Chapter one
I thought of a weird plan of how one can easily make money online. I have developed an innovative online business strategy with high success potential, but executing it effectively requires a network of sharp, agile professionals. While the average user spends hours passively consuming content online, our team will focus on identifying and exploiting overlooked digital market opportunities. Because regional distribution is vital to this project, I immediately reached out to my contact in Kenya, Richard, to discuss his role as a key partner.
Phone ringing………………………...
’’Hello Richard, ‘‘how are you doing brother?’’
‘‘Am fine, how is Kampala?’’ he replied
‘‘We are doing well here; it’s been long since we last had a chat. How is Nairobi, Kenya.’’ I spoke?
‘‘Kenya is fine and we are pushing on as usual,’’ Richard replied
‘‘The last time our paths crossed, you spoke of stepping into the quiet, watchful world of a being a security guard—did you finally cross that threshold, and what does the night look like from the other side?’’ I asked him?
‘‘Yeah, I did but as you know there is nothing exciting about this job. It’s just guarding people’s homes and banking halls. I’m Just surviving man,’’ Richard replied.
‘‘I have got good news for you my brother, I am planning to come over there and pay you a visit because I got a business plan that will drive us out of poverty but we cannot discuss here on phone,’’ I said.
‘‘Yes, sure brother. Come over anytime you want. You are welcome,’’ replied Richard.
‘‘Am coming this weekend but I don’t know the transport fares because the last time I came to Nairobi for a visit with my father, we paid close to $100. How are the transport fees now?’’ I Asked.
‘‘I think transport fees have somehow increased but you plan with around $150 for the double journey,’’ said Richard.
‘‘Sure, we shall talk more when I jump on the bus,’’ I said.
‘‘Yes, sure, have a good day and can’t wait to receive you brother’’
It was the ultimate rush—the moment a master plan finally shifts from a blueprint into reality. In my mind’s eye, I could already see us cruising through downtown, turning heads in a car with customized plates, officially crowned the coolest guys in the city. When a plan is this airtight, nothing can stand in its way. Success wasn’t just possible; it was guaranteed.
Phase one went off without a hitch. I had instructed Richard to play the family emergency card, spinning a lie to his boss about a sick mother to secure a weekend pass. The corporate trap snapped shut, and his request was granted. Now, he was back at his rental place, sitting tight and waiting for my arrival to set the rest of the wheels in motion.
Without wasting a single minute, I rushed to the bus terminal to secure a ticket for that evening, planning to set off the very next morning—a Friday. Before leaving, I asked my neighbor to keep an eye on my rented room. Our neighborhood was frequently targeted by thieves who would break in and strip a place bare, stealing anything of value from laptops to television sets. To keep my true motives quiet, I lied and told him I was heading to my village to check on my plantation. Early the next morning, I grabbed my small travel bag, slipped out to the bus park, and boarded a coach bound for Nairobi, Kenya.
It has been ten years since I last set foot in Kenya. I knew better than to wander blindly into unfamiliar territory; one wrong turn could easily leave me stranded and stripped of everything I owned.
The moment our bus roared to life and pulled out of the city, I pulled out my phone. I began documenting our route, sending steady updates to my friend Richard so someone always knew exactly where I was.
Hours later, the bus ground to a halt at the border post. The driver ordered us all out to clear with immigration. I stepped up to the booth, handed over my national identity card, and waited anxiously for the stamp. Once we crossed the line and officially entered Kenyan soil, I immediately called Richard to give him the green light. From that point on, we stayed in constant contact, checking in mile by mile until the Nairobi skyline finally came into view.
After about ten minutes of waiting in the bus park, Richard finally arrived and you couldn’t imagine the joy that I felt in my heart.
Clad in a blue jean and a white t-shirt, he welcomed me with a warm smile before we boarded a taxi bound for Madera slum village, the place he now called home.
As I looked out the window, Nairobi’s stark transformations flashed before my eyes. The city had evolved into a sprawling metropolis of massive flyovers and towering skyscrapers. It was a landscape of extreme contrasts: one glance revealed an abundance of wealth—money so vast it seemed some had more than they knew how to spend. The next glance exposed raw, unyielding poverty.
Leaving the manicured lawns of the high-class residential areas behind, the taxi pressed on, finally rolling into my friend’s neighbourhood.
‘‘Welcome my friend to Madera slum,’’ he said
‘‘Thank you,’’ I replied.
The village remained largely untouched by time, save for a few upgraded mud homes boasting fresh plaster and gleaming solar panels. Life here wasn’t nearly as bleak as an outsider’s imagination might paint it.
‘‘Welcome once again my friend,’’ said Richard as he offered me a seat and a cup of tea
‘‘Now let me tell you this straight, we are going to make money and you will leave this slum and build yourself a mansion in the best Nairobi outskirts because you are soon becoming a rich man,’’ I said
‘‘It sounds interesting, but how shall we make money?’’ asked Richard
I did not waste any minute; I immediately unloaded my well-rehearsed plan into his mind and waited for a good response from him.
‘‘let’s talk about internet, for instance; It is incredible how much the world changed when the internet exploded into the mainstream about thirty years ago. Almost overnight, forward-thinking pioneers recognized a goldmine and seized the opportunity to build immense wealth. Their secret weapon? The internet’s ability to collapse distances and enable instant, global communication. This digital highway paved the way for the rise of social media. In what feels like the blink of an eye, platforms like Facebook transformed the fabric of human connection and minted a new generation of billionaires faster than any industry in human history,’’ I said?
‘‘I am listening, go ahead brother,’’ he replied
’’I’m thinking about starting a club,” I said, leaning in. “We leverage social media, play into people’s gullibility, and pocket the cash. Simple as that.”
I watched his expression closely. “This isn’t like some amateur day robbery where you storm a village bank with guns blazing. This is about using our heads. We pull clean money from the millions of idlers scrolling through their feeds every day.”
I paused, letting the words sink in. “That’s exactly how the rich guys around here do it. When you see them driving those exotic cars, you think they’re working harder than you. They aren’t. They’re just smarter.”
I looked straight into his eyes. A slow smile crept across his face, signalling he was in.’’
‘‘Okay, so this will be like an online cyber-crime right,’’ asked Richard
I continued with my talk and this time making it up to him that the plan is well rehearsed and choreographed. It will work with no minimal interruptions from security or the state because no one can catch us.
‘‘You talk as if it is a very big crime, No. we have just to play our cards right, at our own time and place and we strike and I will be calling you once we get our first client and, on the steps, to follow. This is very easy and the good thing is that it pays; money is there and will find you here while you are resting. No hustle. Now tell me, are you in.’’ I spoke
‘‘Count me in, yes’’
My plan was finally bearing fruit. Overwhelmed with excitement, I stood up and threw my arms around him. The brainstorming session had been a massive success, and the nervous energy inside us practically demanded a celebration. We headed straight out the door to a nearby bar to toast to our future.
That evening turned into a victory lap. My friend took me on a whirlwind tour of the neighbourhood’s hottest spots—vibrant, cool venues that we would soon be flooding with cash once our hard work paid off. We dragged ourselves back late, exhausted but wired with anticipation, and crashed for the night.
Early the next morning, reality called. It was time to head home, clear my head, and strategize exactly how we would land our very first client. As I left Nairobi, the city felt different in my rearview mirror. I was leaving on a high note, carrying a promise to return the moment the cash started rolling in.
