Disabled man cleans boda boda riders’ jackets

John Njenga (PHOTO: Pkemoi Ng'enoh)

Have you ever boarded a boda boda only to be hit by a pungent smell emanating from their leather jackets?

This mostly happens during the rainy season because the jacket has not been cleaned for ages. Now, city man John Njenga has decided to fix this stinking problem. Njenga ditched his shoe shining business to offer a solution to boda boda riders.

“I have been a shoe shiner for around 20 years along Tom Mboya street. I ventured into dyeing after noticing clients hunt for clean boda bodas whose jackets don’t emit bad odour,” he explains.

“If leather is rained on and not well polished it leaves that kind of smell. One day a lady vomited after alighting from a boda boda ,” he added.

Njenga the fourth in a family of seven says he has been on the city streets for more than twenty years since he left Molo following a family dispute.

On daily basis, the jovial Njenga says he can dye up to 20 leather jackets charging boda-boda men Sh200 and office folks Sh100 extra. He has also learnt the art of fixing faulty zippers and dying different colours including brown, yellow, and green bags.

“I have learnt the hard way because this is an art that does not require one to go to class as my case, it is just talent and knowing how to survive on daily basis,” he explains.

Pointing out, “Disability should not limit us to begging or staying at home so long as one is not amputated and both the arms are functional, he/she will not sleep hungry.”

Njenga can dye up to 20 jackets a day and charges Sh200 per piece.