Humbled.
“ Hii gari kujia Tuesday kila kitu itakuwa ready, utapata ata ikiguruma, mafuta full tank ready to go” Waingo says to us with a heavy Luhya accent, moving his hand appropriately to emphasize his point. We know some parts he is lying but we’re all sure that Tuesday, mama’s touching the highway again. I can’t wait for next week to start, considering the premier league is back, good moments are about to start happening.
“Waingo umetuwekea hii gari sana, ama ushapata customer?” my driver asks jokingly. It’s advisable to have such tête-à-Tate with your mechanics because you never know who is fishing and where they’re fishing. The dark guy just smiles as two other mechanics are done installing “something” in the vehicle. Waingo, as we all know him, no one actually knows his real name, decided to be a magician, this time the trick being our beloved manyanga. Everyone had been monitoring and keeping track on progress of the vehicle apart from its driver. He placed a bet all he had to do is stay away from the vehicle till Waingo was done working his magic. This was the only way possible to prove he got no attachment issues with the vehicle and so far, he is winning. Not to break any rules of the bet, we are walking back to town slowly hoping to find a ride.
“Nimeitiwa kagari ka weekend, tuchukue?” he asks me.
“Kagari kagani?” I ask back.
God knows I need work, at this point am not choosy I’ll work with anything. Am sure haters out there were waiting for this day, conductor wa manyanga after kuringa hivyo vyote sai huna gari haina ata radio?
“Kagari tu, tuchukuwe Sunday na Monday alafu Tuesday tu launch” my driver replies.
By now am so sure he is talking about the oldest car I know of. We’re begging, we can’t be choosers so; he’s rather informing me than asking.
“Ni gari gani?” I ask again unable to hide my curiosity.
He just laughs. This might be hard to relate with for a normal citizen, but on my side of view as a conductor, this is degrading like when you’re no longer the main in the relationship. I can already picture the crew laughing at me, finally “jogoo ametembea na vifaranga” translatedto the queen’s language might mean different, but to this street this is me hiding from everyone in town. I can’t wait for Tuesday and silence everyone. Waingo better not disappoint.
Sunday.
It’s around 6:00 pm and being a Sunday, people tend to hate working, plus with schools on holiday people aren’t travelling that much.
“Makanga wa gari mzee, unarudi town?” Sam asks. Instead of answering, I start complaining on how my day has been, how I miss hearing a beat play and not having to wait in line! Johnte hears me complain and comes running. Among us, he was the last person to start working with a manyaga and as you have guessed, I never gave him peace. At some point we boarded the vehicle secretly as passengers and started complaining on how old the vehicle was, hadi tukalipa fare apeleke gari car wash at least, then later that night we ambushed him and got our money back. For the better part of the day, I had done well hiding from him, but shetani ni nani? “Hawa makanga wa gari mzee wanakuwanga na kelele sana” Johnte says loudly while tapping my shoulder like how “odi” guys do. There is no universe I’m winning this so I just smile nervously, desperately trying to change the topic.
“Narudi moja ya mshahara” I finally answer back.
This is the problem of working with “kamgongo” as we refer them,, you have to shout extra hard for customers to board and there are no dramas while on board. Technically, all you’re dealing with is old folks who just want to get home, nothing more. I serve a living God who comes to my rescue,
“Johnte ita gari uingie shimo” the stage manager shouts in kikuyu as he approaches us. Johnte pulls out his phone and calls his driver and starts walking to the petrol station, for those who are familiar with Odeon part of town.
“Niingie Juja?” I ask him diverting all attention to him. Sadly, Johnte hears me and shouts,
“Hiyo gari mzee haiwezi fika Juja! Wewe enda Ruiru ndani hapa karibu wachia manyanga long distance”
This is the problem with men, when one is being roasted, they all have to chip in they even don’t care how youll feeling or taking it. That is a you problem. Slowly, other coworkers who heard Johnte walks towards me, forming a small crowd for one lit roast session. Jonhte walks back and starts narrating how I never gave him peace, look who is laughing now? Tuesday should get here already. I’m too young for this. I have always been the one roasting people, never knew these dudes hold grudges. Were it not for the cop who came and chased everyone away for causing traffic, I would have been roasted for about five minutes. It had even started getting personal. This was the highlight of my day; I can’t wait for Tuesday and silence a lot of people. I am Muigai Chege and on Tuesday, I’m shaking Nairobi.
Thank you for the love and support. SHUKRAN!
Photo by Matwana Culture .
About Muigai Chege
Yo, what's up! I'm Muigai Chege, an introverted teacher by profession but a 33-seater accountant, AKA kondakta wa manyanga, hustling, He wasn’t joking when he told JKUAT graduands there are no jobs. I'm here to share my experiences and give you a glimpse into the world of an introvert surviving in the hustle and bustle of Nairobi. Change the perspective, mara makanga hajasoma, sijui ni wezi, who thou? We all tend to forget being a makanga is a hustle not a calling or a job for the dump, it requires a special kind of patience and tolerance. Imagine dealing with different 33 people every trip the whole day, everyone in their own mood?
This is The Introvert's Perspective, and I'm stoked to have you along for the ride. As a teacher, I love inspiring young minds and making a difference in my community. But when the bell rings and the day is done, I'm out there grinding as a kondakta wa manyanga, slinging change and cracking jokes with the locals. It's a wild and crazy ride, but I wouldn't have it any other way. My writing is all about keeping it real and sharing the ups and downs of my crazy life. Whether I'm reflecting on the challenges of being an introvert in an extroverted world, or sharing my thoughts on the latest trends and pop culture happenings, I always keep it fresh and engaging. As an introvert, I know what it's like to feel like you don't quite fit in. But I also know that there's a whole world out there waiting to be discovered, and I'm here to help you navigate it. From music and fashion to personal growth and self-discovery, I've got you covered. So if you're down for some real talk, some laughs, and some serious introspection, hit that subscribe button and let's get this party started. The Introvert's Perspective is all about connecting with people, and I can't wait to hear from you. Peace!
