82-year-old grandpa breathes new life into old stoves, lamps

Afew metres from Kakamega Central Business District, along Canon Awori back street, sits an old grandpa who is busy repairing old kerosene pressure lamps, stoves and broken down lanterns. Suleiman Saidd, 82, has been doing this job for at least 62 years and is proud of it.

With a broad smile sweeping his face, the octogenarian, who never went to school, says it is a job that has seen him through thick and thin. Slowly but surely, Saidd handles one item at a time and makes even the rusty old stoves whizz to life again, thanks to the massive experience he has gained over time.

He is a man of few words and only chants Islamic hymns as he goes about his business on the verandah of a popular electronics shop. The location is strategic and his clients can easily locate him.  Saidd also repairs padlocks, gas cookers, umbrellas, tilly lamps and even bicycles, a business that he has been involved in since 1959.

Some of the old equipment that 82 year-old Suleiman Saidd repairs in Kakamega town. [MUMO MUNUVE, Standard]

Born and raised in Kakamega County, Saidd says he inherited the passion for repair works from his late father who was also a mechanic, the only one in their village then.

“This thing is in our genes. We are three brothers in our family who inherited the passion from our late grandfather.  It is the only business that I have done in my entire life and I am not planning to quit it, not any time soon” he says.

Driven by the desire to earn a living, Saidd decided to travel to Uganda where his elder brother was working as a mechanic, to find a job that would sustain him.

“I had tried looking for jobs in Kenya to no avail. I followed my brother to Mbale in Uganda where I got a job in an Italian’s company as a mechanic. I worked there for nine years before coming back to Kenya,” he says.

The Italian trained him and perfected his skills in repair works before he decided to close down his company, prompting Saidd to return home.

“It was a blow to us working in the company. However, I was delighted because I had perfected the art and so I decided to come back to Kenya to practice in my country,” he recalls.

When he came back, the father of six started repairing bicycles in Kakamega town, a business that he was forced to let go off, because of the few number of customers.

“In those days, owning a bicycle was prestigious, very few people had them. After less than three months in the business, I decided to get something else to do because I could go for even a month without a single customer,” Saidd says. He later quit bicycle repairs and started repairing padlocks and welding which was more profitable hence worth venturing into.

Later on, he advanced his business by repairing other equipment such as stoves, pressure lamps and gas cookers in order to make an extra coin that would cater for the needs of his growing family.

It is through this business that Saidd has managed to educate his children; three boys and three girls. One of his children has chosen the same path.

“My third born son Issa has chosen this path. He is a skilled fundi who specializes in electricity wiring and TV repairs. Just like me, he was passionate from an early age,” he notes.

Saidd says the business requires patience as it takes around one hour to finish a single repair which fetches around Sh200 to Sh300. On a good day, he can repair four to five equipment making a profit of around Sh1,000.

“I have always been consistent with this hustle because I understand every job has its challenges. Despite lack of frequent customers, we also have shortage of spare parts. I would urge the government to supply us with them so that we continue with our works peacefully.”

In addition, the 82 year-old says he has always been cautious of his lifestyle and eating habits which is the major reason behind his energetic body and glowing skin. He also mentions h has never taken drugs in his lifetime.

“Taking drugs only makes people look older, stressful and malnourished. That is the main reason I have abstained from drugs my entire life. I am a fundi till death. I get a special kind of satisfaction from doing this job.”

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