Fighter Ann Njogu bags another feather

By Alex Kiprotich

She never says die because her fighting spirit keeps burning.

For many Kenyans, the name Ann Njogu evokes the dramatic moments three years ago when Water Minister Charity Ngilu sneaked her out of police cells at Nairobi’s Central Police Station.

The undying spirit in her has led her to fight battles with the police and police cells are not foreign to her.

However, the lady you see engaging the police in heated arguments is a shy one. It takes this writer a couple of minutes before she gets composed for the interview at her Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (Creaw) offices located at Lavington.

"The lady you see in the streets is different from the composed girlish one," she says as she settles down for the interview.

Ms Anne Njogu (in brown) with other recipients of 2010 awards at the State Department in Washington.

Ms Anne Njogu with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Njogu during the interview. Photos: Courtesy/ Jeniffer Wachie/Standard

The 45-year-old has overcome insurmountable obstacles in the pursuit of equality and justice.

"For how long will the Kenyan girl and the woman be exploited? I want to fight for the oppressed and the fight so far has been good," she says.

And with the fights, which have come with a price, Njogu has had her moments of glory too. Two weeks ago, she was in the US where she was honoured by US first lady Mitchell Obama and the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The human rights activist was the recipient of this year’s International Women of Courage Awards (IWOC).

"The recognition showed I was not alone. The fight might seem lonely but is encouraging to know there are people who acknowledge what I do," she says.

During the citation Clinton said Njogu, using the influence of her organisation, has kept pressure on MPs for reforms.

"Using the influence of her organisation, she has kept pressure on lawmakers for Constitutional reforms, and ensured the process is representative and not skewed to benefit the existing power structure," read the citation.

Hefty pay

Njogu says the fight for human rights has been challenging and risky. Fresh in the minds of Kenyans is her arrest while demanding that MPs review their hefty salary in light to the poor state of the economy. The activist was hauled in a police lorry by police who physically assaulted her.

However, her arrest was not in vain after she filed a successful constitutional reference.

The reference popularly known as "Ann Njogu and others versus the State," now limits the time a Kenyan citizen can be held in custody to 24 hours.

Many Kenyans have since used this landmark case to secure their release when police arbitrarily arrested them against their Constitutional guarantees.

"It is risky, my colleagues have been killed but because I am fighting for what I believe in, I have never been cowed," she says.

Njogu has been a co-chair of the Multi-Sectoral Committee on Constitutional Reform, the co-chair of the Joint Dialogue Forum on Constitutional Reform and a delegate to the Bomas National Conference on Constitutional Reforms.

Njogu’s other organisation, Africa Community Development Media, is committed to spreading community-based radio stations to all constituencies so that communities can generate their media and determine issues that are important to them.

"Unless the people are equipped with information they need, they will never shake off oppression," she says.

The mother of two has also received other international awards including the Community Awareness Award from the Rainbow House movement in Chicago, US, where she had an opportunity to meet famous TV talk hostess Oprah Winfrey.

Pressing challenges

Last year, she also received an Ashok fellowship, a global association of leading social entrepreneur in recognition of the vision, commitment and widespread success in solving some of societies most pressing challenges.

And despite what she has undergone Njogu remains ever hopeful. In her acceptance speech she showered praises on the potential of the country, which she said is only let down by poor leadership.

"Kenya has the potential to be the bread basket of the continent of Africa but is bedevilled with poor leadership, corruption, impunity and lack of accountability," she said.