For the past two decades, Edgar Otieno has made the Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) his workplace.
Along Kenyatta Avenue near GPO, he weaves through the gridlocked traffic, offering pencils to motorists caught in the snarl-up.
It’s a scene he knows all too well, a routine that has become second nature to him.
But Otieno’s journey to the sidewalks of Nairobi’s CBD is a tale of twists and turns, marked by determination and adaptability.
A graduate in Social Work from the University of Eldoret, his initial career path seemed promising. He landed a job as a Sales Representative for Barclays Bank (now Absa Bank), hoping to build a stable future for himself.
“I went to school where I studied Social Work at the University of Eldoret, and at some point I was employed as a Sales Representative for Barclays Bank (now Absa Bank). But because the earnings were too little, I decided to hawk pencils. I have been here since the 2007 post-election violence,” Otieno said.
Despite the hardships of street vending, Otieno maintains a sense of dignity and professionalism. He refuses to compromise on his appearance, dressing in neatly pressed suits, complete with ties and polished shoes.
Otieno claims that Each day, he earns a minimum of Ksh. 1500 from his pencil sales—a modest yet vital income that sustains his family.
Yet, despite his resilience, Otieno is not immune to skepticism and misconceptions. Some passersby, unfamiliar with the sight of a well-dressed hawker, speculate about his motives and background. Rumors abound, with whispers suggesting that Otieno may be more than just a humble pencil vendor—that he may have ties to the country’s intelligence services.
“Some people claim I am a member of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), some say I am here on a mission, but all that is not true. For instance, in 2022 I vied for an MCA seat back home in Busia County. You know very well that a civil servant cannot get into politics without resigning, how then can I be NIS agent and still vie for MCA? Such sentiments don’t bother me any more,” Otieno clarifies.
