Nairobi, Kenya – This week, the streets of Nairobi transformed into a vibrant arena of protest and ideological debate as thousands of activists, students, and international delegates converged for the #PASAI2026 movement. Their actions directly challenged the ‘Africa Forward’ Summit, aiming to position Nairobi as a focal point for dismantling perceived neo-colonial influences.
Context of Defiance
The protests emerged as a counter-narrative to the official ‘Africa Forward’ Summit, which brought together leaders and delegates for high-level discussions. The #PASAI2026 movement framed their gatherings as a direct response to what they describe as ongoing imperialist agendas, particularly those involving French economic and military presence on the continent.
Protests and Arrests
The tension escalated with several arrests. On May 11, five students from the Revolutionary Student Commission were detained for protesting the France-Africa Summit. The following day, May 12, fourteen more individuals, including international delegates from the UK, South Korea, and France, were intercepted while attempting to deliver a petition to the Kenyan Parliament.
Digital Frontlines of Sovereignty
The digital realm became a crucial battleground, amplifying the movement’s message globally. Viral hashtags like #FranceOutOfAfrica, #StopFrenchImperialism, and #HandsOffCPMK created a decentralized media network, documenting state actions in real-time. This online mobilization facilitated rapid coordination of legal and social support for detained activists. News of arrests reached international observers and legal teams within minutes, utilizing the internet as a protective shield against state anonymity.
Beyond immediate tactical coordination, these digital efforts served to educate and align global audiences. By linking protests in Nairobi to broader resistance against French military presence in the Sahel and critiques of IMF debt policies, the movement provided a global context for local struggles. This virtual network connected regional movements, illustrating a shared experience of neo-colonial exploitation affecting nations from West Africa to the Caribbean, fostering a unified demand for a new Africa free from imperialism.
‘Workshops of the Oppressed’
Within the PASAI sessions, ‘Thematic Workshops’ were organized to deconstruct the official narrative of the ‘Africa Forward’ summit. A key discussion, ‘Green Energy: For Whom?’, scrutinized foreign green investment projects. Delegates argued that such initiatives often lead to the displacement of indigenous communities and the privatization of African resources for European markets.
Organizers stated, ‘We are witnessing a war council of imperialism convened under the mask of diplomacy.’ Workshops challenged the ‘green capitalism’ narrative, asserting that the Global North’s resource consumption drives the ecological crisis impacting Africa. The discussions also highlighted security concerns, specifically ‘immunitarian’ defense agreements granting French troops legal immunity on Kenyan soil, which critics labeled ‘military neo-colonialism’ and an infringement on national sovereignty.
Global Solidarity and a New Trajectory
The PASAI 2026 Call to Action extended an invitation for global solidarity, urging revolutionary forces worldwide to support the fight for African dignity. Allies including the Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF), Black Agenda Report, Peoples Dispatch, and the Global Pan-African Movement provided media coverage and solidarity messages, linking the Kenyan struggle to movements in Palestine and the Caribbean.
The PPF emphasized the necessity of economic emancipation for genuine freedom, advocating for the cancellation of colonial debt and the dismantling of the CFA Franc as integral to the reparations movement. They framed this as a necessary act of historical restitution to dismantle neo-colonial financial architectures siphoning African resources.
As the ‘Africa Forward’ Summit concluded, the legacy of PASAI 2026 lies in the strengthened networks among youth, women, and ecological movements. The ‘Nairobi Declaration’ has set a new course for a continent determined to assert self-determination and resist being a ‘playground’ for foreign interests, ensuring that calls for an anti-imperialist front continue to resonate globally.
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