Sister-in-Campus 17

D

ebra sat in her house with her father who had paid her an early morning visit. She was sewing some table mats and baby sweaters a thing she liked to do during her free time. It was one her income earning projects even before Daudi abandoned her for some woman in town. She had a lot of talents as well as skills that she had left idle ever since she was married.

“I don't like seeing my daughter suffering like this” her father said as he turned through the pages of the newspaper he had bought.

Daudi was a hard working truck driver for United Millers Ltd a company based in Kisumu that supplied bread in Nyanza, Western and part of Rift Valley. She was a very committed primary teacher just employed into the Teachers Service Commission at Mbale Primary School. Since his income was higher than hers by double and he enjoyed tips and favors from carrying illegal goods and passengers. One day he suggested to her that she should just resign from the job and be a housewife at home a mistake she would live to regret because Daudi later lost his job owing to his bad habits of drinking and loosing focus of his work. Daudi was later reduced to a hand cart pusher and Ngware operator in Kisumu earning about two hundred shillings on a good day. Since then her father would occasionally send Debra money from his business since he loved her a lot.

“But dad you know very well that you convinced to resign my job and be a housewife like mum has been to you.” Debra said sadly.

“My daughter, please forgive me for such a silly mistake I did. Times have really changed in less than a decade ago till I can’t just give old advices without considering their applicability in this current generation.” he said.

“Dad, gone are the days a woman would sit at home and just be housewife and nothing bad happens. Right now you have got to do something like a grocery, chama, uji-nyoyo kioski just to make ends meet.”

“I agree Debra, your mother for instance is now in 3 chamas and she sells matoke from kisii and vihiga at Kibuye market depiste me providing for her as her man”

“Well that is because you have grand children to take care of. So sad we children have left our children to be taken care of by our own parents and the trend is not changing at all. Myself I had sent my two kids home for the holidays.” She shook her head as she said this.

“It is the changing times and we are all caught up in it like an insect in the web of a spider. Can you imagine your mum lost her grade cow to some chama people for allegedly failing to pay their loan on time and they promised to come back for more if she did not do something” Debrah said this sadly almost shedding tears.

“Now we too have to buy milk just like everyone else.”

“How I feel for mum and the way I know her legs have been aching her at times when she overworks herself.”

“I am here to get a solution from you so that we can all raise each other since you realize it is long since I sent you some money” as he said this Debra stopped her sewing and looked at him in disbelief.

“Dad of all people I can hardly make ends meet” she didn’t know what he was up to.

“It’s not the way you think my dear daughter, I know your situation and even remember what you said in your husband’s funeral. But I want us to do something” he explained.

Just then a knock was heard on the door and Petro entered quietly like he had been rained on. He didn’t expect to find Debra in the company of someone that old. He had imagined he would find her alone so that he could talk to her what was in his mind. She was another person that he found easy to talk to after his mother. She literally understood him better than anybody else he had ever thought and even listened to his advice even when it was not making sense at all.

“Young man you look familiar but I don’t seem to remember where we first met” Debra said.

“I am Petro and we met during the funeral of Daudi. I believe you are Debra’s father if am not wrong” Petro said to which Debra’s father nodded to.

“Petro, do I get you something to eat?” Debra asked Petro.

“No my mum already gave some sweet potatoes and porridge” he answered her.

“Wow you must be very strong to help me with fetching water from the well. Speaking of sweet potatoes I miss them. I guess I will see your mother to sell or give me some whichever she agrees to.”

Debra and Petro’s mother used to be friends sometime back when her children were very young but now she hardly moves around the village any more choosing to send people to do such chores for her. She did not remember seeing her at the funeral even though such times it is hard to recognize everyone who attended.

“Young man what do you when you are not coming here I mean what do you do for a living?” Debra’s father asked.

“I am a teacher though today am not in school because we have not been paid for the past three months so am off” he said.

“Sorry about that. I know that feeling but here we are talking of something like how to be self-employed and avoid this whatever…” Debra’s father went on.

“Ahem! I was telling Debra here if I can help her set up some business for her, perhaps you can help manage it”

“Well dad that would be a good move taking into account all of us are very needy at the moment” Debra said cheerfully.

“I have no objection to that idea because the private school employer is one mean person, I even been admiring the Mjengo person making up to five hundred shillings a day and am there smartly dressed working for like a hundred shillings a day. Sometimes we are threatened that if the MSS fails it will affect the salary negatively” Petro talked like an activist till Debra‟s father clapped for him. Whatever business Debra's father was going to set up Petro was for it knowing he won’t have to have to be overworking himself marking exercise books and examinations, set exams, manage rowdy students.

* * * * *

Jaymo was sited in the guest room of Mwalimu Hotel sipping some alcoholic drink with a Mr. Mugambi a potbellied Member of Parliament. None of them was happy with the recent elections after a Jaymo lost to Titus the second year. The range Titus had given Jaymo was so big that it was hard to stage an election petition and force a run off as would have been the case in their minds. Mr. Mugambi was one of the financiers of the campaign to Jaymo even to the extent of lending Prado during the last leg of the campaign. Jaymo knew if he won he would definitely help Mr. Mugambi win supply tenders to the university especially those to do with food stuffs.

“Now that you have not worn I just don't know what we are talking about here kijana” Mr. Mugambi said between a sip.

“But Mhemishiwa I told you I am going to see Titus and see that we work together and somehow I manage to pay you back” Jaymo said trying to put up a brave face though he was not sure how he was going to do it. Titus was unpredictable in many ways and if he was going to approach him he needed to come clean with a lot of issues. Just then some commotion were heard outside the room.

“I will give you like one month so that you tell me how you are going to repay me because I am not going to keep any liabilities with me.” Mr. Mugambi said belching in the process.

“Whatever is going on outside there …” Jaymo commented.

“Maybe its my men confronting someone don't worry let me go” Mr. Mugambi said.

As he stood up to walk to the door the commotion outside intensified but he still reached for the door and opened it believing it was his men confronting a bad guy. His two body guards were getting overwhelmed by three CID officers dressed in civilian clothes. Immediately Mr.Mugambi saw them he retracted back quickly and close the door however the door got kicked by Inspector Stima.

“Mheshimiwa your men were preventing us from conducting something that was meant to be very peaceful” Stima announced.

“What is this about sir? By the way who are you?” Mr. Mugambi asked horrified.

“I am Inspector Stima here to take Mr. James to assist us with some investigation at the station” Stima went on.

“What about?” Jaymo asked as he tried to show a brave face though fear had already started to catch upon him.

“It is to do with the rape of one Joyce, not once but thrice and you know the whole incident” Stima explained.

“But I didn‟t do it was those rowdy boys, Oti and his group” He replied.

“I already have them in custody now you will help us with more investigations especially with tampering with an ongoing investigations and also working with criminals charges which I know put you in front of the rest”, Stima continued to explain as he took off his handcuffs.

“B-b-but Inspector” Jaymo was almost crying. Mr. Mugambi was in awe and shock wishing this was merely a movie. He was depending on Jaymo for some business deals to be processed in the university. His hands were raised up in the air like as if he was surrendering.

“Anything you say after this will be used against you in a court of law. As for you Mheshimiwa have a nice till we catch up with you” Inspector Stima said before walking out of the room with Jaymo.