Waweru Dupes KT On ”Swedish Player Of The Year” Story
George Waweru, a Kenyan footballer based in Sweden, has succeeded in duping Kenyan Times, Kenyans at home and abroad that he was voted “Swedish Player of the year” for 2006/2007.
According to a story that was published in Kenya Times (28th February 2006), “The award is a great achievement by Waweru who moved to Sweden in 2005 with an aim to revive his career nearly cut shot by injury”.
The story was lifted from Kenya Times and published in KSB where it immediately ran into problems.
The first question was how a Kenyan national could have won the “Swedish Player Of The Year” award (a very high profile prize in Swedish football) without Kenyans in Stockholm noticing. The award is normally handed over at Globen, one of the most prestigeous venues in town while the event itself normally attracts all mainstream media.
Secondly, the award is normally dished out towards the end of every year especially in November. Waweru’s story came up yesterday, three months after the award was handed over to Fredrik Ljungberg who won the 2006 beat. Although Waweru claimed in KT that he was awarded the 2006/2007 prize, the 2007 Swedish Player of the year will be handed over towards the end of this year.
“ I really feel proud to have been named the Sweden player of the year. It is a moral boosting award I acn say I’m yet to offer more during my career here (Sweden),” said Waweru.
According to Kenya Times, Waweru is playing in the “Swedish premier league” while the truth is that Waweru plays for Västerås SK Footbal Club, a team in division three league and which is based miles away from Stockholm city.
The Kenya Times Text, whose reporter claimed to have spoken to Waweru, appears to have lifted sections of the text from a KBC report which was published on 10th February 2006. The report, which was titled “George Waweru eyes Swedish move” said:
“Former international defender George Waweru is set to move to Sweden as he strives to revive his career nearly cut shot by injury. Waweru said in an interview that his agent Patrick Mok has arranged for him to undergo trials in Sweden next week. “Iam hoping to restart my career in Sweden next week,” he said. Waweru also revealed that he had just been released by Tanzanian side Mtibwa Sugar. The lanky defender said he would not mind playing for the national team Harambee Stars despite being abandoned by the side after the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Tunisia. “I will respond to call to join the team and do duty for my country,” he added. Waweru was sacked from Tusker Fc immediatly after the Nations Cup finals. He had a brief stint with Rwandan side APR and left under unclear circumstances”.
Parts of the KT story said: “The lanky defender said he would not mind playing for the national team Harambee Stars despite being abandoned by the side after the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations finals”. This appears to have been lifted from the text above (in bold).
Another part of the KT story quoted Waweru as saying: “I feel I still have a lot to give my country and I would respond swiftly if I was called upon to join the national team”.
The 2006 Swedish player of the year award was handed over by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt in November last year while “Take That” a leading British band, played at the function.
It looks like Kenyans abroad are becoming sophisticated and can go a long way to dupe a national Newspaper back home if that is what it takes to lift a profile.
The publication of the Waweru story will, most likely, embarrass Kenya Times because it shows that the level of Journalism at the paper is very low. It should have been very easy for the Journalist to check the story.
The fact that the Journalist claimed to have spoken to Waweru on the phone raises even more pertinent questions because the text of the story appears to have been lifted from a KBC story that was published in February last year.
If it were true, Wakenya could have stormed Globen during the prize giving ceremony, waving Kenyan flags and singing “yote yawezekana” songs to the white Swedish crowd. There is no way the event could have passed quietly and this impossibility is what appears to have exposed the story.
Okoth Osewe
Waweru Named Swedish Player Of The Year
By JAMES WAINDI
Former international defender George Waweru has been named the 2006/2007 player of the year in the Swedish Premier League. The award is a great achievement by Waweru who moved to Sweden in 2005 with an aim to revive his career nearly cut shot by injury.
Speaking to Kenya Times on telephone yesterday, Waweru said that he dedicated the awards to his agent Patrick Mok who arranged for him to join Swedish side Vasteras SK.
“ I really feel proud to have been named the Sweden player of the year. It is a moral boosting award I acn say I’m yet to offer more during my career here (Sweden),” said Waweru.
Waweru suffered a career threatening injury during the 2004 Africa Nations Cup in Tunis, Tunisia that forced him out of action for a long spell of time. The extent of the injury only came to light after the Harambee Stars’ opening game against Mali where Kenya lost 1-3 with doctors revealing a fractured neck. Its believed the original injury occurred when Waweru was mugged by thieves in Nairobi a year later.
The lanky defender said he would not mind playing for the national team Harambee Stars despite being abandoned by the side after the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations finals.
“I feel I still have a lot to give my country and I would respond swiftly if I was called upon to join the national team,” he added.
Waweru was sacked from Tusker FC immediatly after the Nations Cup finals, before having a brief stint with Rwandan side APR and left under unclear circumstances. Former international mid-fielder Titus Mulama has also joined him at the team. Mulama joined the Vasteras outfit in ealry January.
“Maggero Memorial Committee” Dissolved In Stockholm
The Committee that organized the Maggero memorial in Stockholm a few weeks ago has been dissolved. The dissolution took place at a meeting that was Chaired by the Committee’s Chairperson Mr. Jared Aroka. The meeting was held at Wananchi Pavillion.
Mr. Aroka thanked all Kenyans, friends and sympathizers who attended the function. The Committee observed that the huge attendance at the function was a clear demonstration that Kenyans and friends had all been concerned about events that surrounded Maggero’s death.
Key issues included the failure of Maggero’s Swedish family to announce the Mzee’s death, the refusal by the family to allow Maggero’s family in Kenya from attending the funeral, refusal by the family to allow Kenyans to view Maggero’s body, the cremation of Maggero’s body without representation fron Maggero’s family in Kenya and the issue of Kenyans mourning the late Maggero in their own way. Maggero’s Swedish family was opposed to the Kenyan memorial function although they did not try to disrupt it.
The event was bankrolled by the Committee who got their money back. The Committee shared the losses with Dr. Otieno Wariaro playing a prominent role to sort out the losses. Apart from the losses, there were no major outstanding cases that needed deliberation. Dr. Wariaro, who was one of Maggero’s best friend and confidant, told Kenyans during the memorial that he did not believe that Maggero wanted to be cremated. In his contacts with KSB, Dr. Wariaro maintained that Maggero told him that he wanted to be buried next to his mother if he died.
Mr. Aroka told KSB that the debate that was generated following Maggero’s death was healthy. He said that Kenyans who were opposed to the memorial were in the minority and congratulated Kenyans and all those who have since come up to air their views on the Maggero issue especially on the controversial question of cremation.
Mr. Aroka said that the Maggero committee had completed its mandate and thanked everybody who was involved in ensuring that the late Maggero was also mourned by Kenyans who loved him very much.
The Committee hoped that Maggero’s Swedish family will continue with the healing process and to use memories of the Kenyan memorial as a source of reflection and better inter-cultural understanding especially between the Swedish and Kenyan cultural practices.
Those who sat in the Committee were: Mr. Jared Aroka, Mr. Martin Ngatia, Mrs Hellen Opwapo, Mrs Caroline Ayodo, Mr. Okoth Osewe, Dr. Otieno Wariaro, Dr. Jared Odero, Mr. Antony Adiwa, Mr. Laban Mberi and Mr. Osore Ondusye.
The Committee encouraged Maggero’s family not to look at the Kenya Memorial as an act of rebellion but as a show that Kenyans genuinely loved Maggero. The Committee also thanked KSB for having raised the issue forcefully and for having given it the coverage it deserved.
KSB took much of the heat as temperatures climbed to boiling point during the debate. However, much of the fire directed at KSB began to subside drastically as a troop of Kenyans emerged to take positions during the debate and to show that the Maggero issue was not a KSB matter but a crisis in which majority of Kenyans were concerned about.
By the time the Maggero memorial kicked off, two blogs that had been set up to fight KSB and to taint the names of KSB contributors had gone dead. Debate articles and video clips on the Maggero issue have been archived at the KSB Files.
Okoth Osewe
Clay Onyango Hits Back At Rumour Mongers
Regarding an article published at KSB by Dishon Kinywa who pretends to be in London. As KSB mentioned, you are out to assassinate my character as other rumour mongers in Stockholm. I know all my clients and that name doesn’t ring a bell. This is the last article I will write in response to any accusations.
I don’t want to lower my dignity by replying to articles that are not educative or progressive to Kenyans like the one you sent to KSB. In your article, you mentioned that you knew that one day this was going to happen. What has happened?
You also mentioned that you have no grudge with me so why didn’t you come out clean and say what I did? For your information, I know you are still suffering, looking for your papers in London and changing addresses while dodging cops.
You said Mungu sio Athumani. Mungu has really helped me in my achievements. I am not in jail as you think. I got married 2 years ago and had a wonderful wedding that was well attended by so many friends. I have 4 lovely kids and a wonderful wife.
I have just started another business that is picking up so well. My advice to Dishon Kinywa, Gerry Midenyo, George Mengo and a few others who might pop up is: Please visit a mental hospital. It’s free in Sweden. You do have a loose nerve in your brains.
You have been living on earth for approximately 18,250 days. Think wisely and write educative articles instead. I have so many people who believe in me so don’t waste your time.
I do apologise to Kenyans and friends who might think this was uncalled. I really appreciate all your support.
Clay Onyango
KSB NOTE:
We hope that the war of words between Mr. Clay and his detractors will soon come to an end. Clay is a businessman and any accusations of fraud, dirty dealings or drug peddling should be backed up with hard evidence. Empty accusations in the Net will never crystalize into evidence but will make Clay’s accusers look ninny.
ODM-K Scandinavia Members Briefed About Party Activities
The Chairlady of ODMK-Scandinavia Mrs Hellen Opwapo has said that the Party will soon begin to teach Kenyan history and to give political education free of charge to Kenyans at the Wananchi Pavillion in Stockholm. She said that such education programs would reduce ignorance about Kenya among both Kenyans and Swedes who were interested.
The meeting, which was held on Saturday 24th February, was called to enable ODM-KS members to get a briefing from the Committee about the Party’s activities since it was launched in October last year.
Mrs Opwapo said that ODM-KS believes that politicians in government have a responsibility of ending rampant corruption in the country. She said that the government should look into the plight of the disabled in Kenya and give priority to projects geared towards improving the conditions of the disabled in Kenya.
Mrs Opwapo appealed to Kenyans to support ODM-K because it was the only party with an agenda that could help address the problems facing Kenyans today. She said that ODM-KS was united in its support for the mother Party in Kenya and pointed out that the fundamental issue in Kenya today is how President Mwai Kibaki and the Mafia around him can be removed from power.
She said that Kibaki had taken Kenya backwards since he took power and stressed that if this government is not defeated, Kenyans will continue to suffer. She said that ODM-KS will continue to work in the interest of the Kenyan community in Scandinavia and the Kenyan people back home.
Mrs Opwapo attacked the Kenyan Ambassador to Scandinavia Mrs Purity Muhindi for being insensitive to the Kenyan community in Scandinavia.
“It is a big shame that the Kenyan Ambassador Purity Muhindi has refused to work with Kenyans and to look into the interest of the Kenyan community here”, she said. She encouraged the Ambassador to open the door of the Embassy to Kenyans whose interest, she said, should come first.
At the meeting, Ms Sofia Njoroge, the new Party Treasurer, gave a comprehensive report about a poor Kenyan family in Korogocho, Kenya, which members of ODM-KS had decided to help after her plight was brought to the attention of the world by CNN last year.
During his contacts with ODM-K in January this year, Mr. Dancan Munala, the Party secretary, was also given the responsibility of taking contacts with the poor woman in Korogocho and to look into how she could be helped by ODM-KS members who were moved by her plight together with her four orphaned grand children. Members were happy with the progress that had been made in helping the Korogocho woman. During the visit, Mr. Munala took pictures and video footage of the woman’s living condition as part of the documentation of the help ODM-KS members were giving the woman.
Mr. Sospeter Opee Senior, a member of the Party, told the meeting that ODM-KS was not financially equipped to engage in charity work in Kenya but welcomed the help independent members of the Party were according the Korogocho woman. Mr. Opee said that the main task of ODM-KS members now was to finance the Office in Stockholm and to make sure that ODM-KS members had a meeting place. He said that the Party needed to go out clearly that it was not a charity organization and that any help given to the poor in Kenya was at the individual level within the party and not Party policy.
The Party Committee encouraged Kenyans to join ODM-KS to help bring down the corrupt and tribalistic government of President Mwai Kibai which believes that Kenyans are stupid people. Mrs Opwapo encouraged Kenyans to get in contact with the Party through its Office at Högbersgatan 48. She thanked the Committee for the good work it was doing.
ODM-KS members agreed that they needed to meet on a regular basis and the Secretary was given the task of planning the meetings accordingly. The meeting agreed that the details of Party activities would be compiled and sent out to all members through snail mail including those who could not attend the meeting due to various reasons.
Okoth Osewe
“Stockholm Soul Party 2007” Was A Big Success
If you were left behind, you have yourself to blame. Kenyans from all walks of life, friends and Party lovers congregated at Nosrborg Musikhuset to do their thing with both DJ EZ Frank and DJ Safi giving revellers a run for their money.
Genge music, bongo flavour, lingala, hip-hop and other genres were there in plenty. Revellers whose bodies were burning for action did it on the floor while others simply chatted away the night against a background of heavy disco music. People were literally forced to shout at the top of their voices just to make a small point.
As usual, the girls were at it once again. It was like a “who is who” in Kenya Stockholm “fashion industry” and it was easy to notice that the youthful ones were at the extreme end when it came to defining the percentage of the body that had to be covered – very little. One funny thing is that Kenyan women (and may be others) never “repeat clothes” at parties. You see her with this one this time and next time you have to expect something new.
As for the men, they were in their usual “trade marks”. Nani had his usual baggy trouser and that ka black leather Jacket.
Still on dresses, there was one very outstanding case – the brown lady who had a short trouser (if you saw her). By any means, the trouser was dangerously short that when she tip-toed away from you, two centimetres of the slopes of the little mountains she carried could be seen clearly. Jameni.
African/Kenyan Salonists must have done booming business in the past few weeks. Heads were weaved as if Mamanzi were going for “Miss World” contest. I even failed to recognize one Manzi because of the “magic weave”!
WHERE IS MAN GITASH?
The crowd was very mixed although it looked more East African with a sprinkling of West Africans colouring the dance floor. A few white faces here and there but mainly white girls who had been brought along by their African lovers to have another taste of the African beat. The few whites looked kinda shy on the floor, probably because they couldn’t fuse well with the beats although some were very good.
It was nice meeting people like Ricky Komalafe from Nigeria after a long time. Mike Wambua and his close pal, Macdowell from Rwanda have not been seen for ages – thanks to the party. Mike told me some times back that he had moved to Hjulsta although I have never met him.
I hope that Macdowell will this time send that email he talked about. I was surprised that he still had my email in what he called his “hard drive”. He was very engaging.
“The computer has no hard drive. The real hard drive is here (pointing to his head). It’s my hard drive which tells the computer hard drive what to do”, he joked as I nodded skilfully.
Barry Owino was at the counter while two pretty girls were strategically placed at the gate to get the cash out of people’s pockets. By Stockholm standards, it was a “low coast” Party. If you didn’t want to pay, you simply had to arrive before 10.30 and that was it. The money you saved could get you two beers and one soda on top!
The free entrance was a big attraction to some youth who are normally very problematic when it comes to parting with chapaa at the gate. I was a bit surprised to find that some very prominent Kenyans who should have had no problem with paying 50kr arrived at “ground zero” by 7.00 O’clock to take advantage of the situation. Don’t ask me because I was myself late although some KSB spies were already on the ground.
It was good meeting Oti Goga who had just returned from Kenya, heard that there was a party and that was it. He had to come. I did not however see my friend Mark Gaya or Moses Trubadur. Laban Mberi told me he was going to be away so I did not expect to meet him. But, where was Jimmy, Chirchir and Bridget, the well-known Party crew? Oti Chalie is in London so he is the last person I expected to meet there. I still don’t remember what Susan Mukami was up to with her friend although they appeared to have been having a pretty good time.
Man Gitash was not there either, not to talk about Man Zoro, Man Njoro, Lady Winnie and other prominent Kenyans I expected at the Party. Man Gitash has been lost for a while although I can understand him because I heard through BBC Stockholm that there is something major which has taken up his time. At least, DJ Steve was there after a long holiday, not to forget Dan Aroka and Githuku wa Muirani.
Talking to man Gerry Midenyo was very refreshing. He had just resigned as ODMK-Scandinavia Treasurer because of personal reasons and we had lots to catch up on. Something funny is that Net propaganda has it that Gerry left ODMK-Scandinavia and the Mzee wondered how far people are ready to spread falsehoods even when he is available and could be reached directly. Asked why he has not responded to correct the picture, he said he doesn’t “respond to rubbish”. He promised to attend the next ODMK-Scandinavia meeting.
KENYAN BEATEN MBAYA SANA
There are some Kenyans whom you spot at a Party and you are sure it’s gonna “rain” very heavy snow that day. They have simply abandoned Wakenya in Stockholm and the stupid parties. They might be right for as the liquids began to take effect, a group of Tanzanians pulled a Kenyan from the dance floor and clobbered him proper.
Don’t ask me because I don’t know exactly how it started. However, according to an eye witness, the guy was dancing with another Cutie who was not “his property” and whose system he does not understand. He was playing with mali ya wenyewe.
As DJ Safi worked their brains up, it is reported that the guy’s hands began to stray in the wrong directions because it looked like he had misunderstood the message that was being conveyed by the rhythms. Through careful observation, one could see that the wriggles around the waist were like agreeing but the guy might have taken it too far. His hands began to sway haphazardly (on and off) on the goods behind as his chest also tried to benefit from the delicate cargo in front through some kind of contact. It was like watching the film “mission impossible”.
The dance floor was comfortably dim-lit and the disco lights were having maximum effect. Suddenly, the Cutie stopped dancing and an argument appeared to have started. Kumbe in the background, some Watizedi (Tanzanians) who appeared to have been having links with this Kamanzi had been watching the developments uncomfortably from a safe distance. One of the Watizedi behaved like someone who might have been “surfing” the Cutie (if you know what I mean).
When the group noticed that the dance had suddenly stopped and it was like a quarrel had taken over, they immediately took advantage of the situation, rushed to the floor, pulled this Mkenya out and wasted him mbaya. At the end of the action, the Mkenya was all blood as wengine tried to understand what had happened. No Kenyan tried to help him as he was being clobbered. Shenzi.
Interestingly, another fight broke up as another Kenyan tried to intervene to help our bleeding brother. A Mkenya went and held the intervening brother, wondering why he was trying to get into the thing and in the process, the two walishikana mashati.
GOSSIP
Drinks were there is plenty and I wondered what Nani would say now. He had made an accusation at a web site that Wakenya ni walevi sana. He wrote that after drinking, Wakenya normally start endless gossip! Somehow, he was right. There was no shortage of gossip at the party and you just had to get a person you thought had the “inside edition” about a juicy tale you had not caught up with because you have been bizzi, playing hockey (sweeping), cooking machapo (washing dishes) or panguzaring wazee too hard to make those kwachas for that trip home. The latest craze among Wakenya sasa is Plamsa TV. If you don’t have it, you are out of the competition so you better catch up! Back to gossip!
“So what’s up? Where is your buddy Nani?” Ah, that guy is stupid. He is now at kronofogden (debt collecting agency).
Aha. What happened?
He took a car on credit and now he is unable to repay the loan because he lost his job after overstaying in Kenya”.
“How could he have overstayed?”
“Eti his ticket and passport were stolen by wakora in Nairobi. How do you walk around with your passport and ticket in a bar in Nairobi?” And if that is not juicy enough, you just had to excuse yourself and zoom to another rumour mill.
I was confronted with a difficult question by a KSB fun.
“Mamen, who is this stupid guy running a web site in Norway and writing a lot of shit about us here in Stockholm?”
“I don’t know”.
“He uses names of people we have never heard about, claiming that they live in Stockholm”. There was much to catch up with and I had to move on.
“Osewe. Eti Clay was arrested?”
“But the thing is in the blog”
“Yes. I read it but what happened?”
“I also don’t know. I talked to Clay and he said that all is well”.
“Ok. Sawa”.
All in all, the Party was very good and I hope that the Crew will soon throw a new one so that watu wakutane. Food was very good. KSB takes this opportunity to congratulate the Party crew and hopes that more parties are on the way.
Okoth Osewe
Dishon Kinywa Attacks Clay Onyango
To say the least, Mr. Clay Onyango is a fraudster. I was in Stockholm four years ago and Clay did some very nasty (if not fraudulent) things to me personally. I wonder why the Swedish people let someone like him to run a bogus office with the pretence that it’s a travel agency.
I have no grudge with Clay. But, he should know that God is watching him “na Mungu sio athumani”. I have met people in Kenya and the United Kingdom complaining of Clay. What kind of a coincidence is this?
I am actually just laughing because I knew that one day, this was going to happen. I am happy myself that this is coming out. I felt obliged to say one or two things about this man.
Dishon Kinywa
KSB NOTE:
Bwana Kinywa, you could have been specific in what Clay did for you otherwise this attack could amount to character assassination.
“I am Not In Prison”, Says Clay Onyango
There is a rumour going on in Stockholm that I am in jail for dealing in drugs and fake cards. I have been phoned by several people trying to confirm if this is correct. The answer is NO. As a business man, I am aware that I must have enemies. I have been a businessman for the last 7 years and I am proud to say that I have not been summoned by police or even been in jail.
Yes, as a business man, I have debts, I have made mistakes and I can also go bankrupt. This situation faces other major business companies like British Airways, Alitalia, KLM, Ericsson, Xerox and so on.
Even governments do have debts. The Kenyan, Tanzanian, Afgan and other governments all have debts and so on. Big Airlines like SABENA went bankrupt, just like other big companies have. Yes, as a businessman, I have also been a victim of fraud through visa cards and this applies to all large Airlines and big companies.
Now, one wonders why somebody should wake up one morning and build rumours that I am in jail. Rumours have been spreading for a month but I did not want to comment on them. It has gone too far now. It’s not funny to receive calls all the time from friends asking whether I am in prison.
I have been in touch with some of these rumour mongers and it is unfortunate that these are people who have been living in Sweden for the last 30 years and one wonders if they are becoming infants as they grow.
One even went to an African Embassy, made an appointment to meet the Ambassador and started saying that I usually organise parties so that people can come and fight, report the fights to police so that they can get compensation which I then share with them.
Surely, isn’t this a mentally sick person? I do not want to mention names. But I would advice Kenyans to keep these two individuals away from their lives. They would come to my office, rush to the kitchen, make coffee and before they leave, ask for 20 Kr for cigarettes but what comes out next? Rumours. Sometimes I wonder why God picks good people from the society and leaves the rotten ones.
Clay Onyango
Clay Onyango Not In Police Custody
For the last 24 hours, stories have been circulating in Stockholm that Mr. Clay Onyango is in police custody after being arrested. When the rumours reached KSB, we called Clay directly and confirmed that the Kenyan businessman is not in police custody.
“I am in my Office and I don’t understand why some people are spreading lies about me”, Clay told KSB.
This is the second time that rumours have swept Stockholm that Clay has been arrested. Last month, information that reached KSB that Clay had been arrested turned out to have been false because when KSB called Clay as investigations began, Clay answered the phone. He was eating eggs and bacon. Following the latest rumours, Mr. Clay has promised to release a statement through KSB.
Okoth Osewe
ODM-K Scandinavia Briefed About Contacts With Nairobi
ODMK-Scandinavia Executive committee has been briefed about recent contacts with headquarters in Nairobi. The Party had sent Mr. Dancan Munala, Secretary, to consult with the mother Party on certain central issues in the run up to the elections scheduled for December this year.
The most important issues included the launching of ODM-Kenya, the strategy for campaigns and the role ODM-K Scandinavia could play to ensure that the Party seizes power at the end of the year.
During his contacts, Mr. Munala held a meeting with members of ODM-K Executive council who appreciated the formation of ODMK-Scandinavia. The meeting was attended by Mr. Henry Kosgey, Kenneth Marende, Omingo Magara, Janet Ongera and Mutula Kilonzo.
Party members in Nairobi told Mr. Munala that ODM-K would like help in other areas like fund raising to finance its election budget which will soon be released.
The Party needs money for launching ODM-K as a political Party, provision of transport during campaigns, conducting opinion polls, spreading information and propaganda and organizing political rallies across the country in the run up to the elections.
Munala’s visit was a follow-up to a previous contact by ODMK-Scandinavia Chairlady Mrs Hellen Opwapo who visited headquarters in December last year. Mrs Opwapo had fruitful discussions with Hon Raila Odinga and other ODM-K officials.
Okoth Osewe
No Change In Swedish Immigration Rules
A discussion has erupted among Kenyans in Stockholm as to whether the Swedish immigration rules have changed to allow Kenyans without papers to settle in the country. The debate was ignited through “BBC Stockholm” (Kenya underground News channel in Stockholm) that a Kenyan national who has been living “chini ya maji” is travelling to Kenya today after he was granted a Permanent Residence Permit (PUT). The Kenyan had applied for asylum more than five years ago but his case was dismissed by both the Swedish Immigration Department and the Swedish Aliens Board where he had appealed.
According to Inger Laggerström, a Press contact at the Swedish Immigration Department, “there is no law that has changed recently for asylum seekers whose cases had been dismissed by the authorities”.
Inger told KSB that the last change in the rules occurred on 9th November 2005 when Swedish Parliament decided through a “temporary six month law” that asylum seekers whose cases were facing dismissal between 15th November 2005 and 31st March 2006 would be reconsidered to stop their deportation by force.
FAMILY CONNECTIONS: NO PERMIT ON SWEDISH SOIL
The case also applied to refugees who had gone underground after their cases were dismissed by the Swedish authorities. This reconsideration of cases ended on 30th September 2006. A total of 8,000 refugees in the underground submitted their cases for reconsideration.
Because of this legislation, 31,112 cases were submitted for reconsideration out of which 1,000 cases were of those who had re-applied for asylum to benefit from the temporary law. At the end of the “test period” on 30th September last year, 13,021 Permanent Residence Permits were issued while 4,163 Temporary Permits were also issued, bringing the total figure to 17,184. From those who were allowed to stay, non was from Kenya. Majority were from Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan while others were families who have been waiting for Permits for long periods of time.
Majority of those who were issued with temporary Permits could not have their identities verified and their inability to travel back to their countries were considered to have been of “a temporary nature”.
Out of those who were granted Permits, 15,500 had been settled in a Kommun in Sweden while another 1,500 were still waiting to be settled.
Inger said that Kenyans and other persons seeking Residence status through family connections had to travel back to their respective countries to submit their applications for Residence Permit at the Swedish Embassy then wait. The waiting period ranges between 3 months and one year.
She said that there is no Permit being issued on Swedish soil in cases of family connections unless their was a “special circumstance”, a euphemism routinely used by Immigration officials to refer to cases where the woman was pregnant and the applicant was destined to become a parent.
FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION, MUNGIKI AND KENYAN ASYLUM SEEKERS
Last year, 120 Kenyans were given Residence Permits in Sweden. Out of this figure, 65 were women while 55 were men. A total of 55 Kenyan women and 21 Kenyan men were allowed to stay because of family connections. Permit related to work was granted to 1 woman and 8 men. Guest students were 9 women and 25 men while at least 1 Kenyan was allowed to stay because of unspecified reasons.
The statistics show that last year, more Kenyan women got married to persons with connections to Sweden as opposed to men who married 21 women with connections to Sweden.
Last year, 22 Kenyans sought asylum in Sweden although non was allowed to stay. According to the breakdown, 12 of the asylum seekers were women while 10 were men. At least 3 Kenyan children also sought asylum.
The major reasons why women were fleeing Kenya were related to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) while many men claimed that they were members of Mungiki sect who were facing death after abandoning the Movement.
The position of the Swedish government is that the problem of FGM is actively being addressed in Kenya by women’s groups, human rights organizations and the Kenyan government which has banned the practice by law.
On Mungiki, the Swedish government believes that the Kenyan government is in a position to deal with the sect and provide security for those threatened by the sect members. The arrest of a leading Mungiki sect leader is the latest argument that has been used as proof by the Swedish authorities to argue that the Kenyan government is addressing the security threat posed by Mungiki and that under the circumstances, Kenyans seeking asylum as a result of connections to the Movement have no case.
Okoth Osewe
New Movement For Kenyan Kids Formed In Stockholm
Dear fellow Kenyans, we are a group of Kenyans who have started a movement which is about involving our Kenyan kids or rather kids in general. We are planning to have some events with different activities for the kids.
As you have noticed, all the parties we have done or attended have mainly been for the grown ups. It’s we, adults, who have always ended up having fun and its a pity that our kids are now fed up.
For a change, we would like to do something specific for our children. Hoping that you agree with us, we would appreciate suggestions from anyone or ideas that could help our kids have some fun for a change.
We would like to include all of you. “Mujitolee” and give all the help you can. Remember, we are all that our children have here in Sweden. We are the parents, aunties, uncles, grandparents they have here. We would appreciate any support we can get.
We need toys from all ages, games, karaoke sets or anything that can be used by kids for fun. Any contribution will be put to good use and will be accounted for. If you have anything that you do not need, you can pass it on. It will make a difference. Remember “mtoto hulewa na kijiji”. We thank you in advance for your generosities. You can get in touch with us for any questions or information. Thank you.
M. A . D making a difference.
e-mail wambi73@yahoo.se or e-mail osayi5@hotmail.com
tel- 073-7012061; 073-9709573
Blogroll And Links Update
The following links have been added in the KSB Blogroll and Links categories:
NEW ENTRY AT KSB ”BLOGROLL”: Jamii: Kenya News in Swahili
NEW MUSIC ”LINK” FEATURING KENYAN DJ’S IN STOCKHOLM: Safi Sounds
Okoth Osewe
Video Upload: Maggero Once Asked Osore Ondusye A “Difficult Question”
Video Upload: Maggero Once Asked Osore Ondusye A “Difficult Question”. Find out by CLICKING HERE.
Okoth Osewe
Video Upload: Moses Trubadur Entertainment At Maggero Memorial
Moses Trubadur is one of the leading musicians in Stockholm. During the Maggero Memorial, he entertained the audience at short interludes between speeches. Watch Trubadur in action by CLICKING HERE.
Okoth Osewe
Recent Comments
silvaniblog on 11 Kenyan Women Caught Having… Mpigs on Jubilee Government Police Brut… Demyo Demyonyut on Uhuru Kenyatta Eventually Meet… Rachel on Interracial Relationships: A B… Kikuyu mafia on Challenging Uhuru Kenyatta as… NEW: COUNTRY STATS
