There is an adage in Kenya-Stockholm that every harambee organized by Kenya-Stockholmers for whatever reason “always has its own scandal”. In a developing story that has left some Kenyans in a state of permanent shock, it has emerged that the “Philip Owili Funeral Committee” has handed over 42.000 kr that was raised last Saturday to the family without giving a penny to the late Owili’s brother as per an agreement that was reached last Friday between the Committee and the brother.
The brother has a long running family feud with Owili’s widow and because of differences arising out of multiple squabbles, the brother ended up being locked out of Mr. Owili’s flat where he was living for more than a week (see separate story).
Last Friday, a deal that was negotiated by three Kenyans resulted in the brother being handed over the keys to the flat while it was agreed that he would be part of the Saturday harambee on condition that he would also get a share of the cash to finance his ticket home to attend his brother’s funeral.
At the harambee, Kenyans turned up and raised 42.000 kr. Among the attendees was the late Owili’s brother who also mobilized all his sympathizers to join in the funds drive. Prior to the Friday deal, the brother had planned a parallel harambee towards his ticket expenses.
An SMS that was to be sent on his behalf was put on hold during negotiations because the general thinking was that there was no need to split people during fund raising when cash could be shared in a way that the brother’s concerns could also be put into consideration. When the deal was struck and the Committee accepted it, there was celebration. However, after cash was raised, the Committee retreated to a meeting and decided that all cash would be given to the family.
When rumours hit Kenya-Stockholm that Owili’s brother had been left “empty handed”, cell phones began to warm up as Kenya-Stockholmers took time out to examine what was largely seen as a huge scandal. KSB was woken by a phone call to the effect that the Owili Committee “had played a complicated game that had left the family with all the money”. We decided to investigate.
According to information reaching KSB, a Committee meeting was called on Sunday afternoon at the residence of Mrs Jane Owili, the widow, to discuss the way forward. Committee members who attended the meeting were Mrs Hellen Opwapo, Chairlady, Dr. Margarette Obondo, Secretary, Mr. Mark Gaya, Treasurer, Mr. Oyuga Odada, Committee member, Mrs Jane Owili, the widow and Mrs Jane Odada, Committee member.
At the meeting, it was decided that cash be handed over to the family because the cost of transporting the body to Kenya stood at 45.000 kr and that since cash raised was not enough, no money could be given to Owili’s brother.
Brother’s friends are furious
The general view was that it was better to prioritize transportation of the body so that individuals could seek out ways of raising money for their own tickets including family members. The news that Owili’s brother was left with nothing has not gone down well with some Kenyans who have accused the Committee of “High level conspiracy” to further frustrate efforts by Owili’s brother to travel home to attend his brother’s funeral.
KSB has spoken to both the widow, Mrs Jane Owili and key Committee members who were at the meeting to establish ukweli wa mambo. From what emerges, the issue of Owili’s brother was discussed at the meeting with two Committee members, Mr. Odada and Mr. Gaya, arguing that part of the cash be given to the brother so that both sides could seek new ways of fund raising. However, they were overruled by other Committee members who took the view that the brother did not deserve anything. The vote therefore, tilted against the brother and cash was handed over to the family.
The news has been greeted with rebuke by a cross section of Kenyans who attended the harambee and whose sympathies are with the brother. Supporters of the brother who have called KSB are disappointed that the Committee has not given him a single coin out of their contribution.
“I came to the harambee specifically because of him and after I was told that he would benefit from the money. Even if cash was not enough, he should have been given his rightful share because all his friends came there believing that he would benefit”, a furious Kenyan told KSB.
Another Kenyan said that he spent over 1.000 kr at the funds drive and that if he knew that the brother would walk away with nothing, he could have given him the money directly.
“It is very unfortunate that a Committee being led by very respectable people could do such a thing to a person who just lost his brother and who had just been locked out of his house”, another Kenyan told KSB.
According to Mrs Jane Owili, who spoke to KSB over the matter, she is undergoing a difficult moment and her priority is to take the body of her late husband home for burial.
“When the harambee was organized, my understanding was that money was being raised for Philip and if there was anything left, the first person who ought to have been considered is Philip’s last born daughter”, she told KSB.
The brother has himself talked to KSB and said that what has happened is fraudulent because a clear agreement existed which he respected by mobilizing his contacts to the funds drive. He has appealed to Kenyans who can understand his situation and other sympathizers to help him attend his brother’s funeral.
From a sampling of phone calls from concerned Kenyans, the general line of reasoning is that the Committee may have fooled supporters of Owili’s brother into attending the harambee, a notion that is not healthy. “We have been taken for another ride”, a Kenyan told KSB. The brother’s supporters are planning an emergency fund raising to help purchase a ticket so that he can travel home to attend the funeral.
Okoth Osewe
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This is a very very sad thing to do to Hassan when he just lost his brother,I would like to ask Jane why now that Mr Owili has passed why all the energy,why do you have to misstreat his brother even when he was also living with him,if you are not hiding something be human enough and divide part of the money we contributed to Hassan to enable him travel home and bury his brother