improbable Miracle in an impossible night, in the # IconsofMeru

Paul Bundi Karau, improbable Miracle in an impossible night, in the # IconsofMeru

February 28th, 2003.Like a film:

The teenage boys emptied through the narrow dining hall door into the night shouting, screaming and splinting.

Just outside the school, thinking it's another night of student madness, an old `man peeing outside his House, fled back inside in panic, kicked his inquisitive goat standing by the open door, hurriedly closed the door And then angrily muttered to his wife,

“5th strike in one year? What a devil's school. It should be closed down forever”

Back at the school, the throng of over 800 students, united, senseless and now mostly shirtless after running in circles finally assembled at the wooden dais, in the center of the field and with their hands raised to the gods, broke into “Yote yawezeka” song and danced in ecstasy, danced to give thanks for the most improbable miracle that the school-Old Meru, actually - might ever have seen.

Earlier on, The impossible night of the underdog had began as just another evening with the students, gathered at the dining hall to watch the 7pm news, At 7 pm bharti murksein of KBC TV wearing an ash grey suit and his trademark broad smile that melted our mothers hearts then, announced to the nation the release of 2002 KCSE Results by the education ministry. And then like a film professor Saitoti, the first education minister of the Kibaki Administration in his mighty specks and seriousness came on to announce the results.

Reading the list, Saitoti announced that year top performer nationally was Paul Bundi Karau. And that was all. For as the rest of the nation tried to figure out the school's name or location .no one sited or standing in that dining hall waited to hear any further details. The first reaction was a waling scream by a boy with an almost deserved nickname of Toro (Sleep) who, before then no one knew he ever spoke at all for he was always asleep. His seismic volume reverberated all the way to Igoji on the right and Nkunbu on the left

Olympus had fallen.

Zeus had landed

The unbelievable had happened

With one shot, Paul who had reported to the school four years earlier in 1999 as a tiny boy had silenced the giants too used to winning. With one shot, He had exorcised the demons of small schools mentality for Kanyakine was nothing but a small school nationally that had become infamous locally, in the previous two years, for fiery strikes that gave sugar cane farmers bowels And even more importantly, with that one shot, Paul had done what the old man had feared the most. He had incited the school 5th strike by setting the boys on fire for life.

But the glory of the fire was in no way limited to the school. For in next days and weeks, people in the Old Meru greeted their fellows with:

“Have you heard?”

Back at the school grounds, the students decided to hold Virgil in the field until the school principal, the burly but inspirational Mr. Mutwiri (Beast) addressed them. So hours later Beast appeared and after joking to the students about how they should no longer court the academically dwarfed neighboring school's girls but instead aim for higher skirts, he then took a more serious tone. Terming the win “a clear message of hope “he spoke of what the impossible night means for everyone with a dream. He also promised to bring Karau at the school the next day morning. And then finally speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit he uttered the boys five favorite words,

“A bull will be slaughtered.

Mgutano ikakwisha .Music.

Paul Bundi Karua went on to study medicine at the University of Nairobi and now apart from being a reputable doctor, Paul is also collaborating with the Meru County government on development projects.

“Paul was brilliant. Everyone knew he would do well. But we never expected then that one of us could top the country … that night was mind cocaine at its purest”

Franklin, one the students at the dining hall, explaining why the night was an impossible miracle.

“Do you know what Eliud Kipchonge breaking a new record means? It means its easier for someone else to achieve the minutes now,...2002 when Paul toped the country, I was in form three same school…here yes I was definitely in the field singing horse that night…Two years later I was the 14th in Eastern province,. His victory had lifted my eyesights & schoolmates on what’s possible in life.

Laban Kunene, Kanyakine High old boy.

“I was a student in Meru School then. When we heard the news it was so unbelievable. Top student nationally from Kanyakine? From Meru? .The next time I heard such an unlikely story was years later when Leicester come from the bottom of the table to win the premier league”

Kenneth Kinyua

Here at the new Meru times, We believe that you can never be iconic because of the numbers or achievements you hit.But that What makes you iconic is what you empower in others. And that is why on this profile we have only focused on Paul’s college agues reactions. On what his win meant to his old school colleagues and Meru in General.

However, keep it here. For we look forward to bringing you in-depth profiles interview. A one on one with Dr. Paul.

Do you think Paul Bundi Deserves to be called an Icon of Meru?