MOURNING THE ONLY PRINCIPAL I KNEW

By Dr.Paul Bundi Karau

I arrived at Kanyakine High School on 18th February 1999 a small village boy. I had never been to a boarding school, and certainly this is the furthest from home I had ever gone.

The boys who were assigned to escort me to Mungania dorm looked at my stunted height and loudly wondered how I would survive in Beast's school. 

"Who is Beast?" I asked in bewilderment.

"You will know." Musyoki answered curtly.

It didn't take me long to know who Beast was.

The following day, as the 10 o'clock tea was being served, I heard a commotion, with boys leaving their tea and running helter-skelter towards the classrooms. 

I was a fresh mono, so I didn't know what was happening. I ran along the pavement, and came upon a mighty man, who appeared to be adjusting his trousers. He yanked his belt and thrust one whip towards me.

I had encountered Beast himself. He was tall, imposing, burly and endowed with a thunderous voice that could reverberate across the school, sending shivers into the boys.

Being the smallest boy, I had skipped the initiation rites before joining form one because dad thought I was not yet of age. A few boys tried to make a deal out of it, and two of them slapped me, asking how I could stay with 'men' when I was a mere 'boy.' I passed this to Felix Bundi, the protective Captain. He told me to bid my time till Monday.

Early Monday immediately after the assembly, he summoned the boys. A few minutes later, we heard the sound of canes hitting gluteal muscles. Beast had done his part. The two boys came back scratching their buttocks and suppressing a cry. Felix followed them and reminded them that if they could cry, they were still mere boys.

At the end of first term, I topped form one, breaking the school record by scoring over 1000 out of a possible 1200 marks. I could see Beast was pleasantly surprised. We became friends, although the barrier, both physical and psychological was too big.

I remember when August holidays were approaching and I knew I would face the knife. He called me to his office, and in no uncertain terms reminded me that initiation converted otherwise polite boys into bullies and ruined them.

"Not me, Mr Principal." I asserted.

"Can we bet?" He asked me.

We interlocked our small fingers, a sign of a bet. He told me that he feared after crossing the other side of manhood, I would become a discipline case, and I would be a regular customer for 6 (this was the legendary name for 6 strokes).

I proved him wrong, for I went from form one to form four without ever being caned.

Mr Principal was an eloquent man, and his words were carefully selected to sting, edify, scare, warn or punish.

"Kijana! Shirt kama bendera?" You would hear this ring around the hallways of the school. To this day, I can't walk with an untucked shirt.

He would mesmerize us with his knowledge of biology (he was a biology teacher) during assemblies, rapping scientific names of plants and humans, and how careless eating of mangoes without washing hands would spread Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium for cholera.

There's one day I should have received 6 strokes, but I saw his tender side. Kanyakine High School had decided that school would open on Mondays. Boys defied this, because almost all other schools opened on Tuesdays. So, on second term, most form 2 students reported on Tuesday instead of Monday. After the Wednesday assembly, he declared that unless there was a valid reason, every form 2 who reported late would receive the customary six. Using the class list, he started administering this treatment. I was among the last in the list. I was trembling, helplessly awaiting my turn. I went into the room blind with fear.

"Karau, hata wewe umegeuka gaidi!!"

I don't want to hear anything. Go to the field, and write me a good explanation for coming late. If there's no reason, at noon, come for double the canes!"

I left the situation room partly relieved after escaping the heat. I still harbored delusions of reprieve, that he would have mercy on me.

I stayed under the assigned tree the whole morning, but I couldn't find a reason for my lateness.

"At noon, I knocked on his door. 

Kijana, nenda usome, upite vizuri. That is your punishment!"

I walked out elated.

Beast had mystic powers, or so we thought.

One day, our school hosted the district drama festivals. Kaaga Boys came in an old college bus, the ones that look like a loaf of bread. As boys were bidding them goodbye, they kept shaking the bus and tapping the mabati. Word reached him.

On Monday, he declared that all form twos were responsible, and asked them to remain behind. 

He said that when this happened, he was in Nkubu, but he still saw the boys responsible.

That's how he singled out the tallest boy (Mutembei), a few short boys, one boy with a huge head. 

So good was he in description of physical features that he would describe a boy, and the boy would come out. 

In March 2001, the devil visited Kyanguli Secondary School in Machakos. It then came to Kanyakine. 

For any small problem, boys would either throw stones or break out of school. I remember one evening, stones started raining on the roofs of dormitories as we prepared to sleep. Beast braved a hail of stones, none of which caught him, and calmed the boys.

We were sent home for 2 weeks, and asked to bring back parents. When we reported back, boys demanded to be refunded 5800 shillings that the school was 'stealing' from them. They cited obscure things in the fee structure such as M & E, personal emoluments, and other things they could not understand and declared that this was theft. Beast asked if the money should be refunded to parents or students. Boys categorically declared that they needed the money themselves. When this was not forthcoming, they broke window panes all over and the school was closed again.

When we came back after this bad strike, we found senior education officials. Beast was on trial. After many accusations, he was asked to defend himself. His speech that day turned around the school. 

You all say that the school is bad, that the school should refund money.

Who is the school?

Is it me, Beast? Is it you? Is it the buildings?

At the end, boys clapped wildly for their maestro.

Sensing an opportunity, the DEO asked if we wanted Beast transferred to another school.

It was a resounding no.

The DEO finally revealed that he was a product of Beast at Meru School. Beast's strict regime and tough discipline curved a professional out of a boy who would otherwise have been lost, revealed Mr Magiri, the DEO.

I had many encounters with Mr Principal, but I will skip to the last one that happened, right after form four.

Within hours of the KCSE results of the year 2002 being announced, the top student was found to be from Kanyakine. Beast received a call from the director of education to look for me whenever they could find me. He sent Mr Munene on a red dutsan van to drive along the general direction of my home and trace me. Eventually, they traced me in my rural home as I ran my daily chores. 

We made a triumphant entry into the jubilant school that evening, and found a Beast who was in high spirits.

He drew me for a tight hug, and then, matter-of-factly remarked:

"If only to produce one Karau, I'm more than happy to be called Beast."

Post-script: I'm so proud to have known Mr Mutwiri (Beast). I'm eternally grateful for his tough love and strict sense of discipline. It was just about the best antidote to adolescent testosterone. Without it, many of us would have gone astray.

I'm proud to have interacted with him severally as a doctor. I withhold more information on this.

Because he was, I, and thousands other boys, became.

Forever, you remain in our hearts.