Rain in Nairobi

This morning the rain was pouring down on Nairobi’s streets. Rain completely disturbs society here. Bad roads, bad drainage are the main reasons of the streets changing into rivers. Matatus get stuck in the mud in areas where most people live, people reach their work too late. Near Kisumu a …More

Medical staff on strike. They want 600% pay rise.

The staff of kenyatta Hospital is on strike. They want a higher salary. People are dying in front of nurses who say they are not on duty. If doctors go on strike in Holland, at least somebody is taking care of the people. Will visit the hospital tomorrow, most probabely.

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More positive reporting on this beautifull continent :)

Same story as yesterday. Got up at 0500 am to put on the water heater. Had a good coffee at the Holiday Inn, it is one of the few places where you can have coffee at 0630 am. Last night I watched a French movie, Les Choristes, at the ongoing …More

African Weblog

Welcome to Arjen Westra’s Blog. Arjen is freelance Africa journalist, travelling the continent and publishing stories in Dutch and Belgium-based newspapers and magazines since 2002. On this place, you can read about his where abouts on the African continent.

Nairobi morning

Got up around 6.21 am this morning, as usual. Having strong black coffee and reading the Kenyan newspapers. They are writing about the Media Conference in Nairobi. African people blame the media for giving bad image of muslims and promoting the ‘clash of civilisations’. Rwandese president Paul Kagame is blaiming …More

Stalls destroyed.

Stalls where destroyed in the night. According to Nairobi City Council because thieves where hiding in the stalls. ‘They came at two last night’, a lady told me. ‘Soldiers of the special forces where assisting them. They carried their guns’ ‘What are they doing for me? Do they provide with …More

Travelling from Kampala to Nairobi

Travelling from Kampala to Nairobi with the late afternoonbus. A stop at the border and Ugandan streetkids, apparently full of glue or other drugs, where coming to me. Voices from the dark asking for money, food. One of those things that you don’t experience if you travel by air.

Big Issue (South Africa, Caper Town, in Dutch)

Big Issue
Kaapstad (Zuid Afrika)- Op de kruising tussen Buitengragt en de weg die naar Victoria en Albert Waterfront leidt, staat een vrouw nonchalant met een Big Issue in haar hand, de daklozenkrant die in Zuid Afrika een groot succes is. In een doek op haar rug draagt de vrouw een …More