DATES: Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd May, 2017
TIME:
Monday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
VENUE: Mini Lecture Room 5, fourth floor, University Towers, Main
Campus, University of Nairobi, Kenya
ORGANISERS: The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies of
the University of Nairobi, Kenya and the Council for Research in Values and
Philosophy (RVP), Washington, DC, U.S.A.
Background
Democratisation in post-colonial African states has met with a
multiplicity of challenges, chiefly the subversion of the liberal democratic
independence constitutions through self-serving constitutional amendements by
civilian governments as well as through the setting aside of constitutions by
military regimes. What is more, there is growing evidence that the second
generation liberal democratic constitutions that have emerged on the continent from
the last two decades of the twentieth century are also being subverted through
similar processes. Thus a number of scholars now speak about “the failure of
democracy in Africa”. However, others contend that what has failed in Africa is
liberal democracy rather than democracy as such. They hold that liberal
democracy, with its emphasis on the pre-eminence of the freedoms of the individual
above communal responsibilities, is alien to the continent and therefore doomed
to fail as often as it is tried.
Consequently, the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies of
the University of Nairobi in collaboration with the Council for Research in
Values and Philosophy (RVP) is organising a two-day international conference to
evaluate democratisation in Africa.
Focus
The papers will address the following
three questions and any other related ones:
1.
Is democracy universally
applicable, or does it require adaptation to cultural realities?
2.
To what extent has the adoption
of Western liberal models of democracy hindered democratisation in
post-colonial African states?
3.
How can indigenous African
political thought be utilised in the endeavour to design models of democracy
that are suited to the socio-cultural realities of post-colonial African
states?
Programme
Conference Chairs:
Dr. Reginald M.J. Oduor, University of
Nairobi
and
Dr. Hu Yeping, Council for Research in
Values and Philosophy (RVP)
Conference Programme
Opening
Ceremony
22nd May,
2017, 9:00-10:00 a.m.
Master of Ceremonies:
Dr. Reginald M.J. Oduor
Time
|
Speaker
|
8:00-8:50 a.m.
|
Registration
|
9:00-9:05 a.m.
|
Remarks by Dr. Oriare Nyarwath,
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, University of Nairobi
|
9:05-9:10 a.m.
|
Remarks by Dr. Hu Yeping,
Council for Research in Values and Philosophy (RVP)
|
9:10-9:15 a.m.
|
Remarks by Prof. S.I. Akaranga,
Chair, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, University of Nairobi
|
9:15-9:20 a.m.
|
Remarks by Prof. Peter Wasamba,
Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Nairobi
|
9:20-9:30 a.m.
|
Remarks by Prof. Enos Njeru,
Principal, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Nairobi
|
9:30-9:55 a.m.
|
Speech by Prof. Peter M.F.
Mbithi, Vice-Chancellor, University of Nairobi
|
9:55-10:00 a.m.
|
Vote of thanks by Dr. Wamae Muriuki,
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, University of Nairobi
|
10:00-10:30 a.m.
|
Tea break
|
Session 1
Critique of Liberal Democracy in Africa (1)
Monday 22nd
May, 2017, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Chair: Dr. Oriare Nyarwath,
University of Nairobi
Time
|
Presenter
|
Title of Paper
|
10.30am-10.50am
|
Prof. J.N.K. Mugambi,
University of Nairobi, Kenya
|
A Critique of Notions of
Democracy as Applied in the Twenty-first Century
|
10.50am-11.10am
|
Prof. Jack Anselm Odhiambo,
University of Nairobi, Kenya
|
|
11.10am-11.30am
|
Dr. Hu Yeping, Council for
Research in Values and Philosophy, U.S.A.
|
Democracy and the Common Good
|
11.30am-11.50am
|
Dr. Dennis Masaka,
Great Zimbabwe University,
Zimbabwe
|
Colonialism and the Challenge
of Western-style Democracy in Africa
|
11.50am-12.10pm
|
Prof. Winnie V. Mitullah,
University of Nairobi, Kenya
|
Liberal Constitutional Democracy
Deficit in Africa: Interrogating Opportunities and Challenges
|
12.10pm-12.30pm
|
Discussion
|
|
12.30pm-1.30pm
|
Lunch break
|
Session 2
Critique of Liberal Democracy in Africa (2)
Monday 22nd
May, 2017, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Chair: Dr. Emmanuel
Ifeanyi Ani, University of Ghana
Time
|
Presenter
|
Title of Paper
|
1.30pm-1.50pm
|
Prof. Sirkku K. Hellsten,
The Nordic Africa Institute,
Uppsala, Sweden
|
African
Political Ideology and Practice in the Era of Globalization: From
Communitarian Socialism to Authoritarian Neo-liberalism - The Next Steps?
|
1.50pm-2.10pm
|
Mr. David Jesse Oduor,
Advocate of the High Court of
Kenya
|
The Fallacy of Liberal
Democracy in Africa
|
2.10pm-2.30pm
|
Mr. David-Ngendo Tshimba,
Makerere University, Uganda
|
The Pitfalls of Liberal
Democracy: Lessons from Electioneering in Democratic Republic of the Congo
|
2.30pm-2.50pm
|
Dr. Munamato Chemhuru,
Great Zimbabwe University,
Zimbabwe, and University of Johannesburg, South Africa
|
The Quest and Limits of Liberal
Democracy in Post-Colonial Africa: An appeal to the Communitarian Model
|
2.50pm-3.10pm
|
Prof. J.P. Odoch Pido,
The Technical University of
Kenya
|
|
3.10pm-3.30pm
|
Discussion
|
|
3.30pm-4.00pm
|
Tea break
|
Session 3
Critique of the Quest for Africa-Specific Models of
Democracy
22nd May,
2017, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Chair: Dr. Jacinta
Mwende Maweu, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Time
|
Presenter
|
Title of Paper
|
4.00pm-4.20pm
|
Prof.
Edward Wamala,
Makerere
University, Uganda
|
The
Rule of Law versus the Rule of Good men (Philosopher Kings): A Classical
Solution to a Contemporary Problem
|
4.20pm-4.40pm
|
Ms. Robinah S. Nakabo,
Makerere University, Uganda
|
Gender Sensitive Followership
and Leadership in Africa: the case of Uganda
|
4.40pm-5.00pm
|
Dr. Donna K. Pido,
The Technical University of
Kenya
|
Democracy as Falsehood: Seek
But Do Not Expect to Find
|
5.00pm-5.20pm
|
Discussion
|
Session 4
Indigenous
African Models of Democracy (1)
23rd
May, 2017, 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Chair:
Dr. Wamae Muriuki, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Time
|
Presenter
|
Title of Paper
|
8.30am-8.50am
|
Mr. Kisemei Mutisya (United States
International University, Kenya) and Dr. Joseph Situma (University of
Nairobi, Kenya)
|
Tentative Elements of African Indigenous Models
of Democracy
|
8.50am-9.10am
|
Dr. Khondlo Mtshali,
University of KwaZulu-Natal,
South Africa
|
Consensual Democracy and the
Expansion of the Mind
|
9.10am-9.30pm
|
Dr. Jacinta Mwende Maweu,
University of Nairobi, Kenya
|
From Liberal to Consociational
democracy: Which way for Africa?
|
9.30am-9.50am
|
Dr. Siphetfo N. Dlamini,
University of KwaZulu-Natal,
South Africa
|
Ake's Model
of Consociational Democracy: A New Perspective of a Holistic Development
in Africa
|
9.50am-10.10am
|
Dr. Emefiena Ezeani,
Federal University Ndufu-Alike
Ikwo, Nigeria
|
Cooperative Collegial Democracy:
An Alternative African Context-relevant Political Model
|
10.10am-10.30am
|
Discussion
|
|
10.30am-11.00am
|
Tea break
|
Session 5
Indigenous
African Models of Democracy (2)
23rd May,
2017, 11:00 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.
Chair: Prof. Edward
Wamala, Makerere University, Uganda
Time
|
Presenter
|
Title
of Paper
|
11.00am-11.20am
|
Dr. Francis Chigozie Ofoegbu,
Federal University Ndufu Alike
Ikwo, Nigeria
|
|
11.20am-11.40am
|
Dr. Solomon Ochepa Oduma-Aboh,
Kaduna State University, Nigeria
|
Communalism as an Authentic
Basis for an Enduring Democracy in the Twenty-first Century Nigerian Society
|
11.40am-12.00noo
|
Dr. Emmanuel Ifeanyi Ani,
University of Ghana,
Legon, Ghana
|
The Traditional Roots of
Democratic Verbal Discipline
|
12.00pm-12.20pm
|
Dr. Moses Oludare Aderibigbe,
The Federal University of
Technology, Nigeria
|
Democracy and the Right of the Minority
in Africa
|
12.20pm-12.40pm
|
Discussion
|
|
12.40pm-1.40pm
|
Lunch break
|
Session 6
Indigenous African Models of Democracy (3)
23rd May,
2017, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Chair: Prof. Winnie V.
Mitullah, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Time
|
Presenter
|
Title
of Paper
|
2.00pm-2.20pm
|
University of Nairobi, Kenya
|
In Defence of Ethnically-based
Federations in Post-Colonial African States, with Special Reference to Kenya
|
2.20pm-2.40pm
|
Federal University of Technology, Nigeria
|
Critical Reflections on
Africans’ Consideration of a (Monolithic) Democratic Alternative to Liberal
Democracy
|
2.40pm-3.00pm
|
Prof. Dan Chitoiu,
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University
of Iași, Romania
|
Reconsidering Hierarchy:
Justice and Responsibility in an Alternative Social Scenario
|
3.00-3.20pm
|
Dr. Thomas Menamparampil,
Guwahati, Assam, India
|
Strengthening Indigenous Values
to Facilitate the Emergence of Suitable Forms of Democracy
|
3.20pm-3.40pm
|
Discussion
|
|
3.40pm-3.50pm
|
Dr. Hu Yeping,
Council for Research in Values
and Philosophy
|
Closing Remarks
|
3.50pm-4.00pm
|
Dr. Reginald M.J. Oduor,
University of Nairobi
|
Closing Remarks
|
