October - 2019

ENJOY YOUR FLIGHT / 5
“So, if you want to travel
to the US, now is a great
time to do so”
Photo: Mir Lenz/@nycafterdark
➔
Kenya Airways’ World
Travel Awards
• Winner Africa’s Leading Airline:
2016, 2017
• Winner Africa’s Leading Airline,
Business Class: 2013, 2014, 2015,
2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
• Winner Africa’s Leading Airline,
Economy Class: 2011, 2018, 2019
Dear guests,
This month marks the first anniversary
of our Nairobi to New York route,
which became a major milestone for
Kenya Airways when our non-stop,
long-haul service departed from
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
to touch down at John F. Kennedy
International Airport. Thanks to our
recent code share agreement with Delta
Airlines, we’ve added efficient onward
connections – from New York City to
various domestic airports – to this great
service. So, if you want to travel to the
US, now is a great time to do so.
Although many people travel to New
York during summer, autumn is arguably
the best time to visit. The high
temperatures have given way to cooler
weather, beautiful autumn foliage
adorns the city’s many parks, and key
annual events such as Archtober – a
monthlong architecture and design
festival – take place. Don’t miss our
travel story, which gives you the lowdown
on the Big Apple at this time of
the year.
Sustainability is a key theme at Kenya
Airways, and we’re proud to publish a
report on solar-powered innovations
that are boosting local economies
and saving lives in rural Sub-Saharan
Africa. In a Ugandan hospital, for
example, a solar-powered oxygen
concentrator is providing a steady,
round-the-clock supply of oxygen,
which is an essential, lifesaving resource.
And in Kenya, solar power is being
used to modernise the agricultural sector
by reducing the cost and increasing
the output of irrigation systems.
Sustainability is also the theme of our
people story this month. We profile
leading conservationists who are
battling to protect Africa’s wildlife
and parks. For instance, Thandiwe
Mweetwa, who works for the Zambian
Carnivore Programme, engages with local
communities about human-animal
conflicts, while running a programme
to educate young people about conservation.
Read all about her story and
more in this month’s issue of Msafiri.
Thank you for choosing Kenya
Airways, I wish you an enjoyable flight,
Sebastian Mikosz,
Group Managing Director and
CEO Kenya Airways
Image: Jeroen van Loon

CONTENTS / 7
Travel & Nature
10 Worthy of Its Salt
Lake Assal in Djibouti
18 Travel Essentials
Packing for New York
20 Adventure Capital
Jinja in Uganda
47 Table Mountain
Travel tips
48 Falling for New York
Autumn in the Big Apple
54
48
Arts & Culture
13 Habari
Kenya & the world
30 Book Review
How To Speak Human
32 Natural Heroes
Leading conservationists
54 The Fabric of Society
The Maasai shuka
Publisher Kenya Airways | Director of Communications and Public Affairs Dennis Kashero Head of Content Development Rehema Kahurananga Corporate Communications Executive
Mercy Agnes Mwamba Advertising MediaEdge Interactive Ltd. | Managing Director Esther Ngomeli Head of Media Rose Kagori Concept, Content & Production Hearst Create | CEO Hearst
Netherlands Luc van Os | Director Hearst Create Lieneke van den Heuvel | Content Director Irene Bauer Senior Designer Gaby Walther Subeditor Ben Clark Client Service Director
Erik-Jan Sanders Proofreader Julia Gorodecky Photo Editor Monique Kolmeijer Design Concept Sabine Verschueren Production Manager Hans Koedijker Contributors Yvette Bax, Hanae
Benjnouh, Jackson Biko, Mirjam Bleeker, Andrea Dijkstra, Emma van Egmond, Nicole Franzen, Ester Gebuis, Shalini Gidoomal, Annemarie Hoeve, Sarah Khan, Sioe Sin Khoe, Richard Koek,
Nikolas Koenig, Annette Lavrijsen, Mir Lenz, Dewi Leming, Jeroen van Loon, Liz Ng’ang’a, Gijsje Ribbens, Kristel Steenbergen, The Life Traveller, Eva de Vries, Wendy Watta, Chantal van
Wessel/Vizualism, Hanna Wieslander Lithography Ready4Print Printer Walstead CE, Kraków, Poland

8 / CONTENTS
Fly Guide
61 Highlights
Inflight entertainment guide
71 Safari Njema
News & service
77 Flying Blue News
79 SkyTeam News
80 Route Maps
85 Cargo
86 Get Comfortable
20
Business
44
31 Aircraft Facts
The fuselage
38 Solar System
Solar-powered solutions
42 DRC
At a glance
44 Going Bananas
Is the banana going extinct?
Contact details Kenya Airways Communications & Public Affairs, Nairobi, Kenya, +254 20 642 2000, msafiri@kenya-airways.com Website kenya-airways.com, msafiri-magazine.com
Facebook Kenya Airways Twitter @KenyaAirways Instagram @officialkenyaairways Mediaedge Interactive Ltd. Nairobi, Kenya, +254 20 420 5000 / +254 723 140187 / +254 734
271488, msafiri@mediaedgeke.comHearst Magazines Netherlands BV, Moermanskkade 500, 1013 BC Amsterdam, the Netherlands +31 20 5353942, Website hearstcreate.nl.
No part of the contents may be reproduced without prior written permission. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy in preparing the magazine, Hearst and Kenya Airways assume no
responsibility for mistakes and effects arising therefrom. The publisher has made every effort to arrange copyright in according with existing legislation. Msafiri is available on all KQ flights
and at select hotels and businesses in Nairobi. A digital copy is available for free at kenya-airways.com.

10 / NATURE / Views
NATURE / 11
Worthy of
Its Salt
While bathing in the
Dead Sea is on almost
every bucket list,
there’s a superior
option out there: the
lesser-known LAKE
ASSAL in Djibouti.
text Emma van Egmond
AT FIRST, Lake Assal appears to
be a tropical expanse of azure water
surrounded by dazzling white sand. But
as you get closer, you discover that the
crater lake is enclosed by crispy salt.
Due to high evaporation and no
outflow, salt levels in the lake’s waters
are very high. A salinity of 34.8 percent
– nearly ten times that of ocean water –
makes Lake Assal one of the most saline
bodies of water in the world, outranking
even the Dead Sea. If you step foot in
the lake, you’ll feel your body become
very buoyant, so get ready to float! But
beware: although floating in Lake Assal
is a one-of-a-kind experience, it’s not
suitable for the faint-hearted. The area
is notorious for being one of the hottest
places on Earth, with temperatures
ranging from 34°C in winter to 52°C in
summer.
If floating in salty water isn’t your
thing, you can walk along the trail next
to the lake, which leads to the top of
Ardoukoba, a fissure vents volcano that
has only erupted once (in 1978), and
was dormant for 3,000 years before that.
The views up there are breathtaking.
Only two hours by car from the
capital, Djibouti City, this spectacular
and unique natural phenomenon is also
an incredible salt reserve that serves as
an important source of income for the
local population.
Kenya Airways operates direct flights to Djibouti-
Ambouli International Airport from Nairobi’s
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Alamy

120
Kenya is home to the
fastest land animal,
the cheetah, which
has achieved speeds
of up to 120 km per
hour.
Habari
HABARI / 13
The rock-hewn churches
of Lalibela in Ethiopia
were not constructed
from the ground up, they
were chiseled out of
volcanic rock.
Cultural identity
Dialogue
through Art
Namibian creative photographer
Merja Iileka, alias Tuva Wolf,
specialises in conceptual fashion
photography. Her primary
mission, as she sees it, is to
empower other creatives and
use visual platforms to provoke
discussions: “The idea is to get
to the centre of who we are as
a people and to discover ways
of celebrating our existence
as Africans.” Tuva’s work has
appeared in art galleries,
on billboards, and in online
magazines and newspapers.
~ Instagram: @tuvawolf

14 / HABARI
HABARI / 15
Madagascar was only colonised
by human settlers around
AD500, approx. 300,000 years
after the first appearance of
homo sapiens in Africa.
Nairobi
The bare-legged Scops Owl,
or Syer, is one of the rare
species of birds that can be
found in the Seychelles.
During the Great Migration, more
than 1.5 million wildebeest, zebra
and gazelle make their way through
the grasslands of Tanzania and
Kenya in search of pasture.
Body & Soul
The average outside
temperature during
a flight is -54˚C.
Hot spot
Blue Door
They say the concept – high ceilings, rustic feel, small submarine-like
windows, open spaces, rivets on steel – is inspired by
a train, but it looks more like the Titanic. It’s the hottest thing
in town, and it has a large beer garden. It also has an upstairs
VIP bottle-service section featuring deep leather seats, a sexy
bar and large windows overlooking the Westlands metropolis.
It’s a large chic space designed to impress, but also to serve.
~ thegoodearthgroup.com/blue-door
Treat yourself
Refinery Grooming
Every man wants to look good: get a haircut, maybe do his nails.
A facial, even. Why not? Definitely a massage. Thanks to Refinery
Grooming, he can do so in a manly cave with solid colours and
impeccable service. Better still, he will find a TV remote control
nearby, along with a glass of bourbon.
~ refinerygrooming.com
xxx
New
Herbs &
Spices
Restaurant
Nairobi Serena has been doing
some amazing makeovers;
knocking down walls and
creating a modern hotel with
some vitality for these modern
times. They recently launched
a new Pan-Asian restaurant
called Herbs & Spices on their
ground floor. It’s in a lovely
courtyard of sorts featuring
natural colour palettes and a
rustic wooden finish. Go there
to eat and relax.
~ serenahotels.com
Co-working space
Pallet Cafe
It’s opposite Lavington Mall
and it’s a space for people who
just want a place for a day or a
month to get some work done
without worrying about the
headaches that come with a
temporary office. The trick is
that it’s cheap: as low as
US$10 a day. For that you get
a chair, a desk, wifi, and silence
as it’s under trees and in a
garden. You can also have
great meals here, and they’re
planning to start showing films
from a big projector soon.
~ palletcafe.co.ke
If you’re
filled with pride,
you won’t
have room for
wisdom
– African proverb –
Nairobi page text: Jackson Biko
Habari text: Eva de Vries
MauriceAscani Jetline Action Photo
Marathon
Run for Your Life
This year, the Soweto Marathon, also
known as the “People’s Race”, will be
run for the 26th time, inviting sports
enthusiasts from South Africa and
beyond to participate in the 42.2-km,
21.1-km or 10-km races. This spectacular
event will take place on 3 November
in the vibrant, historical township of
Soweto, just outside the centre of
Johannesburg.
~ sowetomarathon.com
Design
Prints Charming
Primrose Chimhanda,
a designer who’s based in
Cape Town, specialises in
the creation of eco-friendly
textiles and homewares,
featuring her unique prints.
~ primrosecharmz.com
Niger-based architecture studio Atelier Masomi develops innovative
solutions tailored to the needs of communities, while exploring new ways
to adapt local techniques. The new Dandaji Market in rural Niger, for
example, was designed to provide the inhabitants with a larger, more
permanent market. In this case, individual shading structures compensate
for the difficulty in growing trees in such a dry, desert climate.
~ ateliermasomi.com
Human solutions
Tradition Meets Innovation
Q&A
Mzukisi
Mbane
After deciding that accountancy was not
his thing, South African self-taught fashion
designer Mzukisi Mbane followed his passion
and launched lifestyle brand Imprint.
Msafiri chats with him about his work.
You have a degree in accounting. Why did you become
a fashion designer?
I always say fashion chose me. Following my
accounting studies, I decided to take a gap year to
find out what I really wanted to do. I started to
play with my mum’s old sewing machine and that’s
how it started. It’s in my blood, though. My mum
used to sew and so did my grandmother. I think I
was born with the skill.
Tell us about your designs.
My designs are always about pushing boundaries.
I love to work with an afrofuturistic aesthetic and I
want to tell the African story. My dream is to build
a brand that will survive on its own in places I
never knew it would go. I want African fashion to
not only be a trend, but also be the everyday norm.
What is your advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs?
Before you start, try and understand who you truly
are. You need to know exactly what you want to
communicate with your designs or other products.
An authentic brand identity goes a long way!
~ imprintza.co.za

16 / HABARI
HABARI / 17
Some species of the Baobab
tree can live for 1,000 years or
longer. The oldest one, found in
South Africa, is believed to be
6,000 years old.
Column
Uganda has 6.8
percent of the
world’s butterfly
species.
Mount Karisimbi, an inactive
volcano in the Virunga Mountains,
is the highest mountain in Rwanda,
rising to a height of 4,507 m above
sea level.
Arts & Culture
Kenya’s Lamu island,
located off the east coast,
is car-free.
Room with a view
Nesting in The Wild
Built alongside a river full of wildlife, the Nay Palad Bird Nest
offers guests the chance to nest and sleep like a bird, with a
360-degree, bird’s eye view of the surrounding wilderness. You
can enjoy a magical sunset, a picnic-style dinner and then fall
asleep under the stars. You’ll wake up the next morning to the
magical sounds of elephants playing on the pristine river
banks.
~ segera.com/nay-palad-bird-nest
I’m writing this from a holiday spot in Mombasa. (Sand,
palm trees, etc.) Before I came up to the room to write this
piece, my daughter – who was lying on the lounger next to me
by the pool, face engulfed by smartphone – asked suspiciously,
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to write,” I said, a little too defensively for an
industrious father.
“You’re always writing,” she replied, still hidden by her
phone. I wanted to say, “That’s because you guys are always
eating.” But, I didn’t because I’m told that everything you say
to a child will somehow grow like bacteria and manifest in their
teenage years in whatever form. One thing I’ve learnt about
children – mine and the ones at this resort – is that they’re
always eating. Hordes of waiters are constantly balancing
platefuls of food and drinks – the pool area looking like an
international flight path during high season – that are promptly
devoured by these children. “Papa, can we have chips; Papa,
what time is lunch; Papa do they sell pizza here?” they will ask.
And, they will exclaim “Papa, I’m hungry!” ad infinitum.
The age gap between my children doesn’t help: my daughter
is 11 and my son is 5. The government tells us to stagger the
birth of our children wisely, and I can tell you that 11 and 5 is a
bad idea. This is because it’s like raising a wolf and a sparrow
in the same home. The girl is a preteen, so she’s already keeping
secrets and she acts like she doesn’t belong on Earth. The boy,
on the other hand, can’t stay still, and he can’t stop talking
either. Plus, I have to wipe his bum whenever he goes for a
number two. There should be a support group for anybody
who wipes their child’s bum twice a day for more than five days
because, at this frequency, the effect on one’s psyche is profound;
I’m starting to think that my son performs this biological function
to punish me for something I’ve done. He picks the most
inconsiderate times, such as when I’m by the pool, deep into my
book, and to top it off, he stands in my sun while breaking the
news. “Number one or number two?” I’ll say, squinting up at
him in fear. He’ll hold up his two fingers, of course. I’ll toss the
Jackson Biko
Rarely Number One
Kindle aside in a display of disgust. For anyone else, this hand
gesture means peace, but for me it means “violence”.
The other problem with children who are separated by a
large age gap is their differing desires: they never want the same
things. When my son wants to swim, my daughter wants to walk
barefoot on the beach. Nobody cares what I want to do, or even
if I’m hungry. I envy my friends who I’m here with. They have
two sons, aged 12 and 10, which means they run off to do things
together and their dad just lies there with his eyes closed. They
could get on a dhow and sail to India, and he would only notice
days later when we’re checking out. His wife cares even less. She
lies under a parasol, occasionally hydrating through a straw.
“‘Number one or number
two?’ I’ll say, squinting
up at him in fear”
Mind you, while they’re on holiday here, it’s his turn to mind the
kids. You’d imagine that my daughter and his son, who are in
the same age group, would get along, right? Nope. She regards
him like she regards my dress sense: with disdain.
I have two more days to go and quite honestly, I’m ready
to cut this holiday short and go back to Nairobi. I’m tired, I
look miserable, my nose is peeling and my phone has just
vibrated with a message. It’s probably the 11-year-old. She
probably wants something to eat. Or, perhaps it’s her brother
who wants me to wipe his bum. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I
have to go be a dad.
Illustration: Hannah Wieslander
Festival
Afro-Latin
Dance
On the western side of the
continent is the amazing
Nigeria Afro-Latin Music &
Dance Festival (14 to 17 November).
The event will offer
cultural exchange, workshops
and dance performances from
Nigeria, Togo, Kenya, Ghana,
Benin, Spain and the UK.
~ afrolatinfestivals.com
©Hufton+Crow
Museum
African Showcase
The Zeitz Museum of
Contemporary Art Africa in
Cape Town deserves a visit
not only for its beautiful and
important collection of art
from Africa and its diaspora,
but also for the amazing
design of the museum itself.
Currently on show is “Why
Should I Hesitate: Putting
Drawings to Work”: a broad
survey of South African
artist William Kentridge’s
work, covering over 40 years
of his artistic output in
drawings, stop-frame
animation, video, prints,
sculpture and large-scale
installations.
~ zeitzmocaa.museum
Fashion
Top Hats
Marketing their headwear as
“modern gentlemen’s attire”,
Askfashionista is a brand that
every gentleman hat-lover
should get to know. This
beautiful Nigerian fashion
line offers fantastic hats in all
colours and sizes.
~ Instagram: @askfashionista
Design
Mash.T Design Studio x Houtlander
A collaboration between award-winning South African
designers Thabisa Mjo – of Mash.T Design Studio – and Phillip
Hollander and Stephen Wilson – of Houtlander – has resulted
in the stunning “Hlabisa Bench”. With a shape inspired by a
three-legged pot that Thabisa saw her grandmother using at her
house in KwaZulu-Natal, the designers enlisted local master
weavers to create the bench’s basketweave.

18 / TRAVEL / Essentials
The Village Halloween Parade
takes place in New York’s
Greenwich Village on 31 October.
Packing for New York
Archtober, which happens during
October ever year, is New York’s
architecture and design event.
Stay chic and hands-free with this convertable leather
waist bag. Kate Spade, US$225.
This stylish hybrid smartwatch
tracks your heart rate 24/7,
counts your steps and monitors
your wellness. It even counts your
calories. Vivomove HR, Garmin,
US$350.
A visit to New York isn’t complete
without a night on the town – make
sure you include a great evening dress
on your packing list. See by Chloé via
Mytheresa, US$415.
This New York
menswear brand
makes stylish basics,
such as these perfect
socks. Saturdays
NYC, US$15.
The best carry-on
luggage in the world now
comes in Big Apple Red.
Rimowa, US$700.
Fight jetlag with a
deep-cleansing,
detox face mask.
(MALIN+GOETZ),
US$46.
When you’re in an analogue mood, capture
your New York adventures instantly with this
cool mint instant camera. Leica, US$299.
Men’s slim-fit
trench coat
in a woolblend
twill.
Hugo Boss,
US$445.
Indie magazine
Cereal makes
classy, curated
city guides in
its signature
minimalist
style. Abrams
Image, US$25.
Selection: Gijsje Ribbens

20 / TRAVEL / Uganda
TRAVEL / 21
ADVENTURE
CAPITAL
Located on the shores of Lake Victoria in
southern Uganda, and featuring a wide range of
outdoor activities such as whitewater rafting,
JINJA is a paradise for thrill-seekers.
text Wendy Watta
Wendy Watta

22 / TRAVEL / Uganda
TRAVEL / 23
AS I hold on to the boda boda driver for dear life, we fly
past the historic Jinja Clock Tower at a terrific speed; the
wheels of this motorbike taxi barely grazing the tarmac. Per
my instruction, the driver is taking me to a spot where I can
register for a local SIM card, and he seems to have taken to it
with the seriousness of someone taking a woman in labour to
the hospital. Despite becoming an official city as of this year,
Jinja is still very much a replica of other small towns across
East Africa. The bustling Main Street is hugged by small,
tightly packed shops whose brightly coloured walls seem to
always be advertising one thing or the other: deep yellow for a
telecom company, green for a curry powder that promises
vitality, the most vibrant of pinks for Baba Tembo’s electrical
shop, and so on.
“What do you mean I have to pay for a daily ‘OTT tax’ in
order to access social media?” I ask the lady who’s now helping
me to register for a SIM card. She looks at me indifferently,
possibly tired of having this very conversation with first-time
visitors to Uganda.
Back on the boda boda, we skirt across the Jinja bridge, past
scenic banana and maize farms that neatly line up like bridal
parties posing for wedding photos. Bananas are everywhere:
heaped on the back of a bicycle; seductively spread out on
roadside sacks tempting possible buyers; carried on the head of
a graceful woman; and my favourite, grilled with a dash of salt
and then hawked to hungry passersby.
Said to be the very source of the Nile (the longest river
in Africa and arguably the world), Jinja has incredible views,
world-class rapids, and promises a world of adventure for
the keen thrill-seeker. It’s also ideal for those on a budget
because food, outdoor activities, transport and entertainment
are relatively cheap here. Furthermore, the community of
adventure enthusiasts is small and welcoming, which is great
for solo travellers. Having only five days to spare, I arrive as a
visitor but leave with lifelong friends.
WHITEWATER RAFTING
As far as names go, it doesn’t get more intimidating than
the Class V rapids called “The Washing Machine”, but Jinja
has rapids that range up to Class VI, which is for seasoned
pros. As beginners, after we’re taken through some safety
instructions followed by a brief practical session out on the
water, some of our apprehension gives way to excitement,
which continues to build as the seven of us – in our brightblue
raft – start to paddle in a near-perfect synchrony. Shortly
after, we come to our very first, raging Class III rapids.
When I find out that they’re called Bubugo (condolences),
my apprehension returns. There’s no time to second-guess
things, however, as the majority of the group quickly vote that
we navigate it from its very centre, which increases our chances
of flipping over by about 90 percent. With feigned gusto, >
“As far as names go, it doesn’t get more
intimidating than the Class V rapids called
‘The Washing Machine’”
Where to stay
Lemala Wildwaters Lodge
A high-end lodge nestled in a
rainforest and surrounded by
rapids, right in the middle of the
Nile. lemalacamp.com
The Haven Eco River Lodge
Uganda
Serene, with stunning views.
Cottages are mid-range, but
consider camping for even
cheaper rates.
thehaven-uganda.com
The Nile Porch River Lodge
Has semi-permanent tents
raised on cliffs overlooking the
Nile. Accommodation available
for different budgets.
nileporch.com
Explorers River Camp
Has affordable camps, dorms
and rooms. Always lively. Great
for meeting other adventurers
from around the world.
raftafrica.com
Above: Whitewater
rafting on the Nile
(top); The Nile Porch
River Lodge (bottom
left); Grey Crowned
Crane (bottom right).
Right page: A school
bus takes a break
from the sun at the
Kakira Sugar Factory
in Jinja (top); View
from the pool at
Lemala Wildwaters
Lodge (bottom
left); Lake Victoria
(bottom right).
Wendy Watta, Hanae Benjnouh, Stocksy, Robert Harding

24 / TRAVEL / Uganda
TRAVEL / 25
Jinja railway
station
“Jinja is still very much a
replica of other small towns
across East Africa”
Alamy
Hanae Benjnouh
Boats at the
source of the
Nile River.

26 / TRAVEL / Uganda
TRAVEL / 27
Left page: A young boy
carries water on his
oversized bike through the
Itanda Falls area (top); Lake
Victoria at dawn (bottom
left); People working at a tea
estate (bottom right).
Right: Bungee
jumping at Lemala
Wildwaters Lodge.
Wendy Watta, Hanae Benjnouh, Shutterstock
we paddle right for Bubugo. Before I’m hurled out of the raft,
it feels like I’m tumbling over the edge of the Earth, which is as
unsettling as it is thrilling. The whitewater rages above me but
my life jacket pushes me up to the surface; and as I splutter for
air, I realise that I’m trapped under the raft. Remembering the
practical session, I manoeuvre my way from underneath and
swim to the safety boat, which had been following our raft all
along. It’s only later, while we’re bumping fists and hooting
into the air as the adrenaline kicks in, that I realise I would
probably do it all over again.
QUAD BIKING
My guide Henry helps me gear up in overalls, goggles, a
scarf and a helmet. Riding a quad bike is easy to master, and
after a short practice session, we set off for Kyabirwa Village.
Henry goes first along what was once Bujagali Falls. When the
Ugandan government dammed the river in 2011 for a hydroelectric
project, six rapids were buried under a giant reservoir,
and the loss is palpable. Now, the Nile silently snakes along the
periphery of the village, between a sprawling mass of trees and
shrubs, its beauty domineering.
We charge full-throttle towards simple mud homes. Bare
doorways are covered by thin, brightly coloured curtains billowing
gently in the breeze. At first, it’s hard to imagine that a
place as charming as this would be without inhabitants, but as
we roll on, I spot them lounging in the shade outside their
houses seeking respite from the mid-afternoon heat. The kids
run to the roads in numbers to wave and say hello. We also
come across stubborn goats that refuse to budge when we
meet along the road, so we’re the ones moving out of the way.
As I switch gears to charge uphill through a road lined
with surprisingly green farms, it’s thrilling to feel that power
underneath my hands. We get to a secluded riverbank where
some villagers are bathing, washing clothes, swimming, fetching
water in yellow jerrycans or tending to their fishing nets,
all within about five metres of each other. This is not only an
exciting activity, it’s also a great way to gain insight into the
daily lives of the locals.
KAYAKING
It’s day three and it’s time for kayaking. From solo to tandem,
and whitewater kayaking, there’s something for everyone.
I settle for a one-hour session gently paddling out on the calm,
flat water while checking out the birdlife. My guide and I both
get on solo sit-on-top kayaks after which he shows me a few
basics, such as how to hold the paddle and move in different
directions, and then we set off.
The scenery surrounding the Nile gets me every time. It’s
spectacular, and it’s not long before we start spotting an array
of freshwater birds such as the cormorant, various herons and
egrets, and my favourite: kingfishers. My guide points >
“It’s only later, while we’re bumping fists and
hooting into the air as the adrenaline kicks in, that
I realise I would probably do it all over again”
Don’t miss…
Jinja is a great place for horse riding and bungee
jumping, but at the time of my visit, the latter was
unfortunately on hold as the company was moving to a
new site. For the best rates, book activities directly with
one of the various adventure companies in town.
Essentials
• Scarf to tie around your head to cover your nose,
especially if you intend to use a boda boda or quad
bike. Parts of Jinja can be really dusty.
• Mosquito repellent, although most hotels have nets.
• Sunscreen and a hat, as temperatures can be high.
• Water bottle, as some companies will not allow you to
bring single-use plastics to the river.
• Binoculars, for bird-watching even over lunch at a
restaurant.
• Waterproof case for your phone and camera, but most
rafting companies will have one main one on board.
• Swimsuit: don’t miss out on a dip in the Nile.
• High-performance clothing is ideal for cycling and
watersports.

28 / TRAVEL / Uganda
TRAVEL / 29
Left: A stall-holder
organises her vegetable
stand at the Jinja
market (top); SUP
boarding out on the
water (bottom left);
Quad biking throuh a
farm (bottom right).
them all out as he tells me about some of the efforts being
made to involve the local community in beekeeping as a business,
as opposed to cutting and selling riverine trees that are
vital for the ecosystem here. He even tells me about two
friends who followed the Nile from its source in Jinja to
Egypt on a four-month kayaking and rafting trip.
“Riding a quad bike is easy to master,
and after a short practice session, we set off
for Kyabirwa Village”
Where to eat
The Black Lantern Restaurant
Striking view and serene location.
Popular for their pork ribs and
excellent mojitos. nileporch.com
Igar Cafe
Very affordable. Pop in for lunch for
some local food served buffet-style.
igarplazahotel.com
The Source Cafe
Grab an iced coffee and some fresh
pastries before you head off for the
day. source.co.ug
Moti Mahal
Try the “tahil”, a delicious spicy
curry with unlimited naan, daal and
rice. Good spot for vegetarians too.
CYCLING
There are many routes and options to consider, but cycling
to Mabira Forest just outside Jinja, and then heading to the
surrounding tea estate, is arguably the best. Indigenous trees
stand on long, lean trunks, branches converging at the top to
provide much-needed shade, without which the climb would be
much more arduous. Rolling through the rainforest, we spot
barefoot kids balancing heavy bundles of firewood on their
heads, and I learn that while the surrounding community is not
allowed to cut trees, they can pick fallen branches.
Although the first kilometre is laid-back, thereafter it is
anything but. The route has steep climbs and fast descents, all
lined up in quick succession. The thick foliage gives way to a
well-manicured tea estate after 7 km. It stretches into the gentle
hillside as far as the eye can see and is dotted with tea pickers
who are dexterously plucking the delicate leaves by hand
(or using handmade devices), and then throwing them into
large sisal baskets, which they carry on their backs.
As we cycle past a residential area, the smell of brewing tea
wafts towards me, and I’m reminded just how hungry I am.
When we get back to the main road after covering 16 km in 2.5
hours, it’s time for a classic Ugandan snack. To some, a “rolex”
might be a beloved luxury watch, but here it’s a spanish-style
omelette placed inside a chapati and rolled to create the most
delicious thing I tasted in Uganda.
SUP HAMMOCK
We decide to wind down with something relaxing and hire
stand-up paddle boards (SUPs). After pottering about the
river for all of 30 minutes, we decide to hire a SUP hammock
instead. It’s a thing of wonder: three SUPs rigged together
with two hammocks tied to either end. We get comfortable,
and a guide on a kayak gently pulls us along. Time spools out.
I barely even lift my head to look at the otters swimming past.
The sun starts to set. Our gin and tonics are instinctively
topped up. If ever an activity deserved to be called blissful,
it would be this.
“He even tells me about
two friends who followed the
Nile from its source in Jinja
to Egypt”
Jinja Sailing Club
Set along Lake Victoria and can
be a good base for boat cruises.
Good Indian and continental food.
jinjasailingclub.com
➔
Plan your trip
Book your flight to Uganda
on kenya-airways.com
Wendy Watta, Hanae Benjnouh, Stocksy
The sun rises over
Lake Victoria.

30 / BUSINESS / Book review
TRAVEL / 31
The word fuselage comes from
the Latin fũsus, or “spindle”, which
describes the central tube-shaped part
of an aircraft.
The Fuselage
The first aircraft had an open structure
with a wooden fuselage. Nowadays, the
fuselage is made of metal or another
strong material.
“Attention is more
difficult to capture
than ever before”
How to Speak Human:
A practical guide
to getting the best
from the humans
you work with
Authors
Dougal and Jen Jackson
Want to connect with your workforce?
Speak human! It’s harder than you’d
think. The good news? It’s a language you
can learn with How to Speak Human.
Check out the book’s top tips.
The fuselage is
hollow to reduce
weight.
Publisher
Wiley
Bio
Dougal and Jen Jackson are
founders of award-winning employee
experience company Jaxzyn. They work
with organisations globally to discover
and implement ways to make our
workplaces more human.
Pages
192
Summary
In an age of maximum efficiency, it’s
never been more important to engage
people. To do that, speak to their
human side. In this book, authors
Dougal and Jen Jackson share how:
make them curious, make them laugh,
surprise them! In short, make them
feel something. Anything.
Spark curiosity
Curiosity is dynamite. It prompted us
to, “Strap ourselves into too-thin tin
space shuttles stuffed with enough explosives
to quite literally blow ourselves
to the moon.” Want your team to pay
attention? Learn the art of leaving
information out. “Drip-feed content in
small amounts to keep people hungry
for more.” Alternatively, “Provide
information as a puzzle or quiz for
people to fill in the blanks.”
Choose words wisely
“There’s something undeniably wonderful
– magical, even – about the way
well-chosen words can make us feel.”
How to make words work? Show personality
and make your tone familiar
to foster inclusion and understanding.
And perhaps most importantly,
“Translate abstract visions, strategies
and concepts into concrete language.”
Avoid, “Vague leadership clichés like
‘integrity’ and ‘excellence’, and bland
business tropes like ‘alignment’ and
‘value’.” Paint a more detailed and
evocative picture.
Be visual
Around 70 percent of our receptors are
dedicated to dealing with visual input,
according to the authors. “Simplifying
complex content, improving comprehension,
increasing reaction times,
aiding recall, attracting and directing
our attention – these are the advantages
of making communication visual.” So,
don’t treat design as an afterthought.
“Support important content with relevant
illustrations, photos or diagrams.”
Colour adds impact. Another good
one? “Avoid templates…they make
everything look the same.”
About the book
An informal, quirky guide
with 11 strategies, 23
tactics and 15 stories
to help hijack attention,
and engage and influence
others in the workplace.
Text: Annemarie Hoeve
Text: Captain Dhaval Patel
In passenger aircraft, the
fuselage normally has a
durable semi-monocoque
construction, which means
the frame is held together
by both the skin and the
skeleton, with horizontal
stringers for extra support.
The fuselage, or body, of an aircraft is its housing
structure: a long, hollow tube that holds everything
together. It’s one of the five major components of an
aircraft. As with most other parts, fuselage design
is determined by the intended use, such as carrying
cargo or passengers, or training pilots. The size and
design of the fuselage can therefore vary; yet its
shape will always be circular, rather than square. The
main reason is that pressure loads are resisted by
tension in circular sections rather than by bending
loads in non-circular sections.
Just like the wings, the fuselage is made of large,
plate-like parts that are connected with fasteners
and rivets. Each time an aircraft is pressurised during
flight, these fasteners and rivets are subject to stress.
Aircraft that are used on short-haul flights experience
more stress on their fuselages and wings because
they go through a large number of pressurisation
cycles every day. For this reason, they will last about
20 years. Aircraft used on longer flights experience
fewer pressurisation cycles, and can last up to 30
years. An aircraft’s lifespan is therefore measured not
in years, but in pressurisation cycles. A Boeing 747,
for example, can endure about 35,000 pressurisation
cycles and roughly 135,000 to 165,000 flight hours
and is retired after approximately 27 years of service.

32 / PEOPLE / Conservationists
PEOPLE / 33
Natural
Heroes
“Saving Africa’s
wildlife is challenging,
but I’ll never give in to
pessimism”
Africa’s iconic wildlife and parks are being
threatened more than ever before. Meet the
leading CONSERVATIONISTS who are battling
to protect them.
text Shalini Gidoomal
Shamini
Jayanathan
Age
47
Role
Director of Wildlife Law and Justice at
Space for Giants
Country
Based in Kenya, with operations in several
countries, including Uganda, Botswana,
Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia
Memorable moment
Creating a prosecutor handbook on
wildlife crime in 2015
Developing guidelines – launched by the
Chief Justice of Kenya in 2015 – to reduce
delay in the criminal courts
Achievements
Kenya’s former Director of Public
Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko praised the
handbook for helping to raise conviction
rates from 24 percent to over 80 percent
Online
@wildlifelawyer; spaceforgiants.org
In Zimbabwe, there’s a minimum nine-year sentence
for possession of python skin. “It means that if I would
kill one in my backyard, I could go to prison for almost a
decade,” says Shamini Jayanathan as an example of the
challenges in her legal work. “This lack of nuance on the
issue of prosecution and sentencing doesn’t endear people
to wildlife, or encourage any sort of whistleblowing on the
important larger players in the game.”
As a child of Sri Lankan parents in the UK,
Jayanathan grew up with elephant figurines all over the
house. Little did she know that the real thing would
become such a formative part of her groundbreaking
work in battling wildlife crime.
After 15 years as a criminal barrister in the UK,
Jayanathan took a position in Kenya working on counter
terrorism, and that’s where she began giving pro bono
counsel to conservation non-governmental organisations,
which led to her current role.
“Crime is crime,” says Jayanathan of her change in
focus. “Being a prosecutor requires the same skills in any
arena. I now use mine to enhance legal capacity across the
continent in wildlife prosecutions.”
The challenges are many. Often, trials for such crimes
drag on for two to four years, which is a hindrance to
successful outcomes, and prosecutors often have limited
time to access important legal materials necessary to build
their cases. Jayanathan, who loves diving into a country’s
legislation when invited to contribute, now criss-crosses the
continent working on improving wider legal frameworks.
She has helped codify criminal prosecution standards in
Botswana, and she has developed prescriptive sentencing
guidelines in Uganda. She mentors lawyers in the Kenya
Wildlife Service and across Africa, and her prosecutor
handbook on wildlife crime has set a continent-wide
structure for dealing with wildlife crimes.
duncan@camerapix.tv

34 / PEOPLE / Conservationists
PEOPLE / 35
Brian
Heath
Age
69
Role
CEO of Mara Conservancy;
Director of Seiya Ltd
Country
Kenya
Memorable moment
Working with his Tanzanian counterparts in order to
revolutionise the safety of the Mara Triangle and the
Northern Serengeti
Achievements
Presidential Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya
(2013)
Online
maratriangle.org
Thandiwe
Mweetwa
Age
31
Role
Senior ecologist at the Zambian Carnivore
Programme; manager of the organisation’s
Conservation Education Programme
Country
Zambia
Memorable moment
Becoming a National Geographic Emerging Explorer
in 2016
Achievements
Alumnus of the Obama Foundation’s 2018 Leaders:
Africa programme
Online
zambiacarnivores.org
Edward Selfe
“People vote. Animals don’t.
That makes conservation difficult”
“I remember my mother’s vivid stories about the local wildlife when
she was growing up; they sparked my fascination with nature”
Brian Heath is a busy man. Right now, he’s negotiating to
become an advisor to – and hopefully manager of – the worldfamous
Maasai Mara National Reserve. He’s currently in charge
of the soutwestern part of it, which is called the Mara Triangle.
This section has been consistently regarded as the bestmanaged
area of the Maasai Mara. Less crowded than other
parts of the reserve, and with better-maintained roads and a
strong team, the area is a model for conservation turnaround.
“We were asked 18 years ago by the local Maasai to help out
with the western part of the reserve, where there were multiple
problems,” says Heath. “When I came to the area, there were 27
demoralised staff, a string of poachers’ camps, limited roads and
massive amounts of cattle-raiding. It was anarchy really.”
In his first year as head of the Mara Triangle, Heath made
considerable progress. He trebled revenue, made sure rangers
were paid on time, and started responding to calls for assistance
during cattle raids at night. Within three years, these issues were
under control, “Which was perhaps the single most helpful thing
we did for the Maasai,” says Heath. “On top of that, wildlife
numbers rose, and we haven’t had any poaching incidents in the
last 12 years.” Thanks to these improvements, the Mara Triangle
is now one of the few reserves in Kenya that doesn’t rely on
donor funding; with park fees financing most of the work.
“The Mara is relatively secure given its iconic status,” he
adds. “But it will only survive as long as the greater ecosystem
outside is intact.” Step outside the bounds of the conservancies
that fringe the Mara, and you’ll see wheat farms and housing
cause catastrophic problems for wildlife, such as blocking
migration corridors
“For conservation to be effective in the long term across
the country, its vital that the state looks to incentivising landowners
to keep their land for wildlife,” says Heath.
Lions are vanishing. Their numbers have halved in the last 25
years, leading to the classification as vulnerable to extinction by
the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Zambia, and the Luangwa Valley in particular, is one of the
last strongholds for the larger African carnivores. With roughly 40
percent of the country’s land set aside for wildlife, and strong buffer
zones for lion parks, these apex predators have a good chance of
survival here. “Luangwa holds Zambia’s biggest lion and leopard
populations and its second-largest wild dog population. So ecologically,
it’s a key area,” said Thandiwe Mweetwa in an interview with
BUCKiT.
It is, therefore, the perfect place for research. Mweetwa, whose
initial career choice of wildlife vet failed due to a fear of blood,
successfully turned her attention instead to ecology and biology,
and works to map the patterns of human-carnivore interaction as
they shift, so she’s often tracking and studying different lion or wild
dog groups. As well as rescuing snared animals, she liaises with
communities whenever there are human-animal conflicts, and she
runs a programme to educate youths about conservation.
“We need to balance the ‘boots on the ground’ approach with
meaningful engagement with disenfranchised communities,” she
says. “In the next decade, we’ll be faced with the daunting task of
rapid economic development coinciding with biodiversity protection.”
Partly to address this, Mweetwa set up Women in Wildlife
Conservation in 2016. Participants receive full instruction in all
aspects of conservation work, and this vital information is integrated
into secondary school- and community education.
“What makes me hopeful about the work that I do, and conservation
work in general, is that most of the problems are tied to
human behaviour,” adds Mweetwa. “As a global community, we
need to cultivate a sense of pride in our shared natural heritage,
and realise that only collective effort will make a difference.”

36 / PEOPLE / Conservationists
PEOPLE / 37
Olivier
Nsengimana
Emmanuel
de Merode
Age
35
Age
49
Role
Founder and Executive Director of the Rwanda
Wildlife Conservation Association (RWCA)
Role
Director and Chief Warden of the Virunga National
Park
Country
Rwanda
Country
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Memorable moment
Releasing RWCA’s first rescued grey crowned cranes
back into nature
Memorable moment
Bringing electricity via hydropower to the
communities around Virunga National Park
Achievements
2019 Future for Nature Award
2018 Whitley Award
2017 National Geographic’s Buffett Award for
Leadership in Conservation
2016 Tusk Conservation Awards Finalist
2014 Rolex Young Laureate
Achievements
2018 Freedom from Want award
2015 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year
2015 Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa
Online
virunga.org
Online
rwandawildlife.org
Getty images
Getty images
“Our childhood superhero was the grey crowned crane.
We would watch it soar and fly above us and try to imitate it”
“For me, it’s beyond doubt that without the Netflix film,
the park would not exist today”
“When I was young, growing up in a rural village, our
childhood superhero was the grey crowned crane. We would
watch it soar and fly above us and try to imitate it,” said Olivier
Nsengimana during his talk at the Fall Expo 2018. But, due to
shrinking marshland habitat and widespread poaching the
crane’s presence in the wild had – at one point – decreased by
80 percent to less than 500 birds in Rwanda.
“Local communities who live next to wetlands hunt cranes
and sell them as cheaply as chickens to those who want to display
them in their gardens,” he said. “The crane is a symbol of wealth
and longevity.”
Unfortunately, grey crowned cranes rarely breed in captivity,
so in 2014, Nsengimana (formerly a gorilla vet) decided to switch
specialty and create an amnesty programme – together with the
government – for Rwandans to declare captive cranes without
penalties. This enabled the RWCA to register and monitor the
birds. Those healthy enough to return to the wild are treated for
diseases. After that, they’re placed in a rehabilitation facility in
Akagera National Park. From there, they fly back into nature
when they’re ready. To date, 287 birds have been registered and
203 have been placed in the rehabilitation facility. Of those, 153
have been reintroduced to the wild.
In order to prevent rescued cranes from being recaptured,
Nsengimana now devotes most of his energy to community
work. The RWCA attends market days countrywide, providing
entertainment and prizes as well as wildlife education. And, as
a way of helping the cranes to regain the hero status they had
during his childhood, Nsengimana uses a comic book to help
kids to learn the importance of nature and wildlife. “Kids are
the future of conservation,” he said. “If cranes become Rwandan
children’s superheroes once again, their chances of survival
will become much greater.”
“When I was a teenager, I remember my parents telling
me that gorillas were a species on the edge of extinction and I
would never get to see them,” said Belgian Prince Emmanuel
de Merode at the 2016 We Are Africa Conference. Instead,
their survival has been “one of Virunga’s greatest conservation
success stories”.
The park’s gorilla population has increased from about 480
individuals in 2010 to a minimum count of 604 individuals in
2016. And now, in the flanks of thickly forested mountains,
they’re the park’s main attraction.
But this extraordinary place, which hosts the most diverse
range of wildlife and varied terrain of any park, is located in an
area of great conflict on the border of Rwanda, Uganda and
DRC. “Illegal exploitation of resources, including a US$35
million charcoal trade, has resulted in long-running conflict,
which spills into the park,” added De Merode. He’s the only
foreign national in the country bestowed with judicial powers,
which have allowed him to open discussions with rebel forces
and persuade them to stop shooting in the park.
The complex struggle to preserve the park’s unique flora
and fauna took a turn in 2012 when British oil company, Soco,
began to explore for oil. The conflict that ensued was depicted
in the award-winning Netflix documentary, Virunga, which
ultimately contributed to Soco pulling out of the park.
“For me, it’s beyond doubt that without the Netflix film,
the park would not exist today,” said De Merode. “The film
helped generate interest towards an ambitious programme
encompassing hydro-electricity, schools and micro loans for
the local population to better their quality of living. We have
some four million of the poorest people living around here and
they make the greatest sacrifice to have this area pristine for the
overall betterment of mankind.”

38 / TREND / Renewable energy
TREND / 39
Solar
System
In isolated, off-grid communities,
SOLAR-POWERED innovations are
improving livelihoods, boosting economic
opportunities and even saving lives.
text Andrea Dijkstra
IN MANY health facilities in rural Sub-Saharan Africa,
doctors conduct emergency surgeries with lights from their
mobile phones, women give birth in the dark without necessary
medical equipment and babies are at risk of dying because
there’s no reliable power to supply oxygen concentrators. “In
the hospital, you often didn’t have access to oxygen cylinders.
So the power goes out and you’re out of luck. We had children
that died in front of our eyes,” said Canadian paediatrician
Michael Hawkes in an interview with Science Daily.
BREATHE IN
Experience working in a Ugandan hospital motivated Dr
Hawkes and his colleagues to develop a solar-powered oxygen
concentrator that provides a constant source of oxygen. Solar
panels on the hospital’s roof supply the oxygen concentrator
with power during the day, which pulls oxygen from the air.
Then, after the sun goes down, batteries charged by the solar
panels keep the concentrator running through the night. The
system was piloted in Jinja and the more remote town of
Kambuga in Uganda, and saved 22 of 28 children in the test
phase. The researchers are now working to expand the system
to 80 hospitals across Uganda. “If we could expand it, could
you imagine how many children would have access to lifesaving
oxygen therapy?” added Dr Hawkes.
According to research from the World Health Organization
(WHO), around 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa still
live without access to electricity, and about one in four health
facilities have no access to electricity, while most others have
an unreliable supply.
However, this situation is starting to change thanks to a
growing number of innovative solar solutions. In Zimbabwe,
for example, solar electricity now provides uninterrupted power
to over 400 healthcare facilities, meaning that lifesaving >
Made in Kenya
Naivasha hosts the first and
only solar panel factory in East
& Central Africa. Solinc East
Africa manufactures solar
panels from 5W to 250W and
assembles complete solar home
kits that include batteries, phone
chargers and LED lights. Its
biggest customer is Nairobi-based
solar company M-KOPA, which
purchased 100,000 panels from
Solinc. The factory in Naivasha
employs 130 Kenyans.
Jeroen van Loon

40 / TREND / Renewable energy
TREND / 41
Joeroen van Loon
medical devices, medicines, vaccines and medical files, among
other essentials, are always available. The solar electricity
systems were installed through the Solar for Health initiative,
a partnership between the United Nations Development
Programme and African governments. The initiative has been
expanded to Sudan, Zambia, South Sudan, Namibia and
Angola where solar systems have already been installed in
over 100 clinics. It’s proving to be a cost-effective, sustainable
approach to ensure health security for millions of people in
Sub-Saharan Africa.
ENERGY FOR AGRICULTURE
Solar power is also helping to modernise the agricultural
sector in the region, where only six percent of the cultivated
land is currently irrigated, even though irrigation has the
potential to boost agricultural productivities by at least 50 percent.
Kenyan farmer Mary Mugwathe, for example, makes use
of a solar pump to irrigate her garlic, onion and tomato plants.
“I wasn’t happy with the petrol pump that I used before as it
frequently broke down, which affected productivity. It was also
too heavy to manoeuvre and the fuel cost me over US$25 a
week,” she says. “With solar energy, I’m able to farm throughout
the year without any hassles. The pump is portable, so I can
easily take it to the piece of plot I intend to irrigate, and running
the pump doesn’t cost me anything as the sun powers it.”
The farmer purchased the solar pump for US$400 from
international social enterprise KickStart that allowed her to
pay in small instalments over a period of one year. “Solar
energy has become cheaper per watt and is, therefore, starting
to compete with petrol and manual labour,” says John Kihia,
Director, Field Innovations at KickStart Kenya. Kihia believes
that solar has the potential to transform farmers’ lives. “Most
“With solar energy, I’m
able to farm throughout the
year without any hassles”
On-site solutions
A growing number of companies in Sub-Saharan
Africa are investing in on-site solar farms to bridge
outages, reduce reliance on diesel generators, save
energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint.
Multinational Unilever, for example, launched its
first on-site solar installation in Sub-Saharan Africa
(through a pay-to-own loan from CrossBoundary
Energy) at its tea factory in Kericho, Kenya, earlier
this year. And, international food conglomerate Cargill
inaugurated a solar-power facility at its site in Tema,
Ghana, two years ago.
Due to high investment costs, other firms lease onsite
solar farms. In Ghana, for example, a soft-drink
factory leases one from solar firm Redavia. The solar
farms are factory-assembled, shipped to the remote
location and assembled on-site.
farmers only harvest once or twice a year, but thanks to these
solar pumps, they will be able to grow crops throughout the
year, which will enable them to get their crop to market when
the prices are high. This will greatly improve their income.”
Professor Bancy Mati – a Kenyan land and water management
expert – advocates for the use of solar-powered irrigation
to achieve sustainable irrigation and increase food security.
“Petrol and diesel pumps pollute the environment, and projects
often fail as communities cannot maintain the complicated
generators; nor can they afford the fuel,” said Mati during a
workshop about smart water solutions last year at Jomo
Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. “However,
solar technology is an inexhaustible source of clean energy
found virtually everywhere.”
As solar panels have become more affordable, solar pumps
are increasingly used for the drinking water supply in rural
areas. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), for
example, now uses solar-powered water systems in 21 countries
in Sub-Saharan Africa; mostly in remote areas. “This solar
water system has eased the stress, particularly on women who
used to spend most of their time in search of water, which is
now available to all,” said Haaxi Abdi Omar, a female community
leader, in an interview with UNICEF Somalia.
HOME SOLAR KITS
The spread of solar power is not only supporting farmers,
it’s also helping people to feel more connected, informed and
engaged. Until recently, few people in the rolling savannah of
Kenya’s Kajiado County had electricity. Duncan Manga, who
lives in a small house with a corrugated roof, now has his own
flatscreen TV. The Maasai man purchased a so-called “solar
home system” through M-KOPA Solar, the worldwide market
leader of “pay-as-you-go” solar energy for off-grid customers.
Having a TV for the first time in his life means a lot to Manga.
“I love to watch the news and I can teach my children about the
rest of the world,” he says. According to research by M-KOPA,
a lot people who aquire TVs for the first time in off-grid homes
report an improved lifestyle because they feel more informed.
According to M-KOPA sales agent Victor Risa, solar power
also boosts economic activity. One of his customers founded a
video hall where visitors pay a US$0.20 entrance fee to watch
movies or football matches on a solar-powered TV. “It’s a
lucrative business as 100 people visit the place per night on a
regular basis,” says Risa.
While solar home systems can supply power for lights,
TVs and fridges, they can’t produce enough current for energysapping
appliances such as a grain mill or heat lamps. For this
reason, solar companies such as Powerhive and Black Star
Energy have taken a different approach by building solar microgrids
that not only provide enough power for a grain mill or
cold-storage facility, they can also electrify a whole village.
Entrepreneur Dismas Mosongo doubled his income
thanks to extra economic activities that were made possible
by access to the solar electricity. “Thanks to this electricity,
I’ve been able to start several small businesses, including a
barber’s shop, and a small kiosk where I sell items for the
home and offer phone charging to customers.”
“We believe that economic development depends on access
to enough electricity to power productive activities, not merely
lights and mobile-phone chargers,” says Rik Wuts, cofounder
of Powerhive, which now operates 16 micro-grids in Kenya,
serving around 15,000 people. Wuts also claims that the microgrids
are completely future proof. “Whenever the national grid
will arrive, we can just interconnect and work in conjunction
with the grid.”
40
Less than 40% of the people in Sub-
Saharan Africa have access to the grid
50
Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest energy
access rates in the world. Electricity
reaches only about 50% of its people
99
Compared to 1980, prices of solar panels
have fallen by more than 99%
9,000,000
It’s estimated that nine million Kenyan
households can now access off-grid
renewable energy
600,000,000
An estimated 600 million people in sub-
Saharan Africa still live without electricity
Joeroen van Loon

42 / BUSINESS / Country at a glance BUSINESS / 43
At a glance
DRC
Have a closer look at Democratic Republic of
the Congo. The most relevant FACTS AND
FIGURES, tourist attractions and social trends.
text Yvette Bax infographics Chantal van Wessel/Vizualism

44 / BUSINESS / Bananas
BUSINESS / 45
GOING
BANANAS
Evolution, pests and diseases are
threatening the banana with
EXTINCTION, so a global network of
researchers is working to keep it alive.
text Liz Ng’ang’a
Stocksy
EACH DAY in Uganda, Brigitte
Uwimana, a Banana Molecular Breeder
at the International Institute of Tropical
Agriculture (IITA), leads a team of
researchers as they breed bananas using
the fruit’s genetic signatures and evaluate
resulting new varieties. Meanwhile, Rony
Swennen, a Banana Breeder at IITA in
Tanzania, and his team are painstakingly
studying variations in different types of
banana and plantain, which is mostly
roasted. Both teams are components of
a pipeline that’s determined to improve
banana production in Africa through
the Breeding Better Bananas project,
an initiative that’s bringing together
researchers from the US, Africa, Europe,
Australia, Asia and South America.
TAKEN FOR GRANTED
To many of us in Africa, the banana
is a handy snack, the weaning food for
infants and an omnipresent feature of
our hillsides. In fact, it’s a staple food
crop for millions of people here. It also
prevents soil erosion, and provides the
raw material for a range of products,
such as bread, thatching and Uganda’s
beloved national spirit: Waragi.
The banana value chain in Africa
encompasses diverse actors: producers,
middlemen, transporters, market traders
and end-product processors. And while
statistics are obscure, the banana is a key
commodity in intra-Africa trade, with the
crop expected to benefit from initiatives
such as the African Continental Free
Trade Area. Exports from Africa to international
markets are also difficult to document.
However, African dessert bananas
can be found in supermarkets, while
cooking bananas and plantains find their
way to niche corner shops targeting African
clientele abroad. Indeed, due to its
economic potential, African countries
have begun in earnest, developing value
chains that will elevate the banana to its
rightful role as a cash crop.
In reality, Africa’s banana sector is
producing a mere fraction of its potential
as a result of factors that include pests,
mainly weevils and soil-dwelling worms
known as nematodes, as well as diseases
such as black Sigatoka and fusarium
wilt, contagious fungal diseases that are
capable of destroying plantations.
GONE BANANAS?
According to the Breeding Better
Bananas team, this scenario can be
reversed by developing resistant varieties.
But, the banana is the most difficult crop
to breed due to an evolutionary process
that has led to reports predicting its
imminent extinction.
“Alarmist as these reports might
seem, there is some truth in them,” says
Swennen. “Bananas are a scientific
paradox having reached an evolutionary
dead end. In fact, the fruits that we
consume today are seedless and sexually
sterile. And yet, this sterility is a blessing
in disguise. Banana seeds resemble ballbearings,
which would make eating the
fruit an oral juggle.”
“Breeding bananas involves a return
to the inedible-yet-fertile, seed-producing
ancestral varieties, and then cross-pollinating
them to produce infertile hybrids
that are resistant to pests and diseases,
are edible and retain the acceptable attributes
of the fruit,” says Jerome Kubiriba,
Head of the Banana Programme at
National Agricultural Research Organisation
(NARO), Uganda. The result should
be better yields and improved returns for
growers through a collaboration between
researchers, farmers, government officials
and the private sector.
The Breeding Better Bananas team
has the advantage of networks and
experience. Swennen has been breeding
bananas for 40 years, and he’s spent a
significant amount of that time at IITA.
In 1987, IITA commenced a breeding
programme for resistance against black
Sigatoka disease in plantain. Through
the West Africa Agricultural Productivity
Program, resistant plantain hybrids were
developed, and between 2012 and 2016,
they were distributed to farmers in several
West African countries.
“I started cultivation on a small plot,”
says Kassongo Sylvie from Burkina Faso,
one of the first producers of the new
breeds. “Five years later, I have expanded
production to two hectares. My earnings
have increased tremendously.”
“Before the introduction of these
varieties, plantain cultivation was rare in
Burkina Faso. Now, we have a thriving
sector,” says Paul Iboudou, Research
Technician at the Environment and
Agricultural Research Institute of
Burkina Faso.
In the mid 1990s, IITA began breeding
the Matooke – a green cooking >
“The banana is the most difficult crop to breed
due to an evolutionary process that has led to
reports predicting its imminent extinction”
Harvesting bananas
The process of harvesting bananas is very labour-intensive because they
have to be handpicked and each bunch is quite heavy. It’s also sweaty work
as bananas need a warm climate (and fertile soil) to grow well and produce
a good yield.
Alamy

46 / BUSINESS / Bananas
Tips / TRAVEL / 47
BANANA STATISTICS
1 – The importance of the banana as a
food crop in Rwanda compared to other
food crops
15 – East Africans consume 15 times
more bananas than the rest of the
world
200 – The amount of bananas (in kgs)
consumed, on average, by Ugandans
each year
1,000 – The approximate number of
banana varieties
2.4 MILLION – The area in
hectares that’s covered by banana
plantations in East and Central Africa
90 MILLION – The number
of resource-poor farmers who are
dependent on bananas in Africa
4.3 BILLION – The estimated US$
value of the whole banana economy in
East and Central Africa
44.1 BILLION – The global
economic value of bananas in US$
banana – in partnership with NARO.
“We have made exciting progress, and we
now have six potential hybrids, dubbed
NARITAs, which are currently undergoing
field evaluation in East Africa,” says
Robooni Tumuhimbise, Senior Plant
Breeder at NARO. “We are using our
existing testing network across the country
to test the aspects that define a good
banana for consumers; namely taste,
texture and aroma, and colour retention
once cooked.”
The current banana production in
Uganda is around 15 tonnes per hectare,
compared to a potential of 60-70 tonnes.
It’s hoped that the new hybrids, combined
with better agronomic practices,
will help to reduce this gap.
“This initiative merges with our
ambitions as producers for more
successful banana production,” says
Kataratambi Silver, a member of the
Uganda Banana Producers Cooperative
Union. “It will help to address one of the
major challenges we face: the short lifespan
of our plantations, which succumb
to diseases in less than four years, way
before we are able to make any profit.”
In partnership with the Tanzania
Agricultural Research Institute, the
project established the first-ever banana
breeding facility in Tanzania. Situated
at the Nelson Mandela African Institute
of Science and Technology in Arusha,
the facility was established in 2014 and
focusses on Mchare, a type of cooking
banana. Over the past five years, the
necessary infrastructure has been established
and progress has been made in
the initial research stages.
The hybrids developed in Uganda
and Tanzania will be disseminated for the
benefit of farmers across Sub-Saharan
Africa. But, a key challenge remains in
accelerating the slow business of breeding
bananas. And this is where the true
benefit of partnerships is most visible.
Researchers in the Czech Republic and
the US are using state-of-the-art techniques
and equipment to unravel the
genetic coding of the Mchare and
Matooke varieties, while in Australia,
researchers are identifying genetic markers
that will enable breeders in Africa to
rapidly scan a vast array of plants for
resistance. Meanwhile, partners in India,
Malaysia and Brazil are providing
banana material for use in breeding, while
a specialised laboratory in South Africa is
screening plants for resistance and mitigating
against the very possible threat of
Fusarium wilt tropical race 4 (TR4), one
“The hybrids developed in Uganda and
Tanzania will ultimately be disseminated for
the benefit of farmers across the region”
of the world’s most dangerous crop
diseases.
“It took 27 years for us to deliver
new banana varieties to farmers in West
Africa,” says Swennen. “The new technologies,
network and tools we have
accumulated at Breeding Better Bananas
will enable us to shorten this time span
by between 5 and 10 years.”
As he concludes, the Breeding Better
Bananas project involves a continuous
fight against time; requiring a daily focus
on the long term and ability not to lose
the vision or become sidetracked.
Text: Raissa Velano de Sant’ana Image: Getty Images
Table Mountain
With its unusual shape, the flat-topped
Table Mountain is befittingly one of the
New 7 Wonders of Nature. At this
prominent landmark, there are lots
of stimulating activities to experience.
Here are our favourites.
Cableway to Heaven
This cableway is one of a kind,
as it is the only one in Africa with
a rotating cable car. The ride
carries approximately one million
visitors each year to the Table
Mountain plateau, where they can
venture out into nature. Although
experts can’t seem to agree on
the mountain’s height – it ranges
from 1,085 to 1,087 m above sea
level – one thing is crystal-clear:
the awe-inspiring viewpoint is
definitely worth the ride.
Abseiling Adventure
The breathtaking views from
the top of Table Mountain are
impressive, no doubt about it.
However, if you’re in for a thrill,
there’s one way of getting an
even better view: by going down
the side of a sheer cliff and
enjoying the landscape while
hanging from a rope. So, harness
up and drop down; if you dare.
Nature Walk
Adjacent to the eastern slopes
of Table Mountain is The
Kirstenbosch National Botanical
Garden. Not only does it offer
an incredible natural area that
can be explored via a number
of walks and trails, the garden
is also a perfect setting for
art. With numerous outdoor
exhibitions as well as indoor art
shows, it’s a feast for the eyes.
On top of that, you can also spot
a wide variety of indigenous
birds, reptiles, frogs and
invertebrates here.
Oudekraal Beach
Tucked away in a cove is one of
Cape Town’s best-kept secrets,
Oudekraal Beach. As part of
the Table Mountain National
Park area, this secluded beach
offers a unique experience. Here,
you can take a dip in the calm
waters, do some snorkelling
or take a diving lesson.
Furthermore, the beach offers
a stunning landscape that will
serve as the perfect background
for an Instagram picture.

48 / TRAVEL / New York
TRAVEL / 49
5
Falling
1
2
for New
York
Autumn in New York is a blissful time of
year for both BODY AND SOUL. The
city is transformed by cool breezes and
brilliantly coloured foliage, and cultural
events and festivals abound.
3
4
6
7
Alamy, Richard Koek, Nicole Franzen, Nikolas Koenig, Getty Images, Stocksy, Robert Harding
text Sarah Khan
NEW YORKERS are famous for their strong opinions, and this
applies to their feelings about the seasons, too. Winter has plenty of
charm; city dwellers love how the snow softens New York’s rougher edges
and the way the streets twinkle under canopies of festive Christmas
lights. Other residents eagerly await the spring, when the frost finally
melts away and they can descend on sidewalk cafés to soak up the sun at
long last. The sweltering summer months, with an intense heat that bakes
the streets and humidity that clings to the air, might be less loved; but
there’s still something to be said for quiet weekends spent enjoying the >
1. Underneath the 1 Line near 125th Street, Manhattan 2. The Statue of Liberty
3. Waffles in Manhattan 4. Ice skaters in Central Park 5. The famous “cronuts” of
Dominique Ansel Bakery 6. The Terrace restaurant at Times Square EDITION
7. The iconic Brooklyn Bridge

50 / TRAVEL / New York
TRAVEL / 51
“After a fun, hot summer
in the city, October
is simply magical, with
cool autumn nights and
vibrant fall foliage
beginning to pop in
Central Park”
city when it seems to empty out of residents who decamp to the Hamptons,
Connecticut or Europe. But it’s autumn, when the turning leaves
cast a golden glow all over New York’s five boroughs, that has the most
passionate fans.
IN LIVING COLOUR
“After a fun, hot summer in the city, October is simply magical, with
cool autumn nights and vibrant fall foliage beginning to pop in Central
Park, Prospect Park and Van Cortlandt Park,” says Jon Ortiz, a pro-skater
turned skate-school owner and photographer, who grew up in Manhattan’s
Lower East Side. “Kids are back in school by now and the adults are ready
to play.”
Perhaps the most beloved October pastime is strolling through iconic
Central Park, when its 340 hectares are cloaked in vivid shades of orange
and leaves float lazily to the ground, crunching softly underfoot. But
there are plenty of other ways to enjoy the crisp autumn breeze, such as
wandering through the Union Square Greenmarket, where you’ll find an
impressive array of fresh, autumnal produce.
FIELD TRIPS
You’ll do yourself a great disservice if you spend all your time in
Manhattan, however; be sure to venture out into the boroughs, too. “One
of my favourite ways to enjoy autumn in New York is to go on a bridge
walk,” says Brooklyn-based artist Annika Connor. “See the best views of
the city by walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan via the Brooklyn, Manhattan
or Williamsburg bridges. Remember: If you only plan to walk one
way, start in Brooklyn so you walk towards the skyline.”
For a completely different view of the skyline, Connor recommends
taking the ferry to the Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass
(DUMBO) neighbourhood, where you can enjoy a day at Brooklyn Park
or ride on Jane’s Carousel. While you’re there, you can grab a bite to eat
and then walk back across one of the bridges. “Sunset is the prettiest time
to go,” says Connor. “The transition from day to night is breathtaking.”
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
If you’re even more ambitious, consider a day trip out of the city. The
Storm King Art Center in the Hudson Valley, about 100 km away from
New York, is a sprawling sculpture garden with artworks by Sol LeWitt,
Roy Lichtenstein, Zhang Huan, Alyson Shotz, Richard Serra and many
more, spread out over 200 hectares.
While it’s a great place to head for a picnic any time of year, it’s
especially popular in autumn, when the turning leaves surrounding the
massive installations add another layer of visual splendour. >
1. Yellow taxis line up on a Manhattan street 2. Pastis in the Meatpacking District
3. Broadway, Manhattan 4. The Hudson River, seen from the Chelsea Piers 5. Brooklyn
Bridge 6. Halloween in the city 7. The Halal Guys on West 53rd Street 8. A New York
school bus 9. Glass-ceilinged gallery at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
EAT & DRINK
Pastis
This longtime celebrity favourite
was shuttered for a few years, but
recently reopened with a bang in
the Meatpacking District.
52 Gansevoort Street
pastisnyc.com
Atomix
The 10-course Korean tasting
menu is pricey, but well worth it.
104 East 30th Street
atomixnyc.com
Adda Indian Canteen
Don’t be deterred by its unlikely
setting in the neighbourhood of
Long Island City – Adda is one
of the city’s best new Indian
restaurants.
31-31 Thomson Avenue,
Long Island City
addanyc.com
Coast and Valley
Head to Greenpoint in Brooklyn
for this chic, California-inspired
restaurant and wine bar.
587 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn
coastandvalleywine.com
Lilia
Getting a table at this Italian
favourite in Williamsburg, Brooklyn,
is quite a feat, but if you get lucky,
you won’t be disappointed.
567 Union Avenue, Brooklyn
lilianewyork.com
Ester Gebuis, Richard Koek, Unsplash: Louise Palmberg, Stocksy, Robert Bye, Chris Barbalis, Monika Kozub, Stocksy
2
3
1 4
5 8
6 7 9

52 / TRAVEL / New York
TRAVEL / 53
HOTELS
Times Square EDITION
This new addition to lively Times Square brings
a level of chic rarely associated with the touristcentric
neighbourhood.
20 Times Square
editionhotels.com/times-square
Arlo NoMad
A chic hotel with a great rooftop in the central,
increasingly cool NoMad neighbourhood.
11 East 31st Street
arlohotels.com/arlo-nomad
CULTURE VULTURES
October is also when some of the city’s premier events are on. Here
are just a few you should embrace this month:
1
Hoxton
A buzzy new hotel in the hip Williamsburg district
of Brooklyn, as popular with locals as it is with
tourists.
97 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn
thehoxton.com/new-york/williamsburg/hotels
Mandarin Oriental
Set on the 35th to 54th floors of a skyscraper
above Columbus Circle, this hotel has stunning
Central Park views.
80 Columbus Circle
mandarinoriental.com/new-york/manhattan/
luxury-hotel
Archtober
Architecture buffs will love being in town during Archtober, a monthlong
event spanning all of New York’s five boroughs, filled with tours, lectures
and special events. “Archtober is New York City’s preeminent celebration
of all things architecture; the Center for Architecture organises an
action-packed roster of panel discussions, boat tours and site visits that
cater to building enthusiasts from all walks of life,” says Ryan Waddoups,
news editor at design magazine Surface. “Best of all, many of the city’s
hidden architectural gems only open their doors to the public during
Archtober; it’s a fantastic opportunity to see something new and unexpected.”
If you’re looking to dive into the city’s celebrated design community,
you couldn’t come at a better time. “The beauty of Archtober is
that the programming is so multifaceted and diverse, there’s something
for everyone,” says Waddoups.
2 3
4
7
5 6 8
Nickolas Koenig, Richard Kok, Unsplash: Michaela Parente, Gregory Makamian, Mateusz Majewski, Luca Bravo, Zac Ong, Stocksy
OUT AND ABOUT
Storm King Art Center is about two hours
away from New York City by car, or you can
get there by train or bus. Open Wednesdays,
Thursdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5:30
p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m.
to 8 p.m.; admission is US$18 for adults and
US$8 for ages 5 to 18.
1 Museum Road, New Windsor
stormking.org
Archtober is on throughout the month of
October, with a host of lectures, architecture
tours, studio visits, film screenings and panel
discussions.
2019.archtober.org
New York City Wine and Food Festival
runs from 10-13 October. Tickets sell out
quickly, so buy them in advance. Choose
from culinary demos, celebrity-chef-hosted
dinners, cocktail evenings and more.
nycwff.org
Halloween night – 31 October – is when the
eagerly awaited annual Village Halloween
Parade takes place. Dress up in a fun
costume and join in (sign up first), or line up
along the route, from Spring Street to 16th
Street on Sixth Avenue, to watch the fun.
Halloween-nyc.com
Kenya Airways operates non-stop flights
to John F. Kennedy International Airport
in New York from Nairobi.
New York City Wine And Food Festival
Food fanatics, rejoice! While New York is one of the world’s great culinary
cities, the dining scene is especially electric from 10-13 October this
year. “The New York City Wine and Food Festival is incredible,” says
Ortiz. “There are tastings held all over the city, with various celebrities
and world-class chefs participating over the four days of events.” You can
take a macaron-making masterclass at Ladurée, guzzle massive steins of
beer with celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern at Oktoberfest, join Giada De
Laurentiis for a full-fledged Italian Sunday feast, try a steak and whisky
pairing, and so much more. Check out the website in advance for tickets,
though, as many events sell out.
Halloween
How to describe Halloween in New York? It’s definitely something best
experienced first-hand. Fortunately, Halloween festivities seem to go on
for weeks here, and aren’t just limited to a few hours on 31 October.
Homes and stores are decorated with spooky abandon, elaborate haunted
houses pop up across the city, and house parties and themed nights at
clubs happen in the weeks leading up to Halloween. Be warned: riding the
subway surrounded by people in outrageous, gory costumes is par for the
course this month.
On Halloween itself, many of the more residential parts of New York
– say, the brownstones of the Upper West Side in Manhattan or Park
Slope in Brooklyn – vie to outdo each other with elaborate decorations,
and they’re a favourite for trick-or-treating children. But the grown-ups
love to have fun, too; and for that, you need to head to Manhattan’s
Greenwich Village for the epic annual Village Halloween Parade. “New
Yorkers of all kinds let loose and happily show our creative colours,” says
Ortiz. “I’ve attended the Halloween Parade for the last 20 years, dressing
as everything from a werewolf to Mickey Mantle; always on my rollerblades
to add to the flavour!”
1. FDNY at 138th Street, the Bronx 2. The Guggenheim Museum 3. Times Square by
night 4. Enjoying the early snow 5. Manhattan traffic lights 6. Radio City Music Hall
7. Paradise Club at Times Square EDITION 8. Cycling on the Williamsburg Bridge

54 / HERITAGE / Maasai Shuka
HERITAGE / 55
THE FABRIC
OF SOCIETY
The bright, decorative fabric known as THE
SHUKA is synonymous with the Maasai of
East Africa. Versatile, comfortable and practical,
it began life as everyday wear but its use has
since extended far beyond that.
text Joseph Maina
Mirjam Bleeker
The Life Traveller

56 / HERITAGE / Maasai Shuka
HERITAGE / 57
A model presents
a creation by US
designer Marc Jacobs
for Louis Vuitton
during his springsummer
2012 men’s
fashion collection
show, on June 23,
2011 in Paris.
of the Maasai shuka in their designs,”
says Isaac Ole Tialolo, Chairman of
MIPI. “And it’s not just with Louis
Vuitton, but with various other brands,
too.” And, according to Ole Tialolo,
negotiations between MIPI and Louis
Vuitton have now been running for the
past two years.
More recently, CNN’s Richard Quest
brought the shuka to a global audience in
his 2018 tour of Kenya. In a photo from
his trip, Quest is seen hobnobbing with
Maasai warriors while wearing a redand-black-checked
shuka over jeans and
safari jacket. Another image shows him
flanked by Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for
Tourism, Najib Balala; both men are
sporting the famous garment. The two
are also pictured sitting on safari chairs,
enjoying a drink in the grassy plains of
Nairobi National Park. A Maasai shuka
is spread over a table in front of them,
and the iconic Nairobi skyline is in the
background.
THE COLOUR OF POWER
“Maasai shuka” is the commonly
used Swahili term for a garment that’s
known as Orkarasha (the male version)
or Irkarasha (the female version) in the
Maasai language. “The Maasai are a
very gender-sensitive community, and
this shows in every aspect of their lives,
including dress,” says Johnstone Ole
Turana, a Nairobi-based journalist who
hails from the community. The difference
between the women’s and men’s
shuka is mostly colour: the men’s
version is usually deep red because
among the Maasai, that colour is >
Alamy
Alamy
ANP
“The Maasai have largely defied
the trappings of modernity and
urban living, opting to retain their
distinct nomadic heritage”
A common thread
Though the Maasai shuka is available
in various colours, the garment is
usually received as plain material at
the factory. It’s then put through an
industrial process, where the dye is
introduced and patterns are woven in.
The shuka may be made from various
materials but acrylic is dominant,.
They vary in colour, ranging from red
to blue, green, brown, yellow and
purple. Red is particularly popular.
Shukas are made in either light or
heavy form, with a standard size of
150 x 200 cm.
FOR MANY of us, the word
“Maasai” conjures up images of a
famous African tribe: formidable warriors
known for their colourful shuka
garments, their energetic jumps in ritual
dances and their lavish jewellery. The
vibrant shuka’s fame is spreading.
“There are many ways to use the
Maasai shuka,” says Patrick Kome, a
salesman with Ken Knit, a Kenyan firm
that manufactures the shuka. “Other
than its original function as a dress item,
it can be used for bedding, as a curtain,
a camping blanket, a towel or as a
decorative cover for furniture. The
possibilities are endless.”
Wan Fam Clothing, a Kenyan fashion
label, is another brand to capitalise
on the enormous potential of the Maasai
shuka fabric, producing a vast range of
shuka-themed clothing, backpacks and
other accessories. And it seems as though
the more it’s produced, the more people
are becoming aware of it; the garment
has even featured on television in the US.
Talk-show host Oprah Winfrey raised the
shuka’s profile in November 2014 when
she slung a comfy, red-and-black-checked
blanket over her shoulders during one of
her shows.
HAUTE COUTURE
The wider fashion world, too, has
caught up with the Maasai shuka, resulting
in ingenious masterpieces that have
caught the attention of fashionistas
across the globe; notably, Louis Vuitton’s
Spring Summer 2012 collection, which
was inspired by the iconic red fabric.
Louis Vuitton’s decision to showcase
its Maasai shuka-themed designs has
triggered a push by an NGO, the Maasai
Intellectual Property Initiative (MIPI),
which operates in Kenya and Tanzania,
to protect the cultural heritage of the
Maasai community and champion for
their rights whenever cultural icons associated
with the community are used for
commercial – or other – gain.
“We’re in negotiations with [Louis
Vuitton] to get them to acknowledge use
The Life Traveller
The Maasai shuka is also used to create these
cloth earrings.

58 / HERITAGE / Maasai Shuka
HERITAGE / 59
“The men’s shuka
is usually deep red
because...that
colour is associated
with masculinity”
associated with masculinity. “Red is a
special colour for men because the tribe
traditionally created the colour for their
shields by mixing clay with red fruit sap
or cattle blood,” says Ole Turana. “And
the men colour their hair red with clay
and red ochre. Red is the colour of
blood. That explains why Maasai warriors
– known as moran – mostly wear
the deep-red shuka. Women may also
wear the shuka in red – there are no
restrictions – but they tend to avoid it.”
To the Maasai, the shuka is a unisex
item of everyday wear, worn by all ages.
For the average Maasai, wearing it is a
straightforward affair. “It’s simply slung
over one shoulder in a knot,” adds Ole
Turana. “A second shuka is strapped over
the other shoulder, with one crossing
over the other.”
CULTURAL EXCHANGE
“A woman getting married may get
a shuka as a present from the groom,
often through an elder who presents the
bride,” says Ole Tialolo. “If you’re a
young man about to marry my daughter,
you may present me with a shuka, along
with the cows issued as part of the dowry.
Often, the bride may have to supply a
number of shukas to the bridal party.
The shuka has also been exchanged as a
sign of peace.”
“Many organisations are exploiting
the shuka,” says Ole Tialolo. “We would
wish that such organisations would
consult the owners – the Maasai people
– before using the garment for profit or
other purposes. Anyone can reach the
community through us.”
“We would wish that organisations
would consult the Maasai people
before using the garment for profit”
The Life Traveller
Origins of an icon
The shuka’s origins go back to
the late 1800s, when the Maasai
traded animal skins in East Africa
with merchants from the Indian
subcontinent. The Maasai would hunt
lions and leopards, and trade the
animal skins for cowrie shells and salt.
Before the shuka, and inspired by
the Indians’ use of the garment, the
Maasai would wear clothes made
from animal skins. By switching them
for the shuka, the Maasai landed on
a sartorial gem that has arguably
become one of East Africa’s most
prominent cultural icons. The shuka
is now deeply entrenched in Maasai
culture.
Dreamstime
Mirjam Bleeker

ENTERTAINMENT / 61
Kenya Airways
offers its passengers
complimentary inflight
entertainment.
The programme will
vary in different aircraft
types. Check your
screen to view the
selection on your flight.
Relax & Enjoy
Discover our complimentary blockbusters, new releases,
African films, all-time favourites, Bollywood films, TV, audio and
games during your flight. These are this season’s highlights.
Aquaman
(read more on the next page)
“My parents were of two different worlds,
and I was a product of the love that they shared.
A son of land and a son of the seas”
– Arthur Curry –
Aquaman
MOVIE RATINGS
G Suitable for all ages PG Some material may not be suitable or children PG-13 Some material may be inapproriate for children under 13
R Under-17s should watch only with parental approval NR Not rated Please note: at certain periods of the month the programming may differ from that shown.

62 / ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT / 63
New Releases
New Releases
Aquaman
ACTION
Aquaman is the sixth instalment
in the DC Extended Universe.
It’s also the first feature-length
film to be based on the character
of Aquaman and boasts the
accolade of highest grossing DC
release.
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019) ANIMATION
It’s been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are facing a
new threat: Lego Duplo invaders from outer space who destroy everything.
Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks. PG, 107 mins, Director: Mike Mitchell
The Hate U Give (2018) CRIME
Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her best friend, Khalil, at the hands of
a police officer.
Amandla Stenberg. PG-13, 133 mins, Director: George Tillman Jr.
Head Full of Honey (2018) COMEDY
A man suffering from Alzheimer’s embarks on a final road trip with his
granddaughter.
Emily Mortimer, Matt Dillon. PG-13, 128 mins, Director: Til Schweiger
A star-studded cast and spectacular
visual effects make this film an aquatic
adventure of epic proportions.
Thomas Curry’s life is forever altered
when he unwittingly rescues Atlanna,
the queen of Atlantis, during a storm.
Charmed by her ethereal beauty and
strange customs, Thomas falls for
Atlanna and she for him. They have a
son soon after, whom they name
Arthur. The boy inherits his mother’s
aquatic powers and her ability to
commune with marine life forms.
While Arthur is still a child, Atlanna
is forced to abandon her family and
return to the ocean. Arthur grows up
to be a powerful and skilled warrior,
but renounces his Atlantean heritage
when he learns of his mother’s execution
by her own people.
Arthur can’t escape his destiny, however,
and in time he reluctantly takes
up the mantle of hero in order to
protect his people.
Dive in with Aquaman on board
Kenya Airways now!
Crazy Rich Asians (2018) COMEDY
This contemporary romantic comedy, based on the global bestseller, follows
New Yorker Rachel Chu to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family.
Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh. PG-13, 120 mins, Director: Jon M. Chu
Stan & Ollie (2018) BIOGRAPHY
Laurel and Hardy, the world’s most famous comedy duo, attempt to reignite
their film careers as they embark on a gruelling theatre tour.
John C. Reilly, Steve Coogan. PG, 98 mins, Director: Jon S. Baird
Second Act (2018) COMEDY
A big-box store worker reinvents her life and shows Madison Avenue what
street smarts can do.
Jennifer Lopez, Vanessa Hudgens. PG-13, 103 mins, Director: Peter Segal
Jason Momoa, Amber Heard. PG-13,
143 mins, Director: James Wan
Did you know?
~ Jason Momoa specifically requested Temuera Morrison for the role
of Arthur’s father because Morrison is one of Momoa’s acting idols.
~ Director Jason Wan revealed that he had a choice between
directing The Flash and Aquaman but chose the latter because
Aquaman is an underdog.
Indian Horse (2017) DRAMA
Follows the life of Canadian First Nations boy Saul Indian Horse as he survives
school and life amid the racism of the 1970s.
Sladen Peltier. PG-13, 101 mins, Director: Stephen S. Campanelli
The Mule (2018) CRIME
A 90-year-old horticulturist and Korean War veteran turns drug mule for a
Mexican cartel.
Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper. R, 116 mins, Director: Clint Eastwood
The Kid Who Would Be King (2019) ADVENTURE
A band of kids embark on an epic quest to thwart a medieval menace.
Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Tom Taylor, Rebecca Ferguson. PG, 120 mins,
Director: Joe Cornish

64 / ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT / 65
African Highlights
Adventure
Jackie and the Genie
Love, Food and Everything In Between
Batman (1989)
Batman meets his most dangerous foe, the Joker, who is wreaking havoc
throughout Gotham City and posing a threat of worldwide destruction.
Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson. PG-13, 126 mins, Director: Tim Burton
Godzilla (2014)
The world is beset by the appearance of monstrous creatures, but one of
them may be the only one who can save humanity.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson. PG-13, 115 mins, Director: Gareth Edwards
What the Heart Sees
A Lot Like Love
Film
Picks from
the continent
We’ve selected the best of current African cinema,
including drama and comedy.
A Lot Like Love (2018) ROMANCE
A great career, wealth, beauty and brains; Jasmine seems to have it all. But
she’s missing one thing - a man!
Annie Macaulay-Idibia, Lilian Esoro. NR, 95 mins, Director: Tissy Nnachi
Breaking Rules (2018) DRAMA
Martins and Vivian fall captive to their emotions, laying down their guards
as they begin a relationship. This leads to a series of events that will
define them forever.
Seun Akindele, Yvonne Jegede Fawole, Olakunle Fawole. PG-13, 102
mins. Director: Biodun Stephen.
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (2016)
The adventures of Newt Scamander in New York’s secret community of
witches and wizards 70 years before Harry Potter reads his book.
Eddie Redmayne. PG-13, 133 mins, Director: David Yates
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (2002)
Harry ignores warnings not to return to Hogwarts, only to find the school
plagued by mysterious attacks and a strange voice haunting him.
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint. PG, 87 mins, Director: Chris Columbus
Jackie and the Genie (2018) COMEDY
A young girl with a difficult life in Uganda meets a genie who gives her
magic powers that change her life.
Mutebi Farouke, Yasin Lubowa, Patricia Nabakooza. NR, 120 mins,
Director: Andrew Wagaba
Ehi’s Bitters (2018) DRAMA
It is said that time heals all wounds, but the same cannot be said for
Ehisoje. Can she find her way through all the chaos?
Deyemi Okanlawon, Joshua Richard, Enado Odigie. PG-13, 115 mins.
Director: Biodun Stephen.
Love, Food and Everything in Between (2018)
DRAMA
Trapped in a metaphysical plane, an ambitious young man gets a vantage
view of his life as he struggles to make sense of his predicament.
Yemi Blaq, Mofe Duncan, Deyemi Okanlawon. NR, 78 mins, Director:
Remi Ibinola
Baby Palaver (2018) DRAMA
For a girl who had shut out love for a long time, one and a half men is too
much to let in all at once.
Desmond Elliot, Uche Jombo Rodriguez, Selassie Ibrahim. PG-13, 85
mins. Director: Desmond Elliot.
What the Heart Sees (2018) ROMANCE
A love story set in the 1970s in which a spinster who, against the social
norm, falls in love with a charming, much younger man.
Francis Duru, Eucharia Anunobi, Joshua Richard. NR, 119 mins, Director:
Chris Eneaji Eneng
The Village (2018) DRAMA
An old family rivalry over a land dispute becomes a hindrance between
John and Olanna. But an act of love might put an end to the dispute.
Cassandra Odita, Emma Ayalogu, Eddie Watson. PG-13, 137 mins.
Director: Akin-Tijani Balogun.
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (2005)
A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in
the world, led by the world’s most unusual candy maker.
Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore. PG, 116 mins, Director: Tim Burton
The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to
destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth.
Elijah Wood, Ian McKellan. PG-13, 178 mins, Director: Peter Jackson

66 / ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT / 67
TV
Music Channel explained: The Channel number for
your favourite music programmes is shown at the end
of each description. It’s determined by the aircraft type,
so you will need to know what type of aircraft you’re on.
Please check the safety card in front of you.
Spotlight on
David
Bowie
The musician, actor and artist
was one of the most innovative
and influential minds of all time.
Audio
Ghosted
Africa’s Hunters
In a career spanning over 50 years,
David Bowie never stopped creating.
Songs such as Life on Mars?, Rebel
Rebel and Ashes to Ashes are just a few
examples of an endlessly original output.
We can only hope that his alien
rockstar alter-ego, Ziggy Stardust, is
watching over us from above.
Fight Stars World News, Brilliant Ideas Riverdale
Small Screen
Programmes
& Series
We’ve selected the best TV comedies, drama, sports
and lifestyle programmes for your entertainment.
Comedy
Ghosted, Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2 Leroy and Max are recruited by the
Bureau Underground, a top-secret government agency, to find a missing agent.
Young Sheldon, Season 1, Episodes 3 & 4 When George Sr is rushed to the
hospital, Meemaw comes to babysit.
Powerless, Season 1, Episodes 3 & 4 When Van’s incompetence costs the
team a client, Emily hopes to make a deal with the people of Atlantis. Meanwhile
Van’s father sets him on a path of redemption.
Last Man Standing, Season 6, Episodes 1 & 2 Kyle leaves the loading dock
door open, allowing a bear to wander into Outdoor Man.
Sports
Up Close With, Season 1, Episode 46 Upbeat, glamorous
documentary series exploring the luxurious lifestyle of the world’s
biggest sports stars.
Pure Outdoor, Season 1, Episode 1 A look at the eco-sports that some
people embrace in their leisure time.
Fight Stars, Season 1, Episode 2 The best combat-sport stars in the ring,
including boxer Anthony Joshua and UFC’s Ronda Rousey.
Discovery
My First Trip: New York City Lonely Planet Destination Editor MaSovaida
Morgan talks through her first-ever trip to New York City as a 4th-grade
student.
Welcome To Lake Geneva & Vaud Lonely Planet’s guide to Lake Geneva
and Vaud.
Welcome To Rome Lonely Planet’s guide to Rome.
Africa’s Hunters, Season 2, Episode 1 In the heart of Zambia’s Luangwa
Valley lies one of the best leopard territories going. It's also the domain of an
audacious young female called Olimba.
News
The Immortals, Season 1, Episode 6 The careers of sport’s greatest icons
are celebrated in this stunning 52-part series.
World News, Brilliant Ideas A winner of the Hugo Boss Prize for contemporary
art, Rirkrit Tiravanija is seen as one of the world’s most influential artists.
The David Rubenstein Show: Peer To Peer Conversations Steve Ballmer,
former CEO of Microsoft, talks about meeting Bill Gates at Harvard, his early
years at Microsoft and subsequent rise to CEO in 2000.
Drama
Bones, Season 12, Episodes 1 & 9 Brennan has been kidnapped by her old
assistant Zack, so Booth and the rest of the team have to find her.
Major Crimes, Season 6, Episodes 1 & 2 Three 15-year-old boys vanish
during a school field trip causing Asstistant Chief Mason to consider the
case a critical missing for Major Crimes.
Riverdale, Season 2, Episodes 3 & 4 Archie takes matters into his own
hands and an unexpected turn of events leads the town to realise their
darkest chapter may be far from over.
The Flash, Season 3, Episodes 4 & 5 Mirror Master joins his old partner,
Top, and looks to even the score with Snart.
KQ Radio (with guest DJ)
Our guest DJs bring you some of Kenya’s biggest
hits. B737 CH. 3
African Classics
The best tunes from classic African artists, from
Davido to DJ Maphorisa. B737 CH. 4
Jazz
With stunning tracks from Van Morrison to Billie
Holiday, this highly diverse collection is a mustlisten
for the discerning jazz fan. B737 CH. 7
Pop
The biggest pop hits of the moment, with catchy
favourites from Noah Cyrus and many more.
B737 CH. 8
Dancehall/Reggae
Enjoy a fusion of dancehall and reggae sounds,
featuring a range of diverse artists such as Ziggy
Marley and Prince Buster. B737 CH. 6
Classical
Sit back and relax with the awe-inspiring
compositions of Martin Stadtfeld and Lang Lang
in this classical collection. B737 CH. 5
Easy Listening
Unwind and take it easy with laid-back sounds
from Frank Sinatra, Céline Dion and many more.
B737 CH. 10
Classic Rock
Rock out to classics from David Bowie, The
Kinks, Bruce Springsteen and many more. B787
“I don’t know where I’m
going from here, but I promise
it won’t be boring.”
– David Bowie –
At Madison Square Garden on his 50th birthday
Getty Images

68 / ENTERTAINMENT
Kids
Animation
THE LEGO MOVIE 2:
The Second
Part
The Lego Movie 2: The Second
Part is the fourth movie in the
LEGO Movie franchise and sequel
to global box-office phenomenon
The Lego Movie.
Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks reprise
their roles from the previous film and are
joined by new cast members including
Stephanie Beatriz and Maya Rudolph.
This computer-animated adventure
follows our heroes as they embark on a
quest to save their town.
Film and TV
The Ones to Watch
These are the most popular films from our selection.
If you’ve already seen these, take your pick
from this season’s selection of 35 family and kids’ films.
X-Men: Evolution
Boom Boom flirts with Nightcrawler,
and then gets a visit from her criminal
father who wants her to commit
a crime for him.
Season 2, Episode 2
New Looney Tunes
Sir Littlechin the Knight is on a
quest to capture a dragon, but not if
Bugs has anything to do with it.
Season 1, Episodes 3 & 4
Lippy The Lion &
Hardy Har Har
The cartoon adventures of a lion
(Lippy) and his hyena friend (Hardy
Har Har).
Season 1, Episodes 9, 10 & 11
Tinga Tinga Tales
Hen borrows Eagle’s needle to show
Peacock she can be more than plain
brown.
Season 1, Episodes 5 & 6

SAFARI NJEMA / 71
Rome is thought to have been
founded in 753 BC.
✈ To book direct flights to Rome,
go to kenya-airways.com.
Safari Njema
Getty Images
4 reasons to visit
Autumn in Rome
With art, architecture and culture that date
back almost 3,000 years, it’s no wonder
Rome is one of the most popular travel
destinations. But the Eternal City is even
more impressive during fall. Here’s why.

Kenya Airways
launched a carbonoffset
programme in
2011. It was the first
African airline to do so.
News
SAFARI NJEMA / 73
✈ Kenya Airways is aligned to the
National Wildlife Strategy 2030.
Top reasons
Why Rome?
Fun for everyone
1 October in Rome means festivals and events in virtually every
corner of the city. You can enjoy innovative theatre and dance
performances during the Romaeuropa Festival or admire contemporary
visual art during Rome Art Week. For the true movie enthusiast, there’s
Rome Film Fest, while the EurHop Roma Beer Festival is just the thing
for a taste of Italy’s finest craft beers.
The perfect climate
2 Everyone knows that autumn is the best season for a city trip to the
Italian capital. Summers in Rome can be quite hot, and you’re bound to
catch the occasional shower during winter. But between these seasons,
the weather is quite idyllic: temperatures are pleasant, and you can
enjoy the city and dramatically coloured sunsets to the fullest.
Tantalising tastes
3 You’re in for a treat if you visit Rome at this time of year. Not only is
it peak season for Italy’s celebrated white truffles, it’s also harvesting
time for many other delicious vegetables. From sweet pumpkin and
meaty porcini mushrooms to leafy vegetables like radicchio and rapini,
you’re sure to encounter the most mouth-watering combinations.
Peace and quiet
4 There’s no way to avoid crowds when travelling to one of the mostvisited
cities in the world, or is there? After the high season, most
tourists leave the city, school starts again, and Romans get back to
work. In autumn you’ll be able to stroll around to your heart’s content
without having to battle the throngs.
Getty Images
Employee extra
Celebrating Family
Family-friendly practices in the workplace are increasingly
being seen as a win for both employees and employers. Kenya
Airways recently celebrated family through a Family Fun Day.
Held at its headquarters in Embakasi, Nairobi, the event had
over 3,000 attendees, comprising staff members and their
families. Who wouldn’t enjoy the chance to give their loved
ones a glimpse of their place of work? It was a lively day with
lots of activities lined up for all. The airline also took the
opportunity to reward staff members who have consistently
gone above and beyond the call of duty to deliver exceptional
value to the organisation in their areas of operation. Guests
were later given a tour of the Dreamliner 787, no doubt
inspiring the next generation of aviation experts.

74 / SAFARI NJEMA
Want to know the carbon
emission of your flight?
Visit climatecare.org
and click on the
carbon calculator.
News
✈ Kenya Airways Pride Centre
is Africa’s premier aviation
training facility.
Grand tour
A Source of Pride
Kenya Airways recently had
the privilege of hosting guests,
including the media, on a tour of
the Kenya Airways Pride Centre
and the Maintenance, Repair and
Overhaul facility in Nairobi.
The tour gave guests the unique
opportunity to experience Africa’s
premier aviation training facility. The
Kenya Airways Pride Centre is the hub
of most of the airline’s learning activities,
including state-of-the-art features
such as modern simulators, as well as
top training and conferencing facilities.
The focus here is on incorporating
true “experiential learning”. The centre
was formally opened on July 26, 2007,
and is the go-to destination for anyone
aspiring to a career in aviation and
hospitality. It offers a range of courses
that prepare candidates for a strong
professional future in the aviation
industry. These courses cover technical
and development aspects of one’s career
and are open to anyone who is already
employed in aviation and hospitality,
in addition to secondary school and
college graduates. Over the years, it
has grown to not only offer training
to Kenya Airways, but also to other
corporates across the continent. The
primary goal is to enhance sustainable
development in Africa by offering
high-quality training courses tailored
to the needs of the customers. All
courses are conducted by well-selected
and highly qualified trainers. The tour
also included a visit to the Maintenance,
Repair and Overhaul facility, of which
Kenya Airways is an IATA-approved
service provider.
Kenya Airways/Kevin Gitimu

76 / SAFARI NJEMA
SAFARI NJEMA / 77
The Kenya Airways Pride
Centre also offers training
to staff of other
international airlines.
News
✈ Kenya Airways is working
with USAID to prevent the trafficking
of endangered species.
How many Miles did you
earn while flying to your
current destination? Find out
online with the Flying Blue
Miles Calculator.
Flying Blue
✈ There are new discounted reward
tickets, or Promo Awards, available
every month, saving you up
to 50 percent on Reward Miles.
Spotlight
Did You Know?
Check out these top facts and figures about
the Kenya Airways Pride Centre.
#1
Over 3,000 graduates since 2011.
#2
Capacity for 530 students at a time.
#3
322 courses provided in areas including
technical training, flight operations,
ground services and security.
#4
3 on-site flight simulators (Virtual
Procedures Trainers): Boeing 737-800,
Boeing 777-200ER and Embraer E170-190.
#5
In 2013, it became the first training
school in the world to simultaneously carry
three International Air Transport Association
(IATA) training accreditations.
#6
Recognised by IATA as the
“2015 Africa Top Performing IATA
Authorized Training Centre (ATC)”.
#7
2016 saw the launch of the centre’s
first e-learning programme.
Wildlife Works
Sustainable
Energy for Rural
Communities
The depletion of forests through woodfuel supplies
and the rising cost of electricity have prompted the
increased utilisation of renewable energy. Despite
the developments in clean and renewable energy
however, the cost of basic equipment such as solar
lamps is still too high for many rural families.
Wildlife Works, Kenya Airways’ carbon offsetting partner,
collaborates with Zawadisha, a microlending organisation
that helps women in the Kasigau Corridor in Tsavo to access
renewable energy through an in-house financing and distribution
model. Through the programme, Zawadisha delivers
solar lamps, as well as water tanks and clean cookstoves to
villages in the region. The use of solar lamps has proven to be
effective in reducing reliance on kerosene, as well as increasing
productivity for businesses at night, and reducing health risks
from smoke inhalation.
The UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 calls for access to
affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. We
believe that utilising microloans to access renewable energy
contributes to numerous health and environmental benefits.
~ Offset your carbon: With your Kenya Airways’ flight, you can help
to protect the environment. Simply tick a box when booking to offset
carbon emissions per journey. Funds go to initiatives in conjunction with
Wildlife Works. Visit wildlifeworks.com to find out more.
Membership levels
Redeem
Your
Miles!
The Flying Blue frequent flyer programme allows you to earn
Miles for every flight you take with Kenya Airways, Air France,
KLM, Joon, HOP!, Transavia, Aircalin, TAROM, SkyTeam
members, or other airline partners. You can redeem your Miles
to fly with Kenya Airways or upgrade your seats to Business
Class.
There are four membership levels in Flying Blue, and with each qualifying
flight you take, you gain XP (Experience Points). When you first enrol,
you will be awarded Explorer status, which progresses to Silver, Gold and
ultimately Platinum. The more you travel with Kenya Airways or one of
our partner airlines, the higher your level becomes, which results in you
earning more Miles and enjoying more benefits.
Miles can be redeemed for flights to destinations operated by Kenya
Airways or our partner airlines. Go for an upgrade of your seat or pay
for your hotel stay or car rental with Miles. Your accumulated Miles are
valid for life as long as you take an eligible flight at least once every two
years. The total number of Miles credited to your account on Kenya Airways-marketed
flights is based on distance, the booking class earning
percentage, and the Elite bonus earning percentage, if applicable.
~ Enrol now and start to enjoy the benefits Flying Blue has to offer.
Go to flyingblue.com for more information and to sign up.
1
Exchange
Reward Miles can be redeemed for a flight to
any Kenya Airways destination or an upgrade to
Business Class.
2
Check
Your choice of destination determines the
number of Miles required for your Reward ticket.
Log on to flyingblue.com to check if you have
sufficient Miles for your choice. It is advisable
to have flexible date options in case your initial
choice is not available.
3
Redeem
Once you have made your choice, you can
redeem your Reward Miles by two methods:
A. Call the Kenya Airways contact centre in Nairobi
on +254 20 327 4747; +254 734 104747
or +254 711 024747.
B. Visit kenya-airways.com and go to Loyalty Program,
Flying Blue, Earn and Spend.
For further information, you can always contact us at
kenya-airways.custhelp.com.
4
Tax
Reward Miles do not cover tax charges. These
will need to be paid for separately and this can be
done so via credit card, M-Pesa or a cash payment
at any Kenya Airways office.
5
Easy Does It
Five steps to make
the most of your Miles.
Ticket
Once payment has been received, your e-ticket
will be sent to you by email.
~ Reward tickets are subject to seat availability. The
number of Miles required varies depending on available
booking class.
~ Miles can be used for flights, baggage and
upgrades to Business Class when you have already
purchased an Economy Class Kenya Airways ticket on
Y,B,M,U,K,H,L,Q,T,R,N, E & V classes for all routes. All
upgrades are subject to seat availability in Business Class.

SkyTeam operates more than
17,000 departures a day to 1,150+
destinations in 175+ countries, and
offers SkyTeam members 750+
lounges in airports worldwide.
SkyTeam
SAFARI NJEMA / 79
✈ Founded in June 2000, SkyTeam is a
major airline alliance that consists of 19
carriers from 5 continents.
1966
Air France became the first
Western airline to serve the
People’s Republic of China
by establishing a link
between Paris
and Shanghai.
86
YEARS
50
YEARS
years of combined experience
60
YEARS
70
YEARS
71
YEARS
1972
Korean Air – the world’s largest
trans-Pacific airline – ran its first-ever
passenger route from Seoul to LA.
Milestones
Age Is More
Than Just A Number
This year is a very special one for SkyTeam because
KLM, one of our founding member airlines, marks its
centenary. The Dutch carrier is the oldest airline in the
world still operating under its original name.
1966
China Airlines
inaugurated the first
international route
from Taipei to Saigon.
1964
Alitalia carried Pope Paul VI
on his first papal pilgrimage
to the Holy Land – the first
pope to ever travel by plane.
1982
Garuda Indonesia were the first to
use the Forward Facing Crew Cockpit
concept with the Airbus A300-B4.
74
YEARS
69 1961
YEARS Aerolíneas Argentinas
completed the first
round-the-world trip in
a commercial aircraft.
96
YEARS
1994
MEA welcomed
Captain Rola Hoteit
– its first female pilot.
1957
Czech Airlines became the first
airline in the world to fly a route
exclusively with jet airliners,
between Prague and Moscow.
31
YEARS
1919
Founded in 1919, KLM
is the oldest airline still
operating under its
original name.
1997
China Eastern became the first Chinese
airline to list on the New York, Hong
Kong and Shanghai stock markets.
96
YEARS
2006
Aeroflot joined
SkyTeam.
If you combined the ages of all
19 of SkyTeam’s member airlines,
it would total an astounding
1,295 years: a reassuring figure
you can rely on. From being the
pioneers of industry to breaking
records and collecting world
“firsts”, here are just a few of our
members’ biggest achievements.
Aerolíneas Argentinas, established in
1949, secured its name in the history
books after it flew non-stop between
Madrid and Buenos Aires in 1966.
The flight took just over 11.5 hours,
setting a new world record.
Russia’s Aeroflot was the first airline
to introduce the Tupolev Tu-104,
which is considered to be the first
successful jet-powered aircraft.
In 2006, Aeroméxico became the
first Latin American carrier to fly from
its home country to Tokyo’s Narita
International Airport 13. It remains
the only Latin American airline to fly
that route.
Air France connected the People’s
Republic of China to the West when
it opened its inaugural route from
Paris to Shanghai in 1966.
This year, Air Europa became the first
international company to be granted
a licence to operate scheduled
domestic flights in Brazil.
95
2009
YEARS
Delta became
the only U.S. airline
to serve six continents
by introducing
nonstop flights
between Los Angeles
and Sydney.
128
YEARS
2010
TAROM and Vietnam
Airlines both joined
SkyTeam.
42
YEARS
2007
Kenya Airways
joined SkyTeam.
2006
85
YEARS
Aeromexico flight MEX-NRT took its
first flight to Tokyo – the only Latin
American carrier still flying to Asia today.
2017
XiamenAir became
the first airline to sign a
74
2014
cooperation agreement
YEARS Saudi Arabia’s national carrier
with the United Nations
33
SAUDIA operates from all of
YEARS
promoting a set of
the country’s 27 airports. In
2014, it started flying to LA, global goals
still its longest route with a for sustainable 35
flight time of nearly 17 hours!
development.
YEARS
2019
Air Europa became the
first international company
to be granted a license
to operate scheduled
domestic flights in Brazil.
Alitalia, whose maiden voyage was
from Turin to Catania via Rome on 5
May 1947, was the very first airline
to transport Pope Paul VI abroad in
1964.
~ Follow our tips next time you fly and
you’ll discover how getting there can
be as enjoyable as your destination.
Visit skyteam.com to find out more.
SkyTeam. Age is more than just a number.

80 / SAFARI NJEMA
SAFARI NJEMA / 81
Global Network
Kenya Airways Fleet
UNITED
STATES
London
GREAT-BRITAIN
THE NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam
Paris
FRANCE
Geneva
SWITZERLAND
ITALY
Rome
Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Aircraft 9; Seats Economy 204, Premier 30; Crew 14;
Seat pitch Economy 32”; Premier 75”; Max. take-off weight
227,930kg; Fuel capacity 126,903 litres; Range 14,500km;
Typical cruising speed at 35,000ft Mach 0.85; Thrust per
engine at sea level 69,800lbs; Wing span 60.1m; Length
56.7m; Interior cabin width 5.49m
New York
SENEGAL
Dakar
Bamako
Freetown
SIERRA LEONE
Monrovia
LIBERIA
MALI
COTE
BENIN
D'IVOIRE
GHANA
Lagos
Abidjan
Accra
Cotonou
SUDAN
Khartoum
NIGERIA
UNITED
ARAB
EMIRATES
Dubai
Djibouti
DJIBOUTI
Addis
Ababa
SOMALIA
CENTRAL
SOUTH SUDAN
ETHIOPIA
CAMEROON
AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Juba
Douala
Yaoundé
Mogadishu
Bangui
UGANDA
KENYA
Entebbe/Kampala
Libreville
Kisumu
GABON
Kigali
NAIROBI
RWANDA
Brazzaville
DEMOCRATIC
Malindi
REPUBLIC OF
Bujumbura
Kilimanjaro
Mombasa
Kinshasa
THE CONGO
BURUNDI
TANZANIA
Mahé
SEYCHELLES
Dar es Salaam
Luanda
Moroni/COMOROS
ANGOLA
Lubumbashi
MALAWI
Dzaoudzi/MAYOTTE
Ndola
Lilongwe
ZAMBIA
Lusaka
Blantyre
Nampula
Livingstone
Victoria
Harare
Falls
ZIMBABWE
Antananarivo
MAURITIUS
MOZAMBIQUE
MADAGASCAR
Mumbai
INDIA
Bangkok
THAILAND
CHINA
Guangzhou
Boeing 737-800
Aircraft 8; Seats Economy 129, Premier 16; Crew 8;
Seat pitch Economy 32”, Premier 47”; Max. take-off weight
79,015kg; Fuel capacity 26,020 litres; Range 5,665km; Typical
cruising speed at 35,000ft Mach 0.78; Thrust per engine at
sea level 26,400lbs; Wing span 34.3m; Length 39.5m;
Interior cabin width 3.53m
Boeing 737-700
Aircraft 2; Seats Economy 100, Premier 16; Crew 7;
Seat pitch Economy 32”, Premier 40”; Max. take-off weight
70,080kg; Fuel capacity 26,020 litres; Range 6,225km;
Typical cruising speed at 35,000ft Mach 0.785;
Thrust per engine at sea level 26,400lbs; Wing span 34.3m;
Length 33.6m; Interior cabin width 3.53m
Johannesburg
Maputo
Chantal van Wessel/Vizualism
SOUTH
AFRICA
Cape Town
Embraer 190
Aircraft 15; Seats Economy 84, Premier 12; Crew 7;
Seat pitch Economy 31”, Premier 38”; Max. take-off weight
51,800kg; Fuel capacity 16,153 litres; Range 2,935km;
Typical cruising speed at 35,000ft Mach 0.82; Thrust per
engine at sea level 20,000lbs; Wing span 28.72m;
Length 36.24m; Interior cabin width 2.74m

82 / SAFARI NJEMA
SAFARI NJEMA / 83
The Nairobi National Park
stopover package allows guests
to take a safari break while on
business, leisure or connecting
to your next flight.
Welcome to Kenya
✈ Passengers travelling in
a group of at least ten
(economy cabin) or five
(business cabin), can
request for a group fare.
SOUTH-
SUD A N
E T HIOPIA
Practical tips
Getty Images
Getting around
On Arrival
TO THE CITY Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is about a 30-minute
drive away from Nairobi city. Moi International Airport, Mombasa is a
20-minute drive to Mombasa city. More time is needed during rush hour.
VISA Most visitors to Kenya require a visa. Multiple and single entry
visas are available. You can apply at any Kenya High Commission or
Embassy prior to travelling. The single entry visa (obtainable upon arrival
at the airport) is US$50 (correct at time of print) or the equivalent in
local currency. You will also require a passport that is valid for three
months from the moment of entry.
DOMESTIC TRANSFERS AT JKIA If transferring to domestic, follow the
signs to Immigration, clear with Immigration, proceed to collect your
bags and follow exit signs to the outside of the airport and Proceed to
Terminal 1D (Domestic Terminal). From Terminal 1A to Terminal 1D.
(Follow directions or ask Kenya Airways Uniform staff once you land).
TERMINAL 1B
TERMINAL 1A
Kenya Airways
International
arrival Terminal
Airport Shuttle
Picking Point
CENTRAL SQUARE
PARKING SILO
P CLOSED
P 8B
P CLOSED
TERMINAL 1C
TERMINAL 1D
Kenya Airways Domestic
Transfers Terminal
TERMINAL 1E
P 9 P 10 P 11
TERMINAL 2
Health
Emergency services
Dial 999. Note that
ambulance services are
mostly private. Services
include: St Johns
Ambulance +254 72 161
1555 or Kenya Red
Cross Ambulance
+254 71 771 4938.
Hospitals
Nairobi and Mombasa
have good hospitals.
Medical expenses
Make sure you have
adequate travel health
insurance and accessible
funds to cover the cost of
any medical treatment.
Consultations and
treatments will have to
be paid for at the time,
and the costs claimed
back later.
General
Voltage
240 volts AC, using
three-square-pin,
13-amp-type plugs.
Security
It is advisable not to walk
alone in isolated areas
in towns or on beaches,
particularly after dark.
Tipping
Tips are appreciated. Most
hotels/restaurants add a
10 percent service charge.
Water
It is wise to drink or use
only boiled or bottled water,
and to avoid ice in drinks.
Self-drive
Traffic adheres to the lefthand
side of the road, and
most cars are right-hand
drive. A current driving
licence with photograph is
accepted for up to a threemonth
stay.
Public transport
Nairobi is the only city with
an effective municipal bus
What & How
service. Local (private)
matatus are the main
means of getting around.
Taxi service Uber operates
in Nairobi and Mombasa.
Photography
Taking photographs of
official buildings, including
embassies, can lead to
detention. Photography is
also prohibited at airports.
Embassies & consulates
All embassies are
located in Nairobi.
ID
You must carry a valid form
of ID with you at all times.
Post office
Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Mondays to Fridays; and 9
a.m. to 12 noon Saturdays.
Telephone/internet
Phone cards may be
bought from post offices
or international call
offices. Emails can be sent
from most hotels.
Money matters
Currency
Kenyan shilling (KES)
Currency regulations
There are no restrictions on
the movement of currency
into or out of Kenya for
currency transactions.
Banking
Banks are generally open
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Mondays to Fridays;
and 9 a.m. to 12 noon
Saturdays. Banks in
coastal towns open
and close half an hour
earlier. Most ATMs accept
international VISA cards.
Credit cards
Visa and MasterCard are
widely accepted.
Hotel bill payment
Pay in Kenyan shillings or
convertible currency.
Most hotels also accept
credit cards.
Gulu
UGA N D A
Lokichokio
Sibiloi
Central
National
Songot 1755 m
Island
Park
National
Park
Namoratunga
Muruasigar
Stones
2149 m
LAKE
TURKANA
Lodwar
Nasolot
National
Reserve
Maralal
Saiwa
National
Matthew’s Peak
Swamp
Sanctuary
2375 m
Mt Elgon
National
National Park
Kaisungua
Maralal
Reserve
Kitale
3167 m
Samburu
National
Mt Elgon
Kerio Valley
Reserve
Shaba National
4322 m
National Reserve
Reserve
ELDORET
Archer’s Post
LAKE BARING O
Kakamega
Buffalo Springs
Forest Reserve
Lake Bogoria Isiolo
National
Meru
Reserve
National Reserve
National
Kakamega
Park
Ndere Island
Nanyuki
National Park
KISUMU
Meru
Mt Londiani
Rusinga Island
Kericho
3000 m
North
Nakuru
Mt Kenya
Kitu
Lake Nakuru
5199 m
National
Mfangango
National
Park
Nyerri
Embu
Reserve
Island
Kisii
Muranga’a
Mwea
Ruma
Hell’s Gate
National
LAKE
National
National Park
Mt Longonot 2777 m
Reserve
Park
RIFT VALLEY
VICTORIA
Longonot National Park
Thika
Migori
Narok
NAIROBI
Oi Donyo National Park
Masai Mara
Nairobi
National Reserve
National
Park
Chantal van Wessel
TA NZANIA
South
Turkana
National
Reserve
South
Island
National
Park
RIFT VALLEY
LAKE
MAGADI
Shompole
Conservancy
CHALBI DESERT
Loiyangalani
Mt Kulal 2285 m
OFFICES & AGENTS
Head Office Airport North Road, Embakasi
P.O. Box: 19002 – 00501 Nairobi, Kenya, Tel +254 (0)20 6422000,
Safaricom +254 0711 02 2000, Airtel +254 0734 10 2000
Contact Centre (24 hours) Tel +254 (0)20 3274747
Safaricom +254 0711 02 4747, Airtel +254 0734 10 4747
Email: customer.relations@kenya-airways.com
JKIA Sales Office Terminal 1C – International Departures
Tel +254 (0)20 6423506/8,
Terminal 1D – Domestic Departures Tel +254 (0)20 6423570
Baggage Services Tel +254 0741 33 3954
Email: delayedbaggage.nbo@kenya-airways.com
Kajiado
West
Chyulu Game
Conservation
Area
Amboseli
National Park
Mt Kilimanjaro 5895 m
Marsabit
National
Reserve
Losai
National
Reserve
Marsabit
Marsabit
National
Park
Tsavo West
National
Park
K ENYA
Tsavo
East
National
Park
Voi
Kora
National
Park
Moyale
Rahole
National
Reserve
Mwaluganje
Elephant
Sanctuary
Shimba Hills
National
Reserve
Garissa
MOMBASA
Wajir
Tana River
Primate National
Reserve
Malka Mari
National
Reserve
Arabuko
Malindi Marine
Sokoke
National Park
National
Park
MALINDI
Watamu Marine
National Park
Diani
Kisite Marine National Park
Kisite Marine National Park
Boni
National
Arawale
Reserve
National
Reserve
Dodori
National
Reserve
SOMALIA
INDIAN
OCEAN
100 km

SAFARI NJEMA / 85
Cargo
Express Cargo
Fast as Lightning
Text: Emma van Egmond Image: Getty Images
Whoops! Forgotten to pack an
essential travel item? KQ Cargo
saves you a lot of stress because
your missing article can be shipped
to your destination immediately.
In the hustle and bustle of our everyday
lives, it’s not always possible to remember
everything. We’ve all had that sudden
realisation – perhaps while already sitting
in the aircraft – that we’ve forgotten to
pack something important. A crucial
item, such as a laptop, a pair of glasses, a
phone, a bunch of keys, or something
even larger.
But there’s no need to worry: Kenya
Airways has you covered with KQ
Express Cargo services, handled at Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport.
This airport-to-airport service is
designed to ensure that your package is
delivered to domestic destinations in
Kenya (Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa)
efficiently and effectively. Pieces heavier
than 100 kg each can be accepted by
prior arrangement. And there are no
customs fees, neither at the origin nor at
the destination. It’s as easy as that.
With an acceptance time of one hour
before flight departure, and a 45-minute
delivery time to the consignee at the
destination airport, KQ Express Cargo
boasts one of the shortest transit times
globally.
Need It Now?
KQ Express Cargo is a priority
product designed to cater for
urgent cargo shipments with speed
and reliability. We accept a range
of shipments, except for:
• Valuable cargo
• Dangerous goods
• Live animals
• Human remains
• Perishables
• Vulnerable cargo

86 / SAFARI NJEMA
KQ won the Best
Business Class in
Africa for five years
in a row from World
Travel Awards.
Get Comfortable
✈ KQ received an International
Safety Award in 2016 and 2017
from the British Safety Council.
What you need to know
Flight Mode
Safety
Please watch the safety demonstration before
take-off and refer to the leaflet in your seat
pocket. Smoking is prohibited on all flights.
Electronic devices including laptops, tablets
and mobile phones may not be used during
take-off and landing.
Hand luggage
Place hand luggage in the overhead storage
or beneath the seat in front of you. Cabin crew
will remove hand luggage from passengers
seated in exit rows for take-off and landing.
1 Get a good night’s sleep, eat a light
meal and get some gentle exercise
before your flight.
Travel
On The Move
Six top tips for a healthy and comfortable journey
2 Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
3 Keep your circulation going by standing
up and walking in the aisle when
possible. Flex muscles in your feet, arms,
shoulders and neck.
4 Low cabin humidity on longer
journeys can cause dry eyes, nose and
throat. Remove contact lenses and apply
“To get lost is to
learn the way”
– African proverb –
moisturiser and lip balm. Avoid salt,
drink plenty of water and moderate
your intake of alcohol, tea and coffee.
5 When travelling across time zones
your body’s sleep rhythms can become
disrupted, leading to insomnia, loss of
appetite and fatigue. Try to give yourself
some time to adjust to new night and
day cycles when you arrive.
6 On arrival spend as much time as
possible outside. Sunlight helps your
body to adjust to a new time zone.
Seat adjustments
Ensure your seat is upright for take-off and
landing.
Infants
Baby-changing tables can be found in
selected toilets. The crew will help prepare
baby food. Cots are available on some flights.
Inflight service
A hot meal is normally served during longhaul
flights. Special-diet or vegetarian meals
are available when pre-ordered. There is a
courtesy inflight bar service for wine, beer,
spirits and soft drinks.
Entertainment
Seat-back entertainment featuring a range of
movies and music is available on our long- and
medium-haul flights. Please refer to the IFE
guide in Msafiri.
Take-off
The aircraft climbs steeply immediately after
take-off. Shortly afterwards you will hear
a reduction in the engine sound, while the
aircraft continues to climb. All aircraft cabins
are pressurised. Due to a change in pressure
during take-off and landing, some passengers
may experience slight discomfort in their ears.
Relieve this by swallowing, yawning or pinching
the nostrils gently, while keeping lips sealed.
Landing
After touchdown you may hear an increase in
engine noise due to the reverse thrust applied
to assist braking. Remain seated until the
engines are off and the doors are open.