National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has opened up about his past, revealing that he used to hawk shoes before finding success.
In an interview with Oga Obinna on Thursday, April 23, he shared how he worked hard during that period, moving around with samples as he looked for customers.
He explained that instead of staying idle at home, he chose to help his elder brother, who owned a shop in Nyamakima. He said this decision pushed him into the business of selling shoes in the streets.
“Maisha ni kujituma, so what I did, my bro, the eldest, alikua na shop hapo Nyamakima,” Ichung’wah said.
He said he would carry a suitcase filled with different shoe models as samples. He explained that this allowed him to show customers what was available even without carrying full stock.
“So mimi huyo, na suitcase, so nabeba kiatu for each model,” Ichung’wah said.
He added that he would pack the samples and head out daily to look for a market. He said his journey began along Mombasa Road, where he started approaching potential buyers.
“Nazipack kwa suitcase, nikachapa road? Road ni Mombasa Road nyuma ya Sameer Park. Nilianzia hapo,” Kimani Ichung’wah said.
Life on the road
He explained that his work involved moving from place to place while showing samples to people. He said this method still counted as hawking since he was actively searching for customers with his products.
“I used to hawk nikitafuta market. Inakaa kama hawking because si lazima utembee na bidhaa zako ukionyesha samples?” Ichung’wah said.
He noted that he did the work for several months and managed to make progress during that time. He said the experience helped him stay focused until he secured a formal job.
“Nikafanya poa. I did that for about six months, seven months actually, because nilipata a formal job sasa,” Ichung’wah said.
He also spoke about the financial challenges he faced while doing the work. He explained that he was given a small amount of money, which he had to divide carefully for transport, food, and daily movement.
“Nilikuwa napewa soo mbili; hiyo ndiyo fare, ndiyo lunch, na ndiyo ya kuzunguka,” Ichung’wah said.
He said the limited money forced him to walk most of the time so he could save enough for basic meals. He explained that he would plan his spending carefully just to afford something small to eat.
“That is why I used to walk. So unasave ndio upate ya maharagwe ama ka chapo,” Kimani Ichung’wah said.
