Interesting to see what happens when matatus go on strike, like what happened yesterday in Our Nairobi. Of course nobody is happy with it, some people get robbed in the chaos and some people even where on board of a vehicle that was stoned by colleagues. But in the end, there is always something good in bad things. Could you imagine that this would ever have happened in the Moi-years, when talking politics was already something that most people would not even think of? We are livin’ interesting times in
I was in the beautiful Semien Mountains in Northern Ethiopia recently. On an extremely high altitude, people were still growing barley. I will spare you the story of how and when those people arrived there. What I noticed were the way these people were able to grow barley in this predominantly rough, rocky, cold area: they remove the stones from the acres, one by one, to remain with a clear acre and a good harvest. Kenya has a new government with ambitious plans being explained in good rhetoric and with
Meles Zenawi, the prime minister of Ethiopia passed away: One of Africa’s ancient giants falls. Africa is refreshed in various ways. As it goes with old city parks where people don’t like to come anymore: some are replaced, others are renovated. And if the refreshed park is there, it’s up to the people of the new parks to bring character: by allowing to go piss, enjoying the delicious air of seasonal flowers, blooming irises.
Yes, being in Kenya is great. But for me, it is not for the obvious reasons: not the safari’s, it’s not only the beautiful nature less than 30 minutes outside Nairobi. Europeans tend to think that when you live in Kenya, it’s a 24 hour safari-holiday. Nothing is less true. It’s because in Kenya where I have a live view on social and political change in Africa. You can witness it on the spot: quite often, there is change for the better. Recently, it was worldwide sex workers day. The
This is a follow up on my post a fews days ago (Please find it here) about Kenya’s invitation to invite Sudan president al-Bashir on the promulgation of Kenya’s New Constitution. Many things have been said about it, I enjoy the Freedom to add. The things we don’t see are what politicians are reading. I am 100 percent sure that Machiavelli’s The Prince is on the desk of at least some of the Kenyan leaders. One of the things that Machiavelli talks about is moral. There the monopolised moral by
Whatever happens in Kenya, we are not there yet…. But a lot of people are working on it. Today’s Newspaper (The Daily Nation), thought me that Nairobi’s informal settlements, Kibera has between the 6000 and 15.000 active NGO’s. According to the newspaper, there might an NGO for every 15 residents. I think that Kibera’s non-official hugslum-status, needs to be upgraded to an official one. They could start using it in the tourist-brochures, where Kibera would nicely fit next to the national hugtribe… 😉 Ah, sorry… Which tribe was that again?
Funny feelings about the historic promulgation of Kenya’s new constitution. I did hardly see any prominent ‘good’ leader at the signing ceremony. All of them at least had a disputable reputation. But my impression might be wrong. The number one among those of course is mister Omar al-Bashir, the democratically elected and International sought for leader of Sudan, not really known for his sympathy with the democratic policies and known for of several genocides he’s thought to have been guilty of. Interesting is that Kenya recently confirmed its support for
On my trip through Namibia’s Caprivi Strip, I stopped at a small coffee joint to satisfy my caffeine-needs. In the end, I am still a Dutch. It was not my first time that I visited this small place in one of the poorest areas of beautiful Namibia. The type of area where people die of malaria because they can’t find transport to the nearest hospital or can’t spend two dollar to safe their own baby’s life. On the outside, nothing had changed. Still the dark orange/brown red-earthy color. Inside still
I think it’s time for some Kenya promotion. I will prepare a gallery for you with nice pictures from this beautiful country with its beautiful people. Keep an eye on this weblog for the coming days please. And… enjoy your evening!
