The December festive season frenzy that as usual was characterized by the party after party, has finally come to a grinding halt.
I will not pretend to know what has become of the so-called party after party, but what I am sure of, is that it left many 'casualties' who are now reeling in deep financial pain and misery with no end in sight considering it is 'Njaanuary'.
A good example of these casualties is the annual rural tourists who storm villages at the beginning of December festivities with pomp and colour courtesy of their whole year savings.
It is after the season ends that they silently and hastily sneak back to town under the cover of darkness for obvious reasons.
Some, aware that they have blown up everything monetary they had including bus fare, resort to 'swindling' their naïve rural counterparts to at least get something that will keep them going for some days at the 'shamba la mawe'.
Here are three common lies some Kiambu and to a certain extent Murang'a townsfolk, use often when they find themselves financially stranded in the village at the end of the festive season.
1. I forgot my ATM card in town
This is a common lie that many including those without bank accounts use to 'swindle' their rural colleagues. They will convince you to give them the little cash that you earned doing menial jobs in your neighbourhood while they were busy 'tearing up' theirs at the local shopping centre with other local urban friends.
You will then be promised that immediately they arrive in town and get the ATM, they will refund double. And in double they do indeed refund!
2. Salary advance
Others will lie to you that they 'just' applied for a salary advance via their bank's mobile app 'but I am too late to wait for it to be processed'.
As such, they will ask you to lend them what you have then "yangu ikiingia tu hivi, nakutumia yako pamoja na ya nyama" (immediately I get the advance, I will send you the cash and buy you meat).
3. Next in line to getting his 'chama's cash
The guy will sell you the lie that 'this coming weekend' he is the one getting his town's 'chama' lump some cash and, therefore, you should not hesitate to lend to him fearing he will delay repaying. Sorry for you because the town 'chama' and the expected lump some cash the folk is telling you about, only exist in utopia.
#hivisasaoriginal