The Benga musician, Atommy Sifa, went missing at a party in Märsta on Saturday where he was expected to perform. According to posters and leaf-lets that have been doing the rounds for almost a week, revelers were to pay 100kr to see Atomy on stage but when time for action arrived, there was noAtommy prompting those who had paid for the show to begin asking for refunds. By midnight, a group of women are said to have left the Party in a huff claiming that they had been defrauded.
The Atommy show was organized by the Kenya women’s group, Maendeleo ya Wanawake, in conjunction with Sigtuna Kommun. Shouts of “We want Atommy… we want Atommy” rent the air when it became clear that the musician was unavailable. Other revelers are said to have banged the tables in a moment of anger when they were told that Atommy wasn’t coming.
There was no immediate explanation as to why Atommy could not perform although KSB has gathered that one of the reasons was that there was no cash to pay the musician. A source from a Kenyan dance group which entertained kids earlier was reportedly not paid while a contact in Zakala Musika, a band which performed live at the disco where Atommy went missing, also told KSB that they were never paid.
Kenya-Stockholm’s rumor mills have filled the air with talk that Maendeleo ya Wanawake is in deep crisis due to internal wrangles and protracted power struggles that have almost crippled the Association. KSB has obtained the “Inside Edition” of the crisis.
A section of the Committee has recorded a statement with police after cash in the Association’s account was allegedly withdrawn by unknown people who are said to have changed signatories illegally before withdrawing cash.
In what has turned out to be the hottest piece of gossip in Kenya-Stockholm in recent times, the Association’s account has been frozen allegedly with State funds from Sigtuna Kommun. It’s a very long and complicated storo that is currently on the Q at KSB’s scandal deport.
Okoth Osewe
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Wuora kod Joluo.
It isitself a manifestation of simple minds beinf given responsibilty above the capacity.The question of “Atommy”is a side issue,who was the thinking cap behind this debacle.It he/she can come out and explain ,all will be well.We are tired as Jokanyanam,every thing we embark on ends in shoddy deliverance.Omera ,wachiew uru.If what is written is true then l got the wrong picture from other sources.I remain an observer.Tony Odera
“The love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10, KJV).
Instead of Atommy,the partygoers were shockingly entertained by a tall rude woman who was as drunk as a skunk and kept falling on the dance floor. At one time she exposed her cleavage,showing the forbidden cargo.Apparently she had her relatives there, yet they could not control her stupidity.
This was a big flop. The person or people behind the function put greed before customer service. They knew Atommy was not coming yet sent thru Osewe a last-minute SMS claiming he would be present. A friend was charged 100kr as entrance fee before 8pm, yet the advertisement for the event said 50kr entrance fee before that time. Funnily the lady at the door who was a relative of the main organizer, had an innocent looking face which was unfortunately betrayed by her greed for money because if you did not recall that you should have paid 50kr before 8pm, she would charge 100kr without giving a damn, yet it is claimed she is a born-again Xtian. Bloody thieves!!!!
The main organizer was so greedy and sold a shot of whisky more expensively than most bars in Stockholm. All in the name of making money. No more going to Märsta parties.
I think there have been some very good parties in Märsta though, organized by Africa Maison.
The planners were so ignorant they did not know the mood of Kenyan revelers.Instead of inviting the famous Vumbi (who plays at Little Nairobi), they brought the Zakala Muzika band who played Lingala that never attracted Kenyans who were the majority.The only time the dance floor was fully packed was when they played Sina Makosa. Afterwards, many left in protest because Atommy who was the main attraction did not appear.Also, TZ Dj Richie was initially invited instead of Kenyan Dj Jimmy, who was invited at the last moment.Therefore,many Kenyans could not dance to Dj Richie’s music because he was mostly for hip-hop,attracting youngsters,yet wazee were there spending a lot of money expecting their kind of music that Dj Jimmy knows better.
If Maendeleo Ya Wanawake received State funds, why did they charge food and drinks so expensively? it only shows the organizers were greedy.We have attended State funded events and the idea is normally to entertain guests without seeking profit.The State is later presented with photos and other documentation when accounting for the usage of such cash.In this case there was none assigned to document the event using a video camera, or act as the official photographer. Instead, the main organizer only kept walking up and down the hall with some relatives keeping a keen eye on the collected cash, thinking it was a family business. I saw a guest who was angered by a drunk relative of the organizer who thought the person was getting free drinks. This is how irritating it was to be handled by somebody’s ignorant relatives and loyal friends,just showing how dominant the organizer was.If this main planner had used veteran partymakers, chances are the massive financial losses might have been avoided.
Thanks to Steve who brought our beloved Kenyan comedians to brighten the boring mood in the hall.
The Maendeleo planner kept fitting in useless events like the colourless fashion show,so as to hide the shame of conning the guests, because she knew Atommy would not perform.And to just show how wasteful the organizer was, two bouncers were hired to watch the gate – State money being squandered on the unnecessary.
strange that one of the top organisers who was also delegating duties to her own kin sat their with a big smile bila embarassement after letrally eating our hard earned sweat!ashindwe rather washindwe!
Atommy’s first concert was excellent and the guests neva complained. It is because the main organizers have a history of numerous well planned parties through their Africa Maison group. Last Saturday’s party was in the hands of an amatuer lady who does not understand how to entertain paying guests.
Märsta organizers need to learn to organize and don´t estimate the guests. Ritz is the best organizers for African Parties
Thomas Mambala, there is nothing called “Märsta organizers”. Osewe has stated that past parties in Märsta have been quite successful with no scandals. The current matter is therefore specific and has to be handled that way.
I felt bad that I missed Atommy’s first concert. I therefore paid 100kr to see him last aturday only to be told that he was not coming. Why couldn’t the lady organizer be nice to tell us that he was not really coming? Why do this to us yet we were ready to support her event? It costs us money to attend such a function and we do so becuase we want to promote African activities. I live in Linköping and eventually felt angry that I had spent so much money unnecessarily. The woman needs to refund us the 100kr.
Africa Maison have always entertained us in Märsta with good music and hospitality. But last Saturday’s organizer must have been more concerned about making money without caring for us. I was shocked that a very close blood relative of the lady organizer could be so drunk yet was left to mingle with the guests, causing such a scene. The poor woman should be rehabilitated otherwise she will remain an embarrassment.
As a Kenyan i want to commend the good work the Kenyan women did for us adults and our children. I was there half the day on Saturday and all the night untill 07.00 am in the morning.I lft people still dancing and urging Dj Richy to continue playing the music. I ate the delicious nyama choma a number of times because it was relly good. For the first time i saw kids refusing to take sausages and going for the nyama choma. I also saw Swedish people rushing for food prepared the African way. What made the ocassion uique was that they thought about children, the youths and the senior citizens like me , i danced my old numbers like sin makosa played by Zakala musika. The four groups entertained us, i mean the Rwandes dancers, Taabu and group, Zakala musika, Dj Jimmy and Dj Richy were more than the little money we paid. Mind you children entered free. That means that the organizers just meant to entertain people and not to make money. Above all, i saw Africans from different countries enjoying themselves. We really danced.
Just because one artist did not make it should not be be a big deal and used as ground to condemn the women who organized the event. Afterall we were not told that the ocassion was Atommy show in the advert and there is no information that stated he was to be the main entertainer of the day. Am told he was here a week before and the crowed was 90 people. From my estimation Maendeleo event could have been visitrd by 200 people. Its just that they were coming in and going out in phases since it was a lengthy event.
This Maendeleo wanawake wa Kenya has put Kenya in good books of Sigtuna. Lets not pull them down with this negative propaganda. Should there be internal problems in their organization we should just help them to get together and solve it internally.
Going to the Kommune, the bank and police to expose ourselves failing to resolve a dispute over 15000 krona will just make us laughging stocks in the eyes of our hosts.
Lets keep Maendeleo.
Ben
Benson: “From my estimation Maendeleo event could have been visitrd by 200 people.”
Simple arithmetic: 200people x 100kr = 20,000kr which could have paid for the balance claimed by those who bankrolled and yet have not been paid to date. Wacha kutudanganya because the event was a big financial loss.
Osewe stated clearly that the disputing Maendeleo members were adviced by the bank to report the matter to the police. It is criminal to change signatories without a collective agreement in a registered organization. Those women followed the right procedure, so don’t peddle propaganda by dodging the genesis of the saga. Soma hadithi hii tena uelewe vizuri kabla ya kujibu.
Benson, were you at the entrance counting the guests who were coming in and going out? Which 200 people are you talking about? Clay Onyango has posted some pictures from the event showing more empty chairs than human beings.
Why has the story gone public? Why did some members go to the police? Why was Maendeleo’s bank account frozen? There is no dispute about the 15,000kr but the crisis which led to its freezing. Stop being biased by misrepresenting the story just because you enjoyed the food, drinks and had a good dance. These are the very basics because the core matter is about the mistrust among some members due to earlier claims of cash swindle, and the current crisis, because of the change of signatories. The signatories themselves have a lot to answer because legally, they are accomplices to the lady who manipulated them.
Reading and understanding the origin of this story is important before giving a one-sided view.