On the threshold

The title could easily refer to Southern Sudan itself, with preliminary referendum results due tomorrow, two weeks after polls closed*. In reality I'm referring to my own infinitely more modest journey. After a week in Nairobi, book ended by a couple of hours in Cairo airport and some time in an Addis Ababa hotel (an unexpected inclusion on my flight itinerary) I will reach Juba in around five hours. Another five hours by road and finally I should be in Mundri.

Perhaps deliberately I have kept extremely busy in Nairobi and rarely allowed myself time to reflect upon the work ahead, other than to see through the practical process of obtaining a permit to enter the country (the main objective of my stay). Instead I have been meeting new friends (made possible partially by the ever durable magic of social networking) exploring bookshops, bars and parks Up and Down Town and visiting projects and people in different corners of the city, including the so-called 'superslum' of Kiberia, the largest informal settlement in the world, originally begun by Nubians displaced from Egypt and Sudan by the colonial authorities and still three quarters Muslim. I also had the privilege of meeting youth workers experienced at different levels and in different areas of the city, all committed to genuine youth participation and working hard to promote good practices in a difficult political environment.

My time in the city and the breadth of my wandering has been so brief as to only allow the most superficial of investigation and reflection. Nonetheless I have a few thoughts to share.

The pace of life in Nairobi matches its reputation as a business and political centre. It is a metropolis matching London for the intensity of movement and activity in all areas, though lacking some of the sophistication of London's transport system (yes this week I have MISSED TFL! Especially when stuck in or choked by the fumes from the rush hour traffic). This struck me much more than the pace of life in Cape Town and Abuja when I visited last year. Of course both rich and poor here are overwhelmingly Black African, regardless of their regional or ethnic origin, with Mzungus such as myself mostly only tourists. Whilst there are still rich white landowners hanging around from the colonial period there colour bar is not as much of an obvious barrier as in the Post Apartheid South Africa. Inequality and ethnic tension are more immediately striking issues.


Reminiscent of my experience in the Dominican Republic, Kenyans HUSTLE HARD. Confronted by mass poverty but equipped with entrepreneurial spirit and drive the evidence of the ingenuity, creativity and hard work of the people is here in abundance. And whilst obvious inequality is also everywhere, there is a genuine interest and investment in political change and accountability that demonstrates recent progress since the violent events of the 2008 election period. With new elections next year and a brand new constitution in its first stages of implementation, not to mention fierce debate over International Criminal Court proceedings against individual politicians marked as ringleaders of the murderous 2008 mobilizations, there is an active political culture. I attended one free event at City Hall^ with hundreds of young people from around the city speaking out on Governance, Peace Work, Economic Development and the Environment. Local groups are also pushing the government to implement it's National Youth Policy and build an effective, representative National Youth Council. These are all encouraging movements. People here are also watching keenly the news from North Africa, not just the Sudanese referendum but the massive milestones in Tunisia, Egypt and farther afield.

Finally two things that Kenyans love that I hold in common with them...Football and Reggae! Both are everywhere, energizing and enriching the city and stoking energetic debate and demonstration. I have been lucky enough to both go to a Dancehall club in the city and watch an African Champions league match. Unfortunately the Kenyan Military team Ulizini Stars was comprehensively routed four goals to nil by the classy Zamalek, of Egypt*, but at least I was able to see some live football in Africa, having missed the opportunity to go to the World Cup last year. Such indulgences may be few and far between over the months ahead so I am eminently grateful top my newfound friends in Kenya for making the past few days so enjoyable and thought provoking.

^Organised by this team http://nairobi.cityyouthcentre.org/index.php?id=1339
*http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/9380861.stm