Two friends have turned to social media for advice after an unusual late-night incident left them stranded inside an Uber in Nairobi after a man who had promised to pay for their trip allegedly became unreachable.
According to one of the women, the incident happened at about midnight after the trio had left Mlolongo. She explained that their friend, Elsie, proposed that they visit her male best friend, whom she reportedly described as being similar to a boyfriend. Trusting her assurance, the women agreed to order an Uber, with Elsie telling them that the man would settle the fare when they arrived at his location.
The three friends then travelled from Mlolongo to Zimmerman, a journey that resulted in a total Uber fare of KSh1,690. However, their plans reportedly changed when they reached their destination and the man who had agreed to pay allegedly switched off his phone.
Efforts to reach him were unsuccessful, leaving the women in an uncomfortable situation. They claimed that none of them had sufficient money to pay the outstanding fare, meaning they could not settle the amount demanded by the driver.
In a video shared online, one of the women explained that the Uber driver had allegedly refused to allow them to get out of the vehicle because the fare had not been paid. The women appeared distressed as they tried to figure out how to resolve the situation.
They also expressed concern about what might happen next, saying they feared the driver could expose them or take further action because they were unable to clear the bill.
The incident has since sparked a debate over who should ultimately take responsibility for the predicament. The women are seeking opinions from social media users on whether they were at fault for agreeing to take the Uber ride without personally having enough money to cover the fare, or whether the blame should fall on the man who reportedly assured them that he would pay before becoming unreachable.
The situation has prompted mixed reactions, with many likely to question the risks of relying entirely on another person to settle transportation costs, particularly when travelling late at night.
The women have appealed to members of the public to weigh in and determine who should bear responsibility for the unexpected situation.