The area is swiftly growing and investors have found it an apt destination for their money.
Hundreds of buildings are under construction, others superbly furnished. Commercialists mainly of the Somali ethnic community have enthusiastically dominated the estate in its entirety.
However, going round the estate reveals an appalling infrastructure. During the dry spell, dust makes the busy streets unfeasible and when it rains stinking mud and pools of water complicate smooth floor of traffic in the estate.
Complains about the pathetic state of affairs in Eastleigh has remained constant and one would have imagined things to have improved by now.
Enthusiastic and determined shoppers steer their way around putrid mountains of heaped rubbish, jumping over open sewer lines and pools of filthy water. They have to contend with constant power cuts and the unreliability of water supplies.
Pedestrians have to wade through mucky burst sewer lines while motorists are forced to live with huge potholes that make driving nightmarish.
Residents sight police harassment as a major setback to potential investors in Eastleigh.
“They demand bribes as an exchange for their freedom” says a resident who opted to remain anonymous.
The police regularly conduct impromptu swoop in the area rounding up people they claim are illegal immigrants. During such exercises even Kenyan citizens of Somali ethnicity are caught their possession of the nationality cards notwithstanding.
Moreover, despite the trouble met by the Kenyan-Somalis and Somalis in Kenya, they endeavor to engage in an exceptional profitable and productive commerce.
Insecurity also threatens to scare away business people. Entrepreneurs normally fall victim of daytime robbery while the security agencies appear less concerned. Many were killed at the doorstep of their business premises by unknown assailants.
Due to the dominance by the ethnic Somali community, Eastleigh is seen by many as a sanctuary for Somali pirates and Islamist extremists like Al Shabaab and other Al-Qaeda affiliated groups. Many have the notion that monies received during hijacking of ships at the Somali coast finds its way here as commercial investment.
Safe haven
“Eastleigh has earned the reputation as a safe haven for pirates’ money ostensibly due to its speedy growth” says Ibrahim Hussein a resident of Eastleigh.
“It is true that there are many Somalis who escaped from the turmoil in Somalia to seek refuge in Kenya but terming them as beneficiaries of piracy is untrue” he continues.
The media both local and international have not been friendly in covering Eastleigh issues either. A story headed “Piracy money finds home in Kenya” by the Kenyan Standard newspaper elicited sharp reactions from both the business community and local leaders in Eastleigh.
The Seattle Times carried a story titled ‘Kenya Awash in Somali Pirates’ cash’ detailing how residents of Eastleigh are beneficiaries of the illegal piracy business along the lawless Somalia waters. 'Little Mogadishu': Paradise for shoppers or pirates? Was published by the BBC on December 10 2010.
“Somali Pirates Take the Money and Run to Kenya” by writer Nick Wadhams is another not so truthful story.
“In the neighboring Kenya, new buildings are rising, their construction fuelled by piracy money in Nairobi's Eastleigh neighborhood, where many Somali immigrants live. Kenya is seen as a good place for the pirates because it is a relatively stable country. Yet, at the same time, its legal system is lax and corruption is high. That means that it's easy to bring illicit money in and out of the country without much notice” stated the damning article in the National Public Radio (NPR) website.
Source: The Africa News
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