Emmanuel Langat: Friend’s tearful eulogy, his 10 years of joblessness & depression spark outrage

An emotional eulogy delivered by a man at the burial of his friend who reportedly sank into depression after struggling to secure employment, has sparked an intense debate online, bringing renewed attention to the frustrations facing thousands of unemployed Kenyans amid claims of corrupt politicians collecting employment letters and selling them at hundreds of thousands of shillings.

In a heartfelt account of his friend's struggles, the man painted a painful picture of the psychological toll of joblessness, particularly among young people desperate to earn a living and build meaningful futures with politicians and corrupt officials capitalising on the acute unemployment situation to fleece job seekers.

He revealed that his friend died after sinking into depression, detailing how he spent ten years searching for a job without success as demands for bribes stood between him an employment opportunities.

“If I am qualified and my papers can speak on my behalf, do I need to know or knock on someone’s door so that I can get that job?," He asked mourners before delving into the plight of his deceased friend.

To drive his point home, the grieving man revisited remarks by Wetangula, stating that his deceased friend who was a teacher by profession suffered the same fate that thousands of qualified Kenyans, including teachers continue to suffer.

“Speaker wa National Assembly alisema mwenyewe, mnaenda State House, mnapewa barua mnakuja mnauza elfu mia nne na hamsini. Why? This guy has been tarmacking for ten good years, mnataka tuishi namna gani bwana” he added while pointing to the coffin carrying the lifeless body of his friend.

He cautioned politicians at the funeral that voters will no longer cheer politicians selling rhetorics and empty promises, but will focus on meritocracy while shunning mediocrity.

“This guy sank into depression, we will not shy away from that. I was in that room and I know what killed this brother. This guy sank into depression.

He recounted how he supported his jobless friend with money for transport and to photocopy his documents while seeking elusive employment.

His raw pain was visible as he fingered politicians who demanded five hundred thousand shillings from the deceased, an amount he simply couldn't raise as he lacked the assets to sell or savings to cover the cost of the bribe.

The eulogy which was delivered in a mix of local Kalenjin language and English struck a nerve against the backdrop of public remarks by Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetangula who recently fingered politicians for lining up at State House to collect employment letters for teachers before selling the same or dishing them out to their friend and relatives.

As the eulogy circulated online, Kenyans were divided between mourning the deceased and questioning a system they believe continues to frustrate qualified job seekers, with many arguing that unemployment is not merely an economic challenge but a growing social crisis in which access to jobs is a privilege for the connected and those who can afford it rather than a fair opportunity based on merit with devastating human consequences.

One netizen, going by the username @dorothy_tugee found the remarks truthful and a true reflection of what Kenyans go through, writing: "May your dear friend rest in eternal peace, congrats for speaking up for the rest of young Kenyans."

Others absorbed the emotion of the moment and the grim reality while conveying that Emmanuel Rono's experience is truly sad, as all Kenyans just want a chance to prosper.