Being broke sucks! They say money doesn’t bring happiness but neither does being broke. It is part of the journey for a whole lot of people.
The good thing about being broke is that it is a temporary situation that can sometimes change in the blink of an eye. Just ask those jackpot and lottery winners.
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably been broke at one time in your life or you’re still broke and wondering if your situation will ever change.
If you belong in the latter group, worry not because there are people who have been in worse situations but still pulled through. This became more evident on Wednesday when Kenyans online shared their broke experiences on the Twitter platform.
They were responding to a question by Shoba Gatimu @shobanes, a popular food connoisseur who recalled his lowest point financially eight years ago when he ate Ugali and a soup made out of onions and powdered spice ‘Royco’.
“What was your brokest moment in life? Me. Kuna siku sikuwa na kakitu kabisa. I had nothing to cook in my ka bed sitter. Hiyo siku nilikaanga kitunguu alafu nikaweka royco na maji nika tengeneza ‘soup’ ya kula na sembe. I can still remember that taste 8 years later,” tweeted @Shobanes.
The responses he got were nothing short of unbelievable. Most Kenyans on Twitter recalled having to walk long distances for lack of bus fare as others narrated the shocking meals they had to survive on.
We have sampled a few tweets below.
Me nishawahi kwama stage day moja ju sina fare. For hours. No credit to call anyone and ask for help. Baridi tu kwa hio bench mpaka nikaamua kukula kalesa.
— Gabroyalty (@ne3mo__) March 27, 2019
Matatu stage is terrible!!
Kwanza kama una fixed fare. Una shinda ukiishikilia kwa mfuko ndio isianguke. Hiyo 30 bob is between you and home. Nilikuwa natembea 5Km kila day ndio nifike stage ingine na huko home mahali mat zilikuwa za mbao mpaka tao. But that was a whole phase.— Food Ninja (@shobanes) March 27, 2019
Jioni kuna mseh alikuwa na kibanda, alikuwa ana nijenga njugu ya mbao na zile maji za kuweka kwa karatasi za 5 bob napata nguvu ya kufika mtaani.
??
He is one of the people I Mpesa randomly for no reason. Kama si yeye sijui ninge survive aje.— Food Ninja (@shobanes) March 27, 2019
Zangu ni mob but God huwa huwa msoo. Nishai toka keja na mia ya kunifikisha job, sikuonja breko ama lunch hio siku na signs zilikua zinashow ntatembea hadi mtaa na nilale njaa that day. 5pm, last minute client alikam nikamserve akawacha tip ya 2k, niliskia nikama ntalia
— MArto (@MArto46748804) March 27, 2019
Pale Campus kuna idhaa nimesota yangu yote….Boychild nilifunga mlango nikakula tomato na carrot na nikalala
— Viddy (@Manuviddy) March 27, 2019
I ever survived with 100shs a whole week,nlikua na unga ya kusaga,sasa nlikua kila siku nabuy mboga ya 10bob na kitungu ya 5, Bob,went thru all this with my girlfriend, who soon became my wife,7yrs down the lane we remind each other every day
— Calvnx (@Calvnx1) March 27, 2019
Bro nlishwahi kula supa dip na ugali… Ile maize flour was in plenty but sikuwa na any so nlibuy supa dip za mbao…
— Hon Kuria CBS…. (@OptaHos) March 27, 2019
Was so broke had only 50 Bob in my pocket and had been invited for an interview in town.After the interview I asked the guys interviewing for fare back home.I got the job and advance salary
— Daniel (@Daniel36893960) March 27, 2019
Kuna day me na yf just tumeanza life job inaisha,then ,nkaenda kutoa 90 Bob usiku kwa mpesa,the guy gave me mistakenly read msg ya 500shs ,previous transaction on his mpesa phone,I turned back stared to my wife,n tukaenda ile mbio hujawai ona, I saw ni kama God amemtuma
— Calvnx (@Calvnx1) March 27, 2019
Shieeeet… That must have tasted extremely horrible!!
Hiyo yangu ya Royco tasted like death.— Food Ninja (@shobanes) March 27, 2019
Kuna time nilikuwa broke nilikuwa nabuy ugali ya mbao then na divide mara mbili, supper na breakfast, then nakula na coffee both supper na brekko
— SMD (@NormanMwafreek) March 27, 2019
Hahaha. Walked from Kasarani to Parklands TWICE. Never ever. Sina fare ya jioni i assure you if no one comes through for me im sleeping in this office till Friday payday.
— I’m_muthoni (@Immuthoni1) March 27, 2019
hiyo day ilibidi nimejazishaa bus mzima ile zamzam ndio niende home.
— Profe-Sir (@KitheNinja) March 27, 2019
There was a time back in 2016 i was so broke, i didn’t even have cash to buy kerosene ya 10 bob. Nikapika rice na water heater ? .
— #Mumination ?? (@etooo254) March 27, 2019
Haha kuna time i was broke broke broke.sikuwa hata na ferrare.asubuhi i had ya kutoka tao-karen.kurudi ilikuwa tafash,sikupata hehe nlieka earphones kwa maskio.and started walking.nlitembea hadi tao na nlikuwa njaa Mangai!!?? nlilia hiyo siku a good one
— Ole Gunnar Rabut (@hildahrabut) March 27, 2019
selling soda bottles in the house to get money for food for myself and my siblings…
— Palm Tree (@6footBarefoot) March 27, 2019
Kuna time 2015 nilikuwa Na 10 Bob mbele nyuma Na unga ya ugali for 4 days.
Ikabidi nimebuy jusi cola. Kui-dilute Na maji 2litres.
Mudu…jusi cola nusu litre Na ugali per day..— Kelvin Kimani (@GachuiKelvin) March 27, 2019
Sometime last year January. Boiled water added tea leaves nikatia kwa sugar container na nikaishake. The sugar mixed with the tea kwa umbali. We had that with kdf with my two sisters for dinner. It was to be our last meal.
— Kondwani Alinafe Anjeyo (@anj_116_) March 27, 2019
Nimekua na hizi moments mara mob even recently but I still remember walking from Ngong road (Junction) to South B, sleeping hungry and waking up to walk from South B to Ngong road the next morning 5 years ago. Life’s a journey
— Jeff Kinyanjui (@Nyash88) March 27, 2019
Kuna time kitu ilikua imebaki kwa hao ni chumvi na majani.
Ata gas imeisha.
Had 30 bob for three days, unabuy ngumu mbili unakunywa na maji lita mbili.— Sir Learns_Elot. (@Sir_Learns_Elot) March 27, 2019
Remember am still waiting for my client, then from nowhere the guy came & Akaniambia Niagize Food,So This Time Lazima Nikuwe Mjanja,Niliagiza Chipo Kama Fala Ya Ocha But Once Bitten Twice Shy.
The Guy Left His IPad With Me, He Said He Needs His Job Done Asap,So I Told Him To— John Intelliplus (@ThoithiJohn) March 27, 2019
Give Me Cash,He Went To Barclay’s Bank And Withdrew Money Akaniletea 55k Cash.
YESU Sema Kumaliza Chipo Faster Na Kumwambia Kwaheri Naenda Kununua Vitu Za Kazi
Mara Hio Pap Kwa MPESA
I sent Wife Money & I Told Her Ends Ukule KUKU Kama Breakfast Leo YESU Amejileta Mwenyewe— John Intelliplus (@ThoithiJohn) March 27, 2019
wuueeh!!! i rememba back in 2010 nikiwa moi uni..nikakosa fare ya kurudi uthiru…kafefte tu ndo nilihata…i was too proud kuambia a female friend anilipie….we huskii nilitembea kutoka tao hadi uthiru msee!!!!???
— Kenyan_Oxygen (@Kenyan_Oxygen) March 27, 2019
kuna siku tulisota tukakumbuka kuna unga ya chapo mahali, but hatukuwa na karai ya chapo na rolling stick. roommate alipindua sufuria akachukua chupa ya guiness akaroll chapo.??? sijawahi kula chapo na smile kubwa ivo
— Boyka (@esoh_wachira) March 27, 2019
This thread is my highlight today, Mine are many.There’s a time I was strunded to go home(Ngong) after an event I was ushering at Nairobi gymkhana and payment wasn’t due till the next week.I walked to town at 2am,mats were costly..waited in the cold till 5am nipate mat ya 20bob.
— ninanimu (@NinaNimo) March 27, 2019
Wewe ulikua na bahati kama hukuwahi kosa pesa ya gas hadi ukapika ugali(uji) na kettle
— Dave (@Weshco_) March 27, 2019
There was one time i was in living in mathare A4, had only fare to go to town to check HELB kama imeingia at Post bank, nikapata bado, walked back to Area 4, never had anything for lunch, supper and breko next day only water, ilibidi niongee na jamaa jirani aniokolee
— Gichumbi (@mwangid) March 27, 2019
I had nowhere to sleep it was on the 25th Dec 2013 also I had no food to eat and my bro was in a worse situation in some place far away.
I beleive that I am the strongest person on earth since I didn’t commit suicide those times despite it all.— HAHAHA (@iAmgitau) March 27, 2019
Went for a kahustle in Kitengela,i only had the fare to Kitengela since i thought i’d be paid at the end of the day, the foreman said the money would be sent the next day, had a phone with no airtime (adi please call me ziliisha), i walked from Kitengela to Kibera. Nairobi!!!
— Ꝟḯḵṯỏṝ Ragnarsson ?? (@Vik_Jakabuoch) March 27, 2019
Wah!!! So many stories…used to do mjengo in ruiru. I walked daily to and from githurai to ruiru for work. Then the boss would delay paying us for even upto three months. I used to pass by githurai jioni niokote mafruits and anything edible then naenda kulala kwa veranda ya plot
— Ithe wa Maina (@AndersonNjoroge) March 27, 2019
looking back, am 55kgs more now. Thankful.
— Emanu (@emanu254) March 27, 2019
In campus, I used to stay at a slum called “Blue Estate” in Shauri Moyo. The mabati house was 1200 per month. Month ikianza nilikuwa napea mama mboga 150 bob so that niwe nikipick sukuma wiki ya 5 bob daily for one month. Onion and tomatoes were a luxury.
— shikanga phalex (@Shikangaphalex) March 27, 2019
Nilikua nawachia siblings chai wasione mashida zangu, i carry water , nanunua ngumu natembea hadi job for like a month only for the guy kukataa kunilipa my 3k, i got so frustrated nikaskia opportunity ya madame kuenda kwa waarabu nikaenda ?
— untamed (@suziewakaba) March 27, 2019
There was a time nilikuwa na 80 Bob pekee and I had to really get away from someone… Nlioanda mat ikanifikisha survey pale Thika Rd. I walked the rest of the day mpaka nkiafika easich
— tired mofoh | INFP (@Ike_ngash) March 27, 2019
2008. I used to buy a plate of Ugz and ndengu at ksh30 and share with my girl. That would be our lunch and supper… Sigh
— ? KenyaSutra.com ? (@SiriZetu) March 27, 2019
When I was pregnant theres a point I was too broke, I would wash dishes in a kibanda during lunch time just so I could get lunch and an extra chapo for supper. I survived like that for almost two months
— f.ndungu (@05723bb4d5d948e) March 27, 2019
Sometimes back in 2012. Was so broke hadi handwash soap ndio iligeuka ya kuoga.
— D’zaisy (@Adecyna) March 27, 2019
Nilichota maji ya shower kumake black tea juu singeweza buy gas. Uzuri kule naishi bado stima ni post paid. I did this for 3 days ?
— Ivasha (@_ivasha_) March 27, 2019
First time kuenda abroad kuwork sikua na pesa enough. Zile doo nilikua nimebakisha after airfare na visa zilikua kama 1k pekee. Nilikula mkate kavu for 2 weeks straight, bila chai ama soda, kwanza supper pekee ndio angalau niweze kulala. Tough times.
— serp_bell_ (@eddthedad) March 27, 2019
I wanted to comment but after reading all the comments I’ve realized that my problems are way to small..let’s just trust the process and let’s trust God..one day things will work out..be blessed beautiful people.
— The most HUMAN human (@IfrikaBrian) March 27, 2019
