Crazy Kenyans.

I have a strange feeling that if extra-terrestrials do exist in outer space and in infinity and beyond, they may be very well able to identify some persons-and on top of that list would be definitely Kenyans.

Of course it would have a lot to do with our athletes who can do remarkable distance in shocking time and with traffic jams in the city it is a bit disappointing for tourist not to see any of these runners do their thing(well maybe if you’re lucky).Anyhow, Kenyans are generally quite  a bunch of life. I really love the fact that we have minimal formalities and ceremonies. You can easily start a conversation with anybody in a matatu and many a times nobody will feel offended. I guess we are very friendly too and though many of our continental neighbours’ are a bit suspicious and skeptical of us, we are pretty much just chilled out guys with a constant sugar rush.

With that said however, they are a couple of things that just perturb me about us Kenyans and our peculiar habits. One of them would be a 3:00 A.M call from one of your peeps on a weekday and the odd question which almost always follows: ‘kwani umelala?’(Are you asleep?)Now am not sure what the standard reply to this should be, but I now put off my phones at 9.00 ish to avoid such ridiculous situations and having my beauty sleep interrupted. Service providers are however making a kill by offering call rate discounts during those hours when I imagine ‘normal’ people should be actually letting their voice box get rest! Well let’s conclude that Safaricom and Airtel among others have serious marketing intelligence.

Another odd behavior is our reflexes! The flight, fight or fright does not encompass a majority of Kenyans who have their own unique albeit unusual way of dealing with potentially lethal situations. They will actually go towards the danger!!!Talk of facing your fears! I think that calls for serious will power to go against your own normal and natural instincts. Why you would go toward a building that has collapsed or near a burning building or a tanker is just beyond me.Half of the time the rescue teams are unable to reach the scenes in time because of these curious and crazy Kenyans.

I have noticed that with any strife, protest or demonstration, you will see smoke-and this is not me being metaphorical! Where the tyers  and sticks are gotten from during such demonstrations still gets me wondering and is there a significance with burning and fire that I need to be made aware of? Polluting the environment all in the name of getting your cause heard does not make any sense really. The posters and flyers are all you need people!

Why more matatu drivers are not involved in the safari-rallies or training the McLaren team flabbergasts me.These public transport guys seem to disregard the value of a human life. With some of the super highways now completed, I shudder to think what maneuvers will be seen on such motorways. But the most amazing thing is that passengers will neither wear their seat-belts nor complain about the speeds! Crazy posters dawn these matatus that if the music is too loud-you’re too old! Or if the speed is too fast-you can alight and walk!!!What became of the mantra that the customer is always right? Bad driving has become second nature to us that you will not miss to see even foreigners driving badly on our roads too…after all, as the Romans; they are doing as they see….

There is certainly never a dull moment in Kenya or with a Kenyan.