As a result, a lot of NGOs and tech companies headquartered themselves in Kenya.

However, as we entered the digital nomad era, we saw an influx of influencers and remote workers from Western countries settling down in Kenya. Kenya is cheap, especially if they are still earning in their local currencies. Our taxes are peanuts compared to most European countries, and there is just a lot to do and see. And worst of all, locals bend over backwards for foreigners.

A few years ago, I wrote about a certain influencer who ‘bragged’ about his privilege on social media. He talked about how he can get any hotel to give him a lesser price than advertised. He called a really prestigious hotel, asked for the price, said no to the price then hung up. He was then called back and offered a discount.

As a Kenyan who has stayed in many hotels at home and abroad and made multiple phone calls and arrangements, I can attest that this has never happened to me or any Kenyan I know. In fact, we often have to ask if there is a discount or an offseason price applicable before we pay what we are told to pay.

On one hand, I am glad that we are an attractive nation to foreigners. We are welcoming and we provide opportunities to those who seek them in Kenya. Famous hip hop star Kellis has settled in Kenya, bought property and started farming. Her content comes across my feed once in a while. I look at it and say “nice”. She came, she invested, she settled and she is reaping the benefits.

Another woman, who is of Nigerian origin but a UK citizen, said she was fed up with the system in Britain and opted for a more accepting society. She settled in Diani, bought property and started a business. Another young woman moved from Canada and settled in Nairobi, managing to break into the market as a popular influencer. There are many such examples of economic migrants. They move to the country and manage to build success stories. 

There are also the stories of the other types of migrants who are aware of their privileges when they move to countries poorer than their own. They take advantage of the privileges afforded to them because of their nationalities, skin colour or even accents.

There is also a third group of migrants, those who move here for all of the advantages mentioned above but hate the local people. The recent case of the Dutch foreigner arrested in Diani comes to mind. There are also many stories out of Watamu and Malindi about the mistreatment of locals by Italians who own cafes and hotels. I recently came across another video of a foreign black woman who was mistreated by the white owner of a popular resort in Lamu.

I have never heard of a beach in Portugal, Spain or Italy being reserved for only Africans because an African owns a resort on the strip. If that is the case then why do we allow a random Italian, grandson of a coloniser, to set up an Italian-only beach spot? Is this reversed colonisation? Are we serving up our land and brothers on a silver platter for the palm-skinned man?

White foreigners tried this nonsense in Jamaica, you should read the stories of how the Jamaicans taught them a lesson on who belongs where. We welcome foreigners of all colours to Kenya, those who have good intentions and are grateful to be a part of the community. However, Kenya belongs to Kenyans first.