NAIROBI, KENYA - A Sunday morning drive in this East African capital is a journey through a sea of burqas.

Young Muslim women tiptoe through the muddy streets of the neighborhood known as Eastleigh, dressed in long, flowing Islamic garments in shades of yellow and baby blue. In sandaled feet, children at their heels, they navigate the massive craters that dominate the streets. Recent rains turned the potholes into lakes, bringing traffic to a standstill.

Many of the Muslims come here from neighboring Somalia, a lawless land where Kenya recently deployed troops in pursuit of an Islamic terrorist group.

In Eastleigh, hand-painted signs denote what buildings are — and aren’t — for sale. Somalis have bought much of the neighborhood’s real estate, presumably with money plundered by pirates.

Among the signs is one that reads “Nairobi Church of Christ, Eastleigh ... Meets Here. Everyone Is Welcome.”