In commemoration of worlds Aids Day, Alive productions Director Nancy Mugga organized a community leaders and beauty queens outreach workshop to debate on how the spread of HIV can be stopped in UK and Africa.

Youth of today do not understand how severe HIV can be. We the parents still have 80s and early 90s mentality. Stigma is raw. We have lost many in our age bracket coholt.
Positive east, a HIV and AIDS offer support Services to individuals affected in all 8 london boroughs. Offering Practical and emotional support for those affected. The representatives was apprehensive that late diagnosis and testing is very dentrimental. They offer Antibody test, Finger print test and take about 2 minutes to get results.

Dr Natasha brought it home that stigma associated with HIV has not changed HIV virus destroys your immunity. In UK the number of african affected by the virus is high in proportion to their population. We all need to own the problem.

Pastor Lincoln did not mince his words. "HIV is a giant and sexuality is a giant too. Its not games or tactics. The chemical energy related to attraction, bonding sexual and copulation can build a village by its strength, hence we cannot ignore our children, whose hormones are fresh"

Availability of sexual content online is real and its what our young girls and boys are growing with. We furnish them with gadget, they sleep late . Going to school tired because we have no control of how much pornography they can consume. The level of sexual pressure raised on our children is immeasurable. Even after you have had a talk, there is little principle and mentoring to go with it" peer pressure and media has done the damage.

Parents your chillden need to connect with you, to introduce them to discipline to walk away from sexual scenarios. When the body says yes, the mind is strong to say no. Safety intergrated with Solid value system is necessary. We cannot just leave them to the internet. Our children need us.

This was a.powerful platform where our very own Laviniah Karanja Face of Kenya UK gave an exemplary thought of speech highlighting her duties as ambassodor and community champion , to empower the youth make good decisions about their life.
UKENTV is committing to supporting Nancy in this very honourable campaign.of saving the youth from HIV and other social misgivings. Fact of the matter is, safe sex will eradicate the virus!

I drank the tropical cold smoothie in one gulp, and ordered an ice tea. My mental clock told me Remo should be walking in any minute. But, I had been warned of the poor time keeping record that people in Nairobi seemed to operate by. I had gone through the details of my assignment countless times. Each time, something came up that I seemed to have overlooked. Something that could go wrong. Something that could seal the deal for me to rot in a tough maximum security prison in Kenya.

I watched the stream of people pouring in and out of the famous Nyayo House. I knew in the building, passports and IDs were processed, but outside the building, there were all sorts of ‘agents’ who made a fortune trying to speed up the process which could take a long time depending on who you knew.  From what I had read on the internet, Nyayo house had been named a torture chamber during president Moi’s era.

Well, I did not know anybody in Nyayo house. I also did not know Remo. All I knew about the guy I was about to meet was a hushed street myth that he was the best in acquiring any fake document that I needed to be a legit Kenyan.

In return, for his effort, I would be giving him a Walther P38 pistol which was tucked in my handbag. He had specifically asked for that model. It had gained respect for its style, accuracy and power. It had taken me a long time to get hold of this pistol, but I had eventually been introduced to a German businessman by a person who owed me a favour. I was armed but I had no idea what sort of character Remo was.

Two police pickups sped past the café. I had been warned that money transfers from banks are heavily guarded, due to the high incidences of hijackings in the capital by robbers, who were extremely desperate for means to survive. Their trigger happy approach to robbery had put many in Nairobi on edge. The sight of the armed policemen reminded me of the long prison sentence that I could see beckoning.

On the other hand, if my meeting with Remo went as planned, the next day I would be a bona fide Kenyan citizen. I could then secretly carry out the plan that had brought me to Nairobi in the first place. The excitement was more intoxicating than foreplay. The reality was that if I was trying to play with the big boys, then I had to be prepared to pay the price the big boys paid when things went wrong.

Any minute now Remo would walk in. I had not been shown a picture of him, but he knew how I looked like. So as I sat watching the door, I tried to suss out the people who came in. 40minutes after the agreed time, I was beginning to lose hope about Remo. From the corner of my eye, I was able to catch the back of a short guy who had dropped a note on my table without saying a word and disappeared through the back door. The message was written on a receipt from Tuskys which I guessed was a supermarket.

‘Java cafe Mama Ngina Street.’

Despite having been in Nairobi for only a few days, I had made sure that I had learnt the streets and knew how to get about. My first rule was to blend in with the locals and behave like a typical Nairobi youngster. I did not want to start asking strangers directions.

As I left the coolness of the coffee shop leaving my ice tea barely touched, the strong sun made my eyes take time to adjust. It took me about 6minutes to wrestle my way though people and vehicle traffic. I passed many youngsters who were my age. I guessed they were going to or returning from college. Most of them talking about music, reality T.V programmes and the usual gossips. I missed that. I had grown up from that type of talk many years ago though I wasn’t even 20 yet. In the last few years, I had been dealing with men and women who operated on a very separate set of rules mostly involving violence. The weight of the pistol somehow reminded me how deeply immersed I was in lawlessness and anarchy.

As I walked through the front door of Java coffee shop, I saw the subtle nod of a guy who was in no doubt Remo. With some people, there is an air of self-assurance that hangs around them making it impossible to miss.  As we walked down the stairs in the basement area, my blackberry beeped. I had a message from mum.

‘When are you coming home honey?’

‘I wish I knew mum, I wish I knew.’ Was all I could think as I switched off my phone, a

 Thoughts about home and my family and how little they knew the real me crept in my mind for a second but, I wiped it away quickly and followed Remo to a corner table. 

Remo turned out to be nothing like I had imagined he would look like. He was dressed in smart-expensive casuals. His black t-shirt had a small slogan that read ‘South B power drops!’ his tall frame combined with his urban swagger made him come across as someone who could very easily change from one character to the next with great ease. His clean shaven face emphasized his strong jaw-line, a flawless dark skin and dashing white teeth.

He had a face that people tend to trust easily. It was hard to connect the picture that was before me and the thuggish reputation that went hand in hand with the mention of the name Remo in the streets of Nairobi. When he spoke, his deep voice had a milky dreamy like quality that I imagined would put a lot of people at ease. He had a casual way about his manners that left his face bereft of any expressions of excitement or anger. From experience, the likes of Remo and their ability to keep their natural emotions in check was what made them the most dangerous in the criminal world.

We talked about Tony. His business associate and a close friend back in London. Tony was the main reason I had been able to meet Remo. I had been working for Tony for over two years. Remo kept asking me if Tony was mad to trust someone as young as me to carry such dangerous missions. I had proven to Tony that I was reliable, fearless and a top driver. Qualities that you had to have to work for Tony. Since I got my driving license at 17, within two years, I had been the get-away driver at two robberies, one of which had nearly resulted into an arrest. The flashbacks of that day had been so scary that I had wanted to quit.

I admit that I really liked the Kenyan coffee. Remo stuck to still water. Apparently he would be going to the gym after our meeting. Lucky him!  I had been dying to go back to the gym myself. Back in London, I religiously went to the gym 6days a week. It was the only way to keep my mind focused. My dangerous life relied on agility and physical fitness.

 Discreetly not deviating from the casual talk, Remo slipped the pistol in his inside pocket. In its place, he dropped a khaki envelope that I knew was my Kenyan passport and ID. Remo told me to speak to Tony if there were any problems or I wanted any help whilst in Nairobi. I understood.

We spent the next hour talking about Nairobi and London. I told Remo that I liked Java coffee shop and I would sit there and catch up on my emails before going back to my rented apartment near Nairobi hospital. After Tony left, I decided to go through the notes that had been wired by Tony. My task sounded easy enough in theory. All I had to do was steal a particular painting from the National Archive. I knew the picture carried enormous historical significance, but I wasn’t sure about its financial value. That was not my problem. All I needed to do was carry out the robbery, take it back to London and get paid, and wait for the next call from my boss.

As I was logging off my tablet, I saw a person I had never expected to ever come across again in my life. T904433! What the hell? The last time I had seen him, we had helped him escape from an Immigration detention camp in the English countryside. He was with a young beautiful girl who was obviously enjoying the company of the ‘London boy.’ After his successful escape, he had double-crossed me on a small quick-money scam and fled. We had decided to split the proceeds in half. Unknown to me, he had pulled the scam a day before and that was the last I had heard or seen from him. What was he doing in Nairobi?

I couldn’t risk being seen, but I had to wipe that smile off his face. On the bill, I wrote ‘T, see your appetite for young chicks has never stopped. On the business side of things, Datura is in town. Small world Huh!’ I gave it to the waiter to pass it on and quickly ascended the stairs.

I crossed the street and stood outside 20th century cinema plaza and waited. In a few seconds, he came flying through the door. He was unnerved and definitely scared. Most people think irrationally and make mistakes when scared. T904433 forgot his woman and briskly headed towards Moi Avenue. I followed him at a safe distance. Very soon he was going to make a mistake and I would be there to remind him the basic code of the street laws! 

WRITTEN BY: Sheecole. J

         

Its when we have done all the work, all the years of toiling and difficulties and sacrifices that the dream starts to take shape! to all those who have walked in our life and stayed, those who helped and walked away, those who criticised as we dreamt on! thank you, as you have all contributed to our successes today. 

I started as a secondary school teacher with a passion for media, Then I took an opening to present African Acts OBE TV. They gave me an opportunity to realize my dream and explore my potential. As we progressed, we realized the gap of information betweeen Diaspora and africa, then we explored that arena too.

Now we are a major player on Sky 191. We are in a position to create more Programs. If you really wanted to be a TV presenter in UK and you are willing to work your head off to realize your dream, UKENTV will help you. Contact me with your program ideas and we will guide you thjrough from producing, presenting, marketing and broadcasting.

As for me, Its all the people that have come

Dec  2007 and Jan 2008, I sat in my living room, a young mother, watching my own mum get sick with worry, daily tears for her as she watched BBC and Aljeezera news on killings in Molo, our home. Hooligans with placards reading " no Raila no peace", burning houses. We did not know if our house was down, if our people were dead or if any of our village men survived the violence. These are scenes I cannot easily erase from my mind. She was admitted to hospital for two weeks, heart failure! that is how bad the violence had affected her!

Today, hearing of how Miguna Miguna was assalted, it came to my senses again, there is no stopping the hooligans unless we all say yes to their masters. Raila need to address the hooligans with so much vigor if he want to be voted by Kenyan`s. I challenge FORA to come up with a stratergy of dealing with the people who are spoiling the party for Raila. Unless they are happy to be associated with Violence. These issues are gone but not forgotten.  Raila himself need to point clearly and oftenly that Peace in Kenya will prevail no matter what!

There are many presidential candidates, with manifestos and policies saying what they can do for Kenya but as we give them a listening ear, lets not blindly follow without questions. Raila could be the solution for Kenya but the way he is being packaged by the so called supporters is keeping peace loving Kenyans worried!

Kenya has gone through so much transformation and healing process, and we need a president that will think of the development of the country and that of the people, but who is it going to be? Martha Karua? Peter Kenneth? Raila Odinga? Kalonzo Musyoka? Musalia Mudavadi? Uhuru Kenyatta? William Ruto? Prof Ole Kiyiapi? or some undeclared candidates! they all have their strengths and weaknesses, weigh them and then vote for the best!
 
What if come 2013, Raila is not voted in as the next Kenyan president? What is going to happen?  Let the people decide!  Kenneth Matiba said that in 1992, and when he was not voted in, he retired gracefully from politics. I repeat his words, let the people decide. We Kenyans abroad are a catalyst, we can challenge, inform and educate our people back home to vote for the candidate that shows they can lead without prejudice, progressively and successfully for the whole country to benefit. Watch UKENTV as we bring you interviews and messages by presidential aspirants, then we can make up our mind! As for now, denounce the violence, nobody needs it!

It  closed as quickly as it opened. Just when the UK Kenyans were warming up to the idea of the great hangout zone, Olympic was over and it was time then to call it a day for this successful, yet to the eyes of others, very controversial endeavor by the government. 
As explained  to UKENTV by Brand Kenya CEO Mary Kimonye, the house was hired as a trade centre to market Kenya to the world, leveraging on the sporting success of our athletes. There were thematic days like Export, tourism which was exceptionally delivered through Seminars with UK tour agents and  wonderful entertainment from Bomas of Kenya and masai cultural arts. The Kenyan Fashion show which I am proud to have organized in association with AFAD, other beautiful exhibition of Kenyan Past, present and the future. Vision 2030, Konza city, Energy, LAMPSET and other wonderful projects were discussed here, with follow up meetings. Catering was also great with Cyromas cooking Kenyan cuisine followed by Tusker! Some of this aspects of Kenya House was magnificent! 

So what went wrong? 

Sports days! 
Advertised on the website as in there will be signing of autographs by athletes, Kenyans travelled for hours, with their children, to see our athletes living the Olympic theme, inspire a generation! The generation of children hanged out for three days in Kenya house waiting, with promises, but none of the team Kenya arrived even to apologize. This was a flop! Kenyans are angry to have been ignored. When Usain Bolt won, he did go to Jamaica house and the celebrations there was awesome. We waited for our great pride Rudisha, no blame to this star as he has done the country proud, but the organizers of team Kenya has left a lot of us in the Diaspora wondering why we even bothered. This is the trend even in marathon where our athletes are not accessible! How can we use absent athletes to market Kenya?

Publicity!
I am not faulting Hillsbafour for the way they marketed Kenya to the targeted audience for thematic days. It was nice to see investors in sports, tourism, films, agriculture and ICT. The diversity of the seminar audience was evidence that they did their Job but for the Kenyan Diaspora, who according to the His excellency Mwai Kibaki are the ambassadors, publicity to them was non existent. The information on the website was not clear, and that is why so many were turned back at the door by the security, who were doing their job, but still if someone travelled many hours, (and can see others going in who had registered through hillsbafour) and they are refused entry to Kenya House by a non Kenyan security guard, you can expect a show there! Its not to say they are trouble makers, its to say that somebody needed to address this. I am not even going to talk about rudeness to the Diaspora by the same people launching products for the Diaspora, at least we happened to be there to damage control some language that would have made great headlines.

We could dwell on what went wrong forever, but UKENTV is positive media, and we happened to have been there to witness great moments at Kenya House. Also the venue has a capacity of 150 people for health and safety purposes, it could not be exceeded.  I always say, perfection is overrated, Kenya House delivered, but there is so much room for improvement. 

As for us abroad, we are in competition that collaboration has not been considered an option. We will keep loosing big businesses if all we can do is to trash each other to the people we need to hire us."Pamoja Tunaweza", We need to stop the complaining attitude and adopt the solution attitudes. Those who wrote proposals to the government to offer services during London 2012 Olympics felt betrayed, rightly so, but the competition among all us makes it impossible to have a united front.  CLICK FOR PHOTOS

If someone told you they are going to Kenya for Holiday, you probably were going to assume they will land on the sandy beaches of Mombasa! with white sand and ever so blue water, visible from horizons which just calms your nerves! Or maybe they will go to Maasai Mara! where animals and exotic culture is just amazing but No! things have changed, after seeing Maasai for many years, now the interest has changed. Tourists want to see the poorest of the poor, eating and sleeping next to their shit! (forgive for use of word) but surely, why would someone pays thousands of money to go tour Kibera?
Tour Companies are making a killing for this `exotic' tour package but how does it become enjoyable to the tourist. Seeing children rummaging damp site for food? seeing individuals crying with pain? houses without walls? Sewers that run between meals ? ....and yet the locals are free to invite the tourist, who films and take photos of their degrading livelihood for a few shillings!
Some tourists and organizations have been beneficial in setting up facilities like schools, medical centres and self help groups but majority are just there for a laugh!
So what could be a good solution to slum tourism?

This message is directed to hundreds of Kenyans in UK and across Europe that have been calling to register to  the Multi-million Kenya UK Savings & Credit Cooperative Society Sacco that will cover Kenyans in United Kingdom  and across Europe; a  launch ceremony held at Crown Plaza Hotel, Heathrow saw hundreds of Kenyans registered for the Sacco.  Before the launch the initial Pioneer members and the Registrar had held an AGM where committee members were elected and agreed on Registration fee of £100 (non- refundable). To be a full member you have to buy at least 4 shares at £50.00 per share; members are encouraged to continue  & contribute  around £2,300  as soon as they can , as initial capital towards prospective projects . This is  your savings and credit which is  fully refundable as per Sacco bylaws, continuous contribution after registration will be done online in a few days time, where you will be able to pay straight to the Sacco foreign currency account in Kenya. Those at the launch managed to register on the day . For an application form,  or a copy of Bylaws contact the Hon secretary Mr Jack Obiero  jack@kenuks.net. As we update our website . Please call 08444145411 or  07908721371.

New acquitances are so exciting. The possibilities are endless of the advantages we have, to add a new friend, one that we might have considered successful, beautiful, well mannered and many more positive attributes. We respect people more when we do not know them well but when we do, mostly there is always some familiarity that breeds contempt. It does not have to be loudly spoken about contempt but we find that some characteristics of our acquitance sometimes can be less admirable. so why is it so rampart in the Kenyan Community? a contempt that is breaking away families, business, relationships and the community at large, especially the Kenyans abroad.

 The animosity that have been portrayed in some circumstances have left both the victim and the culprit disadvantaged, especially in a world where professional ethos and mannerism are highly acknowledged and expected. Its easier to blame the other person, criticise their behaviour but what we do not do is criticise ourselves. Is there anything we could have done to make the situation better? Have you tried to solve an underlying problem or have you just buried it under the carpet?
Well my dear readers, I believe that time has come where we have to appreciate each other and empower each other to succeed. As a Community, the jealousy and hatred should be reverted to appreciation. We are losing too much by being hard headed, being uncorperative and ony concerned about leadership.

Are there friends you wish you never met? Does your adrenaline rise once you see that person more apparent than you?  more elonquent etc...remember there is always going to be someone or some situation greater than you but if your contact data is full of people who knows and respect your excistence, you will always have a job to do, because even the one you cannot do, you will know someone who you have build relationship with that can do it! its all about positive constructive networks! No more bad mouthing, just references that says we appreciate our strengths and acknowledge our weaknesses.

Make it Right, come out in public as a united front! Together we are a force, alone we are just individuals, hungry to make a living. Make it right! No more familiarity complex!

 Grieving while abroad is one of the hardest thing that we have to deal with. Many immigrants have moved to countries where they have no relation apart from the small nuclear family and a network of friends who might not have a connection at all with our background. Yet, many have lost families back home, and are still dealing with grief in solitude. Grieving is a difficult process and could take a very long time to work through. Some turn to religion, some to drugs and alcohol, some to exclusion, while some go extremely of becoming suicidal.

How would you feel if your mum, dad, sister or brother died and you were not able to travel for their burial? Sometimes our immigration status are the hindrances or in other circumstances, the finance required improptu for such a trip is not available. Not forgetting that funerals have become very expensive, if including exuberant hospital bill, then this become a highly stressful situation for anyone to deal with. This is a large group of Diasporians who need emotional support, even years after the death!

Travelling back for a close family burial is important for sharing thoughts, memories, or ideas with other loved. This is an integral part of the healing process and taking care of necessary business like inheritance.

In other circumstances, those abroad have lost their partners or their children in the absence of any family members to help them deal with the grief. The Kenyan Community networks, especially UK and USA are usually very supportive of a grieving person, and they get financial support to help on the urgent requirements.

But is it enough? What happens after the burial? Who follows up to check on the mental being of the bereaved? Many have become severely depressed after the passing of a loved one locally or abroad because there was no appropriate support. I know people who have lost themselves after such an ordeal, never gone back to their usual self! this is how bad it gets abroad!

How can you grieve in absence?

a) Link with close friends more and look for support networks. Churches, weekly discussion groups, support groups for those who have lost a loved one. If you are really falling apart, consider going to a councillor but do not bottle your feelings.

b) With so much social network, there is bound to be someone who share memories of your loved one. Write, sharing memories. When you put in writing, it does not stay in your head. More importantly, keep close links with your family whereaver you are.

c) Be active! Work less and excercise more, avoid stressful situation and treat yourself to feel good activities.

Always rmember that your loved ones loved you too, and they would hate to see you waste away in their absence. Do them a justice and work towards your healing. Never forgetting them, but living your life fully with their memories. You do not want their death to be your death sentence too!

After Kenyan independence in 1963, White settlers departed within 10 yrs. There was a remaining minority of around 20,000 whites that remained and acquired Kenya citizenship. Now there are more due to descendants of the white settlers, expatriates, and those that have moved in recent years due to business or pleasure.

Almost all of the White Kenyans are within the upper class, owning farming or livestock land, businesses but also there are those in white collar jobs like finance, conservation, hospitality, air or water transport. There is a very small minority who have moved back to Kenya making it there retirement home.

There is still talk of slavery in white owned farms and stories of ill treatment of workers, even murder, like the recent homicide involving the Delamare family. These cases make it worse for the common mwananchi, living below poverty line, to engage and relate with the white Kenyan.

Example of prominent Kenyan Mzungu include the Leakey family, Ian Duncan (Rally Driver), Jason and David Dunford (swimmers) and many more still living there. Others moved back to their country of Origin like Rogger Whitaker, the Folk artist who proudly sang the hit `My Land is Kenya'. It sometimes sound odd when the Dunford brothers are called Kenyans; but they are Kenyans, and people need to start looking and treating them as so.

The time during campaign and election is a lonely time for white Kenyan apart from some well charismatic and elonquent individuals like Richard Leakey who is heavily involved in the political system. There is a dire need for representing of the highly increasing group in public service and goverment owned parastatals. This is a scary concept, the common Mwananchi have not been mentally prepared to vote in a `mzungu', which might bring memories of colonial times. The colonial system has not been too far from where we are. The wounds for some, like Mau Mau fighters, are still fresh, so what is the goverment plan for the Kenyan Mzungu?

It is important to remember they have right too. Many native Kenyan Immigrant in Britain have been able to engage in politics, Like councillor Elizabeth Kangethe and the likes. It would be good thinking that the white Kenyan, who have agreed to get involved in the country political process can be given an equal chance like all the others deserving Kenyans. Many of those in Kenya and away from Kenya have also invested heavily in Kenya as Kenyans, and their investments are at stakes just like yours and mine.

Globally, immigration has become very common. Previously it was mostly from Africa to the western countries like USA, UK or Germany but recently immigration of able citizens to african greener pastures is at an increase. Even within Africa. In Kenya now we have a great number of Nigerians and Congolese who are highly enterpreneural, not forgeting those refugees from Somali and Sudan that settled and became Kenyans eventually, paying tax and living legally, adding to the country GDP.

There is a call for Kenyans abroad who had lost their citizenship to start applying for their citizenship due to fact that Kenya allows Duo nationality. Does this call extend to the white Kenyan?