The assembly bell rang at 3 pm. It was a Wednesday and therefore unusual. Lessons had to be adjourned. All students trooped to the assembly ground.
We knew that there must be major news to warrant the assembly. Teachers trooped out of the staffroom in readiness of the Principal's arrival.
After all had assembled, the Principal emerged from the he administration block and walked straight to the podium.
He did not bother with customary greetings.
“I have received a word from the District Commissioner's office to the effect that the Head of State will be visiting this region on Friday. You are therefore required to be at the main junction of the main road so that you can receive the President. Be there from 9am, and be smart,” intoned the no nonsense principal.
When the big day finally came we were happy because we were not supposed to wake up for the usual 5.30 am preps. A mind numbing ritual.
After breakfast we all trooped towards the main junction which is less than a kilometer away.
Soon other schools both primary and secondary joined us.
The official word from our teachers who had joined us was that the president would be there “soon”. “soon” is an ambiguous word as we found out.
As the schools increased so did the restlessness of some of the boys. What with teenage adolescence at its peak.
Therefore, despite girls having been sequestered by their watchful teachers, some boys managed to sneak where the girls were and hold conversations.
As the time moved on so did the sun become uncomfortable. The normal time for tea break beckoned, but we could not move back to school. Our cooks had joined us in the noble task of waiting to clap for the President.
By noon a few had started becoming unruly, we were over 10 high schools anyway.
Some boys mastered the courage to leave the crowd and invade nearby shambas.
The invasion was was not for sport it was to look for sugar cane. They succeeded largely because most of the teachers had become tired and left.
As hunger pangs worked on the student population and so the Provincial Administration was at pains to explain just how soon was soon. We were aware that the President's motorcade is not interrupted by other motorists but we could see ordinary motorists driving both sides of the road.
Some students unable to wait any longer trooped back y to school for lunch. I was one of them. We came back to find students still waiting.
At about 3 pm a government vehicle came and the occupant announced that the president had landed 70 kilometers away and he would stop at various stages “akipokea salamu za wananchi”.
In those days there were no mobile phones and therefore we had to take the crap the government functionary had fed us.
At about 5pm the first signs that the president was really coming emerged. Police officers arrived and started directing vehicles.
We stood attention and grabbed vantage positions. Police vehicles started buzzing past and finally the President's escort vehicles were on the horizon.
The usual push and shove so common with commoners took centre stage .Soon finally was nigh as people ululated for the old man.
He emerged from his limousine while his security men were busy stepping on us.
He greeted a few girls then took a microphone.
In a deep voice he said” ahsanteni sana watu ya hapa. Nimeshukuru kufika hapa kwenyu (loud applause) .
Kama mnavyojua chama cha Kanu ni chama imara. Wanafuzi wote walio hapa mnafaa mjue shule hizi mnasomea zimechengwa na chama ya Kanu. Sina mengi ya kusema saa hii kwa sababu kesho nitaongea mengi katika mkuano kwa staduim”( applause). Ahsanteni sana na mungu awabariki. Ahsanteni mkae vivyo hivyo.”
And with that speech the old man zoomed off. That is how we managed to use our day wisely.
WISELY!
ReplyDelete