Mbiti Mwondo, a former top KCSE performer and University of Nairobi medical graduate, has opened up about the harsh realities of life after school.
Mwondo revealed that despite his academic excellence, he has not had the chance to fully utilize his medical skills and has yet to secure government employment. Instead, he has pursued self-employment as a medical practitioner and public health expert.
Reflecting on his journey, he urged students to consider careers that promote innovation and self-sustainability, emphasizing the importance of adaptability in an increasingly competitive job market.
His story sheds light on the challenges many graduates face, reigniting conversations about the need for career diversification and entrepreneurial growth in Kenya.
Former Top KCSE Student and Medical Graduate Reflects on Five-Year Hustle Post-University
Mbiti Mwondo, a former top KCSE performer and University of Nairobi (UoN) medical graduate, recently shared his struggles in a candid post on X. He recounted his journey, which began with scoring an A plain in high school, landing a job at Equity Bank, and later pursuing a degree in medicine and surgery at UoN.
Despite graduating five years ago, Mwondo revealed that he has yet to find a platform to fully utilize his medical skills.
“I get sad when I see those A’s. I also passed KCSE and got a strong A, and I was among the top in the country, even featured in the newspaper. I worked at Equity Bank and then medical school. Five years later, post-university medical school, I survive on gigs because I have never found a good opportunity to utilise my skills and capabilities effectively,” he said.
Mwondo highlighted his lack of government employment and described his professional life as a continuous hustle to make ends meet.
“I have never had a payslip my entire life, and I am not even part of the collective bargaining agreement that doctors are looking at. The government has never employed me, and despite my lack of connections, I said I’d never bribe anyone for a county or government job. My entire life post-campus has been hustling all over to survive,” he noted.
Advice to KCSE 2024 Candidates
Mwondo urged parents to guide their children toward pursuing self-sustaining courses and enrolling in global universities that foster creativity and innovation. Reflecting on his choices, he regretted turning down an Ivy League university for UoN medical school, pointing out that his peers who took similar opportunities abroad are thriving.
“The whole point of this post is to tell you to advise those kids to enrol in self-sustaining courses and universities globally that allow creativity and innovation. I turned down Ivy League universities for UoN medical school, and my peers, the like of Nalianya, are building robots in Texas, and my classmate @CKalekem is doing great things in tech in o PA,” he opined.
The Role of A Students in Society
Mwondo expressed frustration over the government’s lack of youth-focused initiatives and criticized the common narrative that A students end up working for C or D students. He emphasized that high achievers should focus on building startups, solving societal challenges, and creating employment, as seen in more functional economies.
“Some of us learnt this reality late but those kids can have a chance early. We were told best careers were Actuarial science and Medicine. Let us sell them STEM and autonomy as the future! Students should be bettering our society, not working for C/D students,” he added.
Mwondo’s story serves as a wake-up call to re-evaluate career guidance and foster innovation among young learners.