EXODUS OF NAIROBEANS PRECEDES VISIT OF PRESIDENT OBAMA TO KENYA
(Posted 18th July 2015)
News coming in yesterday affirmed the decision of many expatriates and Kenyans alike to leave the capital Nairobi and head to either the national parks – the annual migration of the wildebeest is in full progress from the Serengeti into the Masai Mara – or the Kenya coast. It was reported in electronic and social media yesterday that American law enforcement officers had taken over control of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport’s security, immediately prompting a rise in bookings by Nairobeans to escape the fallout the visit is expected to cause vis a vis traffic and even accessibility of phone services.
Coast resorts from Malindi to Diani are reporting an increase in enquiries and bookings as those who can are trying to, using an American phrase, get the heck out of Dodge, before POTUS arrives.
Hotels in Nairobi are already fully booked and visitors trying their luck may find that unless they are ready to settle for serviced apartments, or staying with relatives, friends or acquaintances, there is not a room to be had, and certainly not at rebated rates. According to regular sources are all Nairobi hotels charging rack rates ahead and during the visit unless special rates have been agreed in advance for instance for international media or POTUS’ hundreds of agents and accompanying business executives.
In contrast does this development make coast hoteliers smile for a change as their extraordinary special offers to lure people from upcountry to the beaches has been supported by the imminent arrival of the American President.
‘Going by what happened two years ago in Dar es Salaam, there is no way I am going to remain in Nairobi. I would spend half a day to get to my office and half a day to get home so what is the point. No matter what officials say, key roads will be blocked, the conference venue sealed off with a big circle and only those driven in motorcades will not mind. Us normal people will get the long end of the stick. We even expect phone services to be disrupted. Obama is welcome and his visit will bring a lot of cash into our economy but for me, I just don’t intend to be around and see it. I am taking a mini break at the coast starting this long weekend and come back when they are all gone’ wrote a periodic contributor with offices in the Central Business District of Nairobi.
Obama is the first sitting US President to visit Kenya and will attend the global entrepreneurship summit which is held in Nairobi between up to the 26th of July.
There is intense speculation where Obama will be staying and it is an open secret that the Villa Rosa Kempinski, which features East Africa’s largest and best Presidential Suite, is a frontrunner in the bets which are circulating to find out where he will put his head down, when he does. Meanwhile have residents of Kisumu and Kogelo, his paternal home, expressed their bitter disappointment that Obama is apparently not visiting his father’s juvenile stomping ground inspite of the county having spend significant amounts to money to spruce up infrastructure.
‘His handlers will probably not want him to go there for security reasons but at least future visitors to Kogelo will enjoy better facilities. Here in Nairobi is it amazing how suddenly things are done which have not been touched for years by the central government and the county government since they came to office. The facelift is looking good though I wonder how long it will last before the repairs and improvements will begin to fall apart again’ did another regular source quip tongue in cheek.
