540 Magazine - Issue 8 - February 2013

ISSUE 08

FEBRUARY - APRIL 2013

FOOD FOR THOUGHT The best ribs in town

MotorReview

ROVING THE RANGE JUST GOT MORE STYLISH… The Range Rover Evoque

SUPER-MALL TARGETS TOP BRANDS Big plans for Garden City mall

ON THE CUTTING EDGE THE FOURTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL FOR AFRICAN FASHION AND ARTS

Pic © Apple inc.

ProductReview

The iPad mini ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

LATEST RELEASES • 540 NEWS • KISUMU CITY GUIDE

Issue 8 - FEBRUARY - APRIL

contents 8

Pic © Apple inc.

34

42 SPECIAL FEATURES

REGULAR FEATURES

03 in tHis issUe

12 MYWORLD

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

is published by

lanD & Marine pUBlications (Kenya) ltD

Suite A5, 1st Floor, Ojijo Plaza, 20 Plums Lane off Ojijo Road, Parklands, PO Box 2022 Village Market 00621, Nairobi Tel: +254 (0)20 374 1934 Email: publishing@landmarine.com www.landmarine.com on behalf of

Fly540 aviation

Riverside Green Suites, Palm Suite, Riverside Drive PO Box 10293-00100, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/2/3/4/5 Email info@fly540.com www.fly540.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 organisation associated with this publication. No liability can be accepted for any inaccuracies or omissions. ©2013 Land & Marine Publications (Kenya) Ltd

27

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

What makes Henry the world’s best flower 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 USEFUL INFORMATION 36 tHe Fly540 networK 42 travel inForMation

Essential travel and visa information

connect witH Fly540

44 Fly540 Fleet

@fly540aviation

48 Fly540 contacts

www.facebook.com/pages/Fly-540

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

1

IN THIS ISSUE

in tHis

issUe

Variety is the spice of Kenyan life

T

his is the eighth edition of ‘540’ magazine, which has been

published quarterly since May 2011.

As Kenyans go to the polls in

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

early March – and possibly again if a

be really good food and Golden Spur is

subsequent run-off is needed – ‘540’

an outstanding example.

magazine tries to ignore politics by

The same goes for our regular Look

focusing on the many positive, and

Inside section, where we have tended

sometime unusual, aspects of life in

to review top-end properties. On this

East Africa’s most vibrant economy.

occasion we highlight the transforma-

Clearly, there will be a slowdown in

from the past that had fallen on

many large projects continue to roll

hard times but is now poised to

on. One of the biggest private-sector

bounce back.

LATEST RELEASES

For the first time we have

Africa’s largest shopping mall, Garden

included a car review and we aim

City, which will open its doors to eager

to make this a regular feature.

Christmas shoppers in late 2014. It

Here, we test-drive the Range

should be worth waiting for.

Rover Evoque. Only the occasional

GrUellinG

example of this futuristic-looking vehicle can be seen on East Africa’s roads at

We also promote the gruelling 10 to 4

the present time; but numbers will soon

Mountain Bike Challenge and

grow as second-hand cars begin to arrive

Nairobi’s FAFA arts and fashion

through the Port of Mombasa.

festival (our cover story); we examine the way Kenyans are single-handedly

Look inside - page 14: A closer look a the transformation of Hunters Lodge

tion of Hunters Lodge, an iconic name

business activity during March, but

schemes is the construction of East

looK oUt For... 

In our “latest releases” section on page 28 you can find up to date information and reviews for the latest film and book releases. One of the films featured in this issue is ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’, the fifth instalment of the Die Hard franchise.

Once again, welcome on board Fly540 and I hope you enjoy your fl ight.

changing the English language and recall freedom fi ghter Dedan

CITYGUIDE

Kimathi Waciuri; we explore the life of a humble flower seller and take a trip to the little-visited Saiwa Swamp

Gary Gimson

National Park.

Publisher, 540 magazine

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.

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

3

NEWS

news

GooD wisHes For tHe year aHeaD

F

ive 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.

Reflecting 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!

540 MaGaZine online 540 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 official website www.fly540.com for a chance to view the back catalogue and the current edition in a page turning ebook format.

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

5

8

Issue 8

Image: ©Abraham Ali Designer: Azra Walji

Image: ©Abraham Ali Designer: Anna Adero

Image: © Abraham Ali

‘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’

FESTIVAL FOR AFRICAN FASHION AND ARTS

I

t was built to showcase thor-

oughbreds, but on 17 November

Nairobi’s iconic Ngong Racecourse

saw a new breed of long-legged beauties 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 profile the extreme cutting edge of African fashion, FAFA was established in 2008 in the wake of Kenya’s post-election 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.”

on tHe cUttinG eDGe oF aFrican coUtUre

coloUr anD cUt Always exuberantly eclectic, this year’s event was typified 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 flowers; for Anil Padia, Japanese geisha girls and koi carp; for

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

9

Festival for African Fashion and Arts FAFA Style  Left: Strike a pose Below: Classy day wear

It was in the exceptionally alternative 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 worldfamous African supermodels come home to shine. Inspirationally, there were even some of Kenya’s best-known corporate CEOs courageous enough to

Kenyan designer Kooroo, it was the

the Samburu’s most prophetic vision-

fluid lines of Barcelona’s Gaudi Cathe-

aries. “I imagined what it would be

dral; for jewellery designer Collane di

like if Lemayan had seen a Samburu

Betta, the translucent delicacy of sea

space-ship landing,” she says, “and my

anemones. Easily the most psychedelic

collection flew from there.”

of muses, however, was that chosen

Image: ©Abraham Ali Designer: Galina Tatarinova

Image: ©Abraham Ali Designer: Galina Tatarinova

stride the stage of a world other than

their own: among them the GM of the

by Ann McCreath of KikoRomeo. She

eco inspirations

took her inspiration from the work of

Timely and intuitive, all the collections

Sarova Hotels, the CEO of Deacons, the

the late Lemayan, renowned as one of

reflected the African fashion scene’s

senior marketing manager of

long-time love affair with all that

Safaricom, the chief anchor of K24 TV

is eco-aware and carbon conscious.

and the MD of Pernod Ricard.

Scanad advertising agency, the MD of

And it was apparent that most of the

Faces of FAFA

designers had been inspired by their

Creative Kenya

cooperation with community groups,

An explosion of colour, light, sound, dance

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.

recyclers of bone, horn and leather,

and theatre, this year’s FAFA Festival

and self-help groups from the slums of

had it all. Best of all, it even delivered a

Nairobi. Interestingly, Danish-Greek

hot fashion tip to the Kenyan economy.

designer Nike Kondakis, who featured

“The creative industry has been ignored

an ethereally floating silk collection,

for several decades,” said Bitange Ndemo,

had even insisted that the silk worms

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Infor-

used to produce her silk be allowed

mation and Communications, “and it’s

to follow their natural life-cycle and

about time we recognised it and exploited

For more information: www.fafakenya.org

blossom into butterflies.

Kenya’s many talents.”

Africa’s low cost airline: www.fly540.com

11

What makes Henry the world’s best flower seller?

12

Issue 8

T

he 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

MyWORLD: Street Life

 Flowers for sale Above: Trusted flower seller Henry Kamau Muhia ensures the freshest crop for his customers

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 matatu [public minibus]. Lately there

what they want and then send a driver.

hard and make sacrifices if you want to

was a strike, so I hitched a lift. I arrive at

One of my best customers is Sister

succeed. I value my job. Twelve years

my stall around half past seven.

Isabella from the Vatican Embassy. She

ago, I had to leave my home in Central

buys flowers from me every week and

Province because I couldn’t find work.

07.30 My flowers stay overnight on the stall.

I can’t lock it; I just roll down a canvas

says I am the best flower seller in the world because I am so reliable and polite.

sheet across the front of the stall; but

11.00

nobody steals them. My first job is to give

In the mornings I often receive deliveries

the flowers fresh water. I refresh them

of flowers from all over Kenya: Naivasha,

at least three times a day. My customers

Nakuru and Limuru. Sometimes they’re

trust me. They know I don’t play tricks,

delivered by a broker or a middleman,

like picking off the brown leaves on the

who buys direct from the flower farms.

edge of the roses. If they ask my opinion,

If business is slow, I might cross over the

I tell them the truth, and I get a lot of

road to a lady who makes tea.

repeat business.

13.00

08.30

I take my lunch on my stall. Usually it’s

My uncle knew someone who needed a

Once the flowers are ready, I wait for the

delivered by the same lady who provides

man to run his stall; I was lucky to get

customers. I enjoy meeting people and I

my tea. Sometimes its rice and beans,

the job. When I was young, I wanted to be

have a wide range of customers. Most are

sometimes chapatti – it’s always hot.

an electrical engineer, but now I love my

from the international community, but I’ve noticed that a lot more Africans are

14.00

buying flowers these days. I also provide

If I have not received a delivery, I

flowers for weddings and parties.

might go into town to the Central

10.30

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

Market to buy. Sometimes I take a piki-piki [motor-bike taxi], sometimes

I’ve been running this stall since 1999,

a taxi. I know what my clients like, so I

so most of my customers are regulars.

always stock roses, lilies, tuber roses,

Some telephone in advance to order

gladioli and alstromeria. Whilst I am

ABC Place Shopping Centre, Waiyaki

Way, Nairobi. He can be contacted for

advance orders on weddings and functions on Cell: 0722 282 944

Africa’s low cost airline: www.fly540.com

13

Iconic roadhouse gets new lease of life 14

Issue 8

LOOKINSIDE: Hunters Lodge

 watersiDe views A tranquil and beautiful waterside location.

Refurbishment will place Hunters Lodge back in the hearts of travellers.

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

The hope is that, once again, Hunters Lodge will become the natural stopover for drivers on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway

H

unters Lodge, once a popular stopover on the road from

Nairobi to Mombasa, is set for a major facelift and a revamp.

Surrounded by spectacular countryside, the property is located about

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 five-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

The lodge can trace its origins to

rooms. A new conference centre will be

Dennis Hunter, son of the famous

added. In its design, the new property

hunter and author, J.A. Hunter. In

will reflect the old charm of Hunters

1958 J.A. Hunter, with his son David,

Lodge; but now it will offer rooms with

built Hunters Lodge at Makindu.

a contemporary style and top quality amenities. Mada aims to ensure that

160 km from Nairobi on the Mombasa

sparKlinG HeyDay

Road. Traditionally, the lodge offered

Anyone born in Kenya in the 1950s and

ings. Work on the refurbishment began

good, reasonably priced accommoda-

1960s will be familiar with Hunters

in late 2012.

tion and inexpensive camping; but now

Lodge. In those days, most people would

it is being modernised and expanded

drive to the coast on holiday, and no trip

Hunters Lodge will become the natural

by the owner, Mada Hotels. A new

to the coast was complete without a stop

stopover for drivers on the Mombasa-

management has also been installed.

at Hunters Lodge.

Nairobi highway.

the new look blends with the surround-

The hope is that, once again,

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

15

SAIWA SWAMP NATIONAL PARK

Miniature Paradise WHere WalKers reign suPreMe

S

aiwa Swamp in Western Kenya

is the country’s smallest nation-

al park, covering just three square kilometres. It was created specifically to protect the habitat of the

Saiwa is unique in being the only

and trails. There are three timbered

national park in Kenya where vehi-

viewing platforms where wildlife

cles are prohibited, leaving the trails

enthusiasts can stake out for a glimpse

entirely free for walkers.

of the elusive sitatunga.

A place of misty mornings, shaded forest paths, birdsong and verdant, almost

sitatunga

iridescent green foliage, Saiwa features

Known in Swahili as the nzohe, the

riverine forests with ferns and orchids,

rare sitatunga is a long-legged ante-

this dense, vibrantly green pocket

stands of yellow acacia in which monkeys

lope which has adapted itself to exploit

of swamp, bulrushes, sedges and

preen, and large areas of swamp fringed

the abundant food resources of the

surrounding riverine forest israrely

by tall bulrushes and sedge.

swamp. Its shaggy coat is oily and

rare and endangered semi-aquatic sitatunga antelope.

Located well off the tourist trail,

visited, but charmingly rewarding for those who make the effort.

For the benefit of walkers, Saiwa is traversed by 7 km of wooden walkways

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

a WalKers Paradise  Left: Spot the distinctive face of the colobus monkey Right: Stakeout at Saiwa's viewing platform

16

Issue 8

SAIWA SWAMP NATIONAL PARK

‛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 FILE altitude: 1,860 to 1,880 metres distance from nairobi: 400 km northwest of Nairobi gazetted: Became a national park in 1974

submerged except for the tip of its nose.

necked otters and giant forest squirrels

Crepuscular in its habits and extremely

may prove more difficult to spot, as may

shy, it prefers to feed in the mornings

the shy and elusive leopards.

and evenings and only occasionally leaves the swamp after dark to browse.

elusiVe Wildlife

Birdlife A great draw for ornithologists, the park contains over 370 species of birds.

In order to spot a sitatunga, you must

Rare birds include crowned hornbills,

watch and wait. You might also keep

Ross’s turacos and eastern grey plan-

watch along the paths and tunnels it

tain eaters, while the riverine forests

makes through the reeds and rushes,

shelter one of Kenya’s most spectacular

especially between 6 pm and 10 am

forest birds, the narina trogon.

when the animal is most active.

Most conspicuous around the park

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

The silken coats of the black-and-

are the grey-crowned cranes, but large

white colobus monkeys and the white-

numbers of ibis, ducks and herons feed

bearded faces of the distinctive De

in the more open patches of water.

Brazza’s monkeys are very conspicuous

Cinnamon-chested bee-eaters are plen-

in this park. There are also plenty of

tiful along the trails, as well as paradise

blue and vervet monkeys. The spotted-

flycatchers and black-headed gonoleks.

a profusion of butterfl ies, including

Long-crested eagles can often be seen

swallowtails, charaxes and the African

perched high on the bare branches of

mocker swallowtail, can be seen

dead trees, blue-headed coucals take

dancing along the trails.

the sun among the bulrushes, and the

roads: The park has no roads, only walking trails

The park is also the preferred haunt

reeds provide sanctuary for Hartlaub’s

of Bell’s hinged tortoise. Tree frogs

marsh widowbirds and yellow bishops.

abound and are particularly noisy after

Butterflies

the rain. Snake life includes the forest cobra and the African rock python.

The swamp is home to all manner of dragonfl ies and damselfl ies, while

For further information: www.kws.org

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

17

BusinessHUB: Garden City Mall

suPer-Mall targets toP-end Brands

W

ho 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

to market by the pan-African private

Kenya for Game, which is already active

equity firm Actis and Nairobi-based

in 10 other African countries.

Mentor Management.

Total cost of the project is put at

Clearly, there is some market overlap between the two. So to avoid this, Naku-

US$ 200 million. Construction work on

matt will not sell furniture and Game

the mall is set to get under way in mid

will avoid selling food.

2013, with Phase 1 due for completion

by Christmas 2014.

Kenya’s biggest supermarket

neW fasHion Brands In addition to its large size, there are

32 acres alongside the new Thika

chain, Nakumatt, and the giant South

plans to give Garden City Mall a differ-

Road Expressway. The first phase will

Africa-based retailer Game have been

ent and distinctive identity. Disappoint-

comprise 50,000 square metres of

confirmed as the mall’s two anchor

ingly, many of Nairobi’s newer malls

lettable retail space and is being brought

outlets. This will be its first store in

have become almost like clones, with

18

Issue 8

deVeloPMent  Garden City Mall will house new fashion brands, apartments, offices and a hoteland promises to make the mall an integral part of life in Nairobi

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 office space, and apartments are being incorporated in the project. “We will also have sites for offices and a hotel and we can see this as a base for big corporations – a on imported luxury goods such as top-

great place, for example, for a telecom

quality clothing that make it difficult for

company, a bank or a regional headquar-

non-East African retailers to enter the

ters,” says Mr Hoddell.

local market – especially when there is

Some 420 apartments are to be

a strong and well-developed mitumba

built, ranging in price from KES 10 to

sector that attracts no duty.

20 million. Mr Hoddell cautions eager

'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' Recognising the problem, Mr Hoddell

investors, who may look to make a quick

explained: “We want to work with retail-

killing by buying off-plan, that Garden

ers to lobby government to reduce import

City will not, as a general rule, be selling

duty.” He also conceded that: “Home-

in this way. “A few units, maybe, to test

grown brands here are more advanced

the market,” he says. What’s more, work

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 Expressway, another factor in choosing to site Garden City here is that 1.5 million more or less the same well-known shop

people live within a catchment area with

names appearing. But Mentor Manage-

no other retail park. Moreover, Garden

ment’s James Hoddell says: “Garden City

City is less than ten minutes from the

aims to attract new fashion brands not

Museum Hill junction.

before seen in Kenya.”

“Our South African consultants estimated that there was demand for

won’t even start on these apartments

Kenya, is said to be targeting other

200,000 square metres of retail space,”

until three months after the opening of

South African retail groups to take

says Mr Hoddell. “So there is surplus

the retail park.

space in the new mall. The women’s

demand – and it’s growing all the time.”

Garden City’s agent, Knight Frank

clothing and accessory specialist Foschi-

Nevertheless, Mr Hoddell admits that

The Thika Road Expressway has already transformed the lives of many in

Garden City will initially face a chal-

terms of transport; now, Garden City is set

Of course, Garden City’s fashion

lenge in persuading middle- and upper-

to do the same for shoppers; and, like the

stores are up against the high tariffs

income shoppers to drive up Thika Road

new road, it cannot come soon enough.

ni is one name being mentioned.

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

KEnyAn EngLISH

can You taKe a Beer WitH tcHiZZ and criPs? I

s Kenyan English

striking out on its

own, if only tentatively, as a distinct dialect of

the world’s most widely spoken language?

YOU MAY BE A KER… ‘KENGLISH’ SPEA

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 influences 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.

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

21

Kenyan English • And you know? – instead of

Kenyan English is yet another

are a few examples of odd word use,

evolving strand. I don’t mean the

strange (at least to my ear) phrases

language spoken by settlers and, today,

and unusual pronunciation that I have

by their offspring; I mean that spoken

picked up from Kenyans when speak-

by Africans and, in a slightly different

ing English – either to me or among

version, the descendants of those

themselves:

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.

‘Really?’

picked me at 8 am’ or ‘He is not picking his phone’

• He stays in Loresho – instead of ‘He lives in Loresho’

• Pressed – wishing to use the bathroom

• Bitings – instead of nibbles

‘Some of the unusual-sounding English probably derives from the fact that it may be the speaker’s second or third language’

• Aspirant – instead of candidate

• Tchizz instead of cheese

• The youth – young people • Ju-is – instead of juice (two syllables instead of one)

• Imagine! – instead of ‘Would you believe it!’

• Over-speeding – instead of just, well, speeding or snacks

or hopeful (in a political context)

• Crips instead of crisps

• 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

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’, fashionable 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

rear’ – ‘Take the delivery up backside please’

• Messed instead of ‘messed up’ – ‘and you know he really messed’

• Biscuiti not biscuit • Short call – pee 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

• First born – eldest child

by those whose mother tongue is English, even when in conversation

• 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

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.

have a beer’

• Can you take a beer? instead of ‘Would you like a beer?’

• Up backside instead of ‘to the

• Long call – I think you can work

the same age as the speaker.

‘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

• Picked instead of picked up – ‘He

But that’s the English language for you: always happy to accept a new and interesting word from elsewhere.

Africa’s low cost airline: www.fly540.com

23

FOODFOR THOUgHT

forget tHe coWBoY decor – Just saVour tHe riBs GOLDEN SPUR 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

Wild West decor will not

at reasonable prices with superfast

appeal to everyone’s taste,

and efficient service, I believe there is

especially when it’s in a

nowhere in Nairobi that compares with

colonial-style property.

the Golden Spur at the Southern Sun in

I have tried Spur

‘For great down-to-earth food at reasonable prices with superfast and efficient service visit the Golden Spur’

Parklands. And it’s why I keep coming

restaurants in Gaborone

back month after month.

and Kampala and, unfortunately, they

what inexplicably that restaurant failed

just don’t quite match the Southern

to take off. And the site is now occupied

Sun-based outlet.

by an Artcaffe.

soaring eagle

would be the 600 g ribs (available in “all

By the way, the Eka Hotel on Mombasa

you can eat” form on Thursdays). But I

Road now also boasts a Soaring Eagle

would also recommend the delicious 300 g

Spur. Previously, a Silver Spur was

“fillet grande” steak and, although on the

opened at The Village Market but some-

expensive side, the 600 g king prawns

I know it doesn’t seem to fit in with the classy image of the Southern Sun and I’m not sure why this Spur restaurant was ever installed in the hotel. The

If I had to choose my favourite dish, it

with peri peri sauce. At KES 490, the

it's tastY 

buffet salads are also surprisingly good.

Left: Succulent steak to delight the senses

however, is the consistency of the food. It

Above: The surprisingly delicious rack of ribs

never disappoints; and when you order a

What keeps me coming back,

For further information about Golden Spur and their restaurants visit: www.spurcorp.nl

meal, it tastes exactly like the last time you ate it. A rare treat.

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

25

ProductReview

Apple iPad mini

is aPPle’s neW taBlet WortH tHe eXtra MoneY? F

ollowing the revolutionary

launch of the iPad in 2010, the

Of course, the sleek Apple design,

tablet, but maintaining the hand-held

with ergonomic curves and brushed

style. Upholding Apple’s high stand-

metal aesthetic, is pleasing – as one

ards, the iPad mini is the natural

would expect from a leader of technologi-

answer for a cheaper, lighter and more

cal design. Moreover, the iPad mini is

compact way of owning an iPad and is

only half the weight of the 10” original

perfect for travel. However, this product

iPad and, while reduced weight is to be

still has a top-of-the-line price tag for a

expected from a smaller product, this

7” tablet and there are serious competi-

For the usually cutting-edge Apple,

is also lighter than the competitors: the

tors without the premium price. And

movement towards the 7” tablet has been

Nexus 7 and Fire HD are both heavier,

with the recent announcement of the

relatively slow. A lighter, smaller product,

by 83 g and 35 g respectively. The iPad

Kindle Fire HD 8, the tablet wars look

with travellers in mind, was a natural

mini also has a 7.9” screen, larger than

set to continue.

progression; but competition on price

the standard seven inches

may also be a raison d’être for the iPad

of the mini tablet. This is

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.

‘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’

a more comfortable size for film-watching or gaming but still maintains its hand-held quality. Screen

quality is a minor fault,

mini. The Kindle Fire HD and the Google

however, as this gadget

Nexus 7, which has an impressive spec,

lacks a high definition

have dominated the 7” tablet market,

screen, which can be

offering high performance at a fraction

noticeable when

of the price of the

watching HD

original iPad. With so

content or reading

much competition, it

text. It is even more

has to be asked: what

noticeable when

does the iPad mini

competitors are

have to offer?

adding HD screens as standard.

screen Protector  The new smart cover for the iPad mini will ensure a scratch free screen

The iPad mini offers style, prestige and user-friendly interfaces with a larger screen than the average compact

All pics © Apple inc.

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

27

LATEST RELEASES

BOOKWORM  in tHe House of tHe interPreter

tHe Prodigal daugHter

tHe Past aHead

By Ngugi Wa Thiong’O

By Patricia Nmukoso Enyi

By Gilbert Gatore

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 first 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 find 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.

28

Issue 8

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 finds support and courage through a new friendship with a young woman called Sherry.

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 horrific reality of recent events in Rwanda. Her fictional 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.

LATESTRELEASES

BLOCKBUSTERS  dJango uncHained

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz Director: Quentin Tarantino Genre: Drama, action, Western 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.

lincoln

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field Director: Steven Spielberg Genre: Drama, historical, biography 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 final months of the President’s life as he strives to reunite the country and end the bloody Civil War through the abolition of slavery.

a good daY to die Hard

Starring: Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, Mary Elizabeth Winstead Director: John Moore Genre: Action, thriller, crime John McClane is back for an action-packed fifth instalment of the Die Hard franchise. The story takes us to Russia, where New York City cop John McClane finds himself a fish out of water, teaming up with his estranged son, Jack, to regain control of nuclear weapons and stop the machinations of the Moscow underworld.

WrecK-it ralPH

Starring: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch Director: Rich Moore Genre: Animation, adventure, comedy

no tiMe liKe tHe Present

By 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 find 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 define its future.

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.

Quartet

Starring: Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Michael Gambon Director: Dustin Hoffman Genre: Comedy, drama 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.

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

S R E K I B N I A T MOUN

get set for ultiMate cHallenge

K

enya’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

suitable options for beginners, family

and ranches on the northern slopes of

riders and children.

Mount Kenya, including the Kisima and

The 10 to 4 raises funds for the

Ol Donyo Farms, Ngare Ndare Forest

Mount Kenya Trust, which aims to

Trust and Borana Ranch, where the

plant some eight million trees on more

Borana Race Village is located.

than 2,000 hectares in Mount Kenya

by Safari Air Express (SAX), the event

Forest as well as being active in other

race Village

is held over two consecutive days with

local conservation projects.

Participants and their families and

routes designed to challenge the most enthusiastic bikers, while offering

For the most part, the course is made

friends can use the campsite at Borana

up of protected forest and private farms

Race Village, which provides catering, refreshments, showers and entertain-

‘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’ 30

Issue 8

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-

TEn TO FOUR

ous years, up the mountain on Kisima Farm at 9,464 ft above sea level.

• Second male and second female • Third male and third female.

Competitors and their family and friends are encouraged to make a

non-cash prizes will be awarded in

long weekend of the event and spend

the following categories:

two to three nights at the Borana Race Village, where caterers will set

• Most successful team

up stalls offering a wide selection of refreshments, reasonably priced and

(best of four riders) with the lowest

nutritious meals and snacks.

aggregate time for Hardcore Day 1 and Classic Day 2 events

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

Non-cash prizes will be awarded to

sufficient campers to pitch their tents

the following categories in each event:

start. Luxury tented accommodation and hotels can also be booked.

the following categories:

Above right: Competitors battle hard for the top prizes

• Second male and second female • First school team (best of four riders) • Best in age 10 to 13 category of Slide

• 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

• First male and fi rst female • Third male and third female

Cash prizes are awarded for riders in

Above: And the winner is....

• Classic, Rush and Slide

Farm allow responsible and selfat the former Top Camp site near the

eVent success 

• 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

• 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.

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

31

© www.dlwsafaris.com

CITYGUIDE

SOUTH SUDAN

KIsumu, K

isumu 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

Kisumu

WHERE TO STAY  TANZANIA

Imperial Hotel

Accessible from the airport. www.imperialhotelkisumu

Worth a visit... 

Sunset Hotel

Lovely views of the lake and its sunsets. www.sunsethotelkisumu.com

Lake Victoria The 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.

Vic Hotel

Good for both tourists and business travellers. www.vichotelkisumu.com

Mountain View Resort

Affordable. www.mountainviewresort.com

Kit Mikayi

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.

PLACES TO EAT & DRINK  Kiboko Bay Resort

Treat yourself to lunch or a tasty evening meal.

Mon Ami

QUICK FACTS  • Currency: Kenyan Shilling (KES) • Telephone code: +254 57 • Population: 427,000 (2012 est) • Climate: warm year round

KENYA

UGANDA

Kenya

Wonderful atmosphere. Serves mostly American food.

Haandi

Indian food in the heart of Kisumu

Kisumu Yacht Club

For views of the lake while you dine

Rooftop Bar, Duke of Breeze Hotel

This fascinating historical site, next to Kogelo village, is the native home of President Obama’s father, Barack Obama, Sr.

Impala Park Sanctuary As the name suggests, Kenya’s smallest wildlife reserve is home to herds of impala plus a variety of birds including the fish eagle.

Kisumu Museum Centrally 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 Point As well as providing obstructed views of sunsets over Lake Victoria, Hippo Point has a fishing harbour and a campsite.

Great views and friendly atmosphere

Africa’s low cost airline: www.fly540.com

33

MotorReview: RANGE ROVER EVOQUE

ROVING THE RANGE JUST GOT MORE STYLISH…

I

By Karl Peskett

tracked production, slotting it under the

f 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 fastluxury Range Rover brand-name and calling it the Evoque.

34

Issue 8

If you think it looks good in photo-

SUV on sale today. Particularly on the

become fodder for the Evoque, which

graphs, in the metal it’s even more

18-inch wheels, it absorbs surface imper-

uses a myriad of sensors to detect slip,

beautiful. With its bluff front-end, clam-

fections in such an efficient manner that

braking individual wheels and redirect-

shell bonnet and chamfered roof-line,

you would be hard pressed to realise it’s

ing torque to wheels with the most grip.

it echoes the design cues of its larger

an SUV at all.

And, yes, it actually works.

TERRAIN RESPONSE

and diesel (the pick) versions and as either

Thing is, the Evoque is made by a

a three-door coupé or a more practical

ing, with high-quality leather, bejewel-

company renowned for its off-road

five-door, so there is no lack of choice.

led dials and glossy chrome-and-black

credentials. But there’s no low range

surfaces. The space also impresses, with

and, looking at it, the Evoque’s ground

brilliant driving characteristics both

a deceptively large interior.

siblings, but distinguishes itself with a unique identity.

Inside, the Evoque is just as astound-

The Evoque is available in both petrol

Its stunning looks, quality and

clearance is rather limited. Don’t write it

on-road and off-road make the Evoque a

As soon as you start driving the

off just yet, however. Calling on its years

formidable package, even for those not

Evoque, you soon forget it’s running on

of experience, Land Rover has endowed

seeking an SUV.

the same platform as the Land Rover

the Evoque with a secret weapon:

Freelander. There is a suppleness to

Terrain Response. At the press of a

the suspension which endows it with

button, mud, wet grass, sand and rocks

It certainly ‘Evoques’ a good response from those who drive it.

the best ride-handling balance of any

'If you think it looks good in photographs, in the metal it’s even more beautiful' AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

35

THE FLY540

OW

COST AIR L

E IN

AFRICAS L

NETWORK AT: E N m NLI o O c .

K 0 BOO ly54

A FR

36

Issue 8

w.f w w

ICA

NETWORK

SOUTH SUDAN Juba

Lodwar

UGANDA KENYA Eldoret Kisumu

Nairobi

Lamu Malindi

Mombasa

TANZANIA Dar es Salaam

Zanzibar

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

37

FREEDOM FIGHTER

BITTER STRUGGLE THAT OPENED WAY TO KENYAN INDEPENDENCE DEDAN KIMATHI WACIURI

(31 OCTOBER 1920 TO 18 FEBRUARY 1957)

O

ne of the most controversial figures in Kenyan history is

‘General’ Dedan Kimathi. To some he is Kenya’s fi rst political martyr, to

others a courageous freedom-fighter who died in the struggle for Kenyan

independence. To the British colonialists, 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 prominence 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 disillusioned, 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

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

39

FREEDOM FIGHTER

‘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 flat 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 the face of low wages, unemployment,

tually, the Mau Mau took to the forests

rising food prices and general disil-

of Mount Kenya, where they conducted a

lusionment, a sinister new movement,

bitter guerrilla war against the British.

the Mau Mau, was formed, predomi-

Finally, 85,000 Kikuyu men (a third

nantly by the Kikuyu ethnic group.

of the male adult population) were

INDEPENDENCE MARKED  The 'freedom' stamp, issued in 1963 as part of a series of stamps to mark Kenyan independence.

captured and placed in detention camps.

sentenced and hanged. He was buried

One of their most influential leaders,

in an unmarked grave and his burial

Now came tales of anti-Christian oaths

‘General’ Dedan Kimathi, was still at

site remains unknown.

involving sexual rituals, of ‘blood

large, however, and he had declared

brothers’ and of recruits being made

himself the prime minister of the ‘Legiti-

INDEPENDENCE

to eat decaying human flesh. Stories

mate Interim Government of Kenya’.

By the end of the so-called Mau Mau

UPRISING

were also rife of how the Mau Mau

insurgency, 14,000 Kenyans had died,

treated fellow Kenyans who refused to

MANHUNT

espouse their cause. Women saw their

In 1956 a manhunt was launched for

and 32 Europeans. But the struggle for

children slashed to pieces before their

Kimathi and his remaining 13 support-

independence had been won. In 1961

eyes; pregnant women were ripped

ers. The supporters were captured but

the Kenya African National Union won

open with knives; old men, women and

Kimathi fled, covering 80 miles in over

the country’s fi rst democratic elec-

children were barricaded in their huts

28 hours before collapsing of exhaus-

tion and in 1963 the declaration of the

and burnt to death. Finally, the Mau

tion on the edge of the forest. There he

Republic of Kenya ended 68 years of

Mau began to attack the settler farms,

was found, captured, taken to hospital,

colonial rule.

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 leadership, 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 ‘Johnnies’, the British troops, and the ‘Kenya

most as a result of internecine confl ict,

‘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’ selfishness 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.’

Gombis’, the Home Guard, comprising

‘Brigadier’ Karari Njama of the Mau Mau to Major Owen Jeoffreys of the British Colonial Administration

25,000 of their fellow Africans. Even-

‘Nine Faces of Kenya’ Elspeth Huxley

AfricA’s low cost Airline: www.fly540.com

41

FLY540 VISA

M FOR ATION N I

TRAVEL INFORMATION VISA INFORMATION

M

ost nationals require visas

KENYAN VISAS

from the five East African states

Visas 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.

Common Market of East and South-

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.

to enter East Africa. Citizens

require no visas while those from the ern Africa (COMESA) member states have relaxed entry requirements into East Africa.

However, East African member states have their own visa requirements for various nationals.

UGANDAN VISAS 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

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 fees 2. 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

TravelInformation

SOUTH SUDAN VISAS

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.

VACCINA 0 T 54

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

N IO

• • • • •

Fees: • • • •

FO N IN RMAT IO

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.

FLY

Any visitor going to South Sudan through Khartoum requires a valid visa. Visas are issued through the South Sudan Embassy.

HEALTH

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

Vaccination requirements for international travellers

Processing period: Two working days

• No cholera vaccination certificates are required of travellers coming from all over the world.

TANZANIAN 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

• 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.

Africa’s low cost airline: www.fly540.com

43

F

ly540 operates modern aircraft

Cessna Caravan C208

and is constantly updating and

modernising its fleet.

Type: Single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 10 passengers

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.

Bombardier Dash 8 102 Series 

ATR 72-500

Type: Twin-engined, medium-range, turboprop airliner Number in service: Three Capacity per aircraft: 37 passengers

Type: Twin-engine turboprop shorthaul regional airliner Number in service: Two Capacity per aircraft: 78 passengers

DC-9 Type: Twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 80 passengers

Fokker F27 Type: Turboprop cargo airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 1,336 x 210 x 190 cm cargo hold

44

Issue 8

FLEETINFORMATION

THE fly540

AIRCRAFT FLEET

Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet  Type: Twin-engine regional jet Number in service: Three Capacity per aircraft: 50 passengers

Fokker F28 Type: Short range jet airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 67 passengers

Africa’s low cost airline: www.fly540.com

45

KIDZCORNER

KIDZ CORNER MUSICAL WORDSEARCH Can you find the words listed below in the letter grid?

Guitar Piano Karaoke Jazz Violin

Keyboard Sing Band Pop Drums

RIDDLE ME THIS...

What goes up and down but doesn’t move?

Answer: A staircase

What gets wetter the more it dries?

Answer: A towel

46

Issue 8

S M U R D

A V

I

E

B D C R R E

I

K O F N J A Z Z O L G A O T H J A

I

K B S

I

N G

R N Y Q L U M P A E N P R G S O K O N A

I

P U P

SPOT THE

JOKE TIME!

We've made 10 changes to the picture, can you spot them?

Q. What wears glass slippers and weighs over 4,000 pounds?

DIFFERENCE

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.

WORD COUNT How many words can you make using all or some of the letters in the word

E n v i r o n m e n ta l 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!

Africa’s low cost airline: www.fly540.com

47

Contacts

CONTACT INFORMATION FIVE FORTY AFRICA – HEAD OFFICE

Riverside Green Suites, Palm Suite, Riverside Drive PO Box 10293-00100 Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/5 Fax/Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2396 Sales: Tel: +254 (0)737 540 540 Email: info@fly540.com

WILSON AIRPORT 540 SAFARI CIRCUIT SALES Ground floor, Langata House

Tel: +254 (0)20 254 0206 Tel: +254 (0)729 540 540 Tel: +254 (0)735 540 540

Email: 540.safaris@fly540.com

ELDORET 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Tel: +254 (0)53 203 3570/80 ELDORET INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

540 Ticketing & Reservations Office

Tel: +254 (0)53 203 0814 Tel: +254 (0)53 206 3823 ext 658

540 CALL CENTRE

ABC Place, off Waiyaki Way

Tel: +254 (0)20 445 3252/6 Cell: +254 (0)722 540 540; (0)733 540 540 Fax: +254 (0)20 445 3257

JOMO KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE, Unit 3 (Domestic Departures)

Tel: +254 (0)20 827 523 Tel: +254 20 827 366 Cell: +254 727 532 273

Unit 1 (International Departures)

Tel: +254 (0)20 827 521

LAMU – NORTH COAST TRAVEL SERVICE Tel: +254 (0)42 213 0312 Tel: +254 (0)42 463 2054 Tel: +254 (0)725 942 444

Email: nctslamu@swiftmalindi.com Email: nctsmalindi@swiftmalindi.com

MOI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MOMBASA Tel: +254 (0)41 343 4821 Tel: +254 (0)32 540 540; (0)722 555 730

LAICO REGENCY – 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Mezz. floor, Shopping Arcade

Tel: +254 (0)20 224 3211/3/4 Cell: +254 727 540 540; (0)737 540 540 Fax: +254 (0)20 224 3219

Issue 8

RESERVATIONS Tel: +49 (0)69 770 673 076 Fax: +49 (0)69 770 673 028 Email: Res540.FRA@aviareps.com

SALES Tel: +49 (0) 69 770 673 077 Fax: +49 (0)69 770 673 235

SALES Tel: +27 (0) 722 0229 / +27 74 177 1596

RESERVATIONS Tel: +39 02 4345 8346 Fax: +39 02 4345 8336

Barclays Centre, Diani Road

Tel: +254 (0)20 354 6532 Tel: +254 (0)726 453 246

UGANDA ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE

Tel: +256 (0)314 540 540 Tel: +256 (0)315 540 540 Sales: Tel: +256 (0)713 540 540

KAMPALA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE 1st Floor, Oasis Mall

Tel: +256 (0)414 346 915/999 Tel: +256 (0)312 540 540 Sales: Tel: +256 (0)712 540 540; (0)776 540 540

Email: Sales.juba@fly540.com

BELGIUM AVIAREPS AG

J.E. Mommaertslaan 16b (2nd floor), 1831 Diegem

RESERVATIONS Tel: +32 (0)2 712 04 93 Fax: +32 (0)2 725 83 92

Email: Res540.BRU@aviareps.com

SALES Tel: +32 (0)2 712 05 84 Fax: +32 (0)2 725 83 92

38 Wierda Road West Wierda Valley Sandton, Johannesburg

RESERVATIONS Tel: +27 (0) 11 722 0229 Fax: +27 (0) 11 783 8135

UKUNDA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS

Email: Sales540.BRU@aviareps.co

48

AVIAREPS (PTY) Ltd

Kaiserstrasse 77 60329 Frankfurt am Main

AVIAREPS AG

JUBA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE Tel: +211 959 540540; +211 999 540540

Tel: +254 (0)770 639 429 Tel: +254 (0)724 457 374 Tel: +254 (0)735 540 547

AVIAREPS AG

Tel: +254 (0)41 231 9078/9 Mob: +254 (0)728 540 540; (0)710 540 540

Ground Floor, Mombasa Trade Centre, Nkrumah Road

Tel: +254 (0)734 540 550 Tel: +254 (0)711 908 330

Terminal Building, Kitale Airstrip

SOUTH AFRICA

Email: sales540.FRA@aviareps.com

SOUTH SUDAN

KITALE TICKETING & RESERVATIONS

GERMANY

MOMBASA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE

KAKAMEGA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Holden Mall - above Nakumatt

540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS

ITALY Via Monte Rosa, 20 20149 Milan

Email: Res540.MIL@aviareps.com

SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Maria Rosa Cappelli

Mobile: +39 335 778 5936

Email: mcappelli@aviareps.com

NETHERLANDS AVIAREPS AG

Beechavenue 104 1119 PP Schiphol

RESERVATIONS Tel: +31 (0)20 654 79 29 Fax: +31 (0)20 623 01 51

Email: Res540.AMS@aviareps.com

SALES Tel: +31 (0)20 520 02 82 Fax: +31 (0)20 623 01 51

Email: Sales540.AMS@aviareps.com

RUSSIAN FEDERATION GSA AVIAREPS AG

Prospect Mira, 39 Bldg 2 129110 Moscow

RESERVATIONS Tel: +7 (495) 937 59 50 Fax: +7 (495) 937 5951

Email: Res540.MOW@aviareps.com

SALES Tel: +7 (495) 937 59 50 Fax: +7 (495) 937 5951

Email: Sales540.MOW@aviareps.com

Email: Res540.JNB@aviareps.com

Fax: +27 (0) 783 8135 Email: Sales540.JNB@aviareps.com

SWITZERLAND AIRLINE & TOURISM CENTER GmbH

Badenerstr. 15, CH-8004 Zürich

RESERVATIONS & SALES Tel: +41 (0) 44 286 99 62 Fax: +41 (0) 44 286 99 63

Email: 540-Switzerland@aviareps.com

UNITED KINGDOM FLY540

c/o AviaCircle, 28-29 The Quadrant Business Centre, 135 Salisbury Road London, NW6 6RJ

RESERVATIONS Tel: 0870 774 2250 Fax: 0870 777 7172

Email: res540@aviacircle.com

SALES Tel: 0870 774 2250 Fax: 0870 774 2250

Email: Sales540@aviacircle.com