‘Beba beba’, 33, graduates with bachelor’s degree in Mathematics (Finance) from Maseno University

By Lynnie Mwangi

A 33-year-old man, who does menial jobs at Nyahururu Market, has defied all odds to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics (Finance option) from Maseno University.

Humphrey Kahuthu, who hails from Maina slums in Nyahururu Sub-County, graduated on December 13, 2019, 18 years since he sat his KCPE at Maina Primary School.

Kahuthu’s biggest challenge in his pursuit of education has been lack of money to foot his school fees.

Kahuthu scored 330 marks out of the possible 500 marks in the 2001 KCPE, but couldn’t immediately proceed to high school due to lack of school fees. After staying out of school for ten years while doing menial work to raise money, Kahuthu joined Kahiga Secondary School in Nyeri for Forms One and Two; that was in 2011 and 2012.

In 2013, when he proceeded to Form Three, he transferred to Munyaka Day Secondary School in Maina slums, Nyahururu, where he scored a mean grade of B+ (Plus) of 70 points out of the possible 84 in KCSE 2014. Kahuthu was -- in 2015 -- called to Maseno University to pursue an undergraduate degree course in Mathematics.

While looking for school fees between 2002 and 2010, Kahuthu began by hawking the now-outlawed plastic paper bags before becoming a porter (beba beba) at the Nyahururu Market, where he worked, and still does.

His father, who use to help him foot a part of secondary school fees, died in 2012, compounding his financial woes.

While at Maseno -- during long holidays -- the women at the market would hold harambees to help him raise bus-fare and money for upkeep.

And, when he graduated on December 13, 2019 with a Second-Class Honours (Upper Division), the women in Nyahururu Market, who often rooted for his success, threw Kahuthu a party to celebrate the achievement.

Kahuthu, who is still transporting people’s goods at Nyahururu Market, hopes to secure a job and further his education to PhD level.