Kenya – Africa’s infrastructure powerhouse Kenya’s ongoing infrastructure boom started with former President Mwai Kibaki. Grand projects like Thika Road, and the Northern, Eastern, and Southern Bypasses in Nairobi, ushered in a national sense of yes-we-can. This has…
Police corruption in Africa
Police corruption exists in all countries. In some places, the vice is more prevalent than elsewhere, though. While all African countries have their fair share of dirty cops, the phenomenon manifests itself in quite different…
Kitagata Hot Springs
Kitagata – a very local attraction in Western Uganda Located about an hour’s drive from Mbarara in Western Uganda, the Kitagata Hot Springs are an important local attraction of the region. I say “local”, because…
Gwalior – Exploring India far off the Beaten Track
Gwalior – a spectacular site where you are likely to be the only tourist Gwalior is about as far off the beaten track as a tourist can get in India. Few travelers have this city…
Obama in Kenya – State visit or second coming of Christ?
Kenya ecstatic about Obama’s great “homecoming” When I first moved to Kenya in 2002, the then Illinois State Senator Barack Obama was already a name in the news, before 90% of Americans had even heard about…
Kenya’s tourism sector: a shot in the arm.. and one in the foot!
As tourism gets a long needed reprieve, new e-visa rules snap defeat from the jaws of victory! On June 18th, the British government finally eased the travel advisory on most of the Coast region in…
Kenya – Ready for take-off
The resilience of Kenya’s economy surprises even the harshest pessimists On September 17th and 18th 2013, IMF held A conference in Nairobi in praise of the economic environment in Kenya. Throughout the country, a tangible…
JKIA – secrets of a frequent traveler
Seven points to remember when traveling via JKIA Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi is undoubtedly one of the most modern and efficient airports in Sub-Saharan Africa. Recently expanded with the new Terminal 1A, the old parts of…
Polana Serena – Maputo at its best!
The Polana Serena is one of the grand old classic hotels in Africa. Initially known as the Polana Hotel, it was constructed in 1922 in the then colonial HQ city known as Lourenco Marques. The…
Immigration Dept: Analogue relics in a digital government
Upon getting elected, President Uhuru Kenyatta promised to bring “digital government” to Kenya. A key ambition is to bring government service delivery online, eliminating paper trails and endless queuing. The bigger vision is to use…