-Suzie Chesum, who hails from Uasin Gishu County, also deserves special mention for going out of her way to ensure all Kenyans who travelled here for the 12-day games are comfortable.
She has made numerous trips to the airport to receive batches of Kenyan athletes and officials. Besides that, she has secured accommodation for those in need. This group includes Members of Parliament and Senate. These officials are here under the guise of a “fact-finding” mission.
-I’m yet to see such VIP trips by our legislators reflected in parliamentary debates. Sport seldom features on the order paper, however.
Since their arrival in batches here, the Team Kenya delegation has been made to feel quite comfortable by the Kenyan diaspora hospitality.
Right from when Gold Coast started preparing for these games, the Kenyan High Commission in Canberra has been extremely supportive. In particular, this support has been led by High Commissioner Isaiah Kabira.
Many will remember Kabira as head of the Presidential Strategic Communications Unit (formerly Presidential Press Service) during President Mwai Kibaki’s time.
Suzie Chesum, who hails from Uasin Gishu County, also deserves special mention. She went out of her way to ensure all Kenyans who traveled here for the 12-day games are comfortable.
She has made numerous trips to the airport to receive batches of Kenyan athletes and officials. Moreover, she is securing accommodation for those in need, including Members of Parliament and Senate. These officials are here under the guise of a “fact-finding” mission.
I’m yet to see such VIP trips by our legislators reflected in parliamentary debates. Sport seldom features on the order paper, though.
Nonetheless, waheshimiwa are here in numbers, with hefty per diems to boot. Chesum has been there to receive them and show them round. However, they seem more intent on sight-seeing than analyzing Nick Okoth’s lightweight opening round match. His opponent is Trinidad and Tobago’s Michael Alexandar this morning.
Besides meeting the guests at the airport and making them comfortable at their accommodation, Chesum also sources unga for the traditional Kenyan ugali. This dish is a rare serving here, anyway.
Especially because Australia authorities don’t allow any sort of foodstuff into their country.
“I’m trying to find some unga for the Kenyan team so that they can be well fed,” she tells me as I try to find my bearings after a 25-hour journey from Nairobi to Gold Coast.
The indefatigable lady from the North Rift even hosted a delegation of about 50 Kenyan officials, athletes and media for an informal reception at her residence three days ago. Before this, Kabira hosted an official Kenyan High Commission dinner at Palazzo Versace on Tuesday night.
Chesum is the managing director of Star of Africa International FZC, a Dubai and Australia domiciled company she founded over 20 years ago. This company has interests in tourism, trade, logistics, events, talent development, and hospitality.
“We have organized many successful travels and events in Kenya, Dubai and Australia,” she tells me in the middle of her seemingly unending errands.
“We also organize travel itineraries in Australia after the games besides cocktails, dinners and other parties,” notes Chesum. She has over 26 years in tourism, general trading and international sales and marketing.
She as also acted as trade and consular adviser to the Kenyan and Ugandan High Commissions in Canberra and speaks English, Swahili, Kalenjin, French, Arabic and Japanese.
Meanwhile, latecomers to Gold Coast (most certainly some MPs will join the gravy train) in need of accommodation can reach Chesum at suzie@star-of-africa.net.
She’ll sort you out!
-nation.co.ke
