Sister-in-Campus 16

A

 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!”