general
By Winnie Mabel
Photos | Swimming pool
Increasing internet penetration in Kenya has transformed the job market, with more individuals seeking online and remote work opportunities. This shift has enabled Kenyans to access a wider range of jobs, connect with international employers, and embrace flexible work arrangements that were previously limited by geography and the traditional 9-to-5 physical work hours globally.
In recent months, some Kenyans, especially Gen Z, have been actively seeking online work as a means to make a living, given the rising cost of living due to heavy government taxation under the Kenya Kwanzaa government.
Online discussions have focused on finding remote work opportunities that will allow individuals to earn foreign currency. Many are attracted by the idea of utilizing their writing and proofreading, photography and video production, management and other software skills to earn a high income while working from the comfort of their own homes in Kenya.
This shift in focus reflects a desire for financial independence and a reevaluation of the traditional employment model, where the emphasis is often on earning enough to cover expenses rather than building wealth and financial security. As a result, there is growing interest in remote work as a means to achieve greater financial freedom and independence.
On TikTok in Kenya alone, countless accounts continue to spread the story of remote working, with many content creators testifying to their success stories on various sites and how others can follow suit.
“Do you ever find yourself short of 200 shillings to buy food? You have computers, smartphones and other things (digital and internet enabled) but you don’t have enough money to buy food. There are many jobs online like artificial intelligence training where you can earn 300 shillings by taking up to four selfies and doing other little movements. If you want this kind of job, just log on to LinkedIn and search for remote jobs, there are many out there. So guys, let’s encourage each other to take these jobs and not miss out on a little money, otherwise you will end up taking five different selfies and doing hard work for the same 300 shillings,” said TikTok user Jackson Muindi.
His post alone garnered thousands of responses, hundreds of comments, and over 1500 bookmarks for later. All people wanted to know in his comment section was where to find these online jobs and how to get work step by step. One of his followers testified that he joined Appen, one of the online sites mentioned by Muindi in his video, and was paid $8.40 for his efforts.
These online sites, where users have to create an account and list the rates for their work, include Remotasks, which recently gained more fame after explaining to President William Ruto that an account holder managed to earn about Sh45,000 for handling tasks on the platform, as well as thousands of other popular websites for online work, including Euphoreden, Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, Rev.com, Grotranscript, TaskRabbit and many more.
The appeal of online remote jobs is so great that some account holders sell their accounts when the tasks or jobs get out of hand because they are handling multiple accounts at once and their accounts are top rated on the platform they use. These accounts do not sell cheaply.
However, the dark side of these sales is that some people are duped into buying problematic accounts that end up being useless to the new account holder. The sellers end up making an easy living by scamming others out of good money, with some even getting these accounts for as much as Sh100,000 each.
After President Ruto was introduced to the Remotask platform earlier this week, some Kenyans online lamented the actions of the briefing attendee, Brian Kipchumba, a young ICT professional, and claimed that the President would now target the platform and several others that claim to be allowing people to earn up to Sh26,000 a week from online remote work and either not be taxed or be taxed at the same rate as permanent employees.
Also read: IGAD Kampala conference: Will Ruto give in to Museveni’s demands?
Dating someone’s husband doesn’t make you a cheating partner…
