Safari Notes

Mention the name Raila Odinga and you are met with all kinds of reactions. Some writers coined the terms 'Raila Phobia' and 'Raila Mania' to describe the sorts of reactions he gets when interacting with the public. Most of his life has been served in the public service, as a university lecturer, as a civil rights activist, and as a member of parliament. Raila was first elected as an MP for Langata constituency of Langata, Nairobi, in 1992. He has retained the seat in subsequent elections in 1997 and 2002. He has been in different parties, in Ford-Kenya, in the National Democratic Party where he started his co-operation with Moi's government and where he was appointed minister for energy. He later defected to the Liberal Democratic Party, one of the coalition partenrs of the National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) that won the 2002 general election and broke Kanu’s stranglehold on power since Independence in 1963. He was then appointed minister for roads, public works, ...

Dedan Kimathi Waciuri (truly, Kimathi wa Waciuri), Field Marshal, (October 31, 1920 – February 18, 1957) was a Kenyan rebel leader who fought against British colonization in Kenya in the 1950s. He was convicted and executed by the British colonial government. The British colonial government that ruled Kenya at the time considered him a terrorist, as did "loyalist" Kenyans who supported the British occupation and seizure of Kikuyu lands and opposed the Mau Mau Uprising. According to some sources, under his leadership, the Mau Mau killed at least two thousand Kenyan civilians. The Mau Mau rebels killed only 32 European settlers, and fewer than 200 British soldiers in the eight year uprising. The British in turn killed 20,000 Mau Mau rebels in combat, hung over 1000 suspected Mau Mau supporters, and interned more than 70,000 Kikuyu civilians for years in brutal detention camps on suspicion of providing material support for the Uprising. In her Pulitzer Prize winning book, ...

A few days ago, the most important thing on my mind was the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination results ; I was waiting for my youngest daughter's results. Though she did the examinations when she was sick, I was overjoyed and elated by what she achieved: all 'A's, and undoubtedly, one of the highest marks scored in the country, especially for a girl. Thanks to her mother most, who did all it took for her to achieve that; and to her excellent and fine teachers. Still, filled with joy with my daughter's results - the upcoming Kenyan Elections , just hours away, is what is next most important on my mind. I do hope this weekend, my other great hope and wish for Kenya, is fulfilled. I do hope my candidate for the Presidency; and the party I support, wins! Whatever the results and whoever wins, I am very proud of Kenya. Very few countries in Africa, and in the 'developing' world for that matter - can boast what Kenya has achieved: a kind of dem...

In March 2005, supermodel Liya Kebede was appointed as the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. She was given the task of advocating on behalf of WHO programmes and initiatives focused on maternal, newborn and child health. An Ethiopian fashion model – and herself a mother of two – Liya's responsibilities include raising global awareness of maternal and child health issues, and helping WHO in its campaign to improve the health of mothers and children. Her appointment took place in the run up to World Health Day 2005, the slogan for which was: Make Every Mother and Child Count. Liya has since worked to link WHO initiatives and programmes with the activities of her newly created Liya Kebede Foundation. She has also teamed up with WHO to designate funds to support maternal and newborn health initiatives through online donations which raised nearly US$12 000; to support World Health Day 2005 and Mother's Day in 2006; to launch the WHO obstetric fistula ...

The Australian Inland Taipan looks graceful and in a way, beautiful; even though, it is generally agreed by most of those who know and understand snakes, that it is a snake with the most potent venom on Earth. But, because the snake lives in very sparsely populated areas; and being rather shy and reclusive they attack very few people; case in point - worldwide, more than 40,000 people die each year from venomous snakebite. But Australia only has 2 - 3 snakebite deaths each year . For more on the Inland Taipan go to these sites: users.esc.net.au , Reptile Park , Ezine , Manbir-online , Barefoot Bushman , ABC.net , Everthing2 , National Geographic , Toxinology , answers.yahoo , Reptile Knowledge , Echeat , Featherdale , kingsnake , Wikipedia , Books , Scholar , Images Image: Reptile Knowledge

John Nettles has been a familiar face on British and International television screens for over thirty years. From his early beginnings in the UK hit comedy "The Liver Birds" (1969), he became a household name overnight playing the Jersey detective "Jim Bergerac". The series, "Bergerac" (1981), was a huge hit in Britain and was exported to many countries across the world including France, Spain and Greece, gaining him thousands of fans. His new found fame as Bergerac gave him almost film-star-like fame and fortune, not to mention thousands of female admirers! Despite "Bergerac" (1981) being mothballed in the early 1990s, the series still has a considerable fan base and lingering popularity abroad, especially in Jersey, where images of John Nettles are still used for advertising tourist attractions and other services on the island. John Nettles is a very balanced and underrated actor, happy both on-screen or on-stage. His polished Shakespere...

The Chinese crested crane is possibly the world's rarest bird and it is China's most elusive bird. Due to their eggs being poached, human encroachment and disturbance and the loss of coastal wetlands which is their main habitat, these graceful, wonderful birds are almost extinct. How many exactly are still left in the wild, is not known. More on the Crested Tern: Orient Bird Club , Clara.net , Birding Taiwan , Surfbirds , BBC , pwlf.org , China.org , Taiwan's Ecological Conservation , Facts , Bird Life , IUCN , Itsabove , WWF , Books , Scholar *Read this interesting article from the Economist

"The best measure of a government's success is the satisfaction of those who deal with it. A job in the government is not just a way of making a living; it is a means of contributing to your country." "Arabs must work together or they will all lose. They must take the initiative ... It is people who will shape the future, not machines or capital." "Quality is not merely an end. It has become a way of life." "To hold others responsible for failure is a way of escaping one's own responsibility. Responsibility is a heavy burden and a great honour at the same time. Whoever shoulders responsibility must be worthy of it." "The first duty of an official is to make his people happy and provide them with security, stability, welfare and progress." "The UAE is like a tree that has been protected by its leadership so that it will grow strong and bear fruit in abundance." "Our society has been and will remain a single st...

When we see meerkats, even on pictures or films, who is not fascinated by them? The way they stand on their rear-legs and the way they 'keep watch' while their colleagues are busy looking for food, or playing or just resting is most fascinating. They live in groups. And are social and communal. They love living underground. Meerkats can be found in many parts of southern Africa: in Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Angola. More on Meerkats: National Geographic , Animal Planet , WWF , Meerkats.com , Meerkats.net , depts.washington.edu , Kalahari Meerkats , Enchanted Learning , Wikipedia , Mongabay , Wonderclub , itech.pjc.edu , Books , Scholar , Meerkat Images , Video

"The shining star of African reggae, Lucky Dube , made his first record in 1982, a Soul Brothers imitation produced by his cousin, singer Richard Siluma. Inspired by the public reaction to Jimmy Cliff's South African tours, Siluma then encouraged Dube to try his hand at the music he really loved, reggae. In 1987, when Afropop Worldwide first visited South Africa, Dube was on the verge of super-stardom, but he seemed like a loner. At big outdoor music festivals--the only permitted venues for popular acts at the time--Dube was the one reggae singer amid a sea of South African "disco" acts and established stars like Brenda Fassie, Stimela and the Soul Brothers. Dube waved a multi-colored scarf at the crowd, and in between every song, the band dropped into the vamp from Bob Maley's "No Woman, No Cry." The act showed promise, but also a hint of insecurity in its need to embrace the icon of international reggae so pointedly. Even as we watched, Dube's wor...

Whenever travelers say that they are going to Curitiba, people always advise them to take warm clothes. This is one of the features that you can be sure about in the city, for low temperatures have already become part of the lives of the curitibanos (residents of Curitiba). However, this is not the only piece of advice that may be given to the traveler bound for Curitiba. He could be told that, along with the warm clothes, he should arrive in Curitiba with his eyes wide open to see the sights of an urban scenario where its dwellers, its environment and its urban area coexist in a harmonious, organized form. Due to this harmonious co-existence, the functioning of the city itself has become a tourist attraction. Aligning this factor to the fact that the city has an infrastructure implemented specifically for receiving tourists, Curitiba is a city that is ready to welcome tourists and can truly say: make yourselves at home.>>>> Read more from the : Official Site More on Curiti...

When some times back, at an African Union summit, Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda, declared that Climate Change is an act of aggression by the wealthier countries and that Africa should be compensated - most observers, then, simply ignored him. But, as it is now, and considering the recent predictions by the IPCC on how gravely Africa will be affected by Global Warming - Museveni had very good reasons to say what he did: Africa, the poorest continent and the least consumer, will suffer most due to Climate Change. Climate Change, which now, most scientists agree - has been in some ways, caused by the excesses and greed of the industrialised, rich world. Signs of a changing climate in Africa have already emerged: spreading disease and melting glaciers in the mountains, warming temperatures in drought-prone areas, and sea-level rise and coral bleaching along the coastlines. The panel of scientists, go as far as suggesting not only that water will become scarce, vegetative cove...

"A breakaway, semi-desert territory on the coast of the Gulf of Aden, Somaliland declared independence after the overthrow of Somali military dictator Siad Barre in 1991. The move followed a secessionist struggle during which Siad Barre's forces pursued rebel guerrillas in the territory. Tens of thousands of people were killed and towns were flattened. Though not internationally recognised, Somaliland has a working political system, government institutions, a police force and its own currency. The territory has lobbied hard to win support for its claim to be a sovereign state." The BBC "Somaliland is about the size of England and Wales and has a total area of 137,600 square km with a coastline of 850 km long. It is situated in the Horn of Africa. Somaliland is bounded by the Gulf of Aden in the north, Somalia in east, Ethiopia in the south and west and Djibouti in the northwest. The major topography features are: - The low-lying Coastal Plain known as Guban where sum...

Two days ago, thousands of events were held around the World marking the World Aids Day , but as with most campaigns, it is what happens after that matter. Campaigns are good in building awareness and in reminding people. But, then, how many do really take such campaigns seriously? How many, do act on them in a positive way? I write this, in relation to sex, AIDS and the tourist industry in Kenya. As Geographia states: Kenya is still the primary focus of all adventure travel in Africa. It is one of the finest--and undoubtedly the most famous--safari destination in the world . Having lived in Kenya for most of my life, I still find Kenya's beauty and attractions, as captivating and fascinating as I have always. Tourism is one of Kenya's main foreign exchange earners (second after agriculture), and hundreds of thousands of people depend on it - directly or indirectly. But, there is the other kind of dependency on tourists in Kenya, that I find very disturbing and painful. Kenya...