Excelling in a man domain

By Kenan MirukaScrew and hammer in hand, Sophia Siekei examines a bicycle to diagnose the problem. She puts it on its saddle and steadily removes the tube to work on a puncture.
She meticulously attends to the four punctures in the rear bicycle tyre and when done, Siekei hands it over to her happy client.
Siekei, 39, is a respected bicycle and motorcycle repairer at Magena, Gucha District.
She is so good at her work that sometimes the many clients seeking her services at her Sarota workshop overwhelm her.
Yet she is doing a job usually considered a man’s domain in a place where patriarchy is supreme, and men and women are defined by their roles.
Siekei started this job by chance in 2004. "I started by helping my husband at the worskhop soon after we married. One day, he was away and a customer came with a punctured tyre. I told him mzee was away but then felt uncomfortable turning away a client. Having observed my husband for a while, I decided to repair the puncture and it worked!" says Siekei.
From then on, she became a bike ‘mechanic’ and grew in confidence as well as improving her skills each day.
She charges between Sh30 and Sh70 for puncture repair. But for other repairs such as straightening a bent rim, the cost varies. On a good day, she makes up to Sh2,000.
She still works with her husband Naftal Mogere.
"I can repair any fault in bicycles and motorcycles. Often, people are surprised that a woman can do this job but I don’t mind as it puts food on my table," she says.
She is used to the curiosity of passers-by, who stop to stare at her in wonder as she works. When she started, she found this uncomfortable, but not any more.
No lunch break"Sometimes we get so many clients and getting a lunch break is impossible," says the mother of four.
She loves what she does and the pay has enabled her educate her children and meet family daily needs. The first-born is now in Form Three.
"This job has helped me a lot. It is my only occupation so far and from it I pay fees for my children."
When she developed interest in the job, her husband was at first reluctant to let her do it, but he later encouraged her to excel.
Mogere is happy with his wife’s skills.
"She was quick in learning and I gradually thought it was good to help each other out so as to raise our family," he says.
Some people did not like this and usually stood by the roadside and insulted him for "forcing his wife to do a hard and dirty job".
A client once declined to let her work on his motorbike saying it was against his culture for a woman do such a job.
Siekei’s presence has earned the workshop fame.
Mogere advises men to show their wives what they do.
"In case you die, she can step in and help the family. Besides, since we are together all the time. I don’t have to worry about her whereabouts."
Siekei’s message to women is that they can do any job and help their husbands put food on the table.