St James and Dr. Alban: Peep into the Future
“I am a Lover Boy” featuring Kenya’s St James and Dr. Alban
Click on photo to listen
Labour Day: KRA’s Message to Workers and the Oppressed in Kenya
Suffering Wananchi must stop looking towards the rotten capitalist ruling class and their representatives for solutions to the political, economic and social crisis facing the country
Although May 1st is a special day when workers internationally ought to be re-evaluating their annaul political, economic and social gains, this is the day when workers in Kenya usually renew their state of helplessness at the hands of exploitative employers in both the private sector and the government. Instead of staging “Workers’ processions” culminating in speeches by struggling workers’ organizations to announce new strategies against their exploiters, workers in Kenya are usually encouraged to flock public venues to listen to empty speeches by government representatives or compromised Union leaders.
In their world view, structured in a neo-colonial set-up, members of the oppressive Kenyan State and the attenuated Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) embrace a bourgeoisie political concept that essentially divorces the 15 million Kenyan workers from both politics and the running of society. Consequently, workers in Kenya have been psychologically natured to believe that their role in politics is spectatorial as the so called “elected politicians” run society under the camouflage of government.
From the point of view of “Parliamentary democracy” (which Kenya adheres to), this is how society ought to function. Under this arrangement, a group of shenanigans called MPs are elected by the people to sit in Parliament and take key decisions affecting the people.
In this arrangement, “the people” are the workers, peasants, students and the millions of unemployed Kenyans who are, in essence, the main victims of the betrayal of the “vulture” MPs.
In order to be elected to Parliament under “Parliamentary democracy”, a politician (vulture) has to be a member of a registered political Party and present himself/herself as a candidate for election. The key problem in Kenya is that once the vulture is elected to Parliament, the Mweshimiwa begins to betray the very people who elected him/her by taking decisions that are not in the interest of “the people”. In many cases, the MPs are usually accomplices or key obstacles when confronted with situations in which they need to take decisions that contradicts their roles as principle conspirators in the system. Three examples will suffice.
The price of unga, petrol and starvation wages of workers in Kenya
Over the years, the price of unga has sky-rocketed and “the people” can no longer afford this staple food in Kenya. Millions of Kenyans are already starving and the Prezzo has repeatedly declared starvation “a national disaster” thereby suggesting urgent and drastic action to remedy the situation. Under such circumstances, what the MPs need to do in Parliament is to take a decision to make unga affordable by passing a bill to the effect that the government will, henceforth, take over the processing and distribution of unga.
A plausible excuse could be to cut off the greedy capitalist middlemen who are the chief profiteers in the unga business as millions of Kenyans go hungry on a daily basis. The logic is that if individual businessmen can purchase maize from farmers, process it, package the commodity and sell it at unaffordable prices to make super profits, the government (with its huge machinery) can do the same and keep prices affordable. With cheap unga from the government (to feed the people), private unga producers will either have to bring their prices down or risk going out of business.
There are two major reasons why MPs cannot take decisions in Parliament for the government to process and package unga: the political parties that sponsored the MPs to Parliament do not have Programs or Manifestoes advocating for the “nationalization” of the maize industry (government take-over). At best, all Parties in Kenya support continued “privatization” of this industry and this is why the unga price will never go down regardless of how much “the people” are suffering.
Secondly, majority of forces controlling the unga industry are the rich friends or acquaintances of politicians sitting in Parliament. In some cases, it is the politicians themselves who own the unga businesses or abet corruption in the industry. A good example is that of William Ruto whom, as the Minister of Agriculture, was involved in unscrupulous sale of maize to middlemen in what became known as the “maize scandal”. How do you expect such a Minister to vote in favour of taking the maize business out of the hands of greedy businessmen when he is a key beneficiary? The country is doomed because this is what capitalism has to offer – politicians use their positions to further their private interests. This brings us to the second example.
Let us examine the high cost of petrol. In Kenya, almost ALL companies involved in the distribution of petrol are private entities. Through the Kenya National Oil Corporation, the government is supposed to purchase petroleum products from abroad but the problem is that it sells it to private companies which, in turn, determines the consumer price. If the government tries to control the price of petrol, what the private companies will do is that they will simply hoard the commodity to precipitate a countrywide crisis. The dilemma is that although the government sells the petrol (the commodity) to private companies, it has no machinery to distribute the commodity.
The solution is for the MPs to pass a bill in Parliament to enable the government to become the key distributor of petrol and in this way, it will be able to control the prices of oil products. The government will then be able to set prices in accordance with international buying prices and this will definitely be lower because it is the private companies that are raking in profits by inflating prices. In short, MPs could do Kenyans a great service by voting for the “nationalization” of the oil industry to put exploitative and greedy oil companies out of business. Unfortunately, this is not currently possible because MPs are themselves capitalistic or even owning the companies involved in the oil business.
Let us look at yet another example of starvation wages for workers. If MPs can walk into Parliament and award themselves a million salaries every month, why can’t they vote for the increment of Workers’ salaries to a level that a worker can stop living on starvation wages?
The answer is that MPs do not represent the interest of workers. They represent the interest of their stomachs and this is why they are called “vultures”. Because it is “Labour Day”, the day for the working people, it is important for Kenyan workers to understand that there is an alternative concept called “Workers’ democracy” that no political Party in Kenya is talking about. The concept is based on Socialist ideology and it is very simple. Here is a summery.
The ultimate political Alliance no one speaks about
In any country in the world, workers and peasants are the producers of the national wealth. This is the wealth constantly looted by politicians in capitalist economies. Kenyans have been talking about “biggest tribes” forming ethnic Alliances to take over power but these kinds of Alliances will simply sustain the status quo because politicians at the top of these Alliances represent the same capitalist interests responsible for plunging millions of Kenyans into poverty and subjecting them to lives of untold human suffering. What is the solution?
Fifteen million workers are capable of voting a “Workers Party” that can take over government by fielding working class candidates in every constituency. If the 15 million workers form an alliance with just 5 million students, 5 million unemployed youths and another 5 million peasants, no Party can beat this Alliance in any election under any circumstance because these layers constitute majority of what is called “the people of Kenya”. What is lacking and preventing this “people’s take-over” is the right politics.
Once it seizes power, such an Alliance can then proceed to reduce MPs salaries to Ksh 50.000 (or less), set a minimum living wage for all workers, take over the unga and petrol industries (to reduce prices once and for all) and implement other revolutionary measures that could radically transform the lives of millions of Kenyans for ever. No politician or Party can end tribalism without a viable and demonstrable alternative to tribalism which, in the leftist camp, is “class politics”. In simpler terms, what is class politics?
Under a “Workers Party”, and in a formidable political Alliance with the millions of oppressed layers of the Kenyan society, your tribe (class) is that of a “Worker”, “Peasant”, “Student” or “Unemployed” fighting against the “stinking rich class” of land and wealth grabbers whose members form what you call “government”. This rich class operate under a filthy and out-dated political system pitting the rich against the poor, a phenomenon which is so commonplace in Kenya that if you have never heard about it, then you are either insane, dumb or living outside the Kenyan reality. In Kenya, the rich cheats the poor with impunity while they live lavish lifestyles at the expense of the poor, all in the name of representing the poor. The rich remains corrupt, conspiratorial, deceptive, exploitative and ideologically bankrupt but they continue to run the government because the people are themselves asleep.
The “Worker-Peasant-Student-Unemployed” Alliance is the “ultimate Alliance” whose politics against the rich need careful study by all Kenyans claiming membership to this Alliance. For the record, the Kenya Red Alliance (KRA) has the politics needed to lead this Alliance to power in the Republic of Kenya and at any election. However, without a clear understanding of the politics of KRA, power take-over will remain a mirage and the capitalist ruling class will continue with its stereotypical manipulations. The consequence is that nothing will change even after ten more elections and this is the sad reality KRA is trying to address.
During this year’s Labour Day, the key message of KRA to Workers and the oppressed people of Kenya is that there is a solution but its realization will depend on whether the oppressed Kenyans understand what it will take to solve the crisis in our country. Suffering Wananchi must stop looking towards the rotten capitalist ruling class and their representatives for solutions to the political, economic and social crisis facing the country because this filthy class is principally part of the main problem that bedevils the Republic.
New thinking, based on “a change of the system” to overthrow the rich owners of capital “sucking the blood of the sufferers” is the key. Kenyans must educate themselves politically because the Socialist revolution begins in the mind. It does not begin with the bullet.
KRA is not in a hurry because political education necessary for the creation of the “critical mass” capable of overthrowing the system and changing the status quo for ever is a tedious, slow and time-consuming process that requires a lot of patience. The main targets of KRA are the toiling workers and the youth because these are the “critical layers” paying the ultimate price precipitated by the crisis of the capitalist system in Kenya. If you get the point, or need further political education, join or begin to follow KRA politics. The revolution may never be televised!
Okoth Osewe
Secretary General
Kenya Red Alliance (KRA)
Shocking Police Brutality Against Women in Uganda
Activist’s breast squeezed severally by police during arrest
Kenya-Stockholm Round-Up
Adhis: Has gone underground to avoid deportation
There is a lot of political activity in Kenya and, sometimes, Kenya-Stockholm news gets a complete black-out at KSB. This round-up is part of “catching up” with what has been happening behind the scenes as we take a break from nyumbani politics. While there has been a lot of good news, some bad news have also dominated the underground news channels. The recent past has been dominated by bereavements although a good share of baby showers, birthday parties and boogies also stole the limelight. Needless to say, a slew of hot “pilipili hoho” scandals have been registered on the KSB’s “Vituko scale”.
Joyce Nyamusi on her way to Kenya
Majority of bereavements were reported at KSB and the bereaved Kenyans have since returned from the funerals. Joyce Nyamusi, a Kenyan who lost her sister last week, has today left for Kenya to attend the funeral. In a text message transmitted from Arlanda International Airport this morning, Joyce thanked all Kenyans, friends and well-wishers who condoled with her following the sad news about her sister’s passing. The sister was suffering from cancer of the overy.
Spectacular Caai wa Mwanas
In the last one month, there have been at least five Caai wa Mwanas in Kenya-Stockholm, signs that despite the daily hustles, multiplication of the species is ever on the agenda for Kenya-Stockholmers. On just one Saturday, I had to attend two Caai wa Mwanas in that typical moment when you kill two birds with one stone. The families of Mary Mugo and Joseph Munene (aka man Nzoro) had their functions the same evening and they were both great. It was nice catching up with close buddies after a long time to compare notes. I hope to upload some photos when time allows.
Update on Masumbuko and his Swedish girlfriend
Many Kenyans may have read about Masumbuko, the Kenyan dude who had some mapepe problems with his Swedish girlfriend. The latest is that the couple was blessed with a baby boy although Masumbuko says that he will never call a Caai wa Mwana because his Swedish girlfriend is opposed to the idea for reasons of privacy. Masumbiko’s mapepe are now at an advanced stage of development after he convinced the girl to keep the baby. The Kenyan says that the baby has changed his life because he now sees himself more like a father than a party freak who rarely stays home over week-ends. He has now understood the difficulty of leaving his wife home in the house alone with the kid to go clubbing although he says that occasionally, he slips out “with permission”. From a brief chit-chat, he appears to have adopted well to the Swedish way of doing things although he admits that life has been tough especially on the cultural front.
Adhiambo “Sianda” goes underground
In the meantime, Adhiambo, the step-daughter who snatched her step mother’s jungu hubby, has gone underground to avoid deportation. The step-mother reported her to police in what observers believe, is a move by the mom to get rid of Adhiambo as a matter of revenge. The step-mom has split up with her Swedish husband who is believed to be the person hiding Adhiambo somewhere as he tries to stop the deportation of his new and young girlfriend. Adhiambo is said to be unapologetic, arguing that the step mom had put her in a very difficult situation before she fell in love with her step father.
Jamnazi “may be in prison”
Rumours have filled Stockholm that “Jamnazi”, a Kenyan dude, is in prison for some unspecified crime. Jamnazi has not been seen in public for almost six months. Eye-brows were raised when he began to miss key functions of very close friends without explanations. It is known that for some years, Jamnazi has been involved in some bad habits but no one expected that the situation was so serious to an extent that he could be charged in court and sent to prison. The problem is that Jamnazi is a well-known Kenyan and it is impossible that he can go missing from the public eye without some speculation. At KSB, we can only hope that he is tied up with work somewhere because getting to prison in Sweden is not very interesting. In case he is in prison (if one has to follow the no smoke without fire theory), he must have been there for more than six months or almost clearing his term.
Kenyan dude “may have been cremated”
In another case which could shock many Kenyans and even precipitate a heart attack in others in case it’s true, a Kenyan guy is suspected to have been cremated by his Swedish wife after he apparently died due to illness. Don’t call KSB asking who the guy is because the news has not been confirmed. The guy, who used to be very social, has not been seen in public for more than a year. According to the rumours, he was allegedly cremated late last year “according to his wish” which apparently included a wish that the funeral be private.
Embassy official returning to Kenya
A woman employee at the Kenyan Embassy is returning to Kenya after many years of service. According to information obtained by KSB, the woman recently got married in Kenya, a development that may have prompted her return to Kenya. The woman has been very friendly to Wakenya, occasionally attending Kenyan functions or turning up to show solidarity with bereaved Kenyans. She is believed to have been the “human face” of Kenya Embassy and with her departure, contacts between Kenyans and the Embassy is expected to go down to zero level. Recently, a group of Kenyans threw her a farewell Party in Stockholm. She will, no doubt, be missed by many Kenyans who loved her. We wish her the best in Kenya.
Gospel singer back in Stockholm
The good Kenyan gospel singer is back from Kenya with her mapepe – congratulations. We don’t want to get into the circumstances except mention that this is a piece of good news. After years of struggle, the Kenyan woman can now lead a normal life together with her kid. It is yet another case of a better ending after difficult times. The Kenyan lady is known to be very kind, very religious and very principled.
Tycoon lady waiting for mapepe in Kenya
In the meantime, the Kenya-Stockholm’s tycoon lady (whose name cannot be mentioned) is in Kenya kungojea mapeps. The case is also very sensitive and we will not go into further details. Speaking to KSB, she said that she will share her storo with Wakenya when she returns loaded with mapeps and requested that for now, KSB refrains from mentioning any details. We will obey the law.
The “beautiful one” in new problem with new baby
Now, two bad pieces of news: You may have heard about her. After sweeping boys off their feet with her charming beauty soon after her arrival from Kenya, the beautiful one (whose name can also not be mentioned for reasons of privacy) has produced a bouncing baby with her jungu boyfriend but unfortunately, the jungu is reportedly not too happy with the new development. The dude is not yet ready for the big stuff – responsibility – and is threatening to send the young mom packing to Kenya with the baby. Once again, it is the same storo. The dude says he was tricked into the thing and that despite constant appeals that the chick get rid of the thing when such action was still possible, she refused, arguing that she is a Christian. It is amazing that the law has not been changed to address these kinds of problems because how does a man slip in between the legs and when the fruits of such hard labour comes to life, the man turns around to talk about tricks? We wish the chick all the best!
Baba Vikwazo “sleeping on the sofa”
Another bad news: Baba Vikwazo, a Kenyan dude, is reported to be sleeping on the sofa following a mpango wa kando gone sour. According to the storo, the dude has been secretly chewing one of his wife’s best friends. Details are scanty but according to what is available, the wife has been hoarding the precious goods following a long standing disagreement connected to a love triangle.
Unable to get the means of emptying his balls, the dude started flirting secretly with “Madona”, his wife’s bestie. It is reported that linking Madona was very easy for the guy. Through her proximity to the guy’s wife, Madona knew about the guy’s “ripe balls” because the wife had bragged to Madona that she is starving the guy mbaya to get him to behave. Kumbe!
Madona is herself single and a combination of attraction to the dude and manyege is reported to have led the two in some kind of “convenience relationship”. A flirt led to a holding of hands then to a kiss before Madona spread the goods out for consumption. The guy has apparently been chewing Madona for quite some time without the knowledge of his wife who is also reported to be getting her goods serviced by a West African dude following the couple’s “bedroom stalemate”. They have been giving each other “the silent treatment” for weeks.
The guy got to know about the West African connection through a leakage from Madona who appeared to have exploited the opportunity to trap the guy between her legs. If it were not for the guy’s carelessness, his affair with Madona may not have been discovered. He forgot to delete an SMS message from Madona thanking him for “…that sweet, charming and smooth swallow”. When the SMS was discovered, the due could not explain why he has been exchanging messages with Madona. Most critically, he could also not explain what Madona had apparently swallowed.
When he tried to explain that it was a drink, the explanation was rejected. The wife contacted Madona and (without investigations) asked her why she was effing with the hubby. Although Madona tried to deny the charge, matters came to a standstill when a subsequent confrontation between the dude and the wife ended up with the dude asking the wife why she was effing with the West African dude. At this point, the wife suspected that Madona may have updated the dude about Adebaye Adodoyo, the West African, thereby precipitating a huge romantic crisis with charges of “crimes against matrimony” flying in the air from both sides. The consequence is that the dude is currently on the sofa as the couple tries to deal with the crisis. In the meantime, the wife has split with her friend Madona, accusing him of “husband-snatching”.
Okoth Osewe
Artist Makode Linde is a Confused Racist Mulatto
Makode is a confused Mulatto
The concept of Afromantics by Afro-Swedish artist Makode Linde, has got nothing to do with Africans as portrayed in the cake cutting theme of female genital mutilation (FGM). He has been criticized for being insensitive to African women and that he understands nothing about the pain of FGM. I can even bet my last dime that he has never visited his African ancestral roots. In fact he is a typical example of many other confused Swedish “Mulattoes” who have no particular description or identity of their African background, because they disregard that parentage. Makode says and writes online that his father came from “West Africa” and his mother is Swedish. Where in West Africa? From this, I believe he has no emotional attachment with his father. How then, could he make a cake representing the pain of an African woman undergoing FGM?
Online information about Afromantics at urbanlife.com
“To those familiar with the Minstrel shows (white actors painted black performed caricatures of African-Americans in degrading stereotypes where blacks were seen as less knowledgeable, lazy, and second-class human beings) from the early 1800 up to the late 1900′s, or Gollywog dolls, these images below may seem offensive – but that isn’t the sole objective of Afro-Swedish artist Makode Linde. However, the Afromantics exhibition is clearly designed to make you think.
Visitors to Afromantics will see everything from Beethoven and the Statue of Liberty to Robocop – each figure painted black and adorned with a couple of big white eyes and a pair of thick red lips in an obscure grin. Yes, the old Western caricatures of a black man’s appearance however, this is with clever intent.
With deceptive ease and humour, Makode Linde’s work shows western conceptions of the good man and the good life in junction with the perception of the Other. A whole army of small mutations are formed that demonstrates a totally romanticized vision of the part of western history that is characterized by violence, slavery and racism.”
Afromantics has borrowed heavily from the concept of ‘Blackface’ that Makode also talked about in his Swedish TV4 and SVT defenses about his art cake.
Here’s Wikipedia’s description of Blackface
“Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used in minstrel shows, and later vaudeville, in which performers create a stereotyped caricature of a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the “happy-go-lucky darky on the plantation” or the “dandified coon”. In 1848, blackface minstrel shows were the national art of the time, translating formal art such as opera into popular terms for a general audience. Early in the 20th century, blackface branched off from the minstrel show and became a form in its own right, until it ended in the United States with the U.S. Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.”
The above two descriptions have got nothing to do with Africans in Africa and are purely concerned with the history of African-Americans in USA. His controversial cake therefore depicts a misogynistic character in him; he understands nothing about African women, let alone FGM. Moreover, African-Americans have no history of practicing FGM. It is instead a complete misrepresentation. Makode made the Culture Minister Liljeroth and her spectators laugh while cutting the cake, instead of showing empathy to the theme of FGM. According to Makode, he succeeded in his exhibition of the ‘African woman cake’ because he provoked a debate. What debate? So far, the strong reactions have featured racism more than discussing FGM. His is nothing but a hypocritical and selfish opportunist. It was about him gaining fame with his crude, racist portrayal of the black race that he also genetically belongs to. Any smart thinking person would question whether his ‘cries’ while the Minister and other whites sliced through the cake’s lower torso exposing the ‘bloody ghastly innards’, were commensurate with their joys and laughter?
Some reactions in the social media:
“According to the Moderna Museet, the ‘cake party’ was meant to problematize female circumcision but how that is accomplished through a cake representing a racist caricature of a black woman complete with ‘black face’ is unclear,” Kitimbwa Sabuni, the spokesperson for the National Afro-Swedish Association told the The Local. “One cannot see how it benefits those people to degrade them in this way with racist caricatures in this kind of mocking spectacle.”
Sabuni argues that the Minister’s act of cutting the cake had “cannibalistic overtones”:
“Her participation, as she laughs, drinks, and eats cake, merely adds to the insult against people who suffer from racist taunts and against women affected by circumcision.” He said. “We have no confidence in her any longer.”
Minister Liljeroth’s response:
“I was invited to speak at World Art Day about art’s freedom and the right to provoke. And then they wanted me to cut the cake. [He] claims that it challenges a romanticized and exoticized view from the west about something that is really about violence and racism. Art needs to be provocative.”
Here’s Makode’s reaction on Facebook about his exhibition, which clearly explains that he was after attention and not necessarily concerned about FGM:
“This is after getting my vagaga mutilated by the minister of culture, Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth. Before cutting me up she whispered ‘Your life will be better after this’ in my ear.”
Freelance writer Tiff “Coffey” J wrote this:
“While art is indeed supposed to encourage discourse, I’m not exactly sure what to make of Makode Linde’s art installation, as I’m not familiar with his body of work or any recurring themes any of it is supposed to invoke. I will say that the image of a man, in Minstrel makeup, portraying an African woman and victim of FGM as a caricature for a predominantly White audience, is unsettling. Particularly since his message of awareness seemed to be lost in translation amongst the sea of laughing and smiling European faces; none of which showed any semblance of concern about the intended message of Female Genital Mutilation or its effect on African women. Perhaps the artist set out to intentionally evoke the laissez-faire reaction from event goers, to prove a point.”
Nerdy Feminist’s reaction:
“Even if you could strip away racist and sexist imagery, who the hell wants to eat what looks like a bloodied body?! But truth is, you can’t strip away levels of shit going on here. Amongst the critics are the Afro Swedes’ Association saying that the “art” relies on a racist caricature. Here, here. Other critics took to Twitter. As Professor Blair LM Kelley said, “Blackface, check. Red distorted lips, check. Man portraying a misshapen black woman, check. Laughter, check. That’s minstrelsy.”
It’s clearly very hard to deny the racism here. I mean, we have someone in black face and a bunch of white people are digging into the body, literally devouring her. It’s sick. And just as old as minstrelsy, we have the sexist element of the disembodiment of women, whose parts are isolated and emphasized in an effort to deny their humanity.
But beyond all that fucked-up-ery, I simply fail to see how this possibly conveys that FGM is a problem. It seems to mock it instead, from the fact that Liljeroth had to say that disturbing line to the imagery of them all yucking it up as they eat the woman’s labia and body–I mean, what the actual fuck? How is this remotely conveying an anti-FGM message?”
According to Cade DeBois at feministe.us:
“I honestly just don’t know how to respond to this. There are so many things wrong with this, I don’t even know where to begin.
1. The degrading racial caricature of an African woman
2. The disembodiment, objectification and disfigurement *in jest* of something depicting an African woman’s body
3. The utter cultural insensitivity and arch-colonial patronizing toward women who actually have had FGM
4. That this is a male artist who joked about getting his “vagaga” mutilated. Wonder if he would think this was as funny if it was something humorous depicting his own genitalia being mutilated.
5. That the freaking minister of culture went along with this.
6. Oh and in case you missed it (and I don’t recommend seeing this is you are sensitive) the interior of the cake was dyed blood red. There are pics of it on the artist’s FB page. It looks like they were trying to depict a woman being sawed in half, like something out of the imagination of a violently rabid misogynist. It made me queasy.
7. None of this seems to suggest *anyone* involved understands how genuinely painful, scarring and traumatic FGM can be for many women or how in some regions, women are forced to undergo FGM against their will and even violently, and too often without proper medical care afterwards, leading to infection, further pain and even death. Why would you think this is an appropriate way to address such an issue? What next? A rape victim cake?
I’m just horrified.”
My conclusion
I feel that although racism might be a strong word to describe the unfortunate act of performing ‘clitoridectomy’ on the ‘African woman cake’ by Minister Liljeroth, I am bound to accept it because the caricature-look Makode used in the theme was racist in the eyes of many African-Americans, from online reactions. It is not related to Africans either and shows that Makode’s art is for personal fame and benefit, more than exposing FGM, which he is clueless about. Makode and his ilk suffer from ‘inbuilt/subconscious’ racism. As for the Culture Minister being an anti-racist feminist, she can tell that to her dogs. Covert racism is always spiced by public appearances/acts showing that one sympathizes with a certain cause/race, while mentally they have no relation with it. Liljeroth is described as an upper class Swede who obviously saw her mutilation of the cake as humorous. Her words whispered in Linde’s ear during the ‘cut’ left a lot to be desired: “Your life will be better after this.” It was well-planned to promote the confused, twisted and racist Mulatto’s ‘gory artwork’.
This was a reminder of ‘primitive sexuality’ used on Saarjite Baartman (the Hottentot Venus), a young Khosian woman who came from South Africa to England in 1810, and was publicly displayed in England and France for five years, to show her enlarged buttocks. She became a spectacle of dark humor and debate about the African woman’s sexuality from a European’s perspective. After her death at age 26, her genitalia was removed, covered in wax and publicly displayed in a French museum, to exhibit the African woman’s ‘primitive sexual appetite’. Her body was later claimed by the South African government for a decent burial in the early 2000s. Many years later, the Swedish Culture Minister has dug a knife into the genitalia of a cake figure exaggerated to look like the Hottentot Venus and it is called art. Meanwhile, real-life girls and women continue suffering from the physical and mental scars of FGM in Africa and the Arab world.
Joyce Chipenda
Disgusted African woman in Sweden
Makonde Band Live at IKC: Saturday 28th April 2012
Come and let in the spring, dancing to wonderful African rhythms with the nine-man band, Makonde which plays swinging music from East Africa. A great show that is worth seeing, listening to and dancing to, all night long. As usual, we have our bar with snacks and nibbles at reduced prices.
MAKONDE
Liliana Zavala: Percussion
Bobo Mwanavita: Vocals
Göran Larsson: Guitar
Christina Frank: Vocals
Linus Lindblom: Sax
Mangnus Almqvist: Drums
Vumbi Dekula: Guitar
Sammy Kasule: Bass/Vocals
Saturday, 28th April at 21.00hrs
IKC: Internationellt Kulturcentrum-Vuxenskolan Bergsunds Strand 43 T.bana Hornstull Buss 4
Entren 130 kr Pensionärer-Studenter 100 Kr
Tp reserve a table, ring info: 073 937 45 04
www.plataforma.se
Vumbi Dekula at Little Nairobi
Akadevu-Music Present’s;Dekula Band”Ngoma ya Kilo”
Place:Lilla Wien”Little Nairobi”
Date:20-21 April 2012
Time:21.00-01.00
add:Swedenborgsg.20
Pendel:Södra Station
Meet the Artist Behind the Racist “Clitoris Cake” Scandal
How did this idea come about as an art installation?
Was the Minister of Culture aware of your art installation or was it a surprise?
How have people responded to you and the art installation?
Why did you choose female circumcision as the subject?
Do you expect to do something like this in the future, after the reactions?
How did social media impact the way the art installation was perceived?
Joyce Nyamusi’s Sister Passes On in Kenya…
Joyce Nyamusi Lindberg has lost her sister in Kenya after a long illness. An Open House has been set up daily at Joyce’s residence from 16.00hrs at Lillhagsvägen 6 (Älvjö Badet) at Hagsätra. A Prayer meeting will be held on Saturday, 21st April 2012 at Joyce’s residence from 16.00hrs where everybody is welcome. Friends, sympathizers and well-wishers are meeting at the residence daily to condole with the bereaved family.
Joyce’s sister was suffering from ovarian cancer and since September last year, she has been in serious pain. Those who cannot make it to the prayer meeting can send their contributions through Joyce’s account number, 7411115004 at Nordea. For further information, call Joyce at 0739907425.
KSB sends deep condolences to the entire family of Joyce following the tragic news of her sister’s departure. We hope that the family will have the courage to go through this very difficult and trying moment of great pain, shock and sorrow. May the soul of Joyce’s sister rest in eternal peace.
Okoth Osewe
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Brayo on Uhuru Kenyatta Hague-Boun… Sabota on Decoding The National Alliance… funkee on Decoding The National Alliance… Charles Andrianasoav… on Decoding The National Alliance… Rita marley on Decoding The National Alliance… NEW: COUNTRY STATS
