Fathers of Nations Guide
Fathers of Nations Guide
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CHAPTER 3 MISERY AND CHANGE
SYNOPSIS
The chapter examines Kimani as having become a senior lecturer in the University of Nairobi so fast a time when
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda have dismantled their University of East Africa. Having received a PhD at Oxford
University; he arrives in this university and demands for relevance as well as agency of change as the way to go
for this institution. Unclear on how it should be attained many people are discontent and believe he is on his way
to self-destruction, but when he earns a name and the love of a campus beauty Queen, Asiya Omondi, who later
he marries, he cares less of what others believe.
The chapter also reveals the effect of global recession that ate into African economy causing inflation,
plummeting earning, and eating up jobs, incomes, and savings. Donors demand for change in Africa. Intellectuals
become less significant unless they join politics in their endeavors that offer wealth and prominence from
lucrative scandals and bribery. Professors desert academics for politics in which they can earn a lot of untaxed
money. These politicians also make laws that favour them economically. A dialogue between Kimani and Tuni, a
child conceived in Tunisia, reveals that Africa has an economic crisis. Kimani resolves that African politics is
felony and suitable for greedy criminals.
The author reflects on Africa as being the least safe because of fear among women who could be raped or
attacked any time. The transport section is a private affair with individuals hiring guards and installing anti-theft
gadgetry. Kimani insists that the government should offer security and talks against Africans who now hire
private security people to safeguard themselves. Tuni reveals the need for that, since the state is unable to offer
the required security. She shares some notes from a seminar she has attended and tells her mother to be aware of
where she is all the time, being strong, and walking in safe places. A specific reference to how women behave
when they park and get back to their cars amazes and worries Asiya as Tuni proposes that if one becomes a
predator they need to smash it, surprise the criminal and run away. Tuni borrows the father’s car and as he gives
excuses, she notices that her father no longer goes for tours as they used to when she was young.
The next day she dies in a road accident where a truck sits on a minibus, she is trapped and even when a 999 is
called it does not come at all. Asiya is inconsolable and later leaves Kimani to marry Newborn Walomu, who has
a lot of money.
Kimani visits Walomu and confronts him about wanting to marry Asiya who is older than him when he has three
beautiful young girls. Walomu says old is gold and insists that he got to die with green grass in his mouth. When
Kimani fights the MP, he is arrested and charged for assault, jailed for six months and demoted from being a full
professor to a senior lecturer. Later he meets Tad Longway, Director of Special Projects at agency for
Governance and Development in Africa. Who is based in Cape Town and though with a Brit accent, he assures
Kimani that he in an African from South Africa. Tad wants to see an end to diseases, corruption, poverty,
impunity and ignorance. He reveals that after reading Kimani’s books, he feels this man can help him bring
change to Africa by coaching or coaxing people, pointing towards a better future and moving towards it. He hates
violations that results from fury that arises when the six problems engineered by politicians emerge. He adds that
AGDA aims to interrogate the status quo of Africa and Path Alpha should be the way to go. Path Alpha
emphasizes on mobilizing people to will for change. Considering the loss of a daughter, desertion by the wife and
abuse from the state, Kimani opts to join this mission so that he can be involved elsewhere.
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Themes
2. Family disintegration
Kimani and Asiya’s marriage can no longer hold. She left the following morning.
After the death of Tuni, the only child to Kimani and Asiya, the family is inconsolable and each partner relies
on the other for happiness. Asiya begins to loth Kimani because of his financial status, later she announces she is
leaving to be with Walomu. Regardless of all sorts of persuasions, she walks out of her marriage and gets married
to Walomu, leaving Kimani at a breaking point. Pg32, 33, 34.
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African states have failed to render services yet the taxes the people pay oblige the government to ensure the
safety of its people. As a result the people have opted to procure for the services themselves from private
providers some of who are extortionist to assure of personal safety. For instance, Tuni informs her father that she
has attended a personal safety seminar which is a precautionary measure against male violence. Vehicles have the
anti-theft gadgetry, tour operators warn foreigners against showing valuables in public (P.26)
Furthermore emergency services that is supposed to be rendered by the government is unreliable and in
efficient. When Tuni Mr. Kimani’s daughter was trapped inside a minibus that was involved in an accident where
the trailer was atop of the minibus and all the doors had jammed. One man called the mystical number 999 to
report distress and request for help which did not respond. The onlookers attempt to save the girl. Which
eventually leads to her death as the minibus is flattened by the trailer. Pg30,31,32
The rowdy fellows like Walomu amerce a lot of wealth after a short stint in politics.
The institute leadership is marred with impunity. Having raised Dr. Kimani’s points from being a lecturer to a
senior lecturer. Pg21
The next day she dies in a road accident where a truck sits on a minibus, she is trapped and even when a 999 is
called it comes an hour later dies without help
4. Corruption
Kimani comes to the University of Nairobi as a senior lecturer, a manipulated move by the institution (P.21)
6. Education
Kimani had just received a PhD at Oxford University, right from England and joined the University of Nairobi
(P.21)
Kimani becomes a professor at the university (P.21)
The presence of University of Nairobi is an indicator that education has taken root in Kenya.
Walomu was a junior colleague of professor Kimani at the University before joining politics. Pg29
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After the death of Tuni, Siya and Kimani are inconsolable and despondent. They mourn for six months. Asiya
wakes up one day dejected, she loathes her husband and decides to get married to Walomu. (P.32-33).
During the time Walomu was seeking a political seat, gunmen scared off the pursuers and killed his
predecessor (p.35).
Professor Kimani recalls how he had lost his daughter in a freak road accident in Kenya. Thereafter his wife
Asiya was snatched away from him by a randy politician. He therefore endures a lot of pain (p.31-33).
Kimani seems desperate with a small salary, complains from Siya and Tuni’s wish to have his car. (P.24-29)
He later desperately tries to plead with the wife not to leave him.
8. Poverty
Siya feels Kimani has no much to offer her because even his vehicle has become a metaphor about him. She
complains about poverty that sucks and tells the husband to leave the university (P.29)
Professor Kimani possess a dying old Toyota. The car has stalled. When Tuni borrows the car, she cannot have
it. Tuni proceeds to use public service transport which leads to her death. Asiya blames Kimani for the death of
their daughter because he did not have a reliable one. (P.33).
9. Insecurity
Tuni reveals the need for private security arrangements as a result of inability of state to offer the required
security. She shares some notes from a seminar she has attended and tells her mother to be aware of where she is
all the time, being strong, and walking in safe places. A specific reference to how women behave when they park
and get back to their cars amazes Siya. Tuni proposes if one becomes a predator they need to smash it, surprise
the criminal and run away. (p.29).
Kimani suggests that home protection and transport area with touch-me-not anti-theft gadget has become
obvious. (P.25)
The author also reveals that there were high levels of rape, abduction, and theft in Africa (P.27-28). Tuni too
talks about criminals and lack of security for a woman.
Two thirds of women in the country experience violence against them by men. That is why they attend
seminars on personal safety, just like Tuni. Pg26-27
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11. Greed
He is already married to three women and he is still not contented as he has promised Asiya, Mr Kimani’s wife
that he was going to marry her (p. 33).
All elections for political officers used to be rigged now few are free and fair(P.28)
All business firms were state monopolies now, they are all private ventures
Africa members of parliament earned less than professors did, now they rose up into hundred times the
incomes professors receive. Earnings of professors still consists of salaries which are taxable but MPs salaries are
not taxed (P.29)
14. Materialism
The comparison between Kimani and Walomu indicates that money matters as Kimani cannot afford a family
car for his daughter, Tuni whereas Walomu has four cars (P.29,31).
Kimani loses his wife, Siya as a result of being poor. He cannot satisfy the needs of his family. When he tells
the wife that money is not the answer to everything, she responds by telling him he has never had money how can
he know that money does not offer happiness (P.33)
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16. Hypocrisy and pretense
The young and pretty ladies in Walomu’s reception, smile at everybody including Kimani and when they
recognize him they frown immediately meaning they were merely playing public relation (P.34)
Siya seems hypocritical immediately she notes Kimani cannot be of help to her. She complains about poverty
and later when the daughter dies becomes despondent. A few months later, she jumps and shrinks whenever
Kimani approaches her then one day she smiles and at night tells him she is leaving and is ready to marry
Walomu, when Kimani retreats, she sees through his lie (P.32)
17. Fear and anxiety
People closed their eyes in fear when the minibus in which Tuni was kept crushing (P.29).
Longway trusts that Path Alpha will transform the have they harbor against state officials into acts that add up
and became a will for change (P.43-4).
Kimani fears that he may not be allowed to come near the gates where the next summit of Africa’s heads of the
state will be (P.44).
18. Individualism
In Kenya individuals now hire guards for their security.
The parliamentarians ensure they change laws to their advantage.
19. Injustice
Professor Kimani fights Walomu, he is imprisoned for six months while Walomu goes scot free. In addition
professor Kimani is demoted from being a professor to a senior lecturer.
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g. Educated
He had a PhD from Oxford University (P21)
h. Abusive
He quickly abuses MP newborn as a fat baboon( p. 34).
i. Concerned
He goes and faces the MP Walomu for stealing his wife. He is also worried for Asiya as the MP was known for
using women …many other he had killed but not eaten’ (p. 36).
j. Aggressive
He confronts and wants to fight the MP Mr Walomu for stealing his wife and is later jailed for this for six
months (p. 37-8)
k. Opportunistic
He applies for a position of a senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi when there is a vacancy he should fill
immediately he gets a PhD (P.21).
He takes Path Alpha as a way to help him escape teaching that he no longer wants (p. 45)
After losing a daughter and a wife he feels it is suitable to change his career.
l. Inquisitive and critical
He asks Longway a lot of questions when he is persuading him to take Path Omega which will help solve the
problems of Africa, how he came to select him as one of the participants in the whole project, and how the plan
can serve Africa (P40-44).
m. Idealist, purist and absolutist
When Tuni asks her father whether she has ever considered going into politics he says it is not for him (P.31).
Longway says from history Kimani is an idealist because of what he writes and what he does at work (P.44).
n. Unrealistic and rigid
Kimani views the surge in guarding with disapproval, to which he adds contempt when he understands there is
no way to meet these services without spending on them (P.25).
He knows very well the state does not offer security but says that their safety is not in seminars but the state
should provide it (P.26-7).
He aims to change the University of Nairobi so fast when it is not quite possible (P.21-2).
o. Vulnerable and emotional
He knows how powerful Walomu is but attacks him in the office and he is later thrown in jail (P.41-44)
p. Outspoken and Frank
Kimani feels the people Sir Mark hired were mercenaries and not soldier and tells Longway this (P.43).
q. Determined and persevering
Regardless of the low salary, he sticks to his job as a teacher and keeps saying teaching is an honest profession for
him when all his fellow intellectuals run to politics (P.29).
Kimani undergoes a lot of loss and suffering, but he seems composed in chapter 3 when talking to Longway.
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Longway says that the traveller must have the drive to pursue goals and tenacity to stick with them just as Kimani
is (p.44).
A month after arrival he demanded that his institute hence forth to strive for relevance and not excellence and six
months later, his view prevailed. His personal view became the university’s motto ‘Relevance not Excellence’
(p.21)
r. Racist and judgmental
When talking to Mr. Longway, he does not believe he can be an African because of his color. When Longway
says us, Africans, Kimani asks did you say, ‘us Africans’? (P.40)
Mr. Longway determines that Kimani is judging him by the cover of his skin, hence he code switches to speak
like an Afrikan from South Africa (P. 40)
s. Disillusioned
He seems to have given up with life after he loses a daughter and wife and ends up in jail (P38-45).
He does not believe he can be allowed to attend the African heads of state’s summon (P.45)
20. Asiya
a. Materialistic, pragmatic, and realistic
She complains about their poor state, Africa’s situation and hates it. She tells her husband to leave the university
and make things better. She closely refers to MP Walomu who has four cars (P.29).
She opts to marry MP Walomu who is rich and desert Kimani who is poor (P.32-37).
She believes if money was not offering happiness, only people who have ever had it could be the only ones to tell
(p.33).
She also believes if Tuni had a car that her father could afford for her, she could not have died in a car crush as it
had happened (P.33).
b. Inconsolable and emotional
She becomes desponded after the death of Tuni (P.32).
She loathes Kimani after Tuni’s death (P.32-33).
c. Motherly
She touches Tuna gently in a calming gesture when she seems to be annoyed with the situation in Kenya (P.27).
d. Frank and Open
She tells Kimani openly about their poor state and asks him to get out of the university (P.29).
e. Resolute
She tells Kimani she is going to leave and marry newborn Walomu and in the morning indeed she leaves despite
his persuasion of her to stay (P.33-4).
21. Walomu
a. Cruel, scrupulous, and selfish
He tells Kimani even after taking Siya that he will have Kimani thrown out of the window on the 12th floor
(P.35).
He sits smiling and enjoying every moment of Kimani’s anger (P.35).
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He won a sit by using gunmen to scare off pursuers of the sit and had killed the predecessor (P.35).
b. Extravagant
He is said to have 4 cars (p.29).
c. Sarcastic
He asks Kimani what brings him in his office and even tells him to take a seat and stand forever if he wills (P.35).
He even tells Kimani that the Texas guy says there are no people who steal women and being devils they do not
understand anything. They barge in at any time (p.36-7).
He tells Kimani Asiya is old but gold to him and that a real bull dies with green grass in its mouth (P.36)
d. Lustful
Kimani thinks of how Walomu always went after women.
He had three wives and still goes for Siya claiming that she is an old gold to him (P. 36)
22. Tuni
a. Inquisitive
He attends a seminar on personal safety and asks her parents their views about what the leader suggests (P.27)
b. Cautious
She takes precautionary measures against male violence by attending a seminar (P.27)
c. Feminist
She suggests that women should protect themselves against criminals as male criminals (P.27-8).
d. Cautious
She starts attending classes to help her learn how to protect herself (P27).
e. Critical
She analyzes the state of affairs in Kenya with a critical eye view. She says despite elections, politicians are all
the same (P25).
f. Knowledgeable
She knows about self-defense and many other ways that can make her better in life (P.27)
She gives her mother four ways of safeguarding themselves including; always being keen and aware of where
they are, appearing strong and in control, and never walking into bad neighbourhoods (P.27).
g. Outspoken
When talking to her mother and father about the state of affairs in the country and need for individual to offer
themselves security, she speaks everything as it is (P.25-7)
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Mother and daughter look at each other and ask themselves rhetorical questions such as “How often had they
heard him espouse that view? Yet did it not tend to undermine prosperity and result in poverty? (P.26)”
When Tuni is trapped an onlooker asks whether she is fine and the author places a question; “So how could she be
fine? (P.31)”
b. Imagery and figurative language
i.Vivid description
The author says there was a loud crash; a moving object had hit another moving object. A trailer hooked to a
truck negotiating a roundabout had broken free, spun outward, and ended up on top of a minibus in an adjacent
lane (P. 31-2)
There is a detailed description too of how Tuni is trapped and the attempt to save her and finally how she is
squeezed to death (P.30-2)
Walomu is described in the book as celebrating with a smile, his front teeth rusty brown and with a stomach that
had grown into a ball, big and firm, known on streets as “compressor”… (p.34-5).
There is a vivid description of how Siya responds when Kimani touches her. She jumped back and shrank away.
He pretended to understand why and kept out her path (P.32).
Tuni is said to have her mother’s eyes; wings of an imported butterfly, pure black in the middle, pure white at the
margins, ringed with inch-long lashes (P.24).
The author describes Longway as a Whiteman-green of eyes, fifty-plus years of age-stood outside (P.38).
Longway’s voice is said to be a lion’s roar; deep, reverberating, and eerie (P.40)
Longway is said to have been speaking with a bi-tonal accent, seemingly mid-Atlantic for sounding both
American and British (P.40).
ii. Metaphors
Longway’s voice is said to be a lion’s roar (P.38)
Kimani calls Walomu fat baboon (P.34).
iii. Litotes
The situation could not have been any worse if a demented god in some dark cloud was using the trailer as a
hammer to beat the minibus flat (P.31)
iv. Personification
The bed protested (p.33)
Kimani puts a hand over his mouth to kill a yawn (p.42).
The secretaries at Walomu’s office kill their smile (P34).
Kimani and Asiya are said to have been married amidst approval of A Saturday full of claps of thunder and rain
(P.26).
v. Similes
A fight between Kimani and Walomu is a ponderous scuffle, as between elephants (P.38).
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Kimani tells Tuni new parliaments are like old and though the politicians keep changing their ideology is all the
same (p.25).
Longways tells Kimani “Let it stew in your mind” meaning he should reflect on what he has been told (P45)
He also tells Kimani to mull over it between the sheets (p.45)
You are getting on my nerves meaning you are irritating me (p.23).
Watch your tongue (p.36)
Ring a bell (p.39).
Lay many he had killed meaning got attracted to and dumped (P.36).
Our think tank (P.41)
Kimani asks Walomu after he mocks him about Asiya ‘You have the nerve… (P.36)
c.Satire
Longway satirically shows how the heads of state in Africa promised to deal with poverty, ignorance, and
diseases yet instead of eradicating that they added corruption (P.41).
The author satirizes the public management bodies particularly the emergency sector for failing to save Tuna
from death. After being called, a police doubling as a driver arrives an hour later when Tuna has already died
(p.30-1). Including safety arrangements becoming a private business.
The author also mocks the women empowerment trainings Tuna had been attending because the teaching that are
propagated to offer safety to the women do not save Tuna from death (P.27)
It is also satirical that security lies in the hands of individuals and only the rich can afford it when in real sense the
government should provide that(p.25).
The author satirizes Kimani’s choice to hang to the university as a lecturer and his view that he was born a
teacher, hence he ends up languishing in poverty and his daughter dies because he could not offer her a car. He
still waited for the next month’s salary to enable him repair the car(p.29).
It is laughable that the state cannot provide emergency services when needed. For instance when One man called
the mystical number 999 to report distress and request for help when the trailer was atop of a minibus. The 999
arrived a whole hour after call nobody comes (p.38)
Asiya prof Kimani’s wife is satirized for leaving her marriage of over thirty years because she isn’t happy as her
husband doesn’t have money unlike Newborn who is filthy rich has promised to marry her (p.32-3). This she
does when she is 60 years old.
The MP Mr Walomu is also satirized . He is already married to three young women but he is still not contented as
he has promised Asiya a 60 year old woman Mrs Kimani’s wife that he was going to marry her (p.36)
The government is also satirized for not recognizing and remunerating diligence instead the government serenade
and celebrate sloth for instance MP Mr Walomu is given a ministerial post as the minister Without portfolio and
he gets better pay than his previous post for doing nothing
It is laughable at African presidents who have added the fourth problem that is corruption and the fifth which is
impunity despite promising their people that they were going to eradicate the three problems that were there ;
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poverty , ignorance and disease. Now they can longer be heard promising to eradicate the problem as they are the
primary beneficiaries (p.41)
d. Irony
It is ironical that Walomu has three beautiful wives but still wants to marry Siya and leave Kimani a hurt man and
he proudly says old is gold (P.36).
e. Sarcasm
Kimani is a bit sarcastic when talking to Longway who is persuading him to become part of the Path Alpha
strategy. At some point he says he is a teacher not an activist and keeps correcting some terms Longway uses
(p.40-42)
Walomu sarcastically asks Kimani whether he came to see him about something. He later asks him to take a sit or
stand there forever because he did not care. He also refers to himself as a real bull that dies with green grass in its
mouth (P.36-7).
f. Allusion
Margaret Thatcher is mentioned in the book by Longway. Mark hired them to stage a coup in Equatorial
Guinea(P.39)
g. Flashback
It is through flashback that the readers learn the suffering and desperation of Kimani since his arrival in Kenya
and loss of daughter and wife (P.32-42).
It is also through flashback that the readers learn of Kimani’s choice to become part of the Path Alpha strategy
(P38-42).
Professor Kimani has a flashback on how he lost his daughter in a freak road accident and later the wife leaves
him for a wealthy politician (P.45).
h. Dialogue or conversation
In a dialogue between Siya and Kimani, Siya reveals her decision to marry Walomu and mocks him for rebuking
wealth when she has been with him in poverty. She even questions whether he wanted her to have left early and
she mocks him of not knowing what happiness is (P.36-7).
Walomu also has a dialogue with Kimani and he mocks him for questioning his need to marry Siya when he has
three beautiful wives. The dialogue shows how the proud, arrogant, selfish, lustful Walomu disregards Kimani
and has no sympathy for his situation (P35-7).
i. Idiophones
Ha (P.31, 33)
Ah (P.31)
Hack (p.31).
j. Onomatopoeia
Minibus were scrambling (P.30).
The door had jammed (P.30)
Perhaps scared, the crowd the hushed (P.31).
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They only gawked (p.30).
A loud crash (p.30).
She seemed to loathe (p.32).
The bed creaked (p.32).
She really snapped out her gloom (p.32)
She scoffed(p.33)
As it crumbled amid groans (p.31)
Tuni blinked (P.24)
Reasons for flunking them (p.31)
Scrambled (p.34)
While he was wobbling …(P.42)
Cookie crumbles (P.36)
Proverbs and proverbial sayings
When a can gets into a pigeon coops, it kills all the pigeons it finds, not just those it will eat. It refers to Walomu
who takes away women even those he may not need, like Asiya (P.36).
A real bull dies with green grass in its mouth (p.37) Walomu justifies his greed for women.
Old is gold (P.36/37)
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