Juliet Barnes and other writers popularised the Happy Valley (Wanjohi) in Nyandarua County. Read her book, The Ghosts of Happy Valley? In the roaring 1920s to around 1940, extreme behaviour defined this valley.
Drugs and even wife swapping were common. Its “golden age” ended with the death of Lord Errol, who had a home in the Happy Valley. Old colonial houses dot this beautiful valley.
The limits of the Happy Valley are approximately Ndunyu Njeru to the south, to the west is the escarpment overlooking Naivasha, and a line from Gilgil to Ol Kalou.
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To the north is Lake Ol Bollosat and Aberdares to the east. Nyandarua should take heart, some Happy Vallians lived in other counties. Many wrongly think Happy Valley is Naivasha.
Beyond extreme behaviour, Happy Valley is rich agriculturally. The great weather devoid of mosquitoes and other vermin attracted the settlers of mixed heritage – from Britons to Italians, Americans and many more.
Today, potatoes, carrots, onions, maize and dairying keep the valley busy, I doubt happy. Its newest addition is a golf course at Kipipiri.
The great farms owned by Morgan Grenville, Gillette Brothers, Allan Frazer, Mary Miller, Kruger, De Janze, and Ramsden, among others, are now plots and subject to further subdivision.
Get onto the Shamata escarpment or Mt Kipipiri and see the sea of mabati roofs in the Happy Valley.
Why link Happy Valley to the Epstein files? I have followed the unveiling of these files with keen interest.
They have left my head spinning. And I guess I am not alone. The popular joke is that if your name is not in the Epstein files, you are “small.”
The number of individuals mentioned or who had ties with Jeffrey Epstein (1953-2019) is surprisingly big.
They range from former prime ministers, scholars, corporate titans, to princes.
The fact that Epstein was both a financial consultant and a convicted sex offender makes any connection with him murky.
Two is the age of the girls said to have been procured for sex, below the age of consent. Unfortunately, the truth behind the files will never be known; the key actor is dead. The living have to defend themselves and clear their names. Luckily, other events will come to overshadow the Epstein files. Anyone with a basic knowledge of psychology should not be so surprised by the Epstein files.
Once we reach the apex in Maslow’s hierarchy, the chances of going back to the bottom of it are very high! Ever wondered why successful men and women end up taking drugs or joining cults?
Kenyan elite
Back to the Happy Valley. Its key players were adults. That contrasts with the victims in the Epstein files, who are minors, underage.
Does that mean Epstein files overshadow Happy Valley? While a number of happy vallians were socialites and rich, they were not as famous as those linked to Epstein.
It’s the fame and positions of the Epstein “members” that have left our mouths ajar. The media rightly points out that being mentioned in these files does not mean one is guilty.
Curiously, some Kenyans have been mentioned in these files. Does that signify the sophistication of the Kenyan elite? Many probably met Epstein for financial consulting, not girls.
Convincing the public that the meetings were just about business is going to be a hard task. The first fallout from the Epstein files is a change in perception of our leaders (both corporate and political) by the public.
Epstein files apart, it’s clear the two groups work together. It’s during campaigns that their alliance come out. And it seems their interests go beyond finance and money.
The files, by accident, have given us a glimpse into how elites operate, in this case across the Atlantic.
The files have ensnared elected leaders, corporate titans and even princes. The elite group can’t be more elite. Their veil of secrecy and invincibility has been blown.
The files show that in the fullness of time, we remain human irrespective of our positions in society. We seek fun, purpose, fulfilment, and meaning.
And not always in the right places. I doubt if the elites ever wanted that.
After all, it’s the myths and mystique around their lives that give them prestige and power. The elites only interact with the public when doing “good.”
The Epstein files might interest moralists, economists, politicians, financial analysts and psychologists.
We need an explanation as to why the elite behaved as they did, attracted to Epstein like moths to a lamp. My simple explanation is that their behaviour confirms they are human.
The Epstein files will cast a long shadow over individuals, their character and cost some careers in corporate and political arenas.
Will the files give us a new class of elite? It’s unlikely that the elites will simply learn to behave better.
They have the power and money to change the narrative. Wait for books and movies that will sanitise the aftermath of the Epstein files.
One curious interest is how we treat the young, innocent girls, more so from low socio-economic status.
Did you notice the social class and nationalities of the girls mentioned in the files? And who is an exotic dancer? Can I be one?
Political system
Why scant attention to the Epstein files in Kenya? How do our elites behave away from the prickly eyes of the public? Could it be that no one wants to throw the first stone?
Our legal and political system might be more tolerant of some behaviour mentioned in the Epstein files. The word pedophile is rare in Kenya.
That does not mean it’s nonexistent. Some even suggest the whole country is slowly becoming a Happy Valley.
And we do not know what our elite do away from public eyes. After all, they patronise different hotels, resorts and clubs.
The most watched employees are teachers. What of the rest? Could we one day have our Epstein files?
Could the ghosts of the Happy Valley one day haunt our no longer young nation? If your name is missing, take heart, you will be “big” one day.
Before signing off, noted how religious Nyandarua County is?
Is it an effort to exorcise the ghosts of Happy Valley? For now, let us analyse the contents of the Epstein files and hope there will be justice for the victims.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
Juliet Barnes and other writers popularised the Happy Valley (Wanjohi) in Nyandarua County. Read her book,
The Ghosts of Happy Valley?
In the roaring 1920s to around 1940, extreme behaviour defined this valley.
Drugs and even wife swapping were common. Its “golden age” ended with the death of Lord Errol, who had a home in the Happy Valley. Old colonial houses dot this beautiful valley.
The limits of the Happy Valley are approximately Ndunyu Njeru to the south, to the west is the escarpment overlooking Naivasha, and a line from Gilgil to Ol Kalou.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
To the north is Lake Ol Bollosat and Aberdares to the east. Nyandarua should take heart, some Happy Vallians lived in other counties. Many wrongly think Happy Valley is Naivasha.
Beyond extreme behaviour, Happy Valley is rich agriculturally. The great weather devoid of mosquitoes and other vermin attracted the settlers of mixed heritage – from Britons to Italians, Americans and many more.
Today, potatoes, carrots, onions, maize and dairying keep the valley busy, I doubt happy. Its newest addition is a golf course at Kipipiri.
The great farms owned by Morgan Grenville, Gillette Brothers, Allan Frazer, Mary Miller, Kruger, De Janze, and Ramsden, among others, are now plots and subject to further subdivision.
Get onto the Shamata escarpment or Mt Kipipiri and see the sea of mabati roofs in the Happy Valley.
Why link Happy Valley to the Epstein files? I have followed the
unveiling of these files
with keen interest.
They have left my head spinning. And I guess I am not alone. The popular joke is that if your name is not in the Epstein files, you are “small.”
The number of individuals mentioned or who had ties with Jeffrey Epstein (1953-2019) is surprisingly big.
They range from former prime ministers, scholars, corporate titans, to princes.
The fact that Epstein was both a financial consultant and a convicted sex offender makes any connection with him murky.
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Two is the age of the girls said to have been procured for sex, below the age of consent. Unfortunately, the truth behind the files will never be known; the key actor is dead. The living have to defend themselves and clear their names. Luckily, other events will come to overshadow the Epstein files. Anyone with a basic knowledge of psychology should not be so surprised by the Epstein files.
Once we reach the apex in Maslow’s hierarchy, the chances of going back to the bottom of it are very high! Ever wondered why successful men and women end up taking drugs or joining cults?
Kenyan elite
Back to the Happy Valley. Its key players were adults. That contrasts with the victims in the Epstein files, who are minors, underage.
Does that mean Epstein files overshadow Happy Valley? While a number of happy vallians were socialites and rich, they were not as famous as those linked to Epstein.
It’s the fame and positions of the Epstein “members” that have left our mouths ajar. The media rightly points out that being mentioned in these files does not mean one is guilty.
Curiously, some Kenyans have been mentioned in these files. Does that signify the sophistication of the Kenyan elite? Many probably met Epstein for financial consulting, not girls.
Convincing the public that the meetings were just about business is going to be a hard task. The first fallout from the Epstein files is a change in perception of our leaders (both corporate and political) by the public.
Epstein files apart, it’s clear the two groups work together. It’s during campaigns that their alliance come out. And it seems their interests go beyond finance and money.
The files, by accident, have given us a glimpse into how elites operate, in this case across the Atlantic.
The files have ensnared elected leaders, corporate titans and even princes. The elite group can’t be more elite. Their veil of secrecy and invincibility has been blown.
The files show that in the fullness of time, we remain human irrespective of our positions in society. We seek fun, purpose, fulfilment, and meaning.
And not always in the right places. I doubt if the elites ever wanted that.
After all, it’s the myths and mystique around their lives that give them prestige and power. The elites only interact with the public when doing “good.”
The Epstein files might interest moralists, economists, politicians, financial analysts and psychologists.
We need an explanation as to why the elite behaved as they did, attracted to Epstein like moths to a lamp. My simple explanation is that their behaviour confirms they are human.
The Epstein files will
cast a long shadow
over individuals, their character and cost some careers in corporate and political arenas.
Will the files give us a new class of elite? It’s unlikely that the elites will simply learn to behave better.
They have the power and money to change the narrative. Wait for books and movies that will sanitise the aftermath of the Epstein files.
One curious interest is how we treat the young, innocent girls, more so from low socio-economic status.
Did you notice the social class and nationalities of the girls mentioned in the files? And who is an exotic dancer? Can I be one?
Political system
Why scant attention to the Epstein files in Kenya? How do our elites behave away from the prickly eyes of the public? Could it be that no one wants to throw the first stone?
Our legal and political system might be more tolerant of some behaviour mentioned in the Epstein files. The word pedophile is rare in Kenya.
That does not mean it’s nonexistent. Some even suggest the whole country is slowly becoming a Happy Valley.
And we do not know what our elite do away from public eyes. After all, they patronise different hotels, resorts and clubs.
The most watched employees are teachers. What of the rest? Could we one day have our Epstein files?
Could the ghosts of the Happy Valley one day haunt our no longer young nation? If your name is missing, take heart, you will be “big” one day.
Before signing off, noted how religious Nyandarua County is?
Is it an effort to exorcise the ghosts of Happy Valley? For now, let us analyse the contents of the Epstein files and hope there will be justice for the victims.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
By XN Iraki