It's Our Turn To Eat

One of the most bizarre things I've come across in my modest three years living in Kenya is the case of Michela Wrong's book exposing Kenyan corruption, "It's Our Turn To Eat." 

The book is available pretty much everywhere in the world but Kenya, thanks to British colonial-era libel laws that permit someone who feels aggrieved by a book's author to sue the store where it is sold. It's been done before it Kenya, and the result is that no bookstore here will stock "It's Our Turn To Eat." I did a little story about bookstore owners' cowardice for Irish Radio back in June.

Talk about shameful. The most tragic part of the story is that Kenyans, who widely accept that their government is corrupt, have been denied the chance to read a book that details their leaders' chicanery. But that may be changing. If you have access to the Internet (no sure thing in Kenya), you can now order the book and pay via M-Pesa, the mobile-banking service provided by Kenya's main telecom provider, Safaricom. I just ordered a copy myself.

Apparently people have been reluctant to order from the site because they're worried it might be one of Kenya's legion web and email scams. That's not the case. Here is a note from Michela:

"The retail boycott on "It's Our Turn to Eat" remains in force, despite government spokesman Alfred Mutua's statement that the book is not banned by the government. Despite recent distribution efforts by USAID, the churches, Pen-Kenya and various other NGOs, the only Kenyans buying it at the moment are those who travel abroad and get it there or who own international credit cards and can order it off Amazon.

In a bid to get the book out to ordinary members of the public, a group of Kenyans - some based in Nairobi and some living in London -- has recently come up with a new initiative. They have set up a Kenyan website with an Mpesa link - no need for credit cards - selling copies of the book. A local distributor then makes sure customers receive their ordered books. They're starting off with an experimental 150 copies, which have just arrived in Nairobi and are now available for sale.

If this method of getting the book out to the public works, they'll step up numbers.

The website link is: http://www.thekenyashop.com/. Two people who placed orders received same day delivery from the local distributor, so it really works. It's not a scam, or a rip-off scheme. Those behind the scheme are keeping their identities anonymous at the moment, but the author knows them all and can vouch for the fact that this is not a con trick. It is, on the contrary, an imaginative attempt at using modern technology to give ordinary Kenyans access to a book they have every right to read.

The book is priced in accordance to the sourcing and shipping costs. The individuals living abroad will not derive any profit from this scheme -- this is guaranteed. The profit on each book is exclusively to compensate the local individuals for the personal risk they are taking. They are selling it at 1,500 shillings. The book currently sells in the UK at £12.99."

Comments

[The Kenya Shop]

Please remind your readers that once the book has been ordered it will not be delivered until payment has been received via the Mpesa number provided...

[Bridget Moix]

Hi Nick,
I just met your sister here in Washington where we work on some similar issues. I also work on Kenya a bit and she mentioned your work and your blog.

On this book, USAID has apparently also been helping distribute it in Kenya. Ever come across those efforts?

Hope to be in touch more.