Don't Get Khat

This always the busiest time of year. For work, we generally have projects that are finishing at the end of December. As such, there is a flurry of activity to get things done before budgets need to be closed.

There are often loads of visitors between November and December as technical advisors look to carry out their visits before year’s end. This year, because the security situation in the country has been relatively good, we were inundated with visitors from late October until now. These visits come to a screeching halt by mid-December as much of the world prepares for travel around Christmas and New Year’s.

We also have loads of reports that are due. Thankfully, I don’t have to prepare them. But I do have to read and approve many of them.

All this is on top of a flurry of personal obligations. Holiday parties. End of year school events. And we generally have the monstrous winter travel awaiting us around the middle of December. It’s stressful for everyone and, sadly, it can suck much of the enjoyment from the season.

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Unfortunately, I still have work travel between now and the end of the year. Last week I was in Somalia carrying out my routine meetings and so forth. I like being in Somalia but some of the demands on my time can get annoying. Thankfully, I like my team and it makes it easier than it would be otherwise.

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Over my years of working in Somalia, I have seen glimpses here and there of the khat trade. At the airport, you see the planes, mostly from Kenya, unloading thousands of kilos of bulging burlap sacks each day in a special depot near the terminal.

Khat is a flowering plant native to eastern and southern Africa that contains a stimulant. Young shoots – easily identifiable by their red stems – are bundled and wrapped in banana leaves, packed in bags and loaded onto pickup trucks. Drivers then zip along roads at breakneck speed in an effort to ensure that the khat is fresh when it reaches consumers. Women generally serve as vendors, while men are predominately consumers.

khat seller in Garowe during my visit in 2017

Khat is usually chewed socially, particularly in the afternoon and early evening at tea shops along the main roads. Depending on how much you chew, it can cause greater sociability, excitement, loss of appetite and mild euphoria. It is banned, or at least heavily controlled, in many countries, in others it is not only permitted, it plays a culturally significant role. In Somalia, it’s consumed by a large segment of the male population but, according to some of my staff, we have few who partake regularly (though it’s unlikely they would admit it if they did).

It can have a devastating impact on society. In addition to sapping productivity (once you begin chewing, you’re more or less done for the day), it also is a drain on the economy. Because it’s not grown in Somalia, they import it by the ton and millions of dollars leave the economy each year. In Yemen, where they are able to grow the crop, it is estimated that 40% of their fresh water is dedicated to its cultivation.  

At times in Somalia, it is hotly debated. Imports from Kenya were banned in 2020 for a couple of years, partly due to Covid and partly due to some disputes between the two countries. But most knew it wouldn’t last. For the time being, imports are in full swing and, though there are some prominent voices who condemn consumption, they seem to be outnumbered. 

Racing off to market

* * *

While waiting for my return flight to Nairobi, I was on the phone standing at a window near the gate.  I watched the bustle of activity around a newly arrived Qatar flight. To my left, a vehicle pulling a luggage trailer exited the terminal. As it hit a bump, the load was jostled and two suitcases tumbled to the tarmac. A man near the Qatar plane waved at the driver and pointed towards the fallen bags. He slowed, turned around, shrugged his shoulders, and carried on.

I’ve never checked a bag while flying to Mogadishu. I pack lightly and make sure it fits into my carry-on each time. All the more reason to continue doing so.

Halloween and Horses

Though my days, including much of my weekends, are often consumed with work, I do like to mix it up in the blog. As I have mentioned previously, the Somalia work week is Sunday through Thursday. For NY, Kenya and much of the rest of the world, it’s Monday through Friday. As such, it’s difficult for me to have a full day off except Saturday. And even then, stuff happens on Saturdays. It’s hard to ignore critical humanitarian support demands (approvals that need to come from me that support delivery of aid) just because they fall on a Saturday. So it’s rare that I would have a full day without any work at all. Not complaining. Just the way it is.

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Halloween

To go back a few weeks, we did find some time for the kids to partake in some Halloween fun. I realize that they are beginning to age out of this sort of the trick-or-treat thing, but, as when I was young, the treat part of it keeps it alive longer than you would think. It’s not like in the US where you can go door-to-door in the dark. There are many reasons that would not work in Nairobi. I’m quite sure that Americans take for granted how wonderfully safe it is there compared to most other countries. In any case, we were able to join some other families for a Halloween party, in spite of the fact that it’s not a thing in Kenya. 

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Diwali

A holiday that is a thing in Kenya is Diwali, largely due to the significant number of people with Indian origin. In case you’re not familiar with it, Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights. It symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". Given what I see around the world, I would say that evil and ignorance seem to be winning. But it was celebrated anyway.

Fireworks from the roof

One thing that accompanies Diwali is an impressive display of fireworks. When the girls were young, it was a bit frightening since it was so loud and was most active when they were trying to go to bed. Now, of course, it’s a thrill for them. The last few years we have gone up to the roof of our building to watch. It was fun scanning the city to catch the fireworks popping up from various neighborhoods.

Diwali feast

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Horseback Riding

As rainy season is underway, in an El Nino year no less, you need to weave outdoor activities strategically into your week. Last weekend we took the girls horseback riding. They don’t have much experience with this sort of thing but they seemed to be keen on learning. There are a few stables around Nairobi. There is apparently a long legacy of riding that goes back to colonial times, but it has been vigorously embraced by Kenyans as well as foreigners.

Riding "western" style in Indiana back in 2019

The US does a lot of things differently from the rest of the world, including horseback riding where it is usually called “western riding”. It evolved mostly from utilitarian purposes such as hunting, working with livestock or engaging in war. Riding for sport or as a leisure activity came later and has taken shape in the modern rodeo. There are a number of things about western riding that are different from most of the rest of the world but probably the most notable is the saddle. There is generally a deeper seat and a horn on the front (traditionally used for attaching a rope tied to a lassoed calf, for example). 

English, or classical riding, also has roots in hunting (ex. fox hunts) but was adapted for less aggressive sports such as show jumping and dressage. Helmets are generally worn rather than cowboy hats, often required, as in our case.

There was a considerable amount of rain the night before so we were hoping that precipitation wouldn’t scuttle our morning ride. But the morning was mostly sunny and, with the exception of copious amounts of mud, the ride went off without a hitch. The girls loved it. Could it be a new hobby? We’ll see. 

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As we head towards the holiday season, there is evidence of it in Nairobi. It's not colder temperatures. We're in the southern hemisphere so we're headed in the opposite direction. Usually, the visible manifestation has something to do with marketing. One somewhat humorous example is a billboard I saw the other day announcing a Black Friday sale. In a country without Thanksgiving. I'm quite sure most people in Nairobi don't know what Black Friday is but someone saw fit to copy the American marketing ploy anyway. 

Sitting in a coffee shop noticing a meat delivery truck. Meat? delivery.

Mogadishu

I’m back in Mogadishu. Solid week of meetings. I would say that it’s an interesting time to work in Somalia but I suppose that would apply all the time. You cannot be bored, particularly if you work outside the “green zone”. I suppose that for those who are relegated to life and work within the fortified walls, life could become repetitive.

No so for me. I arrived on Monday after my routine of a 3:50am wake up, taxi, 6:30 flight. It’s an hour and a half flight. If all went well, I would make my 9am meeting near the airport in plenty of time. There would be a hiccup, of course. After getting through immigration, I found no driver waiting for me. I was initially annoyed since there have been some issues of late with our private security and some of the logistics. But I soon found out that the situation wasn’t entirely their fault. The main gate that we use to move in and out of the “green zone” was not operational that morning causing a number of issues, one of which was funneling most of the traffic through a single entrance. With the extensive and time-consuming security checks, this was causing massive delays. This issue was compounded by an accident not far outside the usable gate. Apparently a truck collided with a police vehicle on the road leading towards the airport. An accident involving a police vehicle is not an ideal situation in any country but even more so here. It appeared that level heads prevailed, though I would not have wanted to be the driver of the truck.

Bad way to start the day

The frustrating part was that my meeting destination was less than a hundred meters from the closed gate and yet it took almost an hour to get there. It would have been far faster to walk but that’s obviously not allowed.

* * *

Over the course of the week, I would have meetings with government officials, a peer international organization, UN, a donor and several internal meetings. Topics varied from flood response, women’s protection and empowerment, human rights, ethics and compliance, security, data collection and monitoring. Meetings were stacked closely together to try to fit everything in. I do like the variety, but I sometimes feel that things move so fast that I don’t get a chance to give any of the engagements the preparation and attention they deserve.

Our drinking water delivered by donkey

In a couple of meetings with staff, I was thinking how much I have built a certain comfort level with my team. People are surprisingly open in spite of me being an outsider. I’ve had staff who have shared sensitive marital issues, health issues (including female issues), etc. In a conservative environment, this is rare. Though someone told me a while back that being the outsider is the very reason they trust me with some of these things. I’m grateful that I have that level of trust with them, but there are times when it borders on too much information.

I was talking to a male staff the other day who told me that in Somalia, “Ladies love drivers and armed men.” When I asked him to elaborate, he went on to say how vehicles and weapons represent a seductive form of power. When I suggested a pen might do the same, he laughed dismissively and continued with his train of thought.

* * *

On Wednesday I had a meeting with one of the government ministries. Those are always a bit more intense than others, partly because you always want to make sure that you are in good graces with the leadership, but also because it can be a logistical and security challenge just to get there and return to the office safely.

I’m aware that even my Somali colleagues feel the same way. I also realize that my presence makes things trickier than it would be otherwise. Though they like having me participate in these engagements, admittedly it does raise the stakes for them from a security standpoint. As we left our compound, one of my team voiced a short prayer.

I should say that public prayers are rather normal in Somalia. Most larger meetings that I’m in, including internal ones, begin with a “dua” where someone in the room is designated, usually by whoever is chairing the meeting, to offer the prayer in Arabic. Such was the case for the meeting that we were attending that day. During the short prayer, a couple of the government staff across the table from me glanced in my direction, likely to see my reaction as an outsider.  I should say, it’s not super common for a Westerner to attend these ministry meetings outside the “green zone”. Most in the international community do not have security authorization to venture into the city and attend these types of engagements sometimes it can be sort of a novelty.

* * *

Darkening skies

On the way to the meeting, it was raining, lightly at first and then the skies opened up. Not far from our office, you need to go through a major security checkpoint. It’s located at a rather low point and a huge amount of water was collecting around the boom gates and security barriers. By the time we reached the other side, the water was completely flooding the streets. Visibility was poor as we weaved our way around stalled vehicles. Donkeys with their carts were standing in the median or on the roadside. I have seen flooding in Mogadishu but never anything like this. The streets had essentially become streams that were knee-deep.

Flooded roads

As we arrived at the ministry compound, I was thinking that this is probably the best time to have a visit like this, at least from a security standpoint. There is no record of terrorist attack during flooding. Rightly so. Would certainly dampen the intended impact.

* * *

For now, the rain persists in many parts of the country. Communities that had suffered a couple of years of drought are now inundated with water. I continue to campaign for massive investments in capital watershed management projects that would contribute to leveling off the impact of these extremes in weather. In the long run, it would be cheaper than rushing in with humanitarian response each time. But so far, there’s a lack of interest in these types of projects. Until then, we are at the mercy of the ever-increasing impacts of climate change. And as people continue to make war around the globe, valuable resources will be diverted away natural disasters. It’s the shaping of a bleak future.