The Mt Kenya Times 
By David Ndirangu
Worth Noting:
- She appeared to have been waiting for such an opportunity. She told me in detail how she felt her husband was responsible for the indiscipline of their son. He would not punish him or allow her to instil the usual mother’s spank or pinch for wrong doing and if she as much as pinched him, the father would be really upset.
- She disclosed that they boy was smoking cannabis and had refused to attend private tuition classes which she had already paid for. It was at this point that I vehemently told her that she should give the boy ‘one last fight’.
A couple of years ago, I went to a favourite restaurant on Kiambu Road on a Saturday afternoon. While I was wondering where to sit, a friendly waiter informed that if I could just wait for two minutes, a group of women occupying one of the gazebos was just about to leave.
And so after a few minutes the group left but for two women who were left seated at a table near the entrance. I went in and sat at a table a bit far from them to allow them some privacy as they continued with animated conversation.
The conversation soon gained momentum and the two women’s voices rose a crescendo such that I could now clearly hear what they were discussing. The younger of the two was complaining about how her teenage son in form two had become such a rascal. In the past one and half years he had attended three schools having been expelled from two for indiscipline. She was blaming the father, a medical doctor for the boy’s lack of discipline since he was ‘too soft, on him.
From the conversation, the main disciplinarian in that family was the boy’s grandmother (his dad’s mother) who was said to live in a particularly affluent neighbourhood called Runda. So whenever the boy misbehaved, the case would be referred to the grandmother but according to the woman it was not working. This situation was taking a big toll on the boy’s mother who sounded like she had reached the end of the road and was getting desperate. I realised that I had been closely following their discussion and was getting overly agitated. After a little while, the older lady left leaving the younger one alone at the table. That’s when I knew I had to talk to her.
I moved over to her table and apologised to her that I had overheard their conversation and if she didn’t mind she could share with me.
She appeared to have been waiting for such an opportunity. She told me in detail how she felt her husband was responsible for the indiscipline of their son. He would not punish him or allow her to instil the usual mother’s spank or pinch for wrong doing and if she as much as pinched him, the father would be really upset.
She disclosed that they boy was smoking cannabis and had refused to attend private tuition classes which she had already paid for. It was at this point that I vehemently told her that she should give the boy ‘one last fight’.
I really don’t know where the ‘one last fight’ came from but in hindsight I believe it unconsciously emanated from years back when we were growing up in the village. We were brought with our several cousins and among them was this typical boy known as Kīmbuci. Kīmbuci was well above the ordinary village boy in ‘boyishness’. When he was in standard six, that is at the age of twelve, Kīmbuci in the company of other two boys decided not to be going to school but instead be leaving in the morning with their school bags and go hide in a tea plantation near the school, run home for lunch with the other children, back to the tea bushes for the afternoon session and back home in the evening with the others. Upon investigation the mother confirmed what was going on. So on the fifth day, towards evening she got herself ready, with a ‘nyahunyu’ (rhino hide whip) wore heavy duty gum boots and waited for Kīmbuci.
When he arrived, she ambushed him, wrestled him to the ground and with her booted foot firmly on his back, gave Kīmbuci a thrashing that was enough to last him a life time. From then onwards he reformed, went back to school and is today a successful businessman in Nairobi well known for his honesty and his big size. When you see Kīmbuci, you are reminded of those bullish characters of WWF wrestling.
Going back to the Kiambu Road lady, she was really enthusiastic about my idea and she swore to apply it. She called me later that evening very happy with herself. By good luck, her husband was home early that day.
She said that using a mwiko, she gave the son ‘one last fight’ and when the father attempted to intervene, she told him that she would do the same to him. Almost in tears himself, he retreated to the bedroom and allowed her to continue. To cut a long story short, after several months, the lady informed that that the boy had completely changed. He was back in school, had stopped smoking cannabis and his performance had improved tremendously.
Corporal punishment was banned in Kenya (in schools and homes) some years back for the reason that it would adversely affect the children psychologically. But in my view this is Western hogwash.
If that was the case, then those of my generation would all be psychological wrecks. It is time this ban is reviewed and the situation properly addressed. With the widespread indiscipline and arson cases in schools, it is clear that something is not right.
David Ndirangu Bsc. International Business Administration (USIU- A) CPA (K). Business Management Consultant and Author of the book; This is DAVE.Email ndirangudavid2023@gmail.com
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