How British settlers turned Nairobi into a house of vice

An aerial view of famous Koinange Street in 19674. [File, Standard]

When the British government spent PS6.5 million on the 'Lunatic Express', it hoped the newly-created protectorate, and later, the colony would pay off the public debt through commerce.

The government went on to encourage local young men to consider moving to East Africa for permanent settlement. Through advertisements in the British media, the government made sweet offers for large tracts of land if they made the move.

They were supposed to form the economic backbone of the colony and defray the costs of building the railways as well as generate cash to run the new administration.