Why we’re going slow on Bensouda’s succession debate

I do not know about you or your boss, but mine, Ms Bensouda, is yet to set foot in school, two weeks after we reopened. I also do not know whether you would be happy or sad if your boss took long to resume work, but for me, I am very happy that Bensouda is away.

In fact, I wish that she does not come back. After all, I run this school and I am responsible for all the good things that happen here.

But the same cannot be said of Kuya, who does not like the fact that Bensouda has not reported back. With Bensouda away, I call the shots here, and Kuya has no option but to follow my instructions.

You see, having had some good time with Bensouda on Christmas day, I started off the year with her full blessings. Enemies of development like Kuya had thought that I would start the term on the wrong footing, having closed the school early last term, but he forgot that Bensouda does not like coming to work, and a decision to close early was something she would buy into.

So, once I recovered from the incident where my brother Pius ate my chicken, I turned my attention to running the school effectively and efficiently before Bensouda arrived and messed up things. Once we agreed on the classes, the next thing was to work on the timetable. The government, having not sent additional teachers despite the number of streams increasing, meant that the already over-stretched teachers would have to do more.

And considering that the HM was not around and Saphire is too irregular to be depended upon, we would be in class from morning to evening, and there would be times when some classes would have no teacher. And remember that Lena is eight months pregnant, and so we will soon have one teacher away.

The only advantage we have is that her pregnancies are the kind that love to work — she really works when pregnant. If you can remember, three years ago, she delivered her first born 20 minutes after taking the girls through a rigorous Volleyball training session. “It would be irresponsible for us to have classes with no teachers at some point,” Kuya objected. “It will be impossible to manage such classes, and knowing Mwisho wa Lami students, a class without a teacher is a recipe for chaos.”

“So, what is your suggestion?” Asked Lena. Although Lena is usually in Kuya’s corner, I have no idea what is wrong with her pregnancy — it seems to hate him. From the time her pregnancy entered the second ‘semester’, she has never had any qualms taking Kuya head-on on anything. I was pleased with this and thus let Lena handle Kuya, who, however, was spoiling for a fight.

“I may not have a solution right now, but I am just letting the so called deputy know that he will plunge the school into anarchy if he allows classes to go on without teachers even if it is just for two lessons.”

“You are right, but very wrong Kuya,” answered Lena. “We have had to increase classes yet we don’t have additional teachers and money to employ new ones.” She went on. “Prof Magoha asked us to be innovative, and this is our creative way of addressing this mess. We all have to take extra classes…”

Kuya cut her short. “I will not be taking any additional classes. I am not the one who brought Corona”

“You will have to Kuya,” said Lena. “You are not special.” Other teachers were looking up to me to intervene and stop the two from quarrelling, but I was enjoying it. Kuya had met his match, so I let the two continue arguing.

“You are not my boss Lena, and never will you be,” said Kuya angrily.

“Come slowly Kuya,” said Saphire who had just arrived. “You are the one who will never ever be the HM of this school. I know you despise Dre, but I want you to know that you will never be HM here!”

Kuya asked him why he was making such a statement. “The president recently said we have to start rotating some positions and I would like you to know that this school has never been headed my someone from this village,” said Saphire.

“The highest post this village has ever held is deputy head teacher, which our son Dre holds.” Mrs Atika joined the discussion. “I agree with you Saphire, time has come for one of our own to be the next HM of this school.”  Although I liked what was being discussed, I stopped the debate and said anyone could head the school, “as long as they are qualified and are of high moral standing.” Everyone knew that I was referring to the fact that Kuya’s qualifications are suspect, and his morals questionable.

Helped by Saphire, that evening, the discussion at Hitler’s was that time had come for me to head the school. Although I was present, I did not contribute to the discussion. By last Friday, with the help of my sister Caro, Mwisho wa Lami’s Minister for Communications, Broadcasting and Information, the entire village was saying that I should be the head of this school as soon as next month.

But yesterday, I was surprised when Bensouda called me to complain that she had heard I was plotting her exit, yet she had supported me to even be appointed deputy.

“If you don’t go slow, please forget about even continuing to be deputy!” she warned. I called Saphire and Caro and instructed them to reduce talk about me wanting to be the next HM. I hope it won’t affect my relationship with Bensouda.