We Believe In You KESOFO, Says Mr. Muraya Mwangi.

After a long period of unity drought, there is finally a small cloud of hope- KESOFO’S DECEMBER 1st UNITY PARTY. By “unity drought”, I do not mean to be ignorant of past repeated efforts by patriotic Kenyans to bring us, the Kenyan community here in Stockholm Sweden, together. Even though those dreams didn’t bear much fruit at the expected time, they have never died. Just as Olengais wrote, the spirit of familiarity (and I add tribalism, ego, pride, etc) might have just slowed down the mission.

But thank God! A new, well loaded with vision generation is here. KESOFO.This is the generation of dreamers and vision bearers. I call them water walkers. They dare do the “logically impossible”. We all can’t ignore the fact that Kesofo’s Unity vision is coming at a time when we’ve had a dangerous storm of division mixed with death scaring thunders of gossip and shock electrified lightning of rumours and propaganda. It’s been hard to tell white from black- ama kweli kikulacho ki ngouni mwako and rafiki yako ndio adui yako.

But no matter how long the night might be, dawn is always sure to come and after a drought comes rainfall. I can smell a mighty downpour of peace, love and unity within our community. I see a small cloud, the size of a man’s fist, just around the corner. It has formed itself in the heart of Kesofo. It’ll sooner than later darken and cover the Kenya-Stockholm earth before bursting into an Oasis of love in an emotional and spiritual desert. I can almost see all of us drown in it. It’s a vision, maybe not so clear for every one of us to see through, but as I can see, it is pregnant with hope and life. Without a vision, the people perish.

Oh, how I wish that someone out there would help me applause Kesofo. Let us appreciate them, it doesn’t have to be me or you, it just have to be someone. Let us stand and honour this bold step of faith. I believe that will encourage these love pursuers fight to beat odds like tribalism, ego, hypocrisy, faked smiles and hugs, jealousy and hatred etc. Let us love and believe in them. They can make it- if only we, the audience, sing along. To them, I perceive, even the impossible is possible. This vision is well timed. Keep it up, Kesofo and please pursue to the sweet end. May God bless and unite all of us. KWA UMOJA, PAMOJA:  KESOFO NJENGENI UKUTA.

By: Muraya Mwangi.

Destiny Talented Generation (K)

Hon Purity Muhindi’s Speech On Kenyatta Day.

I have lifted the speech that Hon. Purity Muhindi delivered on the 20th October 2007. It is for your eyes and I would like you to charge on how hypocritical our ambassador is. In her speech, she even used God to make it clear that she was a halleluiah type kind of person. The Jamhuri day must be boycotted by all Kenyans who stand for human rights and respect life to send a strong massage to the Kenyan embassy that we don’t tolerate inhuman treatment. We are a free people and we respect all Kenyans regardless of who you are. It is time for Mrs Purity Muhindi to pack and go. The struggle continues!

Speech by H.E Purity Muhindi on Kenyatta Day held on 20th October 2007
Brothers and sisters, fellow Kenyans and friends, good evening, Hamjambo! It is a great honour and pleasure to welcome you to this Kenyan community gathering on behalf of all of us at the Embassy. And at this juncture allow me to introduce my husband Dr Joe, Muhindi, and the fairly new team of members of staff at the Mission….Miss Josephine Awuor, Principle Counsellor, Mr Daniel Kotut, Counsellor, Mr George Kinyua, First Secretary, Ms Habiba Wako, Immigration  Attache,  Ms Linnet Vitisia, Finance Attache, and  Mrs Anne Masidza and Mrs Catherine Kiboi are our Administrative  Attaches…….as you see we are a small team covering the five Nordic countries.

The theme of this year’s Kenyatta Day is Unity and Solidarity.   “Umoja”,“Pamoja”.It is important to recall that right from the beginning; Kenyatta Day was not only about the imprisonment of our first President Mzee, Jomo Kenyatta, and the Kapenguria six, but rather a tribute to all our hero’s in the struggle for independence. This day is therefore first and foremost a solemn commemoration, but also an occasion for joyful celebration.We commemorate and pay tribute to the freedom fighters whose selfless spirit of sacrifice must forever remain a source of inspiration, challenge and hope for our generation and those to come.  But it is also an occasion for fun and merrymaking in festive remembrance and appreciation of their resounding victory against the forces of colonial oppression and deprivation.

It is a solemn occasion to recall why they chose the hard way, the risky way; why they were ready to lay down their lives – as indeed many of them did.  It is a call to rededicate ourselves to the lofty principles and noble purpose for which they fought. If we are forging ahead as a great and enviable nation today, it is because undaunted by the distance our heroes stayed focused on the destination in unity.

Kenya is forging ahead and we can celebrate our successes even as we face remaining challenges. Through the Governments Economic Recovery Strategy For Employment And Wealth Creation, key institutions, industries and services have been revamped.  Last year our economy grew at 6 % and this year without benefit of rich mineral resources our economy is set to grow at 7per cent. Tax revenues have in the last few years grown by 146%. We are now able unlike many developing countries to support 95% of our budget: Reforms in the monetary and governance sectors have seen Kenya receive a healthy bill from the World Bank after 15 years.

The Government and private investors can now borrow funds from the international markets for investment in Kenya. Last month Kenya received an international award for reforms that have made it easier to do business in Kenya. Kenya also received a United Nations award   for introducing successful reforms in the Public Service. Strides have been made in the education, agriculture and health sectors among others. The Constituency Development Fund has pulled about 2 million Kenyans above the poverty line, but much remains to be done.

To take us further towards our destination to eradicate poverty among our people in the shortest time possible the Government has formulated the Vision 2030, a road map for Kenya’s medium to long term development strategy.  Vision 2030 is projected to provide measures to raise economic growth from the current 6% to an average of 10 per cent for the next 25 years.  The Vision is anchored on a strategy based on high and sustained economic growth, promotion of social justice and equity, and the entrenchment of issue based and accountable politics.  The Government believes that the Kenyans in the Diaspora can make a valuable contribution towards transforming Kenya into a Middle income country.

In this respect, many initiatives have been taken and continue to be taken by individuals, groups, organizations, the private sector and the government to encourage the Kenyan Diaspora to participate even more actively in our national development. Already, the large Kenyan community in the Diaspora through remittances that average KShs.67 billion a year has helped transform the economy substantially, but the potential to impact development even more positively remains enormous. Investment opportunities exist in many areas including infrastructure, tourism, housing, equity bonds and share markets through the Nairobi stock exchange.

On the same basis, in recognition of the rich skills among the Kenyan Diaspora, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya has established a Diaspora Community Department whose duty among others is to place qualified Kenyans in International jobs.  We urge those of you in a position to utilize this opportunity to make use of it.  You have much to contribute in skills and knowledge transfer, and we believe that brain drain can be turned to brain gain. On the other hand, the government is aware of special concerns for the Kenyan Diaspora including dual citizenship, voting, travel facilitation, simplification of rules to facilitate banking and investment and has initiated several policies and draft bills to address some of your concerns. 

With regard to our host country Sweden, Kenya and Sweden share close bilateral relations. Kenya is among countries slated to continue with long term development cooperation with Sweden.  We are also seeing increased investor interest from the Swedish business sector. Next month, My Travel will start direct charter flights to Mombasa.  In recognition of the importance of the Swedish tourism market, The Kenya Tourism Board re-established its presence in Stockholm this September.

Ladies and Gentlemen, before I conclude, allow me to revisit the purpose of our presence here today.   Just as people are endowed with the free will and power to be authors of their own sadness and misery, so can they also use the same will and power to create the conditions for prosperity and happiness through unity and solidarity?

To survive and prosper, a country and community must cater for the well being of every one of its members.  And it is right and proper for all of us to demand our individual rights.  But the example of our freedom fighters reminds us that ultimately we live together, with one another, for one another, Kwa Umoja Pamoja. That there are times the interests of the community override individual interest when we must be ready to give up individual interests, drives and desires for the common good.  Kenyatta day reminds us of our duty to love our country loyally, whole heartedly and to put the interest of Kenya above all others. 

Kenyatta Day is an invitation for all of us to take up the challenge to transcend things that divide us and promote those that bind us in the collective endeavour to fulfill the dream of our nationalists for a peaceful, wealthy and caring nation of healthy and selfless people. Yes, this national hero’s day makes us feel proud to be Kenyans.

Finally I wish to thank you for sparing time from your busy schedules to celebrate Kenyatta day together.  Let me also in closing assure you that the Kenya Embassy as the name states is an Embassy for all Kenyans, and you have a right to expect and get efficient and fast services. We will as an embassy continue to endeavour to give our best service.    We urge you to engage us in constructive and frank dialogue based on mutual respect.

To facilitate communication between us the Mission is happy to launch here with you today, the official website of the Kenya Embassy in Sweden. Please use the website to register online, access various documents and information and to give the mission feedback on your areas of concern. We are proud that the Website has been developed by Kenyans Safi Media, for Kenyans.

Mungu abariki Kenya, Mungu awabariki.

Asanteni sana
 
Lifted from the Kenyan embassy website.

Brutality At The Kenyan Embassy In Stockholm.

The saga concerning the deportation of a sick Kenyan diplomat from Sweden has raised a lot of condemnations towards the top embassy officials. Across section of Kenyans from Scandinavian region have condemned “chief commander of the operation” Hon Purity Muhindi and her deputy Ms Josephine Awour for lacking sympathy and being brutal. Mr. Tarus Mbugua, a member of “Stop Deportation Of Sick People” that helped to stop the deportation of a Kenyan diplomat said that the Kenyan embassy in Sweden is supposed to be ashamed of the action and they need to apologise to the diplomat and his family. The diplomat was being deported on the ground that he was sick and unfit to work. Mr. Mbugua said that the way they treated him was inhuman and this kind of action cannot be tolerated by Kenyans who reside here. Speaking at the same time to Jamii, Pastor Beatrice Kamau said that she knew from day one that the government of Kibaki will employ incompetence people as long as they are from Mt. Kenya. She was not surprised to hear that Purity Muhindi and Josephine Awour engineered the deportation of the diplomat. “Shame on them, how can they treat a fellow Kenyan like that? We are going to make sure that this government of brutality is replaced by a more reliable group like the ODM”, said the preacher. She condemned the action and said that people like Purity Muhindi and company must start packing their staff because their days are over and she must go back to Kenya where she belongs. “She has failed Wakenya and we don’t expect anything new from her”, said Pastor Beatrice.

The diplomat who has been working for the Kenyan government for 19 years is still in Karolinska hospital struggling to recover both from psychological torture from the embassy and his illness. Mr. William, another member of the group that helped to stop the inhuman deportation said that the embassy has been terrorising the diplomat with phone calls and he said that it is time for the embassy to stop the nonsense. “The phone calls are psychologically torturing the diplomat. I would like to ask the Kenyan embassy to stop calling him because they are torturing him”, said William. The diplomat has been surviving for several months without salary and even the child stopped going to school because of school fees. The child now stays with the father at the hospital because he has nothing to do apart from sitting at the hospital with his sick father. Last week they were asked to vacate their house and for now they are literally homeless. The “second commander in chief” Ms Awour Josephine was the one in-charge of the operation under instructions from Hon. Purity Muhindi.

Mr. Tarus Mbogua thanked all Kenyans who have shown solidarity with the family of the diplomat and said the next step is to protest at the Kenyan embassy doorstep to show them how Kenyans in Scandinavia are disappointed in the way they operate. “We are going to coordinate with other Scandinavian countries to participate in the protest”, said Tarus. Mr. Willam, a core member of “Stop Deportation Of Sick People” told Jamii that the International human rights law contains no more basic prohibition than the absolute, unconditional ban on torture and what is known as “cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.”  Torture and inhuman treatment are forbidden unconditionally, whether in time of peace or war, whether at the local police station or in the face of a major security threat.

Mrs Ruth Kjell, another prominent member of “Stop Deportation Of Sick People” asked all Kenyans who respect human rights to boycott the coming Jamhuri day celebration which takes place next month. She said the protest is necessary because of the failure of the Kibaki regime to provide the people of Kenya with the basic necessities of life as promised. “How can they spend money on buying alcohol to other diplomats while they cannot afford to pay school fee for this young boy who stopped schooling last summer”, posed Ruth. The group has more than 50 members and majority are Kenyans who also accused the government of President Kibaki of what they called “messing the country up.”  They said they don’t understand why the government would spend millions of Kenya money on the celebrations when some of the population does not have clean water, medical care and even food.

The group which said is not motivated by politics continued to attack the Kibaki led government and they said, “Kenyans have no water, they are dying, there is no electricity so what is the priority of an intelligent leader like Kibaki? Why can’t they make water their priority? Their priorities are fancy cars, I million plate lunch, buying jaguars’ luxury, Mercedes and no water,” they said. Ms Sofia Njoroge, a politician in Sweden condemned the ambassador and the foreign ministry in Kenya for trying to deport the diplomat. She reinforced on the rights of children where she said that the rights must be followed by all countries that have signed the universal declaration of human rights. The convention reaffirms that children’s rights require special protection and call for continuous improvement of the situation of children all over the world, as well as for their development and education in conditions of peace and security. The situation of children in many parts of the world remains critical as a result of inadequate social conditions, natural disasters, armed conflicts, exploitation, illiteracy, hunger and disability, and convinced that urgent and effective national and international action is called for. She said it was wrong for the embassy to stop paying school fee for the young boy. She told Jamii that Kenyans must help to see that the boy is back to school and to support the family until when things will be okay.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the United Nations in November 1989, spells out the basic human rights to which children everywhere are entitled. It has since been ratified by all governments except the richest, the United States of America, and one of the poorest, Somalia. The important role of the United Nations Children’s Fund and of that of the United Nations is to promote the well-being of children and their development. The following sections of the Convention are of particular interest to anyone concerned about the relationship between children and young people. When the Kenya embassy in Sweden was kicking the child out of the house, did they know that Kenya has signed the convention?

Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Article 2: Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it is independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any /other limitation of sovereignty. Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. Article 4: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Article 25: Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

We hope that this is going to be a good lesson to other diplomats. It can happen to anyone. Meanwhile our doctor who was sent here in Sweden on a fast class ticket to accompany the diplomat will go back to Kenya with a shopping bag from Åhlens where she bought some Christmas present to her family after her mission was humbled by Wakenya in Stockholm. She will go back to Kenya singing “Stockholm Ina Wenyewe Na Ukiwaletea, Watakubebea” For sure “Jogoo ya mashambani, haiwiki mjini”. She came with an old song called “Do You Know Who I am” Little did she know that she was in Stockholm and not in Nairobi. By the time she realized that she was in a land of human rights and democracy, she jumped back in the embassy’s car and drove away like small untrained thief who wanted to steal a human being. Shame on you!  Daktari, Karibu Sana Sweden.

Munala wa Munala.

Kenyan Embassy In Sweden Engineered To Deport An Official Who Is Sick.

It was a sad drama yesterday in Stockholm when the Kenya embassy in Sweden under commander Purity Muhindi tried to deport a Kenyan diplomat who has been working for the Kenya government for more than 15 year. The diplomat who is still under medical care at Karolinska hospital has been sick since last year and this caused him to lose his job. The situation is both absurd and dramatic because Sweden has some of the top hospitals in the world so how comes they want to take him back to Kenya where we know that this kind of services will cost him lots of money. A source told Jamii that the Kenyan government sent a skin doctor to accompany the sick official on his flight back home. The Embassy had already arranged for the ticket and they even vacated him from his house.

In her speech this year during Kenyatta day, Mrs Purity Muhindi said we are supposed to stand and support one another. Is this the kind of support she was talking about? Why was she preaching water and now she is taking wine. How comes a farewell party was not arranged for the official who has served Kenya for so long? Kenyans are now mobilising on how they can help the official if the asylum strategy fail. Kenyans in Sweden are not going to tolerate this kind of inhuman treatment. The Kenyan embassy has failed in many things and this is just another scandal in a chain of scandals. This is supposed to be a good lesson for other embassy staff that it can happen to them. (Ukiona cha mwenzio chanyolewa, chako tia maji)

Kenyan politician normally runs abroad when they are sick and the recent case was Simon Nyachae who was rushed to London for treatment. Their children are educated abroad and even their end month shoping is in London. Does it mean that they can not support the official? To deprive the diplomat our aid would mean to condemn him to a slow and inevitable death, given the current state of our Kenya hospitals. In Kenya our, we sell life. When you are sick you must go to an Indian who will sell medicine to you and if you don’t have money then start dying because that is the only alternative. Thanks to a group of Kenyans who rushed to the scene to stop this inhuman process. Their plans yield some fruit because the diplomat was granted asylum on a humanitarian ground. Speaking to Jamii, a reliable source told us that it was not political motivated, at least not consciously for them to stop the deportation. They wanted to remind the Embassy that they existed and the Embassy cannot take our brother who is sick back to Kenya. They said that they did not wish to raise the political aspects of this problem, because all they wanted was to help the brother not to be deported.

As the saga progressed, the Embassy staff under engineer Purity Muhindi was trying to vacate the official from his house. A container was packed outside his house so that his properties can be removed out of the house. Huu ni ungwana kweli? “ Kwa Umoja Pamoja” speech dissolved very fast from our Hon Purity Muhindi. Above all, how can the Kenya embassy in Sweden allow their fellow citizen to be deported under inhuman conditions? This scandalous procedure for deporting the official must be condemned by all Kenyan who reside here in Sweden and let us demand the Kenyan government to re-consider the situation. Thanks to Sweden the land of human rights. We wish him well.

Munala wa Munala.

Hypocrisy In Kikuyu Preachers When It Comes To Raila Odinga.

Many Christian pastors from all along the theological and political spectrum claim that their churches must not take side in partisan debates and that they, as Christian preachers, must speak out on issues in ways that are generally in line with what the bible says. Of course there’s no agreement among these folk over the political implications of Christian faith. Some church leaders like Bishop Pius Muiru and Margret Wanjiru believes that politics is too sweet that they cannot just live it for politicians, they have seen good harvest in politics and they will do everything they can to try the cake and save more souls. The bible says you cannot serve two masters at the same time because our Lord is a jealous God. I believe that both preachers and churches are called to proclaim theological and moral truth. When I used to preach, I used to urge my congregation (including me!) to believe and obey God’s revealed will and to walk like the children of the light. A preacher cannot call people to take stands or to act publicly and declare why he or she signed a deal with a partner. My congregation believed in what I told them and they acted in ways that will suit our church. It was enough for me to say I will vote for Raila and you will here the whole church say “Amen”! That meant they will do what the pastor has said. (Do what I say and not what I do theory come handy here) and (Bird of the same feathers flies together)

How can you preach theological and moral truth without taking political sides? In the past weeks, we have heard preachers especially from central province claiming that Raila signed MoU with Muslims. What they forgot was that Kibaki has been signing a lot of them verbal not only with Muslims but with the whole nation. 2002 Kibaki signed MoU which he never honoured, he promised jobs, and he promised to deliver a constitution within 100 days and many other promises that have gone down just like his regime is going to drown next month. Where were these Mt. Kenya preachers to condemn these evils?  Actually it’s quite simple, what is wrong with signing MoU with people or organizations that you want to work with? I don’t know if Raila signed it or not but me personally I don’t see anything wrong with it. I believe that the scripture makes it very clear on what our basic moral and religious commitments should be and for one to sign a MoU is not a sin. There are many better ways of manipulating the congregation using God as a cover. However, I can preach biblical truth boldly and clearly without telling people how they should vote in the next election. On the other side I can use the same bible to tell them why the church has to vote for Raila or the other way round.

There are certainly times when churches and preachers must speak out about political evils, the current Mungiki conflict would be one example, corruption in Kibakis government and employing Mt. Kenya mafias in major government positions. Where were they when this skirmish guys were killing innocent Kenyans, raping women and children and even starting there own kitchen taxation systems in slum areas? Why did they keep quiet while majority of them knew it was political motivated?  But, even then, we must recognize that there are many possible political responses that would be consistent with the biblical priority of justice for the oppressed in Kenya. At this point, Raila comes in the picture. It is him who has exposed major scandals in Kibakis regime. If not for him, Kenya by now would be in the hands of criminals. As a preacher, you are supposed to call people to work for justice in the whole Kenya and not only from the Mt. Kenya region. It’s not your job as a preacher to tell a political party like ODM to put public their political strategy on how they are going to win the coming election.

Let me offer an example to illustrate this point. I believe the Bible calls all Christians to care for the poor. The pages of scripture are filled with God’s concern for the poor and with many exhortations to reach out to those in material need (Deuteronomy 15:10-11; Isaiah 58:6-9; 1 John 3:17). So, when I preach from such passages, I call my congregation to care for the poor, not only through individual acts of charity, but also by working in society to eliminate the causes of poverty.  Now I know Christians who believe, on the basis of what I’ve just said about poverty, that my preaching at this point should take a sharp turn in the Kibaki’s (PNU) direction. After all, this is the party that tends to talk a lot about caring for the poor and ending poverty “Kazi iendelee”.  On the other side, I will tell the same people how majimbo will divide Wakenya knowing well that ODM under Raila argues that it’s necessary to raise taxes on the wealthy to cover the costs, and that this will ultimately lead to a more just society. All of this sounds consistent with biblical teaching. So does the Bible support the ODM agenda? At least when it comes to the problem of poverty? Yes it does, then why are these Kikuyu preachers making the halleluiah noise without considering the Majimbo system that will make the above possible?

A church is a place where people of differing political viewpoints actually come together to talk, to disagree respectfully, to discover reasons for their differences, to laugh at themselves, to find common ground, and even to learn from each other. Moreover, the church is a place in where genuine, truth-seeking conversation about real issues happened in an atmosphere free from exaggeration, and character assassination. Preachers are supposed to be like referees in the political process, helping all persons and parties to seek the greater good, rather than to settle for life in the political gutter. Church officials from central are dictating there congregations on how they will vote and which politician they will vote for.  The Mt. Kenya faithful have been told and warned that if they vote in a certain way, certain consequences may follow. This is merely a fact of life. Considering the fact that all actions have consequences, including some we might not want, and then the question comes, who is separating Wakenya? Is it the Majimbo preacher or the Kikuyu preacher who is misadvising the Kenyans (congregation)? 

Much of the criticism from these preachers is itself hypocritical, trying to impress Kibaki and undermining Raila Odinga. Kibaki and his cronies have done more harm than good to Kenyans and I think they must also address these evils that have caused a lot of harm to the people of Kenya. Preachers are not allowed to impose their own views on the public and I think Kenyans must wake up and stop being led by incompetence preachers. When preaching becomes heavy, quit and convert into something else. There has been a substantial attack on Raila Odinga from these individual and I think it is time to stop the nonsense. Go back to the church and preach the gospel according to your call. I’m just responding. ODM is going to form the next government so you better start sing praise songs in favour of Raila Odinga.

Munala wa Munala.