A casual observation in Nairobi traffic has opened up a much bigger conversation about gender, money and ambition in Kenya.
Mwenda Thuranira, the CEO of My Space Properties, shared a comment with TUKO.co.ke on Monday, September 14, recounting a question posed to him by someone in his circle: why are so many of the drivers behind the wheel of large, expensive vehicles women?
The question, posed with a laughing emoji, was clearly meant to be light-hearted, but the responses it triggered were anything but.
Thuranira, who is widely known in Kenyan business circles for his real estate ventures, said the observation reminded him of something he had noticed closer to home.
Are women outpacing men financially?
At the Fortis One project his company is currently developing in Upperhill, opposite Radisson Blu Hotel, most of the office spaces already sold have been snapped up by women.
The businessman did not arrive at a firm conclusion, instead posing the question back to his audience: are women becoming more ambitious, more deliberate, and more financially confident than men in today’s Kenya?
The post drew dozens of responses, with Kenyans offering sharp, often personal takes on the matter.
Zaccheaus Mwenda Prince offered one of the most discussed explanations, writing:
“Today’s reality is that women are earning as much as men or even more; Men’s Money is family’s money… So, before a man buys that guzzler or risks that investment, he will consider his family’s needs, but that’s not the case for a woman.”
Mwiti Lee took a sharper tone, suggesting that many of the women making visible investments are single, and drawing income from multiple sources:
“If you look closely, most of those women are single, hawatakui kuolewa but want men who provide for them. So you can guess they are reaping from multiple support + their careers.”
Mary Elphas kept it brief and direct:
“Women are becoming economically independent while men are turning to alcohol and many women.”
Not everyone was willing to celebrate the trend without raising a concern.
Realdalmus Khalifa used the moment to bring up a recurring worry:
“Is the boy child safe? Is he getting the same attention as the girl child today? Hata kazi kupata imekuwa taabu kwa boy child even with papers u can’t compete with a beautiful girl in job hunting alone.”
Ruwa Mwero Ruwa took a historical angle, pointing to President Moi’s investment in girls’ schools in the 1980s as the foundation for today’s more empowered women.
“It’s a win-win BTW,” he added.
Safari Terrain Wear cited a 1971 book, “The Manipulated Man” by Esther Vilar, arguing that women have always known how to manage resources while men seek external validation through spending.
Edward Kabui, meanwhile, cut through the debate with a pointed observation:
“Big machines. Huh!! It’s not ambition, it’s execution.”
