A Kenyan man has narrated how he had to change his name in order to secure a job in the neighbouring Tanzania as President's chauffeur.
Baranaba Mutai served in the Presidential Escort Unit of late President Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere.
Mutai, in an interview with Nation, stated that he was compelled to change his name due to the harsh conditions for immigrants in the country. He changed his name to Tambuki Baranaba Mutai.
"I had to change my name so that I could work in Tanzania. I changed my name to Tambuki Baranaba Mutai to conceal my Kenyan identity so that I work in Tanzania," he stated.
Before landing that job in the Presidential Escort Unit, he worked as a government truck driver in Tanzania for three years.
After years as a truck driver, Mutai got promoted into the Presidential Escort Unit with the hand of the late Nyerere orchestrating his promotion.
"I started working as a government truck driver for three years. After that I got another job but still as a truck driver for non-governmental organisation before President Nyerere took me in in his Presidential Escort Unit, where I chauffeured security personnel," Mutai noted.
His hard work led to a very close working relationship with Mwalimu Nyerere.
Praising the late Nyerere, Mutai opined that he was a servant leader who appreciated those who portrayed zeal and commitment at their work places.
"Nyerere really loved workers, I used to work hard and he loved me for that, he was such a decent man," Mutai added.
Mutai recalled one instance when Nyerere bailed him out. His trucks were held by Tanzanian authorities and Nyerere personally ordered the authorities to release them.
"Nyerere personally helped me when my trucks were held in Tanzania until they were released. This strengthened our friendship even further, that I could even visit him at his home."
However, due to increased discrimination from the government officials, Mutai resigned from his job and asked the government to give him a passport to get back to Kenya.
Again, with Nyerere's intervention, he secured a passport and came back to the country, although the authorities refused to release some his properties when he was leaving.
"Although Nyerere was a good one, his powerful close associates were not. In 1991, they ordered us to return to Kenya. I applied for resignation from the Tanzanian job. They wanted to grab my assets. They gave as the permits to depart the country."
