Chokoraa MENACE!!!

Since I started going alone to town, I have been hearing stories of 'chokoraas' and the harrowing experiences they offer to the innocent people of Nairobi. These stories seemed like science-fiction to me until last Tuesday in the evening as I left town for home. We had been busy troubleshooting on the event we were working on that following weekend with my partner Lucie. Little did I know that some low life skunk roaming around the city had chosen me to be one of his victims on that fateful Tuesday evening. To me, I thought it was that normal guy who always disturbs young lads fresh from high school  with borrowing money along Moi avenue. How he knew they were freshmen I don't know. But that is another case that has been sending shivers down the citizens of Nairobi who are in town whenever they see him.

Back to my little 'funny' story. But reality dawned on me when I noticed these were one of those hard core Tom Mboya street boys who are skilled in 'handaing' people to get kitu kidogo for their tummies and their crude drugs that keep them up with their day to day lives.

"Brothee, itakuaje ukijenga man kama wewe?" 

I didn't deserve to be told what to do next. The next thing I was criss crossing the street in a bid to escape this goon but his determination kept me at bay. His threats were enough to make you wet your trousers. 

"Kijana, yaani unatembea ni kama haujaniskiza? Unajua ukihepa hii shonde itakupata bado..."

Did I hear myself well?? I quickly took a glance at all his hands only to notice he was carrying  handful fresh orange human shit!!! Somebody bring me water and a basin incase I vomit. I looked around and everyone was in a hurry to get home and others were avoiding 'our conversation' with this smelly bully like a deadly plague that has wiped a whole county.  From this point on, I knew things were starting to get thick. I was left with only one choice. Comply with him.

That's exactly what I did. I started getting him engrossed in a conversation that he was too wuivk to chip in. He narrated how he can't go home when 'Baba Deno' doesn't have anything to take to his son.

After pleading with him that I only had 20 bob to get home, he couldn't let me go. Luckily, I had enough money to take me home on my other pocket. Without even wasting time, he took the ksh20 coin and like a magnet, landed on his next prey, a young naivr man who looked new in the city along Tom Mboya street and left me as ig nothing happened. I hurriedly slept between the crowd of people heading home too and made sure that I was as far as possible from my new friend, Baba Deno.
As I took my bus home, I just sat down and then many quick questions passed through my mind like an avalanche in the Himalayas mountains.

"Does this guy have a family? 

How did he get the courage to carry the watery shit on his right palm? What made him do that?? Is it that he cannot do or earn money the right way?

Will his son be proud of what he is doing, even if it's in the name of getting daily bread for him? 

How does his wife get to do when he comes home  and realises that her husband scares the society with fresh feaces so that he can get a few coins to put a meal on the table? 

Does she know he does that?"

With more thinking, I asked myself,

"What if I were one among the many Nairobians who are always done the same each and every day and different locations round the city?.

Why is something like this going on right under our noses in broad daylight in the presence of a multitude of sane people?

Where has been the city council and the necessary bodies involved done to cub this growing infamous behaviour?"

If so, then this should be a matter to be dealt with accordingly by the necessary authorities i.e the devolved government under the leadership of the Governor-Evans Kidero and the Senator-Mike Mbuvi Sonko . I appeal that clearing our streets of these street families would bring. peace of mind for many people including me. Please look into the matter with the seriousness it deserves  and let's make our streets safe for the city dwellers.

-That Mind Blog