From Cape Town to you...

Its great that you want to experience the Kenyan culture.  Have you visited Kenya before?  If not, I suggest you spend a few weeks here first, before deciding whether you want to live here.   If you want to stay more than 30 days, you will need a visa.  These are valid for 90 days, renewable, on application for a further 90 days, after which you need to leave Kenya and the East African Community countries.

I have been to Cape Town and the Western Cape and Nairobi is very very different and could be quite an eye opener for you.   The thing that really struck me about Cape Town & Western Cape, was the cleanliness and level of development - not like Kenya at all, where there is litter everywhere and generally poor infrastructure and public services.

Many people tend to head for Nairobi, when they come here.  In comparison to Cape Town, Nairobi is quite dusty and dirty, often choked with traffic, has a poor infrastructure and a problem with air pollution.   Its also arguably quite a bit more expensive than Cape Town.   However, its got things like great fresh food markets, a wide choice of restaurants and a national park on the fringes of the city.  There are quite a few South Africans living in Kenya too.  Kenya is a great safari destination with a wide variety of ecosystems (due to the large variations in altitude) and generally positive approach to conservation.

You will not be permitted to work without a work permit.  You need to secure a job offer first and your employer applies for the work permit.  Part of the process involves the employer proving that they have tried, but failed to recruit locally - there are many unemployed graduates in Kenya and they are prioritised over foreigners.  However, rampant corruption in the Department of Immigration means that the rules can sometimes be bypassed, if a bribe is offered.

I have pasted a link to give you more information about permits and passes, below.

http://www.immigration.go.ke/Information.html

Incidentally, Kenya Airways fly 3 x weekly from Cape Town to Nairobi (refuelling stop in Livingstone).

Longon62,  thank you so much for your reply.  Appreciated.