Elphas Busisa, a job seeker from Vihiga County, has finally landed a job opportunity in the Ministry of Transport.
Busisa went viral after a video clip showing Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen dismissing his job appeal during a visit to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) offices.
The Vihiga man was reportedly relieved of his duties in 2020 and had struggled to make ends meet. He had been doing menial jobs to support his family.
“It has not been easy to get any job opportunities. I’ve been working since 1996 and it reached a point where work would stop and I get another opportunity.”
“In 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, we were relieved of our duties and to date, my family and I have been struggling to make ends meet,” he said.
Details of the viral encounter
The interaction between Murkomen and Busisa took place in a lobby where the CS was shaking hands with visitors.
Busisa, dressed in a blue shirt, clasped his hands into those of the minister, appearing to make an impassioned plea for a job opportunity.
However, Murkomen quickly dismissed him, saying “No, no. Hatupeani kazi hapa.” (No, no we do not offer jobs here).
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The video would then go viral, sparking discussions online, with many Kenyans expressing their displeasure at Murkomen’s apparent dismissive attitude towards the job seeker.
Despite the initial setback, Busisa’s fortunes changed when he received a call from individuals within the Transport Ministry shortly after the encounter.
He was granted a job opportunity at the Ministry and has been employed as a driver at the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) project in Nakuru.
Busisa expresses gratitude
While speaking to local media, Busisa expressed gratitude to the CS for the opportunity, stating that he was excited to have finally secured a job after years of struggling to make ends meet.
The incident highlighted the challenges faced by job seekers in Kenya and the importance of addressing unemployment issues in the country.
Public Reaction to the viral video
The video of the encounter between Busisa and Murkomen had sparked discussions online, with many Kenyans expressing their displeasure at the CS’s apparent dismissive attitude towards the job seeker.
Notable mentions among people who criticized Murkomen was Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) boss Stephen Mutoro.
In a post on his X account, he called out the CS, saying, “Too much power corrupts, absolutely. Mr. Murkomen, the other day you were begging for jobs like some of us. I know. I don’t need to say it. Just be polite.”
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“Please treat hustlers with dignity. Arrogance won’t help. After all, power is transient. Imagine if and when you are out of power- for a moment.”
Mutoro also asked the CS to offer the jobless man an apology and further appealed to the public to help him identify the man so that he could help him himself.
“Please publicly apologize to that poor and genuine hustler soul by making him your office assistant. You defamed him. You should have even suggested to revert back to him.”
