Dispatches from the frontline
As the Kenyan military offensive against Al-Shabaab militia in Somalia continues, Nation Media Group journalists have been with the Kenyan soldiers.
The print and broadcast journalists are in the area where the Kenya and Somalia borders meet the Indian Ocean, known in military parlance as the southern sector. Their reports are subject to military conditions.
Cellphones: Good entertainment
Mobile phones are very essential devices here. They are not only used here to send and receive money and communicate but also serve entertainment purposes.
After a tough day, most of the soldiers pass time in the evening with music from their phones no matter how poor the quality of sound is.
-------------------------------------
Jargon: Words and technology
Like any profession with jargon and latest technology, soldiers here speak the language of war. Next time you hear RPG, it is a rocket propelled grenade.
They talk of modern guns fitted on some boats in developed countries where one can look at a target and shoot by stepping on a pedal.
-------------------------------------
Civilisation: Somethings are rare
You never know how delicious sukuma wiki is until you cannot find it. Here green vegetables and packed juice are a sign of recent interaction with civilisation. Finding them here is simply not possible.
-------------------------------------
Clothes: Too much worn
While journalists and soldiers are wearing bullet proof vests and helmets when going into the villages, the locals here either have vests or stroll around bare chested.
The theory they have for this is that the fish they eat increases their body temperature so much that they do not need to dress heavily to keep warm.
They wonder how a well fed man can put on such heavy clothing and worse still in the name of fearing a bullet.
-------------------------------------
Barriers: Kenyan products here
In Ras Kamboni, like most Somali towns near Kenya, the inhabitants speak Kiswahili.
In most areas, there are no designated border points and one is likely to get deep in to Somali land without any communication barrier.
It is thus possible to communicate and get the same goods you would easily buy in Nairobi, Eldoret and Lamu.
Here you can get your OMO detergent , Royco and Panga soap.
