Legal systems are put in place around the world, ostensibly to protect the citizens of a particular country or region. However, all too often in Africa we see double standards: all people are not equal. Whether the discrimination is based on race, economic privilege or social standing, all people are not equal before the law, despite what our constitutions may suggest.
This week on UpFront we explore just how safe and protected you feel by your legal system. Does the justice system favor the rich over the poor? Based on the demographics of the men and women in our prisons, does the legal system deal harsher with those perpetrators of crime who are underprivileged? And if we had more employment, would our prisons he less crowded?
In this show, we also discuss legal reform. It’s time for legal systems to reform to better reflect the changing realities in a particular country. Play your part by being aware of the laws in your country, and the possible double standards that it may represent to the downtrodden. There are too many examples of justice favoring the rich, famous and influential. Many powerful individuals have a long list of charge sheets against their name but no step is taken against them. Why is this allowed? Why does the legal system turn a blind eye? Tune in to UpFront to hear more.
In Nairobi,Facebook is the third most visited site behind Google and Yahoo. Most of the visitors to these sites are young people who are high school students or college students.The phenomenon of Facebook and other social networking platforms is not unique to Kenya. It is replicated in cities across the continent. Young and old,this new social space is gaining popularity and in many cases bridging the digital divide. In the early days of internet proliferation on the continent-in the late 90's to early 2000's-there was a curiosity factor. It was new and fresh and quite unknown. I had the same experience;walked in an internet cafe and my life was never the same again. But those were the days. Now most of urban Africa is connected and many people have access to a computer public or personal. They discovered the power of the internet and the social networking aspects of a boundless medium. Now to millions of people in Africa,the internet is about utility. Every city corner has an internet café and at any one time in any random African city, hundreds of young people are surfing the net connecting to people all over the world or even within the towns in which they live. They are making friends, creating or joining groups of people with similar interest.
The African technology landscape is changing faster each day and the digital gap or divide is closing. Mobile technology in many African countries was introduced in the late 90’s. Statistics show that there are over 80 million mobile phone users on the the continent. The demand is huge and rapidly expanding. The number of subscribers is currently expanding at around 35% a year, and is forecast to continue over the next few years.
Developing online communities is a compelling prospect for many young people coming from different backgrounds. But what truly makes 'community'? Facebook and other social networking sites facilitate, support and nurture community relationships.
