"Lazima nisurvive": Joblessness pushes Maseno University graduate to hawk smokie

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- A Maseno University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature with IT degree took to the streets of Nairobi to sell smokies and mayai pasua after failing to secure employment

- A TikTok video showing Moses Wanjala preparing chapati wraps at a makeshift food cart went viral, with overlaid text laying bare his frustration as an underemployed degree holder

- The graduate's candid plea for a job in the video struck a nerve online, sparking a wider conversation about graduate unemployment in Kenya

A Maseno University graduate holding a Bachelor of Arts in Literature with IT is now selling smokies and mayai pasua on the streets of Nairobi, after searching for formal employment without success.

A TikTok video capturing the young man at work behind a makeshift metal food cart has gone viral, drawing widespread attention to the quiet desperation that often hides beneath everyday street hustle.

In the clip, Moses Wanjala is seen carefully preparing a chapati-style wrap layered with chopped tomatoes and sauce, the kind of methodical routine that suggests he has been at it for some time.

Moses uses clip to express his frustration

What stopped viewers mid-scroll was not the food, but the text overlaid on the video.

The graduate used the footage to express his frustration openly, describing himself as underemployed and appealing directly to anyone who might be in a position to offer him a job.

The contrast between his academic credentials and his current circumstances gave the video its emotional weight, and it resonated with thousands of Kenyans who recognised the story as their own or that of someone they knew.

What are the most common entry points into Nairobi's informal economy?

Maseno University, based in Kisumu County, produces graduates across disciplines including arts, sciences and technology.

A degree combining Literature with IT would ordinarily open doors in fields such as content development, education, communications or tech support. Yet for this particular graduate, those doors have remained firmly shut.

Selling smokies and mayai pasua, boiled eggs typically served with a sprinkle of salt or chilli, is one of the most common entry points into Nairobi's informal economy.

Moses is not asking for handouts but job

For a university graduate to be standing behind such a cart is not shameful in itself, but the video makes clear that he does not intend to stay there.

The 24-year-old's willingness to work, evidenced by the very hustle he is currently doing, sits at the centre of his appeal. He is not asking for handouts; he is asking for a fair shot.

The video, bittersweet in tone, has given a face to that statistic and reminded many Kenyans that behind every street food cart, there may be a story far more complicated than it first appears.

Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, Moses disclosed how much he earns daily, noting that the earnings fluctuate depending on business.

"Sometimes I make like KSh 600 to KSh 700, on a good day after deducting other expenses. Sometimes it can be as low as KSh 200. I live alone and at least I do not have anyone who looks up to me foe financial help," he said.

Law graduate faces two-year wait without employment

In another story, TUKO.co.ke also highlighted facts about Kwanda Sibiya, a law graduate from Wits University, who has faced a gruelling two-year wait to secure articles essential for his career.

His heartfelt appeal sheds light on the broader crisis of graduate unemployment in South Africa, resonating with many who share similar struggles.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.