BREAKING NEWS: OSEWE’S PASSPORT ISSUED!!

Stockholm:
Wednesday June 16th 2004

Just as the signatures hit the 99th mark, I received news from Mary
Musasia, the Public Relations Officer at the Immigration office in Nairobi
that I have been issued with a brand new Kenyan Passport number 858032.
As I write, I have been informed that the Passport is on its way to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs for onward transmission to Sweden. I have
been advised to check with the Embassy on Monday next week, estimated
time of arrival.

The news  came as plans by Kenyans in Stockholm to send a delegation to
the Kenyan Embassy were also being finalized. With the new development,
the visit to the Embassy that was scheduled for Friday June 18th has
been called off.

Once again, I take this opportunity to thank everybody who has been
involved in this campaign. A process that has taken me one and a half
years without results has suddenly been completed in less than 8 working
days – thanks to the campaign. The anger that has been expressed by
Kenyans and friends alike together with the new fronts that were on their
way to being opened over a small issue such as a Passport must have
prompted the authorities in Nairobi to act quickly.

Politically, the prospect of the issue being raised in Parliament or
being picked up by the media could have added an extra and unwanted
embarrassment to the government over a petty issue when other bigger issues
like the Constitutional crisis, corruption in the government, LDP-NAK
crisis, starvation of hundreds of Kenyans across the country and overt
tribalism in the government have already deprived Narc of the mass
support it enjoyed just before the Moi dictatorship was defeated in December
2002. I wish to thank all those who have shared their tribulations at
the Immigration department with me and all those who contacted the
Immigration department directly to exert pressure.

I am now happy that I will soon be in Kenya to reconnect with reality
on the ground after more than a decade in exile. The unity and
solidarity I have seen from people from different walks of life during the short
period when the petition has been active has been humbling. The era of
confiscating or denying Kenyans Passports for political reasons is gone
just like the era of single Party dictatorship is also dead and buried.
As I prepare for my trip home, my message to all those who have been
involved in this campaign is simple: The struggle continues.

Okoth Osewe
Secretary
Kenya Socialist Democratic Alliance (KSDA)
Tel: ++46736533068
osewe@chello.se
osewe@hotmail.com

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Related Links:

View Petition signatories
http://kenyasocialist.org/Petitions/osewe%20passport.htm

Read Petition Updates:
http://kenyasocialist.org/Petitions/update%20on%20okoth%20osewe%20passport.htm

Read Petition:
http://kenyasocialist.org/Petitions/petition%20for%20passport.htm