We had an interesting conversation with my landlord the other day. I wrote him saying my flat was in urgent need of fumigation because I had happened upon a giant roach in the kitchen.
For a good measure, I said I had left the roach dancing on the kitchen floor, perhaps as evidence I hadn’t made the story up, or somehow implicate me in the illegal smuggling of live insects from Nairobi since that would mean I had violated my visa regulations.
Actually, such smuggling is considered such a serious crime; it can lead to extensive jail-terms and hefty fines, or both.
Moreover, my experience with landlords in Kenya persuades me to believe they are a pain in the neck, so you want to ensure you are well covered.
In any case, since fumigation is generally applied under stringent conditions that may include authorisation from the kanjoras around here, I thought it was best to leave the matter in the competent hands of the landlord.
Health hazard
His response was swift: “There are two types of cockroaches,” his email started his cockroach education. “The small cockroach, measuring 4.5mm is normally caused by dirt and poor hygiene and can be a health hazard. “The big cockroach, measuring about 2.3cms is not normally resident in houses. It does not pose a health risk but it can be a nuisance. We shall come and take a look,” he concluded.
I don’t know whether the roach specimen was taken away for further testing, but I found a ring of white ashes sprinkled around the house.
