Burundian making Ksh800 per day selling coffee in Nairobi

As I strolled across the streets of Nairobi I came across a Burundian who sells coffee in the street. Before, I used to think that it’s Kenyans who are selling Kahawa (coffee) in Nairobi until I embarked on a journey to know who are these people and how this business of selling coffee is faring.

After failing to to get money to continue with his studies, Jules Nshimirimana (Burundian) came to Kenya in June 2022 and has embarked on selling coffee. He tells me that he couldn’t find any job in Burundi so he decided to come to Kenya look for a job and upon arrival he found that selling coffee is as good as any other job.

“I came to Kenya in June 2022 with hopes of getting a job but when I arrived I wasn’t thinking that I will end up doing this job but my friend, who convinced me to come to Kenya advised me to sell coffee in street as I wait for any opportunity to come along. However, I have not gotten any other job. This is the only job that I have done in Kenya but I’m fine with it,” he narrates.

He explains to me that he makes between Ksh500 and Ksh800 per day. However, the same work comes with many challenges. “I make between 500 to 800 per day. But there’s a lot of challenges in this job because you can be arrested by kanjo (city county askaris) and they will take everything from you including your coffee cans and thermoses. Some of them are not that bad because sometimes they spare me or inform me earlier that his colleagues are coming. That way I get a chance to run away. Recently I was arrested. The kanjo’s pick-up was full but they told me gari ya kanjo haijai (kanjo’s pick-up can never run out of space) I was bundled in by force,” he tells me laughing hysterically.

He continued, “The problem with us as youth is not being contended with the kind of work we are doing. If you can make some income from your job then you should be happy for it. I can’t look disparage the job I’m doing because through it I can pay my rent and cater for my daily needs I sell coffee and mandazi. I just go to the shop to buy wheat flour, coffee and other ingredients and then prepare and come to sell here,” he tells me with his Burundian accent punctuating his voice.

Selling till midnight

Nshimirimana says that sometimes he sells his coffee up to midnight. He further says that with money, you will earn respect which explains why he’s working hard to earn it. “I walk for long distance around this city selling coffee. Sometimes I trek across the city up to midnight to ensure that I sell all the coffee. It’s hard but I try as much as possible to do it. With money, everything is easy everywhere. It doesn’t matter whether you are in Kenya or Burundi. With money you will earn respect automatically,” he says as he inspects the remaining mandazis in basket before departing to find more customers.

His story is one of determination and resilience. Having travelled for about 875 kilometers from Bujumbura, Burundi to Nairobi to sell coffee to sustain himself and his family.