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…
Al-Andalus and September 11th
Al-Andalus, Al Qaeda, and the historic symbolism of September 11th It has been 12 years since the tragic events of September 11th 2001. By striking at the heart of one of the greatest cities of…
Nigerian Police: Armed Beggars in Uniforms!
Nigeria is a fascinating country with a lot of potential. The country is much better than its reputation. The Nigeria Police is, if anything worse though! Constant harassment by the people who are supposed to…
Fire at JKIA – stuck trying to get to Nairobi
All was set for my trip to Nairobi and JKIA, my suitcases were packed. I had set the alarm, ready to leave Lagos early the next morning. As always, I was looking forward to being…
Lagos – Life in an African mega-city
Lagos is, by far, the biggest city in Sub-saharan Africa. With its 10+ million inhabitants, it eclipses Johannesburg, Nairobi and Addis Ababa, and is second only to Cairo. It is one of the fastest-growing cities on…
Zambia’s new currency
New Kwacha – same look – three zeros less Being back in Lusaka after almost 10 months felt really good. After all the travelling there last year, it is a country that I had really…
Benin City – Sleepy former capital city of a defunct kingdom
Cities that have been around for a long time have an “atmosphere of old civilization” that you simply don’t find in younger cities. Even if the old buildings are gone, there is something that you…