A Snare of Africans
It was class time. Mwenda was among the two hundred and fifty students – who expectedly awaited a Psychology CAT. Almost all students were swamped perusing-murmuring inaudibly. Mwenda, a tall-bright-skinned student, in a black suit, was disturbed in his mind. Reminiscences of how he placed a game bet on the previous night, disturbed his busy mind.
In a few minutes, their no-nonsense, short lecturer by the name of Dr Kamau, entered the class. It turned into a soundless moment.
“Books away,” the lecturer tumultuously commanded.
Everybody hurriedly took their positions as lazy students borrowed pens.
“Africans are funny,” the lecturer commented.
The issuance of CAT papers began. As Mwenda received the paper, a message popped up on his phone. It was an extraordinary coincidence. His first glimpse of the message – interested and bewildered him. Delirious fancies occupied his mind. The message read, “Congratulations Mwenda! You have won 2,000,0000 shillings from Bet100 Limited Company.”
Before he wrote anything on the paper, he saw a strange number calling. He rushed outside the class to receive it.
“Hello,” Mwenda greeted happily.
“Hello, I am Zedong a CEO of Bet100 calling to congratulate you on your win of 2 million shillings,” the man explained.
“We wanted to deposit the amount in your bank account but unfortunately, your account number is missing in our systems. Kindly send it via this number,” Zedong instructed.
“Yes Sir,” Mwenda replied.
Mwenda felt uplifted. He couldn’t believe it. He was caught by tremulous indecision – a trepidancy that was not a habitual occasion for him, but was delighted for the long-disturbed endurance was ending. His first decision was approached valorously by his mind.
“I can’t compare 2M shillings with the retake of one Unit,” he thought.
Tenaciously – he ran to the hostel to check the required details.
Luckily, he found the card on which his bank account number was written. He was optimistic about becoming a MILLIONAIRE – So, he sent the account number to Zedong.
In a few minutes, a message from Zedong popped into his phone. He slightly tensed – hideously and tremulously, he clicked to read the message.
It read, “Dear Mwenda, confirm your bank account.”
Mwenda was surprised. His heart pounded tumultuously. Surprisingly! His bank account balance was Sh. 0.00. He couldn’t believe that his previous balance of 80,000 shillings for paying the school fee balance was nowhere to be found. It was a grotesque thing to happen to him – his skin amply provisioned sweat as impulses of despair attacked him.
Within no time, another message from Zedong popped up. Hurriedly, he clicked to view – hoping for better.
The message read, “Thank you Mwenda for trusting spammers! We got it right – that MONEY is a snare of Africans. A simple typed message has trapped you!”
The trepidancy and tumultuous heart-pounding invaded his weak despaired body turning his room into a house of gloom! The whole of his evening was painful. He decided to remain in bed and failed to eat supper. Whenever he imagined that he had failed to do the CAT, his mind was intensely disturbed. He never knew where to begin. Failure of doing a CAT was not a negotiable issue. It led to a retake of the unit. He rolled on his bed and picked up his phone from the table and confirmed the time. It was already 9:00 PM. By then, sharp pains and dizziness had fully taken control of his weak body.
Very early in the morning, Mwenda woke up with nervous agitations. He decided to visit the psychology department to persuade Dr Kamau to allow him to do a make-up CAT. He adequately prepared himself for whatever turn of events would be. He understood very well the intense and uncontrollable temper of Dr Kamau. He was a man of no arguments – who had a famous history of slapping students who never followed his instructions. His strictness was of a higher level compared to other lecturers in the University. Although Mwenda knew all these, his over-disturbed body never gave up.
(One hour later) Mwenda arrived at Dr Kamau’s office compound. He fearfully knocked on the door.
“Come in,” the hoarse sound accepted from inside.
With a little confidence, Mwenda ingressed and was welcomed to sit on a two-seater red divan. His mind was confused on where to start. A moment of silence was witnessed.
At the moment, Dr Kamau had measured him with tranquil eyes.
“Young man, move out of my office. You seem to have nothing to say,” Dr Kamau shouted.
“I am so sorry Sir. I missed a previous Psychology CAT and had come to request a make-up CAT,” Mwenda tensely explained.
“You are a foolish donkey. Where were you?” Dr Kamau asked, followed by a moment of silence.
“Move out of my office,” he shouted as he rose from his seat with his large red beetroot-like eyes dancing from side to side.
Mwenda could not wait for the naked fire to burn his naked facial skin. He rose faster and mistakenly, slipped and fell at the entry of the office. He quickly stood as his face turned back to confirm Dr Kamau’s presence.
“Young man, what is your name?” Dr Kamau angrily asked.
“My name is Mwenda,” Mwenda replied.
A soundless moment of a few seconds was witnessed as the two looked at each other. Dr Kamau’s facial temper was seen to be decreasing. He beckoned Mwenda who was one step outside the office. Mwenda walked two steps inside while obsessed with great fear.
“I want us to make a secret deal. You agree to give me twenty thousand and I shall agree to give you free CAT marks; or either, I give you a zero which shall carefully place your name in a retake student list,” Dr Kamau greedily said.
“I shall do anything to avoid a retake, Sir. I promise to bring that amount four days from today,” Mwenda promised.
Mwenda resumed in his room. He was much stressed. Whenever he thought of his family background and their economic status, thick painful tears ran down his face. He remembered his parents struggling peasant farmers who could not even afford five hundred shillings to help him pay the required twenty thousand shillings. He too feared to inform his parents of the incident that had happened although they never paid his school fees. He was sponsored by a Non-governmental Organization that paid his school fees. The amount that they had sent to him to clear the fees, was the one that Zedong mercilessly withdrew without leaving even a cent.
After a deep thought, while lying in bed, he got an idea and decided to work on it. He decided to visit their MP’s office for assistance – the office of Honourable Gitonga. The fee-deadline had come closer with only one week remaining. He couldn’t imagine the reaction of the organizational members who timely paid his school fees if he called off the semester. On the following day, he woke up early in the morning and set off on a two-kilometre journey to the MP’s office. When offices were opened, he was the first attendee. In front of their Member of Parliament, he shed tears as he cried for help and luckily, the Member of Parliament promised to pay his remaining balance. Mwenda was very happy with smiles all over his face. He decided to use the opportunity to report the bribery case of Dr Kamau. Honourable Gitonga congratulated him for reporting a corruption case.
“You have done a recommendable action, my son. I am sure that through this money, he shall fall into our trap. We don’t entertain corruption in our state, especially in my governing region,” he said.
Honourable Gitonga gave Mwenda twenty thousand shillings – the amount they had agreed to with Dr Kamau.
“Go and give him his share. We must get rid of his fake ideas of getting rich,” honourable Gitonga instructed. He was told that the anti-corruption officials shall follow him closely.
Mwenda did as was instructed. When he arrived, Dr Kamau warmly welcomed him.
“You’re much welcome my student. I guess that you did as agreed,” he said with a smile on his face.
“Yes Sir,” Mwenda replied as he stretched his hand to give him a bunch of thousand notes.
Dr Kamau received while laughing, “hahaha! Thank you, but you could bring more. I will give you five out of forty marks. If you bring fifty thousand, I will give you all marks,” he greedily stated.
Mwenda did not utter even a single word. He walked out of his office. He met three anti-corruption officers – a lady and two men on green reflectors, ready to perform their duty.
The officers ingressed Dr Kamau’s office and he was arrested and forcefully pulled out of his office.
“You have a corruption case to answer,” one male officer stated.
“You have no evidence to arrest me of corruption,” Dr Kamau angrily said.
“We have heard and recorded everything you talked with Mwenda. We had sent him with a recording device,” the lady officer said. (Mwenda removes the recording device from his shirt pocket and hands it over to the lady officer)
Dr Kamau was so shocked!
His whole body trembled with his heart pounding loudly as he begged for forgiveness. His efforts bore no fruit.
He had already been snared!
