I first heard the word “kugonyo” outside City Hall while walking with a friend. A large crowd had gathered, standing patiently as if waiting for something, and I soon learned they were expecting handouts from senior county officials clocking out from their offices.
My friend was shocked that I had never heard the word, but in the village, we called it “kuchua pakee,” (to pick a package). This act of receiving gifts may seem harmless, yet it exposes a deeper reality. In Kenya, political loyalty and survival often intersect in the ritual of handouts, a practice so normalised that it has its own vocabulary.
.fade-out-overlay {
position: absolute;
top: -80px;
left: 0;
width: 100%;
height: 60px;
z-index: 1;
background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0), rgba(255, 255, 255, 1));
}
.paywall-container {
position: relative;
max-width: 100%;
margin: 0 auto;
padding: 25px;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 8px;
box-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
background-color: #ffffff;
}
.paywall-header {
font-size: 24px;
font-weight: bold;
margin-bottom: 15px;
color: #333333;
text-align: center;
}
.price-highlight {
font-size: 20px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #d40511;
margin: 15px 0;
text-align: center;
}
.subscribe-button-green {
width: 70%;
padding: 12px;
background-color: #EE193A !important;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 23px;
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
margin-bottom: 20px;
transition: background-color 0.3s;
text-decoration: none;
text-align: center;
}
.subscribe-button-green:hover {
background-color: #b0030e;
}
.features-list {
margin: 20px 0;
padding-left: 20px;
list-style: none;
}
.features-list li {
margin-bottom: 10px;
position: relative;
padding-left: 25px;
}
.features-list li:before {
content: “✓”;
color: #d40511;
position: absolute;
left: 0;
font-weight: bold;
}
.countdown {
display: flex;
gap: 15px;
justify-content: center;
margin: 20px auto;
text-align: center;
}
.countdown div {
background: #f5f5f5;
padding: 10px;
border-radius: 6px;
min-width: 60px;
}
.countdown .num {
font-size: 22px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #d40511;
}
.countdown .label {
font-size: 12px;
color: #555;
}
@media (max-width: 768px) {
.subscribe-button-green {
width: 100% !important;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
}
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`;
} else {
teaserEl.innerHTML = “”;
}
activeEl.innerHTML = “”;
paywallEl.style.display = “block”;
} else if (now >= saleStart && now <= saleEnd) { paywallEl.style.display = "none"; var diffToEnd = saleEnd - now; var totalSeconds = Math.floor(diffToEnd / 1000); var days = Math.floor(totalSeconds / (24 * 3600)); var hours = Math.floor((totalSeconds % (24 * 3600)) / 3600); var minutes = Math.floor((totalSeconds % 3600) / 60); var seconds = totalSeconds % 60; activeEl.innerHTML = `
Offer ends in…
${days}Days
${String(hours).padStart(2,’0′)}Hours
${String(minutes).padStart(2,’0′)}Minutes
${String(seconds).padStart(2,’0′)}Seconds
Subscribe Now & Save
`;
} else {
teaserEl.innerHTML = “”;
activeEl.innerHTML = “”;
paywallEl.style.display = “block”;
}
}
function formatTime(ms) {
let totalSeconds = Math.floor(ms / 1000);
const days = Math.floor(totalSeconds / (3600 * 24));
totalSeconds %= 3600 * 24;
const hours = Math.floor(totalSeconds / 3600);
totalSeconds %= 3600;
const minutes = Math.floor(totalSeconds / 60);
const seconds = totalSeconds % 60;
return `${days}d ${hours}h ${minutes}m ${seconds}s`;
}
updateFlashSale();
setInterval(updateFlashSale, 1000);
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By Wanja Maina