another mzungu in kenya by martin lowe

8/14/2019 Another Mzungu in Kenya by Martin Lowe

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Another Mzungu in Kenya

By Martin Lowe


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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


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

It all started on October the 9 th 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 was nt

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 Its snowing! Its snowing! It wasnt until

much later in my life that I realised that I had been standing under

a tree with white flowers.

Unforeseen complications with my fathers farm at home in Zambia meant that we had to move

away from the country. At the time, I was 8; I didnt understand what was happening and all Icould grasp was that we were being kicked out. I was swimming in a pool of doubt and I had no

idea how Id 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 couldnt 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 cant 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 my11th year. After battling the local authorities for months I was accepted into the school.


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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.


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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 Universitys and

National Geographics 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 mustthen remember that a countrys 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


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Exports 2008 est.


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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

Africas 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 Felixs 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 Kenyas (and generally Africas) 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)


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Me in Maasai Mara withbuffaloes in the background.

Children in Kusa, western

Kenya.

On the way to Kisumu,

western Kenya


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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.)

Sweden: 0, 963 (7th

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 Africas 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.


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Time-line of Kenyan History

A shortened version of the timeline from BBCs 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.


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Kenyan independance.

RIGHT: Soldiers in the Kenyan

army.

DOWN: Elections 2007.


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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 Luocommunities 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 isKenya'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.


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

Frustration; Youve never felt it unless youve 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; theyve 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 dont 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 ofmalaria.

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 accessibleplace. This way you make it a lot harder for someone to rob you as well as making the

collectors 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 becauseof 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 amatatus 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


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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.


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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 taxidrivers 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 andyou are wary of others, call him/her. Better safe than sorry.

On longer trips, be prepared (carry extra water, wear appropriate clothes and perhapshave an easily accessible book with you) that complications may occur, and often do, which

will delay your journey.

If you miss a bus dont 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.


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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


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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 aredependant 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 systems 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 wouldnt 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 schoolsthat 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 Kenyas 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.


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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 Kenyas largest slum, Kibera, there are around 1,000,000 people

living in Kibera depending on the season. Nothing Ive 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 ofpoverty, Kiberas 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 cant 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.


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Tourism, culture and cuisine in Kenya

Karibu Kenya! These were the first Kiswahili words I was greeted with when I first came to

Kenya. Its 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

Kenyas 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 oftourist-traps that are well worth seeing.Two of Kenyas most famous destinations are

Mombasa (by the coast) and Maasai Mara (to the west of Kenya, bordering to Tanzanias

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 Nairobis 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 youre 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


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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.


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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 MaasaiMaras 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 getthere 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 isnt to your taste the Goethe Institute might have a play orconcert 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 eachDecember. - (http://www.unon.org/karibukenya/)

Food in Kenya is not to everybodys taste and many of the Kenyan indigenous dishes are not

unanimously appreciated by tourists. Ugali is part of many Kenyans 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 toprevent yourself from getting food poisoned, such as making sure youre chicken is thoroughly


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cooked. It doesnt 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)
http://www.foodbycountry.com/http://www.foodbycountry.com/


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Animals in Politics

What makes a country exciting? A great variety of activities, or is it the bumpy roads? I dont 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. Kenyas 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 didnt 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 dont r eally 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.


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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 persons 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 womens 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 Africas 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


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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 cant really imagine living anywhere else. Dont 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 ANDa 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 dont 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 Kenyas 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.


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In conclusion...

Africa is a deeply flawed continent. With poverty, corruption and diseases crippling the continentlike 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 its 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.

another mzungu in kenya by martin lowe

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