Back in Africa.

It’s Friday morning and am in the plane from Nairobi to Johannesburg. The last two days I spent in Nairobi. Reasons: 1. I have transited often via Nairobi but never left the airport, 2. Since recently a friend studies in Nairobi. Thus, time to stay a few days in Nairobi and get to know the city.

Wednesday
I arrived around 2am (Tuesday night) and Junior and Jubacae were waiting. Juni is Congolese, worked for the evaluation we undertake for the IRC in the Congo, studies computer sciences in Nairobi, and is the translator for the Voix des Kivus project. Juba is Chadian, a good friend of Junior, and also studies computer sciences. After dropping me off at the hotel they were back at 9am, having arranged a Kenian simcard and planned a busy day. After having breakfast at Juba’s place we visited a friend of them – Melvin – who lived out of the city. Sitting cramped in a small bus (picture of such a bus below) and having red dirt under my shoes again, made clear how much I’ve missed Africa.

Local transport.

After a long day in the city we were on our way back home by bus (a bigger one – picture below). Because people in Nairobi speak English we could gossip out loud in French. – and so we did, especially when two pretty girls stepped inside the bus. We jokingly said “Let’s get off at the same stop and ask them to join us for a coffee in the shopping mall”. We did. As soon as we got out the ladies turned around asked “where shall we go for coffee?”. One of them was from Burundi and spoke perfect French.

Junior and me.

After a coffee, the three of us had dinner at Juba’s place and then went to a bar to watch South Africa painfully loose from Uruguay with 3-0 and then to a popular Kenyan club where we met the two ladies again. It was a fun evening. I again did my utmost to prove that we white people can’t dance.

Thursday
After waking up early, we had a long walk through the city with Juda’s girlfriend joining us for lunch. We, among others, visited the parliament. Because Kenya is a former British colony the parliament is the same as the British Lower House from inside, and... there is a "Little Big Ben" standing right next to the parliament - just like in London.

Little Big Ben.

Me, Junior, Juda.

We again had dinner at Juba’s place. His dad is a high official for the African Union and works in Burundi. He lives with his mom and sister in Nairobi. They really made me feel at home (and his mom is a great cook). During the day we passed by the Kenyan IRC headquarters because I wanted to drop of some DRC-related material that I did not want to carry around in South Africa (netbooks, GPS devices, digital cameras, etc.). We were immediately invited by IRC’s country director to watch soccer in the evening; it was yet again a great evening. I was in bed shortly after midnight because at 5am a taxi would pick me up again for the airport.

Random things

• While walking in Nairobi I felt as if in South Africa. The people speak English and it’s all quite developed.
• Taking a bus in Nairobi is a great experience. On top of the above story, on Tuesday a drunk (but friendly) Kenyan tried to hook up with a South Korean sitting next to him. After she refused to give him her phonenumber he said “We will see each other again, because mountains don't meet each other, but people will."
• Interestingly, Kenyans can see from which ethnic group their fellow country men are. Does this mean ethnic groups are not only constructed but are actually based on real differences?
• Only the second day I noticed that we’ve been walking and driving on the left side of the road. Oeps!
• Mom, I didn’t tell this on purpose before leaving. :). Last Sunday a bomb exploded in Uhuru park (2 minute walk from my hotel) - some grenades were thrown into a crowd of a few thousand killing several and wounding tens of people (here). The situation in Nairobi is a bit tense at the moment with an upcoming vote on a new constitution. Last Tuesday a large area of Nairobi was again blocked off because of an expected explosive device. For a little bit more information see below.

A bit of background
Since independence Kenya - despite the different ethnic groups - has remained quite stable. Things however changed for a while in 2007 when the presidential elections were rigged by the then president Mwai Kibaki - although it was clear that his opponent Raila Odinga had won. Targeted ethnic violence took place on a large scale and was directed against the Kikuyu people (the ethnic group of Kibaki). Also, some Kikuyu engaged in violence against groups supportive of Odinga (primarily Luos and Kalenjin). More information here.

Former-UNSG Kofi Annan was able to unite Kibaki and Odinga in a grand coalition government where both would share power: Kibaki as President and Odinga as Prime Minister. The new constitution - the vote takes place on August 4 - is a crucial part a reform package that was then made, aimed to heal the ethnic divisions that dominate Kenyan politics. The new constitution would limit the presidential powers and strengthen civil liberties. Both Odinga and Kibaki are supporting the document. Some, however, are afraid that the approval of a new constitution could pave the way for new alliances, threatening the current fragile coalition. Also, some senior politicians are spearheading a 'no' campaign because they are angry at the failure to devolve power to the regions and plans to cap private land holdings. And also the Christian church leaders are urging a 'no' vote because of a clause allowing abortions on medical grounds and the inclusion of Islamic courts dealing with divorce and inheritance.