Masila Kanyingi
It was a Tuesday evening , the kind meant for a boring time in the office, depreciating my fingers on a keyboard like any loyal employee. Instead, I found myself on the outskirts of Nairobi, basking in the soft glow of Tatu City’s charm. I had just toured Redlands Roses SEZ Plc, and my fingers
twitched to narrate what they’d witnessed.
From the cheerful guards to the animated lunch-mates and impeccably dressed executives, everything felt beatific, part beautiful, part mesmerising, wholly impressive. Even the roses seemed to hum a tune of contentment. When Mr. Lee Kinyanjui officially declared Redlands a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), the mood rivalled a royal wedding. The prison band marched in perfect pitch, journalists elbowed for soundbites, Gen Zs choreographed selfies, and somewhere between Facebook, TikTok, and X, even the petals joined the trending beat.
But amid the pomp bloomed a serious question: What does SEZ status really mean for Redlands? In short, everything. SEZs are where business efficiency meets floral brilliance. They come with smooth logistics, investor-friendly tax regimes (farewell, VAT headaches), and world-class infrastructure. For Kenya’s flower growers, that translates into sharper competitiveness, greener innovation, and global sustainability the kind that keeps our blooms on top of the world’s vases.
As I left Tatu City after what felt like party after party, I was sure the week would end in bliss. Then came Wednesday, the weeping dawn and a tear-stained morning. The air grew still, birds held their songs, and hearts across Kenya sank. Baba Raila Odinga, the grandmaster of our politics, had rested. The nation paused, then went into grieving. We all mourned.
Yet, in that bittersweet week, Kenya remembered, just like its flowers, life still finds a way to bloom.
Fare thee well, Baba.