In his final interview, the legendary broadcaster Leonard Mambo Mbotela shared the unexpected origin story of his iconic radio show, "Je, Huu ni Ungwana?" (Is This Good Manners?). The setting was the prestigious Panafric Hotel in Nairobi, a haunt for the elite, where Mbotela and his colleagues had settled in for a weekend drink. The fateful moment came when one of Mbotela's friends began loudly...
I stumbled upon this photo in the internet that thrust me down the memory lane. One day, Dad came home carrying a sink tap head and an original lantern lamp glass, both wrapped in old newspaper. He placed it on the one-seater sofa closest to the door and issued a stern warning that no one should come within a meter of the merchandise. Then, he hurried out to respond to a neighbor's...
Nestled at the junction of Ngong’ Road and Raila Odinga Road, Nairobi City Mortuary has served as the epicenter for death care in Kenya's bustling capital for over a century. This institution, once known for its grim reputation, has evolved significantly, reflecting Nairobi's own transformation from a colonial railway town to a modern metropolis. The Early Days Founded in the early 20th...
General Joseph Ndolo, the first Kenyan Chief of General Staff (CGS), was not just a military leader but also the mastermind behind a daring coup plot against President Jomo Kenyatta in 1971. The plan was audacious: to assassinate Kenyatta and install Chief Justice Kitili Mwendwa, Kenya's first indigenous Chief Justice, as the new president. This coup was to be executed on a day Kenyatta was to...
Mûriûki, the high school cook, was always in a foul mood, rarely smiling. Perhaps it was due to the mild deformity on his left hand; he was born with six fingers, the sixth one dangling dangerously from his true pinky. He must have endured a tough childhood, with people mocking him because of this deformity. Maybe he had learned to wear a stern look as a warning to potential jesters. One day,...
Former US President Ronald Reagan described African delegates to the UN as “monkeys”, in newly-unearthed tapes published by a US magazine. He made the comment in a 1971 telephone call with then-President Richard Nixon. Mr Reagan, who was governor of California at the time, was angered that African delegates at the UN sided against the US in a vote. Members of the Tanzanian delegation started...
The bus is believed to ply the Nairobi-Githurai route. CCTV footage showed a bus overturning along the Thika...
Here's the intriguing story of how this savvy businessman turned his dreams into billions. Gerald Gikonyo, a legendary figure in Kenya's business world, dominated the scene for decades. From rags to riches, Gikonyo's journey is truly awe-inspiring. Back in the 1930s, Gikonyo had his sights set on Nairobi, determined to provide for his family. Alongside his now-deceased friend Gerishon Kirima, he hustled...
https://twitter.com/i/status/1729239206936068336 Skyscrapers, concrete behemoths, and monumental architectures aren’t technological marvels peculiar to the modern world. Since the first man began using sticks and stone as weapons, innumerable human inventiveness has given birth to some famous architectural creations that even many modern marvels cannot compare. The most spectacular...
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been asked to vacate their British base of Frogmore Cottage, the couple's spokesperson has confirmed. It was earlier reported that the home, in the grounds of Windsor Castle, had been offered to the Duke of York. A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan confirmed the news. Buckingham Palace has not commented. The duke and duchess now live...
Many people have passed near The Kenya National Archives located on Moi Avenue next to Ambassadeur Hotel, but have no idea what really happens there. Random questions brings out the ignorance of many about this national treasure. To a taxi driver who operates at the parking adjacent to the building it is, “a repository for worn out currency before it is taken for incineration by concerned Government...
It all started with a series of cat-and-mouse games with the police, who were looking for Mr Odinga in Nairobi. In the weeks preceding his dramatic escape from under the noses of President Moi’s ruthless police and Special Branch as the clamour for multiparty democracy intensified, he kept moving between the residences of his pro-democracy friends. A political attaché at the US Embassy in Nairobi,...
https://twitter.com/high__witness/status/1446344375466930193 Prof. Wangari Maathai the “crazy woman” categorical and unassuming responded to Rais Moi,"The only anatomy that matters is from the neck...
In February of 1987, Kenya’s Environment Minister, Jeremiah Nyaga, was visiting Scandinavia. Addressing officials, he said: “It is better for Koigi (pictured) to be incarcerated in a Kenyan prison than for him to face an uncertain future in Norway...” A few weeks back, dissident Koigi Wamwere had fled to Norway, having sneaked out of...
This tattered, nondescript building on Kìrînyaga Road in Nairobi betrays little if any significance to a passer-by. Yet this is the first building in Nairobi's CBD that was owned by a black Kenyan. But there was more to this building. Acquired by a little known businessman Kiburi wa Thumbi in the late 1940s, Kiburi House was cause for much consternation for the colonial...
Compare listings
Compare