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For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories through food, history, and folklore. Selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage, ensuring our digital timeline endures for generations.

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Kenyan Navy Anglo-Leasing Scandal

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Kenyan warship Jasiri waited ten long years before it was put into service by the Kenyan Navy. Why so long? Why did it take the Kenyan government take so long to look into the 33 million dollar Anglo-Leasing scandal and who is the guilty party.



The Kenyan warship KNS Jasiri

Kenyan Navy Anglo-Leasing Scandal


The Kenyan Navy celebrated its 50th Anniversary on December 15, 2014, at Mtongwe Base, Mombasa Kenya. The US Navy operates a base at the Kenyan island of Manda Bay and has over the years offered counter-terrorism skills training to the Kenyan Navy.

Kenya's largest and most modern warship is the KNS Jasiri. Jasiri means bold in the Kiswahili language. The bold Jasiri warship made a splash as it docked at the Mkunguni Navy yard, concluding a 20-day journey from Spain ending on August 12. 2012.

The bold warship, estimated to cost around $55 million, would be used to secure the country's coastline and may be deployed in sea-based military incursions in neighboring Somalia protecting Kenya’s 310-mile long coastline against pirates.

According to Defense Web, Kenya loses $414 million every year from piracy. The 1,400-ton Jasiri is 278 feet long, 42 feet wide and has a maximum speed of 28 knots (50 km/h) and can carry between 60 - 81 personnel mission is also to fight terrorism such as Al-Qaeda and Al-Shabaab extremist groups.

The warship Jasiri had a ten-year wait before it was put into service by the KenyanNavy. Why so long? The KNS Jasiri was ordered in July 2003 and was supposed to be delivered in August 2005, but never arrived due to the Kenyan Anglo-Leasing scam.

According to the World Bank Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative, beginning in 1997 the Anglo Leasing and Finance Ltd better known as Anglo Leasing was a shell company who secured 18 contracts worth 33 million dollars.

These contracts were supposed to be used for Procurement of Passport Issuing Equipment and special purpose finance vehicles. The Kenyan battleship Jasiri was originally a part of the Anglo-Leasing scam.

Contractual disputes and lawsuits against the Kenyan Government and contractor Euromarine Industries began after payments were suspended in June 2005.

Under former Presidents Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki seven ex-government officials in Kenya have been charged in connection with the Anglo Leasing multimillion-dollar corruption scandal.

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The African Gourmet explores how African food, history, and science intertwine. Here, a plant is a healer, a story is a map, and the kitchen is a laboratory. I’m Ivy — a writer raised by historians, now sharing Africa’s wisdom from the U.S. through cookbooks, cultural research, and storytelling. If you’re curious about where flavor meets memory, you belong here.

Recipes Explain Politics

When Rice Recipes Become Revolution

What if your grandmother's rice recipe could explain the Liberian Rice Riots of 1979?

"In Liberia, rice isn't just food—it's life, identity, and sovereignty. When the government proposed raising rice prices in 1979, they weren't just adjusting economics; they were threatening every grandmother's ability to feed her family according to traditions passed down for generations."

The riot that followed wasn't about politics—it was about the sacred right to cook your family's rice recipe.

The Deeper Recipe

  • Ingredients: Colonial trade patterns + Urbanization + Economic inequality
  • Preparation: Political disconnect from daily survival needs
  • Serving: 40+ deaths, regime destabilization, and a warning about ignoring cultural fundamentals

This is African Gourmet analysis: understanding how the food in grandmother's pot connects to the protests in the streets. The recipes we inherit carry not just flavor, but the entire history of our political and economic struggles.

Read the Rice Riots Analysis → Try Liberian Rice Bread Recipe
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African Gourmet FAQ

Archive Inquiries

Why "The African Gourmet" if you're an archive?

The name reflects our origin in 2006 as a culinary anthropology project. Over 18 years, we've evolved into a comprehensive digital archive preserving Africa's cultural narratives. "Gourmet" now signifies our curated approach to cultural preservation—each entry carefully selected and contextualized.

What distinguishes this archive from other cultural resources?

We maintain 18 years of continuous cultural documentation—a living timeline of African expression. Unlike static repositories, our archive connects historical traditions with contemporary developments, showing cultural evolution in real time.

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Our curation follows archival principles: significance, context, and enduring value. We preserve both foundational cultural elements and timely analyses, ensuring future generations understand Africa's complex cultural landscape.

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The archive spans all 54 African nations, with particular attention to preserving underrepresented cultural narratives. Our mission is comprehensive cultural preservation across the entire continent.

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Yes. As a digital archive, we're committed to accessibility. Our 18-year collection is fully searchable and organized for both public education and academic research.

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Through consistent documentation since 2006, we've created an irreplaceable cultural record. Each entry is contextualized within broader African cultural frameworks, preserving not just content but meaning.