Kenyan Peasants’ League and allies mark the international day of action against WTO and FTAs

The Kenyan Peasants League (KPL) and partners under the banner of the Kenya Debt Abolition Network (KDAN) are holding an event in Kangemi Nairobi to mark the International Day of Action Against World Trade Organization (WTO) and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). Marked annually on 10 September, the day is set aside to by Social Movements to protest against WTO, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that are directly and indirectly promoting a host of multilateral and bilateral FTAs that have created a criminal level of inequality in this world. In 2018, it was estimated that 82% of the world’s wealth is now controlled by merely 1% of the people and this is attributed to the neoliberal policies of WTO, IMF and World Bank.

The event is attended by 30 participants drawn from members of the KDAN including KPL, the Coalition for Grassroots Human Rights Defenders (CGHRD) Kenya, Civil Society Reference Group (CSRG), Kangemi Grassroots Human Rights Movement, Haki Nawiri Africa and Bunge la Mwananchi among others.

During the meeting, members reviewed the past debt meetings that have been held since 2017, receive Report from the Case Study on the Effects of Microcredit that was conducted in Kangemi, receive Report from Case Against Kenyan IMF Loans at the East African Court of Justice that has been filed by KPL and KDAN, discuss the Human Rights, Development and Debt, discuss the IMF, World Bank, Paris Club, London Club, WTO and the SAPs, discuss the Structure of the Kenyan Debt, discuss the role of WTO and FTAs in the Kenyan Debt, discuss practical steps of conducting a Citizen Debt Audit, discuss the link between student’s loans, microcredit and public debt, discuss the moral, political, economic, legal, environmental and religious arguments in favor of cancelling debts and develop Anti-Debt Campaign Program for Kenya.