Meat-eating ritual that baffles and delights …

Nyama Choma is a culture that baffles many foreigners.

Some would see it as Nyama Choma Madness while to others it is just fun and adventure.

What began in earnest in Nairobi in the 1970s has become a culture that has spread throughout East Africa and to some of the European and US cities where Kenyans live.

Kajiado County provides destinations to which Nairobians troop each weekend as if responding to the call of a cult.

They put their big gas guzzlers on the road to destinations along the Nairobi-Namanga and Nairobi-Magadi roads.

It is difficult to see why someone would spend Sh5,000 on fuel to go all the way to Ole Polos Country Club, 100 kilometres from Nairobi on the Magadi road to eat 3kg of meat costing Sh1,400, while it is readily available in such popular Nairobi areas as Nairobi West, Kenyatta Market, Kwa Njuguna and Kwa Michael.

“Psychologically, this is a herd mentality; for people driving to Ole Polos, it gives them a status symbol,” explained Dr Christopher Wanga, former chairman of the Veterinary Association of Kenya.

“Look, if you go for Christmas holiday to Lake Victoria people will not recognise you, but the man who takes his family to Mombasa acquires a status symbol,” he commented.

He said that going all the way to Maasailand to eat gave another psychological fillip – the feeling that one is getting fresh meat as though it were fresh vegetables straight from the farm.

Ole Polos boasts a weekend clientele of people with big cars , among them top notch politicians and business people every weekend.

One politician from Central Kenya even lands there occasionally in a helicopter.

Founded in 1986 on a hill overlooking magnificent scenery of the Rift Valley, Ole Polos continues to attract all manner of meat eaters from every cadre of society.

“Our motivating factor in founding this facility was the scenic view from atop the hill,” said Musa Diyar, one of the owners.

He said customers included people from all walks of life, the mighty and the simple, Africans, Europeans and Asians alike.

“When they are here, they want to remain anonymous and enjoy their meat,” he said.

Open for 25 years, the place is now building lodges with eight high class cottages opening soon. At Ole Polos, it is not only meat-eating. Big business deals are cut there too.

At Kitengela, 34 kilometres from Nairobi, the main street is dominated by butcheries.

Besides selling to the populous community in the suburbs, the butchers do brisk business every weekend when the city people invade the area.