Villagers brace for the descent of 'wageni wa Nairobi'

Shags is currently abuzz with activity as urbanites residing in cramped city quarters have descended upon their rural homes with great enthusiasm, showcasing an air of ‘opulence.’

Living like royalty now, they have transitioned from clutching at bottled water in the village to hosting extravagant parties, capturing ‘selfies’ with children, donning revealing attire and tattered trousers, dousing themselves in inexpensive perfumes, and cruising around in rented cars.

They go to the extent of disturbing the peaceful countryside with uncouth city behaviours while projecting a false sense of entitlement. Residents in rural areas struggle to comprehend the idea of purchasing water when River Nzoia, which has never harmed anyone, flows freely.

While the Gen-Z generation may be excused, individuals from the 8-4-4 educational system associating their mother tongue with the Stone Age and illiteracy can be quite vexing, especially when directed at unsuspecting octogenarians.

Their attire and material possessions often grant them a perceived advantage over the rustic village youth in urban settings.

These people, who seemingly possess financial strength, perhaps gained from toiling in a maize processing factory, frequently make grand promises to villagers about securing clerk positions upon their arrival in Nairobi, despite being mere casual labourers.

The rural residents harbour high expectations that their relatives travelling from the city will bring them gifts.

As is customary, urban residents frustrate their families when they return to their rural homes during festive seasons.

Stolen girlfriends

Isaac Wekesa, a 27-year-old boda boda rider in Kakamega town, lamented, “All our girlfriends have been taken away by city dwellers. We don’t have a voice anymore.”

Wekesa claims that his eight-month girlfriend left him and returned to her former boyfriend, who has resided in the city for the past two years without revisiting the village.

He expressed his frustration, saying, “He took her to Dunga beach in Kisumu, and their photos of them having fun were all over social media. What annoyed me is that my estranged girlfriend sent me the photos on my WhatsApp.”

Wekesa also voiced concerns about his younger brother sending him to the nearby market to charge his two phones, accompanied by a stern warning to be vigilant so that the expensive phones do not change ownership, as their village lacks electricity.

Ouma Wachara, a resident of Andwecho village in Gem East location, Rangwe Sub-county, highlighted the economic losses incurred by families due to the actions of city dwellers during festive seasons.

Wachara said he knew several individuals who returned home with minimal shopping but departed with more items than what they had initially purchased for their village families.

Uneven exchange

Recalling an incident where a friend arrived with four kilograms of wheat flour, three kilograms of sugar, two kilograms of rice, and 3 litres of oil, only to leave for the city with farm produce valued at Sh20,000, Wachara expressed a diminished regard for city dwellers and their impact on rural economies.

“My friend arrived home with items valued at about Sh2,000. However, he returned to Nairobi with agricultural produce such as maize, beans, cowpeas, and chicken, whose total value is more than Sh20,000,” said Wachara.

He expressed discontent over the fact that city dwellers often fail to remit money back home to support farming activities. Instead, at the end of the year, they transport all the harvested food back to either Nakuru, Nairobi, or Mombasa.

“When they are requested to contribute funds to support plowing and weeding of crops, they come up with various excuses, claiming they don’t have money. However, during harvests, they benefit significantly from farms where they never contributed anything,” Wachara remarked.

“These individuals end up causing losses to families because they are more on the receiving end than the giving end. They even take cereals that could be used to pay children’s school fees,” he added.

George Otieno, a resident of Ndhiwa sub-county, claimed that some urban dwellers ensure they depart home once all the food they brought is depleted.

“Unfortunately, some of them don’t leave any money, yet they return when all the food they brought is cleared. This leaves no positive impact on the lives of their rural relatives,” said Otieno.

Fake lives

Lenser Akoth is reminding city residents to stop living fake lives. She argued that individuals should be sincere about their possessions to avoid creating misleading perceptions.

“It is wrong to pretend that you own a vehicle when you don’t. This type of lifestyle is very challenging and can harm many of our brothers and sisters who live in Nairobi,” Akoth said.

In Nyeri, during the festive season, a myriad of fashion trends emerge in the villages as urbanites return home.

Eateries and bars remain open throughout, resulting in police stations and chiefs’ camps being inundated with assault reports.

In Murang’a, the celebratory mood is characterised by people attending church, while others flood the bars. Being in proximity to Nairobi, there is usually an influx of visitors during the day. However, as evening approaches, they head back to the towns.

Peter Njoroge, a resident of Muthithi market in Kigumo and a handcart puller at Muthurwa market, mentioned that he has been saving for the December holiday to spend time with his family.

“I have a bank account where I save Sh500 per week to ensure I have enough for spending during the festive season,” said Njoroge.

Stanley Ngunjiri, a car hire operator, said during the festive season, there is a high demand for vehicles, with families preferring them as a safe mode of transport.

Speaking from his Nairobi office, Ngunjiri stated that this year, the demand for small vehicles has increased due to the rising cost of fuel. “We have already serviced more than 30 cars for hire compared to the demand placed by the customers,” said Njoroge, adding that numerous people are visiting the car yards to inquire about available vehicles. “They are more interested in knowing the fuel consumption of the vehicles,” explained the car hire dealer.

Isaac Wanjala from Bungoma County considers city dwellers a ‘nuisance’ when they come to the village, branding them as con artists who boast without substance. Wanjala recounted how he was conned by a friend living in the city. He parted with some cash, believing his friend would secure him a job in Nairobi.

“Excited at the prospects of employment, I sold my two goats, raising Sh10,000, which I gave him along with an extra Sh2000 for his transport back to the city in January this year. He blocked me on his phone, only to encounter him on December 19 after he returned home for Christmas,” said Wanjala.

Wanjala told The Nairobian that he was paid back the money by the man’s father recently after he ‘threatened’ to have the son arrested.