Mr. Joseph Munene, a Kenyan resident in Stockholm, has said that Kenyans in Stockholm should not allow themselves to be influenced negatively by the situation in Kenya. Speaking to KSB, Mr. Munene said that he was very concerned that there was a risk of polarization in Stockholm as a result of what was happening in Kenya and called for a discussion among Kenyans “to lessen tension”.
He said that he did not expect hatred between different ethnic groups in Stockholm as a result of what was happening in Kenya but pointed out that serious political differences had emerged between members of the community in a way that required debate.
“There should be an open debate about the situation in Kenya organized by Kenyans to confront the main issues”, Mr. Munene told KSB.
In a lengthy contribution, Mr. Munene said that he was in constant touch with friends and relatives in Kenya and gave examples in which different ethnic groups were discussing how they could live together as Kenyans despite what had happened in the country.
Mr. Munene said that the main problem in Kenya was that the small man was being used by the big man in the name of politics and urged Kenyans to try and understand this arrangement.
Mr. Munene told KSB that ODM had pumped Kenyans with a lot of promises and that it was partly due to this reason that ODM supporters were engaging in mayhem.
“In Nakuru, ODM supporters who have been running the business of “boarder boarder” (transporting people with bicycles) were promised that once ODM seized power, they would begin driving Taxis and this is part of the problem”, he said.
From Munene’s perspective, some Kenyans are rioting because they do not expect any changes to their lives with Kibaki as President because they had been promised more by ODM.
“ODM created illusions in people’s minds and this is what is driving them to do what they are doing”, he said.
Mr. Munene gave the example of a Kikuyu friend who was experiencing problems in Kenya because he had married a Luo woman.
“My friend is telling his critics that this is not a Luo woman, this is my wife and she can’t go anywhere because you don’t know where the two of us are coming from”, he said. Mr. Munene gave the example to underline the intricate difficulties some Kenyans were facing with the crisis in the country.
He said that he was disappointed that a fund raising organized recently by a Kenyan organization to assist victims of post election violence in Kenya was only attended by members from one ethnic group.
Mr. Munene urged KSB to continue being on the frontline in the fight against tribalism in Stockholm. He warned that KSB should not publish articles whose content might be misinterpreted, arguing that the blog has a lot of respect among Kenyans in Stockholm and beyond.
“What has happened in Kenya is tragic. But Kenyans in Stockholm should continue talking to one another, discussing the issues, meeting and helping one another as we have always done”, he said.
Okoth Osewe
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