Kenya and Guernsey forming a friendly ‘two-way partnership’
Commonwealth Day was celebrated with a visit from the Deputy Kenyan High Commissioner and some sea swimming, but behind the photo opportunity was a serious desire to grow the relationship between the two jurisdictions.
Edwin Afande, Deputy Kenyan High Commissioner, is in the island for a three-day trip and will be joined today by the High Commissioner herself, Catherine Karemu Wahome, for formal meetings with States officials.
This will be her second trip to the island this year after a six-day visit in January.
Ambassador Afande said Guernsey and Kenya were a great cultural fit and their people’s shared similar values.
‘It’s very compatible. The language, the culture, the friendliness, the atmosphere is very conducive,’ he said. ‘We’re going to discuss more enhanced cooperation. This has been a two-way partnership, as Kenyans come here, and also people from Guernsey go to Kenya, particularly in high tech.
‘You have an agricultural base like us, and your banking and insurance industry is quite advanced. The infrastructure in Kenya is very pro-technology, particularly in fintech, so we’re looking to enhance that.’
And he added the relationship could also develop in unexpected areas.
‘We’re also leading in Africa in climate change and finance in clean energy,’ he said. ‘90% of our energy comes from thermal and solar. Also we have the largest wind farm on the continent of Africa in Kenya. So it’s good for investment, for the Guernsey people, and the business community.’
Commonwealth Day celebrations included flags of all the Commonwealth nations being flown at the Weighbridge roundabout and a prosecco and canapes evening at Les Rocquettes Hotel.
There are currently an estimated 500 Kenyans now working in the Bailiwick, in finance, hospitality, construction and the care sector and Ambassador Afande believed that number would continue to grow.
70% of Kenya’s population is under the age of 30, and the ambassador said they were highly educated, highly motivated, and highly innovative young people.
‘We’re looking forward, both long-term and short-term, the people who want to come here, come to exchange ideas and learn, and when they go back to Kenya with that knowledge, they can help improve the country.
‘And they love it here, they tell me the people in Guernsey are very, very friendly,’ he said. ‘And Kenyans, everywhere they go, are very law-abiding, hardworking, and they adapt quite well, even to the sea temperature.
‘Remember every day in Kenya is this temperature because of the high altitude, if you look at Nairobi, it is about 5-6,000 feet above sea level and every night is about 10 degrees.’
To prove this point, regular sea swimmer, bartender and ‘mixologist’, Kevin Mungai, who works at La Reunion at Cobo, took to the water.
‘I’ve been here two years, and six months after I arrived a friend introduced me to sea swimming,’ he said. ‘Now I begin the day with 10 minutes in the sea and I love it. It gets me up and ready for the day.’
