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Authors: Nicholas Drayson
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I use US dollars?
– we’re talking millions, tens of millions, maybe even nine figures.’
The minister sat back in his chair.
‘Go on, Mr Khan.’
‘Like I say, it’s a pretty big
wad. It’s going to be big for Nairobi, and what’s good for Nairobi is good
for Kenya – right? That’s why I’m here. I thought I should start by getting
the advice of someone high up, someone at thetop. There’s going
to be money in this for a lot of people. That’s why I came to you.’
‘I see. And
this … er … advice?’
‘What I’m looking for is local
knowledge. People who know how the system works, people who know the people who know the
right people. For instance, the first thing we’re going to need is a
site.’
‘Site?’
‘A building site. Somewhere to build –
somewhere big, somewhere central.’
‘Oh,’ said the minister.
‘Well, I happen to know that there will be tenders out soon for redevelopment of
some of the area around Kibera –’
‘Kibera – isn’t that the slums?
With all respect, Minister, I’m not sure that’s quite the place for a
five-star retail facility.’
Brian Kukuya smiled.
‘We prefer to call it
“unofficial housing”, Mr Khan. But I think I can see your point. Something a
little more central?’
‘Right. So what I’m really
asking is that if you do get any ideas, you give me a call. Like I said, for the good of
the country.’
‘I think I understand you,
Mr … Harry. Yes, I think I understand you perfectly.’
It has sometimes been said that Kenya is
not so much a nation as a collection of tribes. When nineteenth- and twentieth-century
European invaders decided to carve up Africa, the borders between their agreed spheres
of influence were not decided by nature or (strange thought) bythe
people who actually lived there. They were decided by merchants and soldiers and men
with maps in the faraway capitals of another continent. The border between British East
Africa and German East Africa was a straight line with a small kink round Mount
Kilimanjaro. The border between British East Africa and Italian East Africa similarly
owed more to geometry than geography. The result of this is that even today the Maasai
of Kenya have more in common with their brother Maasai of Tanzania than they do with
their fellow Kenyan Kikuyus, and the Cushitic speakers of the north converse more easily
with their Ethiopian cousins than with their Swahili-speaking coastal compatriots.
The Hon Brian Kukuya was a Luo man and, if
you could have delved into his soul, you would find that his loyalties were to his
family, his tribe and his country – in very much that order. Had you been able to delve
deeper still, you would have discovered that even above loyalty to family was a great
love of and concern for the well-being of Brian Kukuya.
‘Ah, there you are, Jonah. You have
shown Mr Khan out? Now, tell me, is there any more news about the
Evening
News
?’
‘Ha ha, news about the news, Minister.
The Minister is most clever and amusing.’
Yes, thought Brian Kukuya, he supposed he
was.
‘How is your –
our
– little
plan going? I suppose there is no chance that the editor will be able to produce this
certificate of registration?’
‘None whatever, Minister. You may be
sure of that. I have taken care of it. It is already in my personal
possession.’
‘Good, good. That will certainly be a
thorn removed from the flesh of the government’s side.’
‘A most poetic and apposite analogy,
Minister.’
Apposite? Poetic? Yes, perhaps it was.
‘Well now, I have another little
matter I would like to discuss with you.’
By the time Jonah Litumana had left the
minister’s office, he knew about the minister’s brilliant plan for a new
megamall in Nairobi and was in no doubt that the building of this edifice would be good
for the country, the city and the people. It would also be
– we’re talking millions, tens of millions, maybe even nine figures.’
The minister sat back in his chair.
‘Go on, Mr Khan.’
‘Like I say, it’s a pretty big
wad. It’s going to be big for Nairobi, and what’s good for Nairobi is good
for Kenya – right? That’s why I’m here. I thought I should start by getting
the advice of someone high up, someone at thetop. There’s going
to be money in this for a lot of people. That’s why I came to you.’
‘I see. And
this … er … advice?’
‘What I’m looking for is local
knowledge. People who know how the system works, people who know the people who know the
right people. For instance, the first thing we’re going to need is a
site.’
‘Site?’
‘A building site. Somewhere to build –
somewhere big, somewhere central.’
‘Oh,’ said the minister.
‘Well, I happen to know that there will be tenders out soon for redevelopment of
some of the area around Kibera –’
‘Kibera – isn’t that the slums?
With all respect, Minister, I’m not sure that’s quite the place for a
five-star retail facility.’
Brian Kukuya smiled.
‘We prefer to call it
“unofficial housing”, Mr Khan. But I think I can see your point. Something a
little more central?’
‘Right. So what I’m really
asking is that if you do get any ideas, you give me a call. Like I said, for the good of
the country.’
‘I think I understand you,
Mr … Harry. Yes, I think I understand you perfectly.’
It has sometimes been said that Kenya is
not so much a nation as a collection of tribes. When nineteenth- and twentieth-century
European invaders decided to carve up Africa, the borders between their agreed spheres
of influence were not decided by nature or (strange thought) bythe
people who actually lived there. They were decided by merchants and soldiers and men
with maps in the faraway capitals of another continent. The border between British East
Africa and German East Africa was a straight line with a small kink round Mount
Kilimanjaro. The border between British East Africa and Italian East Africa similarly
owed more to geometry than geography. The result of this is that even today the Maasai
of Kenya have more in common with their brother Maasai of Tanzania than they do with
their fellow Kenyan Kikuyus, and the Cushitic speakers of the north converse more easily
with their Ethiopian cousins than with their Swahili-speaking coastal compatriots.
The Hon Brian Kukuya was a Luo man and, if
you could have delved into his soul, you would find that his loyalties were to his
family, his tribe and his country – in very much that order. Had you been able to delve
deeper still, you would have discovered that even above loyalty to family was a great
love of and concern for the well-being of Brian Kukuya.
‘Ah, there you are, Jonah. You have
shown Mr Khan out? Now, tell me, is there any more news about the
Evening
News
?’
‘Ha ha, news about the news, Minister.
The Minister is most clever and amusing.’
Yes, thought Brian Kukuya, he supposed he
was.
‘How is your –
our
– little
plan going? I suppose there is no chance that the editor will be able to produce this
certificate of registration?’
‘None whatever, Minister. You may be
sure of that. I have taken care of it. It is already in my personal
possession.’
‘Good, good. That will certainly be a
thorn removed from the flesh of the government’s side.’
‘A most poetic and apposite analogy,
Minister.’
Apposite? Poetic? Yes, perhaps it was.
‘Well now, I have another little
matter I would like to discuss with you.’
By the time Jonah Litumana had left the
minister’s office, he knew about the minister’s brilliant plan for a new
megamall in Nairobi and was in no doubt that the building of this edifice would be good
for the country, the city and the people. It would also be
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