Another Mzungu in Kenya

By Martin Lowe
Content:
Chapter titles ..................................................................................................................... Page
An introduction is in order ................................................................................................ 3
Who am I? Why have I become who I am? ...................................................................... 4
Rock solid facts about developing countries .................................................................... 6
Kenya in all its pride and glory .......................................................................................... 8
Time-line of Kenyan History .............................................................................................. 11
Important thoughts of being in Kenya and getting to where you want to be ................. 14
The People of the Republic of Kenya
- Education for the people
- Poverty and famine ............................................................................................... 17
Tourism, culture and cuisine in Kenya .............................................................................. 20
Animals in politics ............................................................................................................. 24
Face to face with Kenyans................................................................................................. 25
In conclusion ............................................................................................................ 27

~2~
An introduction is in order…

“In the fiery dawn of time, when the earth trembled in the throes of creation, a dense cloud of mist
stood over the land as Mugai, the divider of the Universe, descended to earth, to his seat of mystery.
There upon the dazzling snow-capped peaks of the black crystal mountain called Kirinyaga, he made a
dwelling place. From that day the mountain became his chief abode and was revered as sacred ground.
One day, Mugai led Kikuyu, father of the Kikuyu nation, to the misty peaks of the sacred mountain.
Pointing out the beauty of the land lying below he said:
"You shall carve your inheritance from this land; it shall belong to you and your children's children to be
passed from generation to generation until the twilight of existence."
And so it became. The Kikuyu were given the land of rivers and ravines, of hills and valleys, of forests
with all the creatures therein, and all the gifts of nature that Mugai, divider of the Universe had
bestowed on his people. “- Kikuyu tribe creation myth

With the global environmental and political conditions becoming increasingly bleak each passing
day, there has never been a greater need to understand other cultures and beliefs. There is no
hope of improving the global situation unless we can learn to accept our cultural differences and
work together. This book reaches out to all of you who have never really understood the
developing world or the struggles of a developing country in our modern world and is perhaps
interested in visiting or moving to a developing country. In writing this book I also hope that I
reach out to the people who have considered moving to or visiting a developing country. My main
goal with this book however, is that I contribute in creating a greater understanding of and
curiosity for developing countries.

As you will notice this book is mainly focused on Kenya but I do recommend you to realise that the
book is applicable to many other situations and countries.

~3~
Who am I? Why have I become who I am?

It all started on October the 9th 1991. I was born in the small town called Maronderra, Zimbabwe.
My family was at the time living in Mozambique, in a town not far from the Zimbabwean border.
My mother told me once that during my first year alive we had moved more than three times! In
any case we were living in rural Zambia shortly after my first birthday which was where we would
stay for the next seven years. In Zambia we continued to move around quite a bit, being as young
and flexible as I was I became comfortable moving around, I enjoyed meeting new people and
learning new customs. In retrospect however, moving around as much as we did wasn’t
excessively beneficial. My childhood memories seem to be more nebulous than those of my peers.
The lack of clear memories has always been disturbing to me because I have always felt robbed of
the feeling of belonging to a area.

My mother is from Sweden so every summer we would visit my

grandmother in the south of Sweden. I loved visiting Sweden,
especially flying to Sweden. I clearly remember the first time I
“saw” snow. It was June or July, the height of Swedish summer
and I remember white things falling from the sky, I turned to my
parents and exclaimed “It’s snowing! It’s snowing!” It wasn’t until
much later in my life that I realised that I had been standing under
a tree with white flowers.

Unforeseen complications with my father’s farm at home in Zambia meant that we had to move
away from the country. At the time, I was 8; I didn’t understand what was happening and all I
could grasp was that we were being kicked out. I was swimming in a pool of doubt and I had no
idea how I’d got there. I thought that we were being banished from Africa; never to return again,
never to be able to walk on the soil that was home. We couldn’t have moved to a more different
place; we moved to Sweden. I can only remember my first years in Sweden as a nightmarish hell. I
was still unaccustomed to the language and was therefore forced into a Swedish school.
Academically, it was best to force me into the language but mentally it was hell. I can’t remember
having any true friends that first year and the difference between this Swedish school and my
previous schools was shocking. The children swore and were generally an abysmal bunch that I
never could relate to. I was never bullied but I never fit in either. So when the year was over you
can imagine my relief when I was transferred to the local international school, where my mother
worked. I spent the next 6 academic years of my life at the International School of Helsingborg.
With time the shock of being forced into a completely different lifestyle subsided slightly and I was
more comfortable with my friends, but the battle of where I belonged had just started and slowly
an identity crisis grew on me; African or European?

In my tenth year I decided to move back to a Swedish school called ProCivitas, mostly for the
change, and I found out that I quite liked it. However, upon hearing from my friend of a Swedish
School in Nairobi, I did all I could to get accepted into the school as an exchange student during my
11th year. After battling the local authorities for months I was accepted into the school.

~4~
My year in Kenya had a profound effect on the way I see life and I realised during my year there
how pointless our “western” materialism is. I met people in such a poor state that is hard to
describe on paper as well as people wealthier anyone ever need be. I saw how amazing “Mama-
Africa” could be as well as how crushing and demoralising she could be. In Africa I learnt a great
deal of what actually is important in life.

And who am I exactly? I would like to see myself as a principled, kind and dedicated friend.
Because, if there is anything I have learnt that is worth knowing, it is that everyone is equal and
should be treated so.

~5~
Rock solid facts about developing countries

To begin with we must begin by defining what a developing country is as well as what a developed
country is. Among scholars the debate on how countries should be categorised has raged since the
term “developing country” was invented. The term “developing country” was preceded originally
by the term “third world country”. This in itself originated from the conflict between the “western
democracies” vs. Russia and its allies. In this case we have used Princeton University’s and
National Geographic’s definitions.

“A developing country is one that is poor and whose citizens are mostly agricultural workers but that
wants to become more advanced socially and economically”- Princeton University

“A developed country a country with a relatively high per capita income, where most people have a
higher standard of living with access to more goods and services than most people in developing
countries”- National Geographic

The problem with the term “developing country” is that it implies that all countries are trying to be
or should be forced to become “developed” in a strictly western (economical) sense. Countries like
Cuba are described as developing even though its population is healthier (lower child mortality,
better medical care and etc) or even better educated than a traditionally considered “developed
country” like the USA. What makes a country developed; is it lots of money or good healthcare?
The UN states the following:

“There is no established convention for the designation of "developed" and "developing" countries or
areas in the United Nations system. In common practice, Japan in Asia, Canada and the United States in
northern America, Australia and New Zealand in Oceania, and Europe are considered "developed"
regions or areas. In international trade statistics, the Southern African Customs Union is also treated as a
developed region and Israel as a developed country; countries emerging from the former Yugoslavia are
treated as developing countries; and countries of Eastern Europe and of the Commonwealth of
Independent States in Europe are not included under either developed or developing regions.”- UN
DATA

At the end of the day many of the definitions and also some of the classification criteria are
subjective. All that can really matter then is raw facts, unbiased and direct facts without any
subjective opinions attached. This is the only way to say how well a country is doing. One must
then remember that a country’s statistics must be treated individually so that it can be both
successful in one area while unsuccessful in another.

Next page: Different statistics gathered shows what (economic) situation each country is in. Top: Estimated 2008 export. Middle:
GDP per capita 2008 est. Bottom: Unemployment rate

~6~
Exports 2008 est.

~7~
Kenya in all its pride and glory

Kenya: the land of lions and great savannas. In all its glory Kenya is never short of breath taking.
Natural beauty, like that one can find in mama Africa, cannot be corrupted easily. Much of mama
Africa’s beauty comes from her vastness and spectacular views. Such views as those by Rift Valley
or on the top of Mt. Kenya are only forgotten with significant effort. An entry from my own diary
describes Kenya in the light I would always like to remember it:

“I am sitting at the Heron Hotel in Nairobi, at the hairdresser Felix’s saloon. I have 7 days left in Kenya. I
have been here for nearly 10 months! I have climbed mountains, been to Maasai Mara, been inside a
lion cage, body boarded at the coast, snorkelled, watched international rugby and run in the Nairobi
marathon. The list is endless! However it has been the small things here that have made it so special
from playing charades during the evening 20 metres up in a tree house in Maasai Mara to bending over
backwards laughing in the small town of Kusa. It has been a magical year that I will always remember.
The people I have met here have been some of the most interesting and entertaining people I have ever
met. I will honestly miss them all and rejoice when I meet them again.”- 03/06/09

Even though I love mama Africa immensely, I cannot ignore the fact that undying beauty is only
one of her faces and for all her splendour no one can fail to miss the grave problems that are
butchering her. Poaching is murdering the priceless wildlife. Corruption is tearing at the souls of
Africans making them worse and more desperate people than they were ever meant to be.
Poverty and famine take their toll and are slowly bringing mama Africa to her knees.

In order to give the reader a general idea of Kenya’s (and generally Africa’s) situation here are
some facts, rankings, etcetera:

General information:

Capital: Nairobi

Biggest cities: Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

Borders to: Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia.

Population: 39 million of which 22% live in the cities.

Sweden: 9 million of which 85% live in the cities. (2009 EST.)

Population: 40 different ethnic groups; Kikuyu 22%, Luyha 14%, Luo 13%,
Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, other African ethnic groups 15%, non-
African groups (Asian, European, Arabic) 1%.

Language: Official language is English; National language is Kiswahili among

40 other tribal languages.

President: Mwai Kibaki (kikuyu)

Prime minister: Raila Odinga (Luo)

~8~
 Me in Maasai Mara with
buffaloes in the background.

Children in Kusa, western

Kenya.

On the way to Kisumu,

western Kenya

~9~
Economy:

Currency: Kenyan shillings 1 USD=77, 85 KES, 1 SEK=9, 98 KES (June 2009)

GDP(official exchange rate): $ 29.56 billion

Income sources (as % of GDP): Agriculture 23,8 %, industry 16,7 %, services 59,5 % (2007 est.)

Inflation: 11% (2008/9 est.)

Development:

Human Development Index (HDI): 0,532 (144th world ranking) (2008 est.)
th
Sweden: 0, 963 (7 world ranking)

HIV/ AIDS prevalence: 6, 7 % (2007 est.)

Sweden: 0, 086 %

Child mortality: 54, 7/1000

Sweden: 2, 57/1000

Average age: 53 years

Sweden: 80, 86 years

Annual population growth: 2, 691%

Sweden: 0, 158%

Literacy (over 15 years of age): 85, 1%

Sweden: 99%

Poverty: 45, 9% under national poverty line (2005 est.)

These facts, these numbers only emphasise Africa’s problems; poverty, famine and generally a low
standard of living. Reviewing these numbers I urge the reader to take a second to ponder on the
reasons behind each ranking, number and percentage. Ask yourself the eternal question. Why?
Never accept anything because it is the easier alternative.

~ 10 ~
Time-line of Kenyan History
A shortened version of the timeline from BBC’s website. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1026884.stm)

600 - Arabs begin settling coastal areas, over the centuries developing trading
stations which facilitated contact with the Arab world, Persia and India.
16th century - Portuguese try to establish foothold on Kenyan coast but are driven off by
Swahili states and Omani Arabs by late 17th century.
1895 - Formation of British East African Protectorate.
1920 - East African Protectorate becomes crown colony of Kenya - administered by
a British governor.
Independence
1963 - Kenya gains independence, with Jomo Kenyatta as prime minister.
1966 - Oginga Odinga, a Luo, leaves Kanu after ideological split, forms rival Kenya
People's Union (KPU).
1974 - Kenyatta re-elected.
Moi era begins
1978 - Kenyatta dies in office, succeeded by Vice-President Daniel arap Moi.
1982 June - Kenya officially declared a one-party state by National Assembly.
1987 - Opposition groups suppressed. International criticism of political arrests
and human rights abuses.
1990 - Death of the foreign minister, Robert Ouko, in suspicious circumstances
leads to increased dissent against government.
Multi-party elections
1991 August - Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (Ford) formed by six opposition
leaders, including Oginga Odinga. Party outlawed and members arrested.
Creditors suspend aid to Kenya amid fierce international condemnation.
1991 December - Special conference of Kanu agrees to introduce a multi-party political
system.
1992 December - Moi re-elected in multi-party elections. Kanu wins strong majority.
1994 - Odinga dies. Opposition groups form coalition - the United National
Democratic Alliance - but it is plagued by disagreements.
1995 - New opposition party - Safina - launched by palaeontologist Richard Leakey.
Party refused official registration until November 1997.
1997 - Demonstrations calling for democratic reform. World Bank withholds
disbursement of $5bn in structural adjustment credit.
1997 December - Moi wins further term in widely-criticised elections. His main opponents are
former vice-president Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga, son of Oginga Odinga.
Embassy bomb
1998 August - Bomb explodes at US embassy in Nairobi, killing 224 people and injuring
thousands.
1999 - Moi appoints Richard Leakey to head government drive against corruption.

~ 11 ~
 Kenyan independance.

RIGHT: Soldiers in the Kenyan

army.
DOWN: Elections 2007.

~ 12 ~
2001 April - Leakey appears in court to face charges of abuse of power and perverting
the course of justice.
2001 - Ethnic tensions culminate in several violent clashes. In December thousands
flee and several people are killed in rent battles involving Nubian and Luo
communities in Nairobi's Kibera slum district.
Kibaki victory
2002 December - Opposition presidential candidate Mwai Kibaki wins a landslide victory over
Kanu rival Uhuru Kenyatta, ending Daniel arap Moi's 24-year rule and
Kanu's four decades in power.
2003 December - Government decides to grant former president Daniel arap Moi immunity
from prosecution on corruption charges.
2004 July-August - Food crisis, caused by crop failures and drought, dubbed "national disaster"
by President Kibaki. UN launches aid appeal for vulnerable rural Kenyans.
Constitution spurned
2005 November-December - Voters reject a proposed new constitution in what is seen as a protest
against President Kibaki. The president replaces his cabinet; some nominees
reject their appointments.
2006 January - Government says four million people in the north need food aid because of
a drought which the president calls a "national disaster".
2006 January-February - Government ministers are linked to a corruption scandal involving contracts
for a phantom company. One of them, Finance Minister David Mwiraria,
resigns and says allegations against him are false.
2007 December - Presidential elections. President Kibaki claims victory and a second term in
office, prompting a wave of unrest. Opposition says polls were rigged.
Opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) wins most seats in the
parliamentary election.
Post-election clashes
2008 January - Post-election violence kills more than 1,500, including an MP.
2008 February - Former UN chief Koffi Annan brokers talks between President Kibaki and
opposition leader Raila Odinga, which lead to signing of a power-sharing
deal.
2008 April - Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga agree cabinet list. The 40-member cabinet is
Kenya's largest and costliest ever.
2008 October - Report into post-election clashes calls for international tribunal to try those
implicated in violence. Many political leaders are reluctant to implement
the commission of inquiry's recommendations, with some arguing that
prosecutions could trigger further clashes between communities.
2009 July - Kenya's cabinet announces that it will not set up a special tribunal over last
year's post-election violence, and will use local courts instead.
2009 November - Kenya publishes a draft constitution which would cut the president's
powers and put the prime minister in charge of routine government
business, for debate ahead of a referendum planned for March 2010.

~ 13 ~
Important thoughts of being in Kenya and getting to where you want to be

Frustration; You’ve never felt it unless you’ve tried to get somewhere in Kenya. For the first time
traveller getting from point A to point B might be the greatest challenge you have yet to face.
Without some commonsense, local aid and patience you will never get to where you want to be
risk-free.

In Kenya there are many means of transportation: matatus (minibuses), citihoppas (regular buses),
trains, taxis, tuktuks (small three wheeled mopeds/cars), bodabodas (bicycle taxi), donkeys and
etcetera. You name it; they’ve got it! However most of these means of transportation are
unbelievably hard to master without a little help, preferably from a Kenyan you can trust and who
knows how to get around. I would quickly like to add that you should not attempt to travel
through Nairobi or Kenya on your own until you have become used to the “system”. Until then ask
a knowledgeable friend to accompany you until you have found your bearings.

Personally I have never had many problems with Kenyan

public transport. The only shortcoming that has affected
my personal memories has been the tardiness. Trains
always seem to be late and matatus don’t follow any
logical schedule. My worst memory is actually on the train
trip from Mombasa back to Nairobi. A train in front of us
had derailed and therefore hindered us from moving on.
We were stuck in the same place for ten long hours during
which one of our chaperons came down with a bad case of
malaria.

Here are some basic rules and tips for travelling in Kenya/Nairobi (Remember that commonsense
will get you far and with it you can apply these rules to basically any city in the world):

 Keep your money well hidden; have only what you need for the fare in an easily accessible
place. This way you make it a lot harder for someone to rob you as well as making the
collector’s job easier. (On buses and matatus one man drives while another goes around
collecting money and calling out where the bus is going. He usually uses Kiswahili but do
not be afraid of asking in English)
 Avoid getting into an overcrowded matatus or bus. They tend to get overcrowded because
of the vast amount of people living in Nairobi/Kenya and even though a bus is not allowed
to be overcrowded, it happens. Getting on an overcrowded bus/matatus can be risky, it is a
lot harder to make sure no one has got their hands in your pocket and getting off the bus
becomes a lot more difficult.
 Avoid empty matatus. This might sound contradicting to the previous tip but getting into a
matatus with only the collector and driver can be equally risky. They could drive you off
and then proceed to rob you. Then you will be on your own in a perhaps unknown part of

~ 14 ~
The bus to Mombasa is an 8
hour drive on a heavily
trafficked road.

Driving in Kenya takes a lot of

patience and concentration.

Bicycle taxi in Kisumu.

Traffic on Ngong road.

~ 15 ~
 town. Try finding matatus (these are more risky than buses, but are also usually a little bit
faster) which have just a few people inside. Around 3-4 perhaps.
 Avoid travelling via buses/matatus after dark, get a taxi; it is a lot safer and most taxi
drivers are more reliable. However, you must not get too comfortable; pick your driver
with care. If you have a telephone number to a taxi driver recommended by a friend and
you are wary of others, call him/her. Better safe than sorry.
 On longer trips, be prepared (carry extra water, wear appropriate clothes and perhaps
have an easily accessible book with you) that complications may occur, and often do, which
will delay your journey.
 If you miss a bus don’t worry. Another one will with most certainty arrive in any minute.
 If possible, travel with a friend who knows the area or the bus route so they know if
something weird is going on.
 Enjoy the ride; it can be a good opportunity to talk with the locals.

If you follow these simple rules, keep a cool head about you and are aware of your
surroundings you should be able to steer clear of any unfortunate events.

~ 16 ~
The People of the Republic of Kenya

There are around 40 different tribes in Kenya each of which have their own language, superstitions
and way of life. The “sheppards” of Kenya, the Maasai, believe that they own all the cattle in the
world, while the Luo are the fishers of Lake Victoria. So sometimes it can be difficult to generalise
what Kenyans are like. The tribal differences and rivalries are astounding in Kenya; in the 2007
presidential elections the two main rival tribes accused each other of rigging the elections and the
country was rioting, the final death toll was just short of 2000 lives. The tribal differences are
however not as strong in the bigger cities and it is easier there to make more general assumptions
about the Kenyan people.

Kenyans are in general very kind and helpful people. I

owe many a Kenyan for gleefully directing me to the
textile streets in downtown Nairobi when I had no
chance of finding it myself. The guards at school were
also especially fun to talk with. I would sneak out to
their booth at the school entrance and talk with them
for an hour or so. They would teach me some Kiswahili
and tell me about themselves, where they came from
etc. One night I must have talked for hours, discussing
religion with a temporary guard. What I love most about
the Kenyans is their willingness to talk when they feel
that someone is interested in what they have to say.
Unfortunately not all Kenyans feel like people are
interested in them as individuals. Sometimes I came
across people who were unbelievably shy around me; as
if they were scared of the supposed power my skin gives
me. It makes me so sad that some Kenyans feel
subordinate to white people; in many cases they are
better. I believe the effect white skin has on Africans in
general is simple but sad psychology. Colonialists
asserted their dominance over the indigenous people
and made them feel truly subordinate; so much so that
it is still affecting mama Africa to this day.

Even though most Kenyans are very kind, warm and helpful people, not all Kenyans are.
Unfortunately, it is the murderous, thieving and greedy minority that has shaped foreign peoples’
minds with fear, twisting and bending their insights into what Kenyans are until they cannot see
Kenyans for what they truly are. I have without much need of reflection also realised that the
murderous, thieving minority of Kenya have become so because they are compelled and forced
towards acting viciously and often illegally to gain a living because of the state of which the
country is in (excluding the greedy, they have other motivation). With unemployment at around

~ 17 ~
40 % Kenyans do not have much to do. Without means of making an honest living they must steal
to sustain themselves. Cheap drugs and alcohol relieve some from the harsh reality of a life
depraved of meaning or direction and in the induced deliriums they are more prone to committing
unspeakable crimes than they would be.

Education for the people

Education has always been pivotal in the development of societies and countries. Kenya is no
exception. There are many adjectives that come to mind when thinking of the Kenyan school
system; poor, outdated and flawed are to mention a few which are generally applicable to many of
the schools. However many of the schools can also be associated with the verbs fantastical, first-
class and spectacular.

The children of Kenya are obliged by law to attend (in theory free of charge) primary school (years
1-8, 8 years) but afterwards attendance in secondary school (form 1-4, 4 years) and university are
dependant on funding and willingness. The flaw in the system starts with the “cost-free” primary
schooling, which as you might guess is not technically cost-free. Children are not supplied with
simple pens, paper and text books by the government and because of this many children cannot
afford to attend. This is however not the first of the system’s problems. Policemen and
government employees do not make sure that children attend school. So even if there happens to
be something to take notes on children are not forced to go to school. Many parents even have to
keep their children at home to help work for the daily bread, often by begging. Secondary school
in Kenya is a bigger problem because even fewer children are able to pay tuition as well as pay for
school supplies.

Around about now you might be wondering what I was

thinking of when I wrote that Kenyan schools also could be
spectacular and first-class; it is however no lie. I write this in
full knowledge that you most likely are thinking of the
privately owned schools where the rich and influential attend.
You wouldn’t be wrong to think so; they are also truly
amazing schools which hone their students’ academic
abilities. I am however thinking of the less fortunate schools
that barely hang on economically but still are able to produce
students which any university would be proud of accepting.
These schools are the product of Kenya’s great hope for the
future. These schools have saints for teachers that work for a
minimal salary so that their students have a fighting chance in
a dog eat dog world.

~ 18 ~
Poverty and famine

Poverty and famine is a very straightforward situation in Kenya. It is in the slums where it is most
apparent and most severe. In Kenya’s largest slum, Kibera, there are around 1,000,000 people
living in Kibera depending on the season. Nothing I’ve ever seen before can compare to Kibera, its
vastness as well as its infamous smell and flying toilets (figure it out yourself). As well as being the
epitome of poverty, Kibera’s smell is defiantly the perfect representation of poverty and famine.
Imagine waking up with your head in the toilet and then realising you forgot to flush the night
before, then multiply that smell by a million. The people in the slums can’t afford better houses or
plumbing. Rainy season in the slum means trudging through a 30 cm deep mixture of rain, poo and
pee to get to work. Because of the non-existent hygiene, diseases can spread like wildfire.

Even though a great amount of Kenyans have to live in substandard environments they are
seemingly very hopeful, a truly inspirational people who have drive to do anything if giving the
opportunity.

~ 19 ~
Tourism, culture and cuisine in Kenya

”Karibu Kenya!” These were the first Kiswahili words I was greeted with when I first came to
Kenya. It’s a simple warm welcome translated: ”Welcome to Kenya!” During my first few months
in Kenya I was very much a tourist, however reluctant I am to say it. Tourism is however vital for
Kenya’s national economy and many measures have been taken to make sure of its continuation.
By the use of great national parks, resorts, zoos and historical monuments Kenya has a wide
variety of “tourist-traps” that are well worth seeing. Two of Kenya’s most famous destinations are
Mombasa (by the coast) and Maasai Mara (to the west of Kenya, bordering to Tanzania’s
Serengeti). To give you an idea of what both destinations are like here are some personal
experiences I had in both places as well as some information:

Mombasa: Well, I have only ever taken the train to Mombasa and without exception the train has
always been late on arriving. There are however a few different ways of getting to Mombasa;
airplane, bus or even hiring a chauffeur. And even though all the other options are usually fast I
still recommend the train. With the right company it can be very fun and it is also a great way to
meet new people. Once in Mombasa the first thing you will notice is the amazing humidity.
Personally I have never been in a more humid place! To get where you want to go in Mombasa I
yet again make a recommendation; tuktuks are small taxis made for ferrying two or three people
at a time, there are however tuktuks built to take more. They are relatively cheap and are a lot of
fun to ride in. In Mombasa you can see the famous Fort Jesus on Mombasa Island, built in 1593 by
order of King Philip II (Spain) to protect the Old Port of Mombasa. If you take the ferry to the south
of Mombasa Island you may find yourself on your way to the beautiful Diani Beach by the town
Ukunda. Diani has been my final destination during all my visits to the cost and it has always been
a blast. In Diani you can do pretty much anything you can think of; jet skiing, snorkelling, diving or
just hang out on the beach. The only downside of Diani is that it is it is crawling with “beach-boys”.
Comparable with Nairobi’s market salesmen, these beach-boys wonder the beaches trying to sell
what they have to offer to the tourists. Do not take anything for granted with these beach-boys,
when they walk you down the beach they might expect payment for their “guidance”. The beach-
boys can be useful if you want to procure anything but be prepared to haggle with them until you
are happy with the price. The best way of getting the beach-boys to leave you alone is simply to
tell them off and do not let them down easy. Eventually they will leave you alone altogether and
you can enjoy the beach to its full extent.

Maasai Mara: The trip from Nairobi to Maasai Mara can be done in two ways; by road in a minibus
or car or in the air by plane. If you’re a sucker for long trips like me you will not regret going by
road. Like everything in Kenya, the roads come in variable conditions. During some sections the
road is very bad with potholes every three metres while in others it is as good as any well-kept
European road. I have only made the roughly 5-6 hour journey once during my time in Kenya but I
would not doubt to make it again. I distinctly remember finally arriving to the Rift Valley, an awe
inspiring site. The vastness of this “trench” in the earth was magnificent. Standing up on the ridge
of it all you can see the road winding down to the bottom and small towns that have congregated

~ 20 ~
Clockwise from the top: Tree on the
beach in Diani, Mombasa. Tree in
Maasai Mara national park. Lions in
Maasai Mara. Mt. Longonot in Rift
Valley. On our way up Mt. Kenya.

~ 21 ~
by the roadsides here and there. Even though the journey to Maasai Mara is oddly exciting it just
gets better when we actually arrived in the national park. Upon entering we were first bombarded
by Maasai sales-women who all but climbed into our vans (one actually did before being loudly
thrown out by one of our chaperones) in hope of making a quick buck by selling Maasai jewellery.
Well away from the vigorous sale-women we started to make our first encounters with Maasai
Mara’s animals. A leopard in the thickets, a cheetah with her cubs and thousands of wildebeest
were all to be seen in the park. While many of us were on the lookout for the famous “Big 5”, lion,
elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard not many actually managed to see them all. Our lodging in
Maasai Mara was, like the trip there, extraordinary. The bungalows were fashioned as tents
attached to state of the art bathroom facilities. The resort itself is spectacular. Right by the
reception was a great baobab tree, probably 20-30 metres high and close to the top they had built
a tree-house. During the nights we would sit up there with a view of the savannah while we would
tell stories and play games with the sounds of crickets, birds and monkeys in the background.
Naturally prices to Maasai Mara depend on how long you want to be there, how you want to get
there and what you want to do when you are there (safari in hot air balloon is also an option). A
standard trip to Maasai Mara usually costs around 500 US dollars. It is defiantly not cheap but in
the end the experience is worth it.

There is no abundance of culture in Kenya. Especially in the cities like Nairobi where so many
different people live together. Easily accessible cultural events can be found everywhere in
Nairobi. The result of the ethnic diversity in Nairobi has created a colourful city where anybody
can find activities to their liking. The annual Nairobi Marathon brings together over 10,000 runners
from all over the world! If running isn’t to your taste the Goethe Institute might have a play or
concert more to your taste. If not there are countless other venues for music and the arts that
might suit your cultural pallet. The United Nations UNON headquarters in Nairobi also
recommends certain annual cultural events:

“There are several exciting cultural and artistic events that take place every year in Nairobi. These include
the Kisima Awards, which celebrate the best Kenyan musicians in a musical extravaganza at The Carnivore
each June, African Cine Week, which showcases the best Kenyan and regional audiovisual productions at
the French Cultural Centre and Kenyatta International Conference Centre in October, the European Film
Festival, showing the best new films from Europe at the French Cultural Centre in October, and the Nairobi
Theatre Extravaganza, an exciting theatrical festival organized by leading local theatre groups each
December.” - (http://www.unon.org/karibukenya/)

Food in Kenya is not to everybody’s taste and many of the Kenyan “indigenous dishes” are not
unanimously appreciated by tourists. Ugali is part of many Kenyan’s staple diet and is made of
dried and ground maize. You eat it with your hands and often with some sort of sauce; I
recommend a fish sauce. Another part of traditional Kenyan/African cuisine is grilled maize (which
you can buy on the streets everywhere). However, even though I recommend you trying as much
new food as possible, before you venture out and eat all you can see in Kenya be aware of what
you are eating, use your ever important commonsense. Take small and simple precautions to
prevent yourself from getting food poisoned, such as making sure you’re chicken is thoroughly

~ 22 ~
cooked. It doesn’t take much time and you can save yourself a lot of anguish. An extract from the
website “Food in Kenya” gives a short but accurate description of Kenyan food and its origins:

“When the Portuguese arrived in 1496 on the coast of Kenya, they introduced foods from newly discovered
Brazil. Maize, bananas, pineapple, chillies, peppers, sweet potatoes, and cassava were brought in and
became local staples. The Portuguese also brought oranges, lemons, and limes from China and India, as
well as pigs. /.../ Traditional Kenyan foods reflect the many different lifestyles of the various groups in the
country. Most Kenyan dishes are filling and inexpensive to make. Staple foods consist mainly of corn, maize,
potatoes, and beans. Ugali (a porridge made of maize) and meat are typically eaten inland, while the
coastal peoples eat a more varied diet. The Maasai, cattle-herding peoples who live in Kenya and Tanzania,
eat simple foods, relying on cow and goat by-products (such as the animal's meat and milk). The Maasai do
not eat any wild game or fish, depending only on the livestock they raise for food. The Kikuyu and Gikuyu
grow corn, beans, potatoes, and greens. They mash all of these vegetables together to make irio. They roll
irio into balls and dip them into meat or vegetable stews. In western Kenya, the people living near Lake
Victoria (the second-largest freshwater lake in the world) mainly prepare fish stews, vegetable dishes, and
rice.” - Food in Kenya (http://www.foodbycountry.com)

~ 23 ~
Animals in Politics

What makes a country exciting? A great variety of activities, or is it the bumpy roads? I don’t think
Kenya would be nearly as exciting as it is today without its leaders. Freud says that we are all the
product of our childhood. In much the same way I believe it is so with Kenya. Kenya’s politics and
therefore politicians are all the product of its “childhood” or history. When the British first decided
to colonise east Africa they sought out to divide the tribes so not to meet a unified front. Divide
and conquer. It worked until the people became educated in what the British were doing,
favouring one tribe to make other tribes jealous and hateful, towards that one tribe. After
independence in 1963 Kenyans didn’t embrace each other in rejoice of freedom. Instead, they
started to fight among themselves for power.

Violence in Kenyan politics is definitely not unheard of. The

latest great crash came after the 2007 elections. The post-
election violence was the result of tensions running
between the two leading tribes and political parties (the
Party of National Unity (Kikuyu, Mwai Kibaki); PNU and the
Orange Democratic Movement (Luo, Raila Odinga); ODM).
Each group accused the other for fraud and neither would
give way to the other. Kofi Annan, former Secretary
General of the UN flew to Kenya in hope of forcing an
agreement between the two parties. Eventually after many
months of civil unrest and general panic the two parties
decided to form a coalition government. Mwai Kibaki is
now the President of Kenya, while Raila Odinga is the
Prime Minister.

What astounds and disturbs me most about Kenyan politics is the poorly disguised lack of interest
in the peoples’ best interests. To me it seems like the politicians’ own interests and aspirations
have got in the way of the general publics’. The simple fact that politicians refuse to give up their
power, even if their people are suffering is proof enough that the politicians don’t really care
about anyone other than themselves. This type corruption is regretfully quite common, politicians
and high ranking officials think of their own wellbeing instead of others. All politicians are however
not like this, there are some that truly want to help the people but how can these survive if they
are outnumbered and without support from their colleagues?

The political scene in Kenya today is more stable than it was after the 2007 elections where
around 2,000 people were killed and over half a million displaced. But the violence left the country
scarred and it has yet to fully recuperate from the hostility. There is however hope yet. If Kenyans
have learnt anything from the post election violence they must realise that they will never create a
better Kenya unless they work together. There is hope.

~ 24 ~
Face to face with Kenyans

Despite anything I have to say about Kenya and developing countries there will always be a
different point of view, anthers person’s recollections and experiences of Kenya that might be in
conflict with my own. When it comes down to the bare essentials I am in fact only interested how
Kenyans think of Kenya. In the hope of further enlightening the reader I decided to talk to a few
Kenyans to get a general picture of how they experience their own country.

My first meeting takes place in the infamous slum of Kibera, a place

over a million Kenyans call home. I am at a women’s AIDS-group
called “Power Women”. They are a self-help organisation which does
its best to support women with AIDS. They make clothes and
jewellery to support themselves. After purchasing a beautiful green
and white traditionally African shirt we sit down with a cup of tea to
talk for a while. At first they seem intimidated by my presence and
sometimes semi-intrusive questions. However when we finally get
talking about serious issues they are very open. How do you all feel
about living in Kenya? “It is home. We all realise and understand that
Kenya is not the ideal country, it is definitely far from perfect and life
can be very difficult here but it is home. Where else do you suggest
we go? How could we leave home?” Do you feel the government does
anything to help you? I mean, especially women as yourselves who
have contracted AIDS? “Not really but we do manage. We have
learnt, as an organisation, to take care of ourselves and our members
because we cannot depend on the government to aid us financially.”

Desperate to get more insight on the Kenyan view of the government and in extension life in
Kenya, I met up with an old teacher of mine. Lazarus is practically, from my point of view, the
kindest person I have ever met. As is his norm he greets me with a heart warming smile. Lazarus is
as quick as he is kind and before long he is describing, from his point of view, the core-issue in
Kenyan politics and society. “No one calls themselves a “Kenyan” here. You are either a Kikuyu or a
Luo or whatever; never simply Kenyan. There is no unity as a people in Kenya, everything is
fractured and divided. We Kenyans could be so much more! Take Tanzania for example; when
they gained independence they highlighted the importance of being “Tanzanians”. The same goes
for South Africa. I sometimes wonder why we Kenyans, who gained independence a good 20 years
before South Africa, have never been “Africa’s role model”. In Kenya our leaders have never
strived towards uniting ALL of the Kenyan people. Most corruption and violence in Kenya is due to
tribalism, without it we would be so much better off. Kenya needs a strong and just leader that
will work for the good of Kenya, not only for the betterment of his own coffers!”

I heard the singing before I opened the gate. I had just made the 45 minute trip outside Nairobi to
Rongata Ongai to meet a prep school/help-centre. They had a few hours where I could come visit,
play with the children and gain an understanding to what the organisation was trying to achieve. I

~ 25 ~
walked into the enclosure and I was greeted by about 20 children singing and playing in the
simplistic school grounds. After being introduced to all the staff and having a cup of tea the
interviewing starts all over. So what how do you feel about living in Kenya? “Well, it includes its
ups and downs but I can’t really imagine living anywhere else. Don’t get me wrong, I will go where
my work takes me but I am satisfied with life here as it is.” What is it like organising a school AND
a help-centre? “There are a few of us all helping each other so it is not all time consuming but it
does take its fair share of effort. The government could help more than they currently do; most of
our money for the children comes from our help-centre where we keep around 20 people
occupied making bags which we sell in various locations.” What is wrong with the government aid?
“It is very unreliable. Smaller enterprises don’t get the attention they deserve and the money that
it supposed to be fuelling our school frequently ends up in the wrong hands. Most of the time we
are lucky if even some of the intended money actually get all the way to us.” The interview and
visit was all rounded up with a few tribute songs to Kenya’s president and Kenya itself as well as
more dancing from the children.

All my three meetings seemed to roughly concur with my own thoughts on Kenya as a government
and as a country. There are many grave issues deeply rooted into Kenyan society; tribalism and
corruption to mention the most obvious. Even if these do sound a bit negative when written out I
always got the feeling that the Kenyans I talked with really do love their country despite its many
flaws.

~ 26 ~
In conclusion...

Africa is a deeply flawed continent. With poverty, corruption and diseases crippling the continent
like a kick to the groin, Africa seems a bleak place. If I never had any connections to Africa I would
never even think of visiting. Why would I? Fortunately for me however, I do have connections to
Africa; profound connections that have shaped me to who I am. Based on what I have written
about Africa; the living conditions, corruption everywhere you go and poverty and famine as far as
the eyes can see. You might have wondered a few times how I can love the continent that is so
flawed and unjust that every human rights activist in the world seems to cringe at the mere
thought of the place. For me it’s dead simple. Africa is home. Where else would I go if I had a real
choice?

The purpose of this book was to contribute in creating a greater understanding of and curiosity for
developing countries. With any luck I have been able to do just that because, as I said earlier in the
introduction, there has never been a time in history when the world was so “small”. People usually
say knowledge is power. I would like to add that knowledge is understanding and compassion. To
avoid a global conflict we have to begin understanding one another and appreciating our
differences.

~ 27 ~