If you happen to walk around the city in the evening, you will definitely see people from all walks of life either trying to get home after a long day's work, or those in the hustle and bustle of selling their wares to any willing buyer.

But you can also see the same people crowded together in one place, probably munching on a snack.

Street food is nothing new, as Kenyans we love to indulge ourselves and live by the unspoken rule that "germs are not aware".

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This is probably why Smocha is the new kid on the block when it comes to snacks.

Smocha, a name coined from the two things used to make the snack, chapatti and a smokie sausage.

Apart from being tasty, many people love it for how filling it is and how cheap it is, with one going for as little as Sh60 depending on the twist.

The street food is a big hit on the streets of Nairobi and when Elijah Wambui realised it had the potential to be a big hit here in Nakuru, he decided to set up shop.

Elijah Wambui.

Photo credit: Diligence Odongo/Mtaa Wangu

Once a commercial driver, Elijah had been visiting his cousin in Nairobi when he happened to have a taste of smocha and fell in love with it.

"I went to visit my cousin in Nairobi just a year and three months after starting my cart business. My cousin, who also has a cart business, was making smocha for a customer. Out of curiosity, I asked to taste it and immediately fell in love," said Elijah.

During his short stay in Nairobi, he asked his cousin to teach him how to make Smocha.

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"Many people don't know that the secret ingredient in Smocha is actually kachumbari. If you get that part right, you'll have a lot of customers flocking to your cart. My kachumbari is the best in the street and I owe that to my cousin," he said.

"I also sell sausages and eggs, but smokies are my best selling food. On a day when business is a bit slow, I sell at least 30 smokies," he reveals.

When asked who his main customers are, he says: "When I started, my customers were mainly university students, but now my customers are people of all ages, all thanks to the smokies.

Elijah sells at the intersection of Kenyatta Avenue and Pandit Nehru Road.

When asked about some of the challenges he faces, he points out that the biggest challenge is the cost of buying the things he uses, such as tomatoes.

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"I always try to buy my produce wholesale to reduce the cost of expenses, another challenge is customers who lie about making payments or those who reverse payments made through Mpesa," he said.

A photo of Elijah Wairimu's cart.

Photo credit: Diligence Odongo/Mtaa Wangu

As a parting shot, Elijah says: "There is nothing wrong with having little money as long as you save and spend strategically or only when necessary."

diligenceodongo@gmail.com

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