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Why paying for toilets should not surprise us

A woman walks past a closed public toilet near Kenya National Archives, Nairobi, May 13, 2021. [David Njaaga, Standard]

A notice inside a toilet door in a Nakuru mall justifies why one should pay Sh20 to use the toilet. The reasons include paying the cleaner, buying detergents, and repairs among others. The word toilet I hear is old-fashioned. The cool name now is washroom (even when there is no water) or loos.

It all started in Nairobi after "kanjo" toilets stopped functioning or got new owners. It is now standard to pay for bathroom services. I even found out that's the case in Tanzania. And mobile toilets are standard in Kenya, for hire.

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