From left: Naomi Wanjiku, Tecla Wambui, Winnie Muthoni and Lilian Wangui club hostess at Konqa Lounge in Ruaka, Nairobi, on March 12, 2025.
The music tempo is getting faster by the minute at Konqa 254, a new nightclub on Northern Bypass, next to the Two Rivers Mall. It is 6.15pm on a Wednesday, and the sun will go to bed in 30 minutes.
The day is ending for most city dwellers, but proceedings are just starting at the high-end club that is barely a month old.
Till deep in the night, the club will host hundreds of revellers, who will sip their favourite drinks, order a bite, and watch football on the giant screen. Four matches are scheduled in the round of 16 of the Uefa Champions League. Arsenal and Real Madrid are among the teams in action.
As you enter the club, you will not fail to notice the hostesses or the so branded ‘bottle babes’. If you fail to notice them, they won’t fail to notice you and show you where to sit. One of them greets us with a broad smile. She is in a red top and a white pair of shorts. She is one of the hostesses on duty tonight.
Different from waiters by the fact that they don’t handle cash and often don’t take customers’ orders, hostesses are now a permanent fixture in clubs.
Seeking to outdo their competitors, clubs have thrown sex appeal in the mix, and hosts – who were first female but now males have been included – just do the trick.
A spectacle at a cost
The bottle babes make it a spectacle when a customer orders an expensive drink, taking it to the table as a group, dancing while lights flicker and sparks dart about. When a patron is having a birthday, they will be the ones doing the singing and taking a cake to the table. In some cases, they will be spotted carrying banners bearing funny messages.
At Konqa, we had a chat with four hostesses, who are engaged as full-time employees.
Tecla Wambui, who is in her early 20s, has been doing this job for three years, and she has been at various establishments. She started it as a side hustle as a student at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication.
“I found it as a good side hustle which maintained my lifestyle throughout my school life,” she says.
She has since completed her studies, with a specialisation in film editing.
Winnie Muthoni, who is in her mid-20s, got into the job three years ago when she was studying catering at the Nairobi Institute of Business Studies.
“I have taken my (two) brothers to school with the money I earn,” she says. “We are the face of the club. When you arrive, we are the first people that will handle you and make you feel comfortable. And we have to look at least sexy.”
Naomi Wanjiku, also in her early 20s, is one year into being a nightclub hostess. She was a third year bachelor of commerce student at the University of Nairobi when she began working as a hostess.
“I tried it and realised I could hack it. My heart fell in love, and the more I continued to do it, the more I continued to love it,” she says.
Lilian Wangui, in her early 20s, started when she was an IT student at Mount Kenya University.
“Working as a hostess is something that I had admired for a long time,” she says.
Lilian Wangui, a club hostess at Konqa Lounge in Ruaka, Nairobi, poses for a photo on March 12, 2025.
By sharing their stories, they shed light on some things the public should know about their work.
They are not playthings
Even if they dress light, the hostesses said, they are not there to deal in sex.
“Here, people think we sleep with everybody,” said Lilian.
Tecla shot: “People think we are just standing there for maybe men to see us and it’s like we are selling ourselves.”
“It gets worse when you encounter touchy people. Someone wants to touch you the way he wants. Some do not respect us,” added Lilian. “Someone will harass you because you have refused to give in to their demands.”
Noted Winnie: “Some will grab you, and if you tell them that is wrong, they are those who will apologise and they are those who will talk rudely.”
When a customer gets too troublesome, they said, the security personnel are alerted.
“We report the case to the security people and then they know how to handle them,” said Tecla.
Their kin understand what they are doing
While being a nightclub worker might look like selling one’s soul to the devil, the hostesses said their immediate families understand what they are doing.
Tecla said her mother has seen her do great things from the earnings.
“She knows it’s something I’m gaining from; it’s not just something wasting my time. She knows and she understands this job. But for other family members, they still don’t have an (idea) how this job is. But as long as my mum is okay, I don’t see any problem with the other members,” she said.
Naomi noted: “Mum tells me to do whatever I’m passionate about. She has no problem with anything. Dad died; so it’s me and my mum (and an elder sibling).”
Naomi Wanjiku, a club hostess, during an interview at Konqa Lounge in Ruaka, Nairobi, on March 12, 2025.
Lilian said: “Through this work, I’ve been paying fees for my three siblings. I play a major part, and my mother chips in. That is why I’m saying I knew what brought me here…I also love service, and my mum used to sell at a hotel. So, whenever she left me, I would serve people.”
For Winnie, the fact that she helps educate her siblings makes her mother defend her.
“And then right now, there are no jobs out there. So, for us, we are very lucky because if you are pretty and you can do this job, you’re getting a lot of money compared to some people,” added Winnie.
Most struggle to maintain relationships
Having a boyfriend or husband as nightclub hostesses is a tall order. Tecla tells us that on the day before our interview, her boyfriend dropped in unannounced.
“He had not even told me he’s coming; I just saw him at the entrance,” she said. “He has no problem. He can drop in any time, and he has never found me misbehaving or something. He knows we’re professionals; we’re at work. So, also, it’s how you reassure him. He also knows my habits. He can trust me.”
Naomi said she is better off being single.
“When you do this job, someone won’t trust you. They think you have come to expose yourself. So, it’s better to be single and celibate. And no one should judge you,” she said. “It’s all about how you conduct yourself and your morals. So, you need to trust each other for that relationship to work.”
Winnie said not many boyfriends will understand.
“If you have an understanding partner, he will know lazima ukatiwe (you must get admirers wooing you),” she said. “I think it all starts with your principles for your partner to understand because it’s not easy. Many will see you and get angry. Being lusted over is the nature of our work.”
Winnie Muthoni, a club hostess during an interview at Konqa Lounge in Ruaka, Nairobi on March 12, 2025.
They are well-networked
“We are dealing with everyone. MPs come here; governors come here. A lot of people come here; influencers too. So, if you create a rapport, you will definitely come out with their numbers. So, our connections are wide,” says Winnie.
“Sometimes you look at your contact list and you wonder. And that’s why, if you start working as a hostess, you will never lack a job, because you are always connected,” she adds.
Tecla adds that by being in her line of work, she often gets invited for gigs, some that can be as short as an evening’s engagement, but which are well-paying.
“It depends on how you interact with people and how you serve them when they come here. If you leave a good impression, you are building your own (portfolio),” she said.
They are paid better than waiters
At least at Konqa, the hostesses said they are paid better than the wait staff. The hostesses said they also benefit from tips from patrons.
“Compared to someone in an office, by the time it’s end-month, you may find us with more money because customers are sometimes pleased with our service and they give tips. The tips can sometimes even exceed your salary,” said Tecla.
Tecla Wambui a club hostess during an interview at Konqa Lounge in Ruaka, Nairobi.
Lilian, in the same vein, said she would be reluctant to take up an office job.
“For me, I feel that my heart is here. But you know, if better opportunities come, no one would say no,” she said. “To be honest, I’m not an office person. People know themselves. Offices require introverts. I’m not an introvert. We love socialising because it has connections and opportunities.”
Asked if she would take up an office job, Naomi said: “You may get that opportunity but realise your heart isn’t there.”
They help drive sales
The hostesses feel they are an important part of the modern nightclub because they encourage more purchases of high-end drinks. By creating a spectacle when a patron makes a significant purchase, they make other patrons want the same treatment.
“When they buy expensive alcohol, it adds up to the club’s sales,” said Lilian. “The more they buy the expensive liquor, the more advantageous it is to this club.”
Said Tecla: “One customer will see that we have taken a bottle with lights to one table and wonder why he or she hasn’t got that. So, they have to buy an expensive bottle. So, we’re still up-selling. There are nights when we don’t rest. You leave this table, another buys on another table and you deliver. It’s work. And you are in heels the whole night.”
They feel proud when they help a person celebrate
The hostesses said they feel accomplished when they help give someone a treat for their birthday or any other sort of celebration.
Said Tecla: “We will grace your birthday and make sure it’s the best. And that’s what people are looking for. When someone is going out to enjoy themselves, they want the best services. Supervisors, managers and waiters can’t do all that. Waiters serve, so this specific task that we are given is important in every club.
That’s why they employ hostesses and pay them well because it’s a job like any other.”
Winnie says she feels nice when she helps execute a surprise birthday treatment. They usually keep the celebration cake and ask about the ideal time to bring it. They also ask whether the celebrant would like to be recognised by the deejay.
“Perhaps someone doesn’t know they are in for a treat. It feels so special. We even enjoy it because we also feel good when we see someone light up thanks to a surprise,” she added.
Winnie Muthoni, a club hostess during an interview at Konqa Lounge in Ruaka, Nairobi on March 12, 2025.
Naomi said: “Recently, there is a person who had a birthday. I don’t know what I did, but I gave him my number. I got a long text from him, thanking me for making his birthday special. But I don’t think I did anything major. However, he took his time to write a text about how I made his birthday special. That made me feel motivated in my work; to realise that I am at least appreciated somewhere.”
Lilian noted: “When someone has a birthday, I love encouraging them, carrying that package, so they feel happy that they were born that day.”
They abide by rules:
The hostesses noted that they follow certain rules while on the job, including not getting drunk at work.
Themed dressing, for instance on days when there are big matches, is also part of the hostesses’ job description.
There is also a rule that no customer is allowed to harass them.
Equally, there are ground rules on how they should relate with male customers.
At times, Lilian said, they encounter customers who want to tempt them with money.
“I know there are many sick people out here. I also know there are many temptations because all of us are chasing money, we are chasing the bag, and you will find a lot of people who come to you to show off their money. I have been shown amounts,” she said. “He will give you maybe Sh10,000, and when he gets what he wants, that’s it. And maybe you’ll come out of it with a disease. All of us have dreams. I have my dream, and because I have got one opportunity to achieve my dream, I don’t want to lose it.”
They are nocturnal beings
All the hostesses, being full-time employees, said they reach their respective homes from around 3am. They then catch some sleep, carry out their chores then start preparing to go to work. They are required to report from 5pm.
Said Winnie: “I come out of the workplace from 3am to 5am. You get home at 7am. You sleep. You wake up. You don’t even have time to cook because you are supposed to be at work around 6pm. So by 4.30pm, you are out because you have to do your makeup.”
Tecla noted: “By 6pm, you’re supposed to be already at work and then maybe on weekdays, we might be released maybe by 12am or 1am, and maybe you’re home by 3am. So, you go home and sleep until maybe 11am, then you wake up and maybe prepare some breakfast. If you plan your time well, you can sleep again, wake up around 3pm, and take a shower. By 4pm, I am always on the road coming (to work).”
Tecla Wambui a club hostess during an interview at Konqa Lounge in Ruaka, Nairobi.
Naomi said: “When I leave here around 4am, I wake up at around 12.30pm then start to get ready. I then take a cab and come here. The work isn’t as intense at daytime; most patrons start coming in the evening.”
Lilian noted: “When I leave here, I wake up at 10am, because I have some chores. I have some errands to run at home, and for me to be there on time, I have to wake up early and plan my schedule.”
The banners they carry lighten the mood
The hostesses often show up on social media with the banners they carry bearing interesting messages shown to club patrons.
They said the messages are crafted to make a light-hearted atmosphere.
“We write very funny things. So, when you are carrying it, you know people will laugh. You also get happy,” said Tecla. “You feel good because people look at it and laugh.” How do they come up with the messages? Winnie said they draw from what is trending.
“If that time there is something on everyone’s lips, you write about that. If it is about (an upcoming) game, you find something funny about it,” she said.
