Exposing Racist Entertainment Spots: La Marina Mombasa
Last year, there was alot of furor raised about alleged racism suffered by indigenous African patrons at Artecaffe who were treated to croissants, coffee and a side of racism. That all died down like everything usually does in Kenya -the anger at the alleged racism, mot the racism. Well, atleast not in different parts of the country.
And before we start, i think it pertinent for me to say that i find foreigners in Kenya subjecting indigenous Kenyans to racism as stupid as stupid gets. That would be akin to me going to -for argument’s sake, Italy- starting an enterprise (an entertainment spot) and subjecting Italians to racism. Stupid.
But in Kenya, we allow the practice of sheer stupidity to go on unchecked. And over the holidays, a Kenyan found himself on the receiving end of racism perpetrated by people of his own skin colour on orders allegedly from management. And even if that were not the case, management complacency wouldn’t be unfathomable.
This is his story:
Yesterday my friends and I were on our way to La Marina restaurant in Mombasa to have dinner. As we were on foot we reached the first barrier manned by Thorn tree askaris. They asked for our ID in which two were produced leaving my guide who had not carried his… What was shocking and made me angry is the ignorance and RACISM I experienced there because I have never witnessed a gate being manned by askaris where they even write your skin color.. (Mine brown… you can check their books dated 2nd January 2014) and also saying that they did not want another Westgate situation. After several complaints on this on why I was being treated like this in my own country. The sheer brutality in which we faced at the gate was shocking because in time they even pressed the alarm where KK security came in a pickup truck responding and driving so fast responding to the distress call that to our unawares was pressed so many times thinking it were thieves that they almost knocked down a tree.
What made me mad is the Westgate remarks and even after telling them to search me they refused when to my surprise vehicles just drove by where they were given gate passes to enter never checking the boot or even asking questions to the occupants maybe because they are mzungu or better off people even not checking Id’s of the occupants..
We found a number on your website where I called to sought for assistance on the issue where they sent one Mr. Kennedy who just came and was over powered by the numbers of the askaris who were also mad after I talked a whole load of crap because I was furious… at the end of it all we left to have dinner at Moorings restaurant which wasn’t far from there
Kindly check on your askaris customer service and protocols because if they just leave vehicles to enter without a thorough check yet man handling people and also writing their skin color is so way out of civilization.
All I want is an official apology for being treated like a terrorist and even the RACIST remarks in my own country and PS I am still furious.
Angwenyi Betty DNG “The Number 1 Hype-man!!” Ciru Muriuki Anthony Musyoka Moha Hussein Chris Kirubi Miss Mandi Daniel “Churchill” Ndambuki aka Mwalimu King’ang’i Moha Ruff Skillz Ommy Dallah
