Eastleigh Estate Nairobi has become Somali business hub NAIROBI (Xinhua) -- Once a lackluster residential settlement, Eastleigh has grown to become an unrivalled business hub in Nairobi, Kenya thanks to a huge population of Somali immigrants. The area, christened "Small Mogadishu" is perhaps Nairobi’s most active commercial center, slowly taking over from the central business district. Many describe it as a "country within a country" with a robust economy that immensely contributes to the national economy. Business booming in the area is evident. Eastleigh is dotted with skyscrapers of which many were constructed in the past five years. On one of the streets stands Amal Shopping Plaza built eight years ago. Until recently, the building was the most stylish and developed shopping centers in the area. But upcoming buildings are taking over the pride of place once occupied by the architectural masterpiece. The building has ramps, winding staircases and elevators, features associated with buildings in Nairobi’s central business that host corporate heavyweights. Amal is a melting pot of frenzy trade for the Somalis. According to a resident, Aziz Mohammed, people travel from all over Kenya and neighboring countries like Uganda, Tanzania, south Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Eastleigh to shop at Amal and other centers. "The prices are very competitive that is why customers travel from far to shop here. "You will virtually find anything you want at the right price," says Mohammed. But it is not only fair prices that attract customers, thanks to the connections of the traders, they stock goods from all over the world. "In the shops, you find trousers from China, watches from the US, Hi-fi systems from Japan and South Korea and so on," he says. Interestingly, Mohammed says the merchandise at Amal is sold at different prices depending on the location of the shop in the building. "On the ground floor, which mostly consists of textile shops, goods are sold in bulk, although they also sell for retailers," he says. The shops in the upper floors sell goods mostly to retailers. In these shops, you will find goods like T-Shirts, shoes, dresses, suits and electronic equipment that include TVs, music systems and mobile phones. Business here however is not only based on products, there are also service providers who target the foreign population. Such businesses include money transfer and travel agencies. The Western Union, a worldwide money transfer service, is among the most conspicuous. Its black and yellow colors can be identified from far. There are also restaurants in the building, which mainly sell Ethiopian, Somali and Afghan cuisines. The Amal business model is replicated in several other shopping malls in the area for instance Olympic shopping center. However, the construction of shopping malls and other modern buildings in the area, mainly shaped by the dominant presence of Somali refugees, is slowly edging out natives. Many Kenyans who were born and brought up in Eastleigh now feel like they are foreigners in an estate they once knew heart by heart. "We have been reduced to spectators in Eastleigh. "We do not contribute anything in the economy of this area. "Everything has been taken over by the Somalis," says Japheth Kinyua, a Kenyan resident. Kinyua says the estate started to change rapidly in the 1990s when war broke out in the neighboring Somali after the then president Siad Barre was toppled. "As the war intensified, hundreds of Somali refugees fled into Kenya and started staying camps in northern Kenya," recounts the 42-year-old. Soon however, the Somalis found their way to Nairobi where they settled in Eastleigh. "They found the area welcoming because Kenyan Somalis, although then not dominant lived in the area," Kinyua said. "The influx of the refugees, he notes, slowly turned Eastleigh into "Mogadishu." And when the Kenyan government allowed Somali parliamentarians to run their affairs from the area, its landscape changed. "The Somalis started investing in the area. "We started seeing buildings that have changed Eastleigh forever," he says. While he says the development has helped improve the status of the area, it should have been controlled. "The government stumbled by allowing foreigners to construct buildings unrestricted. "Right now, the government has no control over Eastleigh. "They do not know whether the business that takes place there is legal or illegal," he says. The area, he adds, has become a haven of immigrants, majority of them have settled illegally. Previously, the Kenyan government has admitted that Somali piracy money finds its way in Eastleigh and the economy of the country. The money, according to the government, has helped push up prices of property in the real estate industry. A recent survey by Hass Consult, a real estate firm in Nairobi, indicated that prices of properties rose drastically in 2010. There are houses in Nairobi that sell for 1.25 million U.S. dollars. The value of land has also increased spontaneously locking out natives. However, Somalis in Eastleigh dismiss claims that they have links with pirates and al Shabaab, a terror group. "Those who say we are connected to al Shabaab and pirates do not know what they are talking about. "Eastleigh started growing even before al Shabaab and pirates. "We are genuine and hardworking business persons who have been able to cut a niche for ourselves in business," they said. In a bid to stem possible chances of piracy money finding its way in Kenya, the country’s central bank directed financial institutions to monitor the transactions of Kenya-based Somalis suspected to have connections with pirates. Xinhua

Vans;701612 wrote: ^They sale that at a local shop here in SoCal. My Pops does not fail to keep it in stock in our fridge. Smells like butt if you ask me. ^Our actual fridge . Waaw, dalalka Galbeedkana waala geeye miyaa. How much does it cost in your area? Down here, it is around something like 50/60 cents camal. And don't mind Saak, caano geel is overrated, wax ee taraan maleh. I never had it yet, and I am coming here all the time. Maba jecli shubankaas badan. Enough haddaa baxaa daily without caano geel. And speaking of it, dadka now even kaadi geel ayaa la cabooyaa, caanihii waaba la iska dhaafoyaa. Dad wareeray, caafimaad ayee wataan kaadida geela ee dhahooyaan, according to an old xadiis, so they say. Dad wareersan. Weyre, you-know-who Sacuudigaba wey joogaan iska jir hee. Isilaali yaa lagu qarxininee.

At least calankeena qurxoon waa taaganyahay, no?

Sheeko jacburis oo qaaf ah, koley waaka helay.

Soomaalina, adaa mudan, abaayadiis. Showqi, ka dharag hee hilibka. Dabshid, waa hore kugu dambeysay. Waaba toban sano. Meeshaas aad isku badashay, anoo hadda joogo isbadaloysaaba. Ma taqaan Juja A iyo Juja B? Ushrika ka dambeeyaan. Weyre, xaala dhoolacaddeeynee widaaygiis. ________________ Today's pictorial blog. Factory-processed caano geel laga cabo Islii.

Today's pictorial blog. A sister and her children at a feast. It is for Soomaalina, iyadaa cuntada Islii rabto aragtee, though this picture is a bit dated. N. B. The camera shot messed the poor boy's face. He doesn't look like that.

VAlenteenah, thanks, sister. And the family is doing great. Soomaali (is it Dabshid?), meeshaas maalin walba agmaaraaba, saasna ma'aha hadda. Ciyaal jokoraha dump qashinka ee soo qaadan meelaha la dhisaayo at night illegally. Meeshaas dhismo weyn ku socoto, qashinkaas long ago laga qaaday. Yes, meelo saas camal wey jirtaa Islii, meelo qashinka illegally lagu dump gareeyo. By the way, Ushrika goormee kugu dambeysay?

Dadweyne fiyoow degan ma jiro meelahaan la duqeynaayo. Kii ku haray mid waalan ama mid taageero Barbaarta wareersan waaye. Waaka xumahay Xamartaa jeclaa in wali duqeyn ka socoto 20 years later.

Hayeey! Hooyooyinkaan maa Barbaarta lasoo siray u daahaayo. Mayooy!

Peasant, wali sidii iyo si ka daran waaye. Siyaasadii ayaa masaajidada lasoo giliye, inta kaliya ma'ahee waa meel walba Soomaalida joogto toogtaan. _______________ Today's blog: Guryaha ijaarka iyo Islii Dadka see ugu noolyihiin Islii hadba waxee ku xirantahay hadba suu qofka u ladanyahay ama wax soo saarkiisa ganacsi u sareeyo ama sida reerkiisa dadalka Galbeedka ku maqan u biilaan. Guryaha Islii, which are mostly aparment flats and single-floor lodges, ijaarkooda aad iyo aad u qaalisanyahay. Si aadna waa ugu qaalisanyahay guryaha kale Nayroobi ku yaalo ijaarkooda. The newly built apartments waa qaali dadka badanaa u dhawaan karin, thus a single flat that consists of two bedrooms and a living room waxaa lagu deganyahay dadka qaarkood one to three families, some waa iskaabulo, gabdho iyo wiilalba, oo qol qol lagu share gareeyaa. Average newly built apartment goes between 24,000 to 30,000 (around $300 to $400). Marka qof ama reer xataa loo soo diro $500 a month cannot afford to live in comfort of one full apartment alone. To live in full comfort, a family would need no less than $800 per month, as our family spends minimum. And we are not that many and don’t’ have children living with us. We consist shan qof, waalidka, wiil nala joogo iyo gabadha naga caawiso wax karinta. And yet we spend around $800 a month minimum, some months more than $1,000. In a rarity in Islii, we don’t sub-rent our flat, the five of us live in our apartment, with qolka fadhiga ah la seexan oo fadhi yaalo. But that is not the reality for the vast struggling majority in Islii. Some families live in single sub-rented rooms that cost between $100 to $150. Also Kenyaatiga iyo Soomaali islama degano. All apartments and lodges within boundary of Islii Soomaali wada degan. Even if a Kenyaati wants to live, he cannot afford it. Aad iyo aad u yaabaan how expensive and high the rent is markii loo sheego. Ijaarka central Islii wuu ka qaalisanyahay kan ka baxsan outside central Islii. Islii has three official sections, called Section I, Section II and Section III. The then colonial government set this boundary. Most Soomaalis live in Section II. Those famous streets of 6th Street, 7th Street to 12th Street are all within the boundary of Section II. The further you leave from the boundary of Section II on either side, the cheaper the rent gets and the higher insecurity becomes with ghetto xaafado. Because Kenyaatiga xaafadahooda u dhawaanee, tuugo wada miiran ahna. So Soomaalida badankood waxee iskugu tageen to xaafadaha u dhaxeeyo 4th Street to 12th Street maadaama amaankooda ka sareeyo xaafadaha ka baxsan jidadkaan kor ku sheegay. Xaafadaha kuwaa ka baxsan Soomaalida degana habeenkii ma socon karaan, the moment qoraxda dhacdo iyagana wey hoydaan.

Is she Rudy's cousin? Enjiwey, soo dhawoow.

Peasant, adaa mudan, xaaji. _______________ Today's pictorial blog: Masaajidada Islii Islii waxaa ku yaalo shan masaajido waa weyn iyo kuwa badan oo xisaab ku jirin oo yar yar, including kuwa ku dhex yaalo hoteelada dhexdooda. Shanta u waa weyn soo sawiray maanta, and here they are, so enjoy. Masaajidka 6ka. Masaajidka 8ka. Masaajidka 12ka. Masaajidka Alxaq. Masaajidka Hidaaya. Little info: Masaajidada 6ka iyo 8ka waa oldest masaajido in Islii. Kuwa kale waa cusubyihiin. Also kan 8ka, 12ka iyo Alxaq 'Suufiyo' maamulo, meesha kuwa 6ka iyo Hidaaya ka maamulaan 'Gardheeriyaal.' Dadka masaajidadaas qaar ku xiranyihiin, oo mid kale kuma tukanaayaan, habeenkii xaley tagay. Masaajidadii ayaa siyaasad laga wada dhigtay, had iyo jeerna waala isku dacaayadeeyaa, midba midka kale dacaayad raqiis ka sheegaa qudbooyinka Jimcaha. Kan Hidaayo la dhaho waxaaba congregate gareeyo you-know-who, yacni kuwa qaska ka wado dalkeena. So it wasn't easy to take its picture, very risky maadaama inta wada joogaan you-know-who suppoters. Kan xataa 6ka ku yaalo iyagaa u badan, so it was risky as well, marka sawirada fast ku qaaday, oo hal mar ah bas ee haddee qalooc qaloocyihiin ogaada saas.

at Soomaalina.

Eebba ha u raxmado sheekha, reerkiisana samir iyo iimaan.

Adigana maxaa u shaqeysaa, Mr. Goosashadoon? Ain't it Xabashi interest in dalkeena la kala gooyo, which you advocate yourself. Adiga isarag intaadan dad kale fiirinin.

Telefashinka Qaranka Soomaaliyeed.

It looks, sounds, functions like a true dowlad. Ka naxoo nafta ha isku qarxin. Maan, Farmaajo and his administration, especially wasiirkiisa gaashaandhigga, keeps impressing me. Rabi ha u garabgalo.

Soomaalina, haye, waxaan aan aamisanahay maa soo wadaa. Mayooy iga dheh hee.

Peasant, sawirada Nayroobi waa qaadaa but badanaa dad kale ku jiro, so I don't want to put others pictures online, but mid aniga ku jiro oo central town ah iskaga qaaday the other day ku tusinaa and here it is. Taken on last week. This one was taken on last year. That is downtown Nayroobi I am looking at. And the park I am at is Uhuru Park, the very park I saw at naagtii caddeed diraca wadatay on the weekend. N. B. I will try soo sawiro magaalada hoose, though this blog is about Islii.

LoL at Malika. Soomaalina, gabadha ila socotay aad u yaabtayba. Aad iyo aad, aniga saas uma yaabin because Toronto ayaa dhif dhif ku arki jiray dad kale hiddaha iyo dhaqanka Soomaalida iska wato. Xataa duqdaas timaha qeyb wey u tidcaneyd. Yaab iga dheh.

Solid? That I don't know, but Soomaali waa iska taqaan and here being Kenya after all, only lacagtaada ayaa kaa xigto, not laws or wax kale. Wey isku dhex wadaan Soomaalidaan wax dhisanaayo, wixii legal ah iyo wax kale ma kala garaneysid. _______________ Today's blog: An amazing sight I was at Nayroobi's downtown's Uhuru Park (kinda like New York's Central Park) on the weekend. Just enjoying and strolling with qof kale when we saw an amazing and unexpected sight. Naag caddaan oo around 55-year-old camal ah oo wada xiran beautiful green-flowered dirac, with matching garbasaar and goorgorad. Unbelievable. She just walked by. Xaafadaha caddaanka deganyihiin that park u dhow ayee ka timid filaa. Inaa salaamo rabay, oo sii wareysto. Xataa kaamirada waa watay oo sawir kasii qaado rabay, then isiri amee naxdaa oo tuug ku moodaa or something oo faraha ka qaaday. But that was beautiful, and I kinda felt proud islaan caddaan diraceena iyo garbasaartiisa iyo goorgoradiisa xiran si caadi ah. She even looked like qof had iyo jeer gishto dharkaas because diraca kor ayee u qaatay oo dhex gilisay to show goorgorada. Very professional. We will go back on next weekend, Rabi ha idmee and I hope to see her again.

Somalina;699585 wrote: MMA, bilahan danbe oo dhan ayaa qabiil magacyadiisa la soo qorqoraaye, marka walaalow si fiican indhaha u fur. Dad badan ayaa u baahan a reminder. Ee waa ogtahay inaanan si toos u joogin, oo waxaa arko lee arkaa aniga. Qaarkood waa i dhaafi karaan, ee haddaa aragtid naga caawi oo na tusi, si private waa noogu soo diri kartaa ama si kale. It is not possible for me to view every single post and thread.

Maaddeey;699716 wrote: ^^calanka waxaan ka soo deynsaday sxbkey MMA oo signature'kiisa wax ka qaldanaayeen oon anigu isku aaddiyey 'out of curiousity' Waxba kama qaldaneen ee the new SOL does not allow animated images as a signature. It was my old signature.

In other words dagaalada waxaa gilineynaa, oo ku leyneynaa caruur iyo ciyaal masaakiin aan soo aruurinay at the same time kuweyga ku raaxeysanayaan Eritareeya iyo Masar. No?

Maaddeey;699549 wrote: ^You missed jiirow Bakaal's comment. Ninaan shaqadiisa aqoonin iga dheh! Waa arkaa ee waa u dhaafay, lest some think inaa dhibsaday camal if I edit. Waxaas caay haddee ka tahay dad ayuuba amaanooyaa.