Kenya Stockholm Blog

Stranded Kenyans Abandoned by Kenya Embassy

Six young Kenyans who have been stranded at the Central station took contact with the Kenyan Embassy today, Wednesday 23rd December but received no help from the Mission. KSB has talked to them and according to information they gave, two of their colleagues went to the Embassy to explain their problem but unfortunately, they were told by an Embassy official that they should return on Monday next week because the Embassy is closed during Christmas. The official added that nothing could be done immediately.

Ambassador Purity at a Sudanese function: She does not want anything to do with Kenyans in Stockholm

“They told us that there is nothing they could do because the Embassy will remain closed”, one of them told KSB. This is despite the fact that the Embassy knew and understood that they were sleeping at the Central station and that they had nowhere to go. The Embassy did not give any ideas on where they were to sleep until Monday when the Mission can look into their problems.

As a result, a Kenyan has now picked them up and decided to accommodate them temporarily in his one roomed flat, arguing that it was inhuman to leave these Kenyans to freeze at the Central Station. News that the Embassy has abandoned these Kenyans will, most likely, shock Kenyans who believe that the Kenyan Ambassador to Scandinavia, Mrs Purity Muhindi, is a kind hearted family woman who minded so much about the affairs of members of the Kenyan community in Stockholm.

According to the six Kenyans, they were conned by a Kenyan woman who lives in Finland and who promised them that they would be slotted into various Finnish Universities under an arrangement which was organized by an agent in Kenya. When the story was first broken by KSB, we had not reached the Kenyans and news indicated that they were to be admitted at Swedish Universities.

Speaking to KSB, one of the Kenyans said: “We travelled to Finland through Stockholm and we were supposed to be met by a Kenyan woman in Finland but she never turned up”. The Kenyan said that when they tried to enquire about the woman, they were told that she had gone on holiday.

Once they discovered that they could not trace the woman, they decided to return to Stockholm to try and make arrangements on how they could return to Kenya because they had return tickets. It is during the process that they were trying to sort their trip back to Kenya that they got stranded at the Central Station with nowhere to go. A Kenyan discovered them at the Station and alerted KSB.

The good and caring Kenyan, who has accepted to accommodate them, has said that the issue should now be a communal affair because the stranded Kenyans do not know anybody in Sweden. He told KSB that he is taking in the boys as a matter of concern and as a human being who cannot see others suffer under the circumstances without doing anything. He has appealed to Kenyans to help in any way possible as their plight is looked into.

When questioned further, the Kenyans said that their parents back home know about their problem and that some parents have tried to communicate with Kenya Embassy but that the Mission has been very unresponsive. All personnel at the Embassy have gone on Christmas holiday including the Boss, Ambassador Purity.

According to information gathered, three of the Kenyans are 21 years old, one is 20 yrs, one is 23 years while another one is 25 years old. The Kenyan who took them in his flat told KSB that the six need to shower and feel fresh because they have not done so for two days. He says that Kenyans in Stockholm need to meet to look into how the stranded countrymen can be assisted.

Okoth Osewe

December 23, 2009 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | 5 Comments

Fund Raising for Late Damaris on Sat 26th Dec

The family of the late Damaris hereby announces to Kenyans, friends and well-wishers that a fund raising meeting to help transport the body of the departed Damaris will be held on Saturday 26th December at St Eugenia Church located at Kungsrädgården 12 (Tube station Kungsträdgården) from15.00 hrs.

A Bank Account has been opened for those who might be unable to attend the funds drive but who are willing to chip in. Details of the Account are as follows:

Bank: Handelsbanken: 6107- 736 692 762
Account holder: George Thugge
IBAN: SE53 6000 0000 0007 3669 2762
SWIFT: HANDSESS

The family would also like to mention that the late Cucu Damaris is survived by several grandchildren resident in Sweden. They are: Lucy Nilsson, Nancy Dolfe, Mary Thugge, Grace Pettersson, Nicholas Maina and George Thugge.

In the meantime, the family informs the public that due to Christmas celebrations, they have cancelled the “Open House” scheduled for the 24th and 25th December. For further information, contact Pastor Samson at 070-4523798.

Okoth Osewe

December 23, 2009 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | Leave a Comment

Six Kenyans Stranded at Central Station

A group of six Kenyans are stranded at the Central Station in Stockholm after arriving in the country through Denmark. According to information available to KSB, the young Kenyans left Kenya for Stockholm to pursue further education at a Swedish University.

Information about them is scarce and KSB is trying to reach them. However, according to what is known, the six Kenyans were to travel to Sweden through Denmark after which they were supposed to link up with a contact in Sweden who was supposed to wire them to a Swedish university. All the arrangements were reportedly tied from Kenya by an agent who was supposedly paid for the job.

The Kenyans did reach Denmark as had been planned but when they arrived in Stockholm, the agent who was supposed to pick them up and assist them further did not turn up. They therefore ended up being stranded at the Central station where they have been sleeping.

A Kenyan who bumped into them at the Central Station and who alerted KSB said that the situation is very serious because the young Kenyans have ran out of money and so they have no food to eat. They have nowhere to sleep and are spending cold winter at the Central station.

The Kenyans have appealed for urgent help from sympathizers and well-wishers. They need a place to sleep because they are freezing while they have also appealed for food. They are camping at the Central station and anybody who wants to help can go there and meet them or call KSB.

KSB appeals to Ambassador Purity Muhindi to intervene on their behalf by trying to seek for a solution to the crisis of these young Kenyans who appear to have been duped by an Education con-artist with networks in Sweden. KSB is monitoring their situation and will report on anything new.

Okoth Osewe

December 23, 2009 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | Leave a Comment