By Tongola Mate via fb
Back in 2002. I met face to face with Nyayo. He was visiting Sabatia, the home of the shortest-serving Vice President in Kenyan history Musalia Mudavadi.
Being the Editor in Chief of the School Magazine, I was called to the Staff Room and briefed that Nyayo would be passing by.
It was on a Tuesday. 10 am, the convoy passed. He was not the one! It was Madvd, son of Senior Moses Mudavadi who to date is remembered as the only Kenyan politician who never took oaths of office being a staunch quaker.
A few minutes later, we were informed by the local chief that Nyayo had reached Mbale Market and we should re-group to receive him. We did.
Shoes sparkling, socks pulled to the inner thighs, borrowed ties and combed hair. We danced the already week-long rehearsed songs in praise of M1.
Our headteacher had asked us not to let him go without dishing out notes. We obliged. The deal was to dance, with Tongola Mate being the soloist, while approaching the limo in a curve. We did exactly that and he disappeared into his Mercedes Benz W100 Pullman Limousine. Serpent black in color. No! it was dark blue. Just remembered.
He emerged and handed me the cash. It was Ksh 20,000 but in 500 denominations.
We let him go.
It took us 3 days to reach a consensus on what we were to do with the cash. Some suggested that we buy a bull to slaughter, others wanted a school bus…lol with 20k?
Well, I was in the committee that landed on a perfect idea that pleased all.
What followed for the next two days was parte after parte. Sema vijana kula mikate!
I later met Mzee on the 24th day of February 2012 at the late Njenga Karume’s palatial home. I was with Mwalimu Frank Otieno and we waved, he waved back.
Long live Mzee!
