Nairobi Kenya-Short but Sweet

Upon arriving early in the morning to Nairobi I began to learn about the variety of cultures and tribes in this country. There are 40 million people people here with 42 distinct languages and ethnic groups. Apparently the struggle for independence in 1963 was a bloody battle lead by the Kikuyu tribe which makes up 22% of the population. I was told that when the English originally came to Kenya they would go to the chiefs of the villages and offer rides on horses (which apparently were very rare at that time). When the horse became tired this would be one boundary of the land they would take to begin their agriculture. After a days rest, they were then taken on a ride in a perpendicular direction to determine the square land that would be taken. Even today large plots of land are still owned by the British.

With the new constitution passed last week there is rising hope for Kenya. First the constitution was amended so that land must be in Kenyan ownership within 99 years instead of the previous constitution which stated 999 years. Also there is health reform in place attempting to provide universal access to health care. The government plans on financing this by levying a tax that is a small percentage of the wages. Additionally many other reforms are taking place and Kenya is poised to become one of the powerhouses of East Africa.



Historically speaking the country is well known for the link to some of the oldest relatives of our current species with fossil remains found that date back 1.7 to 1.8 million years ago and along with Tanzania the home of what is thought to be the first "homo" genus.

While in Nairobi I visited the Maasai market with Alice and Sunil. There we could see a little bit of the handiwork and culture of the Maasai people. Their beadwork was incredible with bright colors and patterns.

The women are heavily adorned with beads. They are traditionally nomadic tribes people whose way of life had been originally discouraged but now has been accepted due to the ecological conditions of their lands. Their wealth is measured in cows and children. The Massai boys go through a circumcision ceremony at puberty in preparation to become the famous Maasai warriors (upon which killing a lion they earn the title of warrior—some say this is still practiced but the declining lion population is of concern).

There is a lot of controversy over not only circumcision of this tribe but over the increased circumcision practices in the bush. In addition to the traditional demand for adolescent male circumcision, many people are seeking out the practice because current research supports a reduced risk of HIV with the practice. In a country with an adult prevalence 10th highest in the world with 6.7% infected reduced transmission with circumcision could be both a blessing and a curse. Unfortunately 40% of those procedures done in the bush on adolescent boys end up in public health centres with organ damage and infections and there is growing concern over the use of non-sterilized equipment and the spread of HIV. With public health campaigns encouraging people to visit clinics for circumcision a market has popped up for unqualified circumcision clinics done by “quack doctors” (reportedly lab technicians or anyone affiliated with healthcare) that offer the procedure for low cost (200 Shillings which is about 3 USD) and are complicating the issue. Many of these patients also end up in the public health centres with complications and the government is cracking down on these clinics. There is an underlying cultural issue with boys/families preferring to have the procedure in the bush because it is seen as more “macho”. Obviously tackling this kind of cultural shift will be a long road but I hope it does not lead to increased HIV transmission in the meanwhile. I’m curious if any organizations/agencies are looking at training traditional leaders in completing the practice in a sterile environment and if so what the sustainability of having supplies, etc is.

The main purpose of my stay in Nairobi was to see my dear friend Alice who was my flatmate while I was living in Bangkok in 2008 and her delightful Sunil. Although my stay was short my mission was accomplished and I spent a heartwarming time with them-- dancing, laughing and talking. Thanks guys! Photos to come once I end up at a computer where I can upload them :)