Down memory lane the 'Emerald City'

What would you expect if you returned to a place 20 years after you left?  If the place is Kenya, especially Nairobi, the answer would be “unrecognisable.”

There are new roads and skyscrapers, but the same people. I hope the new constructions consider heritage buildings, some more than a century old.  

Dramatic changes are rare in developed countries. The countries have reached maturity. We also change a little after reaching maturity.

Remember how children change?  The national maturity is best espoused by a slower population growth and social order. Visitors majuu (abroad) can attest to that.   

Our rural areas mimic developed countries, with no changes, except population growth and land subdivision.

My village has not changed for 130 years since Kenya became a British Protectorate. A strategic road which helped the British move their supplies from Gilgil to Isiolo during World War II is still unpaved, only 160km from Nairobi. 

Be sure there will be a feasibility study for it to be tarmacked, and hopefully in my lifetime. The village name will remain secret for security reasons. Luckily, power came 59 years after independence. 

A return to Seattle, nicknamed the “Emerald City” because of its lush, green landscape, after 20 years demonstrated that maturity. The city and its neighbours, like Kent, Bellevue (not that one on the Nyeri-Nyahururu Road), Auburn, Renton, Everett, among others, have not changed much in the past 20 years.

That did not stop me from making a few observations.

Firstly, my passport was not stamped at the immigration desk, and no one opened my bags to find out what I carried; the officer believed what I told him.

Even after visiting Canada, they still believed me when I returned to the US. Why does so much mistrust haunt our country?  

Secondly, big cities like Nairobi are rare in the US. Forget about the movies. The cities are “distributed.”

Seattle has only 780,000 souls. What was your estimate? The small size makes their management easier.

Nairobi can learn something. Remember the story of boroughs? What happened? Centralisation is an enemy of progress. Thirdly, I never saw big adverts that characterise our airports, including those of early man. Neither are there big billboards on the roadside.

Why do advertisers “yell” at us? The roads are well-marked and spaced; driving is easy. Pedestrians are few and are respectful.  

Fourthly, is Kenya overpoliced? Seattle has very few uniformed policemen/women, both at the airport and on the roads, but it’s no less secure.

I found neither walls around my host’s residence nor any security guards or barriers. There is enough parking, but you can reserve a parking space for a fee. The place is clean and orderly, and it’s not their Muthaiga or Karen. 

Curiously, there is nothing in Kenya that is not in a developed country, except some seriousness and, surprisingly, a sense of community.

You may not know your neighbour in the US, but you always remember your well-being is interdependent on theirs - on the road, at home, workplace and in other social places. Exclusion is our mantra; theirs is inclusion.  

Fifth, a visit to a supermarket also shows the effect of tariffs. The choices are not as rich as expected. “Second-hand” shops like Goodwill showed the same level of scarcity; people are keeping their clothes longer.

And I was told cars, too. Are mitumba sellers in Kenya noticing the scarcity of good bargains?  

Sixth, very much like South Africa, no car model seems to dominate the US market. Hyundai, Toyota, Kia, GM, Ford, Honda, Chrysler, Subaru, Nissan, Tesla and others compete on the road.

Such choices are good for the customer. They get better value through prices and quality.

Seventh, it is summer and exploring outdoors is fun.  We climbed Mt Rainier, the State of Washington’s highest mountain.

Its glaciers and snow on top were breathtaking. The site of water flowing from a melting glacier to start a river was spectacular and brought home the effects of global warming.

The hike reminded me that I scaled Uhuru Peak on Mt Kilimanjaro when I was younger and more innocent.  

Eighth, the second outdoor was visiting Canada, specifically Vancouver, about three hours away. It was a return visit after 10 years.

A drive through virgin forests on the American side was breathtaking. Places with native American names, such as Walla Walla, Yakima, Skagit, and Snohomish, caught my attention.

The Canadian side was more agricultural - blueberries, potatoes, corn, and greenhouses growing pepper, and marijuana.  That one! 

A lunch with Pacific salmon and cod on the menu was delicious by the Fraser River. We wished logs would float down the river as we read in geography. 

Getting to Canada was easy, about a minute’s queue at the port of entry. Returning to the US, however, we queued for about an hour and a half. 

And just like at the airport, trust is inbuilt. When you declare what you bring, no one demands you open your car boot. When shall we gain such trust? 

Ninth, there is a sizable population of Kenyans in Seattle. The popular joke is that most are from Central Kenya because Mt Rainier looks and feels like Mt Kenya!

Kenyan food is available, with ugali and chapati in plenty. Visit Rafiki Restaurant for a Kenyan food experience. 

Tenth, a visit to the Boeing plant in Everett is a must. It showcases how planes are assembled, including the Boeing 777. 

Another plant at Renton assembles 737 series planes. Such plants create not just factory jobs, but many others along the supply chains.

I have visited an Airbus assembly plant in Hamburg, Germany and could mentally compare the two plants; you can’t take photos for obvious reasons.

A single Boeing 777 costs about $300 million (S39 billion). Did you move in your seat? What’s our Boeing equivalent in Kenya? 

Finally, summers are hot but not humid despite the neighbouring Pacific Ocean. The weather feels like Nairobi, not Mombasa.

The key lesson from Seattle is that cities should be managed, made livable. They are purveyors of our dreams.

Why is it so hard to manage our cities in Kenya, yet our leaders from the national government to the counties are forever benchmarking? What, and how do they benchmark? 

PS: Next week: Letter from Boston, the citadel of American intellectualism