Do you think your job is stressful? Well, this list showcases the most stressful jobs in Kenya that not everyone has the heart to do. Find out why these are considered high stress Kenyan jobs and what is the genesis of the stress encountered by people who do these jobs.
1. Matatu operators
Whether you are the matatu driver, the tout or even the owner, the matatu business can be very stressful. The drivers have to make a certain number of round trips per day in order to get paid. This explains why they are constantly breaking traffic rules and getting in trouble with the police. The touts have to make sure that each trip is full of passengers. Some touts even put their lives at risk by hanging on the door of the moving matatu so that they can quickly spot any potential passengers on the roadside. As for the owners, they constantly have to deal with the traffic police, breakdown services, vehicle mechanics and insurance companies when the matatu is involved in an accident. Not much money is left after all those overheads!
2. Construction workers
Their work is not just physically demanding but also very dangerous. We’ve heard of constructions that have collapsed, burying the workers alive. Worse still, most of these people who do odd jobs at construction sites are paid poorly and they don’t have any insurance to protect them against certain risks. The hours of work are also long and demanding, with only a few minutes break given for lunch. Working in a ‘mjengo’ is definitely one of the most stressful jobs in Kenya.
3. Taxi drivers
Taxi drivers have a hard time for many reasons. First, they spend half their lives in traffic. If you have been stuck in Nairobi’s rush-hour traffic then you know how stressful this can be! Also, this job can be very dangerous as it involves carrying strangers in your car. In these times of increased crime and terrorism, being a taxi driver is certainly among the most stressful jobs in Kenya.
4. Hawkers
There’s nothing harder than hawking on Kenyan streets. You may not look at it as a real job, but a lot of people turn to hawking to make a living. This line of work can be stressful because you always have to keep an eye out for ‘kanjo’ or the City Council officers. Imagine spending the whole day on the hot and busy Nairobi streets selling books, magazines, hats, sweets etc, only to be caught by ‘kanjo’ and hand over all your money to avoid sleeping in the county cells! Very few jobs in Kenya can be this stressful.
5. Medical professionals
Doctors and nurses, especially in public hospitals, are some of the most stressed workers in Kenya. Most public hospitals are normally under-staffed but full to the capacity with sick patients. This means that the medical staff in these hospitals are over-worked and very stressed. Their pay is also not the best and this may explain why a number of them eventually move to the private sector or even to other countries for greener pastures. These are by far the most stressful jobs in Kenya but somehow, somebody has to do them.
6. IEBC Officials
The just concluded elections are enough proof that being an election official in Kenya is not a walk in the park. From working in hostile environments to harassment by politicians, no doubt that this job qualifies to our list of most stressful jobs in Kenya.
