University dropout burns to join college after a long stint in the sun

Kinyambu village is very interesting. Villagers are fond of peddling rumors that touch on serious matters. Nobody would bother explore further the heart of the stories. The rumormongers would just move on. Consequently, most of these rumors would fizzle out.

Nevertheless, the story on Clement Mutua Mwangangi dropping out of college and venturing into menial labor has refused to die, for years. Perhaps explaining this unusual development is the fact the subject, popularly known as Clement, does not shy from telling the story. 

“Many people do not know that I was at the university,” owned the 44 year old Clement when we met last Saturday. “I was taking bachelor of sciences in Egerton University.” This was between 1992 and 1994, he added. He went on to describe how he dropped out of college during his third year following domestic squabbles pitting his mother and his newlywed wife, Ndungwa. 

Clement married Ndungwa, the mother of his five children, in 1993, barely a year after joining college. To Clement, Ndungwa’s disagreements with the mother in law were unbearable that he resolved to leave. “To avoid succumbing to depression, I decided to vamoose. I opted for Mombasa where I immersed into business, procuring vegetables and fruits from Kongowea market to sell in Mikindani,” admitted Clement, frowning on his sunburned countenance. Here, he made lots of money. “Henceforth, I made my mind not to go back to Nakuru,” he said referring to the main campus of Egerton University. 

While in Mombasa, he would hear nothing of the warring women in the village until his brother Morris came calling. Following the insistence of Morris, Clement decided to close shop and head back to Kilungu village where he would join his family. Here, he started a kiosk at his home where he sold grocery, paraffin and bread. Soon its stock was depleted, and was finished, marking the closure of the shop. This is the point where Clement decided to revisit a skill he learned in Matuu Memorial Secondary School: masonry. 

“Luck has been on my side,” he owned, grinning from ear to ear. “Morris tendered me to build his rural house.” This first project is what Clement believes propelled him into popularity in the building industry. Soon, he landed several smalltime projects in his village before landing a major deal of erecting a business premises at the neighboring Kinyambu market. “From that point, I have always been busy building houses,” he owned, before adding that he takes pride in that he has always handled the technical aspect of the projects, as opposed to the tedious part of mixing mortar, and serving the mason. According to Munyao Mutiso, a fellow mason, Clement is reliable fundi. “He is credited for erecting the only skyscraper in the region.”

Even amidst this glory, Clement is not a happy mason. The industry has not been rewarding enough. “When I started, the daily wage for fundi was some 150 shillings. Several years later, that amount is barely 600 shillings. With the escalating cost of living, it becomes impossible to lead a meaningful life,” he explained. However, that was just a tip of the iceberg. Clement has been tormented by the decision to quit college. 

During the conversation, Clement would reminisce on the good life he should be leading had he completed college. He believes that his good dreams are all shattered. For countless times, he kept recalling how he got to college miraculously. He had not applied to join college for he believed that his parents would be unable to afford his education. When he graduated from Matuu Memorial with a B minus in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, he still did not believe he could attend college. 

But thanks to a well-wishers, a Mr. Njenga Kirika and Father Mbinda, Clement found himself at Egerton University.  His admission number S43/592/92 is confirmation enough that Clement was the 592^nd student in the registers of Egerton University. From his transcripts, his performance was exemplary. At that rate, the least he would graduate with would have been a Second Class upper division. 

Interestingly, Clement’s dreams of going to back college are vibrant more than ever. His concern, however, is whether Egerton University can readmit him and if not so whether he can get a sponsor. “Presently, it would hard for me to raise fees since I am supporting my family especially in education and food,” he confided. Two of his children are in secondary school. 

“But suppose you go back to college, would you continue with physics, chemistry and biology?” I wanted to know.  

“No. I would pursue Computer Architecture,” he owned, before explaining that computer architecture is concerned with designing computer systems. He owned that he reads various texts on computing in anticipation for his return to university. 

Incase everything fails, Clement is ready to move on, but a sad man. “I would continue with my life. At least I would struggle to ensure that each of my two sons and three daughters go to university.”