Brief History on Kenya

After I spent a day at school I learned a lot about Kenya's history. It all started a very long time ago, records of humans living in Kenya date back over 2 million years ago. During the Bantu Migrations (1000-1800 AD), people migrated to what is present day Kenya, along with other countries. By around the 8th century, Kenya was trading with Arabic, Indian, Persian, and Chinese merchants on the Kenyan coast. They traded skins, ivory, gold and spices. By the 19th century, the United Kingdom was influencing Kenyan culture. Before 1870 Kenya was independent of European control; it was through councils of elders. However, in 1884 a trading concession was allowed to the British East Africa Company. The British East Africa Company spread Christianity throughout East Africa. By 1890, the British governed Kenya. The Mau Mau uprising (1952-1959) began primarily because native Africans wanted access to the Kenya highlands, which were mostly occupied by white settlers

After the Mau Mau uprising, Kenya was declared itself an independent republic. 

 The first president was Jomo Kenyatta.

                                       The most recent president was Uhuru Kenyatta.

A Day in the Life of a Secondary School Student in Kenya

At 6 o'clock I wake up to start my day. I make my bed and wash up. I basically have the same daily routines as I would at home. At 6:30 I have breakfast and get ready to go to secondary school.

At school I have several different subjects: English, Mathematics Kiswahili, Physics, Chemistry, History and Government, Art and Design, and French. After school we have a study period for about an hour then we get to go home. Sometimes I take a cab home and sometimes I walk. The walk from my home to my school isn't very long (about a half a mile/0.804672 km). At home I clean up my room, make dinner, wash the dishes, do laundry, and lastly go to bed.

Kenyan News: Solar Powered Tap System

A solar powered tap system has been installed in some rural communities in Western Kenya. This pump uses solar-powered engines that pump water from wells. The new water supply will decrease water-borne diseases and improve the over all health of the people.

City Life and Colonial Impact on Citizens

City life in Nairobi in a lot like New York City. There are taxi drivers, traffic, and the works. I you plan to go to Nairobi there is plenty for you to discover once you have settled in.

In 1890 the British colonialized Kenya. After the Mau Mau uprising Kenya was declared a republic. The first president is Jomo Kenyatta. The benifits of the colonialism was better education, health institutions, and modern day government. The negative effect was the divide and rule strategy that was adopted into government.

Important Historical Figures in Kenya

Important Historical Figures in Kenya

•            Wangari Maathai
•            Ngugi wa Thiong’o
•            Jomo Kenyatta
•            Catherine Ndereba
•            Richard Leakey
•            Mohamed Amin

Wangari Maathai 

Wangari Muta Maathai was born in Nyeri, Kenya on 1 April 1940. She was the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree. Professor Maathai became chair of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and an associate professor in 1976 and 1977. In both cases, she was the first woman to become those positions in the region. Wangari Maathai was the founder of the Green Belt Movement. The Green Belt Movement is an environmental organization that empowers communities, particularly women, to conserve the environment and improve livelihoods. She died on 25 September 2011.

Jomo Kenyatta

Jomo Kenyatta was born on October 20, 1893. As the first president of Kenya from 1964 to 1978, he was one of the earliest and best-known African nationalist leaders. He campaigned for land reform and African political rights. He collaborated with other African nationalist students and founded the Pan-African Federation in 1946. Kenyatta was imprisoned for being an instigator in the Mau Mau uprising, and then sent to internal exile in 1959. Kenyatta was elected president of the Kenya African National Union while in exile in 1960. He participated in negotiating a new constitution for Kenya in 1961. He died in office on August 22, 1978.

Nairobi's Statistics

Total Population: 3.039 million (2008)
Male Population: 1,480,482 million
Female Population: 1,410,785 million
Average Income: 157,326 KES ($1879 US dollars)
Unemployment Rate : 45%
High School Graduation Rate: about 66%
Life expectancy: about 64 years

Sights to See in Nairobi

I went on a tour in Nairobi! My first stop was Nairobi National Park. I saw zebras, hippos, giraffes, water buffaloes, black rhinos, impalas, and one crocodile all in their own habitats, which was so cool. Next, I went to the Nairobi National Museum. I loved the garden, reptile park, and the human history section.  Last but not least, I'll stop at The Railway Museum. I liked the "Out of Africa" loco, the touring seat of Teddy Roosevelt, and also the fact that they have a well-documented history of the railway in East Africa. I ended the day at the Nairobi Serena Hotel. I really adored the hotel, the food was delicious, the people made me feel at home, and my room and bed were very comfortable

Kenya's Imports and Exports

Exports: Tea, coffee, horticultural products, hides and skins, pyrethrum, pineapples, and beer
Imports: Industrial machinery, crude petroleum, motor vehicles and various transport equipment, various minerals, iron and steel, chemicals, food, and manufactured goods.

Traveling from New York City to Nairobi, Kenya

Hi guys, I've decided to take a little trip to Nairobi, Kenya for two weeks. I plan on applying for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).  That will inform me on important safety and security announcements. Traveling to Kenya will require me to have a passport, a visa, and a yellow fever immunization. I am going to fly Egypt Air to Cairo and tour the pyramids and monuments in Giza and Cairo. The flight from New York to Cairo is about 11 hours nonstop and costs about $1,567. Then fly from Cairo, Egypt to Nairobi, Kenya which is about 5 hours and costs about $400-$450.

Great Sphinx

Pyramids of Giza

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

Nairobi, Kenya