Kenya Stockholm Blog

Plans for the Otieno Opee Harambee set for Saturday, 26th May 2018 are complete. The event will take place at Hornsgatan 137 in Hornstull from 14.00 hrs. The event will run throughout the night with DJ Jimmy spinning latest numbers employing state of the art technology.

According to a Program released by the “Otieno Opee Family Support Committee”, the family will give mourners a brief account of circumstances that led to the demise of the late Mzee on Wednesday, 2nd May 2018. Mzee James Ochieng Nyambok will deliver the eulogy after which the floor will be opened for anybody who knew Mzee Opee to address the mourners. According to the Committee, the Master of Ceremony will be announced later.

The body of Mzee Opee will be transported to Kenya for burial according to his final wishes. The Committee has been targeting SEK 50k for body transport cost but a funeral transport company has accepted to get the job done at SEK 41k. Seven family members will accompany the body at an estimated ticket cost of SEK 45k.

Following the finalization of the fund-raising plans, Committee members have gone full-throttle with mobilization of friends, well-wishers and sympathizers to attend the harambee and help make the event a big success.

As a fund-raising strategy, the Committee set up “Club 1000” whose objective is to get Club members to contribute at least SEK 1000 towards the Otieno Opee Funeral kitty. So far, 35 members have joined the Club with the latest membership list as follows:

1. Gideon Oyundi 2. Charles Otieno 3. Nancy Wandaka 4. Ngolia Kimanzu 5. Dancan Munala 6. Okoth Osewe 7. Jacob Opande 8. Nancy Osumba 9. Joshua Oyugi 10. Jimmy Oyundi 11. Oyuga Odada 12. Pamela Omiti 13. Gerry Midenyo 14. Odhiambo Opee 15. Martin Ngatia 16. Florence Akoth 17. Hellen Opwapo 18. Jasper Orieny 19. Thatcher Odada 20. Clay Onyango 21. Peter Ongolo 22. Vincent Odede 23. Tonny Odera 24. Joseph Goga 25. Teresa Mawa 26. Mark Gaya 27. Mercy Rita 28. Otiatosdotter 29. Boy Agunda 30. Millicent Nyambok 31. Jane Owili 32. Ochieng Nyambok 33. Lillian Mbova 34. Moses Owili 35. Nick Odada.

The Committee continues to appeal to all Kenyans of good-will and other progressives to join Club 1000 and help speed up the fund-raising process for the transportation of the late Opee’s body to Kenya. In terms of funds, transportation of a body to Kenya is a huge undertaking that is beyond the capacity of any average family. The need for solidarity with the Opee family at such a painful and difficult time cannot therefore be over emphasized.

The Committee hopes that there are good-hearted people out there who understand the scope of the responsibility and will therefore show solidarity. Apart from Club 1000, any contribution will be welcome and a contribution book has been availed for documentation.

In the past, the concept of “Club 1000” has successfully been used by Kenyans in Sweden to transport the remains of colleagues to Kenya for burial and the strategic establishment of the “Opee Club” is simply a duplication of a tested and working system.

Be that as it may, the family continues to maintain an “Open House” at the residence of the late Mzee Opee at Åkersberg until the body is transported to Kenya. A detailed report about the fund-raising initiative will be released to the public after the event by the Committee’s Treasury headed by Jasper Orieny and Jacob Opande. The Treasury will also be responsible for all financial accountability on behalf of the Committee’s activities.

Those who will not be able to attend the harambee for some reason can swish their contributions through 0737666058. Remember to indicate your name for purposes of accountability. Further information about the event is available at 0736533068 while messages of condolences to the family can be passed through Junior at 0737666058. All are welcome.

Okoth Osewe
Information desk
Otieno Opee Family Support Committee
Stockholm