Nairobi - Day two

Nairobi is a fascinating place. The ride into town takes you through a variety of neighbourhoods and an eclectic mix of building styles – the old, the new and dilapidated. One long stretch of market stalls overflows with all the goods you could imagine. Food, clothes, second hand furniture and office equipment and chickens – tied together and piled up on display. Recent road building projects have eased the congestion on the way into the city centre but it still takes some time. Motor bikes weave in and out of the three available lines and drivers switch lanes erratically. The traffic police are out in force during the rush hour – holding a two way radio to their ear in one hand and gesticulating at the traffic with the other.

Joseph, my driver today is good company and knows the quickest routes to Nyayo House, (the immigration department), in the centre of town, next to the parliament buildings. We chat about current events – the election date, state of Nairobi, corruption and Al-Shabab. Al-Shabab sympathisers threw three hand grenades into a crowded bus station on Nairobi a couple of weeks ago – killing a number of people and wounding many. Joseph says that it’s difficult to fight against Al-Shabab as it’s hard to identify them – they look like anybody else in Kenya, As we pull up to a road junction where there is obviously a hold up Joseph surprises me by rolling up his trouser leg, showing me an obviously freshwound and saying

“I was wounded in the Al-Shabab attack. I thank God I wasn’t killed”

He goes on to tell me that he was walking by the bus station when the cars containing the attackers pulled up and threw the grenades. He remembers a loud bang, blacking out then running and falling into a ditch where it sounds like he was lucky to avoid being crushed or suffocated by other victims. On the “lightning striking twice” principle I reckon it’s worth sticking with Joseph as my driver.

Going through the work permit procedures today was somewhat tedious, (as I guess it must be for anybody trying to do the same thing in the UK). It was interesting ‘people watching’ while I was waiting for my friend Reuben to arrive. The alien registration department was awash with Mzungus, (white people), all at different stages in the process of becoming an alien in Kenya. It was also interesting to see a fairly large number of Chinese applicants. China is currently investing heavily in Africa and Kenya is one of the beneficiaries.

I was planning to return to our place tomorrow. Unfortunately the registration process will not be completed until tomorrow afternoon so I’ll have to spend another night in Nairobi. Killing time in hotel rooms isn’t exactly my idea of fun but I have enough work to be getting on with so the time should, at least, be spent profitably. Joseph will be picking me up at midday tomorrow and all will, hopefully, be settled by the end of the afternoon.