Nakuru's night life: How cab drivers combat sexual favours, robbery in the line of duty
The cab zone outside Naivas supermarket on Kenyatta Avenue street.
Every weekend night, Nakuru city comes alive and the streets are filled with revellers making their way to and from various entertainment joints.
One of the many ways that facilitate this movement is cabs which have proved to be a lucrative business for many cab drivers.
However, as much as cab driving can channel in a lot of revenue, it can also expose the driver to interesting and at times dangerous situations.
Otieno*, who has been a cab driver since 2018 shares that he has had a number of interesting interactions with the most memorable one being that of a drunk customer.
“I mostly get business from Nakuru party-goers. One time a customer who was very drunk requested a cab. A few minutes into the cab ride, the customer threw up and passed out in my car,” Otieno notes.
“Although I wasn’t upset about the throwing up, the situation was concerning since I didn’t know where the heavily intoxicated lady lived. I opted to drop her off at Nakuru central police station where she spent the night. I collected the money she owed me the following morning,” Otieno narrates laughing.
Taxi drivers share their interesting encounters with customers when ferrying customers at night.
Just like Otieno*, Walter Gitonga shares that he has also found himself in compromising situations with customers.
“My first shocking experience happened when I was less than two months into cab driving. I carried a couple that was leaving the club. Shortly after the trip began, I heard a lot of movement at the back of the car. When I checked using the rear view mirror, I realised the couple was getting intimate. I immediately cancelled the trip and asked them to get out of my car.”
Gitonga’s second memorable encounter happened less than two months ago where a lady offered sex as payment for the cab ride.
“We got to the destination and after I ended the trip, the lady timidly tells me that she doesn’t have any money on her before suggesting sex as payment. With this tough economy, no one has time to play such games. I took her to the police station where the police made her cough up some money to pay me,” Gitonga shares.
For Moi Tanui, his experience was life threatening leaving him with scars on his hands as a constant reminder of the nasty ordeal.
“A customer once requested a cab and I heeded the request. The customer, a lady, was accompanied by two men. Upon arrival at the destination, the two men who were seated at the back revealed knives which they used to threaten me,” Tanui painfully recalls.
Additionally, he shares, “The lady tied my hands while the two men ransacked my car for any valuables. The trio ended up taking all my day’s earnings, shoes, belt and electronics. When they tried to snatch my car keys, I fought back but ended up getting knife wounds. Luckily, the cries for help I made attracted people who came to my rescue and the trio ran away.”
Asked if they would reconsider working at night, all the drivers said no, noting that the returns supersede the risks.