Saturday, July 30, 2011

Kenyan MP gets German Africa Award 2011


NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 27 – Mandera Central MP Abdikadir Mohammed will receive the German Africa Award 2011 in October.
German President Christian Wulf is due to confer the award to Mr Mohammed on October 28 in Berlin for his outstanding role in spearheading the reforms that saw Kenya get a new constitution last year.
Mr Mohammed spearheaded the crucial Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Review that debated contentious issues and is the current chairman of the Constitution Implementation Oversight Committee.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced the award when she visited Kenya mid this month.


According to the award jury, the Mandera Central MP was singled out as a role model for young, educated and aspiring Kenyans.
German Ambassador to Kenya Margit Hellwig will on Thursday afternoon host him in recognition of his award.
Last year’s award was presented to Ghanaian-born Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the Secretary General of the African Caribbean and Pacific Group of nations.
Born in 1971 in Mandera District Mr Mohammed attended Alliance High School until 1987. He graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Nairobi in 1993 and later a Masters degree from Havard University in 2001.
Mr Mohammed clinched the Mandera Central seat on a Safina ticket in 2007.
Despite the difficulties and tussles in the coalition government, Mr Mohammed stood out to bring the two sides of the political divide together during discussions about the draft constitution.
Religious groups and a section of politicians were opposed to several critical clauses and as a result they were strongly opposed to the stand of the committee that Mr Mohammed chaired.
However, he was able to bring the members of the committee to a common stand that finally saw the draft passed in Parliament.
In August 2010, Kenya’s long struggle finally came to an end after an historic promulgation attended by thousands of Kenyans at Uhuru Park in Nairobi.

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