I still pen a monthly article for UP Nairobi magazine. Having passed through the hands of an editor, the articles are not as roughly cut as those appearing here on the blog. Below is an excerpt from this month’s issue titled ‘ Who Is More Street? ‘
Once in a while I catch the television segment Who Owns Kenya? A crude version of it is replayed here on the Street almost every single day. The Street version is not Who Owns Nairobi? But more like Who Is More Nairobi? The reasoning is this: just like citizens of a country enjoy some privileges as compared to non-citizens, those who are “more Nairobi” should also enjoy some extra benefits by that virtue.
Such benefits, unlike those of citizens, are not clearly stipulated but generally have to do with competition for clients. Not that girls sit down and discuss who is more Nairobi than others; it’s rather more manifested in their usage of statements, which tend to be exclusive or imply ownership. The most common of the statements is always “What do you know about Nairobi?” which is always said in a dismissive manner. A girl may drop such a line to intimidate another in order to win over a client.
The criteria for deciding who is “more Nairobi” is always an issue in the streets.