The Bahatian

Grasping with a job loss is always the hardest part for many. Consider the long process of looking for a job, including underselling one’s worth just to be employed. The sad reality in Kenya is that you’ll hardly find a company advertising for vacant positions the traditional way other than relying on internal references and thus cutting on hiring and recruitment costs. And in many instances, many of the job adverts in print media are simply companies PR stunts, as the hires to fill the gaps are likely to have been identified long before prospective applicants are subjected to job interviews.   That many a Kenyan will have worked with different companies before hitting retirement age, or venturing in own businesses, is not in contention. Gone are the days when employees used to work for one employer their entire career lives, unless in the civil service.

It was an evening like any other. I sat sipping tea, while watching a sports channel, where a thrilling but  recorded Formula One race was showing.    And then…   …the phone’s screen lit up. Then that tone sounded. It was a text message from a strange number.   Receiving messages from strange numbers has become a norm, and most are from inmates doing time at our correctional facilities. How they manage to get one’s contact number escapes me, unless someone at one of telecom services provider is in hand and glove with the fraudsters.