Mwalimu James Ngugi

PROACTIVE REFLECTIONS:
YOU MAY GAIN MANY HUMANS BY GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN.
_Exodus 23:2; "Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong."_

I have personally not been very comfortable with the oft mentioned proverb "If you can't beat them, join them". I think this adage was coined with a defeatist attitude. Likewise I am usually terrified by one Swahili proverb " Mwenye nguvu mpishe" (Give way to the strong man). I think the sages got it wrong; the proverb seems to support oppression of an idea or a person simply because it's unwanted by the strong man!

But I am inspired by the words of Malcolm Muggeride who averred,
"Never forget that only dead fish swim with the stream."

Now imagine if Nelson Mandela and a horde of other Nationalists in South Africa did not swim across the stream! Probably apartheid would still be practiced in South Africa until today.

If Abraham Lincolin did not go against the grain but instead danced with the racial supremacists of the time who wielded immense financial muscles and were equally strong numerically, slavery would have gone on and for a long time in the USA and in the world!

If Martin Luther King went as per the dictates of many even within the family and circle of friends, he would not have emerged as the champion of civil rights in America and the world. Indeed his very famous speech "I have a dream" would not be reverberating in our ears decades after his death. He chose to go against the dream and his exploits have seen generations ofpeople emancipated and encouraged.

If Dedan Kimathi and his dedicated team of Mau Mau fighters went with the grain, Kenya's independence would have been delayed... They chose not to run with the tide.

If Mother Teresa, the champion of charity chose to live with the comfort associated with her family, she wouldn't have saved the lives of so many vulnerable families in Calcutta. Today no one would talk of Mother Teresa.

If Wangari Maathai, the greatest heroine in Kenya did not stand her ground and swam against the very lethal political tides of the "Nyayo regime" the beautiful and serene Uhuru park would be no more. Karura forest would probably be destroyed completely now.

Geoffrey Griffith, would not have started Starehe Boys Center and National Youth Service if he went with the whims of his family and the "racial calling". He chose to abandon the Kings African Rifles where he had been enlisted to fight the Mau Mau freedom fighters and instead concentrated on uplifting the lives of poor children who had mainly been orphaned by the Mau Mau war. If he chose to swim with the tide Starehe Boys Center would not be there today.

Back in my village, a priest by the name Peter Piet Payens, born and brought up in rich settings in Netherlands, chose to change the lives of Africans (Mainly Maasai). He did this by not only giving them spiritual nourishment but also initiating infrastructures that contributed to great social development in Loitokitok. Oloitokitok Boys High School is one testimony of his great contribution to mankind.

Legend Mwalimu Elijah Koipitat went against many odds and established a tradition where all learners in DEB Primary School would wear shoes while in school. Many parents complained but he remained defiantly firm and the "Shoe revolution" took effect.

Even Jesus Christ preached the gospel of going against the grain. Luke 18:22;
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
This is a classic case of going against the grain...

My team, the one and only that has the title "Mighty" has won the KPL 2025/2026 season without kicking a ball. Thanks to the fall of our Mashemeji. K'ogallo rules every day. Congratulations to the record breaking Gor Mahia!

With MZEE OCHU Zanzibar – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉

PROACTIVE REFLECTIONS: THE SPIRAL EFFECT OF BLESSINGS.
My late dad, Mwalimu John Justus Ngugi once said and Peter Ngugi will attest to this,
"Mungu hakunibariki sana na mali, lakini alinibariki na watoto..." The heavily loaded statement meant little to teenage boys at that time who had bombarded him with many monetary requests. By then our focus was on "Pawa ya pesa". Unbeknownst to us dad was silently helping many other families in the best way he knew.

Many years after his passing on, I do understand pretty well what he meant. Clearly my siblings and i are beneficiaries of his undocumented acts of mercy, generosity and kindness.

Pio Gama Pinto, one of the most reveered left leaning freedom fighter in Kenya shared half of his salary and other entitlments to advance the cause of the economically down trodden. He preferred to live simple so that he could help many families of freedom fighters living in the rural areas of Kenya. History records that he even donated half of his wedding gifts in furtherance of a social justice cause. Many families beneffitted, many Kenyans realised economic and political emancipation thanks to his efforts.

The book of Acts of Apostles chapter 10, gives a very good account of a man whose acts of generosity and mercy led to massive blessings to his family. His name is Cornelius. Ordinarily many people would have wished off acts as lacking substantive economic sense yet the Bible says, his acts led to "Spiritual awakening". The entire family was saved courtesy of selfless acts of one person.

My point is; some of the blessings that we enjoy today are basically as a result of other people who lived before us and who selflessly did justice to a cause. It behoves us to reciprocate by silently giving back to where it came from. Be a blessing to others so that your children and children's children enjoy the spiralling effect of your selfless acts!

Its that simple. Success is not demonstrated by building skyscrapers and driving top of the range guzzlers.

Ban toxic pesticides across Africa We are quite literally being poisoned in the name of profit. Add your voice now, demand that African leaders ban the production, trade, and use of toxic pesticides across the continent.

PROACTIVE REFLECTIONS:NAME BUILDINGS AND SPACES IN HONOUR OF DISTINGUISHED TEACHERS
During the funeral ceremony of the Late Mwalimu P.K Mwangi, i fervently appealed to the management of Enkii Boys School to consider naming a building in honour of the contributions the late Mwalimu PK made to the school. Indeed i also requested the management of Lenkisem Secondary School, a school he served as the founding Principal to consider enlisting his name in the school roll of heroes and possibly name a building or a space in his honour. He worked the longest in Kimana Secondary school where many students considered him a towering figure who sacrificed his time and comfort to guide them in their journey of life. I can testify this myself as I had a long stint in this institution whereby i worked alongside him.

It is my hope that my plea will be taken up and actualized.

Those who have been following me keenly in my "Proactive Reflections" series must have captured my sentiments pitching for the same a while ago.

I am of the view that no one impacts on a child more than a teacher. In many cases its a teacher who is quoted more by a student many years after he or she has exited school. Teachers who stand out needs to be honoured more so that the generations which follow may be inspired to emulate them. Leading schools in Kenya discovered this many years ago. A case in point is the imposing Carey Francis building in Alliance High School named after the charismatic and legendary Mathematics teacher in the school.

Those of us who were in Secondary school in the eighties will agree with me that a principal in the name of Mr Kiyapi was an exceptional adminstrator whose leadership acumen led the school to emerge as one of the most outstanding school in the vast Rift Valley. Arguably Oloitokitok Secondary School posted the best result in Science subjects in the entire Rift Valley region during his tenure in office. Yet no space or building is named after this legend who passed on two decades away!

Today i received a call from a former student of one of the most reveered teacher of English in Oloitokitok Secondary School in the name of Mr Gicheru. This is not the first time that I have heard countless testimonials about Mwalimu Gicheru from his former students and teachers. Clearly he stands out. Naming a space after him especially in the school mega library will suffice. Unhesitatingly I'd pitch for that library to be named in honour of S.P Kurraru. A few years ago I had suggested that Cebemo soccer pitch is christened Mwalimu James Obunga in honour of the great sports achievements Mwalimu Obunga had in that domain. What about Mr Ndeere and the late B.S Ole Kingi?

In Ilkisonko Boys, the current principal Mwalimu Daniel makau, is largely credited with the meterioic rise of the school in the last 8 years. By the time he exits, I expect the school to name a strategic facility after him. Methinks Sironka Ole Masharen needs a special mention alongside my High school teacher Mr Monchoi Ole Nina.

In Illasit Secondary School, Engineer Nkadayo stands out. Mwalimu S.M Karuri who steadfastly served the school as a teacher, Deputy Principal and Principal needs special honour in that school. By the way S.M as he was fondly called by all and sundry gave three decades of his most productive life to Illasit Secondary School.

In Kimana Secondary School, a Dorm was named after the longest serving teacher in the school Mr Robert Kiunga. The school management can consider honouring Mr Joel Ole Leshao and the late sports Maestro Mr Gerald Mutuku. In Oloirien Boys (Rombo), our suggestion (as Greening Oloitokitok) to name thes school botanical garden after Senior Kasaine was gladly adopted by the school.

Others who merit to be honoured include, Mr Benson Karori (Kikelelwa Secondary School), Mr Julius Kindi ( Kimana Mixed), Mr David Muturi (Namelok Secondary School) and Madam Margaret Murithi, the founding Principal of The AIC Girls Loitokitok who literally picked a school from Smithereens and moulded it to the school it is today. The newly appointed CECM (Adminstration & Public Service), Ms Naomi Parinkoi deserves to be named and honoured in Kimana Secondary and or Kimana Primary School.

Loitokitok people will never forget the education exploits of one Sr Anastacia Nkoyiai who started Rombo Girls now renamed St Maria Goretti Rombo Girls. It would be beffiting of her if a major infrastructure in the school is named after her. She is also largely associated with numerous success stories in St Angela in Rombo. The founding Principal of St Clare Girls in Rombo (Sr Francis) fits in this Category too.

My suggestions are not final in any way. I may have left out many other names. My suggestions are meant to stimulate debate on why, when and how we should honour our teachers. I have not delved on Primary school which i intend to do in my next write up!

MWALIMU PK; OUR PATHS CROSSED, NOT ONCE BUT MULTIPLE TIMES.
The first time I met Mwalimu Patrick Mwangi Kinanda (PK) was in April 1986. By then, i was a form one student in Olkejuado High School. I can't exactly remember how i found myself as a passenger in that green Chevrolet Pick Up from Kajiado all the way to Loitokitok. This vehicle belonged to his father and had traversed the long distance to pick PK younger brother who was a student in Primary Boarding School (PBS), a neighbouring school of Olkejuado High School. At Kimana Market PK, under instructions from his dad accompanied me in the vehicle all the way to Loitokitok and we struck a conversation. I learnt he was a form 3 student in Kimana Secondary School but this mattered least to him. He was very respectful and down to earth never revealing his seniority in any way. Those who knew PK can testify that he maintained this trait till he breathed his last today in the morning.

I would meet PK again later in February of 1988 in Olkejuado High School. He had gained admission as a Form 5 student in the school pursuing a combination of Fasihi Ya Kiswahili, Geography and CRE. By then I was in form 3 and it was my time to welcome him to his new destination. The many trips I made to Elgon Dorm which housed the Form 5 & 6 students in the school was to have a word with him. He valued friendships and showed extreme generosity to those of us who came from Loitokitok.

After High school, we went to separate institutions. Whereas he pursued his teacher training in Laikipia Campus (a constituent college of Egerton University), i pursued my teacher training in Moi University. Both of us majored in Kiswahili. Our only departure was on the second subject. He loved CRE, I dropped CRE in favour of History & Government during my second year of college education. During our college days, we rarely met though we exchanged letters on several occasions as was the practice those days.

On completion of our training he was posted to Murang'a and I went to Makueni though I had a short teaching stint in Mashuuru. We kept communicating and even more intensively when I was posted to Illasit Secondary and he was frantically chasing for a transfer to a school in Loitokitok.

When I was posted to Kimana Secondary School in 2005, he was the one to receive me and get a space for me in the staffroom. He introduced me to horticulture farming. We partnered and invested in onions and tomatoes farming in Olorika and Impiron area. His love for farming coupled by his unyielding spirit to invest was marvellous.

When he was appointed as a deputy principal in Collins Davies our meetings were more frequent and intentional as he sought my counsel on general issues of staff and student management.

As fate would have it, he was elevated to Principal hood within a very short time and was deployed in Lenkisem Secondary School and our mutual visits and engagements increased.

In the years that followed, both of us were delocalized and posted to Machakos and Meru respectively. We continued sharing and encouraging each other.

When it was time to come back to our County he was moved to Enkii, a school i had headed in its formative stage. I was posted to St Lukes Inkisanjani, a neighbour of Enkii. Our communication and engagements further increased as we found ourselves in two neighbouring schools.

My last encounter with PK was accidental but very enriching. We met at Esupuko Resort (Kwa Biwott). I was accompanied by my beloved Angela and June and he was alone. We shared a meal. We conversed almost endlessly. We must have stayed there for 3 or so hours and there was still more to discuss. That was a month and half ago. We promised each other to meet in a weeks time. We did not meet. We will not meet,at least not on this earth! Probably i should have looked out for you!

PK was an extremely kind hearted person. He loved people. He was an open book. PK never discriminated people. His circle of friends cut accross all divides (social, ethnic and religious). He loved and cared for his family. He would always speak fondly about his daughters, his wife and other members of his familyand expecially Precious. He never exalted wealth above relationship. PK loved and lived simple. He was an epitome of humility.

PK loved comradeship. He encouraged people to find ways of breaking the ice and reach out to each other. He loved peace.

I am yet to come to terms with the fact that mr Mwangi PK is no more...
May your soul rest in peace...
We shall meet in that beautiful shore! I believe our paths will cross again!

Sometimes, many times when the feeling of giving up springs up, during those low moments when the chips are down, in the middle of dissapointments and unwarranted attacks, the noble words of my High school teacher pops out! I get re-ignited!

This world is an interesting place! Why is it that some people hate you because you are loved by others? Yaani,the more other people love you, equally they hate you. They are sickened by expression of love directed at you. When you are rewarded, a pang of pain eats them up. When your name is mentioned positively they back off. Yet they have no reason to hate you other than "Why is he their darling...?"

What medicine can be prescribed to such people??

CEBEMO SPIRIT LINGERS
One day around September 2009 or thereabout Kimana Secondary School Board of Governors convened to hire a teacher as per allocation given by the Teachers Service Commision. I sat in the panel as the secretary to the Board. The position advertised for had attracted quite a number of applicants.

Standing tall, elegantly dressed and demonstrating Visible confidence was a former alumnus of Oloitokitok Secondary School. Clearly you couldn't fail to notice him. He had come to win! While the other candidates were tensed and somewhat anxious, it was completely the opposite of the flamboyant Oloitokitok Secondary school alumnus.

In the interview, the aspiring teacher, expressed himself excellently. He was articulate and well versed with the subject matter. He was classy and updated. We were all amazed by his display of knowledge and skills. However all this counted for only 5 marks from the TSC interview guide that we were using. Many marks (over 90%) were based on when the candidate graduated and the strength of his or her academic certificates.

When scored based on the two categories I have highlighted, the young OSS alumnus scored poorly. He had graduated a few months to the interview with a Diploma. His competitors had stronger professional certificates and had graduated earlier than him. Inspite of them, scoring lower on oral presentation, they scored highly on the other two categories. When ranking was done, our OSS alumnus was positioned outside the bracket of the preferred candidate. The interview marking scheme effectively disadvantaged him.

As is the tradition, the interview panel invited all the candidates in the interview room to announce the results. A dejected look on the face of the OSS alumnus was palpable! He could not believe his competitors were better than him. When we requested all the participants to Append their signatures to the documents that would eventually be channneled to the TSC, all the aspiring candidates acceded, our OSS alumnus declined!

When the chair demanded to know why he had refused to sign the document, the now visibly agitated young man released a bombshell, "I am a fully baked Cebemo product and in line with our principles, we do not easily accept defeat...." He then went ahead to say"...It pains more when it happens in Kimana Secondary school grounds." From my other conversations with him he qualified the statement by saying he considered Kimana Secondary a rival school but not worthy of place to surrender! We were all bewildered! An uncomfortable silence ensued. The last statement particularly stung the panel whose bewiderment swung to anger and consternation!

Despite the ongoings, the young man was unmoved. Pleading upon pleading for him to accept that the exercise was fair fell on deaf ears. The many requests paved way for covert coercion but the strategy yielded no fruits!

When I had time to speak, I assured the young man that indeed I admired his courage and confidence. I categorically told him much to the surprise of my co panelists that I loved his loyalty to the ideals of his former school. I told him that he was so smart but the interview guide was not designed at our level. I concluded by assuring him that we've noted with positive concern that the spirit of OSS reigns long after one has completed school! I was very honest and still I am that Oloitokitok alumni have unparalleled loyalty and unwavering love to their former school! The young man obliged. He signed the document!

For many years I have encountered many former CEBEMO students and I have never failed to notice deep pride when the name of their school is mentioned. They are always at the forefront of defending their school during it's good and low moments. Rarely will you hear a CEBEMO alumnus talking ill of their school. Their love for their school boarders on jingoism.

This is the reason that makes OSS tick at all times. I do not know any other school in our county that it's former students and teachers are so passionate about it's being than CEBEMO.

Armed with this knowledge and experience, I laboured so much to build this kind of attitude to students. I discovered that when students love their school and teachers and are vociferously loyal to it then it builds confidence in them while in school and even outside school. This is what I endevoured to incalcate in my students in Kimana Secondary school, Enkii Boys, Kiirua Boys and even in Inkisanjani Mixed School. As a matter of fact, I think I narrated this story to my students in Kimana Secondary school.

Just talk randomly to staff members (former and current) of CEBEMO and you will hardly hear them bad mouth the school. The CEBEMO spirit lingers on years after one has left the institution. It is a spirit all institutions should strive to infuse in the students!

Have you also noted that many people who are not alumnus of CEBEMO would take pride in identifying with the school. Just read profiles of Facebook and you will confirm this. This is an affirmation of the strong character that CEBEMO has produced.

As an avid educator, I know what I have to do to make my school an epitome of what CEBEMO is!
If I start a school today, I do not need to benchmark any more. CEBEMO spirit carries the day.

In my other writing I will emperically demonstrate how I used the CEBEMO spirit in Kimana Secondary School and how it worked magic!