A young, unemployed graduate from Nairobi has been turning heads across the Central Business District with an unusual one-man show, walking the streets in a Buddha-like mask, a white kanzu, and oversized metallic shoes that creak loudly with every step.
The man, who quickly picked up the nickname Kenyan Buddha online, also carries a large board on his back fashioned to resemble a Samsung phone, making him an unmistakable sight among the city’s lunchtime crowds.
For days, passersby and social media users were left guessing his motives, with many questioning whether the spectacle had a deeper message or was simply performance art.
Why Kenyan Buddha Took to the Streets
The mystery unravelled when Nairobi government official Geoffrey Mosiria tracked him down for a conversation. It emerged that the young man holds a diploma in telecommunications engineering but has spent months searching for work without success.
Faced with mounting pressure to meet basic needs, he decided to carve out a niche for himself through street content creation, hoping the sheer uniqueness of his appearance would attract attention from brands and companies.
“I usually walk from Uthiru sometimes when I do not have fare to come to town to do this; sometimes I get up to KSh 200 from well-wishers, and sometimes I don’t. Life as an unemployed youth is not easy,” he said.
The commute alone tells a story of determination. On days when he cannot raise bus fare, he walks the entire distance from Uthiru into the city centre, arriving in full costume ready to draw a crowd.
His ambition goes beyond coins from curious onlookers. Kenyan Buddha said he is hoping that the visibility his street performances generate will one day convince a company to hire him as a walking advertisement for their products or services.
The strategy, unconventional as it is, reflects the kind of hustle that many young Nairobi graduates have been forced to adopt in a tough job market.
Mosiria, moved by the young man’s story, publicly committed to helping him find formal employment. The official also took to social media to rally Kenyans to contribute money towards the man’s rent, which he was struggling to pay for the month.
The story struck a nerve with many who saw in Kenyan Buddha not just an eccentric street figure, but a symbol of the lengths young people will go to when opportunity does not come knocking.
