Author Archives for Bronwen Manby

Madagascar: vers une réforme du système d’enregistrement de l’état civil

March 3, 2016 10:52 am Published by Comments Off on Madagascar: vers une réforme du système d’enregistrement de l’état civil

Madagascar lance une évaluation de son système d’enregistrement à l’état civil. Dans le pays, 20 % des enfants de moins de cinq ans ne sont pas enregistrés. Impossible pour eux d’aller à l’école, de se marier ou de prouver une […]


South Sudan Official: Country Will Benefit by Joining EAC

March 3, 2016 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on South Sudan Official: Country Will Benefit by Joining EAC

By John Tanza South Sudan joined the East African Community (EAC) this week when EAC heads of state approved the country’s application at a summit in Tanzania. South Sudan becomes the sixth member of the economic bloc, along with Kenya, […]


Sierra Leoneans Fight Back Against Granting Lebanese Nationals Citizenship

March 1, 2016 12:34 pm Published by Comments Off on Sierra Leoneans Fight Back Against Granting Lebanese Nationals Citizenship

By Ranger The Lebanese started entering Sierra Leone after the first Serian war in the 1940s and 50s. Some even came earlier than that. The Lebanese have become the most favored people when it comes to trade, business, and opportunities.  […]


UNHCR Submission to UPR 2nd Cycle: Zimbabwe

March 1, 2016 8:37 am Published by Comments Off on UNHCR Submission to UPR 2nd Cycle: Zimbabwe

Submission by UNHCR for the OHCHR Compilation Report Universal Periodic Review 2nd Cycle, 26th Session: Zimbabwe Including extensive comments on citizenship and statelessness, in particular: Issue 2: Prevention and reduction of statelessness and protection of stateless persons Although the new […]


Mauritius Constitution 1968 as amended to 2016

March 1, 2016 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Mauritius Constitution 1968 as amended to 2016

Chapter III provides for acquisition of citizenship on independence in 1968, for citizenship by birth, registration and marriage, and for parliament to provide further detail by law. The Constitution as updated to 2016 contained no changes to chapter III since […]


Kenya: Hashmukh Devani v. Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Interior and others

February 29, 2016 10:23 pm Published by Comments Off on Kenya: Hashmukh Devani v. Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Interior and others

1. The Petitioner by his Petition dated 23rd September 2015, seeks to be declared that he is a citizen of the Republic of Kenya. 2. The Petitioner further seeks orders directed to the Director of Immigration and Principal Registrar of […]


Sierra Leone: Changes to the 1991 Constitution Proposed

February 29, 2016 8:11 pm Published by Comments Off on Sierra Leone: Changes to the 1991 Constitution Proposed

By Hanibal Goitom (Feb. 29, 2016) On February 16, 2016, Sierra Leone’s Constitutional Review Committee (an 80-member body established in 2013 to review the 1991 Constitution and a 2008 report proposing changes to it) published an abridged draft report of its findings.  (Ibrahim Tarawallie, […]


CRC Concluding Observations: Benin, 2016

February 26, 2016 10:21 pm Published by Comments Off on CRC Concluding Observations: Benin, 2016

CRC/C/BEN/CO/3–5 Concluding observations on the combined third to fifth periodic reports of Benin Birth registration 30. The Committee is concerned that many children are still not registered at birth, in particular children living in remote rural communities, children from disadvantaged […]


Une naturalisation ivoirienne de Blaise Compaoré pour échapper à la justice burkinabé

February 26, 2016 9:39 pm Published by Comments Off on Une naturalisation ivoirienne de Blaise Compaoré pour échapper à la justice burkinabé

Par Alexis Adélé Au moment où les autorités burkinabées attendaient toujours l’exécution d’un mandat d’arrêt international émis le 21 décembre 2015 à l’encontre de l’ancien président du Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré, Abidjan a adressé une réponse diplomatique à Ouagadougou. Le […]


Sénégal : Abdoulaye Wade est-il français ?

February 26, 2016 12:27 pm Published by Comments Off on Sénégal : Abdoulaye Wade est-il français ?

La polémique enfle autour de la double nationalité supposée de l’ancien président. Car, depuis 1992, la Constitution impose au chef de l’État d’être « exclusivement » sénégalais… L’ancien président Abdoulaye Wade a-t-il commis un « parjure », voire, comme le […]


Recent Developments in Citizenship Law in Africa

February 25, 2016 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Recent Developments in Citizenship Law in Africa

The 3rd edition of the Open Society Foundation publication Citizenship Law in Africa: A Comparative Study was released in January. Its author, Bronwen Manby, considers developments since the last edition was published in 2010. The last five years have been a busy […]


Burkina : la nationalité ivoirienne de Blaise Compaoré fait débat

February 24, 2016 9:41 pm Published by Comments Off on Burkina : la nationalité ivoirienne de Blaise Compaoré fait débat

Par Vincent Duhem Le décret de naturalisation de Blaise Compaoré a été publié à Abidjan au Journal officiel du 18 janvier 2016. L’ancien président burkinabè, qui fait l’objet d’un mandat d’arrêt international pour son implication présumée dans la mort de […]