ASIANS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF KENYA
On the third day of my stay in David Livingstone resort, I received a dinner invitation from four Indian guests. Manager Shailesh Patel formally invited me, but I was apprehensive. When I realised that two of them had settled in Kenya, while other two were their guests, I made up my mind to join them.
It was only after I met Harish Patel, I realised that the resort was being run by a Gujarati and the other person Vinod Hirani was running a tours and travel business at Nairobi. The two others were from Bhuj in Gujarat and they had just visited Patel.
Even Vinod’s was interesting story. He was born in Uganda and brought up there itself during the initial years of his child hood. Then they migrated to Kenya, but his father could not withstand the Nairobi weather. The family returned to Gujrat, but Vinod returned to Nairobi and started his travels business.
Harish is the second generation in Kenya, as his father had migrated to Nairobi way back in 1920. He also runs a property development business which is doing quite well. Born and brought up in Kenya, Patel has no intention to get back to India.
``I visit India once in three or four months. The people here are simple and humble. You just take them into confidence, they will do anything for you,’’ he says.
The Asians in Kenya are over 120-years old. They arrived in small boats through Mombasa. Mostly for laying railway lines in Africa. Among the 3,00,000 Asians here, there are nearly 80,000 Indians, who are into cross section of business. Construction is a big business, followed by hotels and tourism. But, the Asian community has made its mark in all sectors like health, retailing and what not.
Herin Bangera was my first Indian origin contact in Kenya. Though I had not seen him, he had given me the contact of Kanti Bhai and Saima, who run a travel agency. Besides, I realised that the group of Sarova hotels, where I stayed at Nairobi, was being run by a Singh. Not sure if he is a Sikh or any other Singh.
``Sir, hamara bhi thodasa chaltha hai idhar. You know, the government listens to us and respects our pleas. That is a good sign to be here. Like elsewhere, there is corruption here also. If you take care of one person, he will take care of all your problems. He will not allow other officers to harass you. I think, this is a great relief for anyone,’’ Patel points out.
There is truth in what Patel says. The streets of Nairobi are not as unsafe as portrayed. The ground reality is almost similar to any of the Indian cities. If you are caught in the wrong place, you will be robbed. If you hand over the valuables without protest, you are spared. If the culprit is a drug addict, that is your fate.
Let alone Kenya, even other countries in Africa are looking up. The civil wars are over in most of the East African countries like Rwanda and Burundi. Congo is holding peace talks with the rebels and it is also likely to resolve the problems within next couple of years. Barring Somalia, the situation is more or less stable and the countries are looking for building their nation. Though these countries are still under UN aid, they will be the countries, where big investments are going to come, especially in tapping natural resources. The economic rejuvenation seems to be in the offing in these countries – may be at the cost of ecology.
Back in Kenya, the Indian community is well settled. ``We have our own temples and nobody interferes in our affair. Yes, we do dominate the Parkland area. But, we are looked after well here. When the riot broke out during last December, special protection was extended to the Asian community settled here. None of the Asian was even hurt in the riots,’’ Patel informed.
Forty eight-year old Patel plans to spend his retired life at Mombasa, another place where Asians are in a sizeable number. Asians are also into farming in the coastal area of Kenya. Well, the third and fourth generations are taking over from their parents in Kenya and moving ahead.
09-12-2004
Nairobi
On the third day of my stay in David Livingstone resort, I received a dinner invitation from four Indian guests. Manager Shailesh Patel formally invited me, but I was apprehensive. When I realised that two of them had settled in Kenya, while other two were their guests, I made up my mind to join them.It was only after I met Harish Patel, I realised that the resort was being run by a Gujarati and the other person Vinod Hirani was running a tours and travel business at Nairobi. The two others were from Bhuj in Gujarat and they had just visited Patel.
Even Vinod’s was interesting story. He was born in Uganda and brought up there itself during the initial years of his child hood. Then they migrated to Kenya, but his father could not withstand the Nairobi weather. The family returned to Gujrat, but Vinod returned to Nairobi and started his travels business.
Harish is the second generation in Kenya, as his father had migrated to Nairobi way back in 1920. He also runs a property development business which is doing quite well. Born and brought up in Kenya, Patel has no intention to get back to India.
``I visit India once in three or four months. The people here are simple and humble. You just take them into confidence, they will do anything for you,’’ he says.
The Asians in Kenya are over 120-years old. They arrived in small boats through Mombasa. Mostly for laying railway lines in Africa. Among the 3,00,000 Asians here, there are nearly 80,000 Indians, who are into cross section of business. Construction is a big business, followed by hotels and tourism. But, the Asian community has made its mark in all sectors like health, retailing and what not.
Herin Bangera was my first Indian origin contact in Kenya. Though I had not seen him, he had given me the contact of Kanti Bhai and Saima, who run a travel agency. Besides, I realised that the group of Sarova hotels, where I stayed at Nairobi, was being run by a Singh. Not sure if he is a Sikh or any other Singh.
``Sir, hamara bhi thodasa chaltha hai idhar. You know, the government listens to us and respects our pleas. That is a good sign to be here. Like elsewhere, there is corruption here also. If you take care of one person, he will take care of all your problems. He will not allow other officers to harass you. I think, this is a great relief for anyone,’’ Patel points out.
There is truth in what Patel says. The streets of Nairobi are not as unsafe as portrayed. The ground reality is almost similar to any of the Indian cities. If you are caught in the wrong place, you will be robbed. If you hand over the valuables without protest, you are spared. If the culprit is a drug addict, that is your fate.
Let alone Kenya, even other countries in Africa are looking up. The civil wars are over in most of the East African countries like Rwanda and Burundi. Congo is holding peace talks with the rebels and it is also likely to resolve the problems within next couple of years. Barring Somalia, the situation is more or less stable and the countries are looking for building their nation. Though these countries are still under UN aid, they will be the countries, where big investments are going to come, especially in tapping natural resources. The economic rejuvenation seems to be in the offing in these countries – may be at the cost of ecology.
Back in Kenya, the Indian community is well settled. ``We have our own temples and nobody interferes in our affair. Yes, we do dominate the Parkland area. But, we are looked after well here. When the riot broke out during last December, special protection was extended to the Asian community settled here. None of the Asian was even hurt in the riots,’’ Patel informed.
Forty eight-year old Patel plans to spend his retired life at Mombasa, another place where Asians are in a sizeable number. Asians are also into farming in the coastal area of Kenya. Well, the third and fourth generations are taking over from their parents in Kenya and moving ahead.
09-12-2004
Nairobi
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