About Kenya

My country, where I’ve spent most of my life, is a land of mixed temperaments, fortunes and seasons. When I was growing up I was keenly aware of a deep sense of peace and tranquillity and, although many people didn’t have very much, we were fairly happy. Unity was a word we heard often, on radio, TV, newspapers. We sang a lot too, sang at home, events, occasions; we sang for leaders whenever they showed their faces. Singing was simply an integral part of our lives and, although not nearly as much as before, still is. We have since toned down how much we sing for our leaders since we realized this gives them a bloated self-esteem and they end up taking us for granted.

Located strategically on the East African Coast, Kenya borders Tanzania to the South, Uganda to the West, Somalia to the East and Ethiopia and Sudan to the North. It is one of five East African Community members namely: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi

Productivity is the strength of the Kenyan people. Trained and skilled in all sorts of professions, Kenyans are enterprising and resourceful, resulting in immense success in the corporate and business world. Educational institutions are a thriving community with thousands upon thousands enrolled either as fresh or mature students going back to studies as more and more Kenyans attain higher education making the job and academic market highly competitive.

Technology has taken root in a peculiar way where the mobile phone, now a common gadget in almost every home, is quickly taking the place that computers have in developed economies. Through the mobile phone, money transfer within the country, East African region, and even between locals and Kenyans abroad, has been enabled in a way that is easier than using the internet or traditional transfer systems. Kenyan banks have found it easier to join the mobile phone companies in facilitating these programmes than trying to fight or compete with them as the mobile money transfer is such a success, convenient and popular with Kenyans that routing them is bound to create a huge backlash and be deeply aggravating to a people now so technologically enabled. Besides, mobile phones are now providing Internet connectivity for many without computers, and some companies have even found a way of providing such social sites like Facebook to users who don’t necessarily have Internet on their phones.

The fact that it is now possible to pay water, electricity, DSTV and other bills on the mobile phone; the fact that we can inquire on our balances for the same via the mobile phone; even exam results are obtainable using the mobile phone; the fact that certain air and other travel tickets can now be paid for through the mobile phone: All these puts Kenya right up there in terms of technology with the best of them. No need or inconveniencies of computers. After all, with the mobile phone, it means one can acquire these services anywhere, while on the road walking or riding, literally anywhere. As long as I have money deposited in my phone with a few simple steps, I can send money to anyone anywhere in the country no matter where I am, via my mobile phone.

While I was abroad one of the things I was afraid of about coming back home was the long queues as one waited to pay for such things as electricity. I need not have worried. I never even have to show my face in electricity house, post office or any other paying joint. My mobile technology is all I need.

At the same time computer and Internet technology have soared too. With the introduction of fibre optic cable which is now in place all over the country, Internet connectivity, speeds and prices have improved considerably (and a drastic reduction in mobile phone tariffs as well). More and more Kenyans have home computers, and banks such as Equity are helping equip students and households with computers through use of affordable loans for the same. The computer is no longer a novelty. Soon it will be as common as the TV.  Only a few years ago just a trickle of Kenyans had mobile phones. Now almost every adult has one. And the thing with Kenyans we tend to move in waves and are highly contagious; once we realize something is in vogue and is of some benefit to us, we will move heaven and earth to acquire it. Hence the multiplicity of progress.

E-government is just one more thing adding to the ease of services in Kenya. Government services and reports such as tax returns can now be filed electronically to name but one such venture. Technology has streamlined service delivery in many departments, and with government pushing through with E-government it’s only bound to get better. In all honesty our leaders are trying very hard with great results on the technological front, and the Kenyan generation of tomorrow will be very technologically aware. Children growing up with computers as permanent fixtures in their living rooms will learn to do things with those gadgets we older folks thought was science fiction of far future times.

The concern and preoccupation of most Kenyans is development, productivity, a better future for our children. Only a few idle hooligans around election time have the time to do the bidding of warped politics and cause unrest for an otherwise busy, focused and peaceful populace. We hope these few are a dying breed so we can shun divisive leaders and get on with building a cosmopolitan society for posterity, and hopefully soon enough so we too reap the benefits in our lifetime.

Kenya is a country of unparalleled beauty, blessed to have all manner of climatic regions within its borders; ocean, lakes, rivers, mountains, hills, arid lands and highland green, plains, wilderness and grasslands teeming with all sorts of wildlife. Marine paradise within its coastal corals, minerals, explosive agriculture, the best of tea and coffee.

Seasons mix freely all year round, with certain areas thundering with rain while others are scorching dry all at the same time, some chilly cold with others warm and cosy. We don’t have uniform weather or even climate, contrary to the belief of some that Kenya (and Africa) is a sun scorched place all year round, otherwise we would never have tea, for example, which must have cool and mountainous conditions to thrive. But what all these means is that we can grow tea and coffee which require rainfall, as well as sisal which doesn’t. We can grow hardened grains like sorghum, as well as horticultural produce like flowers and fresh vegetables.  We have marine, arid and mountain species, and even snow on Mt Kenya. (Recently some of this has been falling in weird version in a region in Nyandarua District). While some are busy fishing on Lake Kisumu and Mombasa, others are growing sugarcane at Mumias, pineapple and coffee at Thika and sorghum in Ukambani. While some are mining soda ash at Lake Magadi or fluorspar at Kerio Valley, others are camping and feasting their eyes on flamingos at Lake Nakuru. Still others are rearing thousands of cattle in North/North Eastern, while others are enjoying the wildebeest migration at the Mara or scuba diving at the coast. We are a blessed nation indeed. Not to mention the unrelenting agriculture for foodstuffs like maize, bananas, potatoes, beans and dairy farming going on in many parts of the country like Central, Rift Valley, Western etc.

With all these activities being part of our daily existence, idleness is rare, and would usually have to be a choice.

The battle for forest cover is unrelenting, with evictions taking place in the Mau as we strive to restore this badly ravaged forest. Years of living like trees were eternal and needed no help from us to thrive have cost us a rich forest cover throughout the country. Efforts are ongoing to restore 10% of the country to forest. It will not be easy, but with such efforts to protect forest areas like the fencing of the Aberdare Ridges, the restoration of the Mau, and the Green Line project with trees being planted along the Nairobi National park to name but a few, we will get there sooner rather than later. Education in schools has made the environment a major theme and that (involving the young generation) is always a huge step in achieving our goals.

Governance is by and large democratic with no more quirks than other governments. We have our strengths and weaknesses, our greatest strength being that, in a continent like Africa where leadership seems to err on the dictatorial, Kenya is largely free in terms of expression, voting system, movement, service delivery and representation. We have huge democratic space in which to exercise our rights, and, frankly, the only reason we don’t always achieve that is the love of money where cash for votes is still a phenomenon, as well as verbal rhetoric that often succeeds in swaying minds and swinging votes without ever intending to deliver on promises. But how is that different from most countries in the world?

Our greatest weakness lies in that same tendency to be swayed too much without reflecting enough to ask, ‘when this dude was in Parliament for the last 10 years, what did he do for his constituents so that we can trust him/her with another five year term? And of course the fact that money still plays a big roll in swinging votes. Another huge weakness is in the fact that we still have many hangovers from past dictatorial and chieftain tendencies so that political will is often lacking to tackle problems, we like to use services as a favour that must be returned in votes; we indirectly punish our opponents by shutting them out of key projects; and corruption is still very much part of our mindset, which means a lot of government resources disappear into thin air through individual or even corporate pockets. We are trying very hard to overcome all these, but as you can imagine these are painful vices to give up, like some horrible addiction. As citizens we are pushing daily like crazy to have the culprits brought to book so we can clean up our act and have a truly decent country where every Kenyan gets their basic rights and lives a decent life, happy, free and truly proud to be Kenyan.

For the most part Kenyans are Kenyans despite multiple ethnicity. They live together, work and mix freely in every sphere of life. The word tribal clashes was foreign to us till a few years back when voting patterns gave ideas to a few personalities that they would win in certain areas if they evicted certain communities. Result? Ethnic tensions especially in the Rift Valley around the time of General Elections. Sadly in 2007 this went beyond the Rift Valley to Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, and a few other towns, and we had our worst moment ever; post poll violence. Every Kenyan is hoping and praying that was a freak occurrence never to be repeated in this country again, and that the other recurring clashes will be tamed too.

Occasionally, (too frequently for comfort), the pastoral tribes of the North and North Eastern clash over grazing land, and steal each other’s livestock. Government seems either unable or unwilling to allocate enough resources to completely eliminate this problem. When something like this goes on year after year, something is inherently wrong and someone somewhere is definitely sleeping on the job.

The Mungiki menace remains a headache for the government and ordinary Kenyans, especially in Central Kenya. A lot of effort has gone into tackling this group with a high degree of success, but more needs to be done if Kenyans will sleep easy, without fear of criminal gangs lurking in the shadows to extort money and harm anyone unwilling to cooperate. With the scary picture of the Mexican drug war playing out before our eyes, we hope and pray the Kenyan government wins the war on criminal gangs cleanly and soon enough to avoid such a scary future scenario.

Religion plays a vital role in our society with most Kenyans belonging to one of several religions with Christianity being a huge majority. Others include Islam, Hinduism, Ba’hai, plus a few other minority groups. Kenya has always had freedom of religion, and temperatures are rarely raised between religions unless they are intermixed with political issues like in the case of the run-up to the referendum for the now New Constitution. Different religions coexist and practise peacefully and unbothered anywhere in the country.

Tradition is no longer as vibrant as I’m sure it used to be. Most people are too busy and merging tradition with modernity isn’t easy. However the way of life still bears the hallmark of our traditions, somewhat. Some societies are better at maintaining their culture than others, e.g. the Maasai and other pastoral tribes. However the tourist attraction, Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi, has a daily display of all Kenyan culture and traditions. Still, being Kenyan is a culture in itself, and I’m sure we have many peculiarities as a people which would stand out and appeal to any outside observer. I’m sure many people around the globe have seen the Maasai featured on their TV sets due to their cultural outlook, and this group has almost come to be a Kenyan Brand. We are very proud of our Maasai.

Music is a vital part of Kenya, and lately the music scene has exploded in high calibre song and dance productions, with the country’s music industry growing to rival the best in the continent. Entertainment joints are many in the cities and towns, with performances taking place many a night and throughout the weekends. Television is a central part of many homes though an increase in the number of free channels means competitors are having to fight for the attention of the viewers. Result? A lot of duplication in the programmes across the channels, which frankly can be very boring when you leave one channel only to find the other 5 or so are showing similar content. Kenyan TV used to be fun. At least from my point of view? Not so much anymore – too much duplication. Still some good programmes, and local content has both increased and improved a lot. Local comics are coming up and giving us hearty laughs (keep it up, and keep it original). Talent search is one of the most entertaining TV moments on air, with such programmes as Tusker Project Fame and East African Idol boosting our evenings and giving a much given chance to our artists. And then there is the kids programmes! Those young journalists are to be commended, as well as the stations giving them exposure. I think on the whole Kenyan kids enjoy their TV. Now do something for us grown ups. Of course, there is always DSTV, which we pay for if we need more than the free channels can offer.

Whichever way you look at it, and whatever you think of us, the only way to know a place, or a person, is to be with them. So a trip to Kenya should be on the to-do list of any adventurer wanting to experience the best the world has to offer, variety, resilience and friendliness all wrapped into one. A feast for the eyes, the palate and the soul awaits anyone who ventures onto our shores.

Whatever else the world has that we do not yet are supposed to have (as long as it’s positive and adds value to our society), I’m sure we’ll achieve sooner rather than later, with a vibrant society such as Kenya, my land.

Important Dates

1st June - Madaraka Day (Day of Independence)


20th October - Mashujaa (Heros) Day

12th December - Jamhuri Day (The Day Kenya became a Republic)

Kenya also observes most of the International and Christian holidays e.g Easter, Christmas, Labour Day - as well as the Muslim Eid.


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