STAFFROOM DIARY: Why I want Fiolina to resign

When I allowed Fiolina, the beautiful laugh of my enviable life, to teach at Sharp Shooter Academy and stay at the county headquarters far from me my only fear at the time was one: that since she is a stunning beauty, a lot of men, led by Mr Maina, the chairman of Team Mafisi, would be on her case.

Given the way I adore my wife, I did not want another man to even attempt to woo her. That’s why I put in place measures to ensure this did not happen.

First I found for her a house that was far from school so that the other staffroom members, or Mr Maina, could not easily find out where she stayed. Secondly, I ensured that every teacher in Sharp Shooter knew that Fiolina was taken. This I did by visiting the school frequently, and holding Fiolina’s hand at any opportune moment.

The third thing I did was to make random impromptu visits. I still do them. On any day, I would pop into the school or into Fiolina’s house – it is actually my house since I pay rent – unannounced. Lastly, unknown to her, the watchman of the plot she stays in is a neighbour to the brother-in-law of my cousin. Part of his job is to keep an eye on Fiolina and report any suspicious activity, in the form of un-authorised men visiting. None has been breached so far.

I was therefore confident to let Fiolina offer her services at the school. I did not know that I would have other issues to fight over. If you remember, at the beginning of the term, I surveyed the school to find out whether they could afford to pay my wife well and consistently. And although Mr Maina refused to reveal how much he would pay my wife, he assured me that he would pay well and on time.

 It is with that assurance that I borrowed some money somewhere, which I used to get a house for Fiolina, buy a few household stuff and settle her. I was always expecting that by the end of May, Fiolina would have been paid to allow me refund the debt.

But by last Monday, she had not been paid. I was waiting for her to be paid so that I could visit to help her draw a budget for the money. About two weeks ago, her landlord called me demanding rent and I was forced to borrow some money from Lutta, our resident shylock to pay. I was comforted by the knowledge that Fiolina would refund me as soon as Mr Maina paid her.

When no payment had come through by last Wednesday, I could not take it anymore and that afternoon, I took a Msamaria Mwema to town. I walked straight to the school and was lucky to find Fiolina in school, marking books. She was quite happy to see me. Fortunately Mr Maina was not in school. I would have confronted him.

Shortly after I arrived, we leisurely walked from school, romantically holding hands until past the school gate. We passed by the supermarket where I did some shopping for the house. I also took a kilo of matumbo. Fiolina prepared supper early and we went to bed early. We woke up late, for obvious reasons and went to school immediately. As Fiolina went to class, I took time to find out if other teachers had been paid.

“The last time I was paid was February,” said Claratina, one of the teachers. “Even that February I was not paid in full.”

“I was last paid in March. This school has money but Maina does not pay us,” said Awinja, another colleague of Fiolina’s.

“We even do not have chalk to teach?” Claratina added.

“Fiolina is lucky she has a rich and loving husband to take care of her,” joined Awinja. “Some of us have survived through God’s mercy.” Another male teacher also came in, who told me he was just passing time as he looked for something else to do. Maina had not paid him for a long time.

Mr Maina arrived shortly after 9 am. I went to his office but the secretary told me to wait as he was busy. I suspected he knew why I wanted to see him. At 11.30 am I could not take it anymore. I ignored the secretary and walked straight to his office.

“Dre this is not a toilet that you walk into anyhow,” he said. “This is a private office that you only come in when I have allowed you to.”

“I know but I have other things to do,” I said.

“Why do you want to see me?” he asked.

“You are neither a parent nor a staff member. I prioritise parents, teachers and students in that order.”

“Why haven’t you paid my wife and it is mid month?” I asked.

“You are asking this as who?” he said. “I have no contract with you and you have no idea whether I have paid or not,” he answered harshly.

“I have paid your wife you good for nothing teacher,” he said. “If your wife lied to you about her names and certificates, do you expect her to tell you the truth about her salary?” he posed.

“The point is that you haven’t paid her plus all these other teacher since March!”

“Who are you to talk on their behalf? Are you their Atwoli? Are you even Sossion? When were the elections done?” he was visible exasperated.

“I know but I am just asking for their rights,” I said. By then we were shouting and had attracted the attention of the teachers in the nearby staffroom.

“This is a private property and unless you leave, I will call the police to arrest you for causing disturbance,” he said. I calmed down.

“And I can still call the county education offices to find out what you are doing in a private school when you should be in your pathetic public school.”

“Call them!” I dared him as I knew he could not.

One of the teachers came in and we calmed down. I left the school before lunch and went to the house to wait for Fiolina. She came in late that evening and when I told her that she needed to resign immediately from Sharp Shooter Academy she refused.

“People haven’t been paid for over six months and we are complaining for just one month,” she said resignedly.  “Let us see how this month and next month go then we see what to do.”

“How will you survive without money?”  I asked her.

“Let me know if you can’t take care of me. There are so many people ready to take care of me,” she said. That hurt me so much. The next morning I embarked on the journey back to Mwisho wa Lami, I resolved that Fiolina must leave that joke of a school by the end of this month.

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