Thread by @RiazGilani

@museumsofkenya today I visited the main museum and snake park in #Nairobi. I was with my spouse and two small kids.

Some thoughts.

[Thread]

Presented Kenyan ID cards at the cashier's booth and paid for two adult citizens and two small child citizens. Total KSh900 for combo museum/snake park tickets.

Took the two QR code tickets to the info desk where we were asked which county we were from.

Then the drama began.

@museumsofkenya Please pay attention to the next few tweets.

"Where are my DIWALI sweets," demanded the lady at the information desk, "you 'dint' bring any DIWALI SWEETS for us."

"Sorry," I replied, "not all brown people are Hindus."

"Oh! I thought that DIWALI is a general thing for you wahindis. Kwani WHAT TRIBE ARE YOU?"

@museumsofkenya I hope you are paying attention.

"We are not Hindus, we are Muslims," I answered.

"Oh, from Coast?" The lady asked, "because your complexion is not like a mwarabu, SO WHAT TRIBE ARE YOU?"

WHAT ON EARTH KIND OF PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE WORKING FOR YOU, @museumsofkenya???

@NCIC_Kenya Is this OKAY???

"We are not tribal," I responded, "we are just Kenyans."

So very disappointing. What an utterly STUPID AND BACKWARD way to welcome visitors to a national institution. I'm sorry @museumsofkenya, this is NOT OKAY.

The museum itself is a lovely building, but it has so much potential. It needs proper toilet facilities that can be accessed without actually having to exit the "automated" entry points (which by the way seem to have issues reading QR codes).

The kids enjoyed the taxidermy exhibits, mammals and birds. Probably the very same things I saw in the mid 1980s.

Exited the museum and proceeded to the snake park. Presented QR coded tickets to the attendant at the "automated" entrance.

Advise your staff that is is NOT OKAY to touch or handle people's kids. Sawa @museumsofkenya? It's not a good thing to do.

There is a reptile pit at the main courtyard of the snake park. As soon as we reached this place, an attendant JUMPED INTO THE REPTILE PIT, GRABBED TWO CHAMELEONS AND HANDED THEM TO ME.

@kwskenya Please read the next few tweets to see why this is a problem.

I actually like chameleons so I was comfortable handling them. Then I noticed that they were turning dark brown, almost black. These chameleons were SEVERELY STRESSED from being handled all day.

Just being handed to people who would often scream, mishandle them, and drop them.

I politely handed the chameleons back to the attendant, who jumped back into the reptile pit and threw the two chameleons into a small shrub. There was a squashed dead chameleon a short distance away from his foot. Probably been stepped on. @kwskenya IS THIS OKAY???

"Wait!" said the attendant, "see this one!"

And he lifted an approx 5kg leopard tortoise onto the wall for the kids to see.

And the he started KNOCKING HARD ON THE TORTOISE'S SHELL TO MAKE IT EMERGE FROM ITS SHELL.

It had a cracked shell, looked like an old injury.

Then he said, "Unataka kukamata NYOKA???"

"No thanks man."

I had NO IDEA what I was going to see next.

So, it appears that @museumsofkenya attendants at the snake park are allowing or making members of the public handle pythons and other reptiles.

One hysterical lady screamed as a snake was draped on her shoulders against her will.

The snake itself was probably also stressed.

It was a VERY disheartening visit, @museumsofkenya. I was alarmed, appalled, disgusted, and VERY disappointed. I urge @kwskenya and @KSPCAKenya to conduct their own investigations on the welfare of the animals in your care at the snake park.

A Chameleon should never be gripped by the skin on its back. A chameleon should never be handled unnecessarily. A chameleon should never be subjected to unnecessary stress. A chameleon should be handled with care, NOT DROPPED OR STEPPED ON.

By the way, tell your attendant at the reptile pit that Rhinoceros Chameleons are not endemic to Kenya. Kama hajui, why is he working for you, eh @museumsofkenya??

I also urge @NCIC_Kenya to conduct their own investigations regarding the behaviour of @museumsofkenya employees at the main information desk. NOBODY should ever be questioned about their TRIBE, RELIGION, or RACE. That shit is not acceptable.
AT ALL.
I REJECT IT.