Islii: The most expensive slum

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Hokey, I admit. The title is a bit stretching the usual definition of slum. And the most expensive is a bit obvious superlative.

 

However, it is still dirty, dirtier and dirtiest expensive residential and commercial area in Nayroobi. A three-room (included is the living room) -- and on Islii parlance, a 'room' is any enclosed space that is about ten feet across and 15 feet in length -- goes upto $500 a month for rent. It is more than highway robbery. It is a daylight robbery.

 

Islii is not not new to me, oo si fiican isku naqaanaa. Laakiin marba marka kale kasii dareysaa. Darn it. It is a place where hygiene and sanitary practices is on another parallel universe, unknown; where garbage is collected by jokoro boys and then immediately dumped at the very front gate of the same building, after they took what they find valuable. Amazingly, though, it seems sometimes garbage collects itself since that very dumped garbage at the front of the gate, you won't see it there on a few days later.

 

Don't get me wrong. I like Islii. It is where my Soomaali folks live and thrive in business-wise in Nayroobi. Laakiinse waxee tahay waa in la sheegaa.

 

Eniwey, enough with my nacnacdeydaada. Indhahiina ku arka see meesha u egtahay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://img521.images hack.us/img521/2528/ islii8.jpg

 

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

 

That is Gaarisa Looj, on the left of where it says Bangkok Shopping Mall.

 

Gaarisa Looj (Lodge) is where it all started in early '90s. I very remember the days shushumoow iyo macmacaanka kale lagu gadi jiray, and the night looj u ahayd dadka waxaas gadi jiray meesha.

[Dhubad.]

Hayeh MMA, meesha waad kasoo heshay hayeh? Islii lacag aa taalo walee, waxaan yaabay markii la igu dhahay $10,000 aday ay dukaamada qabtaan when its busy like the x-mas time!

 

 

Its the only district in Nairbi that has local bank branchs - there are at least 3 Banks in Eastleigh.

[MZanzi]

lol MMA Qashinka banaanka inta laso dhigo asaga is xaaqaayo waa ka yaabtay haye camoo,

MMA islii early 90s xaafad shidan ayeey aheed laakin maryooleey aa ku ciyaartay

 

 

Dhubab islii hada waa ka dhamaatay somalida chines eey isku wada ag qab qabteen every corner dhar isku wada noc ah latagan yihiin price ka laisku ceyrinaaa

[Dhubad.]

Fu-FU, Its still has potential, the days of selling clothes only are now gone, they doing business in all sectors at the moment. From real state to importing oil to foreign exchange bureau to transporting goods etc.

 

Their business stretches from Eastleigh to South of Sudan!

[BOB]

^^^Oooohhh Eastleigh...I've spent almost 6 beautiful years here until I left in 96 and I will be lying if I said I recognize any of the buildings in these pics or which street or where in Eastleigh are these pics taken from?

 

 

I will be more than delighted if somebody or anybody updated me and told me meesha ay tahay iyo streetka...we lived on 3rd Street...the opposite of Muyuyu Road...

 

 

Peace, Love & Unity.

[Ms DD]

Bal mey iska nadiifiyaan meesha?

 

I always wanted to go to Islii early 90s, but never had he opportunity. But now, it looks like meel jiro laga soo qaadayo!

 

Oh Lord..I sound like a bloke from Canada who came to see us in Utango, and he had face mask cos he thought inaan cudur qaadsiineyno!

[Paragon]

Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiy aar:

 

That is Gaarisa Looj, on the left of where it says Bangkok Shopping Mall.

 

Gaarisa Looj (Lodge) is where it all started in early '90s. I very remember the days shushumoow iyo macmacaanka kale lagu gadi jiray, and the night looj u ahayd dadka waxaas gadi jiray meesha.

Haaheey. Exactly halkaad taagan tahay markii horey loo sii socdo waa Sebenka, halkaasaan aniga joogey. Guri shiinuhu dhisey oo magac leh ayeey maaso qabsatay maalmihii dhul-gariirku jirey. Tu yaroo isla xaafadda ka soo baxdey baan ku iri: naa ka soo fogoow guriga yuusan kugu dumine. Aseey igu tiri: war bax maxaa kaa galey hadduu igu dumo, anna waxaan iri: naa bal banaan usoo baxoo iskeey yara tusi, inaan ku aroosaa suurta gal ahe. Inteey hihihi ku qososhey ayeey afka garba-saarka saaratey. She was in her mid 20s.

 

Laakiin Illaaheey amarkii hal mar ii muuqdey gabdho badanoo aad u qurxoon oo dibada jilbaab la'aan ugu soo qaxay. Tii yarayd waanba ka ag haadey. Markiibaan lambar uruuris bilaabey.

[Kamaavi]

LOL@Markiibaan lambar uruuris bilaabey,,,

 

Ka dheer ee gabadha daba socda ,,,, isna lambar uruuris ayuu ku jiraa ma is tiri?

[Aaliyyah]

That place looks overcrowded, bt so long Somalis are running businesses down there and leading decent life. Alhmadulilaah!!

 

nice pics.

 

salaam

[Abyan]

Horta is Jam Street still there?

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Dhubad, I think sadex banki branches ka badan inay ku yaalaan u maleynaa. I had seen two Gulf African ones iyo hal Barclay. Kuwa kale inaa arkay waa jeclahaay laakiin.

 

Fufu, Shiineeska aa sheegeysid maxaa waaye? Shiines kuma arkin meesha, inkastoo reero wareejiyo jidadka wada taagan, oo meeshiiba lama mari karo. Runtaana waaye, Islii sagaashameydii balaayo ahayd.

 

Laakiin Illaaheey amarkii hal mar ii muuqdey gabdho badanoo aad u qurxoon oo dibada jilbaab la'aan ugu soo qaxay. Tii yarayd waanba ka ag haadey. Markiibaan lambar uruuris bilaabey.

Meeshaas bilaash loo gishtaa jilbaabka. Maalinta la yabay waxee ahayd at 12th Street, kasoo horjeedka Barakaad hoteel, laba gabdho Soomaaliyeed xijaaban isku rifaayo, right infront of me. Dadka, Soomaali u badan, wada fiirsanaayo. Ma'ogi inay nuursadaan mee rabeen mise wax kale since jilbaabkii iyo wax walba la iska wada tuuray. Haddaaba dhex galay, xoog ku kala fujiye, kaalayba haddana kala celi.

 

Mid sadexaad oo labada dagaalamaayo midkood la socotay, lana safan, iigu sii daran. Kulahaa, "Adi maxaa waaye, isku dhaaf nooh hala dilee isboorkadaas qumayada ah..." Mar labaad isgaleen. Finally, yarka kale ila socday dukaanka kasoo baxay oo xoog ku kala fujinay. He wasn't reer Nayroobi either. Dadka Reer Islii ah wada fiirsanaayo, anagii ku cusbeena kala celineyno. Yaab. Soomaali naxariistii ka dhamaatay.

 

Horta is Jam Street still there?

Jaamka wuu balaartay oo xaafad dhan la dhahaaba maanta.

 

 

Masaajidkaas at the end of the picture aad ka aragtid its minarates waa Jaamka meesha uu ka bilowdo.

[Oz]

I found this on nation newspapers

 

Source

 

Some of them are said to pay up to Sh50,000 for space big enough only for a wheelbarrow.

[Oz]

Originally posted by *BOB:

^^^Oooohhh Eastleigh...I've spent almost 6 beautiful years here until I left in 96 and I will be lying if I said I recognize any of the buildings in these pics or which street or where in Eastleigh are these pics taken from?

 

 

I will be more than delighted if somebody or anybody updated me and told me meesha ay tahay iyo streetka...we lived on 3rd Street...the opposite of Muyuyu Road...

 

Peace, Love & Unity.

BOB, you were a life member of the fish and chips opposite 3rd st mosque eh.

 

remember this old mosque in 10th st? Ramada hotel is behind it.

 

[Oz]

 

gotta do this next trip.