January 21, 2007
One Indian's Kenyan NationalismHistory
If you are looking for an alternative take on Kenya’s Indian community, speak to Zahid Rajan, editor of Awaaz, a magazine focusing on historical, political, and cultural issues in the South Asian community in East Africa. The local Indian community traces its roots to the late nineteenth century laborers imported by the British to build the Uganda Railway and grow sugarcane and to the generations of traders who settled along the Indian Ocean coast in Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, and other port towns. The Indian community quickly prospered and became managers instead of laborers (the current issue of Awaaz has a great article on the cultural dynamics that promoted their rapid success). In short order, Indians built businesses, hired black Kenyans to do the work, and banked their considerable profits.
Today, the community in Kenya is perceived, not without justification, as wealthy and aloof. Rajan is critical of what he sees as the community’s lack of engagement with Kenya’s many challenges. “The South Asian diaspora in Kenya is completely nonpolitical,” he says. “It stays behind its security fences in [the Nairobi suburb of] Parklands.”
Historically, Indians were engaged at all levels, leading labor unions, participating in the struggle against British colonialism, and building schools and hospitals, but that civic drive was sapped somewhere along the way.
Rajan attributes the Indian withdrawal from politics to three factors: the Kenyanization programs of the late 1960s that redistributed land, awarded contracts and licenses and reserved government jobs for black Africans; Idi Amin’s expulsion of Asians from Uganda in 1972; and a failed coup attempt against Kenya’s president, Daniel arap Moi, in 1982. Fighting during that conflict resulted in significant destruction in downtown Nairobi, where many Indians ran businesses.
”I know Indians who have never been back to the city center,” he says.
Rajan sees the lack of engagement as a real problem for the community, something that holds back Kenya’s development as a nation. Kenya is maturing politically, but Indians—a significant component of Kenya’s middle class—are not part of the process. Multi-party elections were introduced in 1992, with Moi’s 24-year presidency coming to an end in 2002. Under his successor, Rajan says, the whole political environment has changed: people protest, there are civil actions. “President Kibaki has made lots of promises but failed to deliver. Kenyans have the right to hold him accountable.”
”Indians are willing to build businesses and fund charities,” Rajan says, “but they won’t contribute money to opposition parties. Indians are politically active in the US and UK but not here.”
He cites reverse racism as another cause: “It is somehow not acceptable to struggle against black leadership.”
Awaaz magazine has become active in national politics. It began as a newsletter for the Eastern Action Club of Africa, a forum for business people to speak out against racism and unfair business practices after multi-party democracy was established in 1992. Rajan was a printer by training and worked in advertising, so he knew something about crafting a message and designing a media product.
Awaaz has a multi-racial oversight board and strives to be non-communal, exploring diaspora issues but only in the national context. Rajan says the magazine is thought to be too controversial and too political by Kenya’s business elite, who refuse to support it financially.
The magazine sponsors an Asian-African cultural event called the Samosa Festival (which like all good Indian endeavors is an acronym: South Asian Mosaic Of Society and the Arts). It is also a partner with the Kenya Human Rights Commission on a campaign for the recognition of the Mau Mau movement, the eight-year insurgency that helped win Kenya its freedom from Britain.
Awaaz is a family affair, deeply rooted in Kenyan history. Rajan’s partner in these efforts, and in life, is Zarina Patel, writer, artist, human rights and race relations activist, environmentalist and campaigner for social justice. She is also the granddaughter (and biographer) of A.M. Jeevanjee, the entrepreneur in colonial Kenya who founded the African Standard newspaper in 1902 (now the East African Standard) and the East African Indian National Congress in 1914. There’s a park in downtown Nairobi named for him. Patel also serves as an editor of Awaaz.
Rajan sees Awaaz as a Kenyan nationalist enterprise, targeting the Indian community, though it attracts intellectuals throughout Africa and Europe. It is especially keen to highlight the contributions of South Asians to the development of East Africa.
Rajan laments that Kenya’s Indians are not more engaged: “Indians are global citizens. People here are a hundred years behind.”
Images by Preston Merchant
Zahid Rajan with posters from a minority rights campaign he worked on with the Eastern Action Club of Africa
Zarina Patel
preston on January 21, 2007 11:55 PM in History · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post
this looks like a fantastic resource, thank you!
Love both pictures.
Preston;great post.The AWAAZ article was interesting (almost read like a SM post on the model minority)like the author,I would also like to see more academic work on the hows and whys. I've read Amy Chau's World on Fire; I think you've noted that book in one of your post's. She makes some pointed remarks about unfettered capitalism, the idea of anyone being able to make it- and America's own self belief and how that would quickly change if Bill Gates and several others of his economic stature 'at the top' belonged to some visibly 'other' group that held itself apart from the main group. From a recent topic on this blog about [South Asian vs. "American" names]--- it think we all realize that resentments can faster in the richest country in the world , even in the "dominant" group when they feel left out or ignored. This is not only an issue in the developing world.
Preston - this is great, thanks!
Great post, Preston, very informative.
Preston, thanks...when the old Awaaz link stopped working, I stopped reading the mag, so I'm so glad I now have the new link!!!
I agree that Asians in Kenya are not as politically active as they should be, but this too is changing again. A few years ago, to protest the lawlessness and robberies, numerous asian businessmen went on strike and stormed the streets. this may not sound like much, but plenty of people were shocked enough for some change to take place...also I think that many voices are either overshadowed or just that some Asians just work more quietly to change things. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse
This post, as all your others, leaves me so nostalgic for home.
thanks :)
Preston,
Though nowhere near the numbers who fought apartheid in S. Africa, there were prominent Indians involved in anti-colonialism in Kenya. You should definitely read up a bit on Pio Gama Pinto, for example - http://www.goacom.com/culture/biographies/gamapinto/index.html
Also, Preston, you are going to have a very hard time taking a better "Indian in Kenya" photo than the famous one on this webpage - http://www.goacom.com/culture/biographies/drrib2.html
Another very interesting, pioneering Indian man from the colonial era in Kenya.
That's excellent!
Preston,you have published very good information about Kenya, the idea of anyone being able to make it- and America's own self belief and how that would quickly change if Bill Gates and several others of his economic stature 'at the top' belonged to some visibly 'other' group that held itself apart from the main group.
Interesting resource. I was in Kenya last year for a few months, and would have benefited from this.
What you failed to mention is that Indians are largely hated by the black-Kenyans. I believe part of the reason is that as Indians graduated to become 'managers' in the building of the railroad, they were used by the British to extract work from the black Kenyan workers, using all forms of physical abuse - not uncommon in building the railroad elsewhere.
What you note of the Indians true - they remain aloof and above the rest of society. However, I suspect things may be changing somewhat, and perhaps someday they'll even have mixed race couples.
Nice post.
True, but I think things are more complicated and conflicted than that. I did try to gauge, albeit informally, local attitudes in Nairobi toward Indians. I spent an afternoon/evening in Kibera ("the largest slum in Africa"), which functions rather like an enormous workers' colony, supplying labor to the rest of the city. The local guys I was with told me that "everyone" works for an Indian employer, in a factory of some sort, where they earn a modest by respectable wage. The pay could be better ("Asians are cheap"), but the jobs are good and desirable.
These views squared with other conversations I had. I'm sure the estimates of Indian employment are overstated, but there is a general respect for Indian business savvy and success. I don't think, at least right now, that resentment and anger are the operative attitudes. It's more like slightly grudging envy. Things could change, but for now Indians are regarded as cheap but fair as employers.
Things are different among the elites. Indian tycoons work with other non-Indian tycoons--money is the common ground and the only thing people care about.
The other reality is that Kenya's Indian population just isn't very large. It's economically significant, and has been enormously important in Kenya's history, but it's not a driving cultural or social force at the moment. This is not a judgment, and it's not necessarily a bad thing.
Money is the big thing in Kenya. More of it is available to more people than at any other time in Kenya's short history. Of course, there are significant barriers to getting a piece of the pie, but people are more aspirational now that there is a functioning, if flawed, democracy (compared to Kenya's past, these are good times now). So, successful people and communities are to be respected, emulated, and engaged--not destroyed or nationalized. Indians in Kenya are just one wealthy group. The black Kenyan middle class is larger.
Great post Preston. Unfortunately, one can see similar parallels within India. There is a general disconnect between the rising, younger middle class and politics in modern India. Much ado about Rang de Basanti is the realization of this problem.
The railroads form part of a persistent, and misleading, image of Asians in East Africa. Idi Amin used it when calling for the expulsion of Asians in 1972, saying that the Asians had come to build the railroad, and the railroad was now finished, so time to go home. But my understanding about the railroads is that those who came to build it were labourers, and most returned upon completion anyway. The Indians currently in EA came at the same time, but were brought in to exploit the economic opportunities afforded by the railway's construction -- to set up shop (and spread a cash economy) in the interior.
And hate is a strong term. Resent them for their wealth (real, relative or perceived), and not necessarily inter-mingle, but not hate. There are some stupid muhindis, and some angry blacks, but I have seen too many cross-racial friendships and simply casual, friendly interactions to accept this categorization.
Wonderful post, as ever, Preston.
What you failed to mention is that Indians are largely hated by the black-Kenyans.
This is a myth that has popularity because it is repeated loudly by some Indians in Kenya (sort of like WMD). The truth is, as Preston points out, we are simply too few to occupy a big enough part of the popular imagination, and most Kenyans are too busy getting along with their lives to think of us, positively or not.
The major reason Indians are not engaged in politics in Kenya is most of us are narrow provincial people, whose concerns are just like shopkeepers anywhere in the world. The few notable exceptions, the folks who read Awaaz, are almost all lawyers or economist types, often educated abroad, in the west or in India.
What you failed to mention is that Indians are largely hated by the black-Kenyans.
This is a myth that has popularity because it is repeated loudly by some Indians in Kenya (sort of like WMD). The truth is, as Preston points out, we are simply too few to occupy a big enough part of the popular imagination, and most Kenyans are too busy getting along with their lives to think of us, positively or not.
The major reason Indians are not engaged in politics in Kenya is most of us are narrow provincial people, whose concerns are just like shopkeepers' anywhere in the world. The few notable exceptions, the folks who read Awaaz, are almost all lawyers or economist types, often educated abroad, in the west or in India.
Nice post, Preston. I really like the images as well. I'm intrigued by the idea that Indians are global citizens. In a lot of ways, I think that this is so true. So much of the diasporic population seem to engage in their country of residence while keeping "one foot in the subcontinent" which is, in my opinion, a good thing. In addition, Indians in India inhabit a wide cultural specturm both because of the diversity of India itself and because of the number of global influences. I'm interested to hear more.
I don't think that's an excuse Indians anywhere can use anymore. Even a generation that was less formally educated (or 'provincial') would most probably have ensured that their children receive tertiary education.
Some of the most important political leaders and figures around the world have had non-traditional occupations.
I think a lack of engagement comes from lack of faith in politics as a vehicle to get things done.
Thanks for this post, Preston, which shows that Indian activism is alive and well.
Really interesting post. Thanks for the link. Our family is from Zanzibar/TZ and having been to Mombasa/Nairobi a few times, I noticed a difference between the South Asians in both countries.
The South Asians in Tanzania are thoroughly "kiswahili" in their mannerisms, cultural sensibilities and even customs - fiercely so if, like our family, they happen to be from Zanzibar. My family converses with each other almost exclusively in kiswahili. I know a fair number of Indians who are thoroughly involved in the political process there, both on a city-wide/local and state level. Speaking from personal experience - our families always appeared thoroughly imbedded with the "locals". This may be a function of the fact that our families were not that economically well off, so we never lived behind walls or in enclaves. All of these particular cultural and social pecularities held true despite the nationalist/marxist take over of Tanganika and Zanzibar in '64 where many Indian's suffered from one degree or another of discrimination and nationalization of their assets by the Government.
This may be a result of Tanzania not throughly culturally and politically incorporated into the Commonwealth as compared to Kenya.
I am not certain..but I did notice the difference when traveling between Nairobi, Mombasa, and Tanzania.
I think that's right. Prosperity does seem to have conferred a certain confidence, even arrogance to Kenyan desis, to the effect that their isolation is sensible, that they don't need to pay attention to issues beyond their families or clans, as there is nothing they need from the outside. Perhaps not unlike the attitude of many well-off suburban Americans, who don't bother to vote, become bored if politics is discussed and uncomfortable if discussed passionately.
There's another, unexpected connection between India and Kenya, which has been explored by the fine U.K.-based historian (of desi origins) Clifford Pereira. It's the intriguing tale of the so-called Bombay Africans.
Briefly, after slavery was banned by the British Empire, the colonial Navy was empowered with the right to stop slave ships, and divest them of their cargo. These newly freed slaves were generally deposited at the nearest port - for hundreds of them (mainly children, the Asian dispersal from Africa differed in this regard from the Atlantic slave trade) this meant Bombay. Most of these so-called "Bombay Africans" actually wound up near Nagpur, at an orphanage facility run by the Anglicans, where they were raised to be god-fearing colonial subjects.
Come the opening of Kenya, and the GG of India at the time hit upon the novel idea of using these 'Bombay Africans" as intermediaries and proxies. So, decades after the 'Bombay Africans' were "liberated", they were pressed into service and parcelled off to Kenya in the hundreds.
They had a significant impact at first, as you might imagine from a literate, completely Westernized Africans, a phenomenon somewhat in parallel with the American-sponsored similar reverse migration from the plantations of the South to Liberia, or, indeed, another Brit attempt at resettlement of African slaves that took place in Sierra Leone.
But a scant generation and a half later, there were no traces of a Bombay African identity any more.
Still, many historians agree that the Bombay Africans brought a relatively mature political consciousness with them from Nagpur to Mombasa. And this is one of the saplings that grew into the Kenyan anti-colonial movement, and led eventually to Independence.
Don't know where to post this..anyhow I was listening to East Midlands Apnapunjab radio last night and was shocked to hear that that dude Rupe Dhillon was on it and has sucessfully had his novel Nila Noor published in Punjabi by a British publisher! Even weirder.. he was called the Godfather of British PunjabiLit.
I went through the net today and discovered that Amazon sells his book as do a company called Diggory. May be of interest to someone. I can't read Punjabi but it would be great to hear the opinion of someone who can. Maybe Preston or Amarjit can preview it?
Heard he's been heavily marketed, like some kinda actor in Des Pardes, Sanjh Savera and Ajit...don't know if that is true or false. Here's the tenous connection..I think he hails from Kenya
thanks for the intro to this magazine preston.
did you get a chance to visit the world social forum happening in nairobi and pick up the desi scene there?
This discussion has been of immense help to me since myself and my husband are being offered a job in Mombasa. I do have ties from my maternal side with Zanzibar. They were cloth merchants and had to move during the civil unrest. I am excited to have the opportunity to move near to that place again and experience the life they might have had. This information has been immensely helpful to understand the Indian perspective in Kenya and also the current situation prevailing in terms of the Indian Community. But I am a little worried when I read Indians are hated by black Kenyans. I hope this statement is over exaggerated.
hey Preston,
keep it up!!!!!!!!!!!
The pension from "Crown Agent ",brought smlies to my late father , Mr.Gilbert Almeida & keeps my mother strong ,
with gratitude to the Kenya Goverment .
Thanks Awaaz (Zarina and Zahid and and the 'Team' too)for the insights on Kenyan Asians and others. Intersting development in the political front from Meru, Kenya where some 'Asians' have put in their interest in the local government election. Interesting reactions elicited with some current councillors attempting to hold a demonstration in the town in this regard (because one of the contenders is highly tipped to win a seat and the Mayoral crown too). How absurd is this? In addition, a local regional press reported in its front page headlined 'Asian tycoon enters Mayoral race'? This is absurd if not petty! Sterotypical comments are propagated by the press, who would otherwise have greater role to play in demystify such assertions. Keep watch of the outcome!
I HAVE READ ALL THE COMMENTS BUT I WOULD NOT LIKE TO COMMENT NOW. IAM CURRENTLY CONDUCTING A RESERCH FOR M.A STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI, DEPT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE ON THE TOPIC: POLITICAL REPRESENTATION AND RACIAL MINORITIES IN AFRICA: THE KENYA ASIAN COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE (1963- 2007). I WOULD THEREFORE KINDLY REQUEST FOR YOUE ACCEPTANCE FOR AN INTERVIEW ON THE SUBJECT THEN A SHALL PROVIDE THE REPORT FOR PUBLICATION IN MAY 2008.
THANKS
Hi Awaaz Community. This is a very interesting topic for me. I'm a (black) kenyan residing in the U.S. Here in the states, I've met people from all corners of the world and interacted with them. I've noticed how strong a country becomes when it accepts all it's citizens as "one". Kenya is no different. Kenya has a diversity of communities ( don't want to use the whiteman's term "tribes") and also has diverse races in the form of indians, Arabs, somali kenyans and a few white.
However, it is disturbing that the majority of kenyan indians simply do not assimilate and in that regard are not really considered "kenyan enough" or "real kenyans". I know it sounds absurd but I believe that the asian community in kenya is itself responsible for this.
Citizens are defined by nationality and culture. Nationality can be acquired thru naturalisation but culture has to be authentic. yOU COULD BE 4th generation kenyan indian but you are still not considered "kenyan"
and why does this happen?
First all, Indians live very secluded lives and as such they are not known to be open minded, especially about race issues, maybe it was inherited from the RETROGRESSIVE CASTE system in their motherland.
In Kenya for example, Indians take their kids to indian schools from kindergarten upto high school, the likes of premier academy, cavina, etc. They mostly live in indian only parts of the cities such as westlands and parklands. Alot of these schools follow IGCE International curriculum and as such do not teach the NATIONAL language kiswahili.
As a result, indians grow up interacting with their fellow indian only comrades from early childhood to late teens and the only interaction they have with black kenyans is probably their domestic servants or their askaris (watchmen)
I once met a kenyan indian in the U.S and when he told me he was kenyan, I was surprised. ask me why ? Coz from his accent, he sounded like an indian form the subcontinent India itself. He did not sound like a diasporaic indian.
Indians in kenya and ones from india are hard to differntiate for the average black kenyan because their accents sound the same. They have heavy indian accents, yet they have lived in kenya for 3 generations?
There is nothing wrong with speaking in your native accent, BUT if you still have a heavy one despite your parents and great grandparents being born in kenya, then there's a problem. It's a problem because it shows you have not assimilated into your host country in any meaningful way.
I am by no means suggesting that you abandon or deny your unique indian cultural heritage, no way, But you can compliment it as part of your identity at the same time identyfying urself as a full kenyan.
In the U.S. which is made up of immigrants, there are numerous people who are fully american yet they still maintain their ancestral immigrant cultures, be it english, irish, scottish, japanese, chinese and even indian.
I have met jamaicans and they are an interesting lot. Jamaica has a mix of races though black jamaicans are the majority. Evereyone knows and can identify their unique accent or patwa language as they call it. I was happily surprised to meet chinese jamaicans who converse fluently in patwa. If they spoke to u while u closed your eyes, you'd think they were black jamaicans, but they're not. They identify themselves as jamaicans first then chinese second.
They were also brought as workers by the brits in the mid and early part of the century and they stayed and assimilated better than my indian brethren in kenya . In Jamaica, just like kenya, the chinese community is well respected for their business acumen and wealth just like kenyan indians, BUt the diference lies in that in jamaica, they are regarded as real jamaicans by the majority, unlike kenya where indians are not seen as full kenyans.
The new generation of young indians and young indian parents need to do a better job of intergrating their kids with black africans , learning swahili and being part of the diverse kenyan country. we do not want half citizens but people who are proud of their country and who can fully and well represent kenya as their mother nation.
The Arab community in kenya have done a much better job in assimilating into the kenyan culture than their indian counterparts. Arabs speak good swahili and are generally seen more as kenyans than the indians are.
These are my honest observations and not just an angry tirade.
wahindi wa kenya, ni wakati wa kujivunia kuwa wakenya, au sio ?
Interesting view points from Mr. obzerver.
I would like to point out the following:
1. The Kenyan-Indians are fully aware of their 'aloofness'in Kenyan Society. They probably understand the gap much better than the ordinary Kenyan. This aloofness is a deliberate part of their make up. It is consciously done. You might ask why. It's simple, they are immigrants and they are wary of what the locals think of them. It's a reflex defensive reaction in terms of psychology. I have studied in Perth, Australia, and the same scenario happens with the indegenous Kenyans. They all hang out together, go to the same nightclubs etc...basically bahaving the same way as the indians in kenya albeit on a much smaller scale.
2. I personally think that the indigenous kenyans do not make the Kenyans feel at home in Kenya. Indian-Kenyans are regularly tounted with disparaging racist comments from the Matatu to schools (which is a reason why most parents will prefer schools like premier and cavina)...because these remarks are so common and frequent the indian community has become numb to them.
3. Mr. Observer you haven't really been around nairobi if you think Indians and Kenyans are not partying together. Especially with the younger generation things are changing pretty fast. Just go to any established night club in Nairobi and you will find young indian girls in the arms of young Indigenous Kenyans.
4. As for the learning of swahili I blame the kenyan education system. I did KCPE (and KCSE for that matter...swahili was compulsory). The system is based on the assumption that a 6 year old heading into standar one has some idea of the language...the indigenous kenyans have been speaking it since they were babies. But for the Kenyan-Indian kid, he only knows very basic and largely ungrammatical stuff from his experience of interacting with the houseboy/housegirl. I remeber everything being tought in primary and high school basically flew over my head. There should be an introductory course for the language for kenyan-indian kids so that they can get a better grip of the language.
5. And in general, the indigenous kenyans need to develop a more proactive approach towards indians in terms of friendliness and being willing to work together with them because currently their is a hidden racist attitude towards indians. This can boil over into Nazi style ethnic cleansing should something like the post election violence reach teh doorstep of the Kenyan Indian in parklands or westlands. I think talking it out with each other like this on the net, or even better face to face can help solve this problem...we become aware of what we think of wach other and then can move on from their.
Mehul I agree with you, I am also in perth and noticed that we tend to keep to ourselves, it even breaks down to tribal groups, kikuyus, kalenjins etc.. sad.. but it's upto us now to make a difference, lets catch up for drinks after work on a friday night as kenyans and share both our differences and similarities.. let's break that wall.. so it's upto us, I have kenyan indian friends, I have tried so many times to catch up with them on a regular basis but it hasnt worked.I have south african indian friends who are very friendly and we are very close since uni... it's upto our generation to make this great change, it is inevitable anyway especially with the rapid change happening in kenya and the world, we all need each other, in business etc... my doctor was indian at agha khan, his maid at home was probably indegionous kenyan, so u see, we all need each other at the end of the day
Hey guys sema je??
Just a note here.
I myself am a 3rd generation Kenyan of Punjabi Descent. A sikh.
I am born and bred in Kenya and have mastered Kiswahili kabisa kusoma au kuongea.
I grew up with black africans and am sometimes called an Africanised Punjabi.
I myself am proud of being Kenyan and would fly the Kenyan flag anytime. Infact I fly one on my car.
I also peak Punjabi as well which is the lingo(lugha) of my ancestors but see Kenya as the Promised Land.
A Black KEnyan can never disregard my Kenyaness as I have my ways to explain to him how I am a Kenyan and that not only Blacks are seen as Kenyans although they are the majority of the population and in some countries thus Kenya is seen as a Black country. She does also have some unhidden truths within her population of people.
Indians in general need to come out of their cocnut shells and mix in with all people in Kenya as it is your home and how you will be. You can't change that.Being in a land for over a century counteracts as that being your country and especially with you being brought here with ships and not as your own choice ( Immigrants), this is your home.
A great example I shall use is what obzerver on December 20, 2007 07:48 PM · highlighted in his post using the Chinese Jamaicans. However, I will use the Afro Caribbean Jamaicans ( Black Majority) as an example.They too trace their ancestry to West Africa. However, being brough to the land their against their will, they made Jamaica their home and are known as Jamaicans. They are not ashamed or scared to show that. That also includes the Jamaicans of Chinese and Indian ancestry.The Indian Immigrants however, are a different story and do not get included in the Census. This is strictly for Kenyans of Indian ancestry residing in Kenya for 3 generations or more.
Bless.
Singh
30 · obzerver said
The Arab community in kenya have done a much better job in assimilating into the kenyan culture than their indian counterparts. Arabs speak good swahili and are generally seen more as kenyans than the indians are.
well coming form a half Arab and half Indian from Kenya the Arabs of Kenya have been there a whole lot longer, and even they haven't completely assimilated, if I asked my Kenya born (for the previous two generations) uncles if they were Kenyan or Yemeni, they would most certainly answer Yemeni Arab.
so give the Indian community some credit, it could be alot worse. the vast majority of my generation do feel , to use your words, "kenyan enough" obzerver
I totally beleive the new generation will make a difference in uniting Kenyans.
I was born in Kenya and I also lived in Jamaica for a while and the unity there between different people is vast. May be it was easier for all the communities to settle down together because Jamaica belonged to no indeginous people where as Kenya had indigenous Kenyans and then the Indians came along. SO there was a feeling that you've cme to our land. Comment on Singhs input above.
I work in Parklands but live elswhere in Nairobi. I must say it is true, Indians (well, Kenyan-Indians) in Nairobi do hide themselves in the suburb. I never realized there were soo many of them in Nairobi before i started working here. I have adjusted to the accent so it is a lot easier to communicate (imagine that!). It is a like an entirely different country whenyou get here!!!