making their way home from the joyous and proud event. It was a cold and overcast day though- no more than 65 degrees F outside, but you could hear everyone's voices cheering, talking, chatting, etc. The new constitution was developed, drafted and signed here in Kenya. The new constitution allows for a more decentralized political system that minimizes the president's powers. It also calls for land reform and allows dual citizenship.

A very hopeful time for Kenya! It was nice to be here and celebrate with them in spirit. Since I wasn't in the U.S. for either the last presidential election OR the inauguration, I felt like I finally got to feel what some of that energy must have felt like.

More from Sierra Leone next week!