Mohammed Hersi . A hotelier passionate about Tourism & Governance in Africa

Firstly I would like to congratulate my sister Gina Din who has taken time, quality time for that matter to pen her own story in her new book ” Daughter Of Africa “.

Gina is a Daughter of Mount Kenya , Nanyuki is her home and a town that I used to pass through on my way to school from Marsabit headed to Siakago . I used to avoid the Meru Embu route since it had not been tarmacked. Gina takes you back into time and help you visualize what it was like those days.

Its amazing when you read a book where most of the stuff being narrated you did witness them.

I recall Gina at Barclay’s now Absa and finally she moved out to start her own company which is now a well known African brand.

Gina captures key events in her book from the tragedy of American embassy bombing in the heart of Nairobi one cold morning in August 1998 to ill-fated Kenya Airways aircraft crash in West Africa. I recall Gina helping KQ handle the crisis in most professional manner since her firm handled PR for KQ then.

She moves on to narrate key milestones that she was involved in and the one most Kenyans don’t know is that Safaricom would have been Vodafone Kenya just like Vodafone Tanzania but Gina put up a strong pitch for a local name and today we proudly have Safaricom truly Kenyan. Then Mpesa followed…..and many more good things .

There is a lot more from Mpesa to politics in Kenya from Kibaki. Raila as she made her mark across Africa and the world , she rubbed shoulders with Madiba Mandela, Kikwete, Obama and many others .

For Gina, the closest I worked with Gina is during the terrible drought in Turkana , with Abass Gulet of Kenya Red Cross they came up with ” Kenyans for Kenyans ” to raise funds at the Kenya coast . I invited them to come to Mombasa and we hosted them as Sarova Hotels Kenya at Sarova Whitesands where I was GM. Recently we made her honorary member of our Rotary Club Of Mombasa .

From a small town on the slopes of Mount Kenya a young girl rose to become an icon in Kenyas and Africa’s corporate stage .

Gina is truly a Daughter of Africa, Gina we are proud of you and I wish you good health and happiness as you mentor more women to rise up and walk to greatness. To achieve this a supporting spouse is key and Captain Chris now retired Asante Sana for helping Gina put pen to paper this beautiful amazing story and of course her son and daughter.

Gina’s book can be found in any good bookshop and you will find a copy be it my favorites Prestige Bookshop Text Book Centre .

Gina we are waiting for you to come to Mombasa for a book signing ceremony.

As always yours truly is choosing to remain an optimist.

Mohammed Hersi
Mombasa