Author Archives for Bronwen Manby

Clause on Kenya child citizenship defended

May 18, 2010 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Clause on Kenya child citizenship defended

by Sarah Wambui NAIROBI, Kenya, May 18 – The Committee of Experts (CoE) has defended a clause in the Proposed Constitution that allows children aged eight and below whose nationality and parents are unknown to automatically become Kenyan citizens. In […]


Submission in Communication 317/106: The Nubian community in Kenya v. Kenya

May 17, 2010 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Submission in Communication 317/106: The Nubian community in Kenya v. Kenya

Arguments on the Merits in Communication before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Submitted by the Open Society Justice Initiative, the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa and the Centre for Minority Rights Development. Link to […]


The African Charter and the Right to a Nationality: Report of a meeting held in Banjul, The Gambia, 14 May 2010

May 14, 2010 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on The African Charter and the Right to a Nationality: Report of a meeting held in Banjul, The Gambia, 14 May 2010

On 14 May, the Citizenship Rights in Africa Initiative (CRAI), and three programmes of the Open Society Institute (AfriMAP, AU Advocacy Programme and Justice Initiative), in collaboration with Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) hosted a discussion […]


Mali’s Family Code: Threats and Debates

May 11, 2010 7:36 am Published by Comments Off on Mali’s Family Code: Threats and Debates

By Alex Thurston Proposed reforms to Mali’s family code have evoked Muslim protests since last summer. At that time, Muslim activists succeeded in preventing the changes from happening. Now the law is back in parliament for consideration and revision, and […]


Mozambicans in Tanzania ask about dual nationality

May 10, 2010 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Mozambicans in Tanzania ask about dual nationality

Maputo — Mozambicans living in Tanzanian on Friday called on the Mozambican government to clarify the question of dual nationality. Delivering a message to President Armando Guebuza, when he addressed members of the Mozambican community in Dar es Salaam, the […]


Beyond national citizenship

May 8, 2010 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Beyond national citizenship

by Michaela Pelican ‘Belonging’ is a pertinent trope in Africa and beyond. However, in many parts of Africa belonging is not only understood in national terms but also, and most importantly, as belonging to a place or a group; e.g. […]


West Africa: Sierra Leonean and Liberian refugees feel abandoned in Guinea

May 7, 2010 6:26 pm Published by Comments Off on West Africa: Sierra Leonean and Liberian refugees feel abandoned in Guinea

By Manuel Toledo “Kountaya was one of the biggest refugee camps in West Africa,” Sheku said, pointing at the old buildings surrounded by the Guinean jungle. After a long pause, he added, somewhat nostalgic, “while UNHCR and the other agencies […]


Namibian Constitution Second Amendment Act No.7 of 2010

May 7, 2010 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on Namibian Constitution Second Amendment Act No.7 of 2010

Amongst other things, the Act was adopted to “amend the Namibian Constitution so as to extend a waiting period required for acquiring Namibian citizenship by marriage from a period of not less than two years to a period of not […]


North Kivu’s nationality and the manipulation of ethnicity: A toxic mix

May 5, 2010 12:00 am Published by Comments Off on North Kivu’s nationality and the manipulation of ethnicity: A toxic mix

The relationship between nationality and ethnicity in Africa’s Great Lakes region is much debated – sometimes verbally, but more often violently. And this relationship is also a key component to any discussion on citizenship. Ethnicity is not intrinsically violent, despite […]


Cabo Verde: Lei Constitucional nº 1/VII/2010

May 2, 2010 12:08 pm Published by Comments Off on Cabo Verde: Lei Constitucional nº 1/VII/2010

Revises 1992 constitution. Revisions noted first, then complete revised text. Artigo 5º (Cidadania) 1. São cidadãos cabo-verdianos todos aqueles que, por lei ou por convenção internacional, sejam considerados como tal. 2. O Estado poderá concluir tratados de dupla nacionalidade. 3. […]