When I was given a Show Cause letter, I was not suspended as HM, nor was I asked to step aside pending investigations. Yes, I was upset, and I did not go to school for a few days for I could not understand why a hard-working teacher like me would be asked to show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against me.
I only returned to school on the day we received the sad announcement of the passing of the late Right Honourable Raila Amolo Odinga. I went there to close the school to allow the students to go home and join others in mourning.
Later on, as part of my mourning and in honour of Raila Odinga, I made a conscious decision to forgive anyone who had tormented me socially — but more specifically, at work. I did not just say it here — I actually wrote a letter to Saphire, Kuya, and Lena (her bad hair in tow), informing them that I had forgiven them, and asking each of them to make some time so that we could meet and forgive each other physically. Only Lena, still with her bad hair, responded. In her response, she said that she is a God-fearing, prayerful woman who holds no grudge against me.
“You do not need to seek any forgiveness from me. I have forgiven you — even for your future transgressions. So don’t worry.”
On Tuesday, a day after Mashujaa Day, I went to school. Under normal circumstances, I would have been among the first to arrive. But the letter I received has taught me not to invest too much in the school anymore.
I arrived at around 10am. There was no teacher in the staffroom. Interestingly, my office was open, so I entered and sat down. It was clear someone had been using it, but I raised no issue — I’ve always allowed teachers to use my office if they have something private they want to discuss.
It was a slow day. We were all still trying to come to terms with Agwambo’s death. I left the school at around 12.30pm, just before lunch, because I didn’t want people accusing me of coming only for lunch — which, as you all know, is not true. Come Wednesday, I felt that my heart was in the right place. I had forgiven the three teachers at school, and although only one had responded, I did not care about the others. I had forgiven them — the onus was on them to forgive me as well.
As for TSC, I had made a general, blanket statement of forgiveness. I didn’t mention any particular office, but I wanted the entire TSC to know that I had, on behalf of all suffering teachers, forgiven them.
As I approached the school, something told me all was not well. The students were making noise, and when I went to the staffroom, there was nobody. But I could see one bicycle and two motorcycles parked — meaning the teachers had arrived but were just not in the staffroom. I went from classroom to classroom to quiet the students. It’s when I entered one of the classrooms that I saw people seated under the trees next to the football pitch. When I looked closer, it was the Mwisho wa Lami teachers.
“We decided to have a staff meeting here,” said Mrs Atika when I approached, “as it’s not as stuffy as the staffroom, and we can have a good discussion in a more conducive environment.”
“But we have a staffroom,” I said. “Are you saying the environment there is not conducive for discussions?”
Kuya answered, “Yes, you are right, the staffroom is fine, but there are people who have made meetings there unpleasant.”
I asked for more details, but Kuya said I was no longer the HM. I protested, reminding him that yes, I had received a Show Cause letter from TSC — but I was fighting back.
“I am still the bona fide, de jure and de facto HM of this school! A staff meeting cannot be held without my authority!”
“Yes, but will the school remain in limbo just because you are brooding at home? The school must run, Dre.”
“You haven’t been in school since last week,” he said. “We can’t just keep this…”
“You haven’t been in school since last week,” he said. “We can’t just keep this school leaderless.”
“Leaderless?” I asked. “You call yourself a leader because you’ve been sitting under a tree? You think because you have a whistle and a big mouth, you are now Headmaster?”
The teachers murmured. You could see they were uncomfortable, except Saphire, who was pretending to write something in a book he had opened upside down.
“It’s not behind your back, as you can see this is in the open for everyone in the world to see” he said, with the arrogance of someone who has smelt power. “We even tried to inform you, but you have not been in school.”
At that point, I took out my phone to check if I had any missed calls or messages from him. There was none. The only message I had was a betting alert from SportPesa and another from Fiolina asking if I’d remembered to iron the shirt she’d need for her women’s group meeting.
“So you didn’t even try,” I said. “You just decided to crown yourself HM?”
He smiled, that irritating Kuya smile that looks like a mixture of pride and confusion. “Someone had to keep the school running,” he said. “We can’t just wait for TSC to decide your fate. Even Baba was replaced with his brother Oburu a day after he left. Why do you want the school to go without a teacher HOI for long?”
“Kuya,” I said slowly, “the last time I checked, it is only TSC that can appoint or remove a Headmaster. Unless they have moved their office to your one-bedroom house behind the market?”
There was laughter from a few teachers, but they quickly stopped when Kuya shot them a look.
Seeing the mood was tense, Saphire tried to speak. “Gentlemen, let us maintain peace. After all, Agwambo’s death should remind us that life is short. We don’t need to fight over small things.”
There was a long silence. Even the wind seemed to pause. The students who had gathered nearby pretended to sweep leaves so they could listen better.
Finally, Kuya stood up. “If you think you can intimidate us with threats, you are wrong,” he said. “The teachers have agreed that until your issue with TSC is resolved, I will act as HM.”
“Then act fast,” I replied. “Because your acting career is about to end as soon as I write my report to the County Director.”
I picked my notebook, wrote a few things (to look official), and walked away — not because I was defeated, but because even Jesus walked away when people started behaving like Pharisees. And with that, I left the compound.
As a Christian, I forgave Kuya. But it looks like I will have to momentarily remove my Christian hat and deal with Kuya circu-phiniously! Kuya will only head this school over my dead body!
