KARIBU KENYA - UNON - the United Nations Office at Nairobi

Useful Numbers
Water 225222/224291
Kenya Power & Lighting Co. 32013201/243366/214214/221251 (bill enquiries)
Telkom Kenya 32032000/501426/572288
Nairobi City Council 224281
Telephone operator 900
Directory enquiries 991/992
International operator 0195/0196
Telegrams 990
Wake-Up Calls 900
Time, English 993
Time, Kiswahili 994
private companies that will assist you in transferring bills – see
‘Messenger Services’ in the section below.
Domestic Staff
It is usual for households in Nairobi to have two or more domestic staff,
depending upon the size of their family, age of their children, and size of their
house and garden. Domestic help can be obtained very easily, although it is
strongly recommended that you only hire people with verifiable references
and initially only on a trial basis (making this clear to each staff member).The
ideal solution is to hire someone who has previously worked for a friend, an
acquaintance or a colleague who is transferring elsewhere.
After hiring an employee, it is important to create a clear record of their
employment, including their full name, identity card number, date and place
of birth, a photocopy of their identity card, and records of their salaries, holidays/leave,
and any loans or advances. House staff typically work a 52-hour
week over six days, and are entitled to a minimum of 21 working days’ leave
with full pay each year, as well as 15 days’ paid sick leave.
It is a wise rule of thumb not to leave money or small valuables lying
around your house – particularly when you have new staff on the premises.
Although honesty and loyalty cannot be bought, paying and treating your
employees fairly is key to the creation of mutual trust and respect. Salaries and
employment terms are a personal matter, although as a rule a housekeeper or
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