Election time in frenetic Nairobi

Explanations to photos never bode well for such photos but I seek your indulgence. This photo means a lot to me and for some reason I feel compelled to explain why.

First, it is one of the first photos which is not a close-up. I am learning to jump out of my comfort zone. And this was jumping out. A white guy with camera on a busy street should draw more attention than it did which proves once again that we are living in a cosmopolitan worl.

Secondly, the photo was meant to highlight the electioneering which is going on this country. You can see all the posters which are pasted on the iron sheets running round the outside of the posh hotel. And you can see guys walking past them...paying no attention. We need peaceful elections and things are heating up so keep us in your thoughts.

Thirdly, there is the disparity found in this country which is also ...5-star hotels in the middle of a town in which 85% of the population is living in informal settlements with few amenities. And then of course there is the hole modernisation vs the traditional (I mean really, an acacia tree in the middle of a commercial area - a great reminder that we are not in any other part of the world!).

Lastly, the picture gives the kind of organised chaos that is found around here. New, old, rich, poor, clean, dirty...and somehow it all works. Electric power lines, a bit of nature, plenty of cars...There is still a vibrancy found here which is not found in many places and that is the good we wish to embrace and build on.

So enjoy the photo and remember my dear adopted country as we get ready for the elections in March.