Destination SafariLogue Project Windhoek, Namibia 2021

For the love of his father, Enos Martin Cainan Shayange travelled half the distance from Cape Town in South Africa to Alexandria in Egypt. My nephew started his journey in his village, some 900 Kilometres South of Windhoek in Namibia, where he made a stopover for Covid-19 testing as required by World Health Organisation before boarding an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in in Nairobi.

While in Windhoek, he connected with an old personal and family friend, Charles Mwangi Kamau, a former Director of Namibian Civil Aviation Authority, who assisted him with logistics to ensure his maiden trip out of his country was seamless and stress-free. Shanyange who turns 29 years in February, used the opportunity to visit and stay with his step mother and step sister in the Namibian capital city after the daylong road trip.

Throughout his preparation for the long-awaited trip to his fatherland, he had been in close touch with me thanks to Facebook and WhatsApp. But the trip was not without major challenges after he applied and was issued with a Namibian passport with 72 hours after applying.

The first hitch was financial, he didn't have resources not did we have savings to assist buying the Kenya Shillings 80,000 round trip ticket, which was the lowest according to an internet travel website.

Our national airline, Kenya Airways, was unaffordable; charging an arm and a leg, literally!

But thanks to quick thinking, networking and prayers, I formed a 35-member committee chaired by my late brother's best friend, Earnest Kiano, who endured we realised our target within 30 days of WhatsApp Group fundraising with no personal or virtual meetings. On the eve of his Kenyan trip, my nephew had faced three major local, regional and international challenges that looked impossible.

In order to get out of his country, Enos Martin had to apply for a passport; then he had to go for a Covid-19 test before facing the health, immigration and customs officials at Namibia airport.

On the international side, my nephew had to pray and cross his fingers, like us in Kenya, that the so-called South African Covid-19 variant would not force the Kenyan government to block all passengers from that region from entering the country.

Another challenge emerged on the eve of the trip when I sent him funds for the Covid-19 test via Western Union, but he was unable to withdraw because of a typo. I misspelt his last name! Instead of Shanyange, I wrote Shenyege! Talk about bureaucracy and stress of deadlines. Enos Martin and my friend had to improvise very fast in order to beat the dead set by WHO for all passengers to get the Covid-19 test before embarking on an international flight.

Finally, the volatile security situation in Addis Ababa and Ethiopia kept us glued to social media and television news outlets with baited breath praying that it would not explode and affect the use of that city as a stop over to Nairobi.

To see him off at the Namibia international airport was Charles Mwangi Kamau, my childhood friend and former Lenana Schoolmate of my late bro KC, my nephew’s father.

Indeed, our God is a God of the impossible and saw him through allowing Enos Martin to literally, come, see and conquer his fatherland.

Just when we thought we were out of the woods and he was airborne, I requested another nephew, Kevin, to accompany me to JKIA at 9pm. For the arrival at 9.20pm. However, after arriving at 10pm. hoping to find him waiting for us after clearance by the health, customs and immigration officials, Kevin alerted me that we were three hours early according to the official display board showing all arrivals by planes from all over the world!

I had misread the electronic ticket schedule. That cost us Shs.800 parking fee and a cold wait in the car. But come 1.45am. the two of us sighed in relief seeing him for the first time then welcomed Enos Martin with a hearty handshake and bear’s hug. We helped him carry his luggage to the car and enjoyed hearing his travel stories and experiences of his first time to fly and go out of Namibia as we headed to my house some 20 Kilometres away.

We welcomed him with prayers and a whole chicken slaughtered for him in the Luo tradition, thanks to my poultry project in my compound, with chapatti (bread) before calling it a night.

For the next five days we had a back to back itinerary in Nairobi and a road trip to Lambwe Valley in Homa Bay County to visit his grandfather’s home and stand, pray and honour his late father at the graveside, 20 years later.

The marathon 411 Kilometre drive took us through some of the most scenic routes in the country starting with the Escarpment, Mt Longonot, Mt Suswa, the SGR line to Suswa, Narok’s hills and families and large scale wheat, barley and maize on both sides of the highway.

My nephew was amused and shocked at the number of herds of cows, goats and sheep being herded by Maasai men, women and children along the way. His phone camera was on overdrive as he captured the gems.

It was even more exciting for him to see the grade cattle and sheep in Bomet and Kisii Counties in addition to the large scale tea and tree plantations extending as far as the eye could see in the horizon.'

By the time we ventured into Rangwe constituency in Homa Bay County and he saw the large number of men, women and children going to their respective work and educational places, he was awed saying such scenes are very rare back in Namibia, where the population is 2.5 million.

Another big cultural shock throughout the journey was the number boda boda ( motor bike taxis), noting that they are none existent I the Southern African nation where the government still clings to the strict constitution, laws and bylaws left behind at independence by the apartheid regime before Sam Nujoma of SWAPO was sworn in as the first President.

Said Enos Martin: “Our country is mostly a desert, we never see such things.” It was shortly after their independence when President Nujoma and his government invited professionals, mostly from African countries, to apply and get jobs to help them build their nation whose citizens had been colonized and discriminated by the Boars of South Africa following the withdrawal of Germany at the end of Second World War in 1947.

We arrived safely at his grandfather’s farm at OmegaVille in Kamato village, Lambwe Valley in Suba North Constituency, Homa Bay County, ready for a welcome by his uncle, Martin Juma, whom he was also named after, ready for a sundowner and to pray at the grave of his father.

For dinner, I drove him, my father, my eldest brother, his wife and son to aunt Norah’s home, some 7 Kilometres away, where he was given a whole chicken to feast on as a blessing and re-union and welcome to the family.

The following morning my nephew and I were up at dawn for a morning walk in Sigulu village to the highest point facing Lake Victoria and Homa Bay town, some 10 Kilometres away. We returned, took a bath and breakfast where we were joined by Aunt Jael, before we drove to the next destination at Rusinga Island, some 20 Kilometres away in Lake Victoria.

We made a brief stopover in Mbita Point Town to repair a tyre that had a puncture along the way where he was handy and happy to give me and my father a hand. At Mbita we also visited the fish-landing bay and saw the fresh produce from the open sea. We later bought three big ones at Shs1,600 to feast on in our next destinations.

As we crossed the Mbita Bridge to the mainland to the island inhibited by Subas who were originally from Uganda, Enos Martin held on tight to the seat as he had never seen such a log bridge and water mass.

We were hosted for a sumptuous lunch by Jack Odhiambo, my maternal uncle, his wives and two sons, as we sat under beautiful trees and shrubs overlooking the breathtaking view of the lake; facing the Ugandan border.

Two hours later, we were off to catch the Mbita-Luanda Kotieno ferry enroute to Fort Ternan settlement scheme in Kisumu County, some 163 Kilometres to the East though Ndori Town in Rarieda Constituency. The 5pm. ferry service was most ideal for him as he had an opportunity to enjoy the Rusinga sunset, ferry ride for 45 minutes and sample the drama experienced in a marine vessel.'

One of the dramas was of a pig transporter who had hired some youths to transfer them from his pick up to the Waterbus (Hoover craft), that operates between Mbita and Luanda Kotieno, one house apart with the ferry. But the pigs were not ready for the ride and some of them attempted to bolt off as they were being escorted to the Waterbus, some screamed while others kicked the handlers ferociously.

From Luanda Kotieno to Fort Ternan, the three hour journey was uneventful as it was dark. We arrived in time for the 9pm. television news and one of the highlights was the Coronavirus South African variant ad how the Namibian President had addressed the nation asking his citizens to comply by the health and protocols saying there should not be cause for panic.

The following morning, Enos Martin and I went on a dawn walk to the river, the farm and another one on a plateau of a hill overlooking the busy Muhoroni-Fort Ternan- Nakuru highway.

We returned and had a garden breakfast on a raised gazebo with geese swimming in a small pond in the compound. We later took a siesta I the house before we entered the car and went on a joy ride to Fort Ternan Town, some 5 Kilometres away.

Enroute to FT, we saw the rehabilitated Kenya Railways passenger train on a trial run; it was the eve of its official launch from Nairobi to Kisumu, some 350 Km away.

Fort Ternan is a strategic town on the route as it is at the border of Rift Valley and Nyanza regions and is also the first stop on the Lake Basin from the highlands of Kipkelion Constituency in Kericho County.

The following dawn we were up early ready for the return trip to Nairobi, some 275 Kilometres away and passed through Londiani, Nakuru, Gilgil, Naivasha and Mai Mahiu in time to visit Coptic Hospital on Ngong Road for the mandatory Covid-19 test before going on any foreign flight.

Enos Martin’s last day was packed; we started off with breakfast in my house then drove through Kibera slums enroute to Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) headquarters which is next to the famous Safari Walk.

After taking photos at the entrance we paid the Shs200 for citizens and another $20 for my nephew who was armed with his passport. When I asked why he could not benefit as a half Kenyan-Half Namibia, the official tipped me that they only allow that if the passport shows that the tourist has dual citizenship.

For the next two hours we had one of the best quality time as we enjoyed the serene environment, saw most of the big five and other wild animals like hippos, baboons, warthogs, hyenas, ostrich, antelopes, zebras, baboons, buffaloes, colobus monkeys among others. The Big Five animals of Kenya found in most of the country’s national parks and game reserves are lion, cheater, elephant, rhino,

We were later joined by Rose Masao, a second wife of his late father, who was excited to meet and expressed her joy saying: “You look just like your father!” The Safari Walk ended with a photo session with a traditional Maasai troupe who was pleased to invite us and try to sell his artifacts to us. The photo session was not cheap, I parted with Shs1,000 after trying to bargain to part with half of that amount but in vain.

We drove back to my house through the slums and my nephew was shocked at the ‘slem (slum)’ which they also refer to as Shecks (shacks), saying in Namibia, the bylaws are very strict and such buildings are almost unheard of.

We had lunch and left for Nairobi Baptist Church Ngong Road with my daughter and nephew for a Christmas Cantata Choir rehersal. Enos Martin joined us there as a photographer and later had refreshments with the whole team three hours later before we departed for Toi Market, where I bought him a navy blue suit and a matching shirt.

We then went for a sundowner dinner at Java House, at The Junction, to wrap up the hectic but enjoyable one-week visit before he was to fly out the following morning. But thanks to social media, I had assumed the Ethiopian Airlines flight was at 8.35am, just for my friend in Namibia, Kamau, to alert us that the flight was at 5am. from JKIA! On checking on the e-ticket, I almost missed a heartbeat!

So we had an early prayer and off we were to slumber land ready for the 2am. alarm to wake us and set off for the airport. The 30-minute drive to the airport 20 Kilometres away brought back sweet memories of my late brother, whose anniversary is on January 10, and the beauty of family love and unity.

I bid him ‘kwaheri (bye)’ after he cleared with the health and security officials before he was allowed to enter the visitors’ lounge where he was cleared by Ethiopian Airlines officials ready for the return flight to Windhoek via Addis.

Some 12 hours later, my nephew called me from Windhoek confirming that he had arrived safe and sound and expressed his appreciation for the dream come true trip, adventure and quality time.

But blunders never cease, he was unable to change the Kenya shillings into United Starts dollars or Euros, the internationally recognized foreign currency, I had given him as pocket money at JKIA because of the rush through the customs and immigration hoping to do the same in Windhoek, just to get there and be told that the currency is useless in Namibia!

An attempt by my friend Mwangi to seek help at the Kenyan Embassy was also thwarted as they were closed for the Christmas and New Year’s holiday! I was forced to send him some more funds via Western Union. “I look forward to another visit, hopefully even for three months!” Enos Martin said, pleading to us to help his sister, Aska also do likewise next year.

As Hollywood award winning actress, Lupita Nyongo, says: “All dreams are valid.”