Kenyan Pundit
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Animation seminar at Sarit - Dec 6th
Posted: November 28, 2008, 6:20 pm by Ory Okolloh
This looks like it will be a very interesting event. The organizers hope to break the myths surrounding animation in Kenya, such as it’s a “foreign art” and that you need big expensive computers to do it well. The event is expected to be “an amazing opportunity for Kenyan design geeks and animation enthusiasts to meet up, share ideas and plot on how to take over the worldwith our own animation content starting 2009!”
See the website for registration details and more information. Kudos to the Kenya Film Commission for sponsoring this.
If anyone reading this attends, please come back and report on how it went…
AOB: For more on the current state of animation in Africa, see this article.
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Ushahidi Featured in Forbes Magazine!
Posted: November 26, 2008, 10:57 pm by Ory Okolloh
Click here for details.
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Book Launch
Posted: November 25, 2008, 12:36 pm by Ory Okolloh
Mau Mau Research Centre and Prof. Maina wa Kinyatti cordially invite you to the launch of the Book - HISTORY OF RESISTANCE IN KENYA 1884-2002 authored by Maina wa Kinyatti on Friday 28th November 2008 between 5.30 - 7.30 pm at GOETHE-INSTITUT NAIROBI
Guest Speakers:· Hon. James Orengo- Minister for Lands
· His Excellency Mr. Julio César Gónzález Marchante -Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Cuba
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Nominate Peace Heroes
Posted: November 23, 2008, 12:18 am by Ory Okolloh
Peace Heroes is a great initiative to honor the unsung heroes during the post-election violence in Kenya (it’s also one of the groups running the alpha version of Ushahidi). The initiative is asking Kenyans to nominate “people who, during moments of crisis and violence, risked their own lives to save members of other communities,…reached out to neighbours or to those in camps, to give a helping hand…who launched peace initiatives, peace marches and [performed] symbolic acts around the country to restore the damage done and create positive change.”
While the headlines have been dominated by the perpetrators of the violence and what should happen to them, it is SO important to recognize the Kenyans who committed acts of peace…those were tough times when even the best of us found it hard to distance ourselves from the negativity…lets take the time to recognize those who in their own small way helped bring us back from the brink.
Nominate a Peace Hero today!
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Summer goodness…
Posted: November 21, 2008, 7:01 pm by Ory Okolloh
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Mama Mike’s E-Goat
Posted: November 18, 2008, 5:46 pm by Ory Okolloh
Paying your first dowry installment via the internet?
It is possible, with Mama Mikes….you HAVE to watch this video!
People are truly creative.
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Activists arrested for distributing t-shirts and dvds
Posted: November 14, 2008, 5:24 pm by Ory Okolloh
Two Kenyan activists Wangui Mbatia and and Ken Ochieng Onguka were arrested this morning at Jeevanjee gardens and charged this afternoon with “unlawful procession” at the Kibera Law Courts
They have been released on Kshs 20,000 cash bail.
The t-shirts were protesting the Kenyans MPs recent rejection of taxes (No taxes for MP’S - No taxes for Us’on their allowances) and the DVDs were urging Kenyans to push for the implementation of Waki. The DVDs and images of the t-shirts can be viewed at Marsgroup.
Ah Kenya, last week we had a day off to celebrate the triumph of change in America…this week we are arresting people who are peacefully advocating for change. Where is the outrage?
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Thank you to Ushahidi volunteers!
Posted: November 13, 2008, 1:48 am by Ory Okolloh
One of the best/most amazing things about Ushahidi has been the spirit of community that has surrounded it since its inception. We certainly wouldn’t be where we are today without the individuals who have stepped up to give generous amounts of their time and skill for no other reason other than the fact that they believe in what we are trying to build and accomplish (speaking of which, huge thanks to everyone who responded to my call for translators!).
As we work on de-bugging the alpha version and on building the archive of the Kenyan post-election crisis, we’d like to send a special shout out to two Kenyans - Wambui and Dipesh - who are helping us populate the archive by entering data from the numerous documents we have been collecting from local NGOs. We are still looking for more reports/pictures/video from that period - if you have stuff to update please enter it directly in to the legacy site or get in touch with us at: info-at-ushahidi-dot-com
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Ushahidi deploys in DRC
Posted: November 7, 2008, 10:56 pm by Ory Okolloh
After a week of scrambling we are finally going live today with an Ushahidi site dedicated to DRC. There has been quite a bit of media attention being paid to the renewed fighting in Eastern Congo and the resulting humanitarian crisis, but given the complexities of the situation we thought it would be worthwhile to try and get additional view points from people actually on the ground. For more details about the deployment, please see Erik’s post here.
At this point the site is still very much a work in progress, but we decided to go public given the urgency of the situation and fine-tune as we go along…I guess it’s becoming our trademark - rapid prototyping!
We really need your help getting the word out so that we can have robust data being submitted.
Also I’m desperate for English to French translators who are willing to help us translate incoming reports (website itself should be translated shortly). If you are interested (the workload will be light), please drop me a line - kenyanpundit-at-gmail
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On Obama
Posted: November 5, 2008, 7:08 am by Ory Okolloh
Like most of the rest of the world, I’m hoping that I’m waking up to a moment in history. Beyond the sheer glee of an Obama victory, there’s just the awesomeness of having been around during what will be one for the record books. During my student days I remember being wistful at times when hearing about historic leaders and historic times, and now there’s an opportunity to live it. A lot of ink has been spilled over why Obama is popular globally and just how disappointed people will be because of high expectations - I think that’s missing the larger point. Will Obama under-deliver, probably yes. But when was the last time an individual (especially that young people can relate to) inspired THE WORLD to think that things could be different and better, and that there is such a thing as a non-crappy politician?
And for those (Kenyans) who are being derisive about Kenyans trying to “own” Obama. Bah! Yes, it’s unrealistic to think that his election will change U.S. policy practically as far as Kenya goes, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Kenyans going overboard with Obama-mania and what he represents for us.
Now if only we can translate our aspirations for him to our aspirations for Kenyan leaders! Would Barack Obama have made it as a Kenyan politican (or even African) - almost certainly not…we excel in trashing intellectual, ethical, different, individuals who want to participate in public service. In Obama’s own words, “…For as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on earth is my story even possible.” Lets work to change this people.
Kudos America for doing the right thing and for reminding us that the American dream is still alive and well.
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KNCHR full report on extra-judicial killings
Posted: November 3, 2008, 5:30 pm by Ory Okolloh
Blah blah blah
Fish cakes
Alas a fish cake.
Yet more fish cakes
Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.
The end of the fish cakes
