Category Archives: Culture

KENYA: WAR WITH RADICAL ISLAMISTS UHURU WILL NEVER WIN

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014

I laughed when I heard President Uhuru Kenya giving Kenyans hope that his government will take decisive action against all those engaging in terror activities at the Coast, saying criminals would not be allowed to hide under the umbrella of religion to harm Kenyans.

Definitely this is the war Uhuru will never win. This is because radical Islam is not merely an extreme version of Islam but a cultural-social ideology dominating all aspects of life. They are ready to die when defending what they think it is their rights.

Like many violent totalitarian movements, radical Islamists’ primary objective is to dominate all those within its reach and suppress all other ideologies, movements, and beliefs in its path, Christianity included. In short, radical Islam is dedicated to the conquest of the world, by any means possible.

Community leaders on Kenya’s coast have already warned that Islamic extremism is not only on the rise, but also a threat to peace and stability in the region. Killing Christians and burning their churches is to send a signal to the government that the truth about the killing of a Muslim cleric, Sheikh Aboud Rogo Mohammed must be found and justice must be done to the Muslim communities at the Coast.

Radical Islamists believe that the Government of Kenya collaborated with US FBI to kill the cleric. A gunman – or gunmen – shot him dead at close range in August. Mr Rogo’s wife was in the car with him. She was injured, but survived.

What irritates the radical Islamists and the entire Muslim communities at the Coast is the manner in which the outspoken cleric was killed. They killed him as an animal, not as a human being, they argue.

It explains why the training and terror attacks are done at the Masjid Musa, the mosque where Mr Rogo used to preach. Aboud Rogo was killed shortly he had urged his followers to take up arms against Kenyan government forces fighting in Somalia.

His name appeared on a US and UN sanctions list, accused of providing “financial, material, logistical or technical support to al-Shabab”, the Somali militant group aligned to al-Qaeda. No-one has admitted to killing the cleric, but many in Mombasa Muslim communities believe he was assassinated at the behest of the Kenyan government.

Radical Islam draws on widely accepted Islamic religious philosophy and customs. The movement also draws heavily on dangerous ideas that negate basic human rights and freedoms of expression.

Terrorism is only one of the tactics used by radicals, with new tactics arising everyday. Some are more subtle such as the use of textbooks, while others are outright violent, such as terrorizing those who embrace freedom of speech.

Radical Islam’s kinship with terrorism, and its willingness to use violence as a means to its ultimate ends, is clearly spelled out in a training manual produced by the radical Islamist terror group al Qaeda, whose operatives carried out the 9/11 attacks in USA.

Radical Islamists tend to gravitate toward three major methods of achieving their ultimate objective. The first is to fight the Near Enemy prior to fighting the Far Enemy. The Near Enemy is anyone inside Islamic lands, whether it is an occupier or someone who has taken away territory that used to be Islamic. It explains why they attack Christians.

The second method is to fight the Greater Unbelief—the major enemy, which today is the United States—before the Lesser Unbelief. And the third method is to fight the Apostates (false Muslims) first, and then the other Unbelievers.

The Sunday Christians attack at the Coast came as the United Nations issued an alert of increased threat of attacks from the Shabaab. The security and intelligence never took this warning seriously otherwise the killing would have been prevented.

This is not the first time Uhuru has given the warning. He gave similar warning six months ago after the terrorists attacked Westgate mall.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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POLYGAMY RECONSIDERED

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2014

Lucy (not her real name) writes: “Dear Father, I am married with 4 children. We are not divorced yet with my husband but separated. I filed divorce case last year when I found out that my husband was having mpango wa kando (secret women outside) and dumped me with children.

I realized this when he could not cater for our family basic needs like food, and being reluctant in paying school fees for children. I managed to find the number of one of his secret women and when I called her to find out why she is moving with my husband she abused me terribly. It is a shame Father.

I agree with your homily that with this marriage bill that a man will not consult with his wife when he wants to marry second wife will bring conflicts in many families, and believe me many families are going to break up.

Now Father what are catholic bishops saying about this, they seem to be silence on this issue. I think they should come in one voice to oppose the bill. Otherwise thank you very much your homilies are indeed enriching and down to earth. God bless your work”.

Thank you for raising this issue Lucy. I do agree with you that when bishops speak about it they can be heard and may be to change the mind of the president in signing it into law. May be they are preparing to make a statement, we are to wait see their reaction.

The amendment was moved by Justice and Legal Affairs Committee chairman Samuel Chepkong’a, saying under customary law, women or wives you have married do not need to be told when you’re coming home with a second or third wife.

The Marriage Bill seeks to combine seven laws on marriage, divorce and come-we-stay unions. It also recognises polygamy and the payment of dowry for customary marriages. It was introduced in July 2013 and is now in the final stage — the Third Reading — in the National Assembly. The Bill states that those marrying must be 18 years or older.

Even in Islam where polygamy is allowed, with the specific limitation that a man can have four wives at any one time, experience has shown that the contemporary Muslim woman is not happy to have a co-wife.

Even though the Qur’an clearly states that men who choose this route must deal with their wives justly, with high cost of life today it is almost impossible for a Muslim man to cater for his many wives and children.

A husband does not have to have permission from his first wife to marry another wife, even though many Muslim women today would like their husbands to consult them before marrying another wife.

Although traditionally it is believed that men were marrying many wives in order to have many children, according to evolution pioneer Charles Darwin men have historically practiced polygamy as a way to both please their sexual desires and maintain household dominance.

In his 1871 book The Descent of Man, Darwin stated that “Judging from the social habits of man as he now exists, and from most savages being polygamists, the most probable view is that primeval man aboriginally lived in small communities, each with as many wives as he could support and obtain, whom he would have jealously guarded against all other men”.

Most Christian theologians however, argue that Christians should not marry many wives. Theologians base their argument on Matthew 19:3-9 and Genesis 2:24 that Jesus explicitly states a man should have only one wife.

Basil of Caesarea also wrote in the 4th century of plural marriage that “such a state is no longer called marriage but polygamy or, indeed, a moderate fornication. He ordered that those who are engaged in it should be excommunicated for up to five years, and “only after they have shown some fruitful repentance were they to be allowed back into the church.

This was the same time in the 4th century that St Augustine wrote that the good purpose of marriage is better promoted by one husband with one wife, than by a husband with several wives. Justin Martyr, Irinaeus and Tertullian also spoke against polygamy, condemning it.

Remember that not all Christian churches have the same view in polygamy. The Nigerian Celestial Church of Christ allows clergy and laymen to keep multiple wives, and the Lutheran Church of Liberia began allowing plural marriage in the 1970s.

Several other denominations permit those already in polygamous marriages to convert and join their church without having to renounce their multiple marriages. These include the African instituted Harrist Church, started in 1913.

Even the Anglican Church made a decision at the 1988 Lambeth Conference to admit those who were polygamists at the time they converted to Christianity, subject to certain restrictions. Polygamy was first discussed during the Lambeth Conference of 1888:

“That it is the opinion of this Conference that persons living in polygamy be not admitted to baptism, but they may be accepted as candidates and kept under Christian instruction until such time as they shall be in a position to accept the law of Christ.

That the wives of polygamists may, in the opinion of this Conference, be admitted in some cases to baptism, but that it must be left to the local authorities of the Church to decide under what circumstances they may be baptized, according to resolution 5.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste

The Buzuruga Muslim – Sungusungu Conflict of 1983

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From: Abdalah Hamis

By Mohamed Said

The Buzuruga Muslim – Sungusungu Conflict of 1983 [1]

In 1983 the government and BAKWATA found itself facing a crisis which vibrated even beyond its borders. A few miles from Mwanza, a town on the shore of Lake Victoria there is a small village, Buzuruga which had a small mosque of which its imam was one Sheikh Daud. The village had its fair share of Muslims, Christians and animists. Buzuruga was to participate in the installation of its traditional headman, the leader of a local tribal militia known as the sungusungu. The ceremony entailed congregation of all the people including men and women standing on an open ground with women leaving their top parts bare. People were to stand like this early morning before sunrise in order to watch the sun rising from the east and supplicate to it. This was a pagan initiation ceremony and no Muslim could participate. The CCM Chairman one Masabo Kabambo in a rally on 8 th August declared that no one was to be spared in the ceremony, Muslims must participate like all other citizens.

The sungusungu a Sukuma tradition long forgotten was revived as a peoples’ militia when it was realised the police force could no longer be trusted to maintain peace and order due to several reasons, one of them being corruption in the police force. Under the authoritarian regime of Nyerere, sungusungu had a political stance and was given a force of law. This force of law conferred to an untrained force under arms, although primitive, created apathy. Muslims refused to participate in those celebrations held on 17 August for the simple reason that the festivity was un-Islamic. The Muslim stand enraged sungusungu and in its fury sungusungu conducted a house to house search and went Sheikh Daud’s house and roughed[2] him up ridiculing Islam, and in the process intentionally defaced the Holy Qur’an. Sheikh Daud was punished with 115 lashes for his insolence. Muslims were rounded up as they were going for salat fajr and forcefully matched to the grounds to participate in the celebrations. Other Muslims including w
omen were dragged from their homes and taken to the grounds. Men were forced to strip and women to take off their hijab. Muslims who resisted were manhandled and humiliated. The following day when Muslims in Mwanza alerted the Muslim umma in Tanzania of what had taken place in Buzuruga Muslims were appaled.

Muslim activists in Mwanza sent a detailed report to Warsha in Dar es Salaam. In return Warsha through its members in the executive of the Dar es Salaam University Muslim Student Association (MSAUD) dispatched an emissary to Mwanza one Mohamed Lulengelule to have on the spot assessment of the situation. The emissary interviewed Sheikh Daud. BAKWATA were hesitant to issue a statement to condemn the defilement of the Qur’an because sungusungu was taken as a state institution. BAKWATA was waiting for direction from the government on how to act and what to say. Meanwhile Muslims throughout the country were calling for Muslims to raise up in jihad against the government and BAKWATA.

When eventually BAKWATA sent the Grand Sheikh, Sheikh Hemed bin Juma to Mwanza it was too late. Muslims had taken full control of the problem. BAKWATA had come to close the stable door after the horse had bolted. And when BAKWATA through the Grand Sheikh using the state-radio gave their own version of the crisis Sheikh Hemed bin Juma said that it was not the Holy Qur’an which was defaced but Yasin and there was no reason for Muslims to raise up in arms. It was better if BAKWATA had remained silent. Muslims were by that gesture made to see BAKWATA for what it was- a hypocrite, puppet organisation on the government payroll. In the articles which Warsha and other Muslim organisations wrote and distributed to Muslims BAKWATA and the government were treated as one. While BAKWATA went down on the estimation of Muslims, Warsha’s stature rose in the eyes of Muslims as a true organisation representing Muslim interests.

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WHY DO CATHOLICS CONFESS THEIR SINS TO PRIESTS?

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014

Regina from Ongata Rongai, Kajiado County writes: Fr Beste I am not a catholic but like your homilies so much. I shared your homily on Ash Wednesday with my jirani here (neighbor), she is also not catho (Catholic) and was wondering why Catholics confess their sins to priests while for us protestants we confess our sins directly to God?”

Mercy from Kahawa Sukari, Nairobi writes: “Dear Fr Omolo I like the question of Gladys from Bungoma and how you answered her. Some things we ordinary Christians just see how priests are doing them at the altar without understanding them. To be honest with you I did also not know why the priest is pouring oil on ashes when he is blessing the.

Father I would also like to know, our priest where I attended mass told us that at least we must confess our sins once a year before Easter. I thought this was misleading because my understanding is that we should confess our since as frequent as possible”.

Thank for the question and interest on my homilies Regina. The Sacrament of Penance, commonly called Confession, is one of the seven sacraments recognized by the Catholic Church as instituted by Jesus Christ himself.

Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Confession on Easter Sunday, when Christ first appeared to the Apostles after his Resurrection. Breathing on them, he said: “Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained” (John 20:22-23).

Jesus ordained and commissioned the Apostles on Holy Thursday during last Supper when he changed bread into his body and wine into his blood, telling his apostles to do the same in his memory. He later gave them the faculty to forgive sins on Easter Sunday after resurrection when he appeared to them in a closed room.

Since Catholics believe that the sacraments are an outward sign of an inward grace, is why the outward sign is the absolution, or forgiveness of sins, that the priest grants to the penitent (the person confessing his sins); the inward grace is the reconciliation of the penitent to God (which is why the sacrament is also sometimes called the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Three things are required of a penitent in order to receive the sacrament worthily. You must be sorry for your sins, confess those sins fully, in kind and in number, and you must be willing to do penance and make amends for your sins, not to repeat them.

During his life, Christ forgave sins, as in the case of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1–11) and the woman who anointed his feet (Luke 7:48). He exercised this power in his human capacity as the Messiah or Son of man, telling us, “the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Matt. 9:6), which is why the Gospel writer himself explains that God “had given such authority to men” (Matt. 9:8).

It explains further why Christ gave this power to the Apostles, and now the priests so that the Church, which is the continuation of his presence throughout time (Matt. 28:20), would be able to offer forgiveness to future generations.

This power was understood as coming from God: “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18). Indeed, confirms Paul, “So we are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor. 5:20).

Thank you for this important question Mercy. What the priest told you is correct and is not misleading. This is according to the second precept of the Church (Catechism No. 2042, “You shall confess your sins at least once a year”). In other words, it is mandatory for all Catholics to confess their sins once a year, failure to which is considered a sin.

Catechism No. 2042 says that the annual confession “ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism’s work of conversion and forgiveness.” Here, reconciliation is not seen just as the obligatory means of being shriven of mortal sin but as one of the habitual and even necessary means of spiritual progress.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com
Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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Twitter-@8000accomole

ABSTINENCE FROM SEX DURING LENT

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014

Gladys from Bungoma writes: “Fr Beste thanks for your homily on Ash Wednesday. I attended mass at our church here and I saw the priest blessing the ashes and pouring on oil. I could not understand this and could not be able to find time to ask him. Please can you give me light on this?

On abstinence and fasting why do some women abstain from sex like in Kenya where women’s activist groups used it to slap their partners with a week-long sex ban in protest over the infighting plaguing the national unity in Kibaki and Raila government?”

Yuvinalis from Kisii writes: “Fr. Beste today was one of those rare occasions when I attended mass at 6.30 am with my wife. The preaching was on the same topic you have enumerated. The homily from the Father was that we are asked for two things during the lent period, to fast and abstain.

Now what about abstaining from meat for somebody who doesn’t normally take meat? You must choose something that you can abstain from during this period. How then did meat come to be a universal item from which Catholics are asked to abstain from?”

Thank you for the questions Gladys. On Ash Wednesday Palm from the previous year’s Palm Sunday are burnt. In the liturgical practice the ashes are mixed with the Oil of the Catechumens (one of the sacred oils used to anoint those about to be baptized), though some churches use ordinary oil.

Your second question is quite interesting one. It is not only women activist; some devoted Catholic couples may abstain from sexual intercourse during Lent as part of their sacrifices to give God the best of themselves.

It is not only in Kenya where women activists have abstained from sex. Togolese women abstained from sex for a week in order to urge Togo’s men to take action against President Gnassingbe. The rally was organised by a coalition which was protesting electoral reforms which they said would make it easier for Gnassingbe to win reelection in the polls set for October.

Sex abstinence has also been used in Belgium, in Pereira, Colombia, in 2006, where the girlfriends of gang members held a widely publicized “strike of crossed legs” vowing to give up sex until their partners gave up violence.

In Naples, Italy, in 2008, women formed a similar strike against the notoriously dangerous New Year fireworks displays; in 2011. A man died and 70 people were injured at the event.

Such types of fasting are often used as a tool to make a political statement, to protest, or to bring awareness to a cause. A hunger strike for example is a method of non-violent resistance in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt, or to achieve a goal such as a policy change. For Muslims fasting includes abstaining from having lustful thoughts.

Yuvinalis your question is frequently asked. Vegetarians cannot abstain from something else to substitute meat since as a matter of fact they don’t eat meat. But like other Catholics they can abstain from something that is good.

Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays during lent and Good Friday in respect of Jesus Christ who was killed and buried on Friday. It’s a way of mourning and doing penance for the sins for which Christ died.

Fasting from something good is primarily a spiritual discipline designed to tame the body so that we can concentrate on higher things. And by refraining from eating, we free up food or money that we can give to those less fortunate than ourselves.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

USA State Dpt.; Press Releases: Osaka, Japan Selected as Host City for International Jazz Day 2014

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From: U.S. Department of State

Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
March 4, 2014

The United States welcomes the selection of Osaka, Japan as the Global Host City for International Jazz Day 2014, which will be celebrated April 30.　 Osaka’s jazz scene dates back to the 1920s and remains lively today, making it an ideal focal point for the day’s events, which will include a series of educational programs and performances at the Osaka School of Music and the All-Star Global Concert in Osaka Castle Park featuring internationally-renowned jazz artists from around the world.　

International Jazz Day, a U.S. initiative, was established in 2011 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to celebrate the unifying power of jazz, its history in fostering communication across cultures, and its continuing vitality in all corners of the globe.　 It is chaired by Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General, and legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, who serves as a UNESCO Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and Chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.　 The Institute is the lead nonprofit organization charged with planning, promoting, and producing this annual celebration.

In addition to the events in Osaka, parallel International Jazz Day events and activities will take place around the world with more information available in the coming weeks.　

Learn more about International Jazz Day at jazzday.com or by following the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #jazzday.

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Honing Uganda and Ethiopia’s silly laws

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From: Charles Banda

By Hama Tuma
Sometimes solutions proposed by governments are worse than the very so-called problems being tackled.
Considering the pungent cocktail of weird laws decreed out of the blue by thumb-twiddling wannabe sophist parliamentarians who only see problems from the golden palaces, villas and powerful offices they occupy and want to keep by hook or by crook, one can’t help but wonder.
When Malawi legislated its preposterous anti-public farting law a couple of years ago, many thought it was going to be the last time anyone heard of laws that questioned the intellectual capacity of African lawmakers. We were wrong.
Uganda has taken the lead, passing one irrelevant law after another, while blaming the west for its pagan, decadent and unchristian imports.

The same middle-eastern religions that travelled west and were exported to Africa, alongside slavery and later colonialism, have now become the African culture to protect, relegating our history and highly developed cultural understanding of gender to Satanism.

As Uganda’s amusing story unfolds, those with an idea of Africa’s precolonial history, wonder what went wrong.

Those irrelevant legislations began with the oppressive and archaic Victorian laws that the United Kingdom, from whence cometh those laws, has been trying to announce to Africa in many subtle ways to drop because they belong to the boom years of social Darwinism when anything aboriginal was considered unfit.

“It is now apparent that the ecological pragmatism of the so-called pagan religions […] was a great deal more realistic in terms of conservation ethics than the more intellectual monotheistic philosophies of the revealed religions,” Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s husband said a couple of decades ago.

But could the harm that has been done be reversed? As multiple-time Nobel Prize for Literature nominee, Milan Kundera notes: “The first steps in liquidating a people is to erase its memories”.

It is here that we realise that the brains of Africa’s current politicians have been washed to such an extent that the same Victorian laws that once sought to rid Africans of their pagan traditional ways have now been accepted as intrinsically African, warts and all.

Africans now believe half naked women and homosexual relations are western imports.

The reason behind Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s “scientific” anti-homosexuality tirade and stringent decree against what concerns an invisible, vulnerable minority is aphoristic.

Endowed with an incredible political cunning acquired by virtue of his longstanding addiction to presidency, Museveni isn’t a stranger to the opium effect of religious populism on the masses.

And after its move to effect a ban on miniskirts, Uganda – a country where the larger population basks in the luxury of poverty, bad governance and corruption from the very top – is well on its way to becoming the biggest police church.

But truth be told, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and others like him in Africa are no exceptions.

While all the world’s unusual laws (see box below) do not excuse Museveni’s vitriol against gays, Zimbabwe’s nonagenarian president Robert Mugabe will soon go six feet under or down in history as one whose attempt at owning the founding president title of his country is seen in his continued gay-bashing speeches; an attempt to discredit that country’s first president Canaan Banana, a former priest who was convicted for being gay. Repeat: a black African gay priest president.

As innocuous as they may seem, silly laws strike the most unpleasant chord when one realises that they are mostly used to foster virulent anti-democratic values.

Is it not the same religious integrity-influenced anti-gay argument that has been used to effect laws that infringe on women’s rights in Uganda?

The burning issues in Uganda and many African countries do not concern dress codes or sexual orientations and yet the rulers harp on these issues while persecuting those who dare to question corruption, bad governance, ethnic discrimination… among a plethora of real concerns.

The issue of dress codes and sexuality is what brings in the votes. It works for them. They do not go to bed on empty stomachs, why should they care about the daft ones who can’t see behind the political rhetoric?

After all, is it not widely known that to hide something from the African, all one needs to do is to hide it in a book?

It is in this light that Uganda’s anti-gay antics and banning of miniskirts become a smart farce; a reminder of the cruel regime in Addis Ababa that once argued that Ethiopians, who cannot afford three decent meals per day need, should go on a dieting regime and stop complaining about the rampant famine.

Such is the politics of irrelevance, a clever governance tactic used by Africa’s power-hungry rulers, adept at turning non-issues of no significance whatsoever into burning issues with the help of the State controlled media.

The regime in Ethiopia is an expert at this art. After blatantly stealing an election and killing hundreds, it expertly manipulates the whole situation – turning attention away from the issue at hand – by arresting so-called political dissidents and triggering a massive hue and cry from a gullible and amateurish opposition.

The main issue forgotten, the secondary concern made crucial—add a weird law to this and the whole focus of the people is hijacked to a non-issue. Voilà !

Fundamentalism

Back to the invisible minority. How many women wear miniskirts in Uganda, an African region whose women folk once proudly wore clothes that bore their chests, hips and midriffs naked, in respect of traditional values.

And who said homosexuality is an European import in that country when it is on record that one of their most remembered ancient, pre-colonial kings kept a harem of well-bred men to feed his sexual cravings?

Are these funny but extremist laws not a shortcut towards fundamentalism? Or are they different from those laws that ban women from driving or taking the same bus as men? Are they different from those that say men with moustaches are forbidden to kiss women including their wives? Are they different from those that get women whipped for allowing themselves to get raped by men so strong even ten legislators can’t fight off just one?

Nonetheless, some of Uganda’s anti-gay law bashers are a perfect example of the stinging double standards and hypocrisy on the continent.

Zenebu Tadesse, Ethiopia’s minister for women, children and youth affairs has criticised the Ugandan law despite a 15-year prison term for homosexuality in her own country, where criticising the regime’s human rights record can get the noblest of citizens thrown into the hole for up to 20 years without a warrant.

This is where Washington comes in. Despite his worsening human rights record, Museveni remains a close ally of Washington, which tolerates good allies with grotesque decrees and practices. In Ethiopia, the more the regime has turned repressive the more it has enjoyed vast international support. And Obama’s words: “we live in a world of imperfect choices” highlight a recognition of those double standards.

Can the American media honestly condemn Museveni while homosexuality remains an offence in many states?

Writing on this hypocrisy, Tracy Clarke-Flory had the following to say in her article: Sodomy laws still exist?!

“When the Indian Supreme Court this week reinstated a law banning gay sex, everyone in my liberal social circle began circulating outrage. I shared in this — and yet, I couldn’t help but wonder at the remnants here in the U.S. of attempts of doing just that. In fact, we still have laws against sodomy in several states – Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah. Currently. In the year 2013. [I pause to let you pick your jaw up off the floor.] Two states — Kansas and Texas — explicitly outlaw homosexual contact. That’s right: the United States of America still has laws on the books criminalizing gay sex”.

As I wrote years ago, homophobia on the part of the repressive regimes is but a cover for “demophobia”, a rabid fear of democracy and the peoples’ demand for good, or at least tolerable, governance.

Museveni and others actually enjoy the hue and cry on the gay issue, a perfect distraction from the many tough questions and serious problems.

India, China, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, the Arab countries, Russia are all part of those repressive and/or corrupt governments engaged in the most politically profitable gay bashing.

My advice to budding despots is: forget the serious problems, the poverty, the lack of social services, the corruption, police and military brutality, the absence of democracy, the oppression of women, the political prisoners, the rampant torture… Just make sure your people do not have access to historical research about what the African culture was in precolonial times. Go for the most shocking legislations that hurt the most vulnerable… and just bash the gays. You’ll be loved. Amen!

Read the original article on Theafricareport.com : Honing Uganda and Ethiopia’s silly laws
http://www.theafricareport.com/Columns/honing-uganda-and-ethiopias-silly-laws.html#ixzz2v0ohTJVq
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An Open Letter to Lupita Nyong’o

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From: Leila Abdul

Dear Lupita Nyong’o,

Thank you for showing the world what true talent and beauty looks like. Last night, I watched the 86th Academy Awards in awe of seeing a woman that looked like me and shared my story. When you accepted this coveted honor, tears rolled down my cheeks. I was reminded of what your win symbolizes for little girls fighting to posses self-love in a world that tells them that they are unworthy of it.

As a young girl of African descent, I grew up detesting who I was. My dark skin, foreign facial features, coarse hair and unique name meant that I wasn’t apart of the American tapestry of beauty. I desired to have fairer skin and curly hair like my lighter-skinned counterparts. Nothing about being of African descent illustrated beauty to me, it only read ugly. In my adulthood, I see the same disease of self-hatred growing amongst the younger generation. I walk into local beauty stores and see skin-bleaching creams (chemical substances that many African, African-American and Hispanic women use to lighten their skin). Despite the dangerous medical effectsof skin bleaching, many continue to put their lives at risk in order to attain the social privilege that a fairer hue affords them.

Though we are generations removed from slavery, we are still combating the aesthetic ideals that emerged from this time period. The film 12 Years a Slaveironically brought the world a breakout star that reminded us that talent and beauty exists in all shapes and forms. You are a woman who looks like so many young Black and African girls struggling to love ourselves for who they are.

Hofstra law school student Laisa Pertet exclaims, “As a young women of Kenyan descent but more importantly, as a young, dark-skinned African-American woman, [Lupita] gives me hope. Because I know that I can be embraced by popular culture when I emphasize the best part of me and bask in my own essence. Her presence alone is inevitably changing society’s definition of beauty, which speaks directly to the potency of our true beauty.”

As a public figure, you share our obstacles, hardships and triumphs. You often speak of your own qualms with self-acceptance, “My one prayer to God, the miracle worker, was that I would wake up lighter-skinned. [To young girls] feel the validation of your external beauty but also get to the deeper business of being beautiful inside.”

This beautiful commentary on developing internal self-love speaks volumes to young girls by proclaiming that what the world thinks of you should matter less than what you think of yourself. For the first time in my youth, I’ve seen the world celebrate a woman who doesn’t share the same features as Beyoncé, Paula Patton, Zoe Saldana or Halle Berry.

Lupita, you are adored for your acting chops, intelligence, brilliance and captivating looks. Most of all, you are celebrated for shifting the standard of beauty away from traditionally oppressive norms. There are hundreds of little Lupitas across the globe that now believe they can achieve their dreams because of your presence as an astounding role model. This Oscar win is more than just another accolade; it symbolizes a change that women of color have been waiting for.

Thank you, Lupita, for showing the world that, “No matter where you come from, your dreams are valid.”

Ola Ojewumi

KENYA: NEWS DISPATCH WITH FATHER OMOLO BESTE CONGRATULATES LUPITA NYONG’O

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

The News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste congratulates Lupita Nyong’o for searing drama “12 Years a Slave” being named best picture at the 86th Academy Awards on Sunday night, the story of Solomon Northup, a free African-American man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery.

Nyong’o has made Kenyans proud. She was the best in the category of the best picture “12 Years a Slave”, beating out big names Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Roberts, June Squibb and Sally Hawkins, for her portrayal of Patsey, a favored but abused slave in the Steve McQueen-directed drama.

Her concluding remark was touchy and emotional: “When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid.”

As lawmaker Gitobu Imanyara remarks, today because of Lupita there is no Kikuyu, no Kalenjin, no Luo, no CORD, no Jubilee! We are just proud Kenyans! May we remain that way! Lupita, becomes the first Kenyan to win an Oscar’.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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Twitter-@8000accomole

2014 Oscar nominees

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From: Juma Mzuri

Best Picture

“American Hustle” Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Megan Ellison and Jonathan Gordon, Producers
“Captain Phillips” Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti and Michael De Luca, Producers
“Dallas Buyers Club” Robbie Brenner and Rachel Winter, Producers
“Gravity” Alfonso Cuarón and David Heyman, Producers
“Her” Megan Ellison, Spike Jonze and Vincent Landay, Producers
“Nebraska” Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa, Producers
“Philomena” Gabrielle Tana, Steve Coogan and Tracey Seaward, Producers
“12 Years a Slave” Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Steve McQueen and Anthony Katagas, Producers
“The Wolf of Wall Street” Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joey McFarland and Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Producers

Actress in a Leading Role

Amy Adams in “American Hustle”
Cate Blanchett in “Blue Jasmine”
Sandra Bullock in “Gravity”
Judi Dench in “Philomena”
Meryl Streep in “August: Osage County”

Actress in a Supporting Role

Sally Hawkins in “Blue Jasmine”
Jennifer Lawrence in “American Hustle”
Lupita Nyong’o in “12 Years a Slave”
Julia Roberts in “August: Osage County”
June Squibb in “Nebraska”

Actor in a Leading Role

Christian Bale in “American Hustle”
Bruce Dern in “Nebraska”
Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Chiwetel Ejiofor in “12 Years a Slave”
Matthew McConaughey in “Dallas Buyers Club”

Actor in a Supporting Role

Barkhad Abdi in “Captain Phillips”
Bradley Cooper in “American Hustle”
Michael Fassbender in “12 Years a Slave”
Jonah Hill in “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Jared Leto in “Dallas Buyers Club”

Animated Feature Film

“The Croods” Chris Sanders, Kirk DeMicco and Kristine Belson
“Despicable Me 2” Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin and Chris Meledandri
“Ernest & Celestine” Benjamin Renner and Didier Brunner
“Frozen” Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee and Peter Del Vecho
“The Wind Rises” Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki

Cinematography

“The Grandmaster” Philippe Le Sourd
“Gravity” Emmanuel Lubezki
“Inside Llewyn Davis” Bruno Delbonnel
“Nebraska” Phedon Papamichael
“Prisoners” Roger A. Deakins

Costume Design

“American Hustle” Michael Wilkinson
“The Grandmaster” William Chang Suk Ping
“The Great Gatsby” Catherine Martin
“The Invisible Woman” Michael O’Connor
“12 Years a Slave” Patricia Norris

Directing

“American Hustle” David O. Russell
“Gravity” Alfonso Cuarón
“Nebraska” Alexander Payne
“12 Years a Slave” Steve McQueen
“The Wolf of Wall Street” Martin Scorsese

Documentary Feature

“The Act of Killing” Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sorensen
“Cutie and the Boxer” Zachary Heinzerling and Lydia Dean Pilcher
“Dirty Wars” Richard Rowley and Jeremy Scahill
“The Square” Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer
“20 Feet from Stardom” Morgan Neville, Gil Friesen and Caitrin Rogers
Documentary Short Subject

“CaveDigger” Jeffrey Karoff
“Facing Fear” Jason Cohen
“Karama Has No Walls” Sara Ishaq
“The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life” Malcolm Clarke and Nicholas Reed
“Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall” Edgar Barens

Film Editing

“American Hustle” Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers and Alan Baumgarten
“Captain Phillips” Christopher Rouse
“Dallas Buyers Club” John Mac McMurphy and Martin Pensa
“Gravity” Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger
“12 Years a Slave” Joe Walker

Foreign Language Film

“The Broken Circle Breakdown” Belgium
“The Great Beauty” Italy
“The Hunt” Denmark
“The Missing Picture” Cambodia
“Omar” Palestine

Makeup and Hairstyling

“Dallas Buyers Club” Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews
“Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa” Stephen Prouty
“The Lone Ranger” Joel Harlow and Gloria Pasqua-Casny

Music (Original Score)

“The Book Thief” John Williams
“Gravity” Steven Price
“Her” William Butler and Owen Pallett
“Philomena” Alexandre Desplat
“Saving Mr. Banks” Thomas Newman

Music (Original Song)

“Happy” from “Despicable Me 2”
Music and Lyric by Pharrell Williams
“Let It Go” from “Frozen”
Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
“The Moon Song” from “Her”
Music by Karen O; Lyric by Karen O and Spike Jonze
“Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
Music by Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen; Lyric by Paul Hewson

Production Design

“American Hustle” Production Design: Judy Becker; Set Decoration: Heather Loeffler
“Gravity” Production Design: Andy Nicholson; Set Decoration: Rosie Goodwin and Joanne Woollard
“The Great Gatsby” Production Design: Catherine Martin; Set Decoration: Beverley Dunn
“Her” Production Design: K.K. Barrett; Set Decoration: Gene Serdena
“12 Years a Slave” Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Alice Baker

Short Film (Animated)

“Feral” Daniel Sousa and Dan Golden
“Get a Horse!” Lauren MacMullan and Dorothy McKim
“Mr. Hublot” Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares
“Possessions” Shuhei Morita
“Room on the Broom” Max Lang and Jan Lachauer
Short Film (Live Action)

“Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn’t Me)” Esteban Crespo
“Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just before Losing Everything)” Xavier Legrand and Alexandre Gavras
“Helium” Anders Walter and Kim Magnusson
“Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?)” Selma Vilhunen and Kirsikka Saari
“The Voorman Problem” Mark Gill and Baldwin Li

Sound Editing

“All Is Lost” Steve Boeddeker and Richard Hymns
“Captain Phillips” Oliver Tarney
“Gravity” Glenn Freemantle
“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” Brent Burge and Chris Ward
“Lone Survivor” Wylie Stateman

Sound Mixing

“Captain Phillips” Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor, Mike Prestwood Smith and Chris Munro
“Gravity” Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead and Chris Munro
“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” Christopher Boyes, Michael Hedges, Michael Semanick and Tony Johnson
“Inside Llewyn Davis” Skip Lievsay, Greg Orloff and Peter F. Kurland
“Lone Survivor” Andy Koyama, Beau Borders and David Brownlow

Visual Effects

“Gravity” Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, David Shirk and Neil Corbould
“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and Eric Reynolds
“Iron Man 3” Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Erik Nash and Dan Sudick
“The Lone Ranger” Tim Alexander, Gary Brozenich, Edson Williams and John Frazier
“Star Trek Into Darkness” Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Ben Grossmann and Burt Dalton

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

“Before Midnight” Written by Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
“Captain Phillips” Screenplay by Billy Ray
“Philomena” Screenplay by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
“12 Years a Slave” Screenplay by John Ridley
“The Wolf of Wall Street” Screenplay by Terence Winter

Writing (Original Screenplay)

“American Hustle” Written by Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell
“Blue Jasmine” Written by Woody Allen
“Dallas Buyers Club” Written by Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack
“Her” Written by Spike Jonze
“Nebraska” Written by Bob Nelson
– See more at
http://diaalnews.com/news/14650#sthash.dZgOFlJM.dpuf

RELIGION AND NUDITY

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014

Following recent media reports that a church in the U.S opened up to worshippers to pray while naked, Mavuno church putting up porn like poster to attract youth into their church service, a pastor in Embu caught with someone’s wife at a lodging having sex, while a pastor dying at his female worshipper’s house in Buruburu in what is said to have been a result of viagra overdose, a lot of debate has been going on social media.

At the same time a church in the Nairobi ghetto Dandora has banned the female worshippers from entering the worship place with panties on. According to Nairobi Exposed the women were informed not to be wearing bras and panties to the church.

The description of this is that when going to church people need to be free in body and spirit in order to receive Christ’s message in its fullest. They were also advised to do the same on their daughters when coming to church on Sundays.

Identifying religion and sexuality/nudity is not something new. Masons do remove all of their clothing, and all jewelry, including their wedding ring before the ritual begins. They are provided with a blue garment to wear during the initiation.

The garment has one leg rolled up and the left half of the chest is bare for the first initiation. If the candidate appeared in public as dressed for initiation, people would think it strange, but he would never be arrested for indecent exposure.

The candidate is hoodwinked (blindfolded) during the first portion of the ritual and he is led around with a rope around his neck. The left chest has been left bare so that the sharp point as of a sword can be placed against his “naked left breast” as he approaches the oath of secrecy.

Nudity or nakedness (naggiya) is the state of being without clothes. Throughout history people have gone naked or nearly naked. Hunter-gatherer peoples in tropical regions have often been naked for practical reasons.

Nudity has been practised as a protest, as a punishment and even as something that promotes good health. In ancient India nudity was mainly practised for religious reasons. The monks of the Jain and the ?j?vakas sects went naked and the Ekas??aka ascetics only wore a small cloth over their genitals.

The supposed spiritual value of nudity was summed up by the monk who said, ‘nudity is useful for desiring little, for contentment, for expunging evil, for scrupulousness, for carefulness, for lessening obstructions and for arousing energy’.

Twice a month the lay disciples of the ?j?vaka sect would go naked and sleep on the ground in imitation of their clergy, the idea being: ‘I have nothing anywhere and, therefore, for me there is no attachment to anything.’

As these lay people really gave up nothing and resumed their ordinary lives the next day, the Buddha considered that their ‘renunciation’ was nothing more than a bluff.

Although monogamous marriage is the ideal, Buddhism generally takes the attitude that sex between two people who love each other is moral, whether they are married or not. On the other hand, sex within marriages can be abusive, and marriage doesn’t make that abuse moral.

The Abrahamic religion of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all recount the legend of the Garden of Eden, found in the Hebrew Bible, in which Adam and Eve are unaware of their nakedness until they eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. After this, they feel ashamed and try to cover themselves with fig leaves.

This suggests that Judaism recognised that nudity in and of itself was not sinful, being a natural part of God’s divine creation. Against the background Judaism does not share the Christian association of nakedness with original sin, an aspect integral to the doctrine of redemption and salvation.

The early Christian Church reflected contemporary attitudes towards nudity, where it was considered acceptable in some contexts such as working outdoors. For example Gospel of John 21:7 describes that Simon Peter is naked while fishing from a boat, but then gets dressed in order to meet Christ.

Nakedness as such is not to be equated with physical shamelessness. The human body is not in itself shameful. Most people prefer to be naked in their rooms at night when they are alone, or with their couples when children are not around.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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KENYA IS NOT YET CIVILIZSED

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from: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014

Dennis from Nairobi writes: “Fr Beste I know the topic here is different but I am getting concerned about this feeling politicians have about themselves being superior, look at the parliament threatening to vet activist judges. I am concerned because they themselves are never vetted and the purpose for which they want to vet the judges is purely revenge as to why they dare challenge their decisions.

Parliamentarians have never declared their wealth and that every time just before elections they always cripple whichever ant-corruption and ethics body in existence so that they are not vetted. And any such thing happens they would run to very courts they are now threatening to challenge such decisions reasons being the body was not fully constituted as provided for by law.

I don’t want to judge them but I feel they should know that they are not the ultimate and that Kenyans are watching their moves, and that they have no moral authority over others and that the rule of law is not about threats of use of hidden powers or legal amendments to suit your own selfish ends.

How many of the same politicians have gone to court to stop cases against them especially around corruption. Let them not behave as though it is only what suits them is important, they are servants not masters and the sooner they realized this the better. Let them all re-examine themselves, remember the standard railway gauge was recently passed by one of the committees of the house as having been above board, what a shame”.

Thank you for raising this concern Dennis. Although the rule of law is above everyone, in Kenya we are still very far from that fact. The rule of law according to the new constitution is to apply to everyone, including politicians. No one is above the law. No one is exempted from the law, and no one can grant exemption to the application of the law.

Currently the Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo says he has no power to arrest Interior Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo. He says he doesn’t want to avoid embarrass him. Kimaiyo cannot arrest him because Iringo is a close ally to President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Iringo is accused of sitting on a Sh31 million damage claim that was awarded to Tanzanian for wrongful detention and torture.

He has three pending arrest warrants emanating from a Sh780,000 compensation awarded to a police officer who sued for malicious prosecution after he was shot, arrested and charged with robbery but later acquitted for lack of evidence.

Justice George Odunga on Monday ordered the Inspector General of Police to arrest the PS and bring him to court to “show why he should not be tried for contempt.” This is despite the fact that a basic hallmark of civilised society is a justice, law, and order system that treats all persons equally.

If Kenya were to be a civilised society where the president doesn’t interfere with the rule of law, then Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo would have been arrested immediately for gross violation of his oath of office when he wilfully ignores or defies an order by a High Court judge to arrest and produce in court Mutea Iringo, who himself risks jail for contempt of court.

Recently President Uhuru Kenyatta violated court order when he defended the Senate over its decision to impeach Embu Governor Martin Wambora and summon others.

Uhuru was reacting after Judges Hedwig Ong’udi, Boaz Olao and Cecilia Githua sitting at the High Court in Kerugoya stopped the gazette notice, which had been printed, declaring the impeachment of Wambora.

The court stopped the swearing in of Deputy Governor Dorothy Nditi as governor. The Senate exonerated Nditi of the charges of violating procurement regulations and financial management rules.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com
Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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Twitter-@8000accomole

MUSEVENI CLAIMS HOMOSEXUALITY HAS NEVER EXISTED IN AFRICA

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2014

John writes via my Facebook timeline: “Fr.Beste, President Museveni claims that practice of homosexuality has never existed in African culture. I was told Mwanga practiced homosexuality in Uganda and those who resisted were killed, hence Uganda martyrs. What is your say on this?”

John you are quite right. President Museveni claims that some homosexuals may take up the behaviour as an open choice, for others it may be due to indoctrination. He further claims that the present fad of sexual exhibitionism, both heterosexual and homosexual is alien and repugnant to most African cultures.

Kabaka Daniel Mwanga (1884 -1897) was widely believed in most historical circles as having been a gay man. Mwanga is the grandfather of the current Kabaka of Buganda, one of the most influential regions in Uganda, both political and economically.

Mwanga is widely known for having killed 22 early converts to Christianity in Buganda in 1886 because they refused to have homosexual practices with them. He accused them of usurping his power by refusing to have homosexual sex with them. The executed Christians have since come to be known as Uganda Martyrs.

It is also to be noted that the current Kabaka, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II commands high esteem among his subjects and anti-gay forces have in the past pressured the Kingdom to condemn the Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009 with no success.

The man behind the push for Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009 is not Museveni himself. He is Rev Fr Simon Lokodo, the minister of Ethics and Integrity who has been dragged to court for raiding and forcing a gay rights conference in Entebbe close last year was also at the meeting.

He defended his actions by claiming that the meeting was aimed at promoting and luring young people into the practice of homosexuality.

Rev Fr Simon Lokodo is a Roman Catholic priest from Kotido Diocese who quit priesthood to join politics. He is the current State Minister for Ethics and Integrity in the Office of the President who also pushed for Pornography Bill barring women from wearing miniskirts.

He was appointed to that position on 27 May 2011. He replaced Nsaba Butoro, who was dropped from the Cabinet. Prior to that, he served as the Sate Minister for Industry from February 2009 at the time Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009 until May 2011.

He is elected Member of Parliament, representing “Dodoth County”, Kaabong District. He was first elected to that position on June 29, 2006. He was born in Kaabong District on October 28, 1957. He holds the degree of BA in Theology from Pontifical Urbaniana University and MA in Theology from the University of Rome.

He also holds a Certificate in the German Language obtained from an institution in Austria and a Certificate in the French Language, obtained from an institution in Paris, France.

Before entering politics in June 2006, at the age of 49 years, he was the Parish Priest for Kaabong Parish in the Diocese of Kotido. He was ex- communicated from the Catholic Church by the former Pope Benedict XVI when he joined politics.

He is well known for his unequivocal position to fight homosexuality in all forms and recently even raided with the Police, a gay activist workshop where participants were arrested. He immediately blamed foreigners saying “they should go home” and that “He does not support bestiality and lesbianism”. Amnesty International condemned the raid.

U.S. President Barack Obama warned that enacting the bill would affect relations between the two nations. He described the proposal as an “affront and a danger to the gay community” in Uganda. The U.S. is among the nation’s largest donors.

The Uganda Joint Christian Council, which includes Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox bishops, had called on parliament to move the notorious Anti-Homosexuality Bill forward. Click here The Daily Monitor to read more.

Speaking after their annual conference organised by the Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC), an ecumenical body which brings together the Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox churches, the bishops resolved that the parliamentary committee on Gender should be tasked to engage the House on the Bill.

The clerics also appealed to all the churches in the country “to remain steadfast in opposing the phenomena of homosexuality, lesbianism and same-sex union.

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill, known by many as the “kill-the-gays bill,” is one of the most notorious pieces of legislation in the world.

Pope Francis’ representative to Uganda seems to differ. He expressed his shock at lawmakers passing a bill that would see people imprisoned for life for having gay sex.

Papal Nuncio to Uganda Archbishop Michael Blume was written to by Divine Word Missionaries Brother Brian McLauchlin on 21 December 2009, asking him to speak to Catholic bishops in the country about the law’s potential to abuse people’s human rights.

Archbishop Blume wrote back to McLauchlin the same day, saying he was indeed concerned by the bill and reiterating the Catholic Church’s opposition to it. ‘It was only this morning that I found out about the action of the Parliament,’ Blume wrote.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com
Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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Twitter-@8000accomole

HOW CAN A PRIEST BE THE PATRON OF LOVERS?

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
FRIDAY, 14, 2014

Belinda writes via Facebook: “Omolo Beste I read on your Facebook timeline your valentine best wishes. I also read online that valentine was a catholic priest, who was martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ and for that reason he became a saint. I also read that he is the patron of lovers, how comes yet he was a priest?

My second concern is that for a catholic to be made a saint there must be some miracles he performed, which miracle did Valentine perform? Again can you help me know some saints and what they are patron for?”

Thank you for this important question Belinda. The most famous miracle attributed to Saint Valentine involved a note that he sent to a young blind girl named Julia who Valentine had befriended. Shortly before he was martyred f he wrote Julia a farewell note.

It is believed that God miraculously cured Julia of her blindness so that she could personally read Valentine’s note, rather than just have someone else read it to her. Valentine signed Julia’s note “From your Valentine,” and that loving note, combined with the memory of Valentine’s support of engaged and married couples in his work as a priest, led to the tradition of sending loving messages on his feast day, Valentine’s Day.

In some western countries Valentine day is taken seriously with couples praying for him to intercede for them before God so that their commitment and relationship may prosper. Numerous couples have reported experiencing miraculous improvements in their relationships with boyfriends, girlfriends, and spouses after praying for help from Saint Valentine.

Yes, you read it correctly. Saint Valentine was a Catholic priest who had also worked as a doctor. He lived in Italy during the third century AD and served as a priest in Rome. There is nothing wrong for a catholic priest to be the patron of lovers because there is nothing wrong with love.

It was Emperor Claudius who discovered that Valentine was performing weddings and sent Valentine to jail. Valentine used his time in jail to continue to reach out to people with the love that he said Jesus Christ gave him for others.

He befriended his jailer, a man named Asterious, and Asterious became so impressed with Valentine’s wisdom that he asked Valentine to help his daughter Julia with her lessons because Julia was blind and needed someone to read material for her to learn it. Valentine then became friends with Julia through his work with her when she came to visit him in jail.

Emperor Claudius came to like Valentine, too, so he offered to pardon Valentine and set him free if Valentine would renounce his Christian faith and agree to worship the Roman gods. Not only did Valentine refuse to leave his faith, he also encouraged Emperor Claudius to place his trust in Christ. Valentine’s faithful choices cost him his life. Emperor Claudius was so enraged at Valentine’s response that he sentenced Valentine to die.

Before he was killed, Valentine wrote a last note to encourage Julia to stay close to Jesus and to thank her for being his friend. He signed the note: “From your Valentine.” That note inspired people to begin writing their own loving messages to people on Valentine’s Feast Day -February 14th – which is celebrated on the same day on which Valentine was martyred on February 14, 270. The feast of St. Valentine was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496.

Just to highlight few Saints- the Archangel Raphael is the patron saint of physicians, all healers, the blind, lovers and travelers. The name Raphael means ‘God’s remedy’. As he healed Tobit’s eyes he is said to heal…or to rightly have caused God’s remedy.

Archangels are members of the second choir of angels or those who stand before the throne of God. They are found in a number of religious traditions including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism.

The feast days of Gabriel (March 24) and Raphael (October 24) were added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their feasts to Michael’s on Sept. 29th.

Like St. Valentine, St. Dwynwen is mentioned as the patron saint of lovers. Her feast day is January 25. Dwynwen was a daughter of the 5th Century saint Brychan Brycheiniog. She fell in love with Maelon Dafodrill, but displeased him when she rejected his sexual advances prior to marriage. She became a nun, and founded a convent at Llandwyn, on an island just off Anglesey.

This table below courtesy- Patron Saints – EWTN.com gives more elaborate details of the list of patron Saints.
http://www.ewtn.com/library/mary/patrons.htm
ROMAN CATHOLIC PATRON SAINTS

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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KENYA: FEARS PERSIST THAT NEW PARTY IN LUO-NYANZA A SECURITY RISK

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News Analysis By a special correspondent

This announcement made this week by the chairman of the troubled Luo Council of Elders, Mzee Meshack Riaga Ogalo, that plans are underway of launching a new political party, whose name is still being kept secret, appeared to have hit Raila Odinga and his loyalists troop soldiers below the belt.

The hot news appeared to have been most welcomed by many people, especially the frustrated and oppressed ODM members in all of the Luo-Nyanza region.

Ogalo hinted that the name of the new party will be unveiled on February 28, 2014. This meant it will coincide with the forthcoming ODM”s for the safaricom Kasarani stadium on February 28 to March 1st 2014.

The announcement did not come as surprise due to the on-going alleged fallout between the ODM Raia Odinga and a good number of the youthful MPS from Luo-Nyanza who seemed to have detested Odinga style of leadership.

The rumors making the round in both Kisumu and Nairobi is that people suspected be associated with the panned party includes Luo business magnets, professionals, youthful legislators from Luo-Nyanza, who claim they were unfairly out and out coerced from contesting for the various top positions.

The sitting MPs whose names are being mentioned as having a hand in the planned formation of a new political party included Dalmas Otieno {Rongo}, Neto Oyugi {Ndhiwa}, Milie Odhiambo {Mbita}, David Ochieng,(Ugenya), Olago Aluoch {Kisumu Town West}, Ken Obura {Kismu Central}, George Oner {Rangwe} John Mbadi {Gwassi} Joseph Ndiege {Suna West} and a good number of women representatives in Parliament from Nyanza. and dozens of Ward Representatives fro various constituencies in the region and and dozens of insignificant political activists in the region.

Making the announcement Mzee Ogalo said that the new party would open its door for membership of people from outside Nyanza who may wish join it & will be devoid of malicious rumors, witch-hunting insinuations which have riddled to the ODM; rumors, insinuation and witch hunting lie the ODM, which he said is riddled with malicious rumors, undercutting and politics of sycophancy.

He said that the main intention of forming a new political party was based on the past political experience in the region.

Mzee Ogalo has been at loggerhead with the ODM and its leader Raila for the past six years ever since he was kicked out the Luo Council of Elders at the behest of some Luo MPs in the 10th parliament who had accused him of having grown the horns and was drumming support for those intending to challenge them in the 2007 general election. He moved to the High Court, which ruled in his favor, although the same position is also claimed by Mzee Eli Opiyo OtondI

Launching scathing criticism of the ODM leader Raila Odings, Ogalo said ”there has not been any democracy in Luo-Nyanza and as elders we feel that we should break away from the past and let our people have another popular political vehicle to enable them effectively engage in political Participation,”

However, the main fear being expressed by many moderately thinking Luos is the new political party emerging in this region will definitely rekindle the bloody violence experienced in the region in the early 1960s when the followers of the late Jaramogi Going Odinga and his KPU party and the supporters of the late Tm Mboya went for the throats of each other.

The news about the new party came only three days after Raila Odinga was heckled and booed by angrily and rowdy hundred of youths who had gathered in he middle of Kisumu city where they staged near violence protests against a statue which had been erected in the Central Business District Kisumu by members of the Sikh community to commemorate the 100 years of their fore fathers’ arrival in the town.

The youth had mistaken the statue to be an idol and felt it was against the Christianity. Odinga had attempted to address the youth and told them to leave the statue alone as it represented no religion, but the youth responded with accusation that he was favoring the Indians who had erected the statue and told him in the face that they want the statue pulled down

Raila has been having a hard time with the younger generation of Luos ever since the new year gathering by a section of Luo MPS at his country opoda Bar Opuk home n Bondo during which some MPs severely criticized the Nairobi governor Dr Evans Kidero and questioned the source of the governor’s money, which he has been donating hefty in his series of Harambee tour of Nyanza.

The Homa-Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang” was reported as having kicked and spearheaded the debate on Dr Kdero who as the result of his series of Harambee fund raising has of late became the darling of many luo people.

ENDS

KENYA: FOR GOD’S SAKE JUBILEE SHOULD NOT UNCOVER WOUNDS OF PEV

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2014

Vivian from Nairobi writes: “Fr Beste what do you say about the members of the Jubilee Coalition who are drafting a motion for the National Assembly seeking to summon Justice Philip Waki to disclose the full contents of an envelope he handed over to the former International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor, containing names of key individuals implicated in post-election violence?

Don’t you think this is going to spark yet another clashes among ethnic communities. For God’s sake I pray that Adan Duale should not try this. In Kenya we are just trying to heal from the clashes of 2007/08 and now they want to take us back again surely”.

Vivian you are absolutely right, by bringing Waki to open the other secret envelopes is to spark fire. This comes days after immediate former ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo admitted in a radio interview last week that he had been under pressure then from some Western diplomats in Nairobi to pressure judges to declare President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto unfit to run in the General Election.

National Assembly Majority Leader Adan Duale insists Waki must be brought to the Parliament to reveal other names which were not given to Ocampo. By revealing the secret names in the list according to Duale will help confirm widely held contentions that the cases were part of a nefarious design by the West to fix Uhuru and Ruto.

According to Duale, it was clear Koffi Annan was working with envoys from United States, Britain, France and Germany to have Uhuru and Ruto locked out in order to ensure Raila Amolo Odinga ascended to power.

By revealing secret names Duale wants to demonstrate that Uhuru Kenyatta never supported President Mwai Kibaki as alleged to have planned, financed, and coordinated the violence perpetrated against the perceived supporters of the Orange Democratic Movement, the political party of the President’s rival, during post-election violence from 27 December 2007 to 29 February 2008.

According to Duale Uhuru had no control over the Mungiki organization and as such never directed it to conduct murders, deportations, rapes and other forms of sexual violence, persecutions, and other inhumane acts against civilians in the towns of Kibera, Kisumu, Naivasha, and Nakuru.

Kenyatta was summoned to appear before the Court on 8 April 2011 and the confirmation of charges hearing was held from 21 September 2011 to 5 October 2011, in conjunction with the cases against Mohammed Ali and Francis Muthaura. All the charges against Kenyatta were confirmed by Pre-Trial Chamber II on 23 January 2012.

Francis Muthaura was indicted on 8 March 2011 with five counts of crimes against humanity with regard to the situation in the Republic of Kenya. As the Head of the Public Service, Secretary to the Cabinet, and Chairman of the National Security and Advisory Committee of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, he is alleged to have planned, financed, and coordinated the violent response against the perceived supporters of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), the political party of the President’s rival, during post-election violence from 27 December 2007 to 29 February 2008.

Specifically, Muthaura was alleged to have directed and paid Mungiki forces loyal to the President to attack civilians and instructed Mohammed Ali, the Commissioner of the Kenya Police, not to intervene against Mungiki forces.

Muthaura was allegedly criminally responsible for murders, deportations, rapes and other forms of sexual violence, persecutions, and other inhumane acts perpetrated by Mungiki forces against civilians who were perceived to be loyal to the ODM in the towns of Kibera, Kisumu, Naivasha, and Nakuru.

Muthaura was summoned to appear before the Court on 8 April 2011 and the confirmation of charges hearing was held from 21 September 2011 to 5 October 2011, in conjunction with the cases against Mohammed Ali and Uhuru Kenyatta. All the charges against Muthaura were confirmed by Pre-Trial Chamber II on 23 January 2012. He was later left free for lack of evidence.

William Ruto was indicted on 8 March 2011 on four counts of crimes against humanity with regard to the situation in the Republic of Kenya. He is alleged to be the leader of an ad hoc organization created by members of the Kalenjin ethnic group which was created to perpetrate violence on behalf of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), the political party of presidential candidate Raila Odinga, during post-election violence in December 2007 and January 2008.

On 1 August 2011, the charges were reduced to three counts. Ruto, as the a top leader in the ad hoc Kalenjin organization, directed Kalenjin youths to target civilians of the Kikuyu, Kamba, and Kisii ethnic groups, which were perceived to be supporters of the Party of National Unity, the political party of Odinga’s opponent during the election.

Ruto is alleged to be criminally responsible for the murder, deportation, torture, and persecution of civilians in the towns of Kapsabet, Nandi Hills, Turbo, the greater Eldoret area. Ruto first appeared before the Court, voluntarily, on 7 April 2011 and through the confirmation of charges hearing, which was held in conjunction with the cases against Henry Kosgey and Joshua Sang. All the charges against Ruto were confirmed by Pre-Trial Chamber II on 23 January 2012.

Joshua Sang was indicted on 8 March 2011 on four counts of crimes against humanity with regard to the situation in the Republic of Kenya. He is alleged to a top leader of an ad hoc organization created by members of the Kalenjin ethnic group which was created to perpetrate violence on behalf of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), the political party of presidential candidate Raila Odinga, during post-election violence in December 2007 and January 2008.

On 1 August 2011, the charges were reduced to three counts. As a broadcaster for the Kass FM radio station, Sang incited Kalenjin youths to target civilians of the Kikuyu, Kamba, and Kisii ethnic groups, which were perceived to be supporters of the Party of National Unity, the political party of Odinga’s opponent during the election.

He is alleged to be indirectly responsible for indirectly for the murder, deportation, torture, and persecution of civilians in the towns of Kapsabet, Nandi Hills, Turbo, the greater Eldoret area. Sang first appeared before the Court, voluntarily, on 7 April 2011 and through the confirmation of charges hearing, which was held in conjunction with the cases against William Ruto and Joshua Sang. All the charges against Sang were confirmed by Pre-Trial Chamber II on 23 January 2012.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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Tanzania: Dual citizenship: Why should a child decide between its two nations?

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From: Abdalah Hamis

The United Republic of Tanzania is preparing a new constitution which will be approved (or not) by a referendum. On the 30th of December 2013 the Commission ‘Tume ya Mabadiliko ya Katiba’ presented the second draft of a new constitution to the President Jakaya Kikwete in Dar es Salaam.

One question of importance for our families and many others is how the new constitution will handle the issue of dual citizenship.

With great disappointment did we read that the new constitution is at this stage not bringing any change to the question of dual citizenship, which means it is simply not granted to anyone.

With this open letter to the Members of the Constituent Assembly, who are expected to discuss the draft and will be able to push for changes, we want to expound why we think that a provision for dual citizenship is needed in the some cases.

Ties to multiple nations are no longer an uncommon situation. A good number of Tanzanians of multinational descent have been able to use their status in search of further education, better opportunities in business and social services. It is estimated that more than two million Tanzanians live in foreign countries. For those born with multiple nationalities, the choice of which to choose, may lie with which nationality provides them with better opportunities to grow and learn, yet this logical decision does not mean that their love for Tanzania has diminished. Many would like to contribute to the development of their home country by leveraging the expertise in various areas gained through formal education and work experience and their good knowledge of Tanzania.

Let us present to you the case of a Tanzanian son and of Andrea Cordes, one of the authors of this letter, and the dilemma he will be facing because of the non-provision of dual-citizenship: Ilyas, born in Dar es Salaam in 2009 as the child of a Tanzanian and German citizen would be, according to current law, in the situation to decide, once 18, whether he wants to keep his Tanzanian or his German nationality. Please read that once more: he has to decide whether he keeps the nationality of his father or his mother. He has to decide to which of the two nations, which are both part of him, he wants to belong by citizenship.

Look at this picture, literally it speaks what Ilyas represents: one part is Tanzanian, one part is German: 1-1.

[image; child running;]
IlyasMsangi_Copyright_AfliaFotografie

So we ask you: Is this really a situation that children should face because parents moved across boarders? Should they miss the opportunity to contribute as a citizen to the development of their nation?

African countries are continuously reaching out to their diaspora and multinational citizens to contribute to their economic, political and social development. If Tanzanians intend on seeking the contribution of our citizens, let us also allow them the privilege to keep the nationality of their homeland, while they represent us and their personal interests elsewhere as well. Dual nationality in this age of mobility is relevant. The world is no longer one of single identities. We marry, reproduce, live, learn and work across borders. By no means does dual citizenship mean they love Tanzania any less, but forcing one to divide their own identity into separate parts is no longer an easy task. There is little for us to lose, as a nation, from allowing global citizens to keep Tanzania as part of their identity.

Children born with multinational background are the sons and daughters of Tanzania and the respective other country.

Which risks are there to grant children dual citizenship of both nations they belong to? We don’t see any. If as grown-up person they would decide to serve in the national service, to take a political office, yes in these cases maybe regulations should be in place to go for a single citizenship. But these kinds of regulations can be put in place, just as the right to dual citizenship.

Therefore we are asking you as the Members of the Constituent Assembly to push for necessary adjustments in the constitution so that these children are able to keep their origins by citizenship. Because in the end they will always be the sons and daughters of both nations!

Written in the United States of America and Germany by Sia Chami and Andrea Cordes

Kenya: KISUMU IS PARALYSED AS YOUTH STAGE PROTEST AGAINST A SIKH COMMUNITY MONUMENT

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From: LEO ODERA
Date: Sat, Feb 8, 2014 at 8:07 AM
KISUMU POLICE IN THREE DAYS BATTLES WITH THE YOUTH OVER STATUE

Reports leo Odera Omolo

The police in Kisumu city fought a running battle with hundreds of rowdy ODM youths who had staged near violence demonstration in Kisumu city central Business District (CBD) demanding that a statue erected by members of the Sikh Community be removed.

The monument is meant to commemorate 100 yeas since pioneer members of the community settled in the town 100 years ago.

The statue made of bronze metal is erected on the round about on Mosque road right behind the Siri Guru Sabha Mosque.

It has attracted hundreds of youth who are usually idling themselves at Kondele, Nyalenda, pandpieri and the main Kisumu Bus Terminal, boda boda motorbike and bicycle riders.

Business was paralyzed in severeal streets as the shop owners hurriedly closed doors fearing the possibility of looting

The demonstrators, some of the armed with and bottles filled with petrol in readiness to set the monument a blaze. It forced the police to lob tear gas canisters on the demonstrators who fled in on directions, but immediately regrouped at a distant spots.

The ODM leader Raila Odinga visited the scene, on late Friday afternoon and pleaded with the protesters to disperse in vain. The former Prime Minister returned to the scene on Saturday morning and pleaded with the youth to disperse, but none could hear him. The youth heckled him and shouted obscene words. The youth and mistaken the statue to be an idol God erected by Devil worshipers and vowed to bring it down even at night. Some had brought the old tires and fuel ready to set the monument ablaze. Aiaoleft quietly after his pleas landed on the rock.

Sensing the danger that some of the demonstrators had ulterior motives of looting Indian shops the police have kept vigil at the scene.since Thursday when the project was started.

The youths according to some of the eye witness were incited by a woman who claimed that she represents the church Ministry of the Prophet Dr. Owuor and had insisted that the monument would symbolize devil worshiping – – Something, which they claim was an insult to the mainly Christian Kisumu residents.

Curious onlookers milling around the statue fled in disarray after the police fired teargas at the protestors. The youth vowed that they would not rest until the statue is pulled down.

Two religious leaders in Kisumu commented they had objected the construction of the monument when their opinion were sought by the county Governor Jack Ranguma whose office is believed to have concerted to the by members of the Sikh community

Bishop Dr. Washington Ogonyo Ngede of the Power of Jesus Around the World and Bishop Mwai Abiero of the Anglican of Kenya said they had voiced their objection that the statue was a sign of idolatry.

However, head of the Sikh Community in KisumuMr C S Hayerin vehemently denied that the statue was offensive to any religion. The monument was erected for the single purpose of commemorating 100 years of the Community arrival and presence in the town. It has nothing to do with religion

ends.

POVERTY AS AN OBSTACLE TO MAKING AFRICAN SAINTS

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2014

Anicia Acen from Torit South Sudan writes: “Fr Omolo Beste today was the feast of Sudanese Saint Josephine Bakhita. How comes there are no many African Saints like whites. Do you have some African Saints in mind you can name? Otherwise I am sad that you left People for Peace in Africa and this has weakened its program and activities”.

Thank you for the question Anicia. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia has offered category of some African Saints you can click here to read more-Category:African saints – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The problem of not making many African Saints is to do with poverty.

Saint-making requires a great deal of funding, up to almost about $1 million.

Now you can think of your grandma and pa who died in poverty somewhere there in Torit with all the requirements of becoming a saint.

It requires that through reflection and renunciation the person in question found divinity in interior life and became capable of extraordinary charity.

Then there are the miracles. A saint needs to have performed two, either during his life or through posthumous intercession: one for beatification and second for canonization, though the pope can waive the latter if he’s feeling generous. The first step in the process, being declared “venerable” by the pope, does not require any.

The most labored-over task in the process is the writing of the prositio, the formal argument for sainthood, whose “aim is to show an ordinary life that was lived in an extraordinary way.

Medical cures have always been the most common form of miracle attributed to saints. The papacy is generally suspicious of other supernatural events—visitations from the Virgin, experiencing the stigmata, levitation.

It is African pride that Josephine Margaret Bakhita, F.D.C.C. has become one of the African famous saints. In our community, the Apostles of Jesus Missionaries, Rev Fr Peter Odhiambo Okola has added as his third name’ Bakhita’ to demonstrate this pride.

Bakhita was a Sudanese-born former slave who became a Canossian Religious Sister in Italy, living and working there for 45 years. In 2000 she was declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. She was born in about 1869 in the western Sudanese region of Darfur in the village of Olgossa, west of Nyala and close to Mount Agilerei.

Sometime between the age of seven to nine, probably in February 1877, she was kidnapped by Arab slave traders who already had kidnapped her elder sister two years earlier. She was cruelly forced to walk barefoot about 960 kilometers (600 mi) to El Obeid and was already sold and bought twice before she arrived there.

Over the course of twelve years (1877–1889) she was resold again three more times and then given away. It is said that the trauma of her abduction caused her to forget her own name; she took one given to her by the slavers, bakhita, Arabic for lucky. She was also forcibly converted to Islam.

In El Obeid, Bakhita was bought by a very rich Arab merchant who employed her as a maid in service to his two daughters.

They liked her and treated her well. But after offending one of her owner’s sons, possibly for breaking a vase, the son lashed and kicked her so severely that she spent more than a month unable to move from her straw bed.

Her fourth owner was a Turkish general and she had to serve his mother-in-law and his wife who both were very cruel to all their slaves. Bakhita says: “During all the years I stayed in that house, I do not recall a day, that passed without some wound or other. When a wound from the whip began to heal, other blows would pour down on me”.

On 9 January 1890 Bakhita was baptised with the names of Josephine Margaret and Fortunata (which is the Latin translation for the Arabic Bakhita). On the same day she was also confirmed by Archbishop Giuseppe Sarto, the Cardinal Patriarch of Venice, the future Pope X.

On 7 December 1893 she entered the novitiate of the Canossian Sisters and on 8 December 1896 she took her vows, welcomed by Cardinal Sarto. In 1902 she was assigned to the Canossian convent at Schio, in the northern Italian province of Vicenza, where she spent the rest of her life.

During her 42 years in Schio, Bakhita being the only African nun among the whites was employed as the cook, sacristan and portress (door keeper) and was in frequent contact with the local community.

She suffered a great deal under white sisters but persevered since she was convinced that she was working for Jesus who called her to religious life.

Her last years were marked by pain and sickness. She used a wheelchair, but she retained her cheerfulness, and if asked how she was, she would always smile and answer “as the Master desires”.

Bakhita died at 8:10 PM on 8 February 1947. For three days her body lay on display while thousands of people arrived to pay their respects. Her feast day is commemorated on February 8.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

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