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Hand over our skeletons!


A major Halloween party celebration planned by owners of the Village Market Shopping Mall in Gigiri at the end of this month might for the first time not be as colourful as it has always been.

The Kenya Revenue Authority last week intercepted a consignment at a container freight station in Kilindini which had what officials termed as unconventional items.

It included models of human skulls and skeletons, several imitations of limbs among other ‘paraphernalia’ causing public uproar.

Many Nairobi residents linked the unusual items to satanic rituals.

KRA commissioner Beatrice Memo had said preliminary investigations showed that the cargo belonged to a politician.

However, Village Market through Managing director Hamed Ahsani acknowledged ownership of the items. He said they had ordered the Halloween props and costumes from China.

“Just like during Easter holiday or Christmas, the items in question are used for decorating the shopping centre for our annual Halloween parties held in Village Market every last Saturday in October, for the past 17 years,” said Mr Ahsani.

He elaborated that they needed to replace the old, worn out ones in readiness for the upcoming fete slated for October 26.

Village Market’s management will be hoping that KRA finds no fault in the ‘unconventional items’ and release them in time.

“Please accord our clearing agents all the necessary assistance to deliver the items to us at the earliest possible time in readiness for our popular Halloween event,” explained Mr Ahsani in a letter to KRA.

China imports the used items from USA and Britain and thus have very low commercial value when they are exported to countries like Kenya. The ones at the port are valued at $450 (approximately Sh38,250).

Market Masters Ltd, a company incorporated and registered in Kenya and owners of Village Market, is in the business of managing, planning and coordinating themed events, expos, conferences, activations and entertainment.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Multiparty Democracy chairman and former South Mugirango MP James Omingo Magara distanced himself from the cargo and has asked the KRA Commissioner to apologise for slander, failure to which, he will take legal action.

He said he had taken the decision to defend himself because the description by Ms Memo pointed to him. Mr Magara added that his wife had imported goods from China but not all the things in the said container belonged to his family.