On that lonely but beautiful Thursday of 10th November 2011 at Sigtuna where their lives were sniffed off, Tevin and Elias were eventually laid to rest after a solemn requiem attended by over two hundred sad-faced mourners still unable to come to terms with a tragedy that will baffle the imagination for many years to come. Mariakyrkan is huge to say the least and it was filled to capacity, forcing some mourners to crowd outside the church due to lack of space. Although the number of Swedes who attended the funeral was far much bigger than that of Africans, we can report that Africans (especially Kenyans) were well represented and, by ordinary standards, the Kenyan presence was excellent.
Despite the melancholic mood that dominated the atmosphere; the numerous expressionless faces weighed-down after days of sickening grief; and despite the somber eyes that gazed blankly as the preacher went through her sermon, the aura of loss within mourners united in grief carried a secret, collective and inward assurance that Tevin and Elias were finally destined to rest in eternal peace.
Their tender lives were nipped in the bud under macabre circumstances that have pierced consciences, disrupted tranquility among the concerned and, most importantly, left behind a string of difficult and unanswered questions.
How could a mother murder her children in such a callous manner? What may have motivated the mother to commit such a terrible act? How comes no one knew that this could happen? Who is to blame? Could something have been done to prevent what happened? Where were Nyambu’s closest friends at her time of need? Can this dastard act be repeated again under current circumstances? Has society lost direction? No answers have been forthcoming.
Before their lives were extinguished suddenly, the boys were growing up together, playing together, eating together and going to school together. As they played together, they could gather sand together along the shores of lake Munkholmen where they died together. The sense of their togetherness during their short lives appears to have been uniquely captured in death for they were buried together, just as they had lived, played and died.
The white casket that contained the remains of Tevin and Elias could rewind bitter memories of that unimaginable and tragic moment when their lives were painfully squeezed out of their little bodies by the very person they most trusted in this world. If they were thrown in lake Munkholmen together, they must have chocked, suffocated and died a painful death together. On Thursday, they were both laid to rest in peace and at KSB, we can only say “Aimen”.
As they lay quietly, side by side in the coffin, holding hands in death, the feeling of a fused destiny following a shared tragedy that shook a community could not escape sneaking into the troubled imaginations as gloomy-faced mourners paid their last respects before the boys were dispatched to that mysterious and final resting place.
Coming to a closure
In retrospect, what was striking at the funeral was the black and white attires donned by the black and white mourners all bound in grief because of the unacceptable loss of the lives of two innocent children who could have grown up to become their own selves. In death, Tevin and Elias tended to unite the black and white humanity that came to send them off and the presence of police who arrived in two vans “to keep law and order” simply drew a reluctant and lethargic stare.
The terrible heart-aches that troubled the hundreds of agony-stricken souls of sorrowful mourners had literally vaporized their energies, depriving them of their capacities to utter a single word so who could put police to work by raising a hand to instigate violence? Police presence at this funeral was most unnecessary and if someone thought that members of the Kenyan community could instigate chaos during this very sad moment, that very thought ought to demonstrate the extent to which Kenyans in Stockholm (and by extension Africans) are misunderstood in this country called Sweden.
Although the mother of the two boys was, naturally, not expected to attend the funeral of her children, the mother of the mother of the children was present. Likewise, the father of the mother of the children was also present together with others – thanks to the Tevin-Elias Committee and all those who contributed money to make this possible. Without going into detail, the presence of Kevin’s and Elias’ relatives at the funeral was reassuring and ought to bring this matter to a closure, at least, from the point of view of bidding the boys good-bye.
We at KSB are still searching for answers to questions related to the tragic deaths. After the funeral, mourners retreated for coffee, time when speeches were also rendered. In fact, it was like the spirits of the children followed mourners to the coffee session because speaker after speaker avoided negative talk, wholesale condemnation and hopeless blame games that have been doing the rounds after being weaved by evil propagandists.
Tevin and Elias may have been saying that “we are dead. Put your acts together and prevent what happened to us from happening to other children you good for nothing humanoids”. As human beings, are we good at anything when these two souls left us without a single intervention to prevent them from leaving that early?
The father of the mother of the kids was very brief and only thanked Wakenya and everybody for a work well done. Pastor Samuel Muirani was extremely tacit and chose his words very carefully. The same case applies to Man Steve who was also very brief as he stuck to official matters of the Committee. According to Steve, the Committee is supposed to have been dissolved last Friday.
Our hyper-active lady, who has been notorious in attacking KSB’s commentators because “wana gawanya watu”, could only warn Wakenya to be careful with “things written in blogs” and “those who write in blogs” Heh..heh…heh… tuwacheni mambo kwa sasa. May the souls of the boys rest in eternal peace.
Okoth Osewe
About the Author
Osewe, this is an accurate rendition of the Tevin-Elias funeral and a KSB closure for them. You’ve used a sober language which should send signals to those detractors who have been blaming KSB commentators for dividing Kenya-Stockholmers. They were not there for Nyambu and should therefore make peace with themselves as life goes on. R.I.P. boys.
Osewe you have a nice way to describe the hyper-active lady who called Kenyans monkeys. Yeye pumbavu sana. Blaming KSB commentators will not solve her numerous personal scandals.
If kenyans are monkeys according to this hyper-active lady, then what is she?If a white person called us monkeys,then we will term him/ her as racist.
I could have said that the “you are just monkeys” comment is ksb’s propaganda but I was there when it was said and this lady has never apologized to Kenyan people. Nilikasirika mpaka I walked out. The lady behaves as if she owns the mourning process. If I could meet her I could tell her one thing. Leave other people’s families alone and mind yr own business! Yes, I am that enemy number 1 of yrs because of what you did to my baby. God will pay you heavily one day. Just as I told you in the face, you are one evil woman and all my friends hate you. Leave my baby alone!
This is to say that i have crossed over and became a ksb agent. I am tired of friends who criticize the blog during day time and send information at night. Wakikuyu, you are yr own worst enemies na tuache kujidanganya. Gutungata gutingigiria mundu agatungatwo. It’s now my turn and Osewe tell me what to do!
KSB: I don’t understand what u r saying there in Kikjuyu but we meet at “Da Base” so that you get a “KISS manual” on how to report da news and hide yr ID. Welcome to da club and we look forward to them juicy storozz!
You Cowards why cant you name her ? She called you Monkeys Kazolo Mkia And nobody dared to open his mouth ! Now as anonymous you are trying to Gossip and hogwash about that lady withouit a name !
Better shur up or else name her hence she has a name!
KSB: Please Fransisca, go easy on this. This lady has been named several times at KSB by commentators but we continue to edit the comments to remove her name to protect her personal privacy. In as much as people may have disagreed with her, the law has to be respected otherwise there will be anarchy. Kenyans need to learn to agree to disagree without getting personal in the name of democracy.
@ Francisca, its of no use naming this lady, I mean if you add two to two you will get the answer you are looking for, as much as the blogger is protecting her identity you can still figure out who she is by following up the comments from some commentators. To give you a hint; She was a top official at Tevin and Ellia`s commitee. To be at that top post at commitee you must have been very close to the family in question. she has been mentioned in former articals as regards the tragedy. Someone mention that she is a husband snatcher and she is in the habit of breaking families. If you cant figure her out, then i can´t help you here. Nways good luck with your homework.
PEOPLE GROW UP…….ALL THIS IS NONSENSE,MOURN THE KIDS AND NOT THE WORDS USED BY “THIS WOMAN”TRUTH HURTS AND UNTIL ITS SAID YOU WILL CONTINUE THIS NONSENSE….GROW UP,ITS AN IMPERFECT WORLD YEA BUT MAKE IT PERFECT BY LOOKING IN THE MIRROR COZ THATS WHERE IT ALL STARTS,WITH ONESELF……GROW UP
KSB: Please, do not use upper case next time. Your point will still go through in small letters.
I agree with you Mrembo this hyper active lady has taken and brain washed my
friends daughter, before she was a husband snatcher but nowadays she is a children
snatcher, her economy is sooo bad so she thought of snatching other peoples
daughters in the name of giving them 24 hrs freedom in return she thouhgt she could get money from socialen, but my friend succeded to broke it so the hyper woman got nothing – Kenyans watch out of this hyper woman keep your daughters out of her sight.
Okoth, a beautiful and very subtle article. I think it summons up just about everything! It was indeed a solemn requiem for the two now sleeping angels..:( Personally, I find it a little bit easier to breathe after the ever so long up-hill road to the actual funeral, but as you say, it´s still hard to understand how a mother can commit this act, and many questions are still unanswered. May we ever find out? I hope so. Ever since the funeral, I find comfort in listening to Janne Schaffer´s beautiful “brusa högre lilla å”, which he performed with such emotional bravura, and I also think back of the absolute wonderful Kenyan choir, which sent out soothng,vibrations throughout the church. I live very close to the church, and will try to go down there and make sure the grave will always have a lit candle, to honour the memory of Tevin and Elias. Peace!
PS. I also would like to know what “pilipili-hoho” means”? A really funny expression:)
KSB: Thanks Malin. This tragedy touches any heart which is human. “pilipili” means chilly papers and “hoho” is one variety. Roughly and within the context, it means “hot gossip or rumour”.