Dishonesty is the only way the only way for survival in Nairobi especially with hawkers and matatu conductors. Everybody needs to survive and so sometimes we don't see the need to blame them, however, honesty is so key.
Here are five lies Nairobians are fond of telling.
1. 'Wawili gari itoke'
This is so common with 'madonda' and I bet every Nairobian is used to this. They will call out for two last passengers and when you get in their you find ten seats empty. To make matters worst, they even higher people to fill seats mostly those that are adjacent to the windows. Funny how these masqueraders start alighting one by one as the matatu gets full.
2. Free Wi-Fi
Common with middle class restaurants. You may get hungry in town and decide to check into a restaurant with an attractive notice at the entrance 'Free Wi-Fi' so that you eat as you surf only to find out that you have been lured. When you inquire about it all you hear is 'sorry it isn't functional at the moment, we will look into it'. It is also common in the matatus.
3. 'Hiyo ni size yako madam'
The street hawkers are very wise at selling their stock and they will use every means possible to ensure you purchase every single cloth you touch. In the streets it is really hard trying to fit a cloth before buying so they take this as an advantage. Once you get home you find that you bought some baby fit dresses and obviously you can never return them. 'Usiache hiyo, ni size yako kabisa'. Beware.
4. 'Brathe hio ni oriji'
The street phones. You realize that there are a lot of shops along Nairobi streets especially Tom Mboya where roughly 80% of phones sold are fake but the sellers won't tell you about that. It is also so hard to tell whether they are fake or not at that point unless you are a guru. They will praise their items and convince you into buying such phones only to find them defective after few days.
5. Jobs! Jobs! Jobs! We are looking for 49 individuals..
I bet you have come across such advertisements either online or fake posters mounted on electric line poles. These people will advertise jobs and request you to pay some money before you get the job. With lack of awareness together with being desperate for job, one will easily fall into such traps, pay the money and get surprised after realizing it is a scam.