Kenya Stockholm Blog

Unanswered Questions On Kashito Case Part 4

Kashito should definitely be left to rest in peace because in life, no one has come up to complain about any wrong doing by Kashito. What we have witnessed is very positive eulogizing that leaves a stranger in Kashito’s life with the impression that he was a very interesting Kenyan, loving, happy, social, out-going and friendly. What Kashito himself noted in an entry in his Facebook profile is that he “liked women” and this should be very normal especially with a young bachelor.

The fact that Kashito may have been using a passport from Botswana or changed his citizenship for whatever reason should not concern anybody unless such changes affected

someone in a negative way. Change of identity is a well known strategy to the Immigration authorities by people seeking to settle in Sweden especially on refugee grounds.

It is a common problem with immigrants around the world with people changing names and claiming to come from Afghanistan, Palestine, Sudan, Iraq and other conflict areas so that they can be allowed to stay in Sweden on refugee grounds. If Kashito changed his name to benefit from some education fund or sponsorship as one commentator who said he knows him alluded, this kind of change should not be taken out of context by critics.

Even if Kashito was not the person he claims to have been, he is just one in thousands who may have succeeded with an ID change and this should not be a serious problem to Kenyans here or anyone for that matter. Everyone in the loop knows about “paper marriages” or the production of “paper children” to facilitate settlement in European and other advanced capitalist countries.

Mentioning this point is important in the Kashito case to address concerns that critics harping on the case should set aside whatever Kashito may have done to survive so that he can rest in peace.

As Kashito takes his place in what Alfa Blondy referred to as “that mystic resting place”, some issues related to the Kashito committee may never rest in peace, unless Mr. Githuku wa Muirani, the Chairman of the Committee, comes up with further explanations in relation to new developments in the case.

The Kashito committee had been challenged by Committee members who were kept out of the information circle to explain where cash that financed the Kashito operations came from. Although many Kenyans appreciate the fact that it was a good development that the harambee that was scheduled for 28th of November 2008 was canceled because money had been found, some Committee members felt that they deserved to know where money came from. In his last statement as Chairman of the Kashito committee, Mr. Muirani steered clear from an elaborate explanation to this question, save for a mention that money had come from London.

“SECOND HAND INFO” FILLING THE INFO VACUUM
Disturbing details reaching KSB indicate that the 27,000 kr that the Kashito committee claimed that was raised by Kenyans may have come from a totally different source.

Before his death, Kashito is said to haven been working at a Hotel in Stockholm. According to a source which could be rated as “credible”, Kashito’s Hotel boss decided to intervene after he died to help with fund raising. It is said that this boss gave away 10,000 kr that Kashito may have earned the month he died while a report has also been availed to KSB indicating that the boss himself chipped in with a donation of another 10,000kr.

After these contributions, Kashito’s work colleagues at the Hotel are said to have intervened with another 6-7,000 kr which, in total, amounted to about 27,000 kr that was announced as having been raised by the Committee as the Kashito harambee was also canceled.

The Committee also said that the transportation of the body had cost 46,000 kr which, Kenyans were told, came from London. The Committee did not however explain how the trip of Kashito’s three family members was financed at a time when Kenyans were on the verge of fund raising to help the family. If the family is rich and could fund all operations, the Committee should have known because a leading Committee member had “close contacts” with the family.

To fill this gaping information gap, some Kenyans have come up with information where money may have come from. Kashito was studying at KTH and according to some sources, a big chunk of the financing in question came from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) which sponsors Third World students and which, technically, should be responsible in cases of death.

Among the facts that have not been ascertained is the amount of cash that SIDA might have contributed although some sources placed it at 100,000 kr. It is said that cash that was used to transport Kashito’s body and family transport came from this amount while the balance is said to have been given to Kashito’s family.

The silence of the Committee as to where cash may have come from is said to be the product of an agreement with unspecified personalities who continued to fund raise purportedly in aid of the Kashito family when funds had been availed by SIDA. At a memorial service at Bagarmossen, an SMS that was sent to a select group of Kenyans by Brother Samson asking sympathizers to attend indicated that there would be a funds drive in aid of the family.

Assuming that transport of Kashito’s body cost 46,000 kr, air transport of three family members could have cost approximately 30,000 kr leaving a balance of over 30,000 kr as pocket money. If the above arithmetic holds any water, a new question emerges.

The mathematics above does not include cash that may have been raised by Kenyans soon after Kashito died which has been estimated at about 5-7,000 kr. The Committee has failed to give a breakdown of how funds may have been used and since there are Committee members who are asking questions and pumping KSB with fresh information about key issues, the Kashito case may take some more time to get off the Kenya-Stockholm map.

If SIDA did supply cash, another question that arises is who may have handled the cash – Kashito committee or Kashito family members? Kashito’s body was transported to Kenya four days after his family members arrived in Sweden.

A HISTORY OF “UNACCOUNTABILITY”
The work of the Committee during quick and successive development of events was to break the news about the arrival of Kashito’s family to Sweden and to announce the date when the body would be viewed. From an analytical perspective, the Kashito family may have taken charge of the transportation process and this could also suggest that they were handling any big cash that may have come up from whatever source.

Those who are still raising question claim that it is good for the Committee to address the hanging questions comprehensively so as to safe guard the spirit of harambee in Kenya-Stockholm.

There is no doubt that the fact that money was found to reduce the financial burden of Kenya-Stockholmers is being appreciated. However, as part of a permanent round up of the case, the Kashito committee needs to dissolve itself by calling for a meeting where all Committee members can be invited to attend so that the final truth can be known.

As matters stand at the moment, Committee members who were left out of the information channel could be doing more harm than good to the otherwise good names and reputations of some Committee members who are known not to be tainted with scandal.

The lack of transparency in the Kashito committee accounting is being linked to problems that arose soon after the post election crisis when a group of Kenyans from the Bagarmossen church fund raised in aid of victims of post election violence.

Before over 30,000 kr was raised through the church, an agreement was reached to the effect that cash would be channeled through International Red Cross (IRC) and Mr. Samson Mande from IRC was seconded to the Committee to oversee the funds transfer. But after the funds were raised, money was allegedly sent to a Pastor at a Church in Naivasha through the private account of the Chairman. Some officials in the Bagarmossen committee like Mr. Githuku wa Muirani are also sitting in the Kashito committee and this is one reason why questions about accountability have persisted.

There was no explanation as to why the Red Cross had been dumped and given the fact that Religion has become big business in Kenya, some committee members questioned whether the money did arrive and whether it did help IDPs.

Others questioned why the money was sent to Naivasha because the general view was that there was no need of identifying the area where funds could be channeled to help victims of post election violence. It is this view that influenced a decision to channel funds through the IRC which was nevertheless, side-lined.

There are different facets of the harambee angle of the Kashito funds and much depends on whether the Kashito committee will be able to dissolve itself and, in the process, address the new issues which have cropped up. If this does not happen, then the hanging questions will continue to return and this will continue to affect individuals at different levels.

Okoth Osewe

December 7, 2008 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | 6 Comments