Kisumu Kenya - Sikh Statue Trouble?

[SikhWorldTv]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwSlzijgt9w

Sikh monument irks Kisumu preachers

KISUMU, Kenya, Feb 8 – The controversial monument erected by the Sikh community in one of the streets in Kisumu has caused jittery among the city residents.

The storm was raised by members of Repentance and Holiness Ministry associated with Prophet Dr. David Owuor who claimed the statue was ‘satanic’.

The monument, erected on top of a rock along Mosque Road on a roundabout, has remained the subject matter in the lakeside city.

Pastor Helen Ochieng of Repentance and Holiness Ministry in Kisumu who led worshippers in condemning the monument said the statue portrays a society worshiping an Idol and it should be brought down.

Ochieng said as Christians they will ensure the monument is erected elsewhere not along the streets of Kisumu.

he asked the authorities who approved the construction of the monument to rescind their decision as its presence will mean doom for Kisumu people.

“Strange happenings in Kisumu are as a result of the presence of the monument. Recently we witnessed a stormy rainfall that caused massive destruction,” she said.

However, Charjeet Hayer, Chairman Kisumu Siri Guru Sabha said the monument has been erected to commemorate 100 years of Sikh presence in Kisumu and has nothing to do with religion.

“I appeal to our religious brothers not to view the monument as idolatry but a sign of peace,” he pleaded.

Hayer said they are celebrating the arrival of their ancestors in Kisumu in the early 1901 and nobody should associate it with idolatry. Residents of Kisumu now fear passing along the street for bad omen.

“Cyclists will have to follow longer routes only to avoid passing through that street. They say whenever they pass there, their business dwindles,” said John Omollo, a cyclist.

Police officers had to use teargas canisters to thwart several attempts by the youths to burn and bring down the monument.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga who stepped in to quell tension over the monument failed in his attempt to convince Kisumu residents that the monument erected by the Asian community is a sign of peace.

Odinga visited Mosque Road on Saturday morning but received hostile reception from the irate members of the public who demanded the immediate removal of the monument.

“Listen to me, this monument is for peace and not ‘satanic’ as some of you have been saying,” he said amid heckling from the crowd.

He reminded the people of Kisumu not be pre-occupied with unnecessary things but talk about development.

“We cannot waste time here explaining the meaning of this monument when I have very important matters I want to convey to you,” he said.

Odinga then asked Kisumu county governor Jack Ranguma and the religious leaders to meet on Monday to deliberate over the issue.

The former PM said if it has to be removed then due process must be followed since the county government approved its construction.

Several times the former PM was shouted down as he defended the monument and cut short his speech.

Governor Ranguma admitted that his office approved the construction of a water mountain but the contractors added other images that were not part of what was approved.

He urged the Sikh community to adhere to the approved plan to avoid any misunderstanding.

Ranguma on the other hand reminded all the residents that every citizen has a right to worship in their own way as provided in the constitution.

“I want to request our religious leaders to spearhead the promotion of religious tolerance among the citizens of Kisumu and Kenya as a whole,” he said.

photo of statue http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2014/02/sikh-monument-irks-kisumu-preachers/

[Cisco_Singh]

Kenya is generally a very tolerant country, there are lots of Sikhs in Nairobi and Monbasa and also in Nakuru, Eldorat, Kericho etc There are number of Gurdwaras across east africa.. The problem is the majority of the locals are not generally very well educated in the smaller towns such as Kisumu an generally a superstious kind of people they believe in things like witchcraft etc. It only takes a couple of misinformed preachers to start a false rumour to cause mass panic and protests,

As we can clearly see in the video, they think this statue erected to commemorate 100 years of Sikh presence in Kisumu promotes idol worship..

Clearly they dont know that Sikhi completey denounces idol worship. Another part of it is probbaly to do with jealousy as well. The Sikhs that emigrated to east africa were generally skilled tradesmen and craftsmen and have flourished in east africa many have their own busnesses and are very prosperous.

[sikhiseeker]

......isn't the most aesthetic statue though I must say........

[cool water]

Probably the most awful statue I have ever seen constructed by a Sikh.... so dont really blame the kenyan Christians for getting irate and removing it.

The kenyan Sikhs need to wise up that they cant go around as business as usual with primitive naive simple people who believe in superstitions because they are easily wound up by Christian fascist zealous leaders who fear their congregation flocking to other religions.

The kenyan Sikhs have done alot of good for kenya and do alot of charity work this should be promoted more rather than making stupid statues that can be mus-interrupted and lead to unfortunately events.... kenya is by no means a safe country.... its next to war torn somalia.....alot of sikhs and Indians there seem to think its a paradise its safe ...the black inhabitants are like their brothers and sisters.... that maybe the case but when political winds change then you are sitting ducks just like in 1970s-80s research what happened to the community then under economic deprived jealous rapist murderous black mobs.

[Cisco_Singh]

Agreed..It's definitely not safe, in nairobi armed robberies, looting, car jackings etc are a daily occurance. Many Sikh businesses and households have been targetted over the years. Amongst the pooer natives there is a sense of jealousy that migrants like the SIkhs and other Indians are taking the jobs, taking money from the economy etc etc... A bit like the BNP / NF views some UK natives have.. So indians/asians can become targets of hate crime.

[BritishSingh]

I don't see how this represents 100 years of the arrival of Sikhs to Kenya. Can someone point it out?

[singhbj singh]

Sikh community bring down monument ‘for the sake of peace’ in Kisumu

Updated Sunday, February 9th 2014 at 16:27 GMT +3

By RUSHDIE OUDIA

KISUMU, KENYA: The controversial Sikh monument in Kisumu County has finally been brought down.

The Sikh community removed the statue that saw former Prime Minister Raila Odinga booed in his home turf, due to pressure from the locals.

They said this was for the sake of peace in the Lakeside City that they have decided to bring the monument down.

The statue was brought down Sunday morning amidst tight security along Mosque Road as residents including faithfuls from the Sikh community watched.

One of the Sikh Sheikhs, Bilayi Singh said they will in turn build a water fountain that will be availed during their celebration of 100 years of existence of the Siri Guru Singh Sabha temple. The event is slated for February 28 to March 9.

“For the sake of peace we are bringing it down, we hope that we would have constructed a water fountain before the end of February,” said Mr Singh.

He said the Sikh community worships one God and not devil worship, adding that the public is invited for the celebrations where there will be plenty of food and free medical care in the nine clinics next to the temple.

Members of Repentance and Holiness Ministry were the first people to protest against the statue terming it idol worship in the city.

The former PM also faced the wrath of the people on Saturday when he went to quell tension brought by the erection of the statue in town, forcing him to cut down his speech.

The residents claimed that the sculptures of Kenyan heroes were the only ones welcomed in the town.

Earlier, Raila held a closed door meeting with religious leaders in a temple to avert a looming religious conflict in the town.

Executive Committee member for Physical Planning, Engineer Vincent K’odera confirmed that the county had approved a water fountain.

He however said that the breaching of that agreement by erecting a statue led to the bringing down of the monument.

Source - http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/mobile/?articleID=2000104255&story_title=controversial-kisumu-monument-brought-down

[lsingh]

Maybe spend the money on giving the locals literature about Sikhs and their contributions to Africa.

It's a big problem that our own people are ignorant about our own religion let alone others. More parchar needed worldwide.

[UKLondonSikh]

Maybe spend the money on giving the locals literature about Sikhs and their contributions to Africa.

It's a big problem that our own people are ignorant about our own religion let alone others. More parchar needed worldwide.

Well said L.Singh Ji. Instead of wasting money on a worthless statue (as our Qaum does on the structure of religious buildings contrary to Gurmat) the Kisumu Sikhs would have been better advised to direct the money wasted on such a statue into local community seva. Furthermore perhaps uniting the factionalised Gurdware in Kisumu into one merged United Gurdwara with greater representation of local African Sikhs on the committee would have marked the occasion more fittingly.

One thing is clear, every penny wasted on "pomp" should go instead towards things with a long term seva legacy relating to health, education, societal upliftment and parchaar.

[SikhWorldTv]

Most of this is in English just a bit in the local African language which if someone can translate would be helpful so we can understand the whole picture.