And on an entirely personal note …

PAN AFRICANISM AT WORK – CLOSE UP AND PERSONAL

(Posted 06th February 2015)

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Having now lived in Africa for nearly 40 years of course means that the continent has become my permanent home, for better or for worse and probably until death do us part, using this phrase proverbially as well as intentionally. My African journey started decades ago when I arrived in Kenya, green and wet behind my ears, intend to do a stint on foreign soil and then return to the German fatherland to advance my career. Those were the days when I was still under the impression I could bring some lessons on problem solving to Africa, but little did I know that it would be Africa teaching me life lessons, and in generous portions for that matter.

The initial two years turned into four and then some more and when I left Kenya for Uganda in the early 90’s did The Pearl of Africa become my permanent base. I enjoy Residency for Life and am eligible for citizenship were it not for the German government’s refusal to broadly grant the privilege of dual nationality, something in this day and age many African countries have done and which is a right for the Irish as well as for Americans among many other more enlightened countries but alas, not for the Germans.

My both children were born in Africa, in Kenya to be precise, one in Mombasa and the other one in Nairobi. They went to school in both Kenya and Uganda before going abroad for studies, and then, lo and behold, returned to their motherland Uganda, by choice I should add. They, as do I, consider Uganda their home but of course think like East Africans and are truly global citizens.

I wrote quite a bit about my daughter’s civil wedding in Kampala last year – the church wedding is to follow in a few weeks at the Kenya coast, again showing how tight our ties remain with my erstwhile country of residence – and a few days ago it was my son’s Kwanjula, aka Introduction Ceremony, which in the local Ugandan culture means that the two families meet and bless the union of their children.

Already a rainbow of national backgrounds, from Rwanda to Uganda to Belgium, including a sprinkling of Dutch from the previous generation and of course Germany, was another nation added on to the spectrum, Eritrea. It is Pan Africanism at work, uniting people and families across borders and the continents, and for the day a befitting setting was of course needed, not primarily to impress guests but to create memories, lay a a foundation for the two, something they can look back at and remember, just as I still remember my wedding reception at the Mombasa Serena way back in 1981.

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And it was another Serena property which provided the setting for the day, the Lake Victoria Serena Resort & Spa, located on the shores of Lake Victoria. It was a choice made by looking for class rather than mass, and combined with picture perfect weather did it turn out to be a day when it snowed food and rained drinks on the guests, with Wilfred Shirima, the resort’s General Manager and his team of chefs and service staff pulling out all the stops.

Serena has a special place in my past, having met my wife at the Nairobi Serena, and as mentioned having had our wedding reception at the Mombasa Serena. It also has a place in the present though and it was therefore a deliberate choice made by the kids to continue this affiliation into the next generation and hopefully beyond.

Set on umpteen hectares of land on the shores of the lake, with the main resort located on the hill side, do the Tuscan villas give the distinct impression of a Mediterranean setting, and the casual observer could indeed be fooled, were it not for the matooke plantations in the wider neighbourhood.

The view, apart from the panorama provided by the world’s second largest fresh water lake, dotted with little islands, extends also over a new golf course development which, together with a marina, will provide the backbone of the resort’s sporting attractions. The first nine holes will be open by Easter this year, then no doubt prompting a pilgrimage of golfers every weekend from Kampala to the new course. When all 18 holes are complete, will the new course measure up to African championship standards. Going by Serena’s own close affiliation with the game and the sponsorship of many tournaments in the entire region, will this resort no doubt see regular competitions being played attracting visitors to the country as an up and coming golfing destination.

Of course was the visit to the resort not focused on the sporting facilities but it was all about the setting, the food, the service and the accommodation, a package which set the Lake Victoria Serena miles apart from other lake shore developments, distinguished by class over mass as said earlier.

The villas all give the appearance of having been transplanted from the Mediterranean and the architects made sure that roof tiles and colour schemes match the templates of how residences and villas look like a a small village in the Tuscan hills. With 124 rooms and suites, including the World Travel Award 2014 named ‘Best Presidential Suite in Uganda’, is the resort intimate enough for guests to enjoy the privacy they might seek. The rooms, even the standard rooms, leave nothing in terms of furnishings and comforts to be desired and the suites provide that added luxury of yet more space in separated living and bedrooms.

This resort will no doubt establish itself as Uganda’s prime lakeside resort providing a retreat for both holiday and business meetings, away from the hustle and bustle but near enough to both the international airport and the capital city.

How the chefs managed to create a palatable mix between Eritrean traditional dishes and the more international fare, giving each group of guests their own culinary delights, will probably remain a secret they are not going to share. But recalling the translated comments, facial expressions and body language were the Eritrean members of the newly expanded family entirely satisfied, and as one demonstrated in the absence of either of us speaking the other’s language, ‘finger licking good’, the universal sign language showing total satisfaction. All other guests too notably tuned down their conversations as the food was served, a clear signal that the food on the plates in front of them was, for a while at least, making conversations with others on the table the last thing on their minds.

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Lunch was served on the upper terrace of the main building, allowing for a great view across the lake and down the terraced gardens, which were later to be the venue of the formal ‘Introduction’ and while guests were busy enjoying the food was the Serena team equally busy to put final touches on the garden venue, putting the sunshades up and stocking the bar. It is little wonder, with such attention to the smallest detail, like adjusting the sun umbrellas at the very last moment so that guests indeed could sit in the shade, that anyone who wants to book the venue for a major function, best books well in advance. The resort is establishing itself as an out of town venue of choice, yet close enough to the city, for those discerning enough to want the best for their guests and take home memories which can last a lifetime.

And at the end of it all did a magic day turn more magic as the full moon rose over the resort while the sun was still up, perhaps a sign that the new union was blessed by the heavens above as well as the people below. The lightspiel of the setting sun, eventually giving way to the silver light illuminating the waters of the lake and the buildings of the resort, provided a perfect ending. The rainbow of our family of nations grew that day and Eritrea now has a firm place in it. Pan Africanism at work, close up and personal.