Читать книгу Limping to live - David Nganga - Страница 5

Chapter two

College and work

After I finished my final paper, we took pictures together with my Form Four class mates, which now remain a constant reminder of how destiny is so unpredictable. Life took such a turn I couldn’t comprehend. That first year of 1983 I embarked on helping my parents at home and my grandparents in Nairobi. I wanted to join college and study law but when the results came, I did not attain the requisite marks. So I looked for a Teachers College, but there was no intake at the time .Eventually I decided to study Mechanic. I joined a college in Nairobi after consultation with my sister’s husband who was working with the Ministry of Public Works. She promised to help me get a job after graduating.

That year, I followed the political developments in the country with keen interest and I used to borrow the daily newspapers from a vender every time I took the milk to the dairy. There was this news about the ruling KANU Party fighting for a repeal of section 2a of the Constitution and make Kenya a de facto one party state .Though the plan succeeded it was amidst much resistance from the Western countries and the United States . This year the traitor issue was spreading like wild fire. It was being bandied around that someone was being groomed by Western powers to take over the government through illegal means. Thereafter the former powerful constitutional affairs Minister, Charles Njonjo was implicated and subsequently demoted. By that time Moi was so powerful and was cracking down on anybody opposed to his ideas and directives. He surrounded himself with loyalists from his tribe.

In 1984 there was great famine and recession around the world .Here in Kenya especially in the rural areas people and animals were dying. This forced the government to order the importation of the much discredited yellow maize. This maize flour used to be cooked during the night because it was so unfamiliarly yellowish that children refused to eat it. I was compelled to stay at my grandfather`s place in Nairobi`s Kahawa West while in college because the fare was affordable. I went home on the weekends. I used to help my auntie to prepare local brew which she used to sell on wholesale in Nairobi. Together with my cousin Nicholas with whom we had finished school at the same time, we woke up at 4 am and by 7 am go to college. My auntie was generous as sometimes she would help me with fare. My elder sisters Njeri and Roise were by then married and my two brothers were joining Secondary School ; it was a herculean task for my father to raise fees since nothing was coming from the farm .I finished college and graduated with grade two . I continued to help my auntie and my grandfather who was putting up rental houses. Meanwhile I was searching for a mechanic job.

I begin to work

My auntie`s business expanded. She asked us to join her. Money was tempting. Corruption was at its highest in the government and private sector. With a few notes the police were able to allow anything illegal to continue. I started making money through sale of illicit brew during the night and going to a nearby garage during the day. After some time I stopped going to garage and started working as a subordinate in a British Army camp in Kahawa West .My life was good since I was earning enough money to go dancing, see movies visit friends , try beer and girls We even bought a second hard car and started to transport the illicit brew in large quantities . I remember one day while I was on the way ,ferrying the commodity to Kibra slum near Nairobi city ,we were intercepted by a traffic police van .After enquiring what was inside the boot of the car ,a buyer by the name Omondi told them that there was no need to check because the car was full. One of them entered inside the car and we drove off as the money exchanged hands… we were thus escorted by a police car to our destination.

There were many opportunities at the time but only for the few who were ready to bribe. Corruption ravaged the country mercilessly and the economy took a downward trend, sending the inflation index sky rocketing.

On the political scene, the ruling party KANU grew stronger, monopolizing every sector and politics in the country .My grandfather used to advice us to be patience and responsible .He always reminded us how he was left alone immediately after he was born, and how even he had suckled his dead mother three days before he was discovered and taken by a good Samaritan who raised him. After he became a young boy he used to take care of other peoples cattle and goats; he was never able to go to school.

At this time he was the chairman of a land buying Company and owned plots and properties in Githurai. My grandmother used to sell porridge and farm products until she started feeling unwell and passed away in 1997, leaving behind two sons and four daughters. In 1997, we started to excavate building stones as the business of selling brew was hampered by constant police bribery and harassment. However this business did not flourish and I decided to look for a job. As I watched the 1997 All Africa Games in the newly built Moi International Sports Complex I contemplated joining my sister in my home town Githunguri , where he was working in a Government ministry and ask her to help me find a job.

The country was in an electioneering fever.Politics took centre stage. Kanu the only party used its strength in parliament to change electoral laws resulting in the infamous Mlolongo(queue voting) general election of 1988 that unceremoniously damped all politicians thought to be opposed to the KANU rule . This made many politicians to abandon the ruling party and become fugitives while others calling themselves the young Turks led by Paul Muite,Raila Odinga,James Orengo,Kenneth Matiba and others started calling and agitating for a review of constitution to make Kenya a multi party state . The wind of change was then sweeping across Africa spearheaded by United States and Europe. The objective was to spread democracy around the world and remove dictatorship among nations thought to be authoritarian. Sitting in a bus with a copy of Beyond magazine, which was then a banned publication because of boldly exposing malpractices and corruption, I contemplated what the future holds for me and the challenges I would encounter in Githunguri and the experience of working near home. I got a job of selling meat at a restaurant, with the help of my sister .Working for only three months I was asked by the owner who was impressed by my intelligence and hard work to be the manager of the hotel.

Dealing with customers and daily selling and buying was indeed real business. I got experience in a sector that is important. I used to stay within the premises where I worked. I was visited by my brothers and my village buddies like George who was my best friend. He later became long time helper during my years fighting with physical handicap. Even when I became immobile he was always there for me. My parents also came when they visited the market every week .

The town which was the economic centre in the area has much business potential. Many travelers visited there and started small businesses that flourished.

After two years I asked my father to lend me some money. I went every week to Nairobi to buy clothes and sell them with a small profit. Soon I discovered the business was not doing well and I sold it and went back to work in another restaurant.

In 1990 there was political crisis in the country with many opposition politicians calling for a review of Section 2a of the Constitution that made Kenya a single party system. Two politicians, Kenneth Matiba and Charles Rubia boldly called a press conference and issued an ultimatum to the government to change the clause and allow multi party democracy in Kenya. They also demanded for a snap general election and the release of all political prisoners .The government responded by swiftly detaining them .What happened next signified the birth of democracy in Kenya. All the people went to the streets flashing two finger salute (sign of victory) and calling for their release .The country was in chaos and many people died as the president give a shoot to kill order .The opposition led by Oginga Ondiga mobilized Kenyans to resist the move .It was in that year also that a former Minister,Dr Robert Ouko was assassinated .

Events that year created an atmosphere of a new political dispensation in Kenya. The government gave in to pressure and allowed new parties to be formed, giving way to multi party democracy. For the second time in the country, several parties were formed but the prominent one was FORD comprising all the opposition politicians led by the late Oginga Ondiga . The agenda was to call for the release of all political prisoners including Mr Kenneth Matiba and Charles Rubia, review the constitution and call for fresh general elections.

I continued to work in a restaurant, meanwhile contemplating to find some way to join college and study law which I liked a lot. This however turned out to be impossible since all my brothers were in High school and my father had just retired.

Proposal for marriage

Struggling is the real meaning of life. As the years of youth passed by my hope and determination for the future grew. I recall once sitting inside a police canteen watching a football match in the company of my girl friend .It was the 1990 World Cup in Italy and the Azzuri were playing Brazil. I asked my fiancée if I could marry her. She was then eighteen and we had dated for one year. She advised me to be a little bit patient. I was then twenty four. I went home feeling disappointed; my Italian team lost the semi- final and my chance to be a husband, dashed.