HEMA LA KATIBA

THE QUEST FOR

CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE
IN KENYA
Presented to Kenyans in
Diaspora Conference
Boston
17-19th July 2009
By
James Kabutu
 what is Hema La Katiba
• Hema La Katiba (Constitution
Tent) is an open forum of
citizens organized by human
rights activists in various
places in the city of Nairobi
and also up-country.
 Objective

• Creating a people-driven social

movement
• Making village assemblies
• Focal point for structuring
economic and political power
and authority
• Enhancing village democracy and
village understanding of human
rights.
 Hema La Katiba Network
 
Region No. of Branches
Members
Nairobi 6 850
Kisumu 4 239
3 620
Nakuru 2 183
Homa-Bay 1 102
Kakamega 1 92
Wajir 1 40
Machakos I 63
Kibwezi 1 42
Embu 1 70
Eldoret 1 248
TOTAL 22 2549
Strategies to enhance the capacity of Hema La
Katiba

•Develop a gender analysis framework in the context

of human rights work;
•Recognize minority rights defenders;
•Raise awareness and provide education on the
special needs of minority rights and those defending
the physically challenged and other marginalized
groups;
•Develop a media strategy and use the media to
raise the profile of the work of rights;
•Facilitate access to funds for emergency needs;
•Establish and maintain relationships with
organizations that have special programmes on the
protection of human rights issues such as the Kenya
National Commission on Human Rights and Amnesty
International - Kenya Chapter.
Learning Activities for Hema La Katiba

•Raise awareness on laws and constitution that hinder the

work of human rights activists through public education and
outreach activities;
•Advocate and empower the community, particularly the young
people, by helping them to identify and analyze their rights to
vote through conducting voter education;
•Lobby to ensure government compliance with legal decisions;
•Develop training programmes targeting government
institutions, other authorities, decision-makers and policy-
makers on issues related to the work and protection of human
rights in accordance with the constitution;
•Co-ordinate peace in our communities through seminars,
workshops and educating the society on democratic values;
•The network will monitor and observe individual human
rights.
•The network will support human rights groups, particularly
women human rights defenders and other marginalized
groups, to access the legal system and obtain appropriate
remedies.
Evidence of Police Brutality