Destination: Kenya
LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK INFORMATION
Dangers & annoyances
While Kenya is a safe destination in African terms, there are still plenty of pitfalls for the unwary or inexperienced traveller, from everyday irritations to more serious threats. A little street sense goes a long way here, and getting the latest local information is essential wherever you intend to travel.
Banditry
Wars in Somalia, Sudan and Ethiopia have all had their effect on the stability and safety of northern and northeastern Kenya. AK-47s have been flowing into the country for many years and the newspapers are filled with stories of hold-ups, shoot-outs, cattle rustling and general lawlessness. Bandits and poachers infiltrating from Somalia have made the northeast of the country particularly dangerous, and with the American ‘War on Terror’ shutting down the funding for many warring factions within Somalia, these problems are only going to get worse.
In the northwest, the main problem is armed tribal wars and cattle rustling across the Sudanese border. There are Kenyan shifta (bandits) too, of course, but cross-border problems seem to account for most of the trouble in the north of the country.
Despite all the headlines, tourists are rarely targeted, as much of the violence and robberies take place far from the main tourist routes. Security has also improved considerably in previously high-risk areas such as the Isiolo–Marsabit, Marsabit–Moyale and Malindi–Lamu routes. However, you should check the situation locally before taking these roads, or travelling between Garsen and Garissa or Thika.
The areas along the Sudanese and Ethiopian borders are very risky, although most visitors are very unlikely to have any reason to go there in the first place.
Crime
Even the staunchest Kenyan patriot will readily admit that the country’s biggest problem is crime. It ranges from petty snatch theft and mugging to violent armed robbery, carjacking and of course white-collar crime and corruption. The wealthy are content to surround themselves with more and more armed guards and razor wire and little is done to address the causes of the problem. As a visitor you needn’t feel paranoid, but you should always keep your wits about you, particularly at night.
Perhaps the best advice for when you’re walking around cities and towns is not to carry anything valuable with you – that includes jewellery, watches, cameras, bum bags, day-packs and money. Most hotels provide a safe or secure place for valuables, although you should be cautious of the security at some budget places. Cheap digital watches and plastic sunglasses can be bought in Kenya for under KSh100 and you won’t miss them if they get taken.
While pickpocketing and bag-snatching are the most common crimes, armed muggings do occur in Nairobi and on the coast (see the relevant chapters for more details). However, they usually occur at night or in remote areas, so always take taxis after dark or along lonely dirt roads. Conversely, snatch-and-run crimes happen more in crowds. If you suddenly feel there are too many people around you, or think you are being followed, dive straight into a shop and ask for help.
Luggage is an obvious signal to criminals that you’ve just arrived. When arriving anywhere by bus, it’s sensible to take a ‘ship-to-shore’ approach, getting a taxi directly from the bus station to your hotel. You’ll have plenty of time to explore once you’ve safely stowed your belongings. Also, don’t read this guidebook or look at maps on the street – it attracts unwanted attention.
In the event of a crime, you should report it to the police, but this can be a real procedure. You’ll need to get a police report if you intend to make an insurance claim. In the event of a snatch theft, think twice before yelling ‘Thief!’. It’s not unknown for people to administer summary justice on the spot, often with fatal results for the criminal.
Although crime is a fact of life in Kenya, it needn’t spoil your trip. Above all, don’t make the mistake of distrusting every Kenyan just because of a few bad apples – the honest souls you meet will far outweigh any crooks who cross your path.
Money
With street crime a way of life in Nairobi, you should be doubly careful with your money. The safest policy is to leave all your valuables in the hotel safe and just carry enough cash for that day. If you do need to carry larger sums around, a money belt worn under your clothes is the safest option to guard against snatch thefts. However, be aware that muggers will usually be expecting this.
More ingenious tricks include tucking money into a length of elasticised bandage on your arm or leg, or creating a hidden pocket inside your trousers. If you don’t actually need your credit card, travellers cheques or cash with you, they’ll almost always be safer locked away in your hotel safe. Don’t overlook the obvious and leave money lying around your hotel room in plain view, though – however well you get on with the staff, they’re unlikely to resist a free month’s wages if they’ve got a family to feed.
Street Kids
Nairobi in particular has huge problems with street children, many of whom are AIDS orphans, who trail foreigners around asking for food or change. It’s up to you whether you give, but if you do, the word will go around and you won’t get a moment’s peace. It’s also debatable how much your donations will help as the older boys operate like a mini-mafia, extorting money from the younger kids.
If you want to help out, money might be better donated to the charity Homeless Children International (%020-573013), which works to improve conditions for these children.
Scams
At some point in Kenya you’ll almost certainly come across people who play on the emotions and gullibility of foreigners. Nairobi is a particular hotspot, with ‘friendly’ approaches a daily, if not hourly, occurrence. People with tales about being refugees or having sick relatives can sound very convincing, but they all end up asking for cash. It’s OK to talk to these people if they’re not actively hassling you, but you should always ignore any requests for money.
Be sceptical of strangers who claim to recognise you in the street, especially if they’re vague about exactly where they know you from – it’s unlikely that any ordinary person is going to be this excited by seeing you twice. Anyone who makes a big show of inviting you into the hospitality of their home also probably has ulterior motives. The usual trick is to bestow some kind of gift upon the delighted traveller, who is then emotionally blackmailed into reciprocating to the order of several hundred shillings.
Tourists with cars also face a whole set of potential rip-offs. Don’t trust people who gesticulate wildly to you as you are driving along, indicating your front wheels are wobbling; if you stop, chances are you’ll be relieved of your valuables. Another trick is to splash oil on your wheels, then tell you the wheel bearings, differential or something else has failed, and direct you to a nearby garage where their friends will ‘fix’ the problem – for a substantial fee, of course.
Terrorism
Kenya has twice been subject to terrorist attacks: in August 1998 the US embassy in Nairobi was bombed, and in November 2002 the Paradise Hotel, north of Mombasa, was car-bombed at the same time as a rocket attack on an Israeli jet. While these events caused a brief panic in the tourist industry, it now seems that they were isolated incidents and that Western travellers to Kenya can expect to have a trouble-free time in the country. Visitors to the predominantly Muslim coast region should be aware that anti-American sentiment can run high here, but actual violence against foreigners is highly unlikely.
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