Eventually I check in sign in and hook with Karuga Wa Njuguna who is a photographer with The Star. And we chull and waited for the people to check in. As I was so early and were in there before they set up the bar proper I was happy to sip on a cold Tusker as I waited for proceedings to heat up. It was a bit slow and suddenly the place was full of people milling around and chatting and doing their thing. Off course I ditched that Tusker post haste and went on to drink some champagne called sijui Taittinger which was something else (but do I menson?). I eventually met up with the Terry Anne and Kent both of CNBC who I last met at that gig at Yaya centre recently. And there was also Mel fresh from her Haller park event recently. In the house was also Angela Wacuka who is the head honcho over at Kwani Trust. Other people milling around were also the likes of Doctor Julius Kipngetich who happens to be the bee’s knees over at the Kenya Wildlife Service. And an all around stand up guy if all the reports are to be believed.

I also ran into Dorothy Ooko who we all know as the head honcho of Nokia in this part of the world and who I last met during that Nokia N97 launch the other day. She was hanging out with her hubby Kees and Patrick Muiruri of Reuters. We got into this whole argument with Patrick about who loves the Nokia brand more. I stated how I kept buying Nokia whenever I lost my phone (which happens a lot!) and Patrick was telling us how he had stayed with the same phone for the longest and had no complaints. Off course Kees had to beat us hands down as he declared that he loved Nokia so much he MARRIED the local rep. Sawa you win. Lets hope Dorothy doesn’t start working for Samsung or something as she will have a divorce papers served so fast he he.  And in the house was one Eugene Obiero who when I last met was a single man. Today he was in the house with his new wife (new as in married this year if an inebriated Huba in Black Diamond several months ago can be considered a reliable source). And she was just lovely this lass. And there were chilling out with Evelyn whose name I had off course forgotten. It happens too often and I probably want to go to memory school or something.

And there were some people who I met for the first time this day. Like Richard and Jerusha Vaughn. He is the MD of Inca and she is a HR consultant currently with KK Security. Can’t be too hard a job what with the former blue chip security firm G4S brand taking a beating. I also met Nation cartoonist Gado and we had a bit of a natter about his TV show XYZ which I thought could have been better. He told me to call him and I give him my views on the same. (Note to self: Call Gado). I also run into (more along the lines of invaded the personal space of) Salim Lone who is the personal rep to the Prime Minister and a communications guru. I asked him to join twitter but I suspect that will not be happening any time soon. I will have to settle for Ol’ Paolo Coelho’s tweets I guess. Sigh.

Away from the people spotting we were here for a reason and that was to introduce Portland to Kenya. In truth when I came to the Tribe that day I had though that I was here to see this new branch of East African Portland cement or something. I was to be pleasant surprised. The Portland that we were to seeing was a communications firm of some muscle based in the UK. And they represent some serious clients there like services boasts international clients such as Coca cola, Google, Facebook, McDonalds and Vodafone. They were now setting up to invade the Kenyan market and all I hope is that there is enough business to sustain what looks to be a major player in this business.

Karibu Kenya guys. Watch out for those guys who reside at the Chancery coz they don’t joke.

>> Related Links

:: Tribe Hotel

:: Kwani Trust.

:: Kenya Wildlife Service

:: Paolo Coelho’s

:: Yaya Food loft and a Goethe party

:: Nokia N97 launches in Nairobi

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