In Kenya, money is everywhere… yet it doesn’t feel like people are obsessed with chasing it in the way I expected.
That was my first shock as a Congolese arriving in Nairobi.
It started inside a matatu.
I remember standing there watching the conductor casually holding cash at the door like it was the most normal thing in the world. No fear. No hiding. Just standing there with money in his hands inside a moving vehicle full of strangers.
For a second, I genuinely thought I had walked into a setup for disaster.
But nothing happened.
People just entered, sat down, and behaved like this was the most normal transport system on earth. No tension. No suspicion. No one guarding their pockets like they were in danger.
I stayed quiet and observed everything.
Then I noticed something else.
The conductor wasn’t rushing people or stressing over payments. He would just move through the matatu collecting fare calmly. And what shocked me most was that sometimes passengers actually reminded him.
I still remember one lady standing near the door calling him over:
“Come and take my fare before I get off.”
At that moment, I had to pause mentally.
In my head I was thinking, “Wait… is this not the perfect chance to just walk away with the money?” But instead, she was the one ensuring payment was done.
That completely broke my expectations.
Then M-PESA entered the system… and everything shifted even further.
I started seeing situations where drivers and conductors simply trusted passengers after a verbal confirmation like:
“Imetumwa” / “imeingia.”
Sometimes they didn’t even double-check the phone. Just trust and move on.
Coming from my background, this was hard to process at first.
The Market Moment That Confused Me Even More
Later, I went to a local market and experienced something even more surprising.
A seller handed me trousers and was ready to let me walk away with them after only a small deposit.
No ID. No contract. No formal tracking system.
Just trust.
He looked at me and said calmly:
“I know you will pay.”
I was honestly shocked.
I refused to take the trousers, not because I didn’t want them, but because my mind couldn’t accept the risk from his side. I even memorized his face because I couldn’t stop thinking about it afterward.
We talked a bit, and then he tried guessing where I was from.
“Nigerian?” he said.
“No.”
“Tanzanian?”
Still no.
But even while guessing, he remained completely relaxed, like giving out goods on partial payment was just part of normal business.
🇰🇪 So… Is Trust Built in Kenya?
I’ve asked myself this question repeatedly.
What I’ve learned is that it’s not that Kenyans don’t take risks. It’s that everyday life here runs on a system of repeated trust.
In matatus, markets, and small businesses:
- People rely on routine interactions
- Reputation matters more than paperwork
- M-PESA has strengthened informal trust loops
- And social accountability replaces formal enforcement in many cases
It’s not perfect. It’s not risk-free.
But it works in ways I didn’t expect.
🚏 My Final Reflection
Apart from transport and markets, what surprised me most is this:
Kenyans may look reserved from a distance, but once you interact with them, there is a level of openness and friendliness that I didn’t expect.
Coming from a culture also known for warmth and generosity, I didn’t think I would be surprised.
But I was.
And when it comes to trust—especially around money—Kenya has something very unique happening at the everyday level.
I’m still trying to fully understand it.
