I saw a makanga harrasing a lady in a matatu this morning, and it reminded me of an incident that happened almost 20 years ago.
I happen to be one of those women who would be classified as average- as in nothing so special about my looks. Except my size. Am above average, or huge if you want to put it that way. And also, am very brown, almost like an albino. For those who can remember the situation 20 yrs ago, riding in a minibus to kayole was one hell of a ride. My then b/f lived there. I would visit him on Sato afte and spend the weekend there, to leave on Monday morning straight to my kibarua in industrial area. One monday morning, I got into one of those mats heading to job. We were squeezed like sardines. The makanga would start collecting the fare from the rear, and as he collects your fare, he would push you back creating more room. By the time he is finished, the matatu is half full with enough room for a thousand more passengers.
When the makanga got to me, he took my money (cant remember how much it was) but when returning change, he had charged me for two. I protested and he told me on my face that I am huge (words like momo hadnt been invented then) and thus I should pay for two. Wacha nikasirike nikachapa mtu slap. Jamaa tried to return the slap, nikashika mkono halfway. the guy realized he may lose a tooth, akanirundishia pesa to the jubiliation of the other passengers. But he promised me “utaona”.
I alighted at st. stephens as usual. kumbe jamaa alikuwa na jeshi yake hapo. He told them (like 7 thugs) that nimekataa kulipa. I tried explaining but they would hear none of it. Some even started touching me inappropriately. Saa hio matatu imesimama. All passengers are witnessing the drama. Thank God simu hazikua zimefika, otherwise I would have been trending on youtube for the whole year. When I ran out of saliva explaining to the thugs who wouldn’t listen, I decided to pay just to end the drama and save my life. Just then, a normal-sized guy alighted from the mat and started defending me, and told me not to pay. Yule makanga akamshika mashati. The other thugs pounced on him. Big mistake! jamaa aliwachapa style ya Jet lee wote wakatoroka, including the makanga. Akawafuata bado, they literally run acrosss the road.
Needless to say, we took dinner that evening and the rest is history.