Sister-in-Campus 16
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group of students were
chanting some political slogans from Kisii University's town campus through
Mwembe towards the Main campus. The residents of Mwembe didn't take this
peaceful demonstrations lightly. They were likely to metamorphosis into looting
venture since the looters lagged behind like the tail of a dragon that played
behind it as it moved beating and disorienting anything it came across. It was
another season of elections for the student union officials.
Leading this campaign was Galgalo. He
was on the back of a boda boda appearing like he was moving very first but
standing owing to the fact that he stood on the leg rests of the Focin
motorcycle. He was now the cheaf campaigner of Jaymo. Jaymo was in a motorcycle
behind him sandwiched between the rider and Oti who was now his body guard.
Everyone except Jaymo had a t-shirt with Jaymo‟s
portrait on it. Along the minor road off Kilgoris road to the main gate,
vehicles had to stop and give way for the procession.
At the graduation square another crowd
was waiting to be addressed by different candidates. Pk was the Mc there and he
kept the crowds alive with his funny comics as well his ability to mimic
popular politicians. As soon as Joyce saw him she began to walk away towards
her room. Godfrey who was standing next to her was surprised to find himself
alone. He tried to look around for her but he could not figure out where she
was. Just as he was moving about in the crowd he felt someone holding him from
behind. But the person was very strong and he could not be able to turn and see
who it was. Then finally the person relaxes his muscles and started to laugh.
“Jim I didn’t
know you were that strong. I would have hit you hard with my elbow” Godfrey
said when He turned.
“To do what I just did you have to be very
firm otherwise you will risk the consequences of doing it.” Jim said as they embrace
each other.
“Let us move that way I want when this
starts to get a better view of everything” Godfrey said.
“I would have wished to move nearer to
the podium” Jim suggested.
“Let's try and see if we can stand
behind that podium. Am sure that place is much safer than here where we are”
soon they standing just behind where the speakers would be standing as they
addressed the crowds. Just then someone tapped Godfrey softly on his shoulder.
“Praise the Lord Sister Antonice”
Godfrey greeted her as he turned to face her.
“Praise the Lord Brother Godfrey who is
this friend of yours” she answered.
“I am Jim” Jim introduced himself.
“Nice to meet you, you must be his classmate
he told me about I suppose” she went on.
“By the way this is Gabuzela my friend”
she as she turned their attention to a smartly dresses guy sitter next to her.
“Didn't expect to meet you here” Godfrey
said.
“Gabuzela here is vying for Manoti
Hostel and he is just chilling when the time comes he will talk on that
podium”, She answered.
“And you?”
“We just want to know whom we shall be
voting for. Was with Joyce but she left quietly without telling me” Godfrey
said. Just then some elections bouncers told them to sit down somewhere because
were not bouncers to keep standing. They all managed to get somewhere to sit as
the while field kept getting crowded. The back of the podium was slightly
higher which made it very ideal to monitor everything.
“So what were you guys talking about
me?” Jim asked curiously.
“We were having a bible discussion at
the CU and the subject was why betting is not Christian.” Antonice went on.
“We! Is that how you people spill beans
about people?” Jim asked Godfrey.
“Not really, I mentioned you later on
when we were the two of us and I said I would talk to you against betting when
I get time.” Godfrey defended himself.
“Why would you want convince me against
betting if you know very well am the patron here?” Jim asked with hands akimbo.
Godfrey thought for a while and wondered
how he could argue out his point since he had forgotten some of the points he
had got from the controversial discussion.
“My brother just go read Ecclesiates
five somewhere in verse ten. There is a place it says he who loves money will
not be satisfied with money” Antonice said after a short silence.
“Is that all you guys?” Jim was becoming
stubborn.
“Actually somewhere in first Timothy the
sixth chapter also verse ten we are told the love of money is the root of all
evil in fact go read it on your own” Antonice added.
“When you are employed it‟s
a win win whereby your employee wins when you work for them whereas you win
when he pays you but in betting someone or some people somewhere has to loose
so you can win that jack pot hence that is lack of love for your neighbor due
to motivation by greed” Godfrey said after a being quite for a long time.
“It is addictive making it a prison to
those who think that it is a solution to their problems …” Antonice was feeling
like shouting as she said this. Jim was getting upset and for once he hated why
he had provoked them into this kind of discussion.
“Enough of your dare devil stunts guys!”
he shouted till people started to look towards them like they were expecting an
eruption from there. He even stood up and threw his hands in the air.
“Don't come to me for any financial
help. By the way your friend here has been quite all through”
“I am thinking of how to campaign for
myself once I am on that podium” Gabuzela said standing up from where he sat.
Godfrey and Antonice stood up also.
The procession of Jaymo was now
approaching the podium. But then another group descended from Manoti hostels
with a lot of chanting slogans of praise for Titus a second year student doing
Mass Communication. He had rose into fame the day he exposed through the
facebook group for the campus the corruption that goes in the finance docket
when looking for bursaries. Recently posted an audio he had recorded of what
was being done in the exams department when a student went to complain over no
marks in his transcript. He had risked a lot to be even allowed to be a
candidate in the student union election. Just then as he the groups were
approaching the podium a fight started over who was the best leader. It took
the intervention of both Tito and Jaymo to calm the fight. Most of the
supporters of both candidates were drunk and from time to time they would make
unnecessary noise.
Candidates for various posts came to the
podium to speak out their agendas as they were being called out by the MC. A
lot of promises like wifi in the hostels, cultural month instead of cultural
week, better and cheaper meals were some of the most ambiguous promises given
on the podium. Few people cared what was being said till it was time for the
presidential candidates. There were a total five presidential candidates. The
first to given the podium to speak was Konduany, Jaymo's classmate and many
literally thought he was ill advised to run for that seat. Steve a short guy
from coast followed who many thought was better off as a musician. But for
Chebii a law student with pronunciation problems people remained quiet.
Jaymo instead of being left to walk to
the podium he was actually carried by five strong men you would confuse it with
a kidnapping along Machakos country bus. As he began to speak chanting of the
name
“Jaymo! Jaymo!” filled the air even the
madman passing by the road knew for sure someone by the name of Jaymo was
talking. Jaymo talked of how humble his background was and how he was going to
use that as his measure of the privileged in the campus. Soon he was done with
talking and his supporters carried him as they had done initially back to where
he was. As Titus stepped to the podium he was holding the hand of Joyce. While
some cheered him:
“Tito Jicho pevu”, others called him
“Baba yake! Baba yake!” others were left
to laugh.
“Antonice this is going to be
interesting I tell you” Godfrey said as he tapped Antonice on her shoulder. Jim
had left them and disappeared into the noisy crowd while Gabuzela had not
returned to where they were after speaking on the podium.
“I have no idea totally where we are
headed in this ship” Antonice found herself commenting.
“Nitoboe nisitoboe?” he started as the
crowd replied with “Toboa!”
“For those who don‟t
this is a two horse race. Before I say want I say let me expose something here
and online about someone I think you should know” he continued. The MC
interrupted him “Is this a campaign or a jichopevu episode?”
Joyce stepped in front and the crowd
began to chant
“Sister-in-Campus!” but she soldiered on
and started to speak
“As I stand before you here I pregnant
not by my will but it is because I got raped!”
“What!” everyone said in shock.
“The man who stood here before us and
was carried instead of walking sent his friends to my room in the name of
coming to be preached to but instead they took to gang rape me” she went on.
“We are in a campaign her
Sister-in-Campus!” MC said over the microphone again.
“Shut up you rapist! Off course we are
in a campaign against rapists ruling us, the four of you Pk, Galgalo, Joe and
Oti I don’t know who among you is the father. You almost raped me again with my
good friend Stacia last semester towards the end. The fact that you are back
again on Jaymo‟s team proves my point!” she cried as
she leaned on Tito who stood there watching the crowd. Just then Antonice
climbed to the podium and took Joyce, Stacia too joined them and together they
left towards the hostels. Jaymo wanted to speak but the no one would let him
speak. Tito took to speak now his main agenda in the office of the president.
“If you are online please check on our
facebook group for more information on the rape case of our sister Joyce”, he
said as he put back his phone into his pocket.
“When you elect me as your president I
am going to be the voice of the voiceless like Joyce, a bridge between the
students and the administration. That is my agenda” He was done and now left
the podium. Students near the podium took him shoulder high and started to sing
him Ben Githae‟s to the state house
song:
“Ndani,ndaani
to the state house!”
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