The “rewards” have been a harsh reality where communities have witnessed the continual degradation of land and water. The choking effects of pollution and the silent suffering have been a chilling reminder for poor African citizen that their land is not their own. Worse still, land grabbing, insecurity, and human rights abuses have marred the well-being of Africans, leaving over 700 million without access to basic energy needs like electricity and pollution-free cooking fuel.

Markedly, Africa has endured multipronged human loss since colonialism and human-induced climate change seems to exacerbate the situation. Impatient floods, droughts, hurricanes, and typhoons have continued to be the side effects in East and Southeast African nations and the root cause seems to be linked to Global North  States. This year, Kenya, Mozambique,  some parts of Uganda, Tanzania, and  Rwanda have suffered extreme weather events, connected to the continued burning of fossil fuels in the Global North has directly impacted the climate crisis among innocent Africans.

This notwithstanding, the Friends of the Earth Africa are working to support the African peoples and the planet. As a social movement, Friend of the Eart continues to work tirelessly to include peoples’ participation, in energy-related discussions.  In a recent discussion, they boldly stated that “Africa should not be fooled by the development and “energy poverty eradication” lip service. Instead, the Friends of the Earth Africa demands that Africa ought to develop narratives for development that cause no harm to communities.

Additionally, the  Action Justice Climate staged a nonviolent action at the close of the “Invest in African Energy Forum” in Paris, while calling out for a  “Total, Perenco, Stop prédation fossil.”

In their view, “It is an illusion to think that exploring fossil fuels on the African continent will bring energy or development to Africa.”

The group also stated that the African continent is responsible for more than 14% of the short-term oil and gas expansion there.

A significant percentage of Africans need clean energy and are willing to develop their own community-based solutions. Whether African governments will head to the requests from the Action Justice Climate and the Friend of  Africa will only be told over time.

The energy revolution Africa needs to be a people-led engagement that assures millions of jobs and at the same time alleviates poverty building a more secure and sustainable future for all.

No longer willing to live in fear, the feminist sisters painted a poignant portrait of loss Kenya has witnessed in the recent past. The girls and young women painstakingly remarked how femicide had etched a perennial fear in their daily lives. Their pain palpable, a collective for sisters brutally silenced by untimely death. Femicide, they cried, wasn’t just a statistic; it was a shadow cast upon their mental well-being, a constant threat that choked their dreams and stole their sense of safety.

Grief hung heavy in the air, but amidst the pain, a fire of resilience burned brightly. Nancy Barasa, a young feminist from Zamara Foundation, spoke for countless others when she declared, “My right to life is not a debate!” Her defiant words echoed across the room, igniting an unyielding demand for justice.

Joining the chorus of voices were Pauline Nabwire of Polycom and Bernice Dodoo from Ghana joined their voices to the symphony of advocacy. Dodoo passionately stated, “Women’s rights are human rights, and women’s lives deserve to be respected.” She further urged everyone to join in raising their voices and demanding justice, envisioning a society where a woman’s right to live is treated with the same reverence as a fundamental human right.

Accordingly, Sarah Ouma, from Slum Dwellers International Kenya, expressed her longing for a society where she is free to just be, emphasizing the need for a space where women can thrive without the looming threat of violence.

Finally, Esther Nyawira, FEMNET’s She Leads Pan African coordinator, issued an unapologetic call to action, stating, “We are unapologetic when we say stop killing women, stop killing girls. Lives have been lost but justice seems to be delayed.”

Nyawira urged policymakers to fulfil their promises and bring femicide perpetrators to justice, demanding tangible action to ensure the safety of girls and young women in Kenya.

These young voices, united in purpose, declared that the time for change is now. Their fight for justice has begun, and this rally is just the first step in their mission to guarantee a future where girls and young women can live without fear.

The aforementioned was in memory of Juliet Naeku, Florence Kaari, Sheila Jepkemboi, Beth Wanjiku, Elizabeth Kaara and in honor of the other femicide victims who have never given an opportunity to speak for themselves.