How safe is a Kenya?

Hi fincho - Nanyuki is a safe enough place to live as things go in Kenya.  Briefly about me: nearly four years in Kenya, living in Nakuru and traveling a bit, married to a Kikuyu.  I have been to Nanyuki and just this minute asked my wife about it.  There is a significant military presence in Nanyuki so it would not be the sort of place that the government barely controls, and there are parts of Kenya that meet that description.  Dogs: can't hurt.  You want housing in a safe compound with walls, razor wire, and preferably electric fence as well, though with dogs the electric fence would be optional -- this is standard fare for muzungu everywhere in Kenya.  The security situation in Kenya has deteriorated in the past couple of years, but I would not call it an unsafe place to live.  Be prepared for corruption with respect to anything connected to the government.

Hi.Thank you for your reply.Im trying to find a suitable property with adequate security and maybe a couple of guards thrown in.My husband works in Mali at present and has found its beneficial to employ local people.I backpacked Thailand on my own so came across quite a lot of corruption myself.Like my husband says sometimes corruption works in your favour sometimes not.Many thanks for the information.

Fincho;  I have sent you a private message!

I disagree that you need to go to the extent of having razor wire and an electric fence - especially in Nanyuki.  Having this level of security can also suggest that you have something that needs this level of security to protect!!

We have never gone to this extent.  A decent thorn hedge will be fine, maybe with a normal fence inside it.  Our current property is like this.  More important is decent lighting around the gate - we have automatic solar lamps.  We don't employ a guard.  It is sometimes the very same guards that get to know what you have, your routines and can set you up

Dogs will discourage opportunist thieves, but they can be drugged!

Ive been in Kenya on and off since 2004 and I don't believe that the security situation has deteriorated - it seems to go in cycles though and the recent political situation had seen the government take their eye off the ball.

We know Nanyuki quite well as our place is around 45 minutes away and we go there a lot.

Hi,

Thanks very much for the information.My god drugged dogs sounds a dream.We just need somewhere with fencing enough to keep the dogs in but a compound would be preferable.

I back packed Thailand on my own for five months and have been in some precarious situations whilst abroad.Military coup in Bangkok,bombings in Thailand and Istanbul and the Paris riots and I havnt died yet.Im excited/cautious but I think a little bit of both is necessary.

I don't believe there is anywhere that would be completely safe to live now.Thanks again and if I think of anything else I will drop you a line.Im sure there is much for me know.Jo

Well Fincho there's hardly any place to live in with complete security. However, there's always a degree of difference between the areas you've lived in, some more secure others less secure. In Nanyuki I doubt if you should be worried about the security situation there unless you're so vulnerable to insecurity, thanks!

Thank you for your reply.Ive decided to stay in Cyprus.I don't suffer with insecurity and asked about safety because I would have been living on my own for weeks at a time.