Kenyans bask in sizzling Britain

By SHAMLAL PURI

The last few weeks have been speeding along like a rollercoaster for the Kenyan diaspora in the United Kingdom. As the officially-recorded temperatures soared to 37.4 Celsius, beer flowed like River Thames as hundreds of Kenyans chomped on nyama choma, enjoying every minute of the heat wave.

Britain has been facing warmer-than-usual weather for the second month after temperatures rose sharply in July. Crumpled shorts and gaudy-coloured shirts have been retrieved from wardrobes, as Britons revel in the heat.

‘MUTURA’

London’s soaring temperatures and humidity, which may well have reached 38 degrees, put Mombasa temperatures (which usually peak at around 32 degrees) in the shade.

People sunbathed on rugs and sat enjoying the warmth in London’s parks. Others headed for the beaches to relax.

As the barometer nudged upwards, the popular nyama choma season kicked off. Many Kenyans plan this event to the last detail. They slaughter goats the traditional way and prepare mutura, ngerima, mahu, mara and so on to perfection.

The main summer attraction is the Kenya Society’s annual Garden Party and Nyama Choma, an event which brings together Kenyans and friends of Kenya, including British diplomats who have been based in Nairobi.

This year, Kenya’s outgoing high commissioner Ephraim Ngare, hosted guests at his official house, Kenya Residence, at the end of July. Among the guests were diplomats Edward Clay and John Edwards. Prominent UK-based Kenyan Asians also attended.

There was plenty of nyama, as well as other Kenyan delicacies, and the icing on the cake was a lively dance session, during which guests were treated to an array of music from home.

It was an especially memorable occasion for Ngare, whose tour of duty comes to an end in November. The diplomat has been praised for helping to unite the Kenyan diaspora and engaging actively with them.

Kenya Society chairman Patrick Orr highlighted the projects that brought the community together during Ngare’s tenure, including the 2012 London Olympics, investment forums and President Uhuru’s London visit.

Some 27 kilometres away, in Watford, near the M25 motorway, more than 100 Kenyans, members of the Kenyans Association of Hertfordshire, also enjoyed a nyama choma party.

Aggrey Kanyanga, one of the association’s founders, said there are some 200 Kenyans living in Hertfordshire, and they decided to start the group last year.

“We have known each other, in some cases, for as long as 15 years and more,” he said. “The idea to form an association grew from discussions among friends with the aim of bringing Kenyans here together in good times and bad. We are in the final stages of registering our association in the UK.”

Further afield, Kenyans in other parts of the British Isles also enjoyed similar parties and gatherings. 

However, there was one damp squib this summer, as the 2013 Kenya Festival scheduled for August 17 at Lea Valley Playing Fields in Chingford, East London, had to be cancelled, much to the disappointment of the event’s organisers, Patrick Njoroge and Moses Kamau.

Their Temporary Events Notice (Ten) application was turned down by Waltham Forest Council’s licensing sub-committee due to a history of noise complaints from the site.

“We have made attempts to address the concerns raised by the noise team, but they remain of the opinion there is a likelihood that were the event to take place, it would have a significant adverse impact upon the local residents. We are extremely disappointed at the decision,” Njoroge said.

“This year’s event was particularly important to us because we celebrate Kenya at 50, a great follow-up to last year’s event, which was held at the same venue without a single complaint from the residents.”

He said more than 1,000 people, the majority of them Kenyans, had expressed interest in attending this event.