Why I don’t want Mr Kuya to come back to school

You will all remember last term when Kuya, in eagerness to catch me offguard, stepped into a hole as he disembarked from his motorcycle, twisting his ankle. Though it looked like a small injury, it was a serious one as he had broken one of his soft tendons.

Before he went to Kakamega General Hospital, you will remember the first aid that was administered to him by Nurse Mildred, which involved him being given some Actals and malaria tablets. At Kakamega General Hospital, he was advised to stay away from school for a long time.

“I have been told to be patient, muscles take time to heal,” he told me when we met at Hitler’s the first week of this term. Usually, Nyayo would carry him to Hitler’s and pick him up later.

“Why would you be drinking when you are sick?” I asked him, wondering if he wouldn’t get drunk and injure himself more.

“There is no risk,” he said. “The injured leg is protected by the plaster while my mind is intact, if not better that it was before.” He went on: “Besides, I know myself very well and can’t drink beyond my capacity.” 

Even then, he was asking a lot about the school and I deliberately limited whatever I told him. Saphire told him a lot, but since he is rarely at school, that a lot was quite little.

When the new term began, as Bensouda had directed last term, Alex was firmly the one running the school. I, in my contribution to humanity and World Piece, decided not to fight him — to let him run the school without any interference. In any case, I did not even have the time as I had enough issues to resolve with my wife, particularly how we would get money to repay the loan we had taken.

Aware that he would run the school without me disturbing him, Alex decided to give me freedom. He allowed me to travel to Kakamega and sort the rental issue I had, and even though I did not return on the appointed day, he did not quarrel me.

When I reported back to school last Monday, I went straight to class eight to start making up for all the missed lessons. As soon as Alex arrived at school, I went to his office to pledge my loyalty to him.

“How is Kakamega?” He asked.

I said everything was okay even though I had not completed sorting out all the issues. I even requested three more days.

All was going well until I heard a motorcycle approach the school. I knew it was Bensouda arriving, but as it moved closer, I needed no calculator to know it was Kuya’s. It was rickety, and made all manner of noise.

It was Kuya, and he was being carried by Nyayo. He had no plaster, but the injured leg was in slippers, revealing long and unkempt toe nails. 

“How is everything here?” he asked as he entered the staffroom.

“Dre, the school doesn’t look clean,” he started, asking me. “Did we really maintain the cleaning regime that I had put in place? There are leaves all over the school compound and the staffroom floor seems to have been cleaned in a hurry. Who is the teacher on duty?”

I told him to ask Alex, who told him it was Mrs Atika.

“Dre, it is mean that you cannot handle Mrs Atika because she is older than you.”

Next, he was studying the school timetable.

“Who drew this new timetable?” He asked. “Dre, you must have drawn it in a hurry, or someone influenced you. You are lucky that I am indisposed, such a timetable would never have been allowed had I been here.”

“Teachers are happy with the timetable,” said Alex.

“I haven’t asked you Alex,” said Kuya. “Just concentrate on your work of teaching and let Dre and I deal with this sensitive matter.”

He picked an exercise book from a heap that was being marked.

“Jesus, who teaches mathematics in class eight? When will the syllabus be completed? When they are still on class 7 work? How can we expect good KCPE results with such?” He asked.

I did not answer him.

A few minutes later, Mrs Atika entered the staffroom.

“How have you been Mrs Atika?” asked Kuya, and immediately complained how dirty the school was

“Who teaches mathematics in class eight?” Kuya asked.

Mrs Atika said she handles the subject but she is not the teacher responsible.

“We have a shortage of teachers and I just stepped in to assist. I can’t be blamed for them being behind,” she said.

“Dre, these are not the excuses that will make this school fail KCPE.”

He said we could not be entertaining such excuses, adding that he was disappointment with my leadership.

“If you have any problem with this, please talk to Alex, not Dre,” said Mrs Atika.

“Why not? Isn’t Dre the deputy?” he asked.

Mrs Atika agreed with him, but added that Bensouda had left Alex in charge instead.

That was the end of the quarrel. In fact, Kuya praised Alex for some of the changes he had instituted, saying the school was headed places.

I needed no calculator to know that Kuya had no problem with the office of the deputy; he had a problem with me. I hope his leg doesn’t get better soon. He should stay away from school for long!

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