Sweden: Take a look at Nordic Africa News website

Announcement: http://www.nordicafricanews.com needs your support!

We invite you to visit www.nordicafricanews.com to view pictures from the Liberian Reconciliation Forum hosted by the Nordic Africa Institute in Uppsala, Sweden and the Miss Africa Denmark pageant held in 2006.

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Editor, Nordic Africa News
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Published by African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no, tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525

UK: A Kenyan family in the UK loose their house through fire

A Kenyan priest and his family in the UK have lost everything in their house after house fire while they were asleep. They are now living with neighbours. We are appealing to Kenyans in the UK and elsewhere to help this family financially or with prayers. Rev. Duncan Bundi Ibuuri explains how it all happed:

“The fire broke out on Saturday 31st march 2007, at around 4-5 in the morning. We managed to escape from the house unhurt. I called the fire brigade and they had a job to put off the fire. We don’t know what caused the fire. The house was extensively destroyed and our valuables perishing but we are thankful to God we are all fine. The neighbours were very kind to us. They gave us a shelter to keep us away from the cold.

We are homeless in which we stayed with friends for a few days until things with the insurance were sorted out. We became the headline in the local newspapers and it also went into the news that morning. “Blaze forces family to flee their home.” Through God’s grace, I was able to carry on with the holy week services. We are now living at a temporary accommodation at 175 Rosehill Road, Ipswich, IP3 8HB, Suffolk, U.K. ” Rev. Ibuuri continues.

“We were able to get some basic things to use from a Charity called FIND, based in Ipswich and also members of Alan Road Methodist Church have been very helpful to us of which we are very thankful. It is unfortunate that we had no contents insurance. Sometimes we never think such things can happen. We have really learned in a very hard way as we had nowhere to turn to and many people cannot understand why we did not have the necessary insurance cover. If there is anyone out there like us, it is something to take seriously as we do notknow when Satan might strike. In case, any one may want to get in touch with us or help us in any way, we will greatly appreciate. Our account is as shown here below:-

Name- Rev Duncan Bundi Ibuuri, NatWest Bank – Account No: 64114910, Sort Code:536124

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Posted to API by Karuga wa Njuguna, UK
Published by African Press International – API, africanpress@getmail.no tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525

USA: Narc-Kenya launching in the US

Hon. Mutahi Kagwe presents a Narc-Kenya flag and constitution to the chairman Narc-Kenya USA chapter, Mr.Dan Mbuthia during the launch in Oakland, California on Saturday the 14th April, 2007. Also in the picture looking on is Cabinet Minister Morris Dzoro and the Narc-Kenya USA chapter Secretary General Mr.Douglas Gitari Mucheke and other officials.

On Saturday April 14th (evening) in San Francisco area (Oakland ca), three Government ministers launched a Narc-Kenya chapter in the US in a colourful ceremony that was attended by over 200 Kenyans in Oakland, California. Present were: Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, Minister for Information and Communications, Hon. Rev. Morris Dzoro, Minister of Tourism and Wildlife, Hon. Peter Munya, Assistant Minister for Internal Security, Peter Rateng Ogego, Kenyan Ambassador to the USA, and Consul General in Los Angeles, California-Nyambura Kamau.
Kenyans in the Diaspora who spoke before the three Ministers raised various issues that they would like the Government to address. These included dual citizenship, being allowed to vote and chart the political destiny of their country and making it easy for them to remit their money back home for investment purposes instead of relying on relatives who might dupe them as is currently the practice. They also proposed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs set up a special desk to deal specifically with concerns of Kenyans in the Diaspora.

When they rose to respond, Hon. Munya said it is time that Kenyans learnt to appreciate what the current administration is striving to do for the country in the economic front. He said that the revenue base has improved from 186 billion in 2002 to over 450 billion currently. He said that the current opposition in Kenya are not interested in giving Kenyans a new constitution only in politicking as they have already started taking hardline positions by giving conditions of what is negotiable. He called on those in Government who wish to criticize it to resign first as it is hypocritical to continue criticizing the Government from within.
Cabinet Minister Dzoro said that the economy was improving and the reasons were all there for those who have eyes to see. He said today there are 42 chartered flights flying directly to Mombasa from Europe. He said very soon, Coast Province will have its first University since independence as the money is there: it is only the question of where to site it. He also said that international airlines have started flying into Nairobi like Virgin Atlantic Airlines, Singapore Airlines etc. He called on Kenyans to emulate Israelites who only think of building their motherland and not to destroy it. He told the Kenyans in the US that the whole world enjoyed the organisational acumen of Kenyans through the successful hosting of the World cross country championships in Mombasa last month.

Mutahi told the gathering that their visit to the US was to look for investors in the ICT, tourism and filming industry in Kenya. He told them that they had already met senior representatives from the film industry, namely from CBS, Warner Brothers and Paramount Studios in California. He told them he is scheduled to visit Google, Helwett Packard, Oracle as well as meet prospective investors like Ross Perot Jr. of Peros systems in Texas.

He informed the Kenyans on the exciting developments taking place in the ICT sector back in
Kenya like the TEAMS cable from Al Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to Mombasa and the Eassy project from Durban, in South Africa to Mombasa as well as money transfer services like M-Pesa by Safaricom and Posta-pay. He said this is expected to have positive effects in the economic sphere like health, education, trade and outsourcing business. He invited Kenyans in the Diaspora to quickly consider investing in the IPO’s such as Safaricom and Telkom Kenya that will be advertised later in the year. He said international companies like Microsoft, Ericsson and Nokia had set up regional offices in Nairobi due to the favourable investment conditions existing in Kenya today.

All the three cabinet Ministers called on Kenyans to re-elect the current Government to allow it to continue with the good programmes that it has initiated that were improving the standard of living of Kenyans. They asked Kenyans not to believe everything they read or hear about Kenya as some of these were lies being peddled by members of the opposition who only wanted to grab power for the sake of power without the interests and welfare of Kenyans at heart.

Also present were Narc Kenya USA officials: Chairman-Mr. Dan, Mbuthia, secretary general-Douglas Gitari and Treasurer Mr. Kisabuli M. The ministers presented a NARC Kenya constitution to the secretariat’s chairman. The chairman explained how the new chapter will function by changing the tone in the international media and also fundraising, strategizing, and endorsing, candidates and that Kenya needs but not those that need Kenya. He also called on the Diaspora community to abandon the ‘prodigal’ position and rise up and participate in the motherland’s affairs. ‘Never again should you be viewed as prodigals but as ambassadors instead’ he thundered.

On Sunday the 15th the three cabinet Ministers spoke to Kenyans living in Sacramento, the capital of California. They re-iterated the case for the current government again. The chairman invited the crowd to buy Narc Kenya membership cards as a show of commitment and solidarity to the government ’s cause. Do not hesitate to contact me should need arise using the number below.

Dan Mbuthia
NARC Kenya USA, chairman
510-410-9264 (Los Angeles, California) – email danmbuthia@yahoo.com

Posted to APN by Karuga wa Njuguna – UK
Published by African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no, tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525

“Charles Taylor Case Must Be Handled Carefully” – Legal Counsel in Liberia Warns U.N. Backed Court

By APN’s Africa Correspondent J. Cholo Brooks/Liberia

The Legal Counsel for former President Charles Ghankay Taylor, Cllr. Lavala Supuwood has warned Liberian people that if the Taylor issue is not handled properly, it would create tension between Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Counselor Lavala Supuwood also warned that if Taylor is found guilty, Liberia will be required to bear the consequences, because according to him, Taylor was arrested as former President of Liberia and not as any ordinary Liberian citizen.

Cllr. Supuwood made these assertions during an exclusive interview with our staff reporter recently at his Carey Street office in Monrovia.

The Liberian Veteran Lawyer who served the Liberian government in many capacities in the past and lastly served as Labor Minister during the tenure of the National Transitional Government (NTGL) also maintained that the case is not just about Charles Taylor but should be viewed in a different perspective.

He argued that if a president who is presumed to be acting in the interest of the nation is convicted for doing things against another state, he would likely expose his country to liabilities and that there is no way that Liberia could disclaim liabilities of Taylor if found guilty by the court in the Hague.

“Liberians should not give Taylor the presumption of guilt, but give the benefit of the presumption to doubt”, Cllr. Supuwood averred.

Cllr. Supuwood who recently returned from The Hague where former President Taylor resides in detention revealed that the former President is alive and well. He disclosed that Mr. Taylor has in his possession a communication set to confer with friends and other family members.
Mr. Taylor was charged in 2003 for crimes against humanity by the Sierra Leone War Crime Court for his alleged involvement in the civil war of that country.

He is now in The Hague awaiting trial slated to begin in June this year.

Prior to the June trial, a pre-trial conference for Mr. Taylor will be held on Monday, May 7, 2007.

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

Sweden: What Osewe and Munala have in Common

Okoth Osewe and Duncan Munala have been very close friends and its so sad to see the fireworks they are producing against one another.

Kenyans in Stockholm should be ashamed of themselves since we are the only country in Scandinavia and Europe that is not producing anything concrete on our websites or blogs apart from the abusive language, rumours and propaganda amongst ourselves.. I believe we might even be the last ones that have done nothing in terms of having assets or owning properties in Kenya in the whole of Europe…

Okoth and Duncan need to chill down… we do not want to know what they did before they came to Europe…we all have our bad and good sides and if we were to reveal them, we would be running away when we see each other….I mean some have been murderers, some big thieves, some lesbians, gays and so on.

I can understand they have two things in common..the height 5.2 inchs and they are both very good poets.. Once you are this short, it is believed that one tends to have inferiority complex and in order to be recognised..you need to make noise.

Well believe me guys we have noticed that you exist and we respect that..we also know that you are execirsing your freedom of speech..but believe me we have had enough now!!! Make those blogs more educative. Rumours and propaganda free. My advice to both of you… Odm-ks or Odm-k won’t take you anywhere, after the elections or even before the elected president won’t even recognise you…and you won’t even come closer to his house maid…so let it be….butdoisay…read more on www.butdoisay.wordpress.com

By Clay Onyango – Sweden
Published by African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no

Gambia’s first woman speaker laid to rest

Banjul (The Gambia) The remains of the late Mrs. Belinda Bidwell, Gambia’s first female speaker of parliament who died suddenly last Saturday of a heart attack were laid to rest Friday evening at the old Jeshwang Cemetery, some 11 kilometres from Banjul in the Kanifing municipality.

Mrs. Bidwell was nominated to parliament in 2002 by President Yahya Jammeh where she was soon elected deputy speaker, from 2002 to 2006, before being made Speaker in April 2006, a post she held until January 2007 when she was replaced by another female speaker.

Mrs Bidwell’s remains were first laid in parliament Friday morning for the traditional tribute to be paid to her by her former parliamentary colleagues.

Many spoke of her dedication to duty and the current Speaker, Mrs. Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay, described her as a good servant of the nation. Others spoke of the capable way in which she handled the affairs of the parliament. Some also spoke of her other contributions to the society especially in the teaching field. Until her elevation to parliament, Mrs. Bidwell was in the teaching field all her life.

From parliament, her body was taken to the family house and from there a large crowd of mourners accompanied the funeral procession to her local Catholic church for the funeral service.

Then the procession moved to the cemetery where she was finally laid to rest.

A two time widower, the late Mrs. Bidwell is survived by several children.

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

Kenya Airways crashes

Nairobi (Kenya) A Kenya Airways plane Boeing 737-800, flight No. KQ507, with 106 passengers and nine crew on board has crashed Saturday in southern Cameroon, according to Titus Naikunj, chief executive officer of Kenya Airways.

The flight, which originated in the Ivory Coast bound for Nairobi, was reported missing on Saturday after it failed to arrive in Nairobi.

Kenya Airways has a good safety record. However, in January 2000, a Kenya Airways plane crashed into the sea after taking off from Abidjan airport in Ivory Coast, killing about 170 people. There were 10 survivors.

While there are yet few details of the possible cause of the crash, but stormy weather was reported along its intended route.

While it is still not quite clear what the nationalities of the passengers are but it is assumed that many were connecting through Nairobi to other destinations.

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