On January 26th, a man named Samuel Meeme Makamba made headlines after a photo of him holding a sign seeking employment while tarmacking went viral. The image of Meeme, a two-degree holder and certified public accountant, sparked widespread sympathy and support for his struggles to find gainful employment.
Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza took notice of Meeme’s story and decided to offer him a job. In a statement, the governor acknowledged the difficulties Meeme had faced in his job search and promised to rescue him from his predicament.
“A gentleman named Meeme Samuel Makamba, whose picture went viral showing him seeking a job in the streets with a manilla-inscribed plea pinned to his back, can finally rest assured of job security. Despite Samuel having 2 Bachelor’s Degrees and CPA certification, he has been unsuccessfully seeking gainful employment for the last 9 years. I met with him today and promised to give him a job,” the statement read in part.
Meeme graduated from Chuka University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Commerce and later obtained a degree in Education from Mount Kenya University. He also holds a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Section 2 certification. After leaving campus, Meeme began teaching at a school, but lost his job in 2016 due to lack of a Teachers Service Commission (TSC) number. He then returned to school to obtain the TSC number, but was unable to secure a teaching position after obtaining it.
Despite the Governor’s promise, it is unclear whether Meeme’s new job will be within the county government or in another organization. Regardless, Meeme expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and looks forward to starting his new job.
