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Archive for October 18th, 2009

Immigrants Not Amused by ”Illegal Alien” Halloween Costume

Posted by jambonewspot on October 18, 2009

“He didn’t just cross a border, he crossed a galaxy!”

The Illegal Alien Costume

The "Illegal Alien" Costume

Anyone who’s walked down Santa Monica Boulevard on Halloween night is well aware there are plenty of tasteless costumes out there.

From over-sexed nuns to … well, we can stop our list of examples at over-sexed nuns. That pretty much sums up tasteless costumes.

Well, this year, you may notice a new tasteless costume in Los Angeles: The “Illegal Alien.”

“He didn’t just cross a border, he crossed a galaxy!” according to the costume’s description. “He’s got his green card, but it’s from another planet! Sure to get some laughs, the Illegal Alien Adult Costume includes an orange prison-style jumpsuit with ‘Illegal Alien’ printed on the front, an alien mask and a ‘green card.’”

But not everyone thinks the costume is sure to get some laughs.

It’s “distasteful, mean-spirited and ignorant of social stigmas and current debate on immigration reform,” says Angelica Salas.

Salas, of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, has asked Minneapolis-based retailer Target to remove the costume from its website. Target spokesman Joshua Thomas told The Associated Press that the company is removing the costume after receiving several complaints.

But, Salas’ work is far from over.

The costume also appears online at walgreens.com, toysrus.com, amazon.com, meijer.com and buycostumes.com.

Thomas told the AP that Target never intended to sell the outfit but included it in its online offerings by mistake. Sounds like we may be hearing that excuse from a few other retailers in the near future.

Source: NBC Los Angeles

Posted in US News | Comments Off

No blacks please, we are in a land called Kenya

Posted by jambonewspot on October 18, 2009

By Rasna Warah

When Tourism minister Najib Balala made the outrageous suggestion that school holidays in Kenya should coincide with the low tourism season in the country, ostensibly to encourage local residents to sample the country’s many delights, he failed to consider the following facts: one, most tourist hotels in Kenya are out of the financial reach of the majority of Kenyans, half of whom live below the poverty line.

Two, the only people who can afford to take advantage of the low tourism season are those who don’t need an incentive to take a holiday and already have their children in elite schools that follow the British curriculum where the long “summer holiday break” occurs during our winter, which also happens to be the low tourism season.

Three, changing school holidays in Kenya is a huge undertaking involving various stakeholders, including government ministries and education boards, and so cannot be dictated by the whims of a minister; and last, but not least, many upmarket tourist hotels in Kenya would rather not have domestic tourists frequenting their establishments.

It is the latter point that I would like to bring to the minister’s attention. Last week a colleague forwarded to me a website that stated that the African Safari Club, a group that controls five hotels and six safari lodges and camps in Kenya, is finally allowing local residents to stay at the group’s many hotels and lodges after a 40-year ban.

Apparently the change in policy occurred after the recent global economic crisis adversely affected bookings in six of the club’s establishments and when 700 of its employees went on strike after they were not paid their salaries.

The club’s managing director is quoted in a UK-based holiday website stating that beginning next month, the African Safari Club will open its doors to locals so that they can sample the club’s tourist facilities. Apparently, locals weren’t welcome to the club’s many hotels and lodges until now. A few years ago, the boyfriend of a foreign guest was kicked out because he was Kenyan.

It is common knowledge, particularly at the Coast, that non-white Kenyans aren’t exactly welcomed with open arms in our tourist hotels. Hotels like the African Safari Club group fully acknowledge that locals (such as chefs, drivers, cleaners, porters, receptionists, etc.) are essential to the running of the hotels — but not as paying guests.

THE LOCALS ARE NEEDED TO CARRY luggage, clean rooms, drive safari vans, smile at the tourists, serve food, and, quite often, provide sexual services to the foreign tourists, but they are not encouraged to book a room and pay for it, even if they can afford it.

Apparently, sharing hotel facilities with black Africans would upset the foreign tourists and drive them away. If you think I am kidding, take a look at the 2009/10 brochure of the African Safari Club entitled, “Kenya Beaches and Safaris: A Land of Contrasts — Third edition”.

It states: “From the legendary wilderness of Tsavo and the majestic peak of Mount Kilimanjaro to the stunning Savannah of the Maasai Mara, the African Safari Club welcomes you to this glorious country… From the moment you arrive in Kenya, you will be struck by the warmth of the local people who are genuinely happy to receive guests from Britain, perhaps a leftover from bygone days.” (Emphasis mine).

Hello? The first time “guests from Britain” descended on this country, they took over the land, herded locals into reserves and massacred and raped hundreds so they could loot at will. The process was called “colonialism” and the locals weren’t exactly thrilled about it.

If Mr Balala is serious about promoting domestic and international tourism, he must look at how foreign tour companies and hotels are marketing the country. If as a Kenyan I can be denied entry into a local hotel, and if that hotel is not reprimanded or fined for doing so, then we have no right to call ourselves a sovereign state. Our freedom struggle was fought to do away with “Whites Only” signs.

The sad part about colonialism is that it is being perpetuated by those who once colonised. On his first visit to Kenya, for instance, Barack Obama was shocked when the black waiters at the New Stanley Hotel refused to serve him because he was not white enough.

This colonial mentality of seeing Africans only as a source of labour or entertainment has to go.
If foreign guests are put off by having to stay in a hotel with too many black or brown faces, then we are better off without them.

rasna.warah@gmail.com

Posted in Kenya | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

Pharmacists warned on selling Viagra to teens

Posted by jambonewspot on October 18, 2009

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 18 – The Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board, which is the drug regulatory authority in the country, has finally broken its silence over reports that teens are abusing sex boosting pills.

Capital News broke the story one week ago and now Dr Joseph Kano the Board’s legal officer pharmacists who sell prescription drugs such as Viagra to persons without valid doctor’s notes risk having their licences revoked.

“We will take disciplinary action on such pharmacists. They might be de-registered, suspended from the register or have their practicing licence cancelled. The law requires that a fine of Sh20, 000, a one year jail term or both be meted to such persons,” he warned.

Dr Kano blamed the parents, government and the media for the sad affair stating they had failed to play their educational and guardian role.

“You will see a Viagra advertisement in every newspaper you open; how it elongates this ‘thing’ (penis), how it makes it so strong. Now when this information goes out there how then do you ensure children are not accessing it? The kind of information that is going out is not sufficiently censored. We must all play our roles effectively otherwise we won’t go very far in this fight,” he noted.

He further asked the media to refrain from placing such adverts explaining that Cap 244 of the Kenyan Constitution barred the media from advertising drugs that fell under the aphrodisiac category.

“We have asked the media to desist advertising these medicines because the law does not allow the advertising of anything that would advance sexuality. The quest for money has made us irresponsible and neglectful,” he held.

Dr Kano added that by society glorifying sex, teenagers were under growing pressure to engage in sex leading to the increase in the abuse of sexual enhancers.

“The films we watch tend to make it look like sex is okay even when it is underage. So when we have teenagers abusing erectile dysfunction drugs, we should only blame ourselves. We do not have time to ensure that our teens are not involved in things they shouldn’t (be involved in),” he noted.

He also said that the teenagers were only accessing such drugs from quacks.

“I do not believe that they access these medicines from regulated and qualified pharmacists. I believe that the illegal ones that open at night and operate at clandestine hours could be the culprits selling the drugs to teenagers,” explained Dr Kano.

He promised that the Pharmacy and Poisons Board had taken measures to deal such unscrupulous traders.

“We have employed more inspectors and we have decentralised the board from Nairobi to other regions so that we do not have to travel from here to other regions to inspect pharmacies. We are will also sensitize magistrates on crimes related to medicines,” he observed.

He also warned pharmacists from stocking unregulated herbal supplements noting cases where such drugs had caused pre-teen children to develop breasts and fully formed wombs.

“Some of these herbals are not pure. Some of them are adulterated with conventional medicine like the ones they say have libido enhancers. Some of them probably get Viagra from the black market and then add some green stuff and call it herbal,” he said.

Posted in Kenya | Tagged: , | Comments Off

Law review experts rule out rights for homosexuals

Posted by jambonewspot on October 18, 2009

As debate continues over the same-sex marriage of two Kenyan men in London, the team writing a new constitution on Sunday ruled out enshrining the rights of homosexuals. The Committee of Experts on Constitutional Review said it had rejected suggestions by British MPs to recognise and protect the rights of homosexuals in the draft.

“On several occasions some British MPs have approached us on the gay matter. They wanted us to include homosexual and lesbians’ rights in the draft. But we told them that such a thing cannot happen because if we did so, a majority of Kenyans will reject the draft during the forthcoming referendum,” said Mr Otiende Amolo, a member of the committee.

Two Kenyans living in London, Charles Ngengi (groom) and Daniel Chege Gichia, had a wedding on Saturday under the Civil Partnership Act, which recognises a union of people of the same sex. According to that law, a civil partnership is defined as a legal marriage between gay and lesbian couples, though those joined under the law are known as partners, as opposed to the traditional husband and wife.

The wedding of Mr Ngengi and Mr Gichia has outraged religious leaders here at home who described it as “unacceptable and unnatural”. Anglican Archbishop Eliud Wabukala said the union was nothing to celebrate.

“The union is abnormal. As an African and a church leader, I am ashamed. We should advice others not to do the same,” he said. Similar outrage was expressed by PCEA St Andrew’s Church moderator Patrick Mungiriria in his sermon on the family under attack.

Nominated MP and Muslim leader Sheikh Mohammed Dor described it as going against African traditions. He said the Quran, Bible and Hindu scriptures detest such unions. “It should be discouraged by all means. It is un-African and against our traditions. It’s unfortunate it is Kenyans who did it,” he said, and asked the government to take a stand on moral issues. China took a position a long time ago and “such things are not tolerated”, he said.

Sheikh Dor said if nothing is done, more will follow the example of the two men. Mr Amolo said the foreign MPs wanted Kenyan homosexuals and lesbians given the right to marry. The new constitution is supposed to cater for the interests of both the majority and minorities, he said, but same-sex marriages had been rejected by all religious groups.

“In the 5,000 memoranda we received from religious groups, they informed us that they will shoot down the draft if we include the gay rights,” he said. “The majority of Kenyans are opposed to same-sex marriages and anything to do with homosexuals and lesbians. The matter is considered unnatural in the society,” he added.

The lawyer was speaking at Sportman’s Arms Hotel in Nanyuki during a workshop attended by Kenya Correspondents Association members. The committee had organised the workshop for news correspondents to create awareness on the process of constitution-making and also to help in educating the public.

A Reuters correspondent, Noor Ali, had called on the experts to leave out the gay rights issue from the new constitution. “Gay issues are not acceptable in our society and therefore the experts should not waste time on such unnatural acts. How can a Kenyan marry another man when there are many women out there looking for men to marry them?” he posed.

SOURCE: Daily Nation

Posted in Kenya Law | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off

Two Kenyan men wed in London

Posted by jambonewspot on October 18, 2009

Daniel Chege Gichia, 39, who wed Charles Ngengi, 40, (above right) in London

Daniel Chege Gichia, 39, who wed Charles Ngengi, 40, (above right) in London. Pic courtesy of Misterseed.com

Two Kenyan men on Saturday became the first gay couple to wed in London. Charles Ngengi, 40 and his bride, Daniel Chege Gichia, 39, became civil partners under the controversial Civil Partnership Act which came into effect in the UK in 2005 allowing couples of the same sex to have legal recognition of their relationship.

The couple tied the knot at a civil partnership ceremony at Islington Town Hall in North London at 11.30 a.m. UK time. According to the Act, a civil partnership is defined as a legal marriage between gay and lesbian couples, and any couples who enter into a civil partnership obtain the new legal status of civil partners, instead of the traditional husband and wife status.

The 30-minute ceremony witnessed by 50 guests was conducted by the registrar of marriages at Islington Council. Both Ngengi and Chege clad in matching cream suits and black shoes, arrived at Islington Council Town Hall shortly before 11 a.m. driven by a close friend in a Volvo car.

After taking the vows witnessed by two close associates, the registrar said: “It gives me great pleasure to officially pronounce you couple civil partners”. The couple kissed passionately amid deafening applause from the congregation gathered to witness the reunion.

Daniel Chege Gichia, 39, and Charles Ngengi, 40, after there wedding in London

Daniel Chege Gichia, 39, and Charles Ngengi, 40, after their wedding in London. Pic courtesy of Misterseed.com

As curious guests scrambled to have a glimpse of the newly weds’ the couple took turns to sign registration documents under the supervision of the registrar. Unlike in ordinary civil marriages, no form of religious activity is allowed to occur during the process of registering the civil partnership.

Among the guests at the controversial nuptials included Chege’s former British husband’ David Cleaves, Julius Reuben, a top Tanzanian gay model, a cross-section of the couple’s close associates mainly drawn from diverse gay and lesbian communities in London as well-wishers among Kenyan residents in London.

Conspicuously absent from the closely guarded ceremony were family members of both men. After the ceremony, the couple and their guests drove to nearby Alexandra Palace where they posed for their wedding pictures. A lavish civil partnership reception was planned at Safari Bar in North Finchley in North London.

Ngengi and Chege admire Chege's wedding ring...Pic courtesy of misterseed.com

Ngengi and Chege admire Chege's wedding ring...Photo by NewsWatch

But despite the fun and the glamour accompanying the unusual wedding’ not everyone is raising a glass to the happy couple. The marriage has raised a storm among Kenyan residents in the UK who have described it as ‘unnatural and socially unacceptable’.

Sources close to the couple told the Nation in London on Saturday that despite widespread condemnations, the couple was ‘happy and very much in love’. “Chege and Ngengi are in love, and they have decided to ‘publicly declare their love’ within the legal framework of this country,” said a source who sought anonymity.

Another Kenyan said: “It time the Kenyan community woke up to reality, some of us are gay; Kenyans have to get over it.” Last weekend, Chege, who is openly gay and well known among Kenyan migrant community in the UK, was spotted wearing an engagement ring at an upmarket London social function accompanied by Ngengi.

On July 30, the couple was photographed together for the first time in public, along with David Cleaves at Invest in Africa Build Africa – Kenyan Housing Expo held at the Holiday Inn, Regent Park in London.

Pictures of the three men dining among guests at a lavish dinner hosted by Realken International Ltd in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and the Kenya High Commission in London, which was attend by Soita Shitanda, the minister for housing, and Joseph Muchemi, Kenya High Commissioner in the UK, were posted on a popular London Kenyan website, www.misterseed.com.

Ngengi, who arrived in London from Nairobi in mid-June, had a long-distance relationship with Chege. Sources said the couple are familiar faces in many gay spots in Nairobi. Chege, an auxiliary nurse at a North London hospital, arrived in London in the mid 1990s from his rural village of Gaturi in Murang’a district.

After settling in London, he met and befriended Cleaves at a London gay bar before moving to his affluent Crouch End residence on Cardinal Way, which they renamed Gaturi Towers. Chege enjoyed a long-term openly gay relationship with Cleaves,65, a former printer and a married father of two grown-up children.

In August 2000, the couple made headlines in Kenya after a local daily newspaper published details of their intimate bizarre relationship. Pictures of Chege and Cleaves attending the 2000 Mardi Gras – Gay and Lesbian festival in London stunned Kenyans in a front page story headlined Murang’a boy and his British husband.

Chege is shown by the best maid where to keep his money as she presents him dollar notes - "mbeca ci-igagwo nyondo-inî tiga wana wa kurîa mbeca" - Photo by NewsWatch

Chege is shown by the best maid where to keep his money as she presents him with some dollar notes - Photo by NewsWatch

The couple separated four years ago but remained close. Mr Chege now lives with his partner in a one-bedroom council flat in Finsbury Park, North London. Born in Gaturi village in Murang’a Mr Chege dropped out of primary school before he could finish Standard Eight due to what he once said were financial difficulties.

Living home with only Sh5, Chege moved to Nairobi in 1989 in search of employment. With the help of a relative, he first secured a job at fruit kiosk in the city centre. In a newspaper interview in 2000, he said he had always been attracted to men and it was while in the city that he was able to find his way into Nairobi’s gay community. He left the country in 1994, first flying to Spain before moving to London where he met Cleaves. The couple visited Kenya on holiday on several times and spent some time at Chege’s home in Murang’a.

Source: Daily Nation

Posted in Kenya Marriages | Tagged: , , , , | 16 Comments »