We have marveled at the foolish pride, senseless fight for mates, academic rivalry and other things important to teenagers that underlay every epic high school rivalry in Western Kenya. What we didn’t delve into is our mention at how good beef between teachers can fuel all this. As today’s post will reveal, healthy competition is a concept not alien to our secondary schools. We start of with Bungoma where we come face-to-face with some of the most legendary Western high school principals.
Christopher Khaemba – The Most Legendary Of Western High School Principals
Take example of Christopher Situma Khaemba aka Sodium who brought Friends School Kamusinga (FSK) from the dungeons to the word map. If you want to insult FSK chaps just call Sodium a villager. This moniker came about when guys from Chesamisi and other FSK rivals nicknamed Sodi, villager, for his lack of concern with style and aesthetics.
Therefore, don’t go mentioning villager in relation to Mr. Khaemba anywhere near the boys of the “use common sense” slogan. There’s one other thing, but I have to say this from under my bed. FSK also get easily riled when you chide them as the ‘fork, spoon and knife’ boys. As in FSK. Get it?…Hahaha.
Anyway, Sodi the villager was such a father figure to his boys. Very tough and loving all mixed in one. For example, he looked for sponsors to support his bright and needy boys. But for all his servant leadership and brotherly love, he also never entertained nonsense.
Looking at his face, it says it all. You’d be hard pressed to get Sodi routinely smiling. Further, his grim countenance seemed to match the depth and breadth of Christopher Khaemba’s repute of tough love. It is said that he would kick and box the ‘ujinga’ out of cheeky boys out to unleash mischief during his tenure.
Raphael Wesonga, The Don, Baba yao Of Legendary Western High School Principals
Kibabii High School on the other hand have one Mr Raphael Wesonga. The father to Caroline Wangamati, the current Bungoma County first lady, made the name of the Balonja clan from Bumula market dance with the stars. This guy was the master of the simple. Through simple interventions Mr Wesonga made the boys of “Orare et Labora et Laborare” punch at the level of the more illustrious FSK and Chesamisi.
Back in the 90s, Rapahel Wesonga worked to improve the academic performance of the school. But he didn’t stop there. He also worked on appearances by making trousers mandatory for all. If you are of the maziwa ya nyayo era, you probably remember monos wearing shorts. Trousers were a preserve of form three and fours only. But for Mr Wesonga, nobody wore shorts from his tenure onward.
Mr. Lanziva
Bungoma Boys on the other hand have one Mr. Lanziva as a father figure who they worship to date. Bungoma Boys is a school situated stack in the middle of Bungoma town. Any slight provocation and the boys with the blooming cotton bud as their badge will be serving trouble to all and sundry in town. Lanziva instilled discipline, good performance and promoted extra curricular activities particularly drama in Bungoma boys.
It should be remembered that the school has had the oldest school bus in the county. At some point, their loaf shaped bus donned a rusted roof. The boys could easily be provoked by their peers who wished to know if the rusted roof would light a match box.
Mr. David Nguti
Chesa Bulls on the other hand have a Mr David Nguti who they fondly live to epitomize his ideals.
