Nairobi is set to host the inaugural Wakati Wetu Festival on October 22–23, 2025, marking Africa’s first major event dedicated to reparatory justice. The festival, themed “It’s Our Time – To Resist, Repair and Reclaim,” aims to address the enduring legacies of slavery and colonialism through a blend of art, activism, and scholarship.
Organized by a consortium including the African Futures Lab, Baraza Media Lab, Amnesty International, and the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOCC), the festival seeks to deepen solidarity between Africa and its diaspora. It will feature live music, dance, theater, film screenings, and discussions on topics such as climate justice, economic inequality, and cultural restitution. The program is designed to foster healing and cultural renewal through community action and dialogue.
Rym Khadhraoui, Amnesty International’s Racial Justice Advisor, emphasized the festival’s significance, stating, “We often think about colonialism as something that’s finished, but we are still living in its long shadow. Across the world, people are still suffering the long-lasting effects of colonialism and struggling to get the reparations they deserve from governments.” ([amnesty.org](https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/10/kenya-pioneering-arts-festival-to-demand-reparatory-justice-for-africans-and-people-of-african-descent/?utm_source=openai))
The festival aligns with the African Union’s declaration of 2025 as the “Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent,” which has been extended into a Decade of Reparations (2026–2036). This initiative underscores the AU’s commitment to addressing historical injustices and promoting reparatory justice on the continent. ([the-star.co.ke](https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/realtime/2025-10-02-nairobi-to-host-africas-first-reparations-festival-in-october/?utm_source=openai))
Dr. Liliane Umubyeyi, Co-Founder of the African Futures Lab, highlighted the festival’s broader objectives: “Climate change, debt crisis, forced migration, and deepening socio-economic inequalities are not disconnected phenomena; they are contemporary expressions of a global system of racial domination that remains structurally intact.” ([the-star.co.ke](https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/realtime/2025-10-02-nairobi-to-host-africas-first-reparations-festival-in-october/?utm_source=openai))
William Carew, Head of the Secretariat of AU-ECOSOCC, described Wakati Wetu as “unprecedented,” providing a platform for multisectoral interaction among policymakers, civil society groups, cultural actors, and ordinary people. ([the-star.co.ke](https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/realtime/2025-10-02-nairobi-to-host-africas-first-reparations-festival-in-october/?utm_source=openai))
Tickets for the festival are priced at Ksh. 3,000 for adults and Ksh. 1,500 for students, with free admission for children under 18, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities. A group student ticket offer is available for Ksh. 5,000, admitting five attendees. ([hapakenya.com](https://hapakenya.com/2025/10/12/kenyas-first-reparations-festival-wakati-wetu-set-for-nairobi-on-october-22-23/?utm_source=openai))
The Wakati Wetu Festival represents a significant step in Africa’s pursuit of reparatory justice, aiming to confront historical injustices and envision a future grounded in justice, dignity, and equity.