REPORT BACK

Anti Privatisation Forum's Trevor Ngwane celebrating another victory at the WSF

A CAPITALIST AMONGST US

Kenyan small enterpreuners made a killing during the 7th installment of the World Social Forum held at Moi Sports Centre in Nairobi. Stalls operated by locals were set up everywhere as delegates from different parts of the world descended on the city to be part of the annual socialist movements exchange.

Their roaring business was boosted by the organisers decision to ban multi-national companies from setting up stalls and selling their products inside and outside the event venue. Some delegates even refused to buy anything that did not come fresh from a farm but a fresh produce saying their money will not end with the owners of the land.

However local enterpreneurs responded to such generosity with serious inflation of their prices which, while it ensured income for their businesses, tended to exclude local Kenyans from remote areas who couldn't afford the exorbitant prices they were charging for their food, curios, clothes, shuttle service, accommodation, water and any other service.

The visible corporate that benefitted tremendously is Celtel, a local cellular provider which from the first day had decided to sell new starter packs to most of the 100 000 delegates who are not on an international roaming service. A single starter pack went for 250KenyanShillings (R25) while a 340 ml of bottled water, which reportedly costs far less on any given day was going for 50KSh (R5). Surprisingly at a local Nakumatt supermarket one litre of bottled water costs 38KSh.

Asked how they come up with the prices a woman enterpreneur who wanted to sell a litre of bottled water for US$1 (R6,89) denied that their prices were adjusted for the five days only, even though a plate of lunch was selling for between 400 and 550KSh. At a B&B in Kiambu the same buffet costs 200KShm, supplemented by free soft drinks.

Kenyans came out in droves, selling everything from beads, clothes, fruits, traditional dishes, artwork and anything they enterprise on.

On Wednesday Anti Privatisation Forum's Trevor Ngwane led a spirited invasion on one of the 'elite' food stalls, allegedly owned by a Security Minister, demanding that Kenyan children who have been led in for free be given free food as well. It became a rampage as tens of children vandalised the stall, much to ululations from the South African instigators. "You can't run a five star set-up in this venue whereby everything is expensive. We closed it down, either they bring enough food to give to this children or they are capitalists and must not be part of us", Ngwane said, drawing a river of tears from a woman who hugged him fondly.