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FEBRUARY 2005 - PART ONE

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“WE WILL FOLLOW AND OBEY THE WORD OF GOD”, SAYS THE ANGLICAN ARCHBISHOP OF KENYA.

By d.k.kamanu

The Anglican Archbishop of Kenya, The Most Rev’d Benjamin Nzimbi, on Sunday presided over the first and historical  Kenyan Anglican Kiswahili Service ever to be held by a Kenyan Anglican Bishop in Europe. The Archbishop, who was accompanied by his wife, Mrs Alice Nzimbi,  also presided over a holy baptism, confirmations and admission of Christian Women into the World – Wide Mothers’ Union Anglican Women Fellowship. While addressing the well attended church service at St. Mathews Church, Stratford in East London, the Archbishop encouraged all the faithful Christians living away from their country Kenya to follow and obey the word of God and to stand firm in their Christian faith. He exhorted them to face the challenges of the New Millennium by the use of the word of God. He said that during their Primates Meeting of the Anglican Communion which was held in Ireland, they advised the church to face her challenges and solutions in the word of God. The Archbishop officially launched the Kenyan Anglican Missions in the UK. The missions will mainly take care of the dissenting Anglicans from the Black Minority Ethnic Anglican International Community. He said that the Kenyan Anglican Church in Diaspora needed to be fully integrated with the home Church to facilitate spiritual growth. Those who assisted during the Service were the Archdeacon Kenneth Kahare, the co-ordinating Minister of the Kenyan Anglican Fellowship East London, Rev’d Elpiety Kamuyu from Nottingham, Rev’d Nicholas Chege of East London and Deacon Lawson Kamau. Also present was the wife of the Kenya High Commissioner in London, Mrs Cecilia Muchemi..

The colourful occasion, which coincided with the Black History Month, was attended by many Kenyan Anglican Christians from various parts of UK including Nottingham, West London, Essex and East London to mention a few. Also present was the wife of the Kenya High Commissioner Mrs. Cecilia Muchemi. During the service the Archbishop baptised five Christians, confirmed fourteen members and admitted eight new members into the World-Wide Mothers’ Union Anglican Fellowship. Among them was Mrs. Ruth Nuna Muoria, aged 80 years, the oldest woman to be admitted to the Fellowship and, also, the oldest known Kenyan living in the UK since 1954.

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Kamanu meets Bishop Jakes

Mr. Duncan K. Kamanu, with his two daughters, Michelle-left and Miriam-right,
poses for a photograph with Bishop T. D. Jakes in Potter's House Church, Dallas
after attending a second Sunday service on 9th January 2005. The church has a
capacity of over 6,000 people at one sitting and there are two services every
Sunday except the last Sunday of the month when there are three services.

BISHOP T.D. JAKES GETS ‘A HONORARY CITIZEN’ AWARD
By  D. K. Kamanu

Bishop T. D. Jakes, the founder and senior pastor of  The Potter’s House Church of Dallas, Inc., a non-denominational congregation of more than 28,000 members, was recently presented with Georgia’s “ Honorary Citizen’’ award by the USA Secretary of State, Cathy Cox, during the official opening of ‘Mega Fest 2004’ festival in Atlanta GA.  The past recipients of the award include President George W. Bush, Former president Bill Clinton, Bishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela. The Mega Fest 2004 festival, which was the Christian event of the year and broke a new record by drawing over 140,000 attendants from 55 countries, was hosted by Bishop T. D. Jakes. The four-day family conference combined Woman, Thou Art Loosed and Man Power while adding two new elements (Youth 3D Experience for youth adults 13 to 21 and Mega Fest D-zone for kids 5 to 12). The festival, which was deemed as the largest religious gathering ever, drew thousands of men , women and children from all over the world to Atlanta’s premier venues -the Georgia Dome, Phillip’s Arena, World Congress Centre and International Plaza.

The event exceeded the visionary and city officials’ expectations. Downtown streets were packed with bumper to bumper traffic while eager patrons bombarded MARTA in an effort to reach the arenas to hear life-changing messages of hope, empowerment and inspiration. The roster of spiritual leaders was long and impressive. Conference speakers included Prophetess Juanita Bynum, Co-Pastor Paula White, Joyce Meyers, Co-Pastor Darlene Bishop, Dr. Claudette Copeland, Co-Pastor Sosie Owens, Dr. Bridget Hilliard, First Lady Serita Jakes, Bishop Eddie Long, Bishop Noel Jones, Dr. Creflo Dollar, Bishop Joseph Carlington, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan Williams, Dr. Ron Elmore, Dr. Tim Clinton, Dr. I. V. Hilliard, Bill Watson, Dennis Kimbro, and many more.
Bishop Jake, who is also the  recipient of the 2004  NAACP President’s Award and  dubbed as “America’s Best Preacher’’ by the TIME magazine, not only provided great spiritual speakers but great entertainers as well. A star-studded list of powerful voices ushered in the presence of God, just to name a few: Bryon Cage, El Trio de Hoy, William Murphy, Micah Stampley, Israel Houghton, Josiah, Vickie Winans, Judy Ja-cobs, Dorinda Clark Cole, and Mary-Mary.
Bishop Jakes said, “I’m humbled and in awe of what we just saw at Mega Fest. I knew this was an event we should create as an opportunity for the entire family to find spiritual, mental and physical encouragement, and the response just shows the incredible need  for  such an event moms, dads, and children are craving’’.
Bishop Jakes is a devoted advocate of religious outreach, and in his plans to minister to struggling, answer-seeking people he did not forget the incarcerated. Unbeknown to most of the public, he personally ministers to prisoners in several institutions, most recently holding a three-day summer crusade at San Quentin.
Bishop Jakes said, “The most confining prison is the one of lost opportunity, and we have prisons full of lost opportunity. America spends billions trying to incarcerate what God wants to rehabilitate’’.
The Porter’s House Church represents the largest single distribution of gifts and assistance to families of prisoners in the nation.

The Wall Street Journal honourably named Bishop T. D. Jakes as one of the nation’s pastors at the forefront of utilizing the latest technology to move his message inside prison walls. Mega Fest up-linked the live broadcast via satellite to some 400 prisons, and provided interactive uplink which viewed on large jumbotrons above the conference arenas. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, if recent incarcerating rates remain unchanged, an estimated one out of every 20 Americans can be expected to serve time in prison during his or her lifetime. The next Mega Fest 2005, a God event of Olympic proportion, will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, from August 3rd to August 6th, 2005.

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"I arrived in the UK in August 1954" says Mrs. Muoria

He was among the first Kenya to start his own newspaper. "Muigwithania" as it was called by then. He decided to move a step forward and buy his own printing machine. He arrived in the UK in 1952 to shop for the machine. While in the UK he was informed by Charles Njonjo  who was then studying law in the UK that emergency had been declared in Kenya. Njonjo adviced  him not to return back to Kenya as his printing machines and newspapers had been confiscated by the colonial government. We are talking about Mr. Muoria from Nyathuna, Kiambu, Kenya. With Njonjo's advice he opted not to return back to Kenya. He settled at Holloway, North London. After securing a job with London Transport as a train guard he invited his wife Mrs Ruth Muoria from Kenya to join him. Mrs. Muoria a mother of 11 children arrived in London in August 1954. He left behind her children in Kenya. They were blessed with a baby girl (Wangari Muoria on the picture below) in 1955 who is now thought to be oldest Kenyan to be born in the UK by Kenyans parents. Mr. Muoria passed away in 1998 and he was transported back to Kenya for burial. The family bought their first house in 1959 at Holloway, north London at a cost of £2,500. Mrs Ruth Muoria who speaks Kikuyu, Kiswahili and English fluently still lives in that house. It is quite  interesting to note that all her children born in the UK speaks Kikuyu and Kiswahili. Mrs. Muoria will be among tens of Anglican church in UK faithful who will be admitted to the Anglican Mother's Union on Sunday 27th February, 2005 by Kenya's Anglican Arch Bishop Benjamin Nzimbi at Stratford, London.

A jovial Mrs. Ruth Muoria will be admitted to Anglican Mother's Union on Sunday 27th February 2005. She will be the oldest lady in the group having been born in 1927. This is what she explained to Mr. Seed in kikuyu: "Baba ari muhindi na mami ari mugikuyu wa kuma Kirangari hakuhi na Wangigi" meaning 'my father was of Asian origin and my mother was a kikuyu from Kirangari near Wangigi'.

Mrs. Muoria and her daughter Wangari Muoria who was born in 1955 in UK. She is thought to be the oldest Kenyan to be born in the UK by Kenyan parents - You can contact them at wm@soas.ac.uk

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The photo tells it all

Paul Vreeker of Reuters shot this powerful picture showing an Iranian immigrant protesting against proposed Dutch asylum laws.

Jahi Chikwendiu of The Washington Post took this picture of a Sandstorm in Chad.

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Kenyan lady joins the studio at Slough, Berks

ON AIR: Esther Njeri - aka Lady S - on the microphone live in Underdog 87.7 FM studios in Slough

Her mother is well known in Slough, and in UK as "Dada wa Baraka" aka Ann Waweru of Party Time shop, located on 404b Bath Road in Slough. Well known for her decorations in wedding and other parties. Her daughter, Esther Njeri a choir member of Victory Revival Christian Centre in Hounslow has joined a radio studio in Slough where she will be presenting twice a week presenting Gospel Music. A credit for Kenyan second generation youth who are coming up very well in the UK as they try to catch up with their new environment. Njeri has been spotted by several other radios stations in the UK and she has already booked for an interview with BBC and Capital Choice. Njeri a jovial lady has this to say: "This is my first time on air and I was really nervous. But I've been pleased with the positive response I've been getting. The  training helped me to speak under pressure. I'm shy but it has given me more courage." Radio Underdog 87.7 FM, which is based in Slough High Street, helps youngsters to develop their own presentation style. Anyone interested in learning more about After Hours Arts Academy should call 01753539300. Esther Njeri's days of presentations in the studio programme will be published in this column soon.

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Princess Margaret visiting the Seeds in 1957

The Seeds might have germinated from somewhere as the feature story of the Seeds family has been described by Eastern African Magazine in the UK. The magazine continues to say they Seeds have now germinated to the super highway of the communication technology - the internet. The Seeds come from the Njiiri's family on the slopes of the Aberdares Ranges, in Murang'a. A fast growing tea zone area, their local village Kinyona has been on the map as from 1904 when the first missionaries settled there. The Seeds are the grandchildren of the old days Senior Chief Njiiri wa Karanja to whom Njiiri High School is named. Njiiri's High School is apart of 60 acres of land donated by Senior Chief Karanja a popular Kikuyu Chief in the colonial days. His popularity had gone beyond the boundaries of central province stretching to the monarch in the UK. In 1957 when Princess Margaret sister to the present queen visited Kenya, she visited Chief Njiiri in his house at Kinyona Village. Accompanying Princess Margaret was then governor of Kenya Sir Evelyn Barring and Chief Muhoya of Mugoiri. MORE

PICTURE TAKEN IN 1957 - Princess Margaret shaking hands with Chief Njiiri as the then Kenya governor (centre) looks on

PICTURE TAKEN IN 1960 - Senior Chief Njiiri had 42 wives. In 1960 he had a church wedding with one of his wives Mrs. Beth Njeri who is the grandmother of the Seeds - on the left side was the then Catholic Bishop Gatimu of Nyeri

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"It's like a dream" says Wachuka

Grace Wachuka King'ang'a arrived in London on Sunday 6th February, 2005 after spending almost three weeks in Kenya. Wachuka was detained by Kenya immigration officials on Saturday 15th January, 2005 on her way back to London. She was detained for the reason that the photograph in her passport taken in 1996 was not hers. "It's like a dream," says Wachuka as she narrated to Mr. Seed about her experience in Kenya for the last three weeks. "I have never had such experiences before and I tried to hold it all together but it is only in two instances that I was unable to hold and I had to cry", explains Wachuka. "The first one was when I was taken from Nyayo House to Central Police Station. At the station I was asked to remove my shoes. In fact I was asked to remove one shoe and remain with the other. I could not understand why? I hesitated to remove and I was told in Swahili. "Wacha maneno yako mama, toa kiatu moja", the police man told me. "Little did I know that for the safety of your shoes you have to wear one and leave the other outside. Inside the police cell you are housed with all types of criminals and they are so cruel that you reach a point of breaking down. They are those criminals who have lived in the cells for a long time and now it is their home.

You have to give them some money so that they can show you where to sleep on the floor otherwise you spend your night standing. Whenever the food comes they have plastic containers whereby they collect all the food and they start selling to the rest. My moment of crying came in the morning when a group of them old girls woke up early in the morning about 4.30 a.m. to smoke drugs. After a few minutes they started urinating on the floor where we were sleeping. They started waking up everyone. They shouted that the visitors have to wake up and  dust the place with a duster otherwise you dust their urine with your mouth. One lady resisted and she was held by the neck to wipe the urine with her mouth", Wachuka explained. "Chaguo ni lako, chukua dusta au utatumia mudomo yako." the old residents explained. Wachuka who was accompanied by her parents to see Mr. Seed explained that the other moment she cried is when she was grabbed by the neck by a Mr. Mbaya, the immigration officer at Nyayo House. He grabbed my neck forcing me to back to the cell when I was talking to my uncle outside the cell in front of my uncle. It was such a cruel act that made me cry. Those immigration officials are the last thing you would like to see. It was as if they hold your life in their hands." Wachuka explained as she laughed but by then she was crying. She has lost almost all of her luggage but she thanks God that she back in the UK to start  where she had left. Before finishing up the interview with Mr. Seed, Wachuka explained: "Mr. Seed pass my best regards to all the people in the UK, US and all over the world who supported us in prayers during this difficult times." She concluded.

Grace Wachuka King'ang'a now back in the UK

Wachuka's parents Mr. & Mrs. Robert King'ang'a

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Kenyan Businessmen dinner with  High Commissioner in London

It was the first of its kind. Kenyan businessmen dinner with Kenya's High Commissioner in the UK Mr. Joseph Muchemi and his family. A well attended function holding 150 businessmen/ladies with absentia of three  took place at a prestigious four star Hotel The Rembrandt  in London. A three-dinner course followed self introduction of all the guests was something for everyone present to remember. After self introduction there followed advice from two business consultants Mrs. Pereze Ochieng of Sacoma and a Zulu man from Zimbabwe Dr. Mangena. Before the speech by the high commissioner there was a  business advice from  two top Kenyan businessmen/ladies in the UK. The High commissioner was accompanied by his wife Cecilia Muchemi, his three children and the Kenya High Commission staff. Among the embassy staff was Mr. Boru Garma the counselor at the mission, Miss Kamau the head of immigration department at the embassy, Ms Wanjiru Kinuthia the commercial attaché and Mr. David Musyoka.

During his speech which was mixed with a lot of sense of humour the High Commissioner explained that he has already received a lot of complaints about the harassment of Kenyans living in the UK by the Kenyan Immigration at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. "I have of late received a lot of complaints about the harassment of Kenyans living in the UK by the immigration officials at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi. I have taken this matter very serious as this type of behaviour is not acceptable. I am going to contact the relevant departments and let me assure you that I am doing something about that." the commissioner explained. "Continue doing business here and try to expand in different fields investing here and back in Kenya for the benefit of you, your family, your village and your country Kenya. Let someone look for a good Kenyan restaurant in London where I can be bringing guests for the Kenyan dishes." Three times the number of guests intending to join the dinner were unable as they tried to catch up the last minute booking but the hotel could not accommodate more than 150 guests. Another business dinner is scheduled to come in the near future.

The guests came from far and wide with some guests from Glasgow, in Scotland, Sweden, Reading, Slough, Luton and Sussex. Notably not represented at the dinner was Oxford and Northampton.

Dinner with the High Commissioner - PART ONE PHOTOS

Dinner with the High Commissioner - PART TWO PHOTOS

Dinner with the High Commissioner - PART THREE PHOTOS

Kenya High Commissioner HE Joseph Muchemi (left) and his wife collecting their food as the chairman of KMDJ Mr. Ngethe Mbiyu and Bishop John Gichiri follow

BBC producer Mr. Solomon Mugera (right) shaking hands with the High Commissioner as Catherine Waweru (second right) from Slough, Elizabeth Kangethe (third right) former headmistress of Githunguri Girls in Kenya and Lucy (far left) looks on

"I am also a businessman in the UK, my work is to sell Kenya government abroad" - Kenya High Commissioner, Joseph Muchemi speaking at a Kenyan businessmen dinner in London

THE TOP TWO KENYANS IN BUSINESS IN THE UK

When in the congregation you won't think she knows anything. When in the office, the size her office would tell you something is happening somewhere. In the house, a lovely mother with her children and a good  entertainer with her guests. Membo Marks as she is well known is a on top among the Kenyans businessmen in the UK. "Those who attended the dinner and listened to her speech can witness to this. "You can make, if I made it, you can also make. I started from nowhere and now we are somewhere. We own about 20 houses in London and over 40 houses outside London among many other things we do." Mrs. Mark explained as she encouraged Kenyans businessmen/ladies that they can make it. Married to a softly spoken husband Mr. Mark the couple owns a company Kemberley Housing Group where they are semi-fostering more than 100 children. Recently she bought eight acres of land in Bedford earmarked for house construction. The generous lady lives in Wembley.

An accountant by profession, Mr. Gatheru Rwamba takes the second position having made a turnover of £18 million last year. After successfully setting out a health care business Eulink across the UK the man of few words has ventured into property business in the UK, Spain, Frorida and now in Kenya and Uganda. Recently they opened an office in Nairobi as the are intending to provide cheap mortgages for Kenyans in Kenya and a tourism office in Uganda. Currently living in Manchester the father of two is working hand in hand with Mr. Steve Kimemia a lecturer at the University of Manchester. Kimemia is the first African lecturer at the University. A very transparent man who likes to help where he can was the organiser of the famine relief funding raising held in the UK last year. He has charity by the name CAP.

"I am aware about the harassment of Kenyans living in the UK by

the immigration department  at JKIA, something is being done"

Kenya High Commisisoner Mr. Joseph Muchemi addressing the businessmen at the dinner as Mr. Ngethe Mbiyu sits next to him	The dinner theme was "networking" and everyone was busy networking after the function. Strange enough many attending did not know each other
Zulu man, Dr. Mangena (right) a business adviser consultant with a PhD in the field of business charting with the High Commissioner	"KETEPA tea now in the UK shops", this is the man behind the idea. Mr. Gicheha introducing himself at the dinner. He has managed to bring several containers of Kenyan tea into the UK market

"I am a businessman, my work is to sell Jesus" Pastor Nderitu, South East London  speaking at the businessmen dinner

THE FIRST AFRICANS TO ACHIEVE IN THEIR PROFESSION

As currently CEO and head of fundraising and Finance at  SACOMA. Perez’s comes from a background that is unconventional from both a commercial and a non-profit angle, and this may account for the originality of her approach to Entrepreneurial activities. A Chartered Accountant who originally worked in the private sector, Perez has had several career iterations. She is a professional Fundraiser, a business advisor and member, a chartered Director and approved consultant for Business Link for London specialising in social enterprise.  Perez was highly commended for Beacon Prize 2003 and was awarded the Institute of  Fundraising’s Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year 2002, Jack Petchey Leaders Award and a Millennium Awards Fellowship for strengthening and enriching the community. She is a qualified business advisor and mentor. Perez was finalist in the East London& Essex Business Awards 2004 as the Business Woman of the year. She is also a very successful business woman running her own consultancy (Sampez Consultancy). ‘There is nothing new about the coincidence of business and charity’, says Perez. ‘Social entrepreneurs ought to take a balanced but positive view of the connections between the two sectors’.

In form 6 at Alliance, He was the best student countrywide. He is the only lawyer who has ever passed lawyers exams before joining the school of law-after he pointed to the board then that the law did not require one to attend the school ( they changed the section due to him-its all in records). He is an alumini of the London School of Economics and also a consultant for many bodies in international law. Yes, he was the first African to teach law at the university of Manchester. A cool guy.

THE ORGANISERS

The dinner was organised by Mr. Seed (standing left) in conjunction with Sam Ochieng of Sacoma (sitting left) and Omar Bakari (standing right) of Sacoma and Joseph Njiiri of www.misterseed.com

"I am the moderator of the www.misterseed.com message board, any blame is on me and not on Mr. Seed" - Jackson Njiiri Misterseed' Son retorted.

QUOTES FROM KENYAN BUSINESSMEN INTRODUCING THEMSELVES TO THE HIGH COMMISSIONER AT THE DINNER

"I am a businessman in London. My work is 'Kamaliza' I mean security services" - David Mitemei

"Mimi sio mfanyi  biashara, kazi yangu ni kupiga mudomo huko kwa BBC" - Solomon Mugera a broadcaster with BBC Swahili Service, London

"My name is Mwai lakini sio mtoto wa Emilio Mwai Kibiki" - Mwai Rwamba - Manager Eulink Recruitment, Luton

"We are in partnership with a Russian company, we sell Vodka in the UK" - Shadrack Bulimo

Dinner with the High Commissioner - PART ONE PHOTOS

Dinner with the High Commissioner - PART TWO PHOTOS

Dinner with the High Commissioner - PART THREE PHOTOS

If you would like to get a copy of your photos posed above please get in touch with Mr. Seed at 07951220695 or misterseed@yahoo.co.uk quote the number on the photograph.

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Fantasy coffins in Ghana, West Africa

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