The Growing Issue in Little Mogadishu

In a shameless act of self promotion I would like to direct our readers’ attention to the video Caught between militants and Police: Kenya’s Little Mogadishu that was produced by the UP Magazine documentary team and is currently featuring on the Vice News website. The video attracted 57,590 views in under 24 hours and, here at the UP Magazine HQ’s, we are all super proud of the work of our intrepid film crew.

In my (albeit biased) opinion, I find the documentary to be a refreshing take on a story that is not being told enough. The ten minute reportage manages to unveil the human face of the harsh yet hopeful realities in Eastleigh and allows viewers a better understanding of what is happening on the ground.

It’s hard to find reports that depict the Somali diaspora in Kenya in a nuanced way. Furthermore for many people abroad, it must be hard to put the violence that has been experienced in this country over the past three years, into any kind of context.

If you feel you already know about the Somali question in Kenya, watch the documentary as it will allow you to discover gems like the Waayaha Cusub hip-hop group, a collective of Somali men and women who have come together to spread the message of peace in their community. Waayaha are working to counter the stereotype of Somalis as passive people who are afraid to speak out and for this they deserve all our praise and support .

If you are unfamiliar with the ins and outs of the Somali question in Kenya, then watch the documentary and come out having learned something and enjoyed yourself in the process!

Watch Caught between militants and Police: Kenya’s Little Mogadishu here:

By Amal Mohamed