Tuesday 27 February 2018

BEGGARS CANNOT BE CHOSERS



It's on a Saturday,the evening is just kicking in;I'm from Jamia Mall,where I had gone to buy some jeans and shoes.As I walk along the Jamia Mosque trying to cross the road with my little purchases,listening to some music on my ear phones.I feel a tap on my shoulder which immediately sends a voltaic feeling across my body.We can all add an ayeee... that Nairobi has not been one of the safest places especially during the past four months.Thus,getting a poke when you are in town without your squad who are the ones  responsible for this,as a sign of asking you to check out a hot shawty is totally unwelcome.

I look back and find a young woman covered  in a black hijab."Nilikuwa naomba usaidizi,sijala tangu jana na nimemwacha mwanangu nyumbani."
Since I didn't have enough change on me I decided to buy her a meal so that I could get the extra cash I wanted to give her."I don't have loose cash with me but..."My but hanged mid air since the lady interrupted me immediately "Msenge wewe,nyinyi wanaume mnajifanya kuvaa na kuongea kizungu nyingi ndo hamna chochote.Mwangalie vile anakaa mashida,miye mwenyewe naweza jitolea nikupe usaidizi.Mwanaume bure kabisa."She says this with a distasteful tone and starts walking away.Am left there perplexed and transfixed.I was willing to help her out, actually even go an extra mile of buying her a meal since she said she was hungry.


Unfortunately am not the only one who's undergone this,my dear friend Samira went through the same ordeal.The interesting part is that it happened to her around the same viscinity.She was coming from one of the coffee houses with a mug of a cold latte and some pie,super hungry ready to feed on the whole world when she was stopped by some teenagers.Some of them looked as if they were in their early 20s.The chaps asked Samira to buy them some yoghurt which had toppings from planet yoghurt.Samira instead offered to give them Ksh.300 which they could use to buy anything of their choice"Hatutaki hiyo tunataka kenye tumekuambia" One of the teenagers said.Samira couldn't believe what she was hearing,the audacity of this teens to end up demanding for what they exactly wanted.So Samira told them she couldn't help them out on that issue.They decided to take back the 3sok they had been offered prior"Too late I equally can't help you out on that as well"Samira says as she keeps on walking,heading to her taxi.

"Wewe aunty uko na roho chafu na vile wewe ni mkonde na sura mbaya"They said this to her on a high voice.Samira couldn't believe her ears,to think that she was about to help them with whatever little she had.Another place where begging is a norm it's around archives and if you don't contribute with a coin to their begging,then consider it a "crime".But let me save you from those encounters for another day.

I do believe this is a mirror to our society.We feel entitled to being given some pocket money by our elder family members,god parents and if not we find them not to being "cool".If you don't give the lazy squad back at your hood some money "ya macho" then you're termed "mtiaji".Boo you're not entitled to being given handouts by anyone.Work your sorry a** off.This is one of the major reasons why gangs such as Mungiki and Gaza are being formed,because they believe they are entitled to your cash because of some "security" they are offering.I believe am paying for this via taxes,aren't I?


I have made a resolution,provided you're young,healthy,up on your two feet and walking.I won't offer you cash unless you work for it.I know we are from different social backgrounds but we all can do different manual jobs.It will only cost you a soap to start up a shoe cleaning business.It's easier to get someone's extra coins when you offer to wash their shoes,as it is always dusty or muddy.And icing to the cake you've earned it cause you worked for it.Other than being given hand outs that you've started deeming as your right.Unless it's a new or a reasonable call am hanging up on this one.

2 comments: