Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 164 - Dec 2020 - Jan 2021 i Msafiri

SPONSORED EDITORIAL RUNNING WITH WILDEBEEST Kenya’s marathon man, Eliud Kipchoge, delights in the thrills and spills of the Masai Mara the lioness glides through the tall grass with a graceful elegance and a deadly concentration about her; her steely gaze zeroing in on a herd of zebra. Calculating. Together with my wife and three kids, I had touched down in the Masai Mara for the first time ever about two hours previously. Until now, it had seemed like our guide’s stories were as close as we would get to seeing a hunt, yet here it was unfolding right in front of our eyes. My son is on his feet – visibly thrilled, yet at the same time disturbed. “Is it really going to attack?” he asks. But, a few seconds…

WELL BEING SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH VIRALS TRAIN Our regular health expert tackles the question that’s on all our minds: “How do I deal with post-pandemic anxiety?” WORDS: DR GLADYS MWITI the disruption of Covid-19 has turned the world upside down. Gone is the freedom of movement and socialisation. Instead, we have lockdown, curfew, working from home, schools closed, fear of infection, parents as teachers. Economies struggle. Companies are threatened with closure. Over and beyond disrupting our ‘normal’, Covid-19 is a life-threatening pandemic, bringing death, loss and devastation. The highly contagious nature of this global disease demands containment through handwashing, wearing of masks and social distancing – resulting in anxiety and stress. WHAT IS ANXIETY? Although anxiety is unpleasant, it is nonetheless a normal reaction when we face events that spell…

FOOD FOR THOUGHT NAIROBI ON A PLATE In Kenya’s capital, great chefs make food with their hearts. But be warned: they love their meat, or nyama choma. Here are 32 of our favourite places to eat out WORDS: JACKSON BIKO 01 NYAMA CHOMA Go to Kenyatta Market. It’s gritty and rumbling, smoky and charismatic. Men walk around with knives. You sit on a bench. You watch your meat on the grill. Eat with your paws. 02 J’S FRESH BAR AND KITCHEN Because nobody else does burgers better. I repeat, nobody. 03 HASHMI INDIAN RESTAURANT If there ever was a secret to Indian food, it’s here. 04 CRAVE KITCHEN AND BAKERY Twenty minutes out of town in a small township called Kikuyu, this phenomenal authentic African eatery is run by a…

TRAVEL Kenya tourism a new dawn LIKE EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, KENYA’S TOURISM REELED FROM THE IMPACT OF COVID, WHICH NOT ONLY AFFECTED THE ECONOMY, BUT ALSO THE LIVELIHOODS AND CONSERVATION PROJECTS THAT RELY ON IT. AS WE SLOWLY EMERGE FROM THE PANDEMIC AND LOOK FOR WARD TO A BRIGHTER, MORE POSITIVE YEAR AHEAD, WE TALK TO SEVEN LOCAL PEOPLE – REPRE SENTATIVE OF THE MANY TOURISM INITIATIVES IN KENYA – THAT NEED YOUR SUPPORT ON YOUR TRAVELS AROUND THE COUNTRY WORDS: DOMINIC KIRUI IMAGE: HANNES LOCHNER/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO The driver For five years, Philip Matara, owner of Philip Safaris, has been operating a tour company where he transfers tourists from airports and train stations to the Kenyan coast, driving them to their hotels, apartments and villas. For the…

IDENTITY ADAM MAINA MSA FIRI TALKS TO ADAM MAINA, ONE OF 2020’S MOST INFLUENTIALY OUNG KENYANS, ABOUT HIS LOVE OF TRAVEL, FOOTBALL, MUSIC AND WHAT IT ME ANS TO BE KENYAN Q: What does being Kenyan mean to you? It’s a cultural thing for me, connected to place, landscape, culture, heritage, music and sport. Being Kenyan is more about pride and smiles, safari and beaches, unity and prosperity. As a people, we can do anything. It is in the character of our people to do great things. To be Kenyan is to be resilient and to triumph. That is who we are. Q: How would you describe yourself in three words? Strong-willed, creative and kind. Q: How has social media changed who you are? It’s been huge for me. Without…

THE BIG QUESTION WHY ARE WE SO CRAZY ABOUT FOOTBALL? In Africa, football is more a lifestyle than a sport. It’s a way of life – a switch that turns on when you learn to walk. It is not something you make a choice about, but a sport you find yourself naturally drawn to WORDS: TIMOTHY OLOBULU Most of the time, we didn’t even have proper balls, but if we could just get something round and bouncy, it was enough for a kickaround legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly once famously said: “Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it is much more important than that.” Wise words that not only resonate with the football-mad nation of the UK, but just as passionately in…

FIVE ALIVE HOW TO FEEL GREAT NOW! One thing the past year has taught us is that happiness is an inside job. We cannot always control our circumstances, but we can control our outlook. Here are 5 tips from resident experts to quickly transform your state from blah to rah! WORDS: PATRICIA WANJALA | @TRICIA WANJALA Looking good Award-winning fashion stylist Lydia Omollo shares these hacks for an instant mood boost: Bright colours work wonders for your outlook. Warm summery hues and pastel brights can lift your energy and pep you up. If you are conservative, accessorise with a small pop of vibrant colour. Gentlemen can don a whimsical tie, funky socks, a bold scarf, or a classical watch. For the ladies, Lydia recommends a timeless purse, fitted tee or…

BUSINESS SUPERCHARGE YOUR business BOUNCE BACK FROM COVID WITH EXPERT ADVICE ON HOW TO MAKE EFFECTIVE BUSINESS GOALS AND BOOSTY OUR MARKETINGS TRATEGY. FIND OUT FROM SOME OF AFRICA’S TOP BUSINESS LEADERS HOW THEY WERE AFFECTED BY THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND HOW THEY’VE ADAPTED TO COME BACK STRONGER AND BETTER WORDS: MARGARET NJUGUNAH OUR BUSINESS EXPERTS Cynthia Nyamai CN Communications, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Nigeria Peter Anderson UAP Old Mutual Group, Kenya George Wachiuri Optiven Real Estate, Kenya Robert Mdeza Trinity Energy, South Sudan Cynthia Nyamai At the start of 2020, CN Communications was getting ready for a good year… plans for growing and expanding the consultancy were already in top gear. Then Covid-19 struck. “It was so sudden. None of us planned for it,” says Nyamai. The pandemic would…

OUR EARTH MATTERS SPOTLIGHT ON EXTINCTION MY LAST HOPE Meet Zacharia Mutai, the northern white rhino care-giver at Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy, and find out what’s being done to save this critically endangered animal WORDS: PAUL UDOTO RHINO IMAGES COURTESY OF JUSTIN MOTT/WWW.JUSTINMOTT.COM it’s been slightly over a decade since four of the world’s last remaining northern white rhinos arrived at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya from a Czech zoo in an international project dubbed ‘Last Chance to See’. All previous breeding attempts in the zoo had been futile, and the hope was that Ol Pejeta would provide them with more favourable breeding conditions. Now, with only two remaining rhinos – the very last of their kind – scientists are relying on technology to save the animal from imminent extinction.…

INNOVATIONS & TECHNOLOGY MSAFIRI REVIEWS COMPUTER SAYS GO! Today’s best fitness watches can help you shape up and cut a dash. Go ahead, your wrist (and your doctor) will approve… Wearable technology has exploded in popularity recently, with fitness watches now much in demand. These (mostly digital) devices measure how many calories you’re burning, track workouts and set fitness goals. The benefits are endless and the latest models look the part with fashionable designs and sleek touchscreens. So, whether you’re training for a triathlon or hiking in the hills, buddying up with one of these hi-tech fitness watches will make for a smarter workout. REVIEW BY TOM BAILEY 1 APPLE WATCH SERIES 6 you like your tech state-of-the-art, you’ll love the Apple Smartwatch Series 6. Apple’s latest and greatest watch…

GET RUNNING WITH KIPCHOGE LET’S TRAIN TOGETHER! PART ONE IN THE FIRST OF AN EXCITING SIX - PART SERIES, GUARANTEED TO GET YOUR HEART POUNDING, WE WANT TO GET READERS FITTER AND HEALTHIER BY JOINING OUR MARATHON TRAINING PLAN. YOUR COACH? ELIUD KIPCHOGE. THAT’S RIGHT – OLYMPIC CHAMPION AND MARATHON SUPERSTAR, ELIUD KIPCHOGE WILL BE WITH YOU ALL THE WAY, PRO VIDING TIPS AND ADVICE TO GET IN SHAPE AND GET RUNNING. REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM THE GREAT MAN’S ADVICE. IN THIS ISSUE, GET TO KNOW THE MAN BEHIND THE MEDALS, FIND OUT WHY HE LOVES RUNNING AND WHAT HE RECOMMENDS TO GET YOU STARTED. IMAGE: PA IMAGES/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO IMAGE: IMG KENYA my name is Eliud Kipchoge, the marathon world record holder, Olympic champion…