A short video trended on different social media platforms showing a man pushing a wooden cart full of unidentified cargo, almost dangerously overtaking other motorised means of transport.

The clip was shot on Muhima road slopping from Central Business District towards Nyabugogo, near the junction popularly known as Kuri Yamaha.

The footage, that was most likely taken on phone by a motorist driving behind the porter, attracted a lot of attention, with many appreciating the determination shown by the man behind the cart.

The New Times managed to track down the man, identified as Samuel Hagenimana, a 28-year old father of two.

Hagenimana works as a porter from around Kigali City Market, and he said that he normally makes the trip between the city centre and Nyabugogo several times a day.

It was around noon on Monday, January 17 that The New Times finally located him at his workstation.

It took much effort to get his attention off his cart for a brief chat. He was busy loading another consignment of salt and sugar to be carted away to the next client.

Finally, when we finally caught his attention, he intimated that his journey started in Rusizi District in Western Province and relocated to Kigali a decade ago.

At just 18, he says, he started hustling in the streets of Kigali working in a restaurant and part-timing as a vendor of a local delicacy called ‘Ibiraha’ on the city streets.

"From my hustles, I managed to raise Rwf80,000 which I used to buy a wooden cart that I use to transport commodities for clients at the market,” he said.

He is currently under a cooperative called 'Gan’umurimo' which brings together porters operating around ‘Quartier Mateus’ in the central business area, where the market is also located.

Hagenimana later saved up and got married and now has two kids, something he strongly believes wouldn't happen "if I did not roll up my sleeves and work hard.”

"I strongly believe that anyone can use their hands to earn a living. It doesn’t matter where you come from, it's the need to have an impact in the society you live in,” he said.

"From the little money I make, I manage to pay some bills and make sure I feed my family,” he added nonchalantly.

Hagenimana’s colleagues describe him as the most hardworking porter in town, giving an example of how fast he pushes his wheelbarrow which sometimes is loaded with as much as over 50 kilogrammes of merchandise.

"’Tabi’, (Hagenimana’s nickname), doesn’t easily get tired. You might think he is a machine or has supernatural powers,” one of his friends quips.

He said that you will seldom find ‘Tabi’ without a gig because all clients want to use him instead of his colleagues.

Working under the shadow of the pandemic

Like any other sector, porters in Kigali have also felt the pinch of the Covid-19 pandemic, Hagenimana says.

"Before covid-19, one could make over Rwf6,000 a day. These days even going home with half of that money seems impossible,” said Hagenimana.

He also noted that Covid-19 attracted many players in their sector which is also another reason behind the decrease of income.

"It is not easy but we understand that we are not the only ones hit by the pandemic. We hope that one day things will get back to normal,” he added.