Monday, October 26, 2009

Human or Animal

There seems to be a shortage of women in the country men have resorted to screwing goats and having kids with them. If this is so right in their eyes, why can't they come out and claim paternity so save us all the trouble of wishing we knew who had done such an unspeakable act.

Can DNA prove who is the father to the goat-kid?

And what is the world coming to? Is it that goats are timid so it reminds men that they can do the unnatural to them? Or was it a case of '2 consenting adults' so it is ok.

Will the real man please stand up!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

TORTURE

I wonder what goes on through a parent's mind when they beat a 4 year old senseless, leaving them with scars that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Watching KTN news yesterday, seeing the cuts on the young lad's back, swollen eye such that he couldn't even open the bleeding eye, all because of a book. Is is frustration that leads them to do that? There is no money for food and a kid comes home without a book that must be bought using the money that is already not there.........

Its a sad, sad world out there.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Pangani Girls, no thank you

Not to discredit anyone who went to Pangani Girls, but a lot of questions run through my mind right now. From the stories I had yesterday, I do not think I would want my daughter to go to this school, as good as it is. I will pay for a private school for my girl.

I visited my brother's wife and she was claiming how tired she was, Monday had been hell for her as she had taken her daughter back to school after her 'suspension' for the fourth time in 2 months. Every suspension is not less than a week, and the girl has only been in school for two weeks in the last 2 months, the rest she has been suspended, staying at home, poring over books, watching telly, eating and sleeping. Her 'sin', she lied to her matron and the matron reported her to the head teacher who told her to pack and leave the premises.

Apparently, in Pangani, what you do during the holidays does not stay at home when you resume your classes, it follows you to the day you do your last paper and bid goodbye to the school. I'll try to narrate in brief what happened.

My niece reported back to class at the beginning of September. She decided to go to her best friend's dom to catch up on what they both did during the holidays. I think the excitement was too much she lost track of time. This happened after preps. When the students were making noise in the dorms, an alert was sent out as the head teacher had to leave her house to go see what the commotion was all about. She checked around was assured by the matron that all was well. By this time, the matron already knew that the girl was missing from her dorm. When the girl came back she gave a cock and bull story of how she was looking for her bucket. Of course you cannot look for a bucket for one and a half hours. She thought the matron bought her story so she slept and woke up as usual on the second day. Life was back to normal for her. The day ended well and she went to sleep and woke up on day three. She got called from the class to go face the disciplinary committee. The matron had mentioned to the head teacher what had transpired three days back and she was called to go do some explaining. Of course being the cheeky girl that she was, she went over the bucket story again. She got questioned and she insisted, the bucket story stays till she dies.

What does the headteacher do? Sends her home to go think of everything she did over the holidays and come and tell the disciplinary committee.

What caused all these? Her best friend had been called and she told the panel what they had discussed. Their boyfriends, the places the visited, who they met, when and where, what they did, what they wore, basically, EVERYTHING. So they wanted her to just confirm what they had been told, she refused. Girl gets home and parents want to know what happened. Same story sticks. The parents wonder why a girl can be sent home because of a bucket story. Luckily, one of the girls aunties is a teacher at the school. So she calls the sister and explains to her everything and tells them to ask the girl to tell them the truth. This time round she does, or so they think. After the suspension week ends, they take the girl to school. Same panel. She tells them what they had discussed and all, the nitty grittys. Is that all? Yes. No there is still something you are not telling us.

Now what? Both parents have taken a day off to take the girl back to school. They too are employed just like the teachers. Guess what, the girl is sent back home with the parents, again. WTF???? Thi is the short for Wed, Thur and Fri, in case you are wondering. If they thought this was over, they gatta get back to the drawing board again. The issue? The girls had a sleep over at their step mother, and they went to Carnivore. Yes that's it. And that's all the girl did not mention to the panel. Her best friend had, and since she omited that part, she starts another week as suspended, until the day she will say the truth. Now, the parents do not know this, and they cannot believe that in one of the sleep overs, they under 17 girls had been let out at 10pm to go to Carni on their own. These are two 16 years old girls and two 15 years old girls. In Carnivore. Alone. One of the girls is the step mother's daughter. She's damn lucky she schools in Machakos.

Anyways, the girl has to wait for a week before she goes back to school, yet again. The mother calls the step mom and questions her. She denies it all. But its because the girls said that they had gone with one of their aunties who at this point is unreachable on phone. The step mom 'promises' to investigate and get back to them. They must have sneaked out when she went to bed as she normally goes to bed at 2100hrs. Well enough. I believe you. This is before the parents had been told the truth. So they ask the girl how they went and she claimed that they went with the other older girl who's in campus. But who gave them the authority to go to Carnivore and what time did they go and come back? She says they went at 10 and were back by midnight. Two hours is not bad at all but these are my kids.

The beauty of all is that the sister to this girl is in form one at the same school. So next victim, the sister, an innocent 14 years old girl. Well, call her from class and explain her escapades over the holidays. In the meantime, the sister is at home, waiting for her probation to end before she is called back to go through the same harrowing experience infront of the disciplinary commitee.

Being the innocent girl that she is, she spills ALL the beans. But I wonder how teachers in such a national school can be so petty. The beans weren't juicy after all. They must have been so disappointed. The Carni trip started at 10pm after step mom called a cab for them. They left Carni at 0600hrs. When the mom found out and called the step mom, she is yet to pick a call from them or respond the any texts sent to her. The 'hubby' is likewise dumbfounded as he had protected 'mama mdogo', that she cannot do such a thing. Thanks to the little girl, it all came to light now. Now, the two dames aren't talking. First, how can you let my kids that I trusted you to look after leave your house at 2000hrs, to go to a night spot (she has a daughter who's 15), anywhere?

Isn't that too young? I would be upset myself. Very upset I think I'd ban her from talking to any of my kids. And lie about it. Apparently she had promised the girls that if they were ever busted she would deny!!!!! And she does keep her promises, she should be an MP.

Now parents sat down the older girl to ask about all the details they had gathered. Only then did she tell the truth and also mentioned the part that if they were ever found to have gone to a night spot at night, they were on their own. Some parents! NKT.

Back to Pango. Why would a teacher in such a prestigious school resort to such methods of discipline? Rumor has it that she does that so that parents can transfer their kids from that school so that the waitlists can come down! How unfair can one be. Yes, the girls erred in lying to their parents and teachers but to send them home for 3 weeks until they get what they want. Isn't that just a waste of parent's time and money. You are paying for a service that you are not getting. And as for mama mdogo, she needs talking to.

Another issue that came up is that when you school in Pango, you do not say where you live, apparently if you live the leafys you get victimised as you do not get to work hard enough like your sisters in the 'unleafy' surburbs. Now what give anyone that impression? And a teacher who has been in the same school for the last 40 years. Victimization I tell you, and woe unto you if your parents have 'good' jobs, it becomes worse. You become the SI unit of strikes. Anything goes wrong, its you. Some students have said no and decided to quit, going to better private schools, but how many parents are rich enough to afford that? To me, this woman is going too far. She made one of our prominent MPs sue her personally (not the school), for always picking on the daughter. How can one girl burn a dormitory. And despite her alibi, she still went through the same experience making the father go to court. How can a teacher tell a student in front of her mother that if they loved her and with all the money they had, they would have taken her to a private, not a public school. And this is an A student. This is said without the slightest feelings, you would think that she was born like that.

Do you know the reason for all this? Strathmore. Yes, Strathmore. That the kids are so disciplined and they carry themselves with airs that you would want to see in your students in school and kids back home. They behave themselves in and out of school. Imagine one of the teachers from Pangani died and since her village is next to ours, my niece could not go for the funeral but chose to stand and watch from afar lest she is punished when she goes back to school for not wearing what is appropriate while she is on holiday.

To end it all, the girl was taken back to school on Monday and is now back at her desk after repeating the same same story that the disciplinary committee had heard over and over again from one of the girls who had told the truth the first time.

Pangani?

Monday, October 12, 2009

Eastlands

Yesterday I woke up early to go to church, as has been the tradtion for the last few months. I now feel quite naked if I do not do church on Sundays. I love praise and worship though yesterday I was late as I found water baptism just ended. I love watching those hydrophobic dudes and ladies and say a loud 'Hallelluhyia' as I know I am not alone. My fear for water hasn't improved, I still get the jitters thinking of a pool.

Later in the early afternoon I decided to chill with my son and watch some comedies I bought him. The boy is not into 'white kids' comedies unless they are acted by black kids. I dont know what he thinks the white kids are. Strange but true. I don't know what goes on through his mind when he watches comedies. Anyway, I decide to make him 'chakula', as he calls rice. He believe anything that is not rice is not 'chakula'. Weaning him off this has been the hardest thing since getting him off breast milk. I just can't get him to eat anything else. So I have to have a permanent supply of rice, and oh, chapati! He has sure started early.

After he finished eating his 'chakula', I get a call from a pal to go eat out and knowing my love for food I couldn't say no and off we went. Some joint along Outering Road in Embakasi, or is it near Pipeline. It must be more of pipeline. I enjoy my meat as usual and roast chicken. My son is not one to enjoy meat and I noticed he took piece after piece of meat and only later on did I realise why. The salt! Damn boy, I put a pinch of salt in his food and he must have discovered what he has been missing all his 3 years and 331 days he has lived on this earth. I had to stop him but then he stopped eating. Kids!

I used Outering road towards Donholm and hasn't the place changed. Some 6 or 7 years back there used to be an estate called Tassia and there was a field such that from the road I could see my house, whatever happened to that estate. And you could not build a house that was more than a storey high, now its all clogged up with uneven ugly dark corridored flats. It is so damn dirty and smelly. Whatever happened to the rules then. Or the town clerk. There's a Secondary school though I wonder if there are teachers, in a block of flats. I hate the way this country is being run to the ground. Its like there is a competition for the biggest grabber.

Anyway, I drive down Jogoo Road and go past the Total Petrol Station just next to Uhuru Market. Those days you could watch 6 movies for the price of 1, and they were all porn. There was once a huge field and the building was visible from the road, not any more. The same ugly dark corridored flats litter the ground. This used to be such a nice place to just walk and shop for groceries and second hand clothes and shoes. Its was so clean as compared to now. It is so run down it pains.

After a disappointing afternoon I retire home to have a siesta. I plan to go back soon and just take down notes of what is so wrong about the place. I cant even say how the estate I grew up in looks now. I cant even walk during the day but I will so day.

Soon

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Day one of school

On arrival in school that Monday morning, the gate is closed and the security guard tells us that the school is to be opened the next day. This is after being in communication with the teacher the whole of December and Jan 2nd.

On calling her the answer is simple, 'I could have forgotten to mention that only the teachers were coming on Monday and the kids on Tuesday.' ARRRRGGGGHHHH! Did I look like a teacher?

I drive back home but the powers that be will not take it lightly. I think next time I should reconfirm if EVERYONE is opening on Monday. I wonder how some minds reason, but hey, could be what makes them who they are, right.

Ok, so its next morning again on the road.......I kinda like driving to Westlands, the traffic is so flowing I could zigzag on the road without a care in the world, only I can't do it.

Day one is school is uneventful, toto looks happy to be with other kids and he bonds and blends nicely. The school transport is late in dropping him, apparently there's a snarl-up on Mbagathi and the dere cant overlap.........blaaaa blaaaa blaaaa. The toi is so exhausted when he gets home that after a shower he cannot even talk, just dozes off after a quick snack.

Day 3 is ok though the boy starts acting up. He doesn't want to go to school...... Did I speak too soon? Well, I just dance to his tune but I know how to handle him, manage to carry him down to the van. On depositing him in it, its drama again, he either wants me in it our with him, outside. I try to convince him how nice the other kids are and will be nice to him but he doesn't seem convinced. They drive off but I know he will not cry as he cannot do that in front of other kids, PRIDE.

Day 4, which is a Friday is the hardest days of all. He will not even look at his school shirt, he wants to wear his red t-shirt and wont wear his shoes either! Damn! What to do. Daddy comes to pick him up and he still is not happy. In the car he looks at me with those 'woiye' eyes I want to cry but he has to go to school.

15 mins later daddy calls..... the boy is hysterical. He doesn't want to go to class and is just screaming at the top of his lungs. So? Mummy comes to the rescue. My assurance that he'll be fine doesn't do much to calm both nerves. Men! Arrrrgggghhhhh!

Solution...call teacher Mary to come pick him from the car and he goes about screaming and daddy is lost. Teacher says that he only cried for a short while coz daddy was there and when in class he's a perfect gentleman. I find that hard to believe. Not the toi I know. But was not an eventful week as such. And he looks cute in uniform.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Its a new year

The year started quite well for me, I can't complain. What with my dearest starting school. Having looked for a school for a better part of the last part of last year (if that makes sense at all), I decided to settle for Jonathan Gloag which is on my way to work so would just drop him off. Shock on me.

I took the toi for an interview in November, just two days after his 3rd birthday (apparently they do not take tois who are not yet 3), you'll have to ngoja until they fika that age. At the interview room, he decided he only wanted to play with the toys available there, he didn't care about anything else.

We were told to wait outside for a while so I decided to take a walk round the school. On seeing the play ground, the young man decided that would be his home for the rest of the day. Nothing I did or said could make him budge. After begging, babying, cuddling, he finally agreed to leave the compound. I don't know if the idea of watching cartoons the whole day appealed to him, but it did work.

Two weeks later I get a text from the school that he did not get a place. Panic settled in and since it was the last option, I just did not have a plan F. Having chujad all the other schools, I had nowhere else to turn. Think hard and fast. What to do. I called the school asking for the reason why and I didn't quite place it. They said that due to very high demand, they had decided to now look at the kids' ages. The last kid taken was turning three and a half in January 09. My son would only be three and one month. I wanted to cry coz now what was I going to do. Having everything left for me to work out, I was out of options.

Well, I was advised that if I wanted to, I could take him mid year! To join them that had been in class from Jan or what? I didn't quite understand. Well, shit happens.

I spent a better part of the morning calling kindergartens, nurseries that I thot were 'good' or 'up to good schools' standards' and ended up calling Strathmore school, just to check. We'', I'm so green in kiddos schools they told me they only take kids from 7 years of age and not just from any school. They gave me three schools to call and I settled on one that I'd been advised by my good buddies.

Clearly this school issue is a bizna that's doing so well I will start one myself. I know I won't go wrong. I called the school and got an appointment and went to see the teacher who just asked for cash and all is set. I took the docs to the relevant authorities who claimed it was expensive. Duh! If you don't pay then I will. A good foundation is a must.

Well, come end Jan I go shopping for his uniform (yes, they do wear) and one look of himself in uniform and he refused to leave the changing room. Drama before he starts school. I undress him and once he's back in his 'kawa' clothes he leaves the changing room. So relieved.

We wait for Jan for him to start school.