Curtain falls on city's long-serving newspaper vendor

 

James Macharia along Waiyaki Way in Westlands, Nairobi in April 2021.[Samson Wire, Standard].

To a casual observer, everything appears normal at the junction of James Gichuru Road and Waiyaki Way in Nairobi but to regular motorists and passersby, something has changed.

After decades of constantly and religiously showing up every morning to sell newspapers, Peter Macharia, the oldest newspaper vendor is missing. His death has spelt doom to residents, family, and colleagues who worked with him for almost six decades.

The veteran newspaper vendor died on Thursday last week after a short illness. He has been selling papers for 55 years.

Since 1966 when he started selling newspapers, family and colleagues say the 78-year-old Macharia was hardworking and was passionate about his job.

"I joined him in this business and he guided me through the business. For over 10 years I have worked with him, he has never failed to collect his papers at 3 am. He was a very hardworking man and most of us have learnt through him," said Jenalius Mutero, a vendor based in Nairobi.

Mutero noted that Macharia complained of headache on Monday morning and his health worsened on Tuesday when he collapsed on the road and was taken to Kenyatta National Hospital.

"His work was outstanding considering his age. I learnt a lot of life skills from him. I liked how he managed his money. He was not extravagant. He will be missed in these streets, " he added.

Macharia's departure from the streets of Nairobi is hard felt in his house in Waruku area in Kangemi within Nairobi where he lived for years.

This is where some of his friends and family members gathered to mourn his death. 

A day to his burial in Kangema, Murang'a County, Macharia's children, and other relatives told a story of a man who could not dump papers for any other job. They recalled how they helped him sell newspapers in the streets of Nairobi and out of his passion, some of his children chose to take over his work.

"We are a family of nine children and none of us hasn't sold newspapers in Nairobi. I grew up in Nairobi and I have never seen my father doing anything else for a living. He sold newspapers till his death," said Lydia Waiyigo, the vendor's first-born daughter.

Waiyigo, 55, said even distant relatives who wanted to try city life after school passed through his father's hands before establishing themselves in other businesses.

According to the family, Macharia who was commonly known as PM succumbed to internal head bleeding caused by high blood pressure. They noted that the headache and the sudden death was triggered by a trauma caused by a nasty road accident that left him with a head injury in 2016 while selling newspapers along James Gichuru road.

Samwel Maina, Macharia's fourth son is among the children who followed his father's footsteps and embraced the paper trade as his main source of income.

"After completing secondary school studies I came to Nairobi and he guided me through business. His passion was contagious and I enjoyed it. I did so well that I even became his supplier," said Maina.

It is through the business of supplying papers he met prominent leaders in the country including the late William Ole Ntimama, former president Daniel Moi among others.

"He was loved by people and his loyal clients knew me. I got to read news early enough and it made it easier to sell papers in the streets," he added.

"My father has only been admitted to hospital twice in his lifetime. After the accident and on Monday when he collapsed while selling papers. A scan on the head showed a vein that ruptured causing internal bleeding in the brain, " added the son.

Mzee Macharia's last born,  Florence Wangui, who was helping the vendor to distribute papers until he breathed his last, described his father as a diligent man whose dedication and passion earned trust from his customers.

"I have been receiving calls from his clients who want to pay for deliveries and the expression of shock makes it emotional to explain that he is no more. I was with him in his last moments," said Wangui.

She said she will take over her father's job to carry on what he established 55 years ago.

"I worked with him for five years and he taught me how to do it. I will miss the moments we shared on the job," she added.