Dejected University of Nairobi graduate now a boda boda rider

University of Nairobi Bachelor of Economics and Statics degree holder Chigiri Emanuel Kai riding a boda boda at their village in Mtepeni within Kilifi County March 25, 2019. [GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

For Chigiri Emmanuel Kai, a Bachelor of Economics and Statistics from The University of Nairobi (UoN), life outside of school has proved to be a hard nut to crack.

Coming from a polygamous family with 28 other siblings, the young man from Kilifi County has had to resort to becoming a boda boda rider due to lack of jobs.

The Standard caught up with him ferrying clients from Mtwapa trading centre to a neighbouring village.

''From a Second class honours (upper division) award to a boba boda rider. This is what life has turned out for me. But I am banking on God's intervention for a steady job,'' the confident Chigiri said.

Chigiri used a loaned motorbike from where he pays the owner Sh300 each day he uses it.

''On a good day I make Sh500 bob and take home Sh200 for family use,'' he said

His ageing father, Mzee Kai Haro who has never seen the inside of a classroom said that Chigiri was his only hope of good life as he went to University to study after excelling in secondary school.

''I borrowed money, sold part of my land and relied on well-wishers to educate him. My other children are struggling in school while others have dropped out,'' Mzee Haro, a husband of three wives said.

Chigiri's mother died as he transited from primary school to secondary.

His entry to school was at Mtepeni Primary School in Mtwapa where he enrolled before transferring to Mtwapa Academy on a scholarship before completing his class eight education in 2009.

He gained admission to Malindi High School after attaining 356 marks.

But it was at this time that his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and required medical attention.

''From our family meagre earnings, we had Sh15,000. My late mother meant everything to me. She said that the money be used to take me to school instead of taking her to the hospital,'' Chigiri said.

He went on to state that he was lucky to get support to clear his secondary school after some visitors who were from England heard of his plight and sponsored his entire secondary school tuition.

Chigiri Emanuel Kai (right) displays his degree certificate with his father Kai Haron (left) at their village in Mtepeni within Kilifi County March 25, 2019. GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD]

 When he sat for his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCPE) examinations in 2013, he managed a mean B- grade and got admitted to UoN main campus.

''Coming from a very humble background, Nairobi to me was a very foreign land. However, the son of our neighbour in Mtwapa took me in for a few days and ensured that I found my footings around the capital,’’ Chigiri, who sold airtime scratch cards on a part-time basis as he continued with his university education said.

Upon his graduation, Chigiri was looking forward to a decent job and even tried applying to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and County Government of Kilifi, but to no avail.

''Every morning I would go to a neighbour whom we shared his postal mail address to check whether there were any letters but each time I went it was a different story,'' he said.

He said that he was pained to see his peers get jobs immediately after graduating.

''There was every need to have some job to help my ageing father take care of our large family as my younger siblings were in school and needed help,'' he said.

He is now reaching out to people of goodwill to help him secure employment.