Msafiri Issue 193 - October-November 2025

DEAR READER It is my great pleasure to welcome you on board and to thank you for choosing Kenya Airways. As we head into the final quarter of 2025, I am proud to share some of the exciting progress shaping your airline. This year has marked important milestones in strengthening our network and enhancing your travel experience. We have restored additional wide-body capacity to our fleet, enabling us to meet growing passenger demand across Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas. Partnerships such as our new interline agreement with WestJet and our cooperation with Air Tanzania are opening up even more seamless connections, giving you greater choice and flexibility when planning your journeys. Free to TAKE HOME Beyond expanding routes, we remain committed to making travel meaningful. Our partnership with HAART Kenya…

DE Africa’s platform hosts over five petabytes of data, spanning three decades of satellite imagery and updated almost in real-time. With Amazon Web Services in Cape Town powering the system, users – from policymakers in Ghana to space agencies in Rwanda – can map coastlines, track floods and monitor natural resources with unprecedented precision. Almost 30,000 users access the visualisation interface, while thousands more explore its learning programmes or test projects in the virtual environment. The results are tangible. In Ghana, DE Africa’s coastal erosion maps revealed how saltwater intrusion threatens groundwater, sanitation and food security in the Keta Lagoon and Cape Coast. The data informs sea-defence projects and near real-time monitoring systems, giving communities a fighting chance against environmental pressures. In Kogi State, Nigeria, satellite insights help model flood…

A whopping eight thousand. That is the number of things that bring Kenyans together. Let me break it down for you. According to the World Sports Encyclopedia, there are 8,000 known indigenous sports and sporting games. Whether one of our own is blazing the trail in our very indigenous sport of ajua, or someone is excelling in a sport we’ve never heard of – such as yoyoing – we always put our differences aside to cheer them hoarse. You can take this to the bank. If we have a competitor in an international yoyoing tournament, and you stop a random Kenyan on the street to interview them about this fringe sport, they will turn into yoyoing aficionados at the mere sight of the mic and lens. “FENCING WILL GREATLY BENEFIT…

Omari Hardwick is best known for his iconic role as James ‘Ghost’ St Patrick in the hit TV show Power. He visited Kenya earlier this year to support a friend who was opening a business. Omari, who describes himself as more than just an actor, is a Grammy-nominated poet, musician and producer. Here he talks about his visit to Africa, investing locally and the potential he sees in the continent. It’s easy to see how big of a star Omari Hardwick is. The moment he walks into the room, everyone has their phones out, taking pictures and videos of him. He is calm, says hello to everyone and doesn’t shy away from the photos and videos. The first thing he reveals about himself is simple: “I love apples and riding bikes,”…

The smoke rises first, curling into the evening air, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of nyama choma on the grill. But this isn’t a bustling Nairobi street corner. This is the pool terrace of the Nairobi Serena Hotel, where every Friday evening from 6 to 10pm, the city’s beloved street food gets a glamorous makeover at Rhythm & Roast. It’s an unlikely marriage of worlds: mshikaki, githeri, mutura and roasted maize served in copper pots and paired with select wines, all in the elegant hush of a five-star hotel. Street food, but with starched napkins and mellow music. A CITY IN LOVE WITH ITS FOOD Nairobi has always eaten well on the move. From the smoky mutura stands that light up at dusk to vendors frying mandazi in alleyways,…

Over the past decade, contemporary African art has surged onto the world stage, captivating critics, collectors and cultural institutions from New York to Shanghai. Museums which once overlooked the continent are now showcasing its bold, innovative voices. Despite the small size of its art scene, Zimbabwe is now one of the frontrunners of this movement. Harare has quietly become one of Africa’s most exciting art hubs, thanks to a new generation of artists who blend tradition with cutting-edge expression. Leading this charge is First Floor Gallery Harare (FFGH), a dynamic space that has nurtured Zimbabwe’s artistic talent since 2009. Harare offers a rich, immersive cultural experience where art isn’t just observed but felt, discussed and celebrated. And with FFGH’s exclusive Art Tours, visitors can dive deep into this vibrant world,…