Corruption in Paradise - the bad ways of Kenya

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Hello again;

Here comes my final page of this journey!

As always, not all is great in Paradise on Earth! as we had a great time in Watamu, relaxing on the beach, feeding the family of our guide Mansuri, buying meat (they hardly ever have proper protein) fisn, rice, fruits and vegetables. We also have been feeding the staff of our guesthouse, and Mansuri the same food as we've been having such as kilos of garlic prawns grilled by me, full fishes, and on the last night to please GianLuca, we had 4 Lobsters for about £6 Sterling! with salads and vegetables and coconut-rice!

Gianluca finaly passed his paddi which we celebrated with food and beer as well! the Tuskers (Kenyan-beer) are about 75 shillings from the supermarket here! We smoked some marihuana that Mansuri was buying and we smoked it with him, I guess it was his way of saying thank you to us. Gianluca bought some a couple of times, but we never smoked it outside our guest house!

On the morning of our departure, after having bought all the souvenirs that we desired and having arranged everything, Mansuri left and re-apeared, saying he had gone to sort out things! then the Somaly guy showed up taking a look at the place and shaking hands with us, saying he wanted to make up with us and move on. Then he left again... Mansuri looked worried and put away any remnants of Marihuana that were around except the ashtrays... He said it was strange for the Somali to come and check everything, to be distrustful of him...Then Somali came back and passed me a spliff! I said I don't want to smoke because we're traveling and I need to be Compus Mentus...he said have just a little for peace, and as I pulled on the spliff, two policemen entered the garden where we were!

Well, I got it straight away, we had been set up, at first I thought it was just the somali guy, so I said to the police officer that this guy had just put it in my hand, but that I din't have any and hadn't bought any either as we were traveling and knew about the dangers of having illicit drugs on one!

The officer would not listen, said not to blame the beach boys, that I and Gianluca had been caught whilst using an illicit drug and that it carried up to 10 years in jail! I tried explaining but nothing to be done, the 2 officers said to go with them to the police station to be arrested, they took the ashtrays as proof!

Mansuri spoke for us and told me the only way out was to pay here and now, as if we went to the station the situation would become worse as all people in volved would want a share of the money to be made from us, and therefore the price would rise! the officer asked how much money we had on us.

Gianluca had a couple of thousand and I had 4000shillings, to which the officers said if you believe we're going to leave you alone for that you must be joking, take your things we're going to prison!!!

I said that I needed to take my HIV drugs with me, which made them ask questions about my status...I think it made them worry about going ahead with the matter, they asked us for 50.000 shillings, which is about 500Euro's!

I said that no way I would be able to get such an amount of money that if I was staying there instead of in a luxury hotel was that I am on a small budget and not a rich white man! they took the price down to 35000 shillings, because they were impressed about my HIV status and the work I want to do for kids in Kenya! But the problem was that by now half the village was at the guest house door, and the policemen could not be seen to be paid off.

The Local Watamu turist Police officer came to join them, and he said that I should go with Mansuri to the ATM to get the money whilst they kept Gianluca, and then come back to pay them. Which I did, I made my way in tears, I was afraid but not really worried, I knew that if I was able to get money out to pay it would be fine, but I though the crocodile tears would help with convincing the locals and the police to be a bit softer on us.

I took the 30.000 shillings out, being followed to the ATM by the local tourism police officer, who was trying to get the money off me, I said I wouldn't give it to him, that I was going to give it to the one dressed in military outfit! as otherwise I wasn't sure he'd get any and then I would need to pay twice. He said that I should stay on the path of Milano2 (the italian expats, rich people road) so I did; I waited under an acacia tree whilst Mansuri got me some water, the three policemen came in a car with darkened windows, took the money and checked for any more money in my pockets, so the got their 35,000shillings, told me to leave the village immidiately and NOT to dare tell anyone in the village that we had paid the police! or they would come and chase us...

I returned to the guest-house, where the staff told us they had warned us about the guides, they claimed Mansuri was in it as well! who actually dissapeared! I felt really angry that after helping this guy and his family so much and after talking about looking to the future, offering him to help him in the longer term when I get back for my project, specially as I believe him to be HIV+ as well!

All the people of the village were apologising for what happenned, saying that the boys do that here!

So we set off, we got a matatu to Malindi, then a tuktuk to the bus stops to Lamu, and after waiting half an hour we got on the bus to Lamu for 4 hours of a terrible road, potholes all the way, and as we were sat at the back (on purpose I imagine they like making white people sweat!).

It was very much a nightmare journey and we didn't talk to each other much. when we got to the ferry we took it for 50 shillings and as soon as we got there, we again were hunted by guys offering us rooms, we looked at several and got one for 500 shillings, grabby little place! but I was tired and not in a mood to look for more.

I was really tired, it had been a long day, we had a beer in the only bar in town that has alcohol, as it is very much a muslim town, Gianluca started scoring for smoke straight away and this really made me angry, as I thought the man has not learned from his mistakes!

We went for a meal and I explained that I had no wish to be involved in drugs situations in this country as I cannot afford to have any of this to happen again, as I enjoy traveling for traveling's sake! I don't need extra aditions of this kind.

I spoke clearly and decisively to him, and said that I'd see next day how I feel about continuing to travel with him. At dinner time a guy he had spoken to asked us if we wanted to find a cheaper place to get beer, as Gainluca was tired, I went with the guy on my own, just to see where it was! rather far I must say but worth it for the difference in price from 100 shillings instead of 160 shillings a bottle.

I drank one beer and left to sleep. Next morning I woke up at 5,30am, could not face the place, so I went out to to find a hotel, found a clean and good looking one for 1500 shillings and moved straight away, then I booked my flight back to Nairobi, for friday afternoon, after checking several places.

Only then I decided to calm down and enjoy the place, I had to fight to get 500 shillings from the place we went to last night as I paid for 2 nights, then I set off visiting this gorgeous village on the island.

The main greating here is Salaam Aleikum rather than Jambo, but still people are friendly and calm, donkeys instead of cars are the main feature of the place! realy nice, run down though, and very very humid and hot, by 9am it was already 30 degrees centigree. There are hardly any white people here, as I made my way to the beach, which is about 1 hour's walk away from town along the water, I bumped into Gianluca who had just come back from there.

We chatted and had a coffee together, wee agreed to meet at 1 pm for lunch together, I set off for the long beautiful walk! there are increadible posh hotels here, the boats along the water are the same "dhows" as were used 1000 years ago by the muslims coming from Oman.

The place is magic and in spite its decripit state, it feels calm and peaceful, people are kind and not many beach boys apporached me at all, when I got to the beach, a 12 klm stretch of it, there were only 4 other people on it and myself, the water clean and smooth as there is a coral barrier stopping the waves of the ocean reaching the beach. Not a single beach boy aproached me here, one guy along the way just told me not to have any valuables on me if I went futher than 1 klm from the start of the beach as robberies seem to happen.

I relaxed, swam, took my HIV pills, my pains in feet and hands seem to have eased off here, but diahorrhea as started here yet again, walked back again and joined Gianluca we went to the place I went to last night, the police local canteen, had a couple of beers and ate Nyama Choma half a klg each.

A local old man sniffing sniff and chewing the local leaves, that leave the teeth red asked us for a beer, we gave him one as someone offered him a brandy which he mixed! gave us some snuff to try! I dont like the stuff!

We then went to an internet caffe to write some emails, and I left Gianluca to it, took a shower and relaxed in my room, got cleaned up and went looking for him again, couldn't find him. I walked the streets, went fo a beer, it was awfully hot, then I found Gianluca with an italian couple (Chiara & Fabio) who had had a good day on a dhow going to beaches, they offered us to go with them tomorrow again, so we agreed, we had a beer together and then gianluca and I went for a meal at the sea front, it was the Olympic restaurant were Said an older arab looking guy was really friendly!

the food was great, we had a giant crab and fish there was too much for me, as my apetite is really low lately! we spoke to 3 germans who are working here too. set off to bed after that!

Next day, we got up early, Gainluca had breakfast with me at my hotel. we went to the meeting place and waited for everyone to come along, there was a Korean and a French guy with us too, we set off to the mangroves, had a swim and a fish, got our own lunch! not huge but enough...

We went to several gorgeous beaches! relaxed as our dhow captain and his help made us lunch, we swam and laughed, danced to Brazilian music, a really nice day to end it all on, we stopped on a floating restaurant on the mangroves, had a couple of beers, saw the sun come down and took its pics.

We got back, I took a quick shower and joined the group for a beer, then we went to same restaurant as last night for a meal just Gianluca and Olivier the French guy, met the germans again, who are bible bashers! so was glad to see tha back of them...

I set off to bed at around 11 which is late for me since been here, had a good sleep and in the morning had breakfast with Gianluca, then stayed with him for a bit and said my goodbyes, walked to the beach, relaxed, for a bit and enjoyed the last hours of heat and sun.

I walked back, showered in the hotel, packed my things and had lunch, made my way by ferry to the airport, were I had to wait long as some people coming by plane from another island were late, a tv USA travel guy, as real queen (Scott Goets, from California, the traveler) was being a real show off, being filmed and being well...a queen for TV!!!

We flew over, the guy was cruising me, but he is not my type, he offered a ride in his private car when we landed, but as he was going in a different direction I just made my way by Matatu, we had landed in the small Nairobi airport! it was dark due to the dealy of departure, got to the same hotel the Terminal, got a noisy room, went for a couple of beers, ate some chicken and chips, and went to bed at 8pm.

slept badly and was woken at 5am, made my way to airport and did all the usual waiting and going through customs, bought a few things for Michael and Flew by day time, so I got a good view of the African continent! I sat beside a good looking Kenyan guy! which was really friendly. got home quickly where Michael awaited me with a nice meal, some good wine, a sign welcome home at the door, some flowers and some nice cuddles! it is nice to be back but I must say I really enjoyed Kenya.

in spite of the little trouble all else in that country has been worth going through and I love the fact that Kenyans love their country, it needs more tourists! but you must stay away from drugs as it will get you into trouble!

The relation of Muslims and Chritians is the one thing that will remain in my memory and I just hope that my project works out to be able to come back to see the people Iliked and to do some good work!

the people have been nice, the place is gorgeous, although one really feels that it is a military regime and far from being a democracy! people do fear that there will be a civil War if on the next elections the same as in the previous one happens.

Safari's are over priced, so I still believe making one owns way inside the country would be the best way to see animals.

There seems to be good laws to protect the wild life both in parks on the grownd and at sea. It is totaly heavenly that there is a smoking ban on the streets, only smoking in designated areas, which causes people not to smoke at all, and it really has been great not to have smoke on my face in 2 weeks here.

Also amazing that in the middle of the bush, people have mobile phones and top up places everywhere, whilst having no money for food! I wonder what their priorities are???

People talk badly about the leading tribe of the president, about the reasons for curruption, for the lack of food and poverty whilst the president drives around in 15 different luxury cars, and all the other ministers that are from his tribe seem to do the same. People do keep on saying that as long as there is no democracy there will be hunger and no way of evolving. They see what the answers are, but they have little power to do anything about it all! what a pitty that such a gorgeous place is hunted by yet another dictator...

thanks for reading
hugs
Jungaree

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Photos

The thieves of Watamu
if you come accross any of these guys, stay away from them, as they will get you into trouble with police

Watamu habitant
Some cute boy on the calm and relaxing streets of Watamu

Lamu and donkey land
a donkey gets a clean in the sea

All this beach just to myself
all 12 klm of it!

Comments

[moraa]

sounds scarey...
I was born and raised in kenya and therefore know how rampant corruption is. To stay away from it, you need to find out who to hang out with coz it sound like you hooked up with some very scary people. By now I hope you realised that they were all in it together right? Mansuri, the policemen, everyone!thanks for writing about it though. 30,000 is money in watamu, i'm sure the whole village benefited

[J M Akkerman]

Thanks for your comments
hello, I just wonder how you found my blog, but I find it interesting to read! yes indeed I realise that they were all in it, but I am sure only the two boys and the police officers benefited from it! not the rest of the village! when one knows the average wage is 8000 shillings a month! they probably will pay their deposit on their new house on that money. such is life, the problem is...one cannot avoid being gacught up by such people when arriving in a new place! its just too difficult to get rid of all of them as a tourist

[penny]

and you were doing so well!
ahh you were doing so well until that happened!! glad you were ok. been really cool reading the blog as you travel, really interesting. all the new pics are really good! hopefully see you soon. xx

[Jennifer Onyango-Anyetei]

Corruptionin Paradise
Pole sana JM...these things happen...I am an African Kenyan woman,albeit I am born and raised in Nairobi, so to the coast, I am foreign and a target for conmanship all the time. My kiswahili is Nairobian not coastal, I look well-off and that works against me....The reason u get conned easily at d coast is coz they are polite and pretend to be very well mannered almost to a point that you'd think they were unexposed....they are crafty...my countrymen, but really crafty...sorry about that.....Whatever you do at the coast, do not trust, get a good trusted tour guide...