When I think of my time in Kenya, I often compare it to the cup of the world’s best type of coffee – Arabica. I drink my cup of Kenyan coffee amid the battle, in the heart of the ideal storm, raging over Europe, with my country at the centre.
Regardless of the madness and violence of Russian unprovoked and unjustified aggression against my country, Ukrainians continue to buy Kenyan coffee and even fresh-cut flowers to celebrate their own feasts, moments of happiness and victories during the running storm.
My diplomatic mission in Nairobi is over, and next week I return home. I love many things about Kenya: its people, its landscapes, its genuine vibe of a place that greets foreigners the same way my home country does: without prejudices. Ukrainians and Kenyans are similar in many ways: we treat any new project, new encounter as a groundbreaking opportunity, a history to be written from scratch. We treat those new opportunities in similar ways: we’re open, cheerful, hopeful, and almost childishly unbiased. We treat life the way children do; open to new horizons.
This attitude is so unique (and as a diplomat, I’ve been around the globe, so I’ve seen quite a few places) that here, in Kenya, I, a Ukrainian, feel almost at home. Throughout the seven years of my work in Nairobi, we’ve accomplished a lot. Still, my favourite moment was the day Kenya received tens of thousands of tons of wheat to help combat a drought threatening livelihoods. It was a part of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s ‘Grain from Ukraine’ humanitarian programme, launched against all odds.
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Today, Ukraine celebrates its independence from centuries of colonial rule. Ours was unlike any other in human history, as our coloniser has not only attempted to destroy us and turn us into slaves for centuries but attacks us constantly and only stops his terrifying move during moments of his own weakness. He denies the very existence as a nation, its language, and its culture.
Our children are stolen from us and held in captivity, forced by this self-proclaimed “foster nation” to learn its political manifestos to throw stolen kids into battle as a new generation of disciples of imperialistic rule. The name of this last colonial empire is Russia.
As the old saying goes: “Those who do not take risks do not drink champagne”. And so my message as Ukrainian Ambassador to Kenya is: remain open, continue your search for new opportunities, but always do the thorough fact-checking of any such offer, however fruitful and surprising it looks.
Recently, Russians invited young Kenyan women to “a work and study program”, which turned out to be a part of the project of expanding Russian military production facilities. That’s how Russians tried to create a living human shield rather than offer promising job opportunities. I say no false promise and money could bring back the life of your lost loved ones. There’s one thing I have learned in Kenya that I will pass to my fellow countrymen; that Africa and Kenya, as one of its most vibrant beating hearts, is way closer to Ukraine. We, Ukrainians, are neither wazungu, the foreign wanderers, nor the colonisers. Therefore, the only way we can treat each other is by sharing knowledge and experiences. Such people easily form a brotherhood that endures. That’s what I spent seven years of my life investing in.
-The writer is the ambassador of the Republic of Ukraine to Kenya
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By Andrii Pravednyk