I came across this question on a popular Facebook Group and I must admit the answers have been hilarious. I also posted it on my WhatsApp Status and Let us just say Kenyans are a funny group of people, in fact in my next life I want to be a Kenyan.
We should accept that the marriage institution has suffered tremendous blows in the recent past, especially after Kenyan women became materialistic and a man is measured on how much shopping he can do and the aftermath has been so many single mothers around.
But the few women who are still enduring the challenges of marriage managed to answer the question about what name they call their better half whenever there is someone around:
Baba Nani
More than 50% of Kenyan wives call their husbands baba flani wa flani. That is especially if their are kids in the union, which is most often the case. It is the name that has been used by our mothers and their mothers before them from the days of Baba Wairimu to Baba Brayo and Now we have Baba Liam. Of course it is different when your baby has one of those Mexican names. How can you call your husband Baba Alvaro?
Babe
Most of the current generation couples like to refer to each other simply as Babe! It is romantic and a little bit more formal than the swee, hunpie and all the other similes you use when you are alone. Calling him babe is also dependent on the type of visitors you have around. You can’t be calling each babe in front of your in-laws.
Call him by His Name
This is also widely accepted, especially if you are interacting with colleagues or people who might not necessarily be your friends. What am saying is that it can be used in formal places. We also see this quite often in these Western Movies that we so love to watch. It is advisable to use his first name.
But pia najua kuna wale huita bwana zao jina za kishenzi kama vile Brathee, Oyaa, sijui we naniii. Soon you will be single.