While the wise believe that to live is to risk dying, there are jobs that expose one to more untimely death than others. It’s even more heart-breaking when your loved one earns a living from these jobs, where returning home is a blessing.
While every job has its hazards, there are jobs that read like a near-death sentence as they’re more catastrophic.
Here are 10 such risky jobs:
1. Bowels of the earth
Mining requires that you go to the bowels of the earth for precious stones, same as quarrying. It is not for the faint-hearted. You have to be roho juu.
While there could be princely returns if one digs out a diamond or gold and offload it to the black market, the mine might collapse and bury your loved one without a funeral.
2. Stoned
Here, a mjengo man needs stamina and kustunya misuli for this strenuous job full of risks.
When a woman kisses a mjengo husband goodbye in the morning, she is not certain he will return in the evening. Many buildings have been known to collapse like a house of cards.
Few things are as traumatising as a rubble with your hubby beneath it.
3. The air up there
While air transport is the safest mode of travel, if statistics are to be believed, in case of an accident, chances of surviving from 30,000 feet while obeying the force of gravity are minimal.
4. The fourth estate
Journalists face endless dangerous challenges while doing stories, be it political riots, ethnic skirmishes or stepping on dangerous toes with corruption scandals.
You can just be at home preparing roast potatoes for supper and boom! Your spouse gets arrested, which is actually better than the likely chance of being executed or exiled.
5. The red corner
Your husband can be a professional boxer, which puts food on the table with his blows. But when he’s on the receiving end, one punch to the head can cause brain damage and shorten his life expectancy.
He will also be prone to kuchizi from the constant knocks.
6. Mhesh
Politics is said to be a dirty game. Your partner can be a flamboyant mhesh and you eat life with a big stainless steel spoon for a while. But politicians have endless enemies out to get their seats and hence, assassination plans can be hatched to deal with them.
7. The deep, blue sea
On a normal day, your partner could be diving in the ocean or lake to, among others, rescue people. But they can faint, run out of oxygen or even drown after being attacked by nyawawa!
8. Roger the copper
While these good people do their best to accomplish Utumishi kwa Wote, they’re faced with many dangers, including rowdy crowds who often turn against them or gun-toting robbers.
Their tough working conditions also expose them to higher risks of heart attack, suicide and depression.
9. Game ranger
Game rangers work in dense forests guarding wild animals and deterring poachers. Attendant risks include being maimed or killed by either.
10. Transformer operators
Installing electricity and ensuring that every home and office has power is not a walk in the park.
While the electricians are armed with all manner of equipment and observe all safety measures, the devil can come visiting and the transformer explodes or wire zinashikana!