Kenya Stockholm Blog

The Weekend That Was In Kenya Stockholm

If you are a Kenyan in Stockholm and you never went anywhere over the week-end, you can sit back and find out what was going on. Officially, there were two functions although according to reports so far filed by loyal KISS agents, there were at least five gatherings.

In Alby, Kesofo top brass was having a fundraising Dinner. It was a new idea by leaders of a young Kenyan organization whose members believe that they need to organize. Out of the nine Committee members who were behind the Dinner, eight were in attendance. Every CM was free to invite friends and there were a couple of Kenyans who turned up.

I hadn’t met Nelly and Pauline for a long time and it was good talking to them. The food was fantastic, not to mention the Kachumbari which went with the Chomaz. The success of the event encouraged Committee members to expand the activity even further next time.

MWAURA’S FAMILY ARRIVES FROM KENYA
Bwana Daniel Mwaura, the Narc-Kenya Chairperson and Kesofo Committee member, was there with big news. His family had eventually arrived in Sweden – wife plus three children – Jessica, Mike and Bryan. Guests congratulated Bwana Mwaura who was also welcomed into the “Phd Club” by members like Makan. He announced that he had now increased the population of Kenyans in Stockholm by at least four and gusts were amused.

Mwaura sounded very happy and satisfied because at long last, he could put the negative propaganda that has been circulating in Stockholm aside and continue with life. Mwaura had to go through a very difficult time as he tried to organize for his family to join him. If you didn’t catch the news, he had to undergo a DNA test because a Kenyan had allegedly called the Swedish Immigration authorities to report that the kids were not his but those of a neighbour in Kenya.

It was unique for Mwaura to have gone public with the difficulties he was facing and this move underlined the bitterness with which he treated the issue. One question that remains is why a Kenyan should be doing this to a fellow countryman. KSB congratulates Mwaura and Family and wishes them nice settlement in turbulent Stockholm.

KSB “SETTING THE TEMPO”
Munala wa Munala was also present and we discussed the latest “hot gossip” in the blogs. It appears like KSB has been “setting the tempo” in what is discussed at other blogs. The story about the “businessman” was raised by almost everybody and here, Wakenya wondered why the  guy could not sort out his problems with the victim who was named at the blog instead of pouring venom at KSB.

The funny thing is that he is even trying to interfere with “Free speech” in the Internet and threatening to ban people from attending Kenyan parties – holy smoke! Is this guy afraid that Wakenya will come trooping with scandal at KSB?

He has even hired the services of “Blog-goons” calling themselves Nyams, Man Kebi, Jeuri etal to spit crap at KSB under the cover of anonymity using the very principles of “free speech” he believes he can ban in the Internet. The goons cannot show their ugly faces because they are scared that they will be kicked. Now, the faceless goons are slowly converting the blog into a “cess-pit”, like RCbowen.com as one Kenyan put it where you can go and relieve yourself anonymously at will.

If he has a good case, he should wait for his day in Court. KSB will not be opened for miscreants to pour scorn on Wakenya and friends anonymously and this position will not change. They squat at KSB 24/7 “waiting for something” and once they get their dose, they go to work – welcome! Trying to stop free speech in the Internet is like trying to stop a huge Sunami with your bare hands.

Apart from the Dinner, a group of Kenyan Christians were having a “Prayer meeting” at the residence of Mrs Catherine Kiboi who lost her husband in September last year. The Prayers were being led by the Bagarmossen Church where Mrs Kiboi also goes for worship. It was a small gathering to show solidarity with the bereaved family and that was good.

As usual, a few Kenyans did grumble – that when Kiboi passed away, they were going to the residence everyday to support the family but when it came to Prayers, it was only a few people invited.

The truth of the matter is that this Prayer meeting was not intended for “Vinywaji worshippers” who could have complained for lack of “Swallowhip sessions” after Fellowship. It was an internal family business and since the family thought of Prayers, it could not begin to send invitation to “Who is Who” in the Kingdom of Vinywaji. We agree with the family on this one.

POORLY ATTENDED KENYAN PARTY AT FLEMMINGSBERG
And if you did not know about it, Kenyans had a Party at a Lokal in Flemingsberg on Friday and the people who were seen to have been in charge were Mr. Antony Adiwa and Otieno Opee Jr. It is not clear whether it was a “Secret Party” so an agent was sent to spy. It was poorly attended with less than 20 Kenyans present. This was strange because it was a month-end and there was no other bash rocking around so the expectation was that it should have been well attended.

According to initial analysis, the main problem appears to have been in the advertising of the Party and its agenda. KSB intercepted an email which was apparently used to advertise the Party but it seems not to have worked out. In Stockholm, you cannot really predict how Wakenya will respond to a Party and experience has shown that the forces around the Party matter while Wakenya must have an idea about where money raised at the Party will go. If they get their money’s worth, they will come back. If they don’t, they vanish and begin to talk eti una enjoy watu.

The entrance was 50 kr and we understand that nobody paid because there were very few people and if they were going to be told to pay, they could have left. An agent who was attached to the function counted at least 17 people and that was past midnight, time when the disco was supposed to be rocking. Five of them were organizers which means that the Party was attended by 12 people. Flemingsberg is far while the locality is not a well known Party area among Wakenya.

There is a Kenyan who used to organize many Parties when he was fund raising for a wedding and Wakenya really used to come. But when he tried to continue after the wedding, people just melted away and started talking crap eti he was trying to make money from Wakenya. He stopped.

What is wrong with making money by helping Wakenya to deal with their boredom especially during week-ends? Wakenya pour a lot of money at the “Temple of Vassa” everyday (leave alone week-ends) and guess who owns the place? If KSB was to set the rules (and this is a big IF), Wakenya who take the plunge should be allowed to make their money as long as they don’t defraud the Kenyan public in Stockholm because then, it becomes difficult to “help one of your own” as they say.

Apart from the Flemmingsberg Party, another Kenyan who lives in Stockholm’s business district hosted a Dinner on Friday and attendance was by “invitation only” but we will not go deeper than that because of strict instructions.

On Saturday, a Kenyan lady also hosted a Dinner for her daughter who was turning one year. Once again, attendance was by “invitations only”. The Kenyan will remain nameless and we take this opportunity to wish her and her family a prospective future. 

Okoth Osewe

November 4, 2007 - Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis