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The House That Stood Still: THE HOUSE THAT STOOD © SHAILLA MATLOCK-KARIMBUX 2010

The House That Stood Still: THE HOUSE THAT STOOD © SHAILLA MATLOCK-KARIMBUX 2010http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Shailla%20Karimbux&search-alias=digital-text&sort=relevancerank

The complete book is now available on Amazon. com

The complete hard copy version of this book is available at Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com and Amazon Europe. Buy your copy now!

The House That Stood Still: THE HOUSE THAT STOOD © SHAILLA MATLOCK-KARIMBUX 2010

The House That Stood Still: THE HOUSE THAT STOOD © SHAILLA MATLOCK-KARIMBUX 2010

CHAPTER 5 - THE GREAT TREK

The mammoth brown and white snake pulled itself up the Great Rift Valley, twisting and curling itself around the slopes, before zigzagging majestically to its' descent. Noisily it rumbled along as it made contact with the hard stony surface beneath. Its' long curvy trail begun to unravel gradually as it shifted from the plateau onto the plains of Africas' virgin wilderness.

The tiny African children, away in the distance, rubbed their huge beautiful eyes with their chubby little hands, jumping up and down in amazement. They squinted, as the the sun shone brightly, not daring to look away for fear of missing even a second of this curious affair. "Who were these strange, pale people entering our land, what were they coming to do, where did they suddenly spring up from and what funny clothes were they wearing?" Elegant Maasai women adorned in jewelry, watched in contemplation and bewilderment. From time to time, they nervously glanced up at their men, sending telepathic messages in need of an answer. The morans stood high with one leg perched against the other, perfectly straight, their long spears held dauntlessly, pointing to the skies, not a muscle twitched. The wind howled fiercely snatching up the land ubiquitously into the air, forcefully hurling the thick ochre smoke towards them. The small clan shut tight their watery eyes and turned away from the dust-clouds; leaving behind a trail laden with footprints that became lighter and softer, until they vanished far beyond the horizon. The hills that once echoed the musical laughter of children, stood somberly alone and naked against the darkened backdrop of the sky.


The land of new opportunities had bared opened its' arms, and the Boer settlers were trekking their way in ox-wagons across the highlands. Nakuru was a rest stop, where they camped for the night before continuing onward to their farmlands. Some had branched off to Solai, Rongai or Subukia, others to Njoro, but most were travelling further to Eldoret, Kitale, Molo, Kericho and other places. Their departure from Nairobi had been significantly delayed as British officials were unable to cope with the over whelming land applications. The settlers had to wait at length, at a makeshift campsite near the edge of Nairobi that acquired the pseudo name of ‘Tentfontein'. Grogan built a house on the very site and much later the area was named Chiromo, as it stands today.




They had driven their ox-wagons from Nairobi, having sailed to Mombasa from South Africa. Some carried only the bare necessities and others came with wooden crates and hard-cased trunks filled with clothing, pots, pans, crockery, bedding and various tools. The train station in Mombasa was bustling with activity. Porters were everywhere, loading the massive wagons together with all the luggage onto the train as families stood around, waiting to board the iron snake. Some of the British government officials supervised the huge task, together with the Boer men who were dressed in safari jackets, trousers, ankle boots and felt-brimmed hats to shade their burnt sun-withered faces; they could be seen removing their hats from time to time, wiping the sweat off their foreheads. Some of the men wore topis, puttees, shorts and boots. Women waited under their umbrellas, assuring their restless children, that soon they would be journeying on the exciting choo-choo train. The women looked identical with their white bonnets that flopped around their faces and banded scarves fashioned neatly around their necks. Their once pristine, puffed-sleeve blouses were showing signs of their voyage, long skirts danced in tune to the breeze as they stood under the hot African sun. Little girls dressed in loose fitted smocks, worn over long sleeved tops, played happily amongst themselves, shielded from the strong sun by their wide brimmed hats. Boys watched the activity with curiosity as they kicked up the dust onto each other, much to their mothers disapproval. Their Dutch and German roots clearly brought a piece of Europe to the African continent. They came in droves to carve the land of Africa that eventually became their homestead. They were true pioneers in the history of Kenya.





Nakuru quickly became an engine changing station for trains that journeyed through, and was also a divisional head quarters. By 1902, it had established a customs post for goods coming in from Uganda. Naivasha remained a headquarter for Ugandas' Eastern Province. Nakuru was officially declared a township in 1904.

Ibrahim by then, knew well the land of Nakuru, Nairobi and some of its'neighboring areas. He made the route so often, he could have walked it blindfolded. All those days spent alone, were not wasted. Being adventurous, he took himself on short expeditions whenever an opportunity arose. At times, his friend, Adamji Noorbhai, came down from Baringo, and they would accompany each other to Nairobi. He had befriended many of the pioneering Europeans, Africans and Asians, and identified closely with everyone. He continued his humanitarian ways, providing randomly to people, either in the way of money or food. 'This', he said, 'kept him close to God and his family and was a reminder of his own circumstances when he first set foot in Africa'. He was quoted to have said, that he found the people of Africa friendly, kind and peaceful, but in the early days, they were timid of the odd looking foreigners, and would take off in the opposite direction.

He had enough capital by this time to invest in a much needed ox-cart transport business. It was the only mode of transport, after the porters and before the railways. He established it gradually, until he had a sufficient number of carts in operation. Employing several local men, he began sourcing his merchandise from Mombasa initially, and consequently branched out to Eldoret, Baringo, Kisumu and other places. The city of Kisumu was formerly called Port Florence and was part of Uganda until 1902, when the border between Kenya and Uganda was adjusted. Lake Victoria is bordered by Uganda and Tanzania, (formerly known as Tanganyika), and is the second largest, fresh water lake in the world.

One of his first European customers was ‘The Rt. Hon. Hugh Cholmondeley’, better known as ‘Lord Delamere’. Lord Delamere was one of the earliest European settlers and one of the Colony's most famous figures. Leaving his vast estate in England with a caravan of 200 camels and 100 porters, he settled on farmland in Njoro initially. By 1903, Lord Delamere owned vast farming lands comprising of sheep, cattle, wheat and maize as well as lumbar and flour mills, he acquired 400 sq kms of land on the lower slopes of the Mau Escarpment, followed by two hundred more at Soysambu, both of which eventually settled some 200 or more English settler families who made Nakuru their country capital. In the end, he owned titles to 145,000 acres of land. Lord Delamere was the leader of the European community, a mentor for the Governors and had been an architect and director in the policy making of Kenya Colony. One of the policies implemented by him, was the governing of Kenya through its' European residents.

Lord Delamere often required building materials and other rations for his vast estates, and frequented Ibrahim from time to time. They struck up a friendship later, and consequently, he became a regular customer. We were told that he had a hot temper, but at the same time, was also compassionate and had helped many people, regardless of race. Delamere was adventurous at heart and known as being accident prone; he was attacked by a lion once and miraculously survived the ordeal. As children, we insisted on hearing the story over and over again, and never tired of it really! The friendship continued through the generations of both families, right until my father, Mohamed Karimbux and Hugh Cholmondeley, 5th Baron Delamere.

We have vivid memories of visiting his home as children and one room in particular stood out from the rest. The room showcased an enormous train track that he had fashioned with meticulous landscaping, it was every child's fantasy and wishful thinking to somehow magically shrink, and be part of the beautiful world he had created. The trains, complete with engines that blew smoke through their funnels, passenger sleeping cars, dining cars fitted out with dining tables covered in white tablecloths, each holding a lamp, freight wagons and trucks and finally the guard's van. At great speed, it ran through tunnels channeled in the many hills and passed by a variety of vegetation, signs, buildings, toy people and other features, it was simply magnificent and was certainly every child's eye candy.




Farmland owned by the early settlers


In the mean time, Ibrahim had made a close friend in a Mr Valji Bhanji, a gentleman who originated from Kutch, India, who arrived in Mombasa in 1898. Initiating his business in Mombasa, he sold matches and tobacco and quickly progressed into successfully running a number of import-export businesses around Kenya and Uganda. In the early 1900's they agreed on a business proposal whereby, Valji provisioned the merchandise and Ibrahim commissioned them.


A few years later, Valji opened a branch of his business in Nakuru on the only main road that ran through it. The shop also served as a rest stop for tired travellers who were given a decent meal and accommodated, at no cost by Ibrahim. Valji himself, lived in a large house named, 'Leven House' located by the stairs of the Old Port in Mombasa. Valji passed away at the age of sixty three years old, after his businesses took an unexpected turn for the worse. Ibrahim had lost his very close and dear friend, a business partner and a gentleman who had become like a brother to him.



Mr Valji Bhanji





Employees outside Mr Valjis shop. Ibrahim seated 3rd from right.



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Ibrahim, seated at the extreme right with Mr Valji Bhanji 2nd from left, some years later

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The land of Kenya would experience a significant shift with this great achievement that took shape and was noted down as an important development in its' history.

CHAPTER 4 - NAKURU AND THE UGANDA RAILWAY

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Map of Kenya with Nakuru located below the equator ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Nakuru borrowed its’ name from the Maasai word, ‘Nakurro’ meaning 'dusty place'. It came into existence during the thrust of the Kenya-Ugandan Railway. Nakuru is sandwiched between Lake Nakuru to the south and Menengai crater, an extinct volcano on the northern side of the town, that scales to a height of 2,490 m. It is the second largest surviving crater in the world with a surface area of 90 sq km. Interestingly enough, in the 19th century it was the site of a bloody battle between different Masai clans vying for the pastures of the Rift Valley slopes and Naivasha. The Ilaikipiak morans were defeated by their southern neighbors, the Ilpurko Masai, who reputedly threw the former over the crater edge. According to the legend, the fumaroles rising from the crater beds are the souls of the vanquished seeking to find the way to heaven. The Maa word, ‘Menenga’ means ‘the dead.’








Further to the North East of the town is Bahati Escarpment that forms the western fringe of the Abedare Escarpment. Lake Nakuru National Park lies close to Nakuru town and was established in 1961. It started off small, only encompassing the famous lake and the surrounding mountainous vicinity. The lake was encircled by swampy land followed by savanna. Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley soda lakes and is famous for its' vast numbers of flamingos and wild animals. It is the fourth largest urban centre in Kenya and lies 1859 m above sea level.






The history of Nakuru can be traced back to prehistoric times. Archaeological discoveries were made in 1926 by Louis and Mary Leakey, about 4 km away, at the Hyrax Hill reserve. The excavations found evidence of seasonal settlements as far back as 3,000 years ago. The presence of beach sand indicated that Lake Nakuru may have extended to the base of the hill in former times, signifying that Hyrax Hill could very well have been a peninsular or an island. It acquired its' name during the early part of the 20th century because of the abundant hyraxes that dominated the rocky fissures of the hill. It is considered one of the country’s most important Neolithic excavation sites dating back from 1500 B.C. Nakuru also owes part of its' early growth due to Lord Delamere.

Ibrahim and his fellow travellers rose early the next morning after a not so restful night under the stars. With wild animals lurking in the dark of the night, sleep had totally escaped them. One of the men had been feasted upon by fleas and was having a hard time dealing with the outcome. Ibrahim stood up and stretched his thinning body and drew in the early morning air, it smelled sweet as he inhaled it into his lungs. The temperature was perfect and warmed up his cold bones gently, Ibrahim embraced the feeling.

Having reached his destination, an excitement filled his soul and a sudden surge of energy flowed through his body, he was ready to accomplish his life's dream. Nakuru was an entrepot in the centre of the Rift Valley. It was an unspoiled, windswept and arid plain without any villages or 'bomas', there was not a soul in sight.

Powdery light-brown soda-dust blew in clouds around the lake, filling his nostrils uncomfortably, he cupped his hand over his nose before turning his back on the wind. The ground was spongy beneath, as he stood still to admire the view. The glassy lake rippled with pink, mirrored the velvety deep-turquoise mountains that enveloped half way around. Flamingo hill towered handsomely on the other side. The colors were strikingly sensational. He imprinted the magnificent picture in his mind's eye and captured the moment forever. As they walked through the thicket, the flat topped yellow acacia trees stood grandly in the far distance. They talked amongst themselves, occasionally hearing a rustling amongst the shaggy overgrown grass, more often than not, it was a herd of antelope, trailing along side one another. On noticing the men, they would nervously flick their bushy tails, taking off in leaps and bounds in the opposite direction. ‘A land blessed with abounding beauty’, thought Ibrahim as he pondered over the marvels of Africa’s incredible nature. In the far distance, pelicans floated about with their long boat-like beaks, their heads bopping up and down every few seconds as they scooped up water.




Leopards inhabited the area and they had heard the distant howls of silver back jackals as they huddled together under their carts at night. Sometimes their hearts boomed uncontrollably in their ears as an adrenalin rush gushed through them whenever they heard a startling sound. The thought of facing these fierce beasts unarmed, made their skin crawl. Jiggers were still a menace and drinking water was closely guarded as it was drawn from rivers or streams. As they continued, a rich savannah stretched itself handsomely across the land, only interrupted by low lying hills scattered at intervals.

Ibrahim wished to remain relatively near the shores of the Lake as it was a landmark known to first time travellers. He needed a supply of fresh water within a few miles of him, and had secretly picked a location. He decided to branch off from the group and took himself back towards the lake.

Setting up shop under a small tent, he could be seen merchandising anything from foodstuff, small hardware goods and other useful items. Getting attacked by wild animals was one of the dangers that continued to poise a threat. He protected himself at night by using chopped thorn bushes that he encircled around his tent at night. When supplies ran low, he made the long hike back to Nairobi, sometimes journeying all the way to Mombasa, taking months before arriving back in Nakuru. And many times, when business was down, he would barter cloth or beads in exchange for food. In 1898, his mules died due to tsetse fly, and he traded cloth for some more.



These were some the most difficult, challenging and very long moments in Ibrahim's life; knowing his family were far so away did not help matters. Sometimes weeks could go by without him seeing a single soul, and the nights that followed, seemed even darker. The stillness echoed in silence, channeling an emptiness between his ears with a faint high pitched frequency that transcended him into an innermost journey of his soul. As time rolled by and with the railway line progressing towards Nakuru, the pristine wilderness was soon transformed and people started to trickle in.



The Lake when the Uganda Railway reached Nakuru

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The first major Indian influx in Kenya began in the late the 1800's with the building of the railway from Mombasa to Victoria Nyanza, (Lake Victoria), and again in the early 1900's when many more Indian settlers arrived. The construction of the railway required a skilled labour force of stonemasons, carpenters, builders, blacksmiths and casual labourers. The labourers were referred to by the British as 'coolies.' When the word entered the English language, it was a designated term used for a low-status class of workers; nowadays, a few people regard it as a racial epithet or a slur. Most of the recruited Indian workforce was done under contract of the Northwest Province of India by Mr A. M. Jivanjee. Ronald Preston was appointed to take charge of laying rails in 1897. Mr. George Whitehouse, Lieu-Col. J. H. Patterson and Mr. Ronald Preston were the engineers. Approximately 32,000 Indians and 2,600 Africans laboured on the construction of what came to be known as the 'Uganda Railway'. The first rail was laid in Mombasa on 30th May, 1896. In 1898, man-eating lions delayed the construction of the railway, killing eighty African and twenty-five Indian labourers and one British superintendent called C. H Ryall; hence the book, ‘Maneaters of Tsavo’ and 'Ghost and the Darkness'. The British had named one of the lions, ghost and the other darkness. J.H Patterson, a divisional engineer, managed to kill one of the lions, and three weeks later, he killed the second. These courageous and hardworking men who dug the land, bit by bit, mile for mile, sacrificed not only their families, and country, but themselves when they crossed the waters into Africa. Tough living conditions, lack of water and food, hard manual labor using picks or shovels, heavy loads of rocks that scared their nude hands, outbreaks of diseases such as malaria, black water fever, plague, dysentery, typhoid, small pox and septicemia were just a few of the ailments they endured. Long delays due to heavy rains that damaged earth works and caused derailment and locusts added to the suffering. After the completion of the 582 miles of the Lunatic line, about 7,000 Indians stayed on in Kenya, 2,500 had died and 6,000 were invalid.



Men working on the railway

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In the 1900’s, a vast number of European settlers arrived, mostly from South Africa, followed by the British, Australians, Germans and people of other European descent. Initially the first British to visit Kenya, did so as game hunters, and on seeing the abundance of wildlife, wide open spaces and beautiful landscape, applied for land. It seemed as a privileged life style, in comparison to the one they were accustomed to in Europe, after the Industrial revolution. Until the 1880's, the Rift Valley and the Aberdare highlands remained the heartland of the Maasai. The English negotiated a treaty with the Maasai laibon (chief, or spiritual leader) to begin work on the Mombasa-Uganda railway, which cut straight through the Maasai grazing lands. The British government hence invited the European settlers due to the massive expenses incurred constructing the railway, hoping to recover the phenomenal cost through extensive exports of settler cash crops. The allocation of land to the European farmers, meant that many tribes were driven out of their habitat and pastoral lands, and made to relocate in other designated areas. The first ‘Land Regulations’ of the East Africa Protectorate had been published in 1897, but it had not affected the country until 1899. The regulations were later replaced by the ‘Crowns Land Ordinance in 1902 where by granting freehold or leases of up to ninety-nine years.


By December 1901 the railway line from Mombasa to Kisumu had been completed. This eventually put an end to the massive slave trade in East Africa and jointly, to the caravan loads of slave porters that trekked their way for months on end carrying burdensome loads across the country, and into Uganda. Ivory though continued as a major trade commodity.







Nakuru Station when the Ugandan rail line first joined it in 1900


Royal Train in Nakuru Station



Nakuru Railway Station

Chapter 3 - The White Highlands

CHAPTER THREE





Clicking on the photos will enlarge them








The White Highlands of Kenya

Ibrahim's fascination with the African continent was imprinted in his soul; it was the beginning of a deep love affair with Kenya. Driven by a compelling energy and force that steered his mind into exploring the truth. He was a God fearing individual, who respected the gift of life in all humans and animals, upholding everyone in the same light. Criticism and humiliation of others was not part of his make up. Ibrahim's philosophy of life was simplistic and realistic. He felt that opportunities were born to those who loved and believed in themselves, and accepted who they were and not what society perceived them to be in a materialistic world. He emphasized that everybody had a right to develop themselves by acquiring a broad wealth of knowledge and skills, based on the willingness of making choices. Choices opened windows of opportunity, and opportunity meant moving forward. The step forward brought about change, something achievable only by having gone through a series of rich obstacle courses or stepping stones. He did not spend his time trying to find strategic ways of gaining self importance, this was something he shied away from. Ibrahim’s brain was like a ticking time machine, yet his focus and objectives were cemented from an early age.

Nairobi, at the time was not a place of great importance on the map; it was an austere place of endless swamps and water logged areas, quite impossible to survive on as it was unhealthy and gave rise to mosquitoes. Being aware that with the link of the up coming railway, it would all change. He wished for a solid start to secure his business, and Nairobi somehow did not appeal to him. The present site of Nairobi was selected as a stores depot, a shunting yard, (a place where trains are shifted from one track to another), and later it became a camping ground for the thousands of Indian laborers working on the railway, and a number of British colonials. When Ibrahim first came to Nairobi, it had next to no dwellings, however as years rolled by, there were some tin shacks, tents and structures built of mud.

The British wanted control of the Bugandan Kingdom, (Uganda), particularly because it would open a door to the fertile Buganda plateau that lay immediately north of Lake Victoria, (which was inhabited by three million people already), and had a much greater potential for economic development. Buganda was the most powerful central African regime. Building the Ugandan railway line from Kenya’s coast, Mombasa, to Western Kenya, would therefore enable them to gain control and access to Buganda.

The colonial government invested £6.5 million from English Tax Payers money to build the railway. This did not go without condemnation by the British public. In order to generate revenue for the government and justify the railway cost, Sir Charles Elliot, the Commissioner at the time, decided that Europeans would farm the lands close to the railway. British authorities, one of who was Lord Delamere, hoped these settlers would develop a modern economic sector. The highlands combined a pleasant climate and was thought as good quality land therefore being ideal for growing a variety of cash crops. In 1901, certain highland areas of the East Africa Protectorate were reserved for European settlement only, hence the title, ‘The White Highlands’. Indians were allowed to settle in the low-lying areas near Lake Victoria and along the coastal strip, and the local inhabitants, mainly Kikuyu and Maasai were forced out and relocated on certain reserves.

Originally, the people of Kenya came from three different groups; Bantu, Nilotes and Cushites. Nomadic Cushitic tribes from Ethiopia made their way onto Kenyan soil back near 2000 BC, and were actually the first group of people to arrive in Kenya. A second group followed around 1000 BC and occupied much of central Kenya. The rest of the ancestors of the country's medley of tribes arrived from all over the continent between 500 BC and AD 500. The Bantu-speaking people (such as the Gusii, Kikuyu, Akamba and Meru) arrived from West Africa while the Nilotic speakers (Maasai, Luo, Samburu and Turkana) came from the Nile Valley in southern Sudan, with the Luo and Maasai tribes settling around the rift valley region, although later the Luo settled around Lake Victoria. With the arrival of the Bantu and Nilotes, the Cushites were dispersed into different parts of the country. Many of them lived in semi arid and arid areas of the country. Unlike the Bantu, they do not farm at all. They are cattle herders instead. Most of their tribes include Borana, Burji, El Molo, Orma, Somali and Rendile.

Ibrahim did not have a doubt in his mind that Nairobi, in good time, would be an ideal business location, but his mind projected to Nakuru. Foreseeing that inevitably it would develop into a strong central business area, he felt compelled to start his new life there. Some of the Europeans, mainly Boers from South African, had already settled in the highlands, and others were continuing to migrate in caravan loads. Indians, British, Jews, Greeks, Germans and Italians would also follow in the near future. Ibrahim sensed a great magnetism towards Nakuru, it most definitely felt right for him. Nakuru's future expansion would demand building materials, construction tools and other necessary supplies. However, he was met with the realization that he had no capital and needed to figure out a worthy and feasible business plan.

He approached a few of the traders with his proposition, issuing a bold statement by offering to market some of their supplies, on a commission bases in Nakuru. He assured them that it would, undoubtedly promote their business prospects. Not everyone took kindly to his suggestion, but the few that did, could see valuable insight in the man. Their business returns were very slow and unpredictable as it had been an uphill struggle for most. By turning over their merchandise, unquestionably it could only help to improve their profit margin.

Having his supplies at hand, in addition to a couple of notebooks, one for accounting purposes, and another as a small diary, some tinned food, sugar, tea, a few medical supplies, and a ration of drinking water, he proceeded to prepare his donkey for the journey. Feeling very isolated and a little apprehensive, he prayed before heading out. He thought of his family in India, wondering how they were, as he had not sent any word back to them, he prayed for their safety too.

Having had a late start from Nairobi, he left without further delay, heading north. The onset of his journey took him through Fort Smith, named after Captain Eric Smith who ran his station from there, (It is presently called Kikuyu). European traders were already established there, one lady, of Irish decent, called Mary Walsh, was only too well known for her hot temperament. A red-haired woman whose choice of weapon was a whip that she liberally used with great force, should anyone happen to cross her path. She sent many a man hollering, rubbing their buttocks and vowing never to challenge her again. Ibrahim had heard stories about her, saying she had earned herself the title 'Bibi Kiboko', a Swahili word meaning, a stick intended for purposes of caning. At the same time, a Dr Boedeker and his wife, who had travelled from Scotland, were also known to early pioneers as being one of the first Europeans to have settled in the rift valley area. The Boedekers built a house in Naivasha that, at a later stage, became the famous half way point for travellers, when it was turned into a famous restaurant and bar called the 'Bell Inn'. Delicious home made meals, breads and pastries could be found there, the best known in the whole of the country. Mrs Boedeker had a reputation for being an extremely hardworking, enterprising and worthy lady.

Ibrahim's journey led him to a rolling green countryside resembling an idyllic English country scene with its rich green foliage and tiny hills, it was absolutely picturesque. Continuing on in the interior, he entered a dark dense forest of towering cyprus trees, the ground beneath was soft and swampy. On either side of him, endless labyrinths ran in and out of the spaces between the trees, eerily not a single ray of light was visible when he looked through. The cold chilly air hit him in an unfriendly manner, enveloping his whole body before penetrating through to his bones. His body crawled in goose bumps, and he felt every hair pricking from underneath his clothing, an icy shiver ran up his spine before he drew his coat tightly around him. With one hand leading the donkey, he quickened his pace to generate body heat. Fascinated again at the remarkable contrast of this journey to the last, he never imagined so many geographical changes taking place at such short intervals. He was still in danger of leopards, lions, rhino and jackals that roamed freely in the area.

The light changed and suddenly the forest came to life with a lively chorus of birds, chirping frantically from their nests, beckoning to their mates. As the sun floated down, hues of fiery crimson and amber painted the sky, catching the forest with it's warm glow. Breaking his journey for the night, Ibrahim led his donkey to a small stream nearby before preparing a fire. As he lay exhausted on his woven mat, the dark canopy looked down upon him, dazzling him with clusters of jewels sweeping through the heavens.

At the first break of light, Ibrahim rose and after praying, he breakfasted on a tin of fruit, before departing the boundaries of Kijabe, (a place meaning ‘windy place’, in Maa), heading towards the crude and jagged plateau of the Rift Valley Escarpment.

The highlands lie above 1,200 metres in altitude and the plateau is cut north and south by a huge gash, which is the formation of what is called The Great Rift Valley; a formation that is one of the dominating features of Kenya, it is simply breath taking. Africa's Great Rift Valley is a 1,400-metre fissure in the earth's crust, stretching from Lebanon to Mozambique. One of its most dramatic sections slices through East Africa, dividing Kenya into two segments; the Mau Escarpment to the west and the Aberdare Range to the east. The valley itself is 50 to 130 km wide, and its floor rises from about 450 metres in the north around Lake Turkana (previously called Lake Rudolf) to over 2,100 metres at Lake Naivasha where it begins to descend. A chain of shallow lakes separated by extinct volcanoes occupies the floor of the Rift Valley. Lake Naivasha is the largest of these; the others include Lakes Elementaita, Nakuru, Bogoria, Baringo and Magadi. The Rift Valley was formed when violent subterranean forces split the earth's crust. These forces caused huge chunks of the crust to sink between parallel fault lines, which in turn, forced up molten rock in volcanic eruptions, a process termed as rifting.






No sooner had Ibrahim entered the escarpment, he was stunned by what lay in front of him. His eyes soaked in the most powerful sight he had seen. It felt as if the ground had escaped from under him and the scenery had taken a huge plunge to the bottom of the earth. The abundant plain stretched itself generously beyond the horizon. Tinges of deep emerald and mottled browns and ochre splashed across nature’s lush carpet. Mesmerized, Ibrahim stood silently for a few moments trying to take in everything. An intense emotion crept through him, touching his soul deeply, he had seen a piece of heaven on earth, and wanted badly to share this beautiful moment with his wife.







The escarpment brought with it many physical and mental challenges, for some it was intimidating and threatening and their journey came to end there. The ground was dangerously steep and covered with rocks and thick vegetation that obstructed the way. He had to chop his way through the wilderness that lay untouched. Following the famous footsteps of the many explorers, missionaries and travellers before him, he sensed an appreciation towards their treacherous and life threatening mission, and admired their courage and enthusiasm. Ibrahim had relieved the donkey of some of its' load, as it was not accustomed to such precarious pathways. Higher up, loose boulders sometimes came crashing down on top of travellers, and at certain points, the track gave little room. The descent down posed many risks, being more vertically inclined, it required extreme caution and concentration to maneuver oneself safely across.





Italian prisoners of war built the Nakuru, Nairobi highway at a later stage. Tucked away in the corner of the escarpment was a quaint and most beautiful church. As a child, driving passed it, I would inform my father that I would get married there!





Ibrahim looked beyond to where Mt Longonot lay most splendidly on the rift valley floor. A volcanic mountain originally named ‘Oloonongo’t’ by the Maasai, meaning mountain of many spurs, rising up to 2,776 metres and bearing beautiful V-shaped valleys and ridges covered in forest. The surrounding land was a result of the rifting. It stood there towering over the Ol Karia hills.









Not far off in the distance, the shimmering waters of Lake Naivasha glistened as the sun reflected of its' surface. The beautiful freshwater lake, fringed by thick papyrus lay on the floor of the valley. Between 1937 and 1950 the lake was used as a landing place for plane passengers destined for Nairobi, who would then board a bus to Nairobi. Being that the lake holds freshwater, the surrounding soil is very fertile, and many of the early settlers farmed mainly fruit and vegetables around the shores. It was christened Lake Nai’posha by the Maasai, meaning rough water. (The British actually misspelt the name, as they did with other names, although sometimes, it was changed because of pronunciation difficulties).








Ibrahim took a moment to observe the feathery acacia trees with their wide spreading branches and flat tops. (Also called yellow fever trees, because early explorers and colonialists who usually slept near the trees broke out in a fever; and presumed that the trees were to blame, when in fact, it was malaria). He feasted his eyes on a great number of giraffe chewing the foliage, camouflaged perfectly amongst the light and shade of the branches. Black and white colobus monkeys swung energetically from branch to branch, their whisk-like tails sweeping through the air as they flung themselves with such unerring precision. A choir of hippos grunted abrasively sending him swift messages that he should not linger around longer than necessary.




He crossed paths with a group of English travellers who had thirty to fifty porters, heavily burdened with loads of ivory, hides, guns and food. Their donkeys trailed behind carrying water, and the remainder were ridden by a couple of men. They stopped and chatted, exchanging notes of their journey. The caravan of travellers were heading off to the next camp site. Camp sites were positioned along some routes, as were stations or forts. In total, 35 stations were located between Mombasa and Uganda, but these were open only to officials and European travellers.

Tribal warfares were many, and people were advised to respect any local tribesmen that they happened to come across. Ibrahim did encounter a few groups of local people, but they seemed unaffected by his presence.

Tiring greatly, he stopped to rest and enjoy the land. A small range of deep purple hills jutted out prominently against the sky line, forming a silhouette resembling a man's rested head that clearly projected an exaggerated long nose; it popularly adapted the title of,'Delamere's Nose.'



On reaching Gilgil, he met another group of people travelling to Nakuru; they were Indian transporters, who invited Ibrahim to join them for the last leg of the journey.
During World War One, in March 1947, the British set up an internment camp for Jewish prisoners of war who were members of the Irgun and Lehi Jewish underground organizations that had been deported from Palestine. The ‘Happy Valley’ set also lived in Gilgil, just north of Lake Naivasha. The elite social group became notorious for scandals of drug use and promiscuous sexual encounters.


Walking away from Gilgil, Lake Elementaita, a soda lake, (named ‘Muteita’ by the Maasai, another variation to its' spelling is Elementeita), lay in the eastern limb of East Africa's Great Rift Valley, about 120 km northwest of Nairobi. The lake was filled with flamingoes, Great White Pelicans and Great Crested Grebes. They viewed a variety of game from zebra, gazelle, eland and families of warthog that were abundant. Finally, they proceeded to Nakuru, thoroughly shattered, but looking forward to a journey's end.








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Chapter 2 - An African Dream

As Ibrahim heaved himself out of the dhow, he paused briefly whilst regaining a sense of balance as the apparent stillness of the ground beneath him, took a moment's getting used to. He placed his hand on the small of his back, leaning heavily against it, the last hour of the journey had been a rough one. The velvety, deep cerulean sky caught his eye and he broke out into a smile, silently approving mother nature's wise choice of palette. On reaching dry land, he stood looking onto his new surroundings with intrigue, under the cooling shade of some coconut palms, the fresh sea breeze brought a rustling of palm fronds that whispered to his ears the secrets of yesteryear.






Kenya's deep history, Islamic influence and Swahili culture begun in Mombasa, long before the arrival of the Europeans and Indians. It was initially inhabited mainly by the Mijikenda people who were a Bantu speaking tribe, and the Masai who lived Inland and had the vast majority of control over the land. The Arab and Persian traders came as early as the 11th century. The original name was 'Manbasa' an Arabic word, yet the Swahilis called it ‘Kisiwa Cha Mvita’, meaning, 'Island of war',indicating the many changes in the ownership of this city. By the time of Ibrahim's arrival, Kenya was called, British East African Protectorate by the British colonialists. Mombasa remained the capital city until 1907.

The Arab control was tied up very much with the ivory and slave trades. It was due to the early explorers like Stanley, Livingston and others, that the slave trade was exposed to Britain and other countries, as they strongly opposed it and were absolutely disgusted by the Arabs and Persians. Although by 1875, a special mission, headed by the Governor of Bombay, Sir Bartle Frere, coerced the Sultan into signing a treaty that prohibited the export of slaves from the Sultan's dominions to mainland Africa.

The Chinese visited in 1417 and settled along the coastline for a short period, as did people from Malaya and Baluchistan. By the 15th century it adapted the Swahili culture and Islamic faith, and became the first trade centre out of Africa. Swahili was a word given by the Arabs, meaning'coast' The Arabs and Persians initially brought in cloth, salt, beads, spices, wire and brass items to trade. It was known the ‘Centre of the Spice Trade.’

Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer was the first known European to reach Mombasa in 1498. It is believed that he named the nearby coastal town of Malindi after his wife, ‘Melind’. The Arabs turned it into a Sultanate in 1502, only to be attacked by the Portuguese in 1505 and for the next 200 years, the Arabs and Portuguese battled over winning control. By 1593, the Portuguese took over with a brutal colonial rule and Mombasa became the centre of Portuguese power.



They built a huge fortress on the edge of a coral ridge, overlooking the entrance to the Old Port of Mombasa, to protect their trade route to India and their interests in East Africa. Using masons from the Indian colony of Goa, and some of the local inhabitants from Malindi. Built with lookout towers at every limb, and small arched openings all the way around, on which rested massive cannons. Cannons were surrounding the fort on both the outside and inside of the grounds. Gaining entrance through two heavy wooden doors, enforced with steel bars, opened out to a courtyard. To one extreme side, divided by a vast derelict wall, stood a well-secured iron gate leading down to a long flight of steep stone steps. A place that no soul would choose to venture, not even a passerby. It was there, in the depth of the morbid dungeons, that prisoners and slaves were confined, under the most harsh and unimaginable conditions. Far away from everyday life, cramped together in a dark space that reeked of faeces and putrefied corpses. Exposed to continuously wet and damp conditions, due to the deep waters of the ocean that surrounded the walls. They were beaten and tortured in the most horrendous ways, sometimes so brutally that they died. Having no idea how long their imprisonment would last, they sat there in hope,waiting and praying. Their fate was in the hands of their captivators, but needless to say, many never surfaced to see the outside world again.



An Italian architect called, Giovanni Battista Cairati, designed Fort Jesus. He died just before its completion. The fortress was dedicated and named "Fortaleza de Jesus de Mombaça" by Mateus de Mendes de Vasconcelos (a captain of the Malindi coast). Mombasa became Portugal’s main trading centre along the East Coast of Africa.
























The fort was completed in 1593, becoming the first and only government prison in the East Africa Protectorate in 1895. A plaque presented by the Oman embassy now stands there, displaying some historical dates.





For close to four decades and thereafter, Portuguese dominance was unchallenged until 16 August 1631. Relations between the Portuguese and the Sultan of Mombasa began to deteriorate after the departure of the first captain Mateus de Mendes de Vasconcelos.

The Sultan who succeeded him, (originally called, Muhammad Yusi and educated in Goa, was baptized as Dom Jeronimo Chingulia), entered the fort and took the Portuguese by surprise, killing the Portuguese captain, Pedro Leitão de Gamboa, and massacring the whole Portuguese population of Mombasa (45 men, 35 women and 70 children). A Portuguese expedition was sent from Goa to recapture the fort, but after two months of siege (10 January 1632-19 March 1632) they abandoned the enterprise. The Portuguese did recapture it back in 1728. In April 1729, the inhabitants of Mombasa revolted against the Portuguese and put under siege the garrison that was forced to surrender on 26 November 1729.

Not until the start of British anti-slave trade activities in East Africa, was European influence reasserted in the region. In 1822 the Sultan of Oman, Sayyid Said, claimed control of the Swahili dynasties along the coast but was resisted by the Swahili clans, who requested that Britain intervene. They did so claiming part of the coast,the British were generally content with their informal control over the area. However in the 1880s they were to find that their influence under the area would be severely challenged by the Germans. Pressure was put on the Sultan of Zanzibar to hand over control of his remaining East African lands to the British Company under Sir William Mackinnon. Sir William Mackinnon was an ageing Scotsman who began his career as a grocer's assistant, and later became the founder of a large steamship line. Some speculate that in general, he actually favoured the idea of buying out slaves from the Arabs, rather than forcing them to give up slavery. Lord Kitchener apparently had advised Salisbury to "get rid" of Mackinnon as early as 1888. By 1895 it was clear that the British East Africa Company could not continue and so sold its lands and buildings to the British Government.

In 1877 the Sultan offered a concession of administration to the British. Later in, 1886, the European colonial powers divided Africa between Germany and Britain as the main players. By 1895 Britain's protectorate was formed, officially naming it ‘British East African *Protectorate.’ And later in 1921, the protectorate became Kenya and was renamed,British Crown *Colony.


*Protectorates were territories where the local rulers could continue ruling domestically but they had ceded the foreign and defence aspects of their government to the British. In return, the British respected and were prepared to defend the ruler from foreign or internal threats.

*Colonies were those areas directly ruled by a governor on behalf of the British government and representing the Crown. The governor was responsible to the Colonial Office in London, although he usually had wide powers of discretion. These were the most common form of imperial control.




~Old Port Mombasa just before WW1~




~A main street in Mombasa before WW1~


By the time Ibrahim arrived, Mombasa had a population of about 24,719 people; 6,000 of them being of Asian origin, the rest were made up of Protectorate officials and their families, railway employees, missionaries, English businessmen and a couple of Germans and Greeks. Right up to 1907, anyone could come in through the port without immigration formalities or even a passport. There was no piped water, sewers or collection of rubbish; the roads were not properly made and most of the port was forest and mangroves. The forest often made the City vulnerable to wild animals and snakes. The town was undeveloped and gave rise to rats because of the poor sanitation,which in turn resulted in a few epidemics. There were a a small number Arabian dwellings, mud houses, typically with thatched roofs, and a handful of buildings. A few thatched pavilions doted the island that were utilized by the missionaries as a substitute for schools or churches. The British Administrator had his own house on the shore. A crude main road cut its way through the middle of the Old Port, called Ndia Kuu. Other than that, there were small foot paths around the trading area. Coconuts were cultivated as well as a small variety of fruit trees. The British Officers received their food rations when ever a ship sailed into Mombasa.






















The Afternoon sun was gleaming on the blue sea, and behind Ibrahim, a few dhows were entering the port steering carefully through the only gap in the coral reef barrier. He observed the rich influence of the Islamic culture around him. Prayer areas had been set up with woven grass mats under canopies of cloth. An area had been cordoned off for men to wash themselves before the prayers, with water drawn from a well, and stored in small containers. A few Arabs merchants were clasping rosaries made of seeds, reciting verses of the Koran silently. Many of the Swahili men had covered their heads with round flat topped hats,wearing 'Kanzus',(a long simple robe). And the few women had draped simple 'kangas'(rectangles of cloth, that now days are very colorful), over their heads.





















He noticed a few Indian men who seemed to have established themselves well, each with their own small trading posts. He curiously watched and wondered what brought them to Africa. Some European travellers had gathered by the traders, bargaining for their lunch of mangoes, dates and nuts. He approached the traders to exchange words with them, and was happy to see he was welcomed warmly. He learned that most of them had left India, some three to four years prior to him, coming mainly from Bombay, Kutch and Gujarat. One of the gentlemen, a Khoja who was of jovial nature, offered Ibrahim a ‘madavu’, (the green fruit of an unripe coconut, containing a refreshing and quenching liquid, tasting unique and different to that from a coconut. The white flesh inside is succulent and sweet), Ibrahim brought the madavu to his mouth where a hole had been carved out especially, he savoured it to the last drop as it soothed his throat, and nourished his burning thirst. The amiable Khoja man, much to Ibrahim’s surprise, offered him shelter and a small loan, despite Ibrahim’s reluctance. Ibrahim vowed to pay him back as soon as possible. He found the people as a very hospitable and friendly crowd, and took a liking to his new friends instantly.


He immediately experimented his hand at cooking an Indian condiment; unfortunately, his first attempt was a failure. Having no one to turn to, he asked the same man for another loan. This time Ibrahim was a total success, and he set about on foot, selling his product with in the trading centre. This was the beginning of his small business in Mombasa. Saving every penny possible, he opened a small make shift 'duka' (shop), selling fruit and other small items, becoming very skilled as time went by. In those days trading was done freely on a credit basis, and although it was to his advantage initially, it accumulated in debts later, and Ibrahim soon found himself short of money. Knowing he could not be profitable anytime soon, he concluded that a decision had to be made urgently. If at any time during this point, had Ibrahim been at all disillusioned, he would not have hesitated to discontinue his business as soon as the returning monsoons would turn around his journey,taking him back to his motherland.

Talking to a group of people, he learnt that they were planning to travel to Nairobi, a place 441 km away. After thinking about it, he immediately asked if he could join their party.

Nairobi was founded in 1899 as a railroad camp, on the site of a waterhole used by the pastoral Masai people, when plans for the Mombasa-Uganda railway line were under way. In 1905 it replaced Mombasa as the capital of the British East Africa Protectorate, when the British administration moved from Mombasa to Nairobi. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Masai phrase ‘Enkare Nyirobi’, meaning "the place of cool waters". With the discovery of 2.6 million years old Kenyanthropus Platyops at Lomekwi, near lake Turkana by a team lead by the Leakey family in 1972, Kenya cemented its claim as the original "Cradle of Mankind".

Nairobi lies south of the equator, having a high altitude of 1,680 m. During Kenya's colonial period, the city became a centre for the colony's coffee, tea and sisal industry.

As the railway line had not been constructed, they travelled by foot, donkey and cart. (The Uganda railway line was due to begin construction in the early months of 1896). Their journey took at least three to four weeks, travelling by day in the intense African sun, and camping under the cart at night. Wild animals could be seen and heard at night, their only protection was the campfire and their faith.






Crossing the thickly scrubbed grasslands, it was difficult to navigate themselves easily. Equipped with long sticks, crude machetes and limited tools, they struggled to clear their way through the over growth of thorn bushes and shrubs. The vicious thorns tore at their arms and legs savagely, leaving their bloodied marks distinctly all over their bodies. The sun's intense heat had slowed down their efforts with in a couple of days, and they were sunburned and exhausted from the high temperatures. Certain areas, along Samburu and Taru were like an oven, making it impossible for them to continue walking. All they could do was to break their journey, and crouch under the cart for some form of shade.


























The land was a combination of hilly and flat terrain. Each day brought with it a new challenge, and being isolated from any form of help, made their mission even more dangerous. The land was crawling with wild animals. Clean drinking water was very scarce to find after their departure from Mombasa. Their medical supplies were minimal,and in case of an emergency, there were no clinics or hospitals anywhere along the route. The pastoral Masai fiercely guarded their territory, and did not welcome any outsiders, the consequences could likely end in a loss of life. Their chances of getting infected with malaria were high, although they had a small supply of quinine and chewed on 'neem' sticks continuously. Neem is a tree that grows widely in India and is known for its abundant medicinal qualities, one of which is a prophylactic for malaria. Many poisonous snakes were lurking every where, and the chances of getting bitten were also high. Even minute insects, such as jiggers could do severe damage to somebody's foot, as infections and gangrene were very likely after extraction. These were just a few of the risks out of a great many that they were exposed to, but it was a choice that each man made willingly and consciously.





Guided by the sun, they headed towards their destination the best way they could. Many times, having to turn around and find alternate routes, as something obstructed them.
They journeyed through forests, savannahs and thorn bushes, and were amazed to see the vast diversity and the untamed spectacle of the landscape. Equally they were intoxicated by the beauty of the wild animals roaming freely everywhere. From the shy zebra, whose young habitually stood together in pairs, back to head, watching out for each other, to the towering giraffe, whose stride generated the rhythmic and elegant swaying of their necks. Elephant herds were a serious threat, especially nursing cows who charged viciously at anything that caught their eye. The perfectly disguised lions lurking in the tall yellowy grass, waiting patiently to pounce on their prey, had been known to have had a few travellers for their dinner.














Living off dried fruit, nuts, dried fish, rice, and occasionally a guinea fowl when luck was on their side, their diets lacked in nutrients. They collected dried twigs and fallen pieces of wood to light their camp fires at night, as they went along their journey. Water was carried in the carts for both the animals and themselves, breaking at any stream or river to refill, which was a rarity.

One night they woke up with a fright as one of the men suddenly began to yell frantically. Thinking it was a lion, they hurriedly armed themselves with machetes and took cover under the cart. Attempting to calm and silence the man who by this time, had started to perform what looked like a very odd dance routine. Thumping his feet and slapping his body and head, he began to strip his clothing in the middle of the bush. The men glared at the performance that had turned into a road show, and realized that there was something other than a lion troubling their companion. On further investigation, they discovered huge ants with generous pincers that had dug deep into the man's flesh. 'Siafu' or safari ants had attacked him whilst he was sleeping, and were clinging fast on to him, refusing to let go. They had to pull the ants off one by one as another tried to slap them with a cloth, it was not an easy task. He suffered the consequences, as he was left with the sores all over his body and the only way to disinfect them, was with salted water which must have stung him even more. That night, they had to move their camp to a different location.

They walked through Mackinnon, Voi, Tsavo, Mtito Ende, all the way to the Kapiti Plains and Fort Hall, (Machakos). Finally they followed Athi river where the game was abundantly seen wondering over the plains.

On reaching Nairobi,they were unrecognizable due to the dust from the red soil that had heavily caked them from head to toe. Their thorn tattered clothes hung in shreds off their frail bodies. Towards the end of their journey,everything had caught up with them, and they were absolutely exhausted, weak, sick and malnourished. One of the men had dysentery and was desperately ailing.

When their long journey did come to an end, they were overcome with relief and joy, it was an experience they would never forget for as long as they lived, and they would be certain to pass it onto the generations that followed.













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