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Kenya Stockholm Blog reports that ODM-K Scandinavia chapter, “plans to open ……. Scandinavia Office in Stockholm.”

The ceremony to finalise plans will take place, “on Saturday January 27th at Högbergsgatan 48 (Tube: Medborgaplatsen or Söder Station). The event begins at 18:00. The Office is located at the same address.”

For ODM-Kenya, this is a good a development spreading wings from Kenya to Scandinavia.

KSB reports that, “ODM-KS Chairlady Mrs Hellen Opwapo will deliver a speech to the audience.”

The secretary of the party in Sweden, “Mr. Dancan Munala, “There is need for Kenyans to build new political Networks and strengthen the existing ones for purposes of addressing the crisis in our country collectively”, adding, “that ODM-KS is trying to make this possible by facilitating social and political.”

By Korir,

Published by African Press in Norway, APN, africanpress@chello.no

tel. +47 932 99 739

Source. Kenya Stockholm Blog.

“A British opposition party has called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to come clean over his involvement in a controversial R30-billion arms deal between the South African government and British arms manufacturers BAE, the Star reported on Thursday.

`The British government and the prime minister must give assurances that they will provide all the support required for the Serious Fraud Office [SFO] to conclude its investigations involving BAE and South Africa,` Liberal Democrats leader Menzies Campbell told the newspaper.

The paper said the matter was raised in the British Parliament on Wednesday where Campbell challenged Blair on controversial deals struck with Saudi Arabia and Tanzania.

In 1999 BAE won a contract to supply South Africa with military aircraft, including 24 Hawk fighter trainers, at allegedly double the price of a rival Italian bidder, the report said.

In the Tanzanian deal, BAE secretly paid a $12-million commission into a Swiss account in a deal that led to country buying a controversial military radar system.

A Tanzanian middleman, who has a long-standing relationship with military and government figures, has admitted that the sum was covertly moved to a Swiss account by BAE.

The back-door payment represented 30% of the contract value.

The East African state had to borrow to finance the deal, which critics said was unnecessary and overpriced.

Blair supported the 2002 sale but former Cabinet minister Clare Short says she and the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, opposed it.

The recent admissions by the Tanzanian middleman, Sailesh Vithlani, led Short to call for BAE`s prosecution if the allegations were proved.

She said the prime minister had been personally responsible for forcing the licence for the Tanzania deal through the Cabinet.

`No 10 insisted on letting this go ahead, when it stank,` she said. `It was always obvious that this useless project was corrupt.”

By Longstory/Cutshort,

Published by African Press in Norway, APN, africanpress@chello.no

tel +47 932 99 739

SOURCE: Lifted.Guardian

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Stockholm the 9<sup>th of January 2007

In Reference to Mr Osewe’s blog (070109) regarding the death of James Wuod-Maggero. It was very painful to read what Mr. Osewe fabricated after the death of my husband James Wuod-Maggero.</sup>

^{Is it because the colour of my skin is different from my husbands that Mr. Osewe gives himself the right to question my husband’s last wishes?}

^{I find it deeply insulting that Mr. Osewe is questioning my actions simply because I have another colour of skin. James always fought against racial prejudice. Now Mr. Osewe is stirring up feelings based on exactly the type of prejudice my husband was fighting against.}

^{Mr. Osewe claims that he knew James and yet during James’s illness he never visited him or sent any message of wishes for recovery.}

^{I also find it very curious that Mr Osewe, who is claming to have known James so well, has no knowledge of James’s family even though he has been to several occasions when we celebrated weddings, Duokos and birthdays. There are four daughters and two sons and several grandchildren in the family!!!}

^{I wonder if it is more important to listen to others than to James’s own last wish. Me and my girls where all by his side when he passed away on the 4th of January (not on the third as wrongly noted by Mr. Osewe).}

^{Despite of him being in hospital for several weeks his death came as a big shock to us all. We needed time for ourselves to accept the fact that he was no longer with us. We never knew that he was public property. For any other family this would not have been questioned.}

^{Further Mr Osewe says that nobody has been able to get in contact with us. This is not true! We have been receiving several messages and have also answered them. If they didn’t get in contact with me how come they didn’t try our daughter Lillian Wuod-Maggero who is in the phonebook? She lives near us and nobody called her to find out what was going on. Why?}

^{James and I were together for almost 43 years and we have talked a lot about what should be done when either of us goes. James felt very strongly about not sending bodies of deceased persons back home.}

^{Those who knew James would know that. They would also know his thoughts about viewing of the body. He wanted to be remembered as he was when he was with us. He talked about it often enough.}

^{James had his own life philosophy and did not support any official religion. This however did not stop him from helping people in need. He felt that it was wrong to collect lots of money just to send home a body with the result that nothing remained for those back home in Kenya. Those of you, that really knew James, knew his view on these issues and we hope that people will respect them.}

^{If any money is collected in James’s name it should be used to help the children in Kenya. The information of the use of any such donations should be given to The Kenyan Embassy in Stockholm so that any one can obtain the information from there.}

^{James and I had a will and the copy is with The Kenyan Embassy in Stockholm “for their eyes only”.}

^{It is also with our lawyer in Nairobi. Believe me, nothing is done in hiding.}

^{I have been in contact with the family in Kenya and they gave us their blessing to go ahead. As far as I know that has to be accepted even by the Kenyan community in Sweden.}

^{And there are Kenyan members of James’s family flying in to attend the funeral service on this very sad day. That is a fact and seems not to be of interest for Mr. Osewe. (It looks like Mr. Osewe does not have all the facts after all! As someone claiming to be a journalist he should know the importance of checking sources to avoid printing mistakes and outright lies.)}

^{We, the family, are doing what is right according to James’s last wishes, will and testament. And that is not to transport his remains to Kenya. If James knew about Mr Osewe’s ridicules accusations he would not only be angry and disappointed but also very, very sad.}

^{These last days have been very hard on the family and reading Mr Osewe’s accusations does not make it any easier. It is difficult enough to cope with our loss. But we have so many positive memories of James, as a husband and as father – and they will help us through.}

^{We wish to pay our last respect and say farewell to James on Friday the 12th January 2006 at 15.00 hours at Silverdalskapellet in Helenelund. We welcome anyone who peacefully wishes to attend the funeral service.}

^{If you truly want to honour James’s memory you should continue his legacy and help people in need and NOT struggle over his remains.}

^{By Dagmar-Margarete Wuod-Maggero with family}

Contact: maggero@bahnhof.se

Published by African Press in Norway, APN, africanpress@chello.no

tel. +47 932 99 739

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Commentary by Lars Nyquist

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With the risk of sticking my nose into other people’s business, I just want to give credit to Michael Kanda and Beryl.

As someone married to a Kenyan, I appreciate what you do.

I also had the pleasure to meet Mr. Wuod Maggero on several occasions, and I’ll always remembeer him as an open-minded, and good hearted person.

I belive he was indeed a pillar, on which the Kenyan society in Stockholm was built. I am happy to see that “liberated young Kenyans” are there to follow in his foot prints.

Hopefully, you guys will be the foundation of the future Kenyan society – not these ignorant, racist trouble-makers busy interfering with family things.

Keep up the good work!

By Lars Nyquist.

Published by African Press in Norway, APN, africanpress@chello                             tel +47 932 99 739

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Commentary 

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Most postings written on African Press in Norway in regard to the Maggero saga all have one thing in common; Condemnation of the Kenya Stockholm Blog.
Who is the person behind KSB one may wonder, unfortunate or fortunate enough to elicit the wrath exhibited?
Kenyans resident in Stockholm can attest to the claim that has circulated around for a good period of time to the effect that the chief Kenya Stockholm Blog writer is a journalist by profession.

This claim has never been categorically stated, but has been spread around using innuendo and has certainly been implied on many an occasion.

What is the truth?

An ardent KSB supporter writes, “ The credibility of Kenya Stockholm Blog has been upheld through the citation of its news, by renowned journalists on the websites of The Kenya Times and the Kenya London News”.

Blogging in its self does not mean one automatically becomes a journalist and this may be the perception of many. Moreover being articulate is not a prerequisite to gaining a degree in journalism, but does certainly help in the pursuit and achievement of a successful carrier in this field.

The use of ones prowess in language, and intellect in the dissemination, and pursuit of information is admirable, but this should not be a license to ridicule, confuse or intimidate others, especially on a public forum.

A good grasp of ethics is certainly the hallmark and requirement of a bonafide journalist and is hard to miss.

The onus is now on Kenya Stockholm Blog to ascertain the credibility of its chief writer and architect to the Kenyan community in Stockholm and at large.

I challenge Kenya Stockholm Blog to publish credentials of journalists in their midst if any. Kenya Stockholm Blog is of course under no obligation to do so, legally or otherwise.
Any statements issued short of this will be regarded as mediocre as the articles they author.

By Michael Kanda,

Published by African Press in Norway, APN, africanpress@chello.no