SWILA NOTEBOOK: Immigrants form bulk of Qatar's population

Qatar is a tiny peninsular Arab country with its size almost that of the former Nyanza province {12,477 km²} but has a GDP that dwarfs Kenya whose area is 582,646 km².  However, in terms of income, the country has the fourth-highest GDP (PPP) per capita in the world. In short, it is a small country of just about three million souls, with a lot of wealth, accrued from its oil and gas deposits. Eighty percent of its population reside in its capital Doha.

Interestingly, ever since I docked here some seven days ago, I’ve taken note of the huge influx of foreigners, many of whom are the workers. From the Hamad International Airport, to hotels and eateries, banks and financial institutions, cleaners and security guards, one is certain to meet Blacks and Arabs, hard at work, but chances of meeting a Qatari doing such jobs is pretty slim if not nonexistent. With its wealth derived from oil and gas, the welfare of its citizenry is well guaranteed and they have turned to foreigners to do the hard, actual work. Even in the Transport sector all the drivers I have interacted with are foreigners – with the mobile taxi drivers mainly Bangladeshi, Indians, Pakistani and Nepalese. These nationalities account for a good percentage of the Qatari population. Don’t forget Kenyans who’ve also landed here in droves more so in the last decade.

How the railways system works

Last time I told you about the efficient rail system here. Compared to most Western countries, the Doha Metro is a new, state-of-the art, automated rail network, running mostly underground and across the city. It runs day and night up to 3AM and is an effective way of commuting from one end of the city to the other. For instance, to get from my residence here in Aziziyah to the Media Centre at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), a distance of 16 kilometres, I need to use two rail lines (they are three - Gold, Green and Red).

So, let’s go back to the short trip. From Aziziah, which happens to the final stop or the beginning of my safari, depending on the I’m direction I’m coming from(aim is to get to or leave the QNCC),  I use the gold line, going through six stops - Sport City,  Al Waab, Sudan, Joaan, Al Sadd,  Bin Mahmoud before alighting at Msheireb, before taking a connecting rail, – now on the Green line, through White Palace,  Messila, Shaqab before alighting at the National Library, and making a three-minute walk to QNCC. For Fifa accredited media such as Yours Truly, the use of trams is free.

Living in Doha costs an arm and a leg

Doha is an expensive city, hosting multinationals and expatriates from all over the world. It is a modern city and this is exemplified by the numerous nationalities working in its capital. And probably for this reason, it is a very expensive city to live in, with a one-bedroomed house in an average hood going for around 3,400 Riyals (Sh120,000). For this reason, many migrants here share accommodation to cut on costs. In some instances, companies pay for their workers' accommodation (in shared apartments). On my first day here, I paid a courtesy call on a young Kenyan man who stays in an average hood, a three-bedroomed house but which he shares with five other souls (two men in each bedroomed, meaning two beds in each room), with common areas such as the kitchen and living rooms shared by all. The company foots the monthly rent charges. So, next time before you jump onto the next plane for the Riyals, factor that in mind.

Other than costly accommodation, the cost of food is high too. A simple plate of rice and a piece of chicken, which would ordinarily cost Sh600 in Nairobi goes for 60 Riyal(Sh 2,100) here.

NOTE: Tomorrow, in Part Three of my Doha sojourn, I’ll tell you about the language barrier and how national football team coaches are using it in the battle for the coveted football gong.