Author Archives for Bronwen Manby

Nigeria: Rufai and Ribadu Denied Passport Renewals & The Devil’s Advocate Argues Both Sides

October 14, 2009 8:40 am Published by Comments Off on Nigeria: Rufai and Ribadu Denied Passport Renewals & The Devil’s Advocate Argues Both Sides

By Paul I. Adujie The renewals of passports palaver or tussles between the federal government of Nigeria on the one hand. And, the former Federal Capital Territory Minister, FCT, Mallam Nasiru El Rufai, and the former Chairperson of Economic and […]


Citizenship the most important right of all

October 12, 2009 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Citizenship the most important right of all

By Bronwen Manby “Give us our identity cards and we hand over our Kalashnikovs”, said the leader of the rebel forces in Cí´te d’Ivoire. Those who have never been deprived of official papers may find it hard to imagine the […]


Citizenship Discrimination and the Right to Nationality in Kenya

October 1, 2009 10:05 pm Published by Comments Off on Citizenship Discrimination and the Right to Nationality in Kenya

Statement Submitted by the Open Society Justice Initiative for Consideration by the United Nations Human Rights Council at its Eighth Session, on the occasion of its Universal Periodic Review of Kenya May 3 – 14, 2010 INTRODUCTION 1. The Open […]


Struggles for Citizenship in Africa

October 1, 2009 6:47 pm Published by Comments Off on Struggles for Citizenship in Africa

By Bronwen Manby Millions of people living in Africa find themselves nonpersons in the only states they have ever known. Because they are not recognized as citizens, they cannot get their children registered at birth; they cannot access state health […]


Torture and discrimination in Western Sahara

October 1, 2009 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Torture and discrimination in Western Sahara

The conflict in Western Sahara is one of the longest running and most forgotten in the world. Known as Africa’s last colony, Western Sahara was sold to Morocco and Mauritania by the Spanish when they withdrew in 1976. The Mauritanians […]


Kenya’s citizenship on sale

September 29, 2009 6:04 pm Published by Comments Off on Kenya’s citizenship on sale

By Adow Jubat and Boniface Ongeri He had just hit 18 years in 2006 when as required by law, he decided to get a national identity card.  Having been born by Kenyan parents in Garissa District, Khalif Hassan was certain […]


Mugabe: Land grabs the ‘best thing’ to happen to Zim

September 25, 2009 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Mugabe: Land grabs the ‘best thing’ to happen to Zim

The Zimbabwe land-reform programme was the “best thing that could have happened to an African country”, according to President Robert Mugabe. The land grabs that drove thousands of white farmers and their black workers off their land in Zimbabwe over […]


Ethiopia: Ethnic federalism and its discontents

September 4, 2009 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Ethiopia: Ethnic federalism and its discontents

The Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), led by its chairman and prime minister, Meles Zenawi, has radically reformed Ethiopia’s political system. The regime transformed the hitherto centralised state into the Federal Democratic Republic and also redefined citizenship, politics and […]


Mali: Back to the drawing board for new family code

September 1, 2009 7:34 am Published by Comments Off on Mali: Back to the drawing board for new family code

Legislators in Mali will have to try harder to win support for the next draft of their new family code after the president sent it back to parliament on 27 August for re-drafting. The current draft code recognizes only secular […]


“I don’t know where to go”: Burundian Refugees in Tanzania under Pressure to Leave

September 1, 2009 5:52 am Published by Comments Off on “I don’t know where to go”: Burundian Refugees in Tanzania under Pressure to Leave

On 8 May 2009, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative in Burundi announced at a press conference in Bujumbura, “[w]e are in the final year of repatriation.” This statement reinforced growing pressure on refugees living in Tanzania […]


Angola: O circuito obscuro de obtenção da nacionalidade angolana em Cabinda!

August 27, 2009 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Angola: O circuito obscuro de obtenção da nacionalidade angolana em Cabinda!

Cidadãos provenientes de várias partes do continente africano, estão a fixar-se ilegalmente na Província de Cabinda, e posteriormente a adquirirem de forma obscura a nacionalidade angolana, segundo depoimentos dos próprios infractores. Para tal, recorrem as conservatórias dos Municípios do Interior, […]


Harare to review citizenship law

August 19, 2009 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Harare to review citizenship law

HARARE Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirais office has said Zimbabwes unity government will review a controversial law used to strip hundreds of people of their citizenship and right to vote because they were once citizens of other countries or because their […]