Kenya Stockholm Blog

Barry Barred From Entering Europe With Kenyan Drink

I have some news which I would like to share with my fellow Kenyans. I believe that most people might be aware but still I will just bring it up as I was very pissed off with it! It is not allowed to buy duty free items especially drinks from any African airport except in Europe and the U.S, amazing! I was one of the victims who met this law head on. My ka-bottle was confisicated at schipol airport on my way back from Kenya on the 19 th December 08.

I tried to ask some questions but i got none. Eventually I made an appeal and recieved an e-mail explaining the situation to me. In short, they are not allowing drinks from our

Barry Owino

continent saying that they do not recogonise the seals used at those airports. One friend of mine just managed to make it after going through some kind of check-in check-out procedure at the same airport before me. The point am trying to make is that lets pass over information to each other however small it might be as it will go along way in helping someone who might be in need,

Cheers Barry.

Dear Mister Odawa Owino,

I received your complaint regarding the confiscation of your duty-free articles. I understand that the procedure referred to in your complaint was an unpleasant experience for you.
The legislation and regulations concerning liquids and gels are laid down in European Regulation no. 820/2008 and Sections 37ab, 37b, paragraph 6, 37ac, 37f and 37hb of the Aviation Act. As of 6 November 2006, the European Commission set further restrictions on objects permitted to be carried as hand luggage on flights from member states of the European Community. These new rules are a consequence of the attempted terrorist attacks foiled at Heathrow Airport in 2006.

Liquids can be carried in hand luggage if they comply with the above mentioned rules, some of these rules are:

o You can only take liquids and gels in containers of no more than 100 millilitres on board the aircraft.
o These containers must be carried in transparent plastic bags.
o There is a limit of one transparent plastic bag per person.
o The volume of the transparent plastic bag may not be greater than 1 litre.
o The transparent plastic bag must be re-sealable.

For Duty-free liquid articles some of the rules are:

o The article must be bought at a European Community airport
o The article must be packed in a sealed bag that is both tamper evident and displays satisfactory proof of purchase at that airport. The seal is valid for 36 hours.

You bought the bottle of liquor at the a non-European Community Airport. Because your goods were bought at a non-European Community Airport it does not meet the rules as mentioned in the European regulations. I regret that you were not sufficiently informed at your departing airport and by the duty free shop’s personnel. The confiscation of the goods referred to in your complaint took place in accordance with the legislation and regulations mentioned above. I am sorry to inform you, that as a consequence, your complaint will not be considered any further.
This letter does not pass judgement upon the rightfulness concerning your claim, since this is the responsibility of the airport-operator.
With regard to the processing of your damages claim, your complaint will be forwarded to:

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
P.O. Box 7501
1118 ZG Schiphol
The security organisations are informed regularly about these types of incidents, in order to prevent complaints in the future. For any additional questions or comments, you may contact the complaints department of the Enforcement and Monitoring Division on telephone number +31(0)20-6039457.

<<filing a complaint.pdf>> <<L&G Brochure Engels.pdf>>
Met vriendelijke groet,
Patrick Ju
Klachtenfunctionaris
Afdeling Handhaving & Toezicht
District KMar Schiphol
* P.Ju@mindef.nl
( 020-6039457
Ñ Koninklijke Marechaussee
Postbus 7577
1118 ZH Luchthaven Schiphol

January 8, 2009 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | 3 Comments

“Musakulu wa Pappa” Speaks On Media Bill

Mzee Gerry Changa Midenyo aka Musakulu wa Pappa, a Kenyan-Stockholm celebrity in his own way, has attacked President Kibaki for signing the controversial Media Bill into law, saying that by doing so, the President has hammered the last nail in the coffin of the Coalition government.

Speaking to KSB on telephone, Gerry said that Kenyans “Should not tolerate nonsense” and urged members of the community to use all available media channels to speak up against the Media bill which, he said, is meant to take Kenya back to the days of Moi dictatorship.

“Attempts to limit media freedom should be opposed because the media has been in the fore-front in informing Kenyans about the ills of the government and if its freedom is limited, the right of Kenyans to know will also be limited”.

He said that many Kenyans in Stockholm have been speaking freely as a result of press freedom in Sweden and added that the risk with the media bill is that the government could find excuse to arrest Kenyans who visit home and say the same things to the Kenyan media.

“The media bill (which has now become an Act) is not just about press freedom. It is also about our children and the future generation whose freedom of expression will be in danger if it is not opposed now”, Mr. Gerry said.

Turning to Kibaki, Mr. Midenyo said that the President must respect Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi, William Ruto and other Coalition partners saying that failure to do so will make life difficult for the Coalition government.

He warned ODM to be careful not to be used by PNU which, he said, is running the government while ODM is playing the role of spectator. He agreed with Kenyans who have said that ODM has no real power in government and advised that what ODM needs to do is to begin preparing for fresh elections.

He warned that the agreement that formed the Coalition government is not another MoU which Kibaki could dump at will because it is based on the National Accord which can lead to the collapse of the government if ODM pulls out.

Turning to wife beaters, Mzee Midenyo said that Kenyan men who beat women are losers and advised that wife beaters should come to him so that he can show them how real men fight. He also advised Kenyans to desist from alcoholism in 2009.

Okoth Osewe

January 8, 2009 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | 1 Comment