Smatta
JF-Expert Member
- Nov 5, 2008
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By Alex Kiprotich
Has it ever occurred to you that your behaviour, however polished, is not normal?
Last week brought a learning experience, which was simply puzzling.
A group of journalists, past and present David Astor winners with the trusts Executive Director Jim Meyer, met in Nairobi to sample the countrys scenic sites, and when they left their tales were uniquely Kenyan.
Their three days here included an excursion to Naivashas Hells Gate and the journalists peaked the trip by sampling Nairobis nightlife.
Ms Barbara Among from Uganda told of her bewilderment every time she ordered a bottle of beer. In all the clubs she went to waiters gave her beers in even numbers.
Current and past David Astor winners.
The journalists at an excursion in Hells Gate, Naivasha. Photo: Boniface Thuku/Standard
"It amazed me because when I ordered for a beer, the waiter brought two and at another club, the waiter brought four," she wonders.
She says this is uniquely Kenyan because in all the countries she has visited, one is served what he or she orders.
For the three days she was never served a single bottle of beer as she had ordered.
"This is done only in Kenya and I tried to find answers but I didnt get because it is so normal here and people were wondering where on earth I am from," she says.
The journalist, who works for the New Vision newspaper however, says unlike Uganda, service is faster but variety in the food menu is lacking.
"There is a lot to choose from in our country in a menu but it is limited here," she says.
The road network in Kenya she adds is very confusing and if one is not careful, he or she will end up in the wrong lane.
"I doubt if a foreigner and especially from my country can drive in Nairobi," she says.
Nevertheless, she says the city is clean and the country has many scenic sites, which people can access easily and relax. "This is a wonderful thing. The fact that the people have so many options to wind down after stressful moments is just a blessing," she says.
Her parting thoughts: "Kenyans are very open, helpful, and aggressive."
For Ms Jiang Alipo, from Tanzania, seeing Kenyans communicate in their mother tongue even in the presence of people who do not understand the language was unbearable.
"I have never witnessed this in my country. It is very rude and disrespectful yet people here are at ease," she says.
Not safe
The acting online editor of the Tanzania Standard was puzzled when one of the journalists placed his bag at the hotel lounge, as he went for lunch because she believed nothing is safe in Kenya.
"How could you? This is Nairobi, you dont leave things unattended," she told her fellow citizen Marc Nkwame.
Haruna Kanaabi, the co-ordinator of Astor awards in Uganda, says Kenyans have unparalleled marketing and entrepreneurship skills.
"They can just market even a non-existent product and people will troop to appreciate," he says. He says Kenyans know how to hype things and one would believe it is a paradise only to be disappointed later.
He says the peoples resilience and independence is what others in the East Africa should learn from.
"They do not keep quiet when oppressed, they do not easily bend to the whims of others and they can stand up to anyone," he says.
However, Kanaabi, who is also the acting executive secretary-general of the Independent Media Commission of Uganda, says Kenyans are arrogant.
Bossy and bullish
"I hate their arrogance. They want everyone to do things their own way," he says.
Nkwame, who works with the Daily News and Sunday News in Tanzania, says Kenyans are too aggressive to the point of being bullish.
"I cannot trust them, no way," he says. However, he appreciates the hardworking nature of Kenyans.
"Tanzanians dramatise things and dont work but Kenyans really work hard," he says.
He adds: "If you give a Kenyan work to do rest assured he will but a Tanzanian will promise to do to the point of graphically showing you how he will do, but it will not be done."
Mr Raymond Baguma, who works with the New Vision of Uganda, says Nairobi is the ideal place and anyone who can cope with the citys life can work anywhere in the world.
He says the city is where the West meets Africa.
"It is a lovely place, it is cleaner and a regional hub. It is bigger than most of our cities," he says. But reports of crime, he says, make people uncomfortable.
"I cannot dare venture into the city at night because of its reputation for crime," he says.
Baguma, however, blames Kenyans for soiling their own name yet they have a beautiful country and citizens of other countries, especially in East Africa, would wish to work here.
"Kenyans are very hospitable but again they are arrogant. It pisses others off," he says.
On allegations that Ugandan soldiers might have been deployed to some parts of the country during the height of post-election violence, one journalist quipped, "Ugandan soldiers are everywhere and it was just a normal thing getting to new grounds."
High-level journalism
And about the media, the journalists were unanimous content, design and layouts were of high quality, comparable to none in the region and continent.
Others in the group were Kenyan past winners Mr Murithi Mutiga and Ms Jillo Kadida, Mr Tabu Butagira from Uganda and Mr Erick Kabendera from Tanzania.
But even with the prejudice, which Kenyans can rattle off good-naturedly, it confirms that the country is indeed envied and looked up to by their neighbours. David Astor award, with headquarters in Britain, recognises nascent talent in journalism.
The Standard | Online Edition :: To outsiders, Kenyans are extremely arrogant
Has it ever occurred to you that your behaviour, however polished, is not normal?
Last week brought a learning experience, which was simply puzzling.
A group of journalists, past and present David Astor winners with the trusts Executive Director Jim Meyer, met in Nairobi to sample the countrys scenic sites, and when they left their tales were uniquely Kenyan.
Their three days here included an excursion to Naivashas Hells Gate and the journalists peaked the trip by sampling Nairobis nightlife.
Ms Barbara Among from Uganda told of her bewilderment every time she ordered a bottle of beer. In all the clubs she went to waiters gave her beers in even numbers.
"It amazed me because when I ordered for a beer, the waiter brought two and at another club, the waiter brought four," she wonders.
She says this is uniquely Kenyan because in all the countries she has visited, one is served what he or she orders.
For the three days she was never served a single bottle of beer as she had ordered.
"This is done only in Kenya and I tried to find answers but I didnt get because it is so normal here and people were wondering where on earth I am from," she says.
The journalist, who works for the New Vision newspaper however, says unlike Uganda, service is faster but variety in the food menu is lacking.
"There is a lot to choose from in our country in a menu but it is limited here," she says.
The road network in Kenya she adds is very confusing and if one is not careful, he or she will end up in the wrong lane.
"I doubt if a foreigner and especially from my country can drive in Nairobi," she says.
Nevertheless, she says the city is clean and the country has many scenic sites, which people can access easily and relax. "This is a wonderful thing. The fact that the people have so many options to wind down after stressful moments is just a blessing," she says.
Her parting thoughts: "Kenyans are very open, helpful, and aggressive."
For Ms Jiang Alipo, from Tanzania, seeing Kenyans communicate in their mother tongue even in the presence of people who do not understand the language was unbearable.
"I have never witnessed this in my country. It is very rude and disrespectful yet people here are at ease," she says.
Not safe
The acting online editor of the Tanzania Standard was puzzled when one of the journalists placed his bag at the hotel lounge, as he went for lunch because she believed nothing is safe in Kenya.
"How could you? This is Nairobi, you dont leave things unattended," she told her fellow citizen Marc Nkwame.
Haruna Kanaabi, the co-ordinator of Astor awards in Uganda, says Kenyans have unparalleled marketing and entrepreneurship skills.
"They can just market even a non-existent product and people will troop to appreciate," he says. He says Kenyans know how to hype things and one would believe it is a paradise only to be disappointed later.
He says the peoples resilience and independence is what others in the East Africa should learn from.
"They do not keep quiet when oppressed, they do not easily bend to the whims of others and they can stand up to anyone," he says.
However, Kanaabi, who is also the acting executive secretary-general of the Independent Media Commission of Uganda, says Kenyans are arrogant.
Bossy and bullish
"I hate their arrogance. They want everyone to do things their own way," he says.
Nkwame, who works with the Daily News and Sunday News in Tanzania, says Kenyans are too aggressive to the point of being bullish.
"I cannot trust them, no way," he says. However, he appreciates the hardworking nature of Kenyans.
"Tanzanians dramatise things and dont work but Kenyans really work hard," he says.
He adds: "If you give a Kenyan work to do rest assured he will but a Tanzanian will promise to do to the point of graphically showing you how he will do, but it will not be done."
Mr Raymond Baguma, who works with the New Vision of Uganda, says Nairobi is the ideal place and anyone who can cope with the citys life can work anywhere in the world.
He says the city is where the West meets Africa.
"It is a lovely place, it is cleaner and a regional hub. It is bigger than most of our cities," he says. But reports of crime, he says, make people uncomfortable.
"I cannot dare venture into the city at night because of its reputation for crime," he says.
Baguma, however, blames Kenyans for soiling their own name yet they have a beautiful country and citizens of other countries, especially in East Africa, would wish to work here.
"Kenyans are very hospitable but again they are arrogant. It pisses others off," he says.
On allegations that Ugandan soldiers might have been deployed to some parts of the country during the height of post-election violence, one journalist quipped, "Ugandan soldiers are everywhere and it was just a normal thing getting to new grounds."
High-level journalism
And about the media, the journalists were unanimous content, design and layouts were of high quality, comparable to none in the region and continent.
Others in the group were Kenyan past winners Mr Murithi Mutiga and Ms Jillo Kadida, Mr Tabu Butagira from Uganda and Mr Erick Kabendera from Tanzania.
But even with the prejudice, which Kenyans can rattle off good-naturedly, it confirms that the country is indeed envied and looked up to by their neighbours. David Astor award, with headquarters in Britain, recognises nascent talent in journalism.
The Standard | Online Edition :: To outsiders, Kenyans are extremely arrogant
