Maskani Comes to Mombasa

Maskani Conversations is an iterative online-to-offline initiative hosted by Maskani Ya Taifa, through Tweetups, to facilitate public participation and promote engagement on issues relevant to all Kenyans. Maskani Ya Taifa’s idea (Maskani Conversations) has brought together a number of Kenyans (mostly bloggers), from various regions in the country, who we have interacted with on a day to day basis on our online platforms and who have shared same sentiments and ideologies as us.

Maskani is an initiative of  Ni Sisi! which is a Nationwide social movement that is uniting Kenyans to forge a collective identity to drive transformation in leadership. This initiative starts at the the grassroots level of society and connects with individuals and organisations to foster social change around a set of core values that include respect and dignity for all, equality and ethnic inclusiveness and self-belief.

The tweet up events are organised to bring together progressive social media minds in one space to discuss issues and events of county and national interest in order to move Kenya beyond the usual political melee.

#MaskaniMombasa will be the first tweet up in the region and will take place at the Little theatre in Mombasa. Maskani conversations have also been organised around  Nairobi, Nakuru and Kisumu.

A number of issues for discussion have been raised for discussion, which include Devolution (is it working or not, sectors affected), insecurity, extrajudicial killings, education, radicalization, education among others.

Hussein Khalid of Haki Africa and renown social justice activist and human rights defender Al Amin Kimathi are some of the invited guests for a session of social-cultural expression, ventilation, aspirations and other leadership related issues in the country .

Mombasa residents have an opportunity to utilize Maskani Ya Taifa as an issue-based agenda-setting platform for civil society organizations and Kenyan citizens. The goal of Maskani Ya Taifa is to have; ‘A transformed Kenya through informed citizenry’

Mombasa is currently grappling with service delivery challenges with various important sectors struggling. The Coast General Hospital and Port Reitz are in need of staff and supplies. Infrastructure in some parts is in dire shape especially roads after the recent rains. In addition, the auditor general has raised serious questions about the County Government’s expenditure and revenue collection.

According to Ni Sisi!

“By hosting #maskaniMombasa will offer a space for ventilation of issues and begin to concretely interrogate what we can do as citizens. In our experience so far, we have noted that the slightest change after a citizen action is not only emboldening citizens, but also making them realize that they have and have always had the power. “