540 magazine - issue 8 - february 2013
DESCRIPTION
540, the in-flight magazine for Fly540 is published by Land & Marine Publications (Kenya) Ltd. on behalf of Fly540. Fly540 - Africa's low cost airline.TRANSCRIPT
ISSUE 08 FEBRUARY - APRIL 2013
ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE: LATEST RELEASES • 540 NEWS • KISUMU CITY GUIDE
ON THE CUTTINGEDGE
ROVING THE RANGE JUST GOT MORE STYLISH…
SUPER-MALL TARGETS TOP BRANDS
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The Range Rover Evoque
Big plans for Garden City mall
The best ribs in town
ProductReview
MotorReview
The iPad mini
THE FOURTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL FOR AFRICAN FASHION AND ARTS
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
274234
8
is published by
lanD & Marine pUBlications (Kenya) ltDSuite A5, 1st Floor, Ojijo Plaza, 20 Plums Laneoff Ojijo Road, Parklands, PO Box 2022Village Market 00621, NairobiTel: +254 (0)20 374 1934Email: [email protected]
on behalf of
Fly540 aviationRiverside Green Suites, Palm Suite, Riverside Drive PO Box 10293-00100, Nairobi, KenyaTel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/2/3/4/5Email info@fl y540.comwww.fl y540.com
Cover photo courtesy of: Abraham Ali and designer Bea Arthur, images for FAFA also courtesy of Abrahim Ali. Flower seller images: Jane Barsby. Saiwa Swamp images: Claus Jensen
The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor, or any other organisa-tion associated with this publication. No liability can be accepted for any inaccuracies or omissions.
©2013 Land & Marine Publications (Kenya) Ltd
SPECIAL FEATURES
03 in tHis issUe Welcome to the new issue
05 540 news The latest news from the 540 family
08 Festival For aFrican FasHion anD arts
On the cutting edge of African couture
16 saiwa swaMp national parK
Miniature paradise where walkers reign supreme
21 Kenyan enGlisH Mercurial English in Kenya
30 ten to FoUr Mountain bikers get set for
ultimate challenge
39 FreeDoM FiGHter Bitter struggle that opened way to
Kenyan independence
USEFUL INFORMATION
36 tHe Fly540 networK
42 travel inForMation Essential travel and visa information
44 Fly540 Fleet
48 Fly540 contacts
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Issue 8 - FEBRUARY - APRIL
contents
REGULAR FEATURES
12 MYWORLD What makes Henry the world’s best
fl ower seller?
14 LOOKINSIDE Sneak peek at the refurbishment of
Hunters Lodge
18 BUSINESSHub New super-mall to target top-end brands
25 FOODFORTHOUGHT Delicious food at Spur
27 ProductReview The iPad mini
28 latest releases Coming to a screen near you...
33 CITYGUIDE Kisumu
34 MotorReview Range Rover Evoque
46 KiDZ corner
@fl y540aviation
www.facebook.com/pages/Fly-540
connect witH Fly540
Pic © A
pp
le inc.
This is the eighth edition of ‘540’ magazine, which has been
published quarterly since May 2011.As Kenyans go to the polls in
early March – and possibly again if a subsequent run-off is needed – ‘540’ magazine tries to ignore politics by focusing on the many positive, and sometime unusual, aspects of life in East Africa’s most vibrant economy.
Clearly, there will be a slowdown in business activity during March, but many large projects continue to roll on. One of the biggest private-sector schemes is the construction of East Africa’s largest shopping mall, Garden City, which will open its doors to eager Christmas shoppers in late 2014. It should be worth waiting for.
GrUellinG
We also promote the gruelling 10 to 4 Mountain Bike Challenge and Nairobi’s FAFA arts and fashion festival (our cover story); we examine the way Kenyans are single-handedly changing the English language and recall freedom fi ghter Dedan Kimathi Waciuri; we explore the life of a humble fl ower seller and take a trip to the little-visited Saiwa Swamp National Park.
In the past, we have profi led some of East Africa’s top eateries. This time we take a look at the Nairobi fast food outlet Golden Spur. Fast food can also be really good food and Golden Spur is an outstanding example.
The same goes for our regular Look Inside section, where we have tended to review top-end properties. On this occasion we highlight the transforma-tion of Hunters Lodge, an iconic name from the past that had fallen on hard times but is now poised to bounce back.
For the fi rst time we have included a car review and we aim to make this a regular feature. Here, we test-drive the Range Rover Evoque. Only the occasional example of this futuristic-looking vehicle can be seen on East Africa’s roads at the present time; but numbers will soon grow as second-hand cars begin to arrive through the Port of Mombasa.
Once again, welcome on board Fly540 and I hope you enjoy your fl ight.
Gary GimsonPublisher, 540 magazine
in tHisissUe
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IN THIS ISSUE
Our “city Guide” section on page 33 takes a look at Kisumu. With ideas on where to stay, what to do and where to eat, as well as practical information you could need during a visit.
Variety is the spice of Kenyan life
CITYGUIDE
LATESTRELEASES
looK oUt For...
Look inside - page 14: A closer look a the transformation of Hunters Lodge
In our “latest releases” section on page 28 you can fi nd up to date information and reviews for the latest fi lm and book releases. One of the fi lms featured in this issue is ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’, the fi fth instalment of the Die Hard franchise.
Five Forty Aviation Ltd would like to wish all its readers and clients a Happy New Year.
This is the time of year for replacing calendars and making New Year resolutions.
Refl ecting on the past year, 2012 has been full of challenges in the aviation industry, but we are seeing an upward trend for 540 in 2013.
540 Kenya remains as 540 Kenya, serving all the domestic routes within Kenya and the regional network.
From 27 January 2013 another frequency, to Juba in South Sudan on Sundays, is offered by 540.
Have a wonderful start to the year!
GooD wisHes For tHe year aHeaD
540 MaGaZine online540 magazine is now available online. Catch up on all the latest Fly 540 news and features and enjoy its extensive content anywhere. Visit the news pages on your computer, tablet or smart phone via Fly 540’s offi cial website www.fl y540.com for a chance to view the back catalogue and the current edition in a page turning ebook format.
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NEWS
news
8 Issue 8
‘Our role is to provide a platform upon which African arts and media professionals can cooperate, not only to promote the concept of Fashion for Peace but also to eradicate the ugliness of ethnic strife via the celebration of the beauty of Africa’s heritage’
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on tHe cUttinG eDGe oF aFrican
coUtUre
FESTIVAL FOR AFRICAN FASHION AND ARTS
It was built to showcase thor-oughbreds, but on 17 November
Nairobi’s iconic Ngong Racecourse saw a new breed of long-legged beau-ties take to the Silver Ring of the Jockey Club when the fourth annual Festival for African Fashion and Arts (FAFA) rode into town.
An annual runway event designed to profi le the extreme cutting edge of African fashion, FAFA was established in 2008 in the wake of Kenya’s post-elec-tion violence. At the time, the idea was to use the power of fashion to promote world peace. Now, as Kenya’s elections on 4 March draw ever closer, such a concept could not be more relevant.
“FAFA is all about eradicating ethnic violence by changing the perceptions of how differing communities view each other,’ said Ann McCreath, CEO of designer emporium KikoRomeo and founder of the event. “Our role is to provide a platform upon which African arts and media professionals can cooperate, not only to promote the concept of Fashion for Peace but also to eradicate the ugliness of ethnic strife via the celebration of the beauty of Africa’s heritage.”
coloUr anD cUt
Always exuberantly eclectic, this year’s event was typifi ed by vivacity of colour and precision of cut. Every designer, it seemed, wanted to experiment with geometric shapes, asymmetric cuts and body-sculpting cutaways. There was an emphasis on pieces that could be worn in more ways than one: upside down, back-to-front, wrapped, twisted, inside out. There was also a fascination with contrast, both in textiles and hues. Floating chiffon was partnered with rough hessian, hand-painted silk with recycled coffee sacks, and everything and anything was recycled – fabric, glass beads, wire, metal and wood.
As for inspirational sources, they couldn’t have been more diverse. For Ghanaian-Russian designer Bee Arthur, it was snakes and fl owers; for Anil Padia, Japanese geisha girls and koi carp; for
Kenyan designer Kooroo, it was the fluid lines of Barcelona’s Gaudi Cathe-dral; for jewellery designer Collane di Betta, the translucent delicacy of sea anemones. Easily the most psychedelic of muses, however, was that chosen by Ann McCreath of KikoRomeo. She took her inspiration from the work of the late Lemayan, renowned as one of
the Samburu’s most prophetic vision-aries. “I imagined what it would be like if Lemayan had seen a Samburu space-ship landing,” she says, “and my collection flew from there.”
eco inspirations
Timely and intuitive, all the collections reflected the African fashion scene’s long-time love affair with all that is eco-aware and carbon conscious. And it was apparent that most of the designers had been inspired by their cooperation with community groups, recyclers of bone, horn and leather, and self-help groups from the slums of Nairobi. Interestingly, Danish-Greek designer Nike Kondakis, who featured an ethereally floating silk collection, had even insisted that the silk worms used to produce her silk be allowed to follow their natural life-cycle and blossom into butterflies.
FaFa style
Left: Strike a pose Below: Classy day wear
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It was in the exceptionally alterna-tive choice of runway models, however, that this latest FAFA Festival really cut to the chase. There were sinuous designer-clad Olympic athletes from the Kenyan team. There were world-famous African supermodels come home to shine. Inspirationally, there were even some of Kenya’s best-known corporate CEOs courageous enough to stride the stage of a world other than
their own: among them the GM of the Scanad advertising agency, the MD of Sarova Hotels, the CEO of Deacons, the senior marketing manager of Safaricom, the chief anchor of K24 TV and the MD of Pernod Ricard.
creative Kenya
An explosion of colour, light, sound, dance and theatre, this year’s FAFA Festival had it all. Best of all, it even delivered a hot fashion tip to the Kenyan economy. “The creative industry has been ignored for several decades,” said Bitange Ndemo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Infor-mation and Communications, “and it’s about time we recognised it and exploited Kenya’s many talents.”
FESTIVAL FOR AFRICAN FASHION AND ARTS
Faces oF FaFa
FAFA featured international designers B’ExotiQ (Ghana), Gloria Wavamunno (Uganda), Mudi Africa (Nigeria) and Zekaryas Solomon (Eritrea/UK); and local designers Anna Adero, Deepa Dosaja, Embody Accessories, Kaveke, KikoRomeo, Kondakis, Kooroo, Monica Kanari and Riri Jewellery. Also featured were the recent winners of the FAFA Insight for Emerging Designers Competition: Jamil Walji, Azra Walji, Galina Tatarinova and Ogake Mosomi.
For more information: www.fafakenya.org
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12 Issue 8
The El Niño rains are pounding Nairobi and there’s a brown
puddle a metre wide in front of his stall. But it’s just another day in the life of Henry Kamau Muhia, a flower seller with a simple stall on Waiyaki Way, one of Nairobi’s arterial high-ways. Every day, rain or shine, he’s there, selling his flowers to a devoted clientele, who rate his flowers so highly they won’t buy anywhere else. They trust him and seek his advice as they would a connoisseur. But then, that’s exactly what Henry is.
06.00
I have to get up early; my home is far away from my stall. Usually I travel by
What makes henry the World’s best floWer seller?
what they want and then send a driver. One of my best customers is Sister Isabella from the Vatican Embassy. She buys flowers from me every week and says I am the best flower seller in the world because I am so reliable and polite.
11.00
In the mornings I often receive deliveries of flowers from all over Kenya: Naivasha, Nakuru and Limuru. Sometimes they’re delivered by a broker or a middleman, who buys direct from the flower farms. If business is slow, I might cross over the road to a lady who makes tea.
13.00
I take my lunch on my stall. Usually it’s delivered by the same lady who provides my tea. Sometimes its rice and beans, sometimes chapatti – it’s always hot.
14.00
If I have not received a delivery, I might go into town to the Central Market to buy. Sometimes I take a piki-piki [motor-bike taxi], sometimes a taxi. I know what my clients like, so I always stock roses, lilies, tuber roses, gladioli and alstromeria. Whilst I am
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MyWORLD: Street Life
away, I ask a friend to mind the stall – we help each other out.
18.00
At the weekend, business is good all day. In the week it tends to be better when people are on their way home from work. By six, it’s getting dark; time to close the stall.
19.30
Traffic is heavy in the evening, so it might take me an hour, even two in the rain, to get home. I am married with two children, a boy and a girl. My wife doesn’t work, so the flowers support us all. On Sundays I leave the stall at 2 pm and take my family to church. I work long hours, but you have to work hard and make sacrifices if you want to succeed. I value my job. Twelve years ago, I had to leave my home in Central Province because I couldn’t find work.
My uncle knew someone who needed a man to run his stall; I was lucky to get the job. When I was young, I wanted to be an electrical engineer, but now I love my flowers – they’re my life. Of course, I’d like a stall of my own, but until then, this is the will of God.
Henry’s stall is opposite the exit to ABC Place Shopping Centre, Waiyaki Way, Nairobi. He can be contacted for advance orders on weddings and func-tions on Cell: 0722 282 944
Flowers For sale
Above: Trusted flower seller Henry Kamau Muhia ensures the freshest crop for his customers
matatu [public minibus]. Lately there was a strike, so I hitched a lift. I arrive at my stall around half past seven.
07.30
My flowers stay overnight on the stall. I can’t lock it; I just roll down a canvas sheet across the front of the stall; but nobody steals them. My first job is to give the flowers fresh water. I refresh them at least three times a day. My customers trust me. They know I don’t play tricks, like picking off the brown leaves on the edge of the roses. If they ask my opinion, I tell them the truth, and I get a lot of repeat business.
08.30
Once the flowers are ready, I wait for the customers. I enjoy meeting people and I have a wide range of customers. Most are from the international community, but I’ve noticed that a lot more Africans are buying flowers these days. I also provide flowers for weddings and parties.
10.30
I’ve been running this stall since 1999, so most of my customers are regulars. Some telephone in advance to order
14 Issue 8
IconIc roadhouse gets neW lease of lIfe
For early starters, it was a delightful breakfast stop – or a lunch stop for late starters – on the way down to the coast and an ideal place to break for tea or a beer on the return journey.
Sadly, this once-popular property became a mere shadow of its former self. Now, the Mada Hotels Group has set itself the task of turning things round through new investment, fresh ideas and better marketing.
reFUrBisHMent
Mada hopes to win back business by offering attractive breakfast and lunch menus while also providing a range of amenities for customers undertaking the fi ve-hour drive to or from the coast.
The existing 12 rooms are being totally renovated and enlarged and there are plans for an additional 40 rooms. A new conference centre will be added. In its design, the new property will refl ect the old charm of Hunters Lodge; but now it will offer rooms with a contemporary style and top quality amenities. Mada aims to ensure that the new look blends with the surround-ings. Work on the refurbishment began in late 2012.
The hope is that, once again, Hunters Lodge will become the natural stopover for drivers on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway.
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LOOKINSIDE: Hunters Lodge
Hunters Lodge, once a popular stopover on the road from
Nairobi to Mombasa, is set for a major facelift and a revamp.
Surrounded by spectacular coun-tryside, the property is located about 160 km from Nairobi on the Mombasa Road. Traditionally, the lodge offered good, reasonably priced accommoda-tion and inexpensive camping; but now it is being modernised and expanded by the owner, Mada Hotels. A new management has also been installed.
The lodge can trace its origins to Dennis Hunter, son of the famous hunter and author, J.A. Hunter. In 1958 J.A. Hunter, with his son David, built Hunters Lodge at Makindu.
sparKlinG HeyDay
Anyone born in Kenya in the 1950s and 1960s will be familiar with Hunters Lodge. In those days, most people would drive to the coast on holiday, and no trip to the coast was complete without a stop at Hunters Lodge.
watersiDe views
A tranquil and beautiful waterside location. Refurbishment will place Hunters Lodge back in the hearts of travellers.
The hope is that, once again, Hunters
Lodge will become the natural stopover
for drivers on the Mombasa-Nairobi
highway
Saiwa Swamp in Western Kenya is the country’s smallest nation-
al park, covering just three square kilometres. It was created specifi -cally to protect the habitat of the rare and endangered semi-aquatic sitatunga antelope.
Located well off the tourist trail, this dense, vibrantly green pocket of swamp, bulrushes, sedges and surrounding riverine forest israrely visited, but charmingly rewarding for those who make the effort.
Saiwa is unique in being the only national park in Kenya where vehi-cles are prohibited, leaving the trails entirely free for walkers.
A place of misty mornings, shaded forest paths, birdsong and verdant, almost iridescent green foliage, Saiwa features riverine forests with ferns and orchids, stands of yellow acacia in which monkeys preen, and large areas of swamp fringed by tall bulrushes and sedge.
For the benefi t of walkers, Saiwa is traversed by 7 km of wooden walkways
16 Issue 8
and trails. There are three timbered viewing platforms where wildlife enthusiasts can stake out for a glimpse of the elusive sitatunga.
sitatunga
Known in Swahili as the nzohe, the rare sitatunga is a long-legged ante-lope which has adapted itself to exploit the abundant food resources of the swamp. Its shaggy coat is oily and water repellent while its elongated and splayed hooves allow it to walk on submerged vegetation. The sitatunga is reddish-brown in colour with very large ears and (in the case of males) horns. Moving with slow deliberation to avoid detection, the sitatunga enters the water gently and sinks until nearly its whole body is submerged. It can spend all day like this, or resting in reedy shade. A good swimmer, the sitatunga dives deep when alarmed and remains
Miniature Paradise WHere WalKers reign suPreMe
a WalKers Paradise
Left: Spot the distinctive face of the colobus monkey
Right: Stakeout at Saiwa's viewing platform
Miniature Miniature SAIWA SWAMP NATIONAL PARK
submerged except for the tip of its nose. Crepuscular in its habits and extremely shy, it prefers to feed in the mornings and evenings and only occasionally leaves the swamp after dark to browse.
elusiVe Wildlife
In order to spot a sitatunga, you must watch and wait. You might also keep watch along the paths and tunnels it makes through the reeds and rushes, especially between 6 pm and 10 am when the animal is most active.
The silken coats of the black-and-white colobus monkeys and the white-bearded faces of the distinctive De Brazza’s monkeys are very conspicuous in this park. There are also plenty of blue and vervet monkeys. The spotted-
necked otters and giant forest squirrels may prove more diffi cult to spot, as may the shy and elusive leopards.
Birdlife
A great draw for ornithologists, the park contains over 370 species of birds. Rare birds include crowned hornbills, Ross’s turacos and eastern grey plan-tain eaters, while the riverine forests shelter one of Kenya’s most spectacular forest birds, the narina trogon.
Most conspicuous around the park are the grey-crowned cranes, but large numbers of ibis, ducks and herons feed in the more open patches of water. Cinnamon-chested bee-eaters are plen-tiful along the trails, as well as paradise fl ycatchers and black-headed gonoleks.Long-crested eagles can often be seen perched high on the bare branches of dead trees, blue-headed coucals take the sun among the bulrushes, and the reeds provide sanctuary for Hartlaub’s marsh widowbirds and yellow bishops.
Butterflies
The swamp is home to all manner of dragonfl ies and damselfl ies, while
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SAIWA SWAMP NATIONAL PARK
a profusion of butterfl ies, including swallowtails, charaxes and the African mocker swallowtail, can be seen dancing along the trails.
The park is also the preferred haunt of Bell’s hinged tortoise. Tree frogs abound and are particularly noisy after the rain. Snake life includes the forest cobra and the African rock python.
For further information: www.kws.org
‛Located well off the tourist trail, this dense swamp and surrounding riverine forest israrely visited, but charmingly rewarding for those who make the effort’
FACT FILEaltitude: 1,860 to 1,880 metres
distance from nairobi: 400 km northwest of Nairobi
gazetted: Became a national park in 1974
climate: Typical African wetland climate, ranging from warm to cool and from humid to semi-arid (wet seasons March-June and October-November)
Vegetation: Swamp and riverine forest, tall bulrushes and sedge
Wildlife: Sitatunga, monkey, spotted-necked otter, giant forest squirrel, leopard, bushbuck, ratel and African civet
Birds: 372 species including such rarities as Ross’s turaco and the blue-headed coucal
roads: The park has no roads, only walking trails
suPer-Mall targets toP-end Brands
18 Issue 8
BusinessHUB: Garden City Mall
Who would have thought it? Thika Road, once the night-
mare artery that blighted the lives of commuters, is not only gaining in status as property prices in northern nairobi skyrocket, but it’s now to be the location for East Africa’s largest shopping mall.
Garden City Mall is to be built on 32 acres alongside the new Thika Road Expressway. The fi rst phase will comprise 50,000 square metres of lettable retail space and is being brought
Kenya for Game, which is already active in 10 other African countries.
Clearly, there is some market overlap between the two. So to avoid this, Naku-matt will not sell furniture and Game will avoid selling food.
neW fasHion Brands
In addition to its large size, there are plans to give Garden City Mall a differ-ent and distinctive identity. Disappoint-ingly, many of Nairobi’s newer malls have become almost like clones, with
to market by the pan-African private equity fi rm Actis and Nairobi-based Mentor Management.
Total cost of the project is put at US$ 200 million. Construction work on the mall is set to get under way in mid 2013, with Phase 1 due for completion by Christmas 2014.
Kenya’s biggest supermarket chain, Nakumatt, and the giant South Africa-based retailer Game have been confi rmed as the mall’s two anchor outlets. This will be its fi rst store in
suPer-Mall targets toP-end Brands
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to an area of Nairobi not previously known as a haven of retail therapy.
Garden City will be more than just shopping, however. There will be 30,000 square metres of offi ce space, and apartments are being incorporated in the project. “We will also have sites for offi ces and a hotel and we can see this as a base for big corporations – a great place, for example, for a telecom company, a bank or a regional headquar-ters,” says Mr Hoddell.
Some 420 apartments are to be built, ranging in price from KES 10 to 20 million. Mr Hoddell cautions eager
investors, who may look to make a quick killing by buying off-plan, that Garden City will not, as a general rule, be selling in this way. “A few units, maybe, to test the market,” he says. What’s more, work
won’t even start on these apartments until three months after the opening of the retail park.
The Thika Road Expressway has already transformed the lives of many in terms of transport; now, Garden City is set to do the same for shoppers; and, like the new road, it cannot come soon enough.
on imported luxury goods such as top-quality clothing that make it diffi cult for non-East African retailers to enter the local market – especially when there is a strong and well-developed mitumba sector that attracts no duty.
Recognising the problem, Mr Hoddell explained: “We want to work with retail-ers to lobby government to reduce import duty.” He also conceded that: “Home-grown brands here are more advanced than in many other African countries.” This would also be a factor in enticing more foreign retailers to Nairobi.
PriMe location
Aside from the new Thika Road Express-way, another factor in choosing to site Garden City here is that 1.5 million people live within a catchment area with no other retail park. Moreover, Garden City is less than ten minutes from the Museum Hill junction.
“Our South African consultants estimated that there was demand for 200,000 square metres of retail space,” says Mr Hoddell. “So there is surplus demand – and it’s growing all the time.”
Nevertheless, Mr Hoddell admits that Garden City will initially face a chal-lenge in persuading middle- and upper-income shoppers to drive up Thika Road
'Total cost of the project is put at US$ 200 million. Construction work on the mall is set to get under way in mid 2013, with Phase 1 due for completion by Christmas 2014'
more or less the same well-known shop names appearing. But Mentor Manage-ment’s James Hoddell says: “Garden City aims to attract new fashion brands not before seen in Kenya.”
Garden City’s agent, Knight Frank Kenya, is said to be targeting other South African retail groups to take space in the new mall. The women’s clothing and accessory specialist Foschi-ni is one name being mentioned.
Of course, Garden City’s fashion stores are up against the high tariffs
deVeloPMent
Garden City Mall will house new fashion brands, apartments, offi ces and a hoteland promises to make the mall an integral part of life in Nairobi
Is Kenyan English striking out on its
own, if only tentatively, as a distinct dialect of the world’s most widely spoken language?
I only ask because as a humble foreigner I continue to detect subtle differences between the English I grew up speaking and the way Kenyans are adapting the language. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course; English is a language that draws from many outside infl uences and, unlike, for example, French, it is subject to constant changes, updates and developments.
Mercurial
English already varies greatly between nations and within nations. In the UK, for example, there are many distinctive regional dialects; and there is a wide difference between the English spoken in, say, the USA, Jamaica, Australia or South Africa. The richness of this difference is what makes the language so interesting.
can You taKe a Beer WitH tcHiZZ and criPs?
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KEnyAn EngLISH
YOU MAY BE A ‘KENGLISH’ SPEAKER…
Kenyan English is yet another evolving strand. I don’t mean the language spoken by settlers and, today, by their offspring; I mean that spoken by Africans and, in a slightly different version, the descendants of those who came to Kenya from the Indian subcontinent.
education
Some of the unusual-sounding English I hear from Kenyans probably derives from the fact that, in a nation where Kiswahili holds sway, it may be the speaker’s second or third language. But some of this difference may also stem from the way the language is taught. When I ask Kenyans why they are using a particular word or phrase, I’m invariably told: “That’s what I learned in school.”
So some of this apparent divergence from Standard English appears to be down to the local education system and, sad to say, teachers must take some of the ‘blame’ for this apparently wayward use of the language.
slang free
As it is, Kenyans tend to speak English in a matter-of-fact way, largely free from the irritating slang that affects the language in, say, the UK and the USA.
Maybe that’s because day-to-day slang is channelled into ‘sheng’, the hybrid patois that fuses Kiswahili and English.
I am not trying to confuse this with the growing use of ‘Swa-English’, fash-ionable among young people, in which speakers use a mixture of the two languages; I’m referring to Kenyans when they are just speaking English.
I’m sure most Kenyans don’t even realise they are speaking a slightly different form of English from me. Here
are a few examples of odd word use, strange (at least to my ear) phrases and unusual pronunciation that I have picked up from Kenyans when speak-ing English – either to me or among themselves:
• Pressed – wishing to use the bathroom
• The youth – young people
• Ju-is – instead of juice (two sylla-bles instead of one)
• Imagine! – instead of ‘Would you believe it!’
• Over-speeding – instead of just, well, speeding
• Bitings – instead of nibbles or snacks
• Aspirant – instead of candidate or hopeful (in a political context)
• The merging of the noun ‘advice’ with the verb ‘advise’ so that only ‘advice’ is used. I’m not sure how teachers managed to mislay the word ‘advise’, but it seems to have been totally lost in Kenya.
• Placing ‘isn’t it’ at the end of sentences when ‘aren’t they’, ‘wouldn’t we’, etc would be appropriate
• Agement – meaning someone of the same age as the speaker.
• First born – eldest child
• Last born – youngest child
• The sea level instead of just ‘sea level’ – adding the definite article when it’s not necessary (such as, ‘We shall be flying at 36,000 ft above the sea level’)
• I’ll take a beer instead of ‘I’ll have a beer’
• Can you take a beer? instead of ‘Would you like a beer?’
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• And you know? – instead of ‘Really?’
• Picked instead of picked up – ‘He picked me at 8 am’ or ‘He is not picking his phone’
• He stays in Loresho – instead of ‘He lives in Loresho’
• Tchizz instead of cheese
• Crips instead of crisps
• Up backside instead of ‘to the rear’ – ‘Take the delivery up backside please’
• Messed instead of ‘messed up’ – ‘and you know he really messed’
• Biscuiti not biscuit
• Short call – pee
• Long call – I think you can work this one out…
• Debt – pronounced without a silent ‘b’
• Epitome – pronounced to rhyme with Rome instead of e-pit-o-me
There is, of course, a flipside to this and that’s the use of Kiswahili words by those whose mother tongue is English, even when in conversation with another person who also speaks English as their first language. At first, it seems strange to hear these English speakers refer to askaris, fundis, aiyas, etc when there is a perfectly good word in their own language for guard, workman or nanny.
But that’s the English language for you: always happy to accept a new and interesting word from elsewhere.
KEnyAn EngLISH
‘As it is, Kenyans tend to speak English in a matter-of-fact way, largely free from the irritating slang that affects the language in, say, the UK and the USA’
‘Some of the unusual-sounding
English probably derives from the fact
that it may be the speaker’s second or
third language’
FOODFORTHOUgHT
I have an admission to make. There is one place in nairobi I just can’t
resist, no matter how hard I try.And I’m not the only one. My friend,
a seasoned Italian restaurateur and hotelier, shared my passion and ate here a couple of times a month when he lived in Nairobi.
delicious and doWn-to-eartH
It’s not pricey, it’s not fancy and it’s certainly not especially healthy. And the place is probably in the wrong setting.
But for great down-to-earth food at reasonable prices with superfast and effi cient service, I believe there is nowhere in Nairobi that compares with the Golden Spur at the Southern Sun in Parklands. And it’s why I keep coming back month after month.
I know it doesn’t seem to fi t in with the classy image of the Southern Sun and I’m not sure why this Spur restau-rant was ever installed in the hotel. The
Wild West decor will not appeal to everyone’s taste, especially when it’s in a colonial-style property.
I have tried Spur restaurants in Gaborone and Kampala and, unfortunately, they just don’t quite match the Southern Sun-based outlet.
soaring eagle
By the way, the Eka Hotel on Mombasa Road now also boasts a Soaring Eagle Spur. Previously, a Silver Spur was opened at The Village Market but some-
forget tHe coWBoY decor – Just saVour tHe riBs
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what inexplicably that restaurant failed to take off. And the site is now occupied by an Artcaffe.
If I had to choose my favourite dish, it would be the 600 g ribs (available in “all you can eat” form on Thursdays). But I would also recommend the delicious 300 g “fi llet grande” steak and, although on the expensive side, the 600 g king prawns with peri peri sauce. At KES 490, the buffet salads are also surprisingly good.
What keeps me coming back, however, is the consistency of the food. It never disappoints; and when you order a meal, it tastes exactly like the last time you ate it. A rare treat.
‘For great down-to-earth food at reasonable prices with
superfast and effi cient service visit the Golden Spur’
it's tastY
Left: Succulent steak to delight the senses
Above: The surprisingly delicious rack of ribs
For further information about Golden Spur and their restaurants visit: www.spurcorp.nl
GOLDEN SPUR
Following the revolutionary launch of the iPad in 2010, the
market is groaning under the weight of tablets. Trends have taken the tablet into smaller territory, with consumers demanding affordable high performance in an increasingly compact package.
For the usually cutting-edge Apple, movement towards the 7” tablet has been relatively slow. A lighter, smaller product, with travellers in mind, was a natural progression; but competition on price may also be a raison d’être for the iPad
mini. The Kindle Fire HD and the Google Nexus 7, which has an impressive spec, have dominated the 7” tablet market, offering high performance at a fraction
of the price of the original iPad. With so much competition, it has to be asked: what does the iPad mini have to offer?
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ProductReview
Of course, the sleek Apple design, with ergonomic curves and brushed metal aesthetic, is pleasing – as one would expect from a leader of technologi-cal design. Moreover, the iPad mini is only half the weight of the 10” original iPad and, while reduced weight is to be expected from a smaller product, this is also lighter than the competitors: the Nexus 7 and Fire HD are both heavier, by 83 g and 35 g respectively. The iPad mini also has a 7.9” screen, larger than the standard seven inches of the mini tablet. This is
a more comfort-able size for fi lm-watching or gaming but still maintains its hand-held quality. Screen
quality is a minor fault, however, as this gadget lacks a high defi nition screen, which can be noticeable when watching HD content or reading text. It is even more noticeable when competitors are adding HD screens as standard.
The iPad mini offers style, prestige and user-friendly interfaces with a larger screen than the average compact
is aPPle’s neW taBlet WortH tHe eXtra MoneY?
screen Protector
The new smart cover for the iPad mini will ensure a scratch free screen
Apple iPad mini
tablet, but maintaining the hand-held style. Upholding Apple’s high stand-ards, the iPad mini is the natural answer for a cheaper, lighter and more compact way of owning an iPad and is perfect for travel. However, this product still has a top-of-the-line price tag for a 7” tablet and there are serious competi-tors without the premium price. And with the recent announcement of the Kindle Fire HD 8, the tablet wars look set to continue.
‘The iPad mini is only half the weight of the 10” original iPad and, is also lighter than the competitors: the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD’
All pics © Apple inc.
LATESTRELEASES
28 Issue 8
BOOKWORM
tHe Prodigal daugHterBy Patricia Nmukoso Enyi
in tHe House of tHe interPreterBy Ngugi Wa Thiong’O
Isaro, a student living in France, vows to return to Rwanda after hearing of a massacre in her native country. Orphaned and exiled, Isaro’s return is not easy; but the act of writing helps her to process the horrifi c reality of recent events in Rwanda. Her fi ctional character, Niko, is forced to become a killer when the massacring army reaches his village. Niko becomes mute, living as a social outcast in a cave with gorillas in an attempt to escape his feelings of guilt. The painful memories that plague Niko are an echo of Isaro’s as the novel unpicks the truly incomprehensible aftermath of brutality.
Sixteen-year-old Loyce Amaechi is a young woman born to an upper-class Nigerian family. Living in Houston, her family have raised their child with traditions and strict Catholicism. Loyce is expected to complete college before dating or marriage can be considered; and with such rules, it is not long before peer pressure causes Loyce to clash with her parents. When she falls in love with Quintin, her family reject the relationship because he is not a Catholic and Loyce is sent away to Nigeria. Losing all faith in God, Loyce fi nds support and courage through a new friendship with a young woman called Sherry.
Following the critically acclaimed memoir ‘Dreams in a Time of War’, the novelist’s second volume tells of his formative years in the British-ruled Kenya of the 1950s. An education at the fi rst secondary school for Africans in Kenya is a sanctuary for Thiong’O; but this is starkly juxtaposed with the Mau Mau uprising, which leads to incidents such as returning from school to fi nd his home razed to the ground and his family relocated. ‘In the House of the Interpreter’ is a portrait of a young person caught in the politics of civil unrest and an insight into the formative experiences of a world-renowned author and literary critic.
tHe Past aHead By Gilbert Gatore
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LATESTRELEASES
no tiMe liKe tHe PresentBy Nadine Gordimer
Set in a suburb of Johannesburg in the period from the mid 1990s to 2009, ‘No Time Like the Present’ follows the lives of Jabulile and Steve, an interracial couple tentatively making their way through post-apartheid South Africa. The couple both formerly fought for Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress, and now fi nd themselves negotiating the suburbs of a rapidly changing nation. Steve becomes a university lecturer and Jabulile a lawyer. Their story, and that of their friends and families, captures the essence of a nation in transition and looking to defi ne its future.
The latest offering from Quentin Tarantino promises to be as controversial as you would expect. ‘Django Unchained’ is the story of Django, an ex-slave who has been bought, freed and trained by a German bounty hunter. After learning the skills of the bounty hunter, Django is determined to track down a brutal Mississippi plantation owner in order to rescue his wife.
Nominated for 12 Academy Awards including Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis) Best Picture and Best Director (Steven Spielberg). The long awaited, Spielberg-helmed ‘Lincoln’ focuses on the fi nal months of the President’s life as he strives to reunite the country and end the bloody Civil War through the abolition of slavery.
John McClane is back for an action-packed fi fth instalment of the Die Hard franchise. The story takes us to Russia, where New York City cop John McClane fi nds himself a fi sh out of water, teaming up with his estranged son, Jack, to regain control of nuclear weapons and stop the machinations of the Moscow underworld.
The latest animated feature from the Walt Disney Studios plunges the viewer into a computer game world where Wreck-It Ralph is the bad guy who longs to be the good guy. Seeing his chance, Ralph sneaks into a new game where he can be the hero – but with dire consequences that threaten every game in the arcade.
Hope is key in Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut. Based on Ronald Harwood’s stage play, Quartet approaches attitudes toward aging with comedy and a lightness of touch. Set in Beecham House, a home for retired opera singers, the drama unfolds around the annual concert which is always held on Verdi’s birthday. However, this year it has some teething problems as the newest resident, grande dame Jean Horton, brings old grudges back to life.
BLOCKBUSTERS
dJango uncHainedStarring: Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph WaltzDirector: Quentin TarantinoGenre: Drama, action, Western
lincolnStarring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Sally FieldDirector: Steven SpielbergGenre: Drama, historical, biography
a good daY to die HardStarring: Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, Mary Elizabeth WinsteadDirector: John MooreGenre: Action, thriller, crime
WrecK-it ralPHStarring: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jane LynchDirector: Rich MooreGenre: Animation, adventure, comedy
QuartetStarring: Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Michael GambonDirector: Dustin HoffmanGenre: Comedy, drama
Kenya’s premier mountain biking experience, the 10 to 4 Moun-
tain Bike Challenge, takes place on 22 and 23 February on the slopes of Mount Kenya.
Now in its 12th year and sponsored by Safari Air Express (SAX), the event is held over two consecutive days with routes designed to challenge the most enthusiastic bikers, while offering
get set for ultiMate cHallenge
30 Issue 8
and ranches on the northern slopes of Mount Kenya, including the Kisima and Ol Donyo Farms, Ngare Ndare Forest Trust and Borana Ranch, where the Borana Race Village is located.
race Village
Participants and their families and friends can use the campsite at Borana Race Village, which provides catering, refreshments, showers and entertain-ment. There is a charge of KES 1,500 per person per weekend to use the site.
The Hardcore event on Day 1 starts and fi nishes at Borana Race Village. The start for the Classic, the Extreme, the Rush and the Slide events on Day 2 are in the same place as in previ-
get set for get set for MOUNTAIN BIKERS
suitable options for beginners, family riders and children.
The 10 to 4 raises funds for the Mount Kenya Trust, which aims to plant some eight million trees on more than 2,000 hectares in Mount Kenya Forest as well as being active in other local conservation projects.
For the most part, the course is made up of protected forest and private farms
‘The 10 to 4 raises funds for the Mount Kenya Trust, which aims to plant some eight million trees on more than 2,000 hectares in Mount Kenya Forest’
get set for ultiMate cHallenge
ous years, up the mountain on Kisima Farm at 9,464 ft above sea level.
Competitors and their family and friends are encouraged to make a long weekend of the event and spend two to three nights at the Borana Race Village, where caterers will set up stalls offering a wide selection of refreshments, reasonably priced and nutritious meals and snacks.
caMPing
There is no organised campsite located near the start. This allows all the service providers as well as the event organisers to be concentrated at the race village. But the owners of Kisima Farm allow responsible and self-suffi cient campers to pitch their tents at the former Top Camp site near the start. Luxury tented accommodation and hotels can also be booked.
Cash prizes are awarded for riders in the following categories:
• Riders with the lowest aggregate time for the Hardcore event on Day 1 and the Classic on Day 2 will be declared the overall winners of the 2013 Mountain Bike Challenge
• First male and fi rst female
eVent success
Above: And the winner is....
Above right: Competitors battle hard for the top prizes
31AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fl y540.com
TEn TO FOUR
• Second male and second female
• Third male and third female.
non-cash prizes will be awarded in the following categories:
• Most successful team (best of four riders) with the lowest aggregate time for Hardcore Day 1 and Classic Day 2 events
• Hardcore Day 1 Non-cash prize will be awarded to:
King/queen of the mountain – fi rst to the top First male and fi rst female
• Classic, Rush and SlideNon-cash prizes will be awarded to the following categories in each event:
• First male and fi rst female
• Second male and second female
• Third male and third female
• First school team (best of four riders)
• Best in age 10 to 13 category of Slide
• First boy and fi rst girl
• Best in age groups under 18, over 40, over 50 and over 60 in Classic
• First man and fi rst woman
• Competitor and team who bring highest sponsorship.
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Kisumu is a port on Lake Victoria and the third-largest city
in Kenya. The future outlook is promising for Kisumu. The city has a potential for rapid economic growth thanks to its strategic location by the lake and on the national rail network, allowing freight from Uganda and Rwanda to transit the city.
The city’s airport has recently been upgraded to international status and various commercial and industrial activities have sprung up.
One of the main attractions is Lake Victoria – Africa’s largest freshwater lake and the world’s second-largest. For visitors, the lake and its shores offer a range of leisure activities such as hiking, walking, traditional fishing, boat safaris and picnics.
WHERE TO STAY
PLACES TO EAT & DRINK
Kiboko Bay ResortTreat yourself to lunch or a tasty evening meal.
Mon AmiWonderful atmosphere. Serves mostly American food.
HaandiIndian food in the heart of Kisumu
Kisumu Yacht ClubFor views of the lake while you dine
Rooftop Bar, Duke of Breeze HotelGreat views and friendly atmosphere
CITYGUIDE
KIsumu, Kenya
Worth a visit... Lake VictoriaThe world’s second-largest freshwater lake. Dunga Beach offers water sports, while Hippo Point is ideal for relaxing with a panoramic view. From Kisumu visitors can travel by boat to islands such as Rusinga, home to Rusinga Island Lodge.
Kit MikayiThis fascinating historical site, next to Kogelo village, is the native home of President Obama’s father, Barack Obama, Sr.
Impala Park SanctuaryAs the name suggests, Kenya’s small-est wildlife reserve is home to herds of impala plus a variety of birds including the fish eagle.
Kisumu MuseumCentrally located in Kisumu, the museum offers visitors an opportunity to learn about the origin of the Luo people and their migration to western Kenya.
Hippo PointAs well as providing obstructed views of sunsets over Lake Victoria, Hippo Point has a fishing harbour and a campsite.
TANZANIA
UGANDA
Kisumu
SOUTH SUDAN
KENYA
Imperial HotelAccessible from the airport.www.imperialhotelkisumu
Sunset HotelLovely views of the lake and its sunsets.www.sunsethotelkisumu.com
Vic HotelGood for both tourists and business travellers.www.vichotelkisumu.com
Mountain View ResortAffordable.www.mountainviewresort.com
QUICK FACTS • Currency: Kenyan Shilling (KES)
• Telephone code: +254 57
• Population: 427,000 (2012 est)
• Climate: warm year round
© w
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.dlw
safa
ris.
com
ROVING THE RANGE JUST GOT MORE STYLISH…
34 Issue 8
MotorReview: RANGE ROVER EVOQUE
By Karl Peskett
If it’s a stunning piece of metal you’re after, you only have to look
at the latest crop of concept cars. The Lexus LF-LC and Acura nSX, for instance, are not only expressions of modern design language but double up as technological crystal balls.
Problem is, it’s a rare thing for a car company to release a product virtually unchanged from its concept form. There is one notable exception, however: the Range Rover Evoque.
Gerry McGovern penned the Land Rover concept called the LRX in 2008 and it wowed motor show audiences so universally that the company fast-tracked production, slotting it under the luxury Range Rover brand-name and calling it the Evoque.
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SUV on sale today. Particularly on the 18-inch wheels, it absorbs surface imper-fections in such an effi cient manner that you would be hard pressed to realise it’s an SUV at all.
TERRAIN RESPONSE
Thing is, the Evoque is made by a company renowned for its off-road credentials. But there’s no low range and, looking at it, the Evoque’s ground clearance is rather limited. Don’t write it off just yet, however. Calling on its years of experience, Land Rover has endowed the Evoque with a secret weapon: Terrain Response. At the press of a button, mud, wet grass, sand and rocks
If you think it looks good in photo-graphs, in the metal it’s even more beautiful. With its bluff front-end, clam-shell bonnet and chamfered roof-line, it echoes the design cues of its larger siblings, but distinguishes itself with a unique identity.
Inside, the Evoque is just as astound-ing, with high-quality leather, bejewel-led dials and glossy chrome-and-black surfaces. The space also impresses, with a deceptively large interior.
As soon as you start driving the Evoque, you soon forget it’s running on the same platform as the Land Rover Freelander. There is a suppleness to the suspension which endows it with the best ride-handling balance of any
35
become fodder for the Evoque, which uses a myriad of sensors to detect slip, braking individual wheels and redirect-ing torque to wheels with the most grip. And, yes, it actually works.
The Evoque is available in both petrol and diesel (the pick) versions and as either a three-door coupé or a more practical fi ve-door, so there is no lack of choice.
Its stunning looks, quality and brilliant driving characteristics both on-road and off-road make the Evoque a formidable package, even for those not seeking an SUV.
It certainly ‘Evoques’ a good response from those who drive it.
'If you think it looks good in photographs, in the metal it’s even
more beautiful'
TANZANIA
KENYA
UGANDA
Dar es Salaam
Nairobi
Zanzibar
Mombasa
Malindi
Lamu
Kisumu
Lodwar
Juba
SOUTH SUDAN
Eldoret
THE FLY540NETWORK
36 Issue 8
BOOK ONLINE AT:
www.fly540.comAFAARFFICACCSLO
WOCOST AIAA RLRR INEE
AFRICA
TANZANIA
KENYA
UGANDA
Dar es Salaam
Nairobi
Zanzibar
Mombasa
Malindi
Lamu
Kisumu
Lodwar
Juba
SOUTH SUDAN
Eldoret
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NETWORK
DEDAN KIMATHI WACIURI (31 OCTOBER 1920 TO 18 FEBRUARY 1957)
One of the most controversial fi gures in Kenyan history is
‘General’ Dedan Kimathi. To some he is Kenya’s fi rst political martyr, to others a courageous freedom-fi ghter who died in the struggle for Kenyan independence. To the British coloni-alists, Kimathi was a terrorist and they executed him; to present-day Kenyans he is a hero and a statue has been erected in his memory.
To understand Kimathi, however, one has to trace the origins of the Mau Mau movement, which rose to promi-nence in 1948 but whose roots lay 30 years earlier at the end of the First World War. After 200,000 Kenyans had died fi ghting a war that was not their own, the so-called Soldier Settler Scheme rewarded British soldiers with the allocation of prime agricultural land in central Kenya, much of which had hitherto belonged to the Kikuyu.
DISILLUSIONMENT
Unrewarded, dispossessed and disillu-sioned, many Kikuyu moved to Nairobi, where they founded the Kenya African Union (KAU). Their calls for Kenyan independence were ignored, however.
The situation repeated itself in 1948, after the Second World War. In
BITTER STRUGGLE THAT OPENED
WAY TO KENYAN INDEPENDENCE
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FREEDOM FIGHTER
the face of low wages, unemployment, rising food prices and general disil-lusionment, a sinister new movement, the Mau Mau, was formed, predomi-nantly by the Kikuyu ethnic group.
UPRISING
Now came tales of anti-Christian oaths involving sexual rituals, of ‘blood brothers’ and of recruits being made to eat decaying human fl esh. Stories were also rife of how the Mau Mau treated fellow Kenyans who refused to espouse their cause. Women saw their children slashed to pieces before their eyes; pregnant women were ripped open with knives; old men, women and children were barricaded in their huts and burnt to death. Finally, the Mau Mau began to attack the settler farms, murdering Europeans and Africans alike, killing cattle, burning crops and sabotaging dams, roads and railways. By 1947 the colonial administration had lost control of the situation and in 1950 the Mau Mau was banned. In 1951 a State of Emergency was declared and the entire KAU leader-ship, including its fi gurehead, Jomo Kenyatta, were imprisoned.
It took four years for the Mau Mau uprising to be suppressed. It was a dirty fi ght in which 25,000 Mau Mau fi ghters waged a bitter guerrilla war against what they called the ‘John-nies’, the British troops, and the ‘Kenya Gombis’, the Home Guard, comprising 25,000 of their fellow Africans. Even-
tually, the Mau Mau took to the forests of Mount Kenya, where they conducted a bitter guerrilla war against the British. Finally, 85,000 Kikuyu men (a third of the male adult population) were captured and placed in detention camps. One of their most infl uential leaders, ‘General’ Dedan Kimathi, was still at large, however, and he had declared himself the prime minister of the ‘Legiti-mate Interim Government of Kenya’.
MANHUNT
In 1956 a manhunt was launched for Kimathi and his remaining 13 support-ers. The supporters were captured but Kimathi fl ed, covering 80 miles in over 28 hours before collapsing of exhaus-tion on the edge of the forest. There he was found, captured, taken to hospital,
INDEPENDENCE MARKED
The 'freedom' stamp, issued in 1963 as part of a series of stamps to mark Kenyan independence.
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sentenced and hanged. He was buried in an unmarked grave and his burial site remains unknown.
INDEPENDENCE
By the end of the so-called Mau Mau insurgency, 14,000 Kenyans had died, most as a result of internecine confl ict, and 32 Europeans. But the struggle for independence had been won. In 1961 the Kenya African National Union won the country’s fi rst democratic elec-tion and in 1963 the declaration of the Republic of Kenya ended 68 years of colonial rule.
FREEDOM FIGHTER
‘All we want is freedom to form an African government which will ban all discriminatory bars and extend individual freedom in movement, press and speech, give better pay and conditions to the workmen and, most important, eliminate the Europeans’ selfi shness and pride. We do not hate the white man’s colour, but we cannot tolerate seeing a foreign settler with 50,000 acres of land, most of which only the wild game enjoy, while thousands of Africans are starving of hunger in their own country. Nor can we accept the white man to remain as a master and the African as a servant.’‘Brigadier’ Karari Njama of the Mau Mau to Major Owen Jeoffreys of the British Colonial Administration
‘Nine Faces of Kenya’ Elspeth Huxley
‘Kimathi, aged 33, stood almost six feet, strong and healthy; his long self-woven hair hanging over a fair brown oval face; his big grey-white and brown eyes protruding below black eyebrows separated by a wide short fl at nose. A very little moustache grew above the thick lips; his large teeth with a natural gap on the centre of the upper jaw and a wider gap on the lower jaw in which the two middle incisors had been customarily removed; his oval round chin covered with little beards, his long neck shooting out of his wide shoulders.’‘Mau Mau from Within’ Donald Barnett and Karari Njama
UGANDAN VISAS
VISA INFORMATION
The easiest way of getting a visa to Uganda is by purchasing it at the entry point, Entebbe Airport or any border station. This is very possible for tourists coming into Uganda. All you need to do is pay US$50, fill in the application form with passport dates and information. The visa issued is valid for 90 days.
You can also get a visa by applying online if you a citizen of the following countries, USA, UK, South Africa, Russia, Japan, Italy, India, Germany, France, Denmark, China, Canada, and Belgium. All you need to do is to download the application from the embassy website of your country of origin.
42 Issue 8
Most nationals require visas to enter East Africa. Citizens
from the five East African states require no visas while those from the Common Market of East and South-ern Africa (COMESA) member states have relaxed entry requirements into East Africa.
However, East African member states have their own visa require-ments for various nationals.
KENYAN VISASVisas are required for most nationals and cost US$50. A visa can be obtained on entry, however we recommended one be obtained before arrival to avoid airport lengthy queues. Visa Application Forms are available online.
A visa is required by all visitors travelling to Kenya with the exception of those holding a re-entry pass to Kenya and citizens of Ethiopia, San Marino, Turkey and Uruguay.
Note that the reciprocal visa abolition agreements with Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain, and Republic of Ireland no longer apply and nationals of these countries now require a visa.
Kenya Visa Requirements • Valid passport with sufficient number of unused pages for endorsements abroad. Passport must be signed and valid for at least six months.• Visa application form duly completed and signed by the applicant.• Two recent passport size photographs attached to the application form.• Valid round trip ticket or a letter from your travel agent certifying that the applicant holds prepaid arrangements.• A self-addressed stamped envelope for express mail, courier, registered mail, etc., if the visa is urgently required. Metered stamps are not acceptable.
• Home and work telephone numbers.
Please fill out the form correctly and enclose the photographs and payment to avoid delay and disappointment.
Standard Visa fees payable by cash to the Embassy of Kenya.
Visa fees charges:• Multiple entry: US$100 • Single entry: US$50• Transit Visa: US$20
1. Please note that all children below 16 years are not charged visa fees2. The reduced visa fees were effected on 1 march 2009, as directive from ministry of tourism on attracting more tourists in to the country.3. Passengers can pay in US dollars, British pounds, Euro or Swiss franc.For more information and to download a Kenya visa application form visit: http://www.immigration.go.ke/index.php
FL FFYLL540VISASS
INFNNORMRR AMM TA ION
TRAVEL INFORMATION
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SOUTH SUDAN VISAS
All foreigners from non-Commonwealth countries are required to have a valid visa unless their countries have agreements with Tanzania under which the visa requirement is waived.
Exemptions: Citizens of Commonwealth countries are not required to obtain visas unless they are citizens of the United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand or Australia.
Tanzanian visas are issued by the following:• The office of the Director of Immigration Services, Dar es Salaam, and the office of the Principal Immigration Officer, Zanzibar. • Entry points to the United Republic of Tanzania: principally Namanga, Tunduma, Sirari, Horohoro, Kigoma Port, Dar es Salaam International Airport, Kilimanjaro International Airport, Zanzibar Harbour and Zanzibar Airport. • Any other gazetted entry point. • From Tanzania High Commissions or embassies abroad. For more information on Tanzanian diplomatic missions visit: www.tanzania.go.tz/tanzaniaembassiesabroad.htm
Any visitor going to South Sudan through Khartoum requires a valid visa. Visas are issued through the South Sudan Embassy.
The Republic of South Sudan has missions in Kenya, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, Australia, Norway, Belgium, the UK, Germany, France, Turkey, Libya, China, India, Italy, Canada and the USA.
Immigration regulations stipulate that anyone going to South Sudan and wishing to travel outside of Khartoum needs a travel permit from the Government of South Sudan. Those travelling to South Sudan from Kenya, should visit the South Sudan Embassy in Kenya.
Requirements: • All applicants to launch their visas in person• Passport must be valid for at least six month and presented on submission of application • Two recent colour passport-size photos• Yellow fever vaccination card• Letter of invitation and intent Standard Visa fees payable by balance transfer to: Government of South Sudan Special Permit Account Bank: Kenya Commercial Bank; Sarit Centre Branch A/C No. 402004247
Fees:• Multiple entry: US$250 (six months)/US$400 (one year)• Single entry for countries with common boarder with South Sudan: US$50• Single entry for other African countries: US$100• Single entry for European and US citizens: US$100
Processing period: Two working days
TANZANIAN VISAS
Vaccination requirements for international travellers
• No cholera vaccination certificates are required of travellers coming from all over the world.
• Only valid yellow fever vaccination certificates are required of all travellers over one year old, arriving from yellow fever infected countries mainly in central and West Africa, South and Central America South East Asia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh.
• Vaccination for international travellers are obtainable from all international air and sea ports, city and major municipal councils
NB: Make sure you get your yellow fever shot in good time since the yellow fever certificate is valid for travel use 10 days after vaccination.
HEALTH
FLLFFYLL
540VAVV CA CINANN TA IO
NINFNNORMRRA
MMTAION
TRAVELInFORMATIOn
44 Issue 8
FOKKER F27
Type: Turboprop cargo airliner number in service: OneCapacity per aircraft: 1,336 x 210 x 190 cm cargo hold
BOMBARDIER DASH 8 102 SERIES ATR 72-500
CESSNA CARAVAN C208
DC-9
Type: Twin-engined, medium-range, turboprop airliner number in service: ThreeCapacity per aircraft: 37 passengers
Type: Twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airlinernumber in service: TwoCapacity per aircraft: 78 passengers
Type: Single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airlinernumber in service: OneCapacity per aircraft: 10 passengers
Type: Twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner number in service: OneCapacity per aircraft: 80 passengers
Fly540 operates modern aircraft and is constantly updating and
modernising its fleet. The company uses aircraft such
as the ATR 72-500, which burns only half as much fuel as some other aircraft and also emits less carbon into the atmosphere.
This underlines the fact that Fly540 is a ‘green airline’ that cares for the environment.
The crew and engineering team are professionally trained and certified to ICAO standards.
45AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com
FLEETInFORMATIOn
THE fly540 AIRCRAfT flEET
CANADAIR CL-600-2B19 REGIONAL JET
Type: Twin-engine regional jet number in service: ThreeCapacity per aircraft: 50 passengers
FOKKER F28
Type: Short range jet airliner number in service: OneCapacity per aircraft: 67 passengers
KIDZCORNER
46 Issue 8
KIDZCORNER
RIDDLE ME THIS...
What goes up and down but doesn’t move?
What gets wetter the more it dries?
Answer: A staircase
Answer: A towel
A MV UI RS D
E CI RB RD E
O OL TG HA J
A SI IK NB G
R LN UY MQ P
A RE GN SP O
K IO PN UA P
K JO AF ZN ZGUITAR KEYBOARDPIANO SINGKARAOKE BANDJAZZ POPVIOLIN DRUMS
MUSICAL WORDSEARCH
Can you find the words listed below in the letter grid?
KIDZCORNER
47AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com
JOKE TIME!Q. What wears glass slippers and weighs over 4,000 pounds? A. Cinderelephant
Q. What’s the best thing to do if an elephant sneezes?A. Get out of its way!
Q. Why did the elephant sit on the marshmallow?A. So he wouldn’t fall into the hot chocolate.
Q. How do you know if there’s a dinosaur in your refrigerator?A. The door won’t shut.
Q. What makes pirates such good singers?A. They can hit the high Cs.
Q. What did Cinderella say when her photos didn’t show up?A. Some day my prints will come.
We've made 10 changes to the picture, can you spot them?
WORD COUNT
Env IronmEntal How many words can you make using all or some of the letters in the word
The words have to be at least THREE letters long. And you can't use the letter twice in the same word, unless the letter appears twice in the word. Ready, Steady, Go!
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
FIVE FORTY AFRICA – HEAD OFFICERiverside Green Suites, Palm Suite, Riverside DrivePO Box 10293-00100Nairobi, KenyaTel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/5Fax/Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2396Sales: Tel: +254 (0)737 540 540Email: [email protected]
WILSON AIRPORT 540 SAFARI CIRCUIT SALESGround floor, Langata House Tel: +254 (0)20 254 0206Tel: +254 (0)729 540 540Tel: +254 (0)735 540 540 Email: [email protected]
ELDORET 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONSTel: +254 (0)53 203 3570/80
ELDORET INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT540 Ticketing & Reservations OfficeTel: +254 (0)53 203 0814Tel: +254 (0)53 206 3823 ext 658
540 CALL CENTREABC Place, off Waiyaki WayTel: +254 (0)20 445 3252/6Cell: +254 (0)722 540 540; (0)733 540 540Fax: +254 (0)20 445 3257
JOMO KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE, Unit 3 (Domestic Departures)Tel: +254 (0)20 827 523Tel: +254 20 827 366Cell: +254 727 532 273Unit 1 (International Departures)Tel: +254 (0)20 827 521
KAKAMEGA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONSHolden Mall - above NakumattTel: +254 (0)734 540 550Tel: +254 (0)711 908 330
KITALE TICKETING & RESERVATIONSTerminal Building, Kitale AirstripTel: +254 (0)770 639 429Tel: +254 (0)724 457 374Tel: +254 (0)735 540 547
LAICO REGENCY – 540 TICKET-ING & RESERVATIONS Mezz. floor, Shopping ArcadeTel: +254 (0)20 224 3211/3/4Cell: +254 727 540 540; (0)737 540 540Fax: +254 (0)20 224 3219
LAMU – NORTH COAST TRAVEL SERVICETel: +254 (0)42 213 0312Tel: +254 (0)42 463 2054Tel: +254 (0)725 942 444Email: [email protected]: [email protected]
MOI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MOMBASATel: +254 (0)41 343 4821Tel: +254 (0)32 540 540; (0)722 555 730
MOMBASA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICEGround Floor, Mombasa Trade Centre, Nkrumah RoadTel: +254 (0)41 231 9078/9Mob: +254 (0)728 540 540; (0)710 540 540
UKUNDA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Barclays Centre, Diani RoadTel: +254 (0)20 354 6532 Tel: +254 (0)726 453 246
UGAnDAENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICETel: +256 (0)314 540 540Tel: +256 (0)315 540 540Sales: Tel: +256 (0)713 540 540
KAMPALA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE1st Floor, Oasis Mall Tel: +256 (0)414 346 915/999Tel: +256 (0)312 540 540Sales: Tel: +256 (0)712 540 540; (0)776 540 540
SOUTH SUDAnJUBA 540 TICKETING & RESER-VATIONS OFFICETel: +211 959 540540; +211 999 540540Email: [email protected]
BELGIUMAVIAREPS AGJ.E. Mommaertslaan 16b (2nd floor), 1831 Diegem
RESERVATIONS Tel: +32 (0)2 712 04 93Fax: +32 (0)2 725 83 92Email: [email protected]
SALES Tel: +32 (0)2 712 05 84Fax: +32 (0)2 725 83 92Email: [email protected]
CONTACT INFORMATION
48
Contacts
Issue 8
GERMAnYAVIAREPS AGKaiserstrasse 7760329 Frankfurt am Main
RESERVATIONS Tel: +49 (0)69 770 673 076Fax: +49 (0)69 770 673 028Email: [email protected]
SALES Tel: +49 (0) 69 770 673 077Fax: +49 (0)69 770 673 235Email: [email protected]
ITALYAVIAREPS AGVia Monte Rosa, 20 20149 Milan
RESERVATIONS Tel: +39 02 4345 8346Fax: +39 02 4345 8336Email: [email protected]
SALES & MARKETING MANAGERMaria Rosa Cappelli Mobile: +39 335 778 5936Email: [email protected]
nETHERLAnDSAVIAREPS AGBeechavenue 104 1119 PP Schiphol
RESERVATIONS Tel: +31 (0)20 654 79 29Fax: +31 (0)20 623 01 51Email: [email protected]
SALES Tel: +31 (0)20 520 02 82Fax: +31 (0)20 623 01 51 Email: [email protected]
RUSSIAn FEDERATIOnGSA AVIAREPS AGProspect Mira, 39 Bldg 2129110 Moscow
RESERVATIONSTel: +7 (495) 937 59 50Fax: +7 (495) 937 5951 Email: [email protected]
SALESTel: +7 (495) 937 59 50Fax: +7 (495) 937 5951 Email: [email protected]
SOUTH AFRICAAVIAREPS (PTY) LTD38 Wierda Road WestWierda Valley Sandton, Johannesburg
RESERVATIONS Tel: +27 (0) 11 722 0229Fax: +27 (0) 11 783 8135Email: [email protected]
SALESTel: +27 (0) 722 0229 / +27 74 177 1596Fax: +27 (0) 783 8135Email: [email protected]
SWITZERLAnDAIRLINE & TOURISM CENTER GMBH Badenerstr. 15, CH-8004 Zürich
RESERVATIONS & SALESTel: +41 (0) 44 286 99 62Fax: +41 (0) 44 286 99 63Email: [email protected]
UnITED KInGDOMFLY540c/o AviaCircle, 28-29 The Quadrant Business Centre, 135 Salisbury RoadLondon, NW6 6RJ
RESERVATIONSTel: 0870 774 2250Fax: 0870 777 7172Email: [email protected]
SALESTel: 0870 774 2250Fax: 0870 774 2250Email: [email protected]
540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS
