1 min read
Aug 05, 2026
For years, Daniel had become an expert at pretending.
At work, he smiled during meetings. He cracked jokes with colleagues. He met deadlines, earned promotions, and appeared to have everything under control.
No one saw what happened after he locked his apartment door each evening.
A 24-year-old Gen Z graduate living in Nairobi, he had mastered the art of looking “fine” in a world that demanded constant performance.
On Instagram, he posted curated smiles, café photos in Westlands, and motivational captions about “hustle and grace.” On WhatsApp, he replied with emojis and jokes. At family gatherings in Kitengela, he was the “successful son who is figuring things out.”