From Ros in Kenya
Hi everyone.
We’ve arrived safe and sound in Nairobi ahead of today’s programme. Much to my delight, the road that runs from the airport and down past the national football stadium remains home to hundreds of . They are very strange looking and I fell for them last time I was here.
They must be a metre high, with big black wings, short spindly legs, a massive curved beak and a hunch that makes them look an old man pulling a heavy cloak around his shoulders. The road is often jammed with cars, minibuses and lorries all belching out exhaust, and with the concrete mountain of a stadium just to one side, grey clouds above, and all the dark shadowy storks watching down on you, it can feel quite apocalyptic. Then again if anyone is to take over from us, I’d be happy for it to be the Marabou storks.
MEET THE EDITOR
In a WHYS first we’re going to be putting one of you in the editor’s chair. Reuben is a regular WHYS listener in Nairobi and he’ll be bossing the show along with WHYSer David. Be nice to me Reuben…
DO WOMEN HAVE THE SAME BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AS MEN?
Email us your experiences: worldhaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk Post here: www.bbcnews.com/worldhaveyoursay
There are heavyweight dignitaries here at the moment for the latest COMESA meeting (Common Market for East and Southern Africa since you ask). The news that is dominating the front-pages is a major new free trade deal, but the story which caught our eye is hiding on page 2 of the Daily Nation newspaper.
Maureen Mwanawasa is Zambia’s first lady and . ‘Our quest to empowering women shall forever remain elusive so long as women have inadequate access to credit and relevant skills,’
is one quote in the article.
Patricia is a WHYS listener and also a very successful businesswoman. (She buys pineapples from farms and sells them onto the supermarkets here.) She’s going to hosting the show with me and another listener called Joe, and would like to hear your experiences of being a businesswoman (or businessman). Does gender affect what you can and can’t do?
SHOULD KENYA BE PLAYING HOST TO ROBERT MUGABE?
Post here: www.bbcnews.com/worldhaveyoursay
Email: worldhaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
Adorning the front-pages of many of the papers is a picture of all of the COMESA heads of state. And there on the far right of the front row is a smiling Robert Mugabe. – attack the West for promoting imperialism, sponsoring his opponents and exploiting Africa’s resources. You’ll already know the accusations of human rights abuses that are laid at his door.
Some people have told me that it’s not Kenya’s job to take a stance against him, some argue there’s nothing to take a stance about.
Do you think the Kenya should be playing host to Robert Mugabe?
DO AFRICANS NEED TO SHOW MORE MANNERS WHEN OUT TO DINNER?
Ahead of our trip to Africa, we got this comment on the blog from Rose in Kenya…
Please discuss social etiquette. I am disgusted with some behavior like leaving toothpicks in one’s mouth. Also cleaning one’s nose through one’s mouth. It’s disgusting and even happens in restaurants. I travel around Africa and see this a lot...
Your responses please….. (It’s worth noting that the toothpick has definitely been a hit with certain members of the WHYS team. No meal is complete without them spending a good fifteen minutes getting themselves cleaned up. It’s not pretty believe me.)
Speak to you later on.
Cheers,
Ros
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