Kenya Stockholm Blog

On Monday, 9th November 2009, Dr. Godwin Murunga, who is a lecturer at the Department of History at Kenyatta University, spoke about “Transition to Nowhere? Two Years of ‘Post-Election’ in Kenya” at the Department of Political Science, Stockholm University. He is currently a guest researcher with the Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala. Below is a summary of his lecture.

During Kenya’s post-election violence (PEV) in 2008, popular forces or civil society began a debate around the formation of an interim government that would oversee the transfer of power to Parliament, which would eventually call for another presidential election. The post-election violence (PEV) had offered a new vent to advance the debate, yet it remained at the level of blogs and other media outlets abroad. The popular forces did not include “Wanjiku” (the people) in the debate. Historically, Kenya’s political movements have been steered from the top, and have never included people at the grassroots level. The debate got lost when the mediation talks led by Dr. Kofi Annan began.

Kenya’s civil society had expected that an interim government would implement a radical shift from the status-quo, but the “Political class” found a common interest and opted for power-sharing, to remain in full control. Dr. Murunga decried the fragmented state of Kenya’s civil society which is “episodic in character” and only interested in immediate goals. Unfortunately, only a special segment within the non-governmental organizations (NGOs), remains committed to the democratic process, while the professionals and trade unions don’t play a key role.

Dr. Murunga argued that from the 1980s to 2002, Kenya undertook more economic reforms than political ones, based on recommendations by international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, through structural adjustment programs (SAPs).

However, from 2002 to 2007, there seemed to have been no basis for reforms any longer. There was no focus on what reforms should achieve, nor were they anchored in the people’s voices, if ever. Bilateral and multilateral donors were in favor of President Kibaki’s government and Kenyans were surprised to learn that the country’s World Bank representative was Kibaki’s tenant at his Muthaiga home in Nairobi.

There were calls for institutional reforms during the run-up to the 2007 elections, and many youths were registered as first-time voters hoping that the ballot box would bring the desired change they were wishing for. The political class should have understood the people. The PEV was an indicator of the dissatisfaction among those who had wished for change.

The outcome of the presidential election triggered a serious social protest, since Kibaki’s win was perceived as a civilian coup. Dr. Murunga divided the PEV into three levels: citizen to citizen violence, which was prevalent in the Rift Valley and sections of Nairobi; protests against the rigging; and police brutality in the form of State-sanctioned killing in the name of maintaining “law and order”. Hundreds of bodies which were recovered in Opposition strongholds especially within Luo Nyanza, were bullet-riddled, yet most of them were unarmed. The PEV revealed how the security forces were well-equipped and could be misused by politicians who wanted to retain power.

Ironically, even the Opposition seemed not to disagree in the use of State power to subdue protesters, and thus opted for the mediation talks which led to the formation of the Grand Coalition Government. Dr. Murunga named it the “New Elite Alliance” which is a consensus among the elite who have lost track of the required reforms. Dr. Kofi Annan simply implemented a ceasefire, because control has not shifted from the elite to the people. Many Kenyans are disenchanted with the increasing insecurity and impunity within the Government.

Dr. Murunga argued that there is a “crisis of confidence in Kenya’s leadership” with people questioning why the State has not held to account, those involved in the PEV. The same Government fuels impunity by using the police force for brutality, while in the process of reforming it. He felt that no change can come within the police force as long as it is not separated from State management. However, this thinking was challenged by Mr. Okoth Osewe who wondered how the police can be managed outside the Government structure.

Interventions by Mr. Okoth Osewe
During question time, Mr. Osewe refuted Dr. Murunga’s perception that Kenya was on a “Transition to nowhere”, a subject that was the topic of the day’s seminar. According to Mr. Osewe, the author of Raila Odinga’s Stolen Presidency: Consequences and the Future of Kenya”, Kenya was not in a “Transition” but in a process of “Crisis management” following the rigging of elections by members of the Kikuyu ruling class.

Mr. Osewe argued that a political transition ought to have a known point of departure and a pre-determined destination, a situation that, he said, was not the case in Kenya. He said that the Coalition government was part of managing the Kofi Annan cobbled peace-deal as the country went through the process of reforming key institutions before the next elections.

Mr. Osewe also accused Dr. Murunga of presenting a “one sided” and libertarian analysis of Kenyan politics which saw every political development in Kenya within the framework of the deformed capitalist system of government. Mr. Osewe said that the failure of Kenya’s political system during the last 45 years needed to be acknowledged so that new ideas on how to end the crisis in Kenya could be examined.

While Dr. Murunga said that he had no “magic bullet” to sort out the mess in Kenya, Mr. Osewe said that the bullet is cloaked in revolution. Mr. Osewe said that he could not go into the detail of his solution because the subject of the seminar was not revolution.

Mr. Osewe also opposed Dr. Murunga’s view that Kenyans “were losing the struggle” after the post election violence. According to Mr. Osewe, the democratic struggle in Kenya is a continuous process that, in recent times, has seen the defeat of the one Party dictatorship and the overthrow of the Moi/KANU regime after more than four decades in power.

Mr. Osewe said that the problem in Kenya was that political opportunists, who were also ideologically bankrupt, had taken control of both the struggle in Kenya and the State machine under the Coalition government. Mr. Osewe’s view was that this situation will not change unless Kenyans versed in the science of revolution began to organize for a struggle for power.

Dr. Murunga noted that the Church and a section of civil society have been instrumental in barring the Constitutional review process due to some hidden agenda and self-interest. Reforming all the sectors should be part of the Constitution otherwise impunity will never end in Kenya.

Dr. Jared Odero

Pastor Samson Kariuki: Photo Credit: Keegan Kagwe

Pastor Samson Kariuki and family have been blessed with a baby and on Saturday the 28th of November, Kenyans and friends alike will descend at Pastor Samson’s residence for “Caai wa Mwana”, a traditional welcoming ceremony for the new born.

Through this information piece, all those who are in a position to attend the function are cordially invited at Grytstigen 22 (3rd Floor) in Tumba. To get to the residence, take the surface train (Pendeltåg) to Södertälje then alight at Tumba. From Tumba station, take bus number 836 and alight at Vilstigen bust stop which is the third stage  from Tumba Station.

If you are on wheels, drive up to Tumba then take Stovretenvägen then Habrovägen which is the first road on the left. Drive straight then at the junction, turn right and then right again. This will bring you to Pastor Samson’s address. Get out of the car slowly then look for Grytstigen 22.

In case you need further information about the event or in case you are in difficulty finding the address, please, use your mobile phone and call Margaret at 0735505592. Sometimes, Margaret’s number may be busy so feel free to call Josephine at 0704860251 . If both numbers are busy, you can try Pastor Samson himself at 0704523798.

Share this information with a friend and help make this occasion a memorable one especially for Pastor Samson and family which has been very kind and very humble with members of the Kenya-Stockholm community.

Okoth Osewe

If there is one Kenyan who has been working very hard to help orphans in Kenya, her name is Mrs Jacinter Njoroge. After setting up the “Phylis Memorial Childrens home” in Kenya, Jacinter has ensured that the home provides food and shelter to an ever growing number of destitute children in our country. To help support the home, Jacinter has called a Party on Saturday November 21st in Stockholm and all Kenyans, Swedes, friends and well-wishers are invited, not just to come and have a good time but also to help in making a difference in the lives of orphaned children in Kenya. This is just one example of what Kenyans can do to their country instead of constantly asking what the government can do for them. Well done Jacinter!

Kom ihåg att svara oss senast 17 november.
Karine: karine@karine.se Tel: 070-444 17 40
Lalla: Lalla.lindstrom@kapsylen.se Tel: 070-74 222 73
Eva: wernlid@algonet.se Tel: 070-543 20 69
Jacinta: jacynjoroge@hotmail.com Tel: 070-395 330 10
Överskottet från festen går till
Jacintas barnhem i Kenya.

Below is a thought provoking analysis of political Kenya by one of the writers of Kwani Trust, Mr. Martin Kimani – Milton Muigai

The next revolution in Kenya will not be a violent one, contrary to the bloodletting presently underway. Rather it will be the rejection of the generation of men from whom the leaders of this country have been drawn. The major politicians who were politicians before the majority of Kenyans were even born and who even today enjoy inordinate sway in the country. President Mwai Kibaki was born in 1931. Ex-President Daniel arap Moi was born in 1924. They are still doddering onward, unable to relinquish the reins of power they have held tightly for half a century. Theirs is a generation steeped in venality, in tribal arithmetic, in a cynical nationalism and their values have infected those thousands of young people who are roaming the countryside in a killing fury. The young men throwing stones and shooting arrows and the youthful policemen opposite them shooting tear gas and live ammunition are fodder for the failed politics of a generation of old men who may just take all of us to the grave with them.

I was raised to respect my elders and there are many that I indeed respect. But the time has come to assess in the broadest and most personal terms how the generation of leaders that took this country from independence to the bloody and dangerous present has performed. The oldest of this Generation Disaster as it should be called were born in the 1920s and the youngest of the lot in the 1940s. They can be counted as a single generation in the sense that their vision of what constitutes Kenya and their role in it is widely shared.

This generation has played and continues to play a prominent role in politics, in our intellectual life and in the business community. While there are many among them who are capable and well intentioned the defining characteristic of this generation is failure in leadership. It is not enough to lay the blame on a few individuals. This generation of prominent wazees has defined for us the content of our politics and the ethics of governance. They are our very own Boomer Generation except that the boom in this instance is the sound of our dreams and aspirations exploding violently.

It is a popular pastime to compare Kenya’s performance in economic and human development terms with that of the Asian Tigers such as South Korea and Malaysia. How often I have heard it said that these countries in economic terms were neck to neck with Kenya in the 1970s, only for them to surge ahead in the last three decades while Kenya trod water and in many instances retreated in advances it had made.

The approximately 3% of Kenyans who are above the age of 65 and from whom the bulk of Generation Disaster is drawn have led us to an average life expectancy of 55 years compared to South Korea’s 77 and Malaysia’s 72 – according to the online Intute World Guide which allows country comparison of economic data. The economic numbers are even direr. Kenya’s GDP of $38 billion as of 2005 is only a fraction of Malaysia’s $287 billion and South Korea’s $1 trillion. Per capita, Kenyan citizens have only 12% of their Malaysian counterparts’ sum and 6% of the South Korean GDP per capita of almost $23,000. At the turn of the century, 40% of Kenyans were unofficially unemployed compared to fewer than 4% of Malaysians and South Koreans.

These statistics we can suppose with reasonable confidence have deteriorated in the last three weeks and they mean that Kenya can count itself first among equals only if compared to the Congos and Guineas of this world. Our leaders’ vision is only to be lauded if compared to countries that have experienced genocides and decades-long civil wars. Yet this generation which touts its anti-colonialist credentials, its Kennedy Airlifts, its Makerere pedigree and its ambassador-at-thirty mentality has only managed to take us from one disaster to the next.

I grew up hearing about the inferiority of one tribe against the other, on jokes that now seem like macabre warnings of a day when they would become deadly serious. My elders were ever focused on their belly buttons. Not for them to learn from the experiences of other countries – especially the disasters that were unfolding around us and sending refugees by the thousands into our country. Their language was a curious construction. ‘The Kikuyu are now in power,’ they would say even though I hardly saw a penny from this ‘power.’ ‘The Kalenjin have taken power,’ they complained as President Moi stepped into State House, ‘they will finish us now for sure.’ ‘The Luos can never rule this country; the Kikuyus are thieves; the Luhyas don’t know how to take power …’

This curious construction of language is what has given birth to the present crisis and it has underlain the governance of this country since independence. Such a leap into the illogical to our generation of leaders is the very basis of logical thinking when it comes to apportioning power and privilege among themselves. It has served them well this Spokesman-of-the-Tribe role. It is the position that has enabled all those Mercedes Benzes from Goldenberg, Anglo Leasing and the dozens of schemes to rob the Treasury in the name of fulfilling the privileges of tribal mandarin. Though they developed these roles before the majority of us were even born, their thinking has infected us all. Say what you will about the Opposition, but it too is a gathering of Spokesmen of the Tribe challenging a government largely constituted from similar material.

The one thing that these politics will not deliver to this country is the kind of vision and leadership that led South Korea and Malaysia from poverty to wealth. We may continue ‘cleansing’ ‘those people’ from one area or the other and supporting the powerful on the basis that they are ‘our people’ but perhaps we only need to remember that the cost of our lives is borne by individuals. What does it matter that there is a Kikuyu president when you a Kikuyu living in Mathare? This generation of wazees has infected the country with its self-serving obsession on ethnicity as politics and politics as ethnicity. It has lived longer than most Kenyans can expect to live and yet it refuses to exit the stage. We need to say goodbye to Generation Disaster and ask for a divorce from its dystopian vision even if like a bad guest it insists on staying an extra night.

We only need to respect elders who reconcile rather than divide, who serve rather than seating under large tents drinking sodas while we bake in the sun, and who are determined to follow a vision of a rich, tolerant and open-hearted Kenya.

Martin Kimani lives and works in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He has previously been a Teaching Fellow at the Joint Services Command and Staff College in Shrivenham, UK and an Associate of the Conflict Security and Development Group of King’s College of the University of London where he is a doctoral candidate. Martin Kimani is a member of Concerned Kenyan Writers, a coalition whose purpose is to use our writing skills to help save Kenya in this polarised time.

It was a pleasure meeting Shailja again, having attended one of her poetry sessions in Uppsala during her stay as the “2009 Guest Writer” at the Nordic Africa Institute. Her poems are powerful and capture Kenya’s realities, especially during the pre and post election violence (PEV) last year. Shailja is fearless and has an in-depth grasp of Kenya’s historical and political landscape. During the 2008 skirmishes, she wrote an open letter to Samuel Kivuitu, then head of the disbanded Electoral Commission of Kenya, challenging his decision to declare President Kibaki winner of the disputed elections.

It was the first time to meet Ngwatilo, who is a young, talented and creative poet, whose message resonates with the realities facing Kenya’s “Hip hop generation”. She recited a poem flavoured with ‘Sheng’ (Nairobi’s slang-based language), which is important in reaching audiences that would otherwise be left out using academic English. Both women play a major role in bridging the generational gap left by female writers who reigned from the 1960s to the 1980s, and are currently retired.

It was a pity that the third guest, Professor Wambui Mwangi of Toronto University, could not travel to Stockholm due to health reasons. However, she is another gifted writer who runs a blog called the “Diary of a Mad Kenyan Woman”. During the PEV, she posted a damning essay on the election fraud, violence and those wishing to maintain the “feudal principality of Kikuyustan” as cited by Sokari Ekine, a Nigerian-born writer and an award-winning blogger. Ms. Mwangi also writes for Kwani? (Swahili for ‘So What?’), which is a literary magazine for contemporary Kenyan writers available online and in print.

The shift in Kenya’s political landscape since 2002, has revived the lost literary culture and it is now wonderful to read once again, about prolific women writers like Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye and Muthoni Likimani among others, in the local papers and on the Internet.

Mrs. Asenath Bole Odaga is another writer who is famous for short stories in English and Dholuo (her mother-tongue). Her presence on the Internet is special, because she discusses how her writing is a reminder of the fading Luo values affected by the fast-changing lifestyles, particularly in urban areas. I recall her humble bookshop cum printing store, established in the 1980s in Kisumu town. She’s now gone global and runs a website with an online bookstore. Mrs. Odaga would always stop and chat with people; something she still does as a believer in oral literature and an accomplished educator, who is also concerned with empowering young women.

Professor Micere Mugo, the firebrand writer and a Marxist-oriented intellectual, was driven into exile in the early 1980s when the former President Moi’s regime became uncomfortable with her work at the Nairobi University. Her contribution in political science and literature, awakened many of her students and colleagues who fought for Kenya’s “second liberation” in the 1990s. Her ingenious poems and creative writing are shaped by her roots among the Ndia people of Kirinyaga District, whose storytelling culture is used to interpret politics. They believe in frank debates which should not be censored; thus the perceived threats of her writing during Moi’s leadership.

Ms. Joy Mboya is another artist worth crediting for being among the founders of the space for Kenyan artists in the visual and performing arts in Nairobi, better known as The Godown Arts Centre. In a book edited by Njogu and Olunya-Oluoch (2007), Joy argued that the formation of the Centre had been necessitated by the need for Kenyans to “take charge of their cultural agenda by establishing and managing their own cultural spaces”. She also noted that media censorship and the banning of other freedoms of expression during Moi’s regime, sent creativity “into hibernation” in the 1980s and 1990s. Local musicians also suffered because they could not sing about the terrible political situation, without risking detention.

I met Joy for the first time in Stockholm during Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s meeting with the Kenyans on October 23rd 2009, after the EU Development Days conference. I am very grateful for the copy of a book she gave me, titled: “Kenya Burning”, which contains a compilation of photos taken during the post-election violence in 2008. It was her idea to bring together all those who had taken such photos, and to immortalize their work, as a stark reminder of the rot that engulfed Kenya for that period.

Anyway, back to Shailja and Ngwatilo. The open floor segment for questions and answers was quite interesting, because both artists shared personal experiences as performers based in Kenya but also travel abroad frequently. They informed the listeners that there is still no legal framework to protect artists from exploitation especially the musicians, whose work is pirated and hardly earn royalties. It is probably an area which does not threaten the Kenyan ruling class, so they might not be bothered to streamline it. However, musicians currently earn better and have more recording opportunities compared to a few decades ago.

Kenyan writers still face censorship in disseminating their books, especially if they mention powerful politicians. Although they don’t get banned openly as it used to be in the 1980s, bookshop owners cannot stock them for fear of legal suits, from those who cite libel. Nevertheless, there is a thriving underground market for the sale of such books.

Shailja deconstructed the concept of literacy by explaining that in the literary world, there are many “literacies” because reading or oral literature is not only available in the Western languages. These literacies link artists with their communities. Ngwatilo also said that Sheng helps in reaching the youth through rap music and performance arts, giving them a sense of belonging.

I add these two performers on my list of Kenyan women who are empowered with the gift of gab, and are making a difference in the country’s political and cultural landscape. They are among many others who form the growing community of politically conscious poets, writers and storytellers in Kenya.

Jared Odero

• Ngwatilo
• Kwani:
• Bole Odaga:
• The GoDown Arts Centre:

Picture credit: Okoth Osewe

Photo Credit: Keegan Kagwe

Featuring Ngwatilo Mawiyoo and Shailja Patel

PART 2:

Part 3:

Photo credits: Keegan Kagwe

12th November Film and discussion:
“Getting Justice: Kenya’s Deadly Game of Wait and See”

Maina Kiai: To Discuss Documentary

In the beginning of 2008 a wave of violence spread across Kenya. The election results from December 27, 2007, were questioned and lead to riots. More than 1 000 persons were killed and nearly half a million were banished from their homes.

“Getting Justice: Kenya’s Deadly Game of Wait and See” is a documentary about the search for accountability and reconciliation in Kenya. The film gives voice to survivors; it looks at what they desire and discusses some of the issues that they would like to see. It also looks at Rwanda as a contemporary example of how another country has dealt with issues of justice and reconciliation after their major crisis in 1994.

After the screening, we will have a discussion with the human rights defender, Maina Kiai, who uses film as a tool to pursue social justice issues. Maina Kiai is first Chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

Date: Thursday 12 november
Time: 16.30-18.30
Place: Stora Nygatan 26, Old Town, Stockholm

Please let us know if you can come no later than November 10th, send an e-mail to  anmalan@civilrightsdefenders.org or call us at 08-545 277 30.

Welcome!

Dekula Band

6-7-20-21 Nov.2009
from: 21-01 place Lilla Wien Bar & Restaurant.
Address: Swedenborgsgatan 20, Pendel Södra Station

Photo credit: Vumbi

Two sisters, Naomi Njeri and Lisa Muraya, have lost their Dad in Kenya. The Mzee passed away on Tuesday November 3rd at 18.00 Swedish time. As a result of the death, the entire family of both Naomi and Lisa have been plunged into deep mourning.

Kenyans, friends, well wishers and sympathizers are invited to a prayer meeting cum fund raising on Friday 6th November at 4pm at Njeri’s residence located at Trångsund in Stockholm.

The address is Tornsligan 37 (Ground floor). Train to the residence is the surface train (Pendeln) towards Västerhanninge then take off at Trångsund. Those who will be unable to make it to the function can send contributions to Nordea Bank account number 33008212145364.

Further information can be obtained from Mr. Githuku wa Muirani at 0736779031 while the bereaved Njeri can be reached at 0700627913. We have a father who never ever fails. Rock of ages will never, ever fail!

KSB sends deep condolences to the family of Njeri and Lisa during this trying moment marked by great shock and sorrow. We hope that the family will have the courage to go through this tragic experience which, at times, comes without notice.

Okoth Osewe

Photo credit: Keegan Kagwe

L-R: The late Mr. Sumba introducing former Ambassador Mr. Michael Sergon (C) to Mr. Joseph Munene aka Man Nzoro during the wedding of Mr. Laban Mberi in Stockholm

The late Mr. Patrick Onyango Sumba was accorded a state-like burial at his home in Alego Kaluo Kobare on 31st October, 2009. Family members, relatives, friends and high profile politicians like Prime Minister Raila Odinga, and Lands Minister James Orengo, were among those who attended. He was given a royal send off and all the speakers spoke great things about him.

Sumba’s ex-wife, Dr. Rosemary Onyango and sons Pinto and Andrew, were central in paying their last respects. Their presence meant a lot and they were highly appreciated. Mr. Jack Mulo, the late Paddy’s comrade and confidant who is based in Sweden, was also recognized for having worked very closely with him, even in exile.

During speeches, Mr. James Orengo used the opportunity to attack Agriculture Minister Mr. Willian Ruto for beginning Presidential campaigns “too early”. According to Orengo, whose views were supported by Assistant Finance Minister Oburu Odinga, ODM’s nominations for the post of president could not be made through public declarations.

Dr. Oburu told the mourners that ODM had its own way of nominating its presidential candidate and that an individual could not begin to raise the issue three years before elections. He said that ODM will not stop anybody from vying for Presidency but added that the time is not yet ripe for ODM members to begin campaigns for presidential nominations. Noting that there are Kenyans who are good at long and short races, Dr. Oburu said that becoming President of Kenya is not easy.

On his part, Prime Minister Raila Odinga steered clear of talk about the presidency. Instead, he concentrated on the need for a new constitution and stressed that it was important for Kenyans to have a Constitution that was acceptable to everybody. Mr. Odinga lamented the fact that the Judiciary had lost its credibility and said that Constitutional reforms would include institutional reforms so that the existing institutions could be made more effective.

The mourners were also addressed by Gem MP Jackoyo Midiwo who questioned the process through which Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta had tendered VW Passat cars to replace fuel guzzling Mercedes Benzes for Ministers and Assistant Ministers.

The presence of former Stockholmers was acknowledged as they entered in a 4×4 Nissan Patrol vehicle, with a Swedish flag flying high on the front. Minister Orengo jokingly mentioned that their vehicle was larger than his. It is usual to size up material possessions during burial ceremonies in Kenya.

The team, which consisted of Dr. Wycliffe Odiwuor, Mr. Thomas Opande, Mr. Waore Diang’a and the writer, was honored to be there and took photos which will be shared later at KSB. Some returned to Kisumu today, while others are driving back to Nairobi and were past Naivasha at the time of reporting, Sunday 1st November at 17:30, Swedish time.

Rose Adero,
Nairobi-bound

Apostle Karanja in action. Photo: Keegan Kagwe

By the time the Divine Healing Conference addressed by Apostle David Karanja of the Christ Ministry’s Harvesters came to an end on Sunday, November 1st in Stockholm, two Kenyans had been saved from their sins, having been washed by the blood of Jesus during Apostle Karanja’s sermons which moved the audience to levels that have never been seen in Stockholm.

Ms Grace Nyambura, a young Kenyan lady, and Mr. Joseph Kamau, a Kenyan and brother to Mr. Githuku wa Muirani, the coordinator of the Conference, were both ushered into the Kenya-Stockholm community of those who had accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Deep emotion reigned supreme as Grace burst into tears after she was captured by the spirit of Jesus Christ following Apostle Karanja’s sermons.

As she entered into a moment of divine transformation from a sinful past to a new life of heavenly glory thereby booking a permanent seat in the Kingdom of heaven, fellow Christians who witnessed the historic moment had no option but to provide Grace with a shoulder to cry on as she came to task with the powerful spiritual force that had captured her conscience before freeing her spirit to enable her serve the Lord Jesus Christ for the rest of her life. Apostle Karanja’s sermons were so captivating that there are no words to describe the central impact of his message for those who missed the event.

In fact, a Kenyan called KSB and confessed that he had to escape from the Conference hall to prevent himself from being captured by the spirit of Jesus Christ because he still loved appearing at the Vasa Temple.

It was amazing to notice the huge number of Kenya-Stockholmers who attended the Conference. By Sunday, the hall was filled to capacity and Kenyans whose religious allegiances are known to belong to the Temple of Vasa all trooped to the Conference to listen to Apostle Karanja.

Judging by the huge attendance by Kenyans from all walks of life, it appears as though Kenya-Stockholmers are in some kind of a deep search for spiritual guidance apparently after “losing direction” and the Conference must have been a manna from heaven. Tribalism was shoved aside as Kenyans from all ethnic groups congregated to listen to Apostle Karanja.

Known enemies hugged liberally as top gossipers and other prominent propagandists who have been spreading malice and dirty gossip against their alleged enemies sat patiently to be lectured by Apostle Karanja about the futility of: unforgiveness, hatred, bitterness, anger, gossip, envy, malice, slander, strife, and, most importantly, sexual immorality which has literally been out of control in Kenya-Stockholm’s youth and adults alike.

In the recent past, the community has witnessed shocking scenes of wives being snatched, hanyad and dumped by friends, girlfriends being hijacked and their pants stripped by trusted pals, the youth engaging in indiscriminate “hanyaring operations” to the amazement of shocked parents as young Kenyan girls swaggered around in town almost semi-naked, all in the spirit of summer, sexual liberation and fashion. The consequence has been accidental pregnancies, painful divorce cases and even abortion among the youth.

Kenyans who are known not to see eye to eye because of historical disagreements met, shook hands, hugged and took pictures collectively to the amusement of observers. It was like the Almighty God had sent Pastor Karanja on a healing mission in Kenya Stockholm because after the Conference, there was a general agreement that “things will never be the same in Stockholm”. The message was that the impact of Apostle Karanja’s sermons were so powerful that many attendees felt that a transformation had occurred in their lives.

This translates into forgiving your enemies, reconciling past differences with perceived enemies, closing your mouth to gossip and negative propaganda against other Kenyans, extending a helping hand in times of need, being your brother’s/sister’s keeper, putting an end to admiring or luring other people’s women, serving as a role model for the youth, ending alcoholism and consumption of drugs and putting (to a permanent end) all evils that you have been associated with.

One critical observation was that Apostle Karanja’s Stockholm Conference seems to have brought all leaders of the Kenya-Stockholm Christian community together. Apart from brother Githuku wa Muirani who coordinated the event, top Christians who were also in the mix included Pastor Beatrice Kamau of St Klara Church, Pastor Tilla of the Redeemed Gospel Church, Pastor Samson Kariuki of the Outreach Ministries,  Pastor Stanley of the New Life Service (French) including Pastor Karl Erick and Pastor Overa of St Klara Church.

Greatest message from the Conference is Love
Speaking to KSB, brother Githuku wa Muirani thanked God for having made things happen. He thanked the organizing Committee for making things possible by taking their time and spending their cash. He encouraged Kenyans to stand strong in the face of trials. He posed:

“Did you know that the only difference between a piece of black coal and a priceless diamond is the amount of pressure that it endured? When you stand strong in the midst of trials and difficulties in life, when you allow God to shape and mould your character, it’s like going from a piece of coal to a priceless diamond. Those difficulties are going to give way to new growth, new potential, new talent, new friendships, new opportunities and new vision. You’re going to see God develop your life in ways that you’ve never even dreamed!”

“I thank all the people of Stockholm for having turned up in large numbers and hope that in future, more conferences and seminars will take place in Stockholm to strengthen and energize the Kenya-Stockholm community”, Brother Muirani told KSB. He said that the big turn-out was evidence of the love of God amongst us.

Turning to Apostle Karanja’s key message, brother Muirani said that “the greatest message from the Conference is love because by showing love, we can draw people unto the almighty God”.

He continued. “When we show love, we work with forgiveness, not bitterness. It shows that we are ready to work together as a community”. Quoting from the bible, he said:

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance and endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation” (Romans 5:3-4, NLT).

Mr. Muirani hoped that the seeds that had been planted during the Conference will grow to give rise to peace and a loving environment  within the Kenyan community and friends alike.

“In everything we do, we should remember that God has given us different talents. We should encourage and promote each other instead of bringing one another down”, Mr. Muirani told KSB. He added that the talents God has given us should be used for the benefit of the Kingdom of God. He continued:

“Did you know that the way you handle your adversities has a huge impact on your success in life? If you shrink back, choose to get bitter, and lose your enthusiasm, then you are allowing the difficulties of life to bury you. You are allowing hardship to keep you from your God-given destiny. But if you choose to keep pressing forward with a smile on your face, rejoicing even in the hard times, you are allowing God’s character to be developed inside of you. You are setting yourself up for promotion”.

He said that Kenyans should give thanks and praises to the almighty God and hoped that God will protect Apostle David Karanja, his family and his Ministry.

Mr. Muirani also thanked Mrs Jennifer Mungai who acts as the International Coordinator of Christ Harvesters Ministries International. Jenifer is based in Geneva.

During the Conference, 27 children were dedicated to God by Apostle Karanja and Brother Muirani appealed to parents of these children to keep in touch because there is a package which will be sent by Christ Ministries Harvesters International from Atlanta. Muirani disclosed that the package will contain guidelines on how to help the children walk in the ways of the Lord.

Mr. Muirani also thanked KSB for covering the event since the idea was mooted and hoped that the blog site will continue to serve members of the Kenya Stockholm community diligently. In his prayer, Brother Muirani said:

“Father in heaven, thank You for giving me strength to overcome every obstacle in life. I choose to rejoice no matter what may come against me because I know You are working all things together for my good. Thank You for developing Your character in me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen”.

Okoth Osewe

Photo credit: Keegan Kagwe