"The food security situation in the arid and semi-arid regions of Kenya is rapidly deteriorating." (source [PDF])
source: IFRC [PDF]
More Maps? => ReliefWeb.NL …
Category: east africa
things related to EA
wapi? (part 2)
fumbo bumani
Curiousity had kept me busy, wondering what’s in that Tower at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi, Kenya.
Possible answers to this serious question – which could have been an issue with Hon. Watchman – included "toilets, a secret golf range, city clerks peddaling on a bicycle that generates power for the installed clock, a Star Gate entry where the outside is all narrow but you have a whole real sized city inside" as well as the assumption that it only containes offices stuffed with paper. You know, all those files that had gone missing over at Nyayo House eventually had to be placed somewhere, kwasababu: the Kenyan bureaucrazy might depend on something also known as "Bubudiu", however, nothing is really lost. I am sure they still have those files labeled T.Mboya, J.M.Kariuki, J.Ward, J.Kaiser somewhere deep down in that pile of papers, as well as the names of thousand others that have ….well, bubudiued their way into contemporary Kenyan history.
Ory’s posting on "unveiling the mysteries of the Kenyan Parliament" today pointed me to the (old) website of the Kenyan Parliament – wapi we’ll find an unspectacular answer to the Tower Mystery:
The Tower
The Tower, from which an excellent panoramic view of Nairobi used to be seen, contains offices, archives, water tank and clock. The height of the top of Lantern frame is one hundred and fifty feet from the ground, while the view-point is one hundred and twenty-four feet. (source)
Majumba makubwa husitiri mambo.
trouvaille mzungu
While going through my archived bookmarks, searching for this link (in response to this entry :-), I came across some really old stuff that needs to be blogged & added to del.icio.us:
East Africa 50 years ago (1952-62)
…as well as this interesting – yet commercial – movie & stills archive:
“President Kenyatta opens Kenya’s new parliament in Nairobi”
(07/11/1965)
Now, what’s in that tower again?
weekisaka
Sunday afternoon, time to note down some thoughts of the week. News that left a smile on my face, and the usual, inevitable rantings that keep on coming up.
Bad news first? – O.k.:
1. The Kamusi Project – Internet Living Swahili Dictionary needs our help: “Dear Visitors: The Kamusi Project will be suspended on January 31, 2006, unless we can raise funds immediately. Please do your part – even small donations will make a big difference. Click here to help.”
Since I often use this wonderful resource online, I would like to contribute with a small donation ( kichango, kuchangizana!) and like to encourage you to do the same if you use that website on a regular basis. Asante sana!
2. So I’ve been shopping in LG yesterday – went to H&M and bought some pants…
Which came packaged in paper and some sort of soft plastic bag. I don’t know what kind of material that foil is made out of of since it only comes with the Resin identification code (number) 07 – which includes acrylic, polycarbonate, nylon or fiberglass as the possible polymers used on this packaging.
Sure, this bag also has the Green Dot® symbol on it (some dumb marketing trick by german packaging companies to avoid the costs of taking back packaging material from customers) so I know where to dispose off this bag after purchasing the clothes sealed within. However, it still makes me feel bad. So much material / resources used for preventing underwear from becoming dirty on their way from the manufacturer to the customer. No wonder H&M buy their clothes in China – the country where they treat environmental issues like we did in the 1950’s…the only difference being that we don’t seal everything a thousand times. Don’t believe me? Then go to a shop where they sell Asian Foodstuff, buy a pack of tea (=> Lo Han Kuo tea!) and take your time to analyse the different materials they use for sealing a half inch cube of powdered tea.
Back to my pants boxer shorts: H&M – please tell your manufacturers to change this sort of packaging. Thx!
3. The living costs in Nairobi are outrageous:
check out this recent advertisment from UCHUMI supermarkets in Nairobi, Kenya. 199/= Kshs (~ EUR 2,26) for a 500gr piece of salted butter. I think a lot of Exilkenyaner are suffering from this. Next time you’re in Kenya, your auntie at home will have to buy you a meal, ama?
4. And here’s the good news: there’s DSL (BROADBAND INTERNET!!) available in Kisumu, Western Kenya for something like 5.000/= Kshs. (~ EUR 56,-). So now there’s NO excuse anymore for hiding in Ujerumani. (Oh Lord, please buy find me a nice shamba, an interesting job and lots of health for a bright future in EAK :-)
6. Anja of mwende.de has blogged a small dictionary of Kikamba-German. Great job, Kambamoja!
7. Still thinking about this 1000tags.com nini Hash has been talking on earlier this week…
Kiberasat
“Staying informed
Life in Nairobi’s Kibera slum comes in many shapes. Whereas some people in the informal settlement cannot afford a bottle of soda, others can watch the English Premier League (BUNDESLIGA! YO!!) anytime at “High Bury Stadium” and have meal at a hotel by the same name.“
[via Mbuzimoja via scissor via kenyan newspeeeeepaaaahhh :-]
Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-RESPONSE? (DPSIR)
Interesting to note that a recent opinion poll on Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper website reveals that out of 3085 votes, 52,9% of all voters think that the Government of Kenya is RESPONSIBLE for the current famine in parts of Kenya.
There must be a reason why the folks over at the DN were asking for responsibility (per se) instead of the actual cause of that famine.
déj? vu
The beauty of living in upcountry, rural & remote (really LOST) places like this kijiji (village) over here in Germany is that it sometimes reminds of the “Place of Cold Waters”, also known as the “Green Grey City in the Sun” or just the “City of Nairobi” in Kenya.
Back in those days when KBC aired boring tv shows and KTN only offered phoney BlueBand commercials, I would go to Sarit Centre and borrow one of those “brand new copies” which often turned out to be camera-copies from a cinema in Karachi.
I understand that things are a bit different today and that the media coverage in Nairobi itself is much better. However, having arrived at home with such a VHS tape back in those days, eagerly awaiting two relaxing hours of pure entertainment, something very common would happen – something, experts call “power failure”.
Kenya being the country of my choice, those power failures never really changed my mood and I often found other interesting things to do like going out and enjoying a Tusker in Waruku and talking politics with Kamau, Njoroge and Wachira.
Two days ago – after all those years of wondering how to do it – I eventually managed to succesfully connect my computer with my televisioni using this conglomeration of cables and cinch, svhs & scart connectors:
Of course, Murphy’s Law being the prevailing law of nature technology, things wouldn’t be that easy and I also had to download THIS great little programme to get things going with my older Nvidia GF3 Ti 200 video card (hey hey, NERD-content generates blog-traffic! :-) and a short test with the whole installation turned out to be positive.
So there I was: ready to enjoy “Hotel Rwanda” in JKE’s jua kali Home Entertainment System (JKHES®)!
Five minutes after the movie had started, my old friend by the name of “power failure” came back and switched off everything. For a second.
Well, I told my visitors something like “hakuna shida” – and that I’d be disappointed because I was expecting a longer power failure….
Just as said those words, power went off again, stayed off for about 2hrs and there it was again: the reminiscence of Nairobi.