“Little Mogadishu”: reconstruction of a homeland among Eastleigh’s Somali refugee community in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Somalia has for several decades now experienced internal conflicts and continues to exhibit political instability which has over the years led to the displacement of its citizens. The Somali people have found themselves migrating to the neighboring countries and beyond in search of peace, stability and a better livelihood. The proximity of Kenya to Somalia saw thousands of Somalis seeking refuge in its border towns and some trickle into urban Centres such as Nairobi. Their presence and activities in Eastleigh, provided the basis of this study which sought to establish the relationship between “little Mogadishu” a Somali shopping center located in Eastleigh, Nairobi and the retention and preservation of the Somali national and cultural identity in exile. It also sought to establish what identities the Somali refugee community has maintained in the process of reconstructing a homeland and how effective these identities have been in preserving their national and cultural identity in exile. The theoretical framework adopted for this study was derived from the Social Capital Theory of Migration. The theory postulates that people gain access to social capital through membership in networks and social institutions, which are converted into other forms of capital to improve and sustain growth and cohesion of a group enabling people to act collectively. The study employed the snowball technique and purposive sampling technique to select the sample of 96 respondents, relying mainly on social networks to locate respondents. Questionnaires, interviews and observation were used as the tools for collecting data. Data was analyzed using both the descriptive and analytical technique by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Tables and charts were generated to present the analyzed data. Results of the study informed the researcher to conclude that Somali refugees in Eastleigh have retained and preserved their national and cultural identity by making conscious efforts in observing cultural and religious practices, which have been made easier by the presence of the Somali Kenyan host community whom they share the same culture and kinship ties. That, Somali refugees have indeed reconstructed a homeland in Eastleigh by drawing from the social capital held by the greater community. That Little Mogadishu is just a phrase used loosely to refer to the specific area of Eastleigh inhabited by the Somali refugees. The study recommends that the Government of Kenya considers issuing proper documentation to Somali urban refugees so as to get the exact number of the population for statistical, planning, collection of taxes and avoid arrests. This will help in recognizing the status of the urban refugees and giving them self determination opportunities as they seek durable solutions such as integration into the Kenyan Community.