David Nganga - Limping to live

At this time he was the chairman of a land buying Company and owned plots and properties in Githurai. My grandmother used to sell porridge and farm products until she started feeling unwell and passed away in 1997, leaving behind two sons and four daughters. In 1997, we started to excavate building stones as the business of selling brew was hampered by constant police bribery and harassment. However this business did not flourish and I decided to look for a job. As I watched the 1997 All Africa Games in the newly built Moi International Sports Complex I contemplated joining my sister in my home town Githunguri , where he was working in a Government ministry and ask her to help me find a job.

The country was in an electioneering fever.Politics took centre stage. Kanu the only party used its strength in parliament to change electoral laws resulting in the infamous Mlolongo(queue voting) general election of 1988 that unceremoniously damped all politicians thought to be opposed to the KANU rule . This made many politicians to abandon the ruling party and become fugitives while others calling themselves the young Turks led by Paul Muite,Raila Odinga,James Orengo,Kenneth Matiba and others started calling and agitating for a review of constitution to make Kenya a multi party state . The wind of change was then sweeping across Africa spearheaded by United States and Europe. The objective was to spread democracy around the world and remove dictatorship among nations thought to be authoritarian. Sitting in a bus with a copy of Beyond magazine, which was then a banned publication because of boldly exposing malpractices and corruption, I contemplated what the future holds for me and the challenges I would encounter in Githunguri and the experience of working near home. I got a job of selling meat at a restaurant, with the help of my sister .Working for only three months I was asked by the owner who was impressed by my intelligence and hard work to be the manager of the hotel.

Dealing with customers and daily selling and buying was indeed real business. I got experience in a sector that is important. I used to stay within the premises where I worked. I was visited by my brothers and my village buddies like George who was my best friend. He later became long time helper during my years fighting with physical handicap. Even when I became immobile he was always there for me. My parents also came when they visited the market every week .

The town which was the economic centre in the area has much business potential. Many travelers visited there and started small businesses that flourished.

After two years I asked my father to lend me some money. I went every week to Nairobi to buy clothes and sell them with a small profit. Soon I discovered the business was not doing well and I sold it and went back to work in another restaurant.

In 1990 there was political crisis in the country with many opposition politicians calling for a review of Section 2a of the Constitution that made Kenya a single party system. Two politicians, Kenneth Matiba and Charles Rubia boldly called a press conference and issued an ultimatum to the government to change the clause and allow multi party democracy in Kenya. They also demanded for a snap general election and the release of all political prisoners .The government responded by swiftly detaining them .What happened next signified the birth of democracy in Kenya. All the people went to the streets flashing two finger salute (sign of victory) and calling for their release .The country was in chaos and many people died as the president give a shoot to kill order .The opposition led by Oginga Ondiga mobilized Kenyans to resist the move .It was in that year also that a former Minister,Dr Robert Ouko was assassinated .

Events that year created an atmosphere of a new political dispensation in Kenya. The government gave in to pressure and allowed new parties to be formed, giving way to multi party democracy. For the second time in the country, several parties were formed but the prominent one was FORD comprising all the opposition politicians led by the late Oginga Ondiga . The agenda was to call for the release of all political prisoners including Mr Kenneth Matiba and Charles Rubia, review the constitution and call for fresh general elections.

I continued to work in a restaurant, meanwhile contemplating to find some way to join college and study law which I liked a lot. This however turned out to be impossible since all my brothers were in High school and my father had just retired.

Struggling is the real meaning of life. As the years of youth passed by my hope and determination for the future grew. I recall once sitting inside a police canteen watching a football match in the company of my girl friend .It was the 1990 World Cup in Italy and the Azzuri were playing Brazil. I asked my fiancée if I could marry her. She was then eighteen and we had dated for one year. She advised me to be a little bit patient. I was then twenty four. I went home feeling disappointed; my Italian team lost the semi- final and my chance to be a husband, dashed.

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