ABOUT Kenya
Kenya is located in the east Africa region and takes its name from Mt Kenya, Which is the second highest mountain in Africa. The kikuyu people referred to it as Kiri-Nyaga (kirinyaga) which literally translates to 'has ostriches. The Embu name for Mt Kenya is Kirenia, meaning mountain of whiteness because of the snow capped peak. The name Kenya arose from the inability of the British to pronounce Kirinyaga correctly.

The capital city of Kenya is Nairobi. The other cities are Mombasa and Kisumu. Major towns include Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Embu, Meru, Thika and Kakamega.

Kenya is a land of captive diversity. From the beautiful soft sandy beaches at the coast; the magnificent view of the snow peaked Mount Kenya to the diverse habitats in the breathtaking rift valley with its abundant wildlife that includes the world-renowned wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara; not forgetting the unique and diverse culture and traditions in the variety of music, song, dance, and cuisine.

HISTORY

Kenya has a rich history in terms of the origin of civilization as we know it today. Lake Turkana was the site of the discovery of the remains and fossils of Kenyanthropus platyops, dating back over 2.6 million years, which suggested that protohumans roamed the area more than 20 million years ago. These remains have been preserved by the national museums of Kenya. Recent discoveries around the same location have generated a lot of discussion on the origin of man.

The town of Malindi is linked with the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, who arrived there in 1498. In time, the Portuguese expanded their influence across the Kenyan coastline, culminating in the construction of fort Jesus in 1593 to protect themselves from Anglo Arab invasions. The fort is now a tourist attraction.

The Kenyan coast was influenced by other missionary settlements, among them Dr.Ludwing Krapf, a German missionary of the church missionary society of England, who established the first Christian mission of Kenya among the Mijikenda in 1846.

After the Berlin conference of 1886, Britain became the main player in the control of East Africa. In 1895, Kenya became a British protectorate and soon after in 1890s and early 1900s, the construction of the Kenya-Uganda railway commenced, establishing a white settler community in the mainland.

The railway reached halfway through Kenya in 1898 and Nairobi was founded a few years later. In 1901, the railway reached kisumu (then port Florence), and European and Indian settlers began streaming to East Africa. White settlers were favoured and given influence on the management of the colony. This did not go down well with the locals who had been forced to give up their land. When Kenya became a British colony in 1919, organized African political activity developed.

This political activity heightened as the British struggled to maintain their dominance of the region. The fight to gain self-rule intensified with the detention of many leaders who were charged with directing the Mau Mau movement.

There were a series of meetings in Lancaster house between 1960 and 1963 to negotiate Kenya's constitution and in 1963, the Lancaster constitutional conference finalized arrangements for the independence of Kenya. Among those who took part in these negotiations were Thomas Joseph Mboya, martin Shikuku, Ronald Ngala and Daniel Moi. Kenya finally achieved internal self government on 1 June 1963, now celebrated annually as Madaraka Day. On 12 December 1964 (now celebrated as Jamhuri day), Kenya became a republic and Jomo Kenyatta became the first president.

PEOPLE OF Kenya

Kenya boasts of the diversity, unity and harmony of its 42 tribes. The tribes of Kenya include the Cushitic speaking nomads, Bantu speakers and the Nilotes. The main tribes are the kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, Kalenjin, Kamba, Kisii, Meru, Maasai and Turkana. Also, about 15 per cent of the total population comprises Non-Africans (Asians, Europeans and Arabs). The local languages still strongly exist but Kiswahili is the national language while English is the official language

CULTURE

The culture of Kenya is as diverse as its 42 ethnic groups. The diversity in culture is evident in the different ways of life; the hierarchical relationships among the ethnic groups; the different ways the traditional houses are constructed; manner of dress and adornment of dress accompaniments; the type of musical instruments, music and dance; the rich ceremonies and festivals; and the rich diversity of cuisine and the ways in which the foods are prepared, preserved, served and consumed.

Music
In Kenya, culture is one of the crucial factors in defining music. All traditional music is accompanied by instruments like the African drum (ngoma), a variety of rattles and shakers, small harps, the wandidi ( a kikuyu fiddle), and the nyatiti, which widely used in nyanza Kenya. The word ngoma (drum) is still used to describe most forms of traditional music and dance. There are many forms and styles of dancing that is specific to each ethnic group, ranging from the rhythmic gyration of the hips, well choreographed movements, and jumping.

Art and craft

Kenya is known for the Kiondo, the Kikoy, and craft artifacts spread all over the country. The most popular crafts materials are the beautiful woodcarving, the Kisii soapstone carvings, various styles of bangles and bracelets, and traditional baskets, all of which make very exquisite souvenirs. Others are musical instruments, tribal masks, sculpture, batik cloth, and paintings. These materials can be found in the numerous craft markets and shops throughout in main trading centers.

The kiondo is a hand woven basket made from sisal fibres. It is indigenous to the kikuyu and Kamba tribes, and is used mainly by women to carry foods from the garden or market. The sisal fibres are dried and dyed then hand woven in their idle time. Over the years, the kiondo has become a fashion statement for many urban women who carry them along with the usual handbags.

The kikoy was originally was a traditional mans garment in Kenya adorned by men in the coast region.  It is a very versatile garment made from 100% cotton and dyed into many different and beautiful colours. The kikoy can be adorned in many different ways; as a short or long cover up, scarf, shawl, wraparound, head scurf, table cloth, turban, curtain, bedspreads, and all manner of function!

Climate

The weather in Kenya is generally good and pleasant all year round despite the different topographical regions that experience distinct climates. Generally, because Kenya is an equatorial county, there is little variation in weather throughout the year. The hottest period is February and March while the coldest periods are July and august.  In the coastal region, the weather is generally humid with temperatures ranging from 21°C to 32°. The low plateau areas to the north and northeast are the driest parts of the country with average temperatures ranging from 19° C to 37°C.  The temperate highlands, including the city of Nairobi, are generally cooler with temperatures between 13°C and 25°C.

Landscape, Flora & Fauna

Kenya offers contrasts of landscape and outstanding natural beauty. There are natural tourist attractions of the savannah in the south, deserts in the north, lake Victoria (the 2nd largest fresh water lake in the world) in the west, the tropical beaches in the east, and the snow capped peaks of mount Kenya. The country also boasts more than 80 major species of animals and over 1000 species of birds.

There are also more than 20 national parks and game reserves spread throughout the country, which are home to abundant wildlife. These include the world renowned Maasai Mara; the Tsavo east and Tsavo west national parks; the Amboseli national park; and the Nairobi national park, which is the only one in the world in the proximity of a capital city.

Beaches, Sea & Marine Life

Kenya has a coastline of approximately 536km fronting the Indian Ocean with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The long white sandy beaches are home to some of the most diverse marine life in the oceans. There is abundance of beautiful bright corals s well as dolphins, butterfly fish, sharks and turtle, complimented by the large number of yellow and red tuna and snappers.

Sports
Kenya is renowned for long distance running. World class runners spring up from schools and colleges on a regular basis, thus offering a continuous supply of world record breakers.

Football is played throughout the country from small villages to large cities. Although there are local football clubs, soccer fans follow the Europeans football leagues through the various media channels in the country.

Golf is a very popular sport in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and other major towns in the country. There are fully fledged golf clubs and 18-hole courses where members and visitors can enjoy the sport.

Rugby is also very well established and the annual safari sevens is now a well known event in the annual sports calendar.

In the coastal and lake regions respectively, fishing is very popular. The deep-sea sport fishing season runs from august to may. Qualified divers can enjoy the reefs of Mombasa, with the season running from April to October. Snorkeling equipments is available in most coastal hotels.

Festival and events

Numerous festivals and events take place in the various regions in the country. The main ones are the Kenya Tourism Week, Concours d'Elegance motor show, the rhino charge, international camel derby, the south coast goat derby at leisure lodge, the KSPCA shaggy Dog show, bull fighting in western Kenya, art music, cultural and food festivals organized by the ministry of culture, the Dugong festival in Lamu, donkey race, Mombasa carnival, and the annual trade and agricultural shows

TRANSPORT
Air
The main airports are Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Moi International Airport (MIA) in Mombasa, and Eldoret International Airport (EAI). The Wilson Airport in Nairobi handles light aircrafts and quite a number of scheduled and chartered domestic flights. There are also a number of airstrips located strategically country wide connecting all parts of Kenya to Nairobi.

Rail
Kenya has only one train service run by Rift Valley Railway (Kenya) Ltd. The first and second class coaches have self-contained sleepers with a restaurant. Prior reservation is required. Train schedules can be obtained from the stations offices in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu.

Water
Water transport is found only in the coast, ferry services are available at the Likoni ferry connecting the north coast and the south coast. This service is free for commuters but vehicles are charged a fee

Visa requirements
Visitors coming to Kenya from outside East Africa require a visa. Full details of the requirements are available from the respective Kenya mission offices. However a single or multiple entry visa can be obtained upon arrival at the airport.

Safety
Most hotels in Kenya have safes for keeping valuables. It is advisable to avoid walking alone in isolated places and in back streets during both day and night. It is also advisable not to adorn valuables or use your mobile phones while walking in the streets.

Health
Vacations for cholera, tetanus and yellow fever should be taken before visiting Kenya. Prophylactics should be taken to prevent malaria two weeks before arrival and continued two weeks after leaving. Please consult your doctor before your trip. Although tap water is available in all major towns, it is advisable to drink bottled water. A few chemists in the cities and major towns are open late. Please refer to the classified sections for more information.

Electricity
All areas in Kenya are supplied with 220/240 volts ac. The plugs in use are the 3- square pin and 2-pin

Religion
The constitution of Kenya guarantees freedom of worship for all. A large majority of Kenyans are Christians comprising of Anglican, and Roman Catholic, others are Muslims, and indigenous beliefs. There are churches & mosques spread in all areas of the country catering for all the denominations.