Small talk is something Kenyans have embraced and value, before deals, before family talks, before lectures and sometimes before a public announcement a little small talk here and there can go a long way in creating good rapport with fellow Kenyans.
In Kenya, it is easy to start a conversation with anyone, anywhere because there are some common stories and topics worth discussing for many Kenyans. If you want to test my theory, here are some conversation starters you should try when in a public vehicle like a matatu;
The economy.
Make a statement regarding the economy, considerably an open statement on the high cost of living. For instance;
Just the other day, I used to pay twenty shillings from town.
My parents used to pay ten thousand shillings per year for my school fees.
Five hundred shillings’ worth of fuel cannot take me from home to work and back again in this economy.
The leadership.
Kenya is always full of political clowns that were elected or appointed into office that are always making headlines for anything but what they were elected or appointed to do. Recently, one of the cabinet secretaries used profane language to attack a media house in Kenya. The opposition party also has made headlines constantly calling out the government and our deputy president is always making controversial remarks unapologetically. Conversation starters would be like;
Who will vote for this leaders again in the next elections?
How can a whole politician say such remarks on live television?
Read also; Embarrassing moments shared by most Kenyans.
Corruption.
Kenya has been reporting corruption cases in every government regime and it seems to get worse as the years go, with more leaders allegedly getting away with the tax payers money and investing it in their private businesses, opening off-shore accounts and buying lands as they constantly build wealth others more discreetly than most. Conversation starters here would be like;
(Point at a random building and say…) I hear this belongs to leader X.
These roads are so bad and have not been made in years.
To get a government document quickly nowadays, you’ll need to pay.
Most men are likely to jump into the conversation in comparison to women and share their opinions on the matter.
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