Protests in Nairobi over deportation of Jamaican Muslim cleric with terrorist links

So the fighting is near the mosque in downtown Nairobi.

The story as reported by Capital FM

Kenya unable to deport Jamaican cleric
BY BERNARD MOMANYI

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 6 - Controversial Jamaican Muslim cleric Abdullah al-Faisal who was deported from the country on Monday through Tanzania has been returned to Kenya after authorities in the neighbouring country declined to receive him, police sources said.

Police and Immigration officials who had escorted him to Tanzania were unable to get him through to the neighbouring country and had been staying with him at the border until Wednesday morning when they escorted him back to Nairobi.

“He was escorted back to Nairobi and is currently at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. We are pondering the next move,” a police source said.

Police Spokesman Erick Kiraithe who had confirmed Al-Failal’s deportation earlier on Tuesday was not immediately available for comment.

He had said “Al-Faisal is no longer in the country because we have deported him to Jamaica through Tanzania.”

A group of Muslim leaders led by Al-Amin Kimathi said they had spent the better part of Wednesday at the JKIA trying to seek audience with the cleric in vain.

“The police are totally violating Al-Faisal’s rights. They have unsuccessfully tried to deport him. All the countries have declined to receive him and now they are keeping him here at the airport,” he said.

“We have information that they are planning to deport him to an unknown country tomorrow morning (Thursday). We don’t understand why they are not allowing us to see him. We went with a lawyer ready to represent him but they have declined us access,” he added.

Al –Faisal was arrested on Thursday last week, shortly after attending prayers at a mosque in Mombasa.

Police and Immigration officials said at the time they arrested him for “violating Immigration regulations.”

He had been accused of engaging in preaching, contrary to immigration procedures which did not allow him to engage in such an activity.

So they vowed to protest today Friday 15th 2010 and they have been going at it for 2 hours now. I hope no one is seriously hurt.

What is Nairobi fashion?

I think I need to make a trip back to States because clearly, I'm out off kilter with fashion trends. I would never personally admit to being an patron, much less an owner of the shoes below. This beauty sells for $28 (Kshs. 2,100) which can get you 3 pairs of mitumba shoes.



Or what about this beauty called a Gomax Thong Wrap which is also $28? I have seen Masai herding cattle outside Harlequins with much more attractive bladder beauties. Bladder is the slang version of tire tubes.



Okay, fashion is interpretive to individuals but this is hideous! Among others I discovered while browsing for shoes:



which are super stylish!



which retail at about 37 dolla each.

The problem with shoe shopping in Nairobi is that there are no quality shoes. The next time someone asks you in the diaspora or just visiting, for shoes, even from Payless, I beseech you to hear their prayer and tell them to register a wish list. Affordable shoe shopping Nairobi is limited to the choices that bulk purchasers get from Dubai and China to promote in exhibitions. Exhibitions are these tiny 6 x 4 shops that have imported, more often low quality clothing items from the above two countries. Some will also offer counterfeit items but the prices are close to the value of the real item. As I've pointed out before that Nairobi fashion tends to be more a miss than a hit and I'm beginning to think it's because of the styles in these stalls. Open toed and pointy seems to be the sole shoe style available. If you want boots, you have to buy mitumba and I will always have a problem wearing shoes that have been worn by someone else before. Or you could easily folk out the $150 minimum (Kshs. 10,000) that is advertised at many of the stores at Westgate or Junction malls, for gorgeous boots that will most likely scuff easily or be stolen by your angry maid.

I think I'm going to take a trip down South early this year and visit my beloved Nine West and load up on proper office shoes as well as some gorgeous boots for the cold weather to come.

Speaking of cold weather, apparently Kenya is experiencing El Nino again as it has been extremely cold and wet in the city for the past month. Considering our summer is from about the beginning of December to about the middle to end of March, it has been unseasonably cold for a while so it feels like it has been the cold season from June to date.

Hopefully it ends soon.

100th Post!

Happy New Year to all! I wish I had been at Il Covo in Mombasa on the beach but alas, I was at a party in the suburbs which was infinitely safer than running about the beaches. The club pictured below is mind blowingly fun. Great restaurant, great dance floor and good music too. But don't go two nights in a row because the DJ just plays the same music. Clientele is a great mix of foreigners and locals and there are not too many twilight girls. Maybe there were tons but they must have been well dressed. It's walking distance on the beach from many hotels but watch out for druggie beach boys. Go in a group or as one person in my party who elected to stay behind when we left, run like the wind to your hotel at dawn!