Nairobi here I come! I must fight to get my rightful job

Word that I had been made HM spread far and wide. Within minutes the who is who of Mwisho wa Lami arrived to pay their homage to me and congratulate me one after another. First to come was Mr Kuya. ILLUSTRATION | JOHN NYAGAH

What you need to know:

  • Within minutes the who is who of Mwisho wa Lami arrived to pay their homage to me and congratulate me one after another. Even Hitler, who I owed a lot of money and who I had not been speaking to, came to congratulate me. And so did the teachers. First to come was Mr Kuya.
  • In the Matiang’i era, you have to do the right thing always, otherwise the minister will sack you.” I agreed with him, although inside I was laughing, as Pius did not know that Matiang’i and I were tight – how else could he have ordered that I be appointed acting headmaster?
  • On Thursday, Mike came to see me. He told me that he supplies books and examination papers to schools and he also does construction. He gave me two 2017 wall calendars and three notebooks. What a great man.

As you may be aware, following a special audit ordered in our school by the Minister for Education Dr Matiang’i (may he continue to be blessed) the discreet auditors found out that I am the only honest and hardworking leader here. As such, on the personal instructions of the Minister, our brand new County Director of Education, Madam Jane, immediately interdicted Bensouda and made me the achieving headmaster of this great school. She did not have much choice.

No sooner had Bensouda and Madam Jane left the school than word that I had been made HM spread far and wide. Everyone in the school was quite happy, at least going by the messages they sent me. Within minutes the who is who of Mwisho wa Lami arrived to pay their homage to me and congratulate me one after another.

Even Hitler, who I owed a lot of money and who I had not been speaking to, came to congratulate me. And so did the teachers. First to come was Mr Kuya.

“Congratulations chief,” he said, “I never doubted that you were the right man for this school. The government has made a good and wise decision that was long overdue. Many people do not know that you have been the real force behind this school, and that all the good things that have happened here have emanated from you.” That was funny, coming from a man who had always believed that he should have been the Deputy HM, and not yours truly.

“Thank you very much,” I said with a smile.

“Lakini kukitokea kakitu usinisahau,” he said. “Me and you can run this school very well.”

Even before he could close the door properly, Madam Ruth, Nzomo and Lena came to pay their homage or — as Nzomo called it — “to pledge their loyalty”. They assured me of their unqualified support and agreed that the school was finally in good hands. “How the government delayed in making this decision I do not understand,” said Nzomo.

TOAST OF TOWN

I had not had time to look at my phone, and I was surprised to see many SMSs after the three ladies left. I also had many missed calls. Fiolina, the enviable laugh of my life, had tried calling me unsuccessfully. What I may need to mention is that we had not been on talking terms with Fiolina since schools opened, and had majorly been communicating by routine and sign language.

Just the day before, I had tried calling her unsuccessfully and when I reached home, she never answered any of my questions, although she performed all her wifely duties – and I mean all – very well.

“My deer hurby, congratulations on your promotion to glory. I prey that God guides you in your knew role as Headmaster,” read her SMS. My father too had texted me, the same text he had sent me when I was made deputy – word for word.

I had a busy afternoon. But I remember the call from my brother Pius.

“Congratulations bro,” he said, then went straight to advice.

“Be careful Dre,” he said. “In the Matiang’i era, you have to do the right thing always, otherwise the minister will sack you.” I agreed with him, although inside I was laughing, as Pius did not know that Matiang’i and I were tight – how else could he have ordered that I be appointed acting headmaster?

Later that evening, I arrived at Hitler’s in style. And everyone stood to shake my hand and wish me luck.

On normal days, I would sit and struggle to get the attention of Hitler’s attendants to serve me. But on this day, Hitler came to serve me personally, something he only does for VIPs. I was a VIP that day.

“When we started this school many years ago,” he said as he served me. “We always dreamt that one day, the school would be headed by one of our sons. I am happy this day had come.”

Rasto and Alphayo agreed with him, saying that now that their son was the headmaster, they expected lots of things from me.

“Mimi nataka tender ya kuni,” said Nyayo. Please let my wife come and be the cook for the teachers and Class Eight students.”

“Dre you won’t have to pay for that first pickup,” said Hitler as he left. Soon a man I knew was from the neighbouring village and whom I had seen at school several times to meet Bensouda arrived at Hitler’s. I believed I had seen him at Hitler’s’ before as well but I hadn’t found out his name. He seemed to know most people and he called out some of them as he greeted them, before sitting just a few metres from us.

He called Hitler’s wife and asked her to bring a full bottle to our table. “Wazee wafurahie,” he said.

Rasto, Alphayo and Nyayo were so happy to see a full bottle before them. They attacked it like there was no tomorrow. We were not even half way when the man came to greet us.

“Wakubwa mimi nataka kwenda,” he said. “Lakini mkitaka zaidi nimeongea mtaongezewa.” You should have seen the excitement on Nyayo’s face.

“Can I see you for a minute,” he said to me before leaving. I followed him.

“Congratulations boss,” he said. “I will help you get confirmed.” He said, then gave me his business card, which indicated that he was involved in General Supplies. His name was Mike.

NEW FRIEND

“Can I see you next week we discuss something?” he asked. I accepted. How could I have said no when my throat had been smoothened?

I arrived home late that night, and for the first time in recent history, while the head was happy and the body was feeling great, the pocket had not been breached at all. “If this is the life of a headmaster, then I want it,” I said to myself.

I arrived home to find Fiolina having prepared a sumptuous meal for me. We went to bed straight, and given how jovial she was, one could not believe that we hadn’t talked for weeks. For obvious reasons, we woke up late the next day. Very late.

My father called me to his house. He was quite happy to hear that I was the HM and took an hour advising me. I listened to him keenly, even though I couldn’t implement some of the things he was saying as they were outdated.

I was in school early last Monday, and although the urge to make changes was strong, I listened to Pius who had advised me to go slow, until when I am formally appointed. To everyone’s surprise, I appointed Mrs Atika the acting deputy HM. Mrs Atika is the oldest teacher around, just a few years to retirement and was never interested in any promotions – something she told everyone. All I wanted was for all the other teachers to do everything to impress me to be considered when I am confirmed. I visited the County Education office several times but did not get to see the County Director of Education as she was not in.

On Thursday, Mike came to see me. He told me that he supplies books and examination papers to schools and he also does construction. He gave me two 2017 wall calendars and three notebooks. What a great man.

“Bwana HM you need a better phone,” he said when he saw my phone. “Tukifanya kazi vizuri this year I will get you a phone.”

Come Friday, Mr Juma, a former deputy of this school and now HM of a neighbouring school, came to see me at school. “You will need to go to Nairobi if you want to get this job,” he said. I told him that decision lay with Madam Jane, the County Director of Education.

“Wacha ujinga Dre,” he said, “Bensouda has been in Nairobi since Monday,” he said. “You think if she comes back you will be safe?” I did not need a calculator to know that I wouldn’t be safe.

He gave me a contact of a person at TSC and at the Ministry. I called them and they agreed that we meet on Tuesday. I did not have bus fare but Juma told me he would find a way of assisting me. That evening I received Sh3,500 from an unknown number. I then received a call. It was Mike, the general supplies man.

“That is your fare to Nairobi as discussed with Juma. Sh1,500 ni loan, hiyo ingine nimekusaidia kama rafiki,” he said. Nairobi here I come this week. I will do everything to be confirmed.