Government jobs are often glorified in Kenya. People imagine it’s the safest, most stable way to build a career. But what no one tells you is that in some offices, especially county government jobs, promotions aren’t about your hard work, discipline, or years of service. They’re about who you know and how far you’re willing to compromise.

For close to 12 years, I worked in our county offices. Day after day, I would report to duty faithfully, sign in, handle files, type reports, and deal with endless meetings. Every year during evaluation, I was praised for being diligent, consistent, and reliable. But that’s where it ended. No promotions. No salary raise.

Meanwhile, I watched new, younger employees walk in, spend just two or three years, and suddenly leap over me with fat salaries and higher titles. Some even became my supervisors! The pain of watching people I trained become my bosses was too much to bear.

At home, things weren’t easier. My husband started making sly comments like, “Na uko hiyo ofisi yako utakufa na hiyo cheo moja? Si utafute connection upandishwe kidogo? Even young ladies are overtaking you.” He didn’t understand how much it crushed me inside. To read more Click here.