Bwana Karani

Mervyn Maciel

Born in Kenya in the late twenties, Mervyn Maciel spent many years in East Africa.

He had a interesting and successful career in the Kenya Civil Service spanning some twenty years. His love of the African bush and a particular fascination for the tribes – especially those from the North Eastern Province, formerly the Northern Frontier District, together with his desire to live out in the wilderness close to Nature, prompted him to seek opportunity in some of the most outlying and isolated areas of British East Africa.

He has served in many areas affected by the Mau Mau uprising and witnessed Kenya’s final march to UHURU (Freedom) and Nationhood. He and his family were also in the clove-famed island of Zanzibar at the height of the revolution which overthrew the Sultan.

His move to the United Kingdom followed the Africanization of his post at the internationally-renowned Plant Breeding Station at Njoro in Kenya’s former ‘White Highlands’.

He and his family now live in Sutton, Surrey, from where he still finds time to pursue some of his other interests which include free-lance writing, gardening and home wine making.