Nairobi Ascended Trivia Quiz

Answer: Maasai

It is unknown just how long the Maasai have lived in the area. In 1899 when the British were building a railroad through East Africa to open up trade, the Maasai called the region "Enkare Nyorobi" which means "the place of cool waters."

Answer: It was a good spot for a seaport

Nairobi is inland, not on the Indian Ocean. The British already had a seaport in Kenya, the city of Mombasa. Although it is close to the Equator, Nairobi's high elevation makes it too cold for malaria transmitting mosquitos to survive. Europeans had long struggled to fight off malaria in their other African territories. Nairobi was located between the cities of Mombasa, Kenya and Kampala, Uganda, both owned by the British.

The Nairobi River flows through the city and provides it with running water.

Answer: Plague spread through the city

Bubonic plague swept through the city in 1902. Dr. Rozendo Ribiero, who had treated plague patients in India, recognized the disease almost immediately when only about two dozen people died. He gained notoriety for patrolling the city on a zebra. Dr. Alfred Spurrier, the Chief Medical Officer in Kenya, ordered the city to be burnt down to prevent the spread of the disease and save lives.

Answer: Game hunting

Nairobi and its surrounding area is famous for its big wildlife, such as lions and rhinos. Big game hunters from Britain would travel to Nairobi to hunt safari animals and keep them as trophies. Over time, they settled in Nairobi because of the abundance of targets and adventure the city and the nearby area had to offer.

Answer: Harry Thuku

In 1915, the British explicitly outlawed blacks from owning property and raised taxes while lowering wages. There were several organizations already in existence protesting British rule, but Harry Thuku believed they were too passive and needed to speak up. His arrest on March 14, 1922 sparked a riot in the streets of Nairobi with the police brutally murdering two dozen people.

Answer: 1952

The Mau Mau Uprising was a clash between the Kikuyus and the British. It was essentially a continuation of the heated tension on the treatment of the local Africans. Although the Mau Maus (Kikuyus) were ultimately defeated when their leader Dedan Kimathi was captured, the British gave in to a number of demands, including one person-one vote majority rule.

Answer: His father, Barack

Interestingly, Mboya's death has never fully been understood or thoroughly investigated. Barack Obama Sr. met with Tom Mboya shortly before the assassination occurred and later gave testimony at the trial. Obama claims that after the trial, he was nearly killed in a hit-and-run accident.

Answer: United States

The United States had allegedly tortured members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad and this attack on the Kenyan embassy, and the one in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, had been revenge. This attack brought Al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden to the world's attention for the first time.

Answer: Mwai Kibaki

Exit polling indicated that Kibaki's challenger, Raila Odinga, would win the election by a relatively comfortable margin. However, Kibaki pulled out a close win by winning 46% of the vote. After allegations of fraud, riots erupted in the streets of Nairobi until a deal was thrashed out allowing Kibaki to resume his presidency and Odinga became prime minister.

Answer: Shopping Mall

The attack was allegedly a response to Kenya deploying troops to Somalia, where Al-Shabaab is based. The siege lasted for three days until four gunmen were killed on the September 24. In addition to the 68 who died, at least 175 people were injured.