This is Kanairo

"That's the thing about this city".This is what my uncle told me when I first set my foot in Nairobi city.

It was the first time that I visited the city.I had never been there and once schools closed for December holiday,my uncle took me with him to the city.I have heard so many things about out countries capital city but this time I was there and my uncle could not tire from explanations and descriptions of the city's people,buildings,roads and even the matatu culture. Matatu is Swahili name for a minivan used as a share taxi in Kenya and all the graffiti on it.

When we alighted from a bus from the countryside, I remember it was just a few minutes to six o'clock in the evening. One thing that court my eyes was the Kenyatta International Conference Centre(KICC).The building has been a landmark for the Kenya's capital.

"Uncle take me there.I want to go and touch it" I said clinging to my uncle's hand.But I could see many buildings that were even taller than KICC but this particular building fascinated me.And this is when my dream of becoming an architecture came in.

"Son.Lets get home first then I will bring you tomorrow and see your city."

We went to the Railway matatu terminus and took another vehicle which would take us to where my uncle stayed with his family in one of the city's suburbs.Honestly I would say I liked the minibus we boarded.The graffiti outside almost changed my career I had chosen of becoming an architecture to a graffiti artist.Both inside and outside was awesome.

Seated just next to my uncle near the window ,I could see very clearly what was happening outside.

"Uncle see that minibus is written Cardi B."I said.He didn't answer anything but just chuckled and taped my left shoulder.

"See that one has Messi,CR7,Rooney and Drogba graffiti "

"Don't worry kid. This is what we call Matatu culture."my uncle said."Or in other words Nairobians call it Mathree culture" I was confused.

"Uncle what is mathree?' I asked.My uncle took a sighed and smiled.I saw a man sitting on the other side look where we were and smiled.I reciprocated not knowing whether he was smiling at me or someone else.But Iam sure he was smiling at me.

"Son.Mathree is a name that comes from the word three."My uncle said displaying three fingures .

"You know very well matatu comes from Swahili word tatu meaning three okey son."I knoded just to show we were together or rather following what he was telling me.

"Now mathree is a slang name for matatu."Uncle said.This left me with a lot of fanciful ideas about the matatu and started comparing them with matatu back in our village.Now I got story to tell my classmate once schools opened for first term in January.

Now I will say it was not the matatu graffiti or the KICC that fascinated me.The language spoken by people from the city especially young people left me wondering what the hell had befallen my people.

This matatu conductor came to my uncle and asked for ticket.When my uncle asked him how much for the two ,he said 'rwabe tu'.I saw my uncle give the conductor 200 shillings and he left to the next passenger.

'Uncle.What is rwabe' .I have never seen my uncle laugh like that.Mostly I had seen him just chuckle or smile.

"Do you know sheng?" Uncle asked."Sheng in English means slang .Slang is a word or language that is outside conventional use and I can tell you son Nairobians have taken the whole thing to another level and perfected it.This boys and girls even your cousins are experts in this."he said.I.looked at my very keenly and he again signed and tapped my shoulder.

"Do Jimmy and Jenny speak sheng?"I asked.

"Yes son."he said.

"Uncle tell me more about that so that when I bet home my cousin's won't embarrass me.

"Now son I would not want you to learn using that slang words because they will never be on any exam paper okey "Uncle said."But you will have to learn some because this is Kanairo." I could see my uncle stop immediately after the word he said the word Kanairo and pretended to make a call on his cell phone.But he came to his sences when he realized that he had told me earlier that his phone battery had died.I laughed and reminded him that his phone was off due to battery lacking power.

"Uncle what is Kanairo" I asked.This one I asked a bit louder and I could see some passengers look at me and smile.Others laughed. Others murmured to each other.

"Kanairo is a slang word for Nairobi city."

What the hell that such a beautiful city would be referred to as Kanairo? I didn't expect that even my uncle knows.

"Uncle do you know sheng and how many words are you familiar with?"I asked. Uncle Benny was a man who was born half a century ago and I don't expect him to know such words. Maybe his children had taught him.Back home I had heard him use sheng words but not too often like I heard from some people in the city before I realised that they were overusing the language.

"Yes son ." he said."They say when you go to Rome just do what the Romans do?He said.

"Uncle tell me the sheng words you know"

"Now kid.You I don't have to tell you all the slang words I know.You will be here for one good month and you will get to know some of the words such as mbogi for meaning a group of rogue people and ndai for a vehicle and orezo meaning a president "my uncle said.My uncle looked at me and removed a lollipop from the small luggage and gave me.

"My son.This is Nairobi city and and you will get to know many things okey.You haven't seen anything to be surprised about.You will see how people behave,live and mingle with other people from other tribes and even race and I am sure you will love it."Uncle said.

"Uncle tomorrow take me to KICC okey"

"Yes son"uncle Benny said.

Traffic jam along Langata road was heavy and vehicles moved slowly.But this provided me with an opportunity to see the city and learn one or two things.

There was this rogue matatu tout who hanged dangerously on the matatu door while the vehicle was moving going the opposite side where vehicles were moving a bit fast. My uncle did what he always did.Tap my shoulder.

"Kid don't worry this is Kanairo" he said and smiled and gave me a packet of biscuits.