I wish tender deal with senator will change my fortunes

MCA Gwinso

Our senator did it again! Just by a whisker, he escaped being named the worst performing in the recently released performance index report. 

This gave me a perfect reason, or rather excuse, to pay a visit to his office. You see, ever since my differences with our governor escalated, I have sought for an opportunity to get close to the senator.

Given that he and the governor don’t see eye to eye, I knew he was likely to believe anything I tell him about the county boss. So I called his office and booked an appointment for Friday last week. 

I travelled to the city that day and headed to his office. Although it was quite early in the day, there was already a long queue at the reception. I approached the receptionist.

“How can I help you?” she asked. 

Realizing she had not recognised me, I pulled down my face mask to reveal the face.

“Yes, can I help you?” she repeated and I realised she obviously did not recognise me.

“Madam, I am MCA Gwinso,” I told her.

“Oh, so how may I help you, Bwana MCA?” she asked indifferently. 

“I want to see the senator,” I said in a not-so-friendly voice. I was unhappy with the casual manner in which she was handling me.

“Is he expecting you?”

“Yes, he is,” I answered. 

“Okay, wait there,” she said, pointing at the tail end of the queue. 

“What the hell? Me? A whole MCA to line up with the common people?” Those were the words I successfully restrained from leaving my lips.

From the look the receptionist gave me, I knew I was on the verge of being badly embarrassed, so I reluctantly joined the queue. 

“That man is taking too long inside there, kwani what are they talking about?” a man murmured, complaining loudly.

“That must be an MCA. They are the ones who talk endlessly because they want favours from the senator,” remarked another.

“Enyewe! These MCAs are bogus. Is there anything they do apart from making noise and eating fat House allowances?”

Now this talk was getting into my nerves. I wanted to shut them up, but realised I would not win an argument with the impatient folks.

So I just sat there silently as accusation upon accusation was heaped on MCAs. What a painful experience!

After what seemed like ages, my turn finally came to see the senator. 

“Karibu, Bwana MCA,” he said, rising from the seat and giving me an energy-filled handshake. 

He offered me a seat. 

“Bwana Senator, I just came to congratulate you for the good work you are doing in the Senate,” I said after a few pleasantries.

“We are just trying,” he said. “Actually, it is you MCAs who should be congratulated. You do the donkey work.” 

At this moment I wished he could say it loud enough to be heard by those thankless people outside. I then switched to my reason for the visit.

“But Sir, we have one problem: our leadership. Allow me not to name names,” I lowered my voice, “but our county is full of corrupt leaders right from the very top. As they say, a fish begins rotting from the head. Our county is rotten.”

“Tell me more,” he said. 

Encouraged by the look of total attention on his face, I continued. “If you check carefully, all major tenders belong to relatives of the top man in the county.”

From the look the senator gave me, I could tell he was touched by what I was telling him. I continued to report how most of my colleagues were involved in underhand deals. 

“Nearly all the MCAs have tenders in the county, some of them even have more than three!”

“Now, don’t worry, Bwana Gwinso. I will talk to one or two colleagues in the Senate to get you something also.”

“Like what?” I was now confused.

“A tender. Listen, Bwana Gwinso. You do not have to eat in your own county. You can do it in another county. That is the best way of doing these things, my friend.”

“But…Sir..” 

“Don’t worry,” the senator interrupted my attempts to explain myself. 

“I know how to go about it. Leave everything to me. Call me next week,” he said. “Thank you for coming.” 

I hope my detractors don’t get to hear about this visit, or else, mimi kwisha! – a.otieno@pu.ac.ke