Excitment as Agwambo Surfaces at Stockholm’s “Little Nairobi”
Extreme excitement reigned supreme for almost one and a half hours when Agwambo surfaced under tight security at Lilla Wien (also known as Little Nairobi) to boogie down with Kenyan, African and other nationalities with Vumbi Dekula and Crew performing live. Agwambo was immediately taken over by a cute Kenyan babe who happened to have been having fun at Little Nairobi. As the Prime Minister went down with the Vumbi rythms, the crowd joined into the fun shouting “Agwambo… Agwambo”, “A man of the people”, “Agwambo kende…” and other friendly slogans. The omnipresent KSB agents were on the scene to document the biggest surprise ever at Lilla Wien.
Okoth Osewe
Raila Meeting: High Anxiety about Invitation Cards
Ambassador Purity: Under fire over "card system"
A weird mix of anxiety and trepidation has gripped some Kenyans in Stockholm ahead of a meeting at Scandic Hotel where Kenya’s Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, is scheduled to address Kenyans on Friday. The Kenyan Embassy in Stockholm has sent invitation cards to a cross section of Kenyans but those who have no cards are increasingly becoming worried with the ticking of every minute.
When KSB was alerted about the problem, I personally contacted Mr. Andambi, an official, who said that what Kenyans without cards need to do is to send an email to the Embassy with contact details so that the cards could be sent. The problem now is that although numerous Kenyans sent their details via email on Monday, they had not yet received the cards by Wednesday, 21st October.
A plausible explanation could be that the Embassy could not have acted on the messages because the Mission was closed on Tuesday, October 20th which was a public holiday in Kenya. However, some Kenyans who are raising the alarm have told KSB that by now, the Embassy should have responded to emails that were sent on Monday acknowledging receipt of the emails or indicating whether the cards had been sent so that they could expect them.
“I have been left in a situation where I don’t know what has happened. Because time is running out, I don’t know whether I will get the card on time to use it on Friday”, a distraught Kenyan woman told KSB.
Another issue is that majority of those who have received the cards appear to be sympathizers of PNU. So far, no PNU member has called KSB to register complaints although at the time of going to press, 13 ODM supporters had called to say that they seem to have been left out.
“What Ambassador Purity is doing is that she is discriminating on the cards by dishing them to PNU supporters and leaving ODM supporters out”, another Kenyan told KSB.
When asked why Ambassador Purity should practice discrimination on the card issue, an ODM supporter said that Purity would like to pack the hall with anti-Raila elements so as to give the PM a hard time during the meeting.
Kenyans to storm the meeting with or without cards
Matters were not made better when it emerged that Mr. Martin Ngatia, a Kenyan who was the most vocal supporter of Raila Odinga’s Presidential bid in 2007, had too, been left out of the mailing list as a line-up of other Kenyans were showered with cards.
When questioned by KSB why Mr. Ngatia had not been invited to the meeting, Mr. Andambi claimed that the Embassy does not have Mr. Ngatia’s address, a claim that was dismissed by Mr. Ngatia who told KSB that the Embassy has been sending him letters since the days of Ambassador Kinyanjui.
Mr. Ngatia accused Ambassador Purity of deliberately playing games with the cards issue because they were bent on dividing Kenyans through tribalism after failing to deliver at the Embassy. Mr. Ngatia said that it was unfortunate that every Ambassador posted to Stockholm “is an idiot” who cannot even learn from the Swedes.
He said that the Swedish authorities were not allowing members of the public to attend the EU Development Conference which Raila is scheduled to address but that this year, members of the public have been allowed in because of growing openness in Sweden.
“The Ambassador should have copied the Swedes by opening the meeting but she is doing the opposite by using cards to block people from meeting Raila”, Mr. Ngatia told KSB.
After the Embassy set up a web site, many Kenyans thought that the “card system” of invitation had ended. The expectation was that the site would be used to invite Kenyans to functions as has been the case of late. As the “card system” was being re-introduced, there is no information at the site to show that Raila would be in town, a big miss which has also heightened suspicions.
Some Kenyans who have not received the cards have vowed to storm the meeting with or without cards. “Raila Odinga is a national leader and the Embassy should not use invitation cards to decide who gets to attend the meeting”, a Kenyan told KSB.
Other Kenyans have claimed that since Purity was appointed by President Mwai Kibaki, she is out to frustrate Raila Odinga as part of a program drawn at State House Nairobi. Attempts to block perceived Raila supporters from attending the meeting using the card pretext is seen by some ODM supporters as a continuation of attempts to block Raila from addressing the UN General Assembly recently and subsequent attempts by PNU operatives to block him from meeting President Barack Obama in the United States. Both attempts failed.
“PNU is viewing Raila’s trips abroad as part of his 2012 campaigns and so they would like to make things as difficult as possible”, an ODM-Scandinavia member told KSB.
One possible explanation with the Embassy “cad game” is that the Mission is trying to polarize Kenyans into PNU and ODM supporters, a strategy likely to fail because many Kenyans in Stockholm have risen beyond petty Party and ethnic politics. In Stockholm, Kenyans with different political affiliations get along quite well and the card game is likely to stimulate more anti-Purity sentiments among Kenyans.
KSB has repeatedly maintained that the Ambassador is a stumbling block at the Embassy, not just because of her weird methods of leadership but also her tribalistic approach to issues. The view of KSB is that Purity should be recalled because she has failed in her responsibilities as the Kenyan Ambassador to Scandinavia. Purity should have used the Raila meeting to purify her tainted image and prove critics wrong but unfortunately, she continues to act like the late Owino Misiani’s proverbial monkey which is always a monkey regardless of the circumstances.
Okoth Osewe
Onyango Sumba Memorial at Medborgplatsen – 24/10
L-R: Late Onyango Sumba, Adiwa Senior and the late Mr. Opwapo
On Saturday October 17th, a group of Kenyans met at Continental Hotel in Stockholm to plan how the Kenyan community in Stockholm could pay homage to the late Mr. Onyango Sumba who passed away in Kenya. Mr. Sumba will be buried on Saturday October 31st. At the meeting, it was decided that a Memorial service will be held for the late Mr. Sumba while a funds drive will also be held in the church at the same time so that Kenyans in Stockholm could make their contribution to funeral arrangements in Kenya. Mr. Sumba has left a huge hospital bill at Kenyatta National hospital which needs to be sorted out.
Those who attended the Continental meeting were Mzee Oyuga Odada, Mr. Joseph Munene, Dr. Jared Odero, Mr. Bryan Arwa, Engineer Okulo Masala, Mr. Okoth Osewe, Brother Paul, Mr. Opee Junior, Mr. Daniel Mwaura, Mr. Jasper Orieny and Mr. Antony Adiwa. Kenyans who could not attend because of serious engagements sent apologies.
At the Continental meeting, which was chaired by Mzee Oyuga Odada, it was agreed that information about the memorial will be released to the public as soon as arrangements were complete. A Committee headed by Mr. Martin Ngatia was appointed to arrange the Memorial and inform Kenyans accordingly. Mr. Okoth Osewe was appointed the Secretary while Mrs Hellen Opwapo was appointed the Treasurer.
For the last four days, the Committee has been working tirelessly to arrange the Memorial and time has been very scarce. Despite working under difficult conditions, arrangements are now complete.
The Onyango Sumba Memorial Committee therefore announces that the Sumba memorial will be held on Saturday October 24th at Christ Disciples Fellowship Centre at Medborgplaten – address – Folkungagatan 90 (Tube station, Medborgaplatsen) – from 13.00 hrs sharp. The service will be conducted by Pastor Ken assisted by Pastor Nicholas. Those wishing to attend the memorial are requested to be on time because of tight Church schedule.
During the service, a funds drive will be conducted and all proceeds will go towards offsetting the Onyango Sumba Funeral and hospital expenses. The money will be handed over to the family in Sweden. Mr. Sumba’s two sons and other family members will travel to Kenya next week to attend the funeral to deliver messages and contributions from Stockholm. A condolence book will be opened at the Church where mourners will be able to register their names and send condolences to the family.
Brief speeches will be delivered at the Church by those who knew Mr. Sumba. Mr. Jack Mulo, a close friend of Mr. Sumba, will deliver the eulogy, Mr. Martin Ngatia, who has known Mr. Sumba for almost 30 years, will speak about Mr. Sumba’s political life. Mr. Ngatia was in exile with Mr. Sumba in Tanzania before the two moved to Sweden. Mrs Hellen Opwapo will speak on behalf of the bereaved family while Dr. Otieno Wariaro will speak as a friend of Mr. Sumba.
Kenyans, friends and well-wishers are requested to turn up at the memorial which has had to be held at short notice because of unavoidable circumstances. Since the burial is on 31st October, the memorial could not be pushed any further.
Kenyans in Stockholm will be represented at the funeral in Kenya by Ms Rose Adero, a Kenya-Stockholmer who has already travelled to Kenya. The decision that Ms Adero represent Kenya-Stockholmers was taken at the Continental meeting. Rose will be accompanied by Dr. Wycliffe Odiwuor, a former Kenya Stockholmer currently lecturing at Maseno University in Kisumu city and Mr. Thomas Opande, also a former Kenya Stockholmer and now an Environmental consultant in Kenya. Reports reaching KSB indicate that the three have already linked up with the Sumba family in Kenya which is busy with funeral arrangements. Further information can be obtained by contacting Mrs Hellen Opwapo on: 0706575772 or Okoth Osewe, the President of KSB.
Okoth Osewe
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