Major General.

Many times we tend not to walk our talk but there are benefits on the other side of keeping our word. I recently had an opportunity to spend a day at a military installation. I met Major General Owino at Nakuru Golf Club in May during a golf event dubbed Coronation Cup. I was introduced to him by a mutual friend in the evening at the club house and we went on to have a drink as we got to know each other.

I was drawn to him because of his sense of humour and his appetite for life. He really cracked us up with his stories of how he would play lingala music the whole night to his golf clubs in the hope that they will help him play a winning round the following day at the tournament. His game turned out to be a disaster the following day and he threw his clubs deep into his car boot after they let him down with a poor score.

Apart from his humour, something else drew me to this man. He was so down-to-earth, mingling freely with everyone despite being of high rank in the military. I could sense he has the power but does not need to use it. I find that a very attractive trait in a leader. We got chatting and he told me he would like to invite me to the Kenya Military Academy in Lanet where he is doing a small golf course for the cadets and the kids in the surrounding area to learn golf. I told him we (Kenya Golf Union) can assist with some equipment when he’s launching it. He is the patron of KDF golf and was also behind the construction of Thika Barracks golf course. Since golf is now in the military games, his vision is to have a golf course in every army barracks if possible. After all the army is not in short supply of land.

When you make a promise to a General, you better deliver. I didn’t want to find out what would happen if I failed him. Even loss of respect from him would be punishment enough so I wasn’t going to let that happen. I set off on a Friday morning two weeks ago from Nairobi with the golf mats, balls and rule books in my car. I enjoy driving on that Naivasha-Nakuru road, especially when there is no traffic. I drove well within the speed limit as I took in the scenery and communed with nature and myself. I call it chewing cud – having those long moments alone when you allow your deep thoughts to rise to the surface and you process them.

I arrived in Nakuru early enough to check in at my pal’s BnB – www.brownies-guesthouse.com next to Green Steads School. If any of you need a quiet, homely and private place to stay in Nakuru, then Brownies is your place. The manager, Faith, will welcome you with her warm smile and go out of her way together with her team to ensure your stay is comfortable. The huge portions of chicken wings in pepper sauce and roast potatoes with pilipili on the side was the best lunch after a two-hour drive. Another highlight was that there was no deadline to have breakfast by 10am like we find in hotels. I ate mine at noon the following day at the garden, next to a water fountain as the fish in the water checked me out hungrily.

I got to the Kenya Military Academy just after 2pm. Once inside, I drove on a road that looked like it was washed with Omo. I passed neatly trimmed trees and fence hedges that looked so perfect it was as though they had been cut with a shaver. As I approached the main office block, I noticed two officers on the open land rover that takes the president round the stadium during public holidays. I think it had been sent for meet me as I was asked to follow it behind slowly up to a parking spot labelled VIP. I got a glimpse of why power corrupts so easily Once I got off my car, I was greeted respectfully like a mkubwa and ushered up two floors into the General’s huge office. On the wall above the staircase at the entrance was the KDF officers’ creed. On the side of it in gold-plated letters were the KMA values: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honour, integrity and personal courage.

I don’t recall the last time I felt ready to die for my country. My sense of patriotism was so aroused that if a war broke out then, I would have signed up on the spot and rushed to the front line. But there would be a small problem. I’ve never used a gun before so maybe I’d go with a faaya na bladder (sling shot) that we used to hunt doves as we grew up.

It was a delight to meet Major General Owino again after a few months. We hugged and sat down for him to brief me on the day’s program. In addition he told me what KMA does and to my surprise they offer B.Sc. in Military Studies, a three-year program. I thought all they teach in a barracks is how to fire rifles and blow up stuff. Once you graduate you do not necessarily have to be in the military. You can work anywhere on matters security. The course is so transformative that you leave very different from how you came in, with those values deeply engrained into your psyche and DNA.

How I wish parliament can pass a law that anyone who desires to be in public office must pass through this course but I know that is just wishful thinking. That would solve the leadership crisis we have in Kenya. The greed and self-centeredness would evaporate a great deal. I even asked the General if I can do a class or two just to stretch myself. Even bad manners that many Kenyans have like littering and breaking traffic rules would reduce if we went through just a portion of this military course. I felt like I was in a vacuum or bubble with all the order and discipline around me unlike most of our country.

After this enlightening chat we proceeded to meet with the cadets to handover the practice mats, golf balls and rule books we had brought. We then addressed them together with kids from neighbouring areas, conducted a few clinics and proceeded to launch the mini golf course. I played it together with the General and my colleagues from the Union. I was glad to beat our host so he revenged by spoiling me and the team silly in his officers’ mess till late in the night.

I left KMA for Brownies that night feeling so lucky to have been hosted by such a great man. He was given a chance by someone many years ago and now has committed himself not just to be a great officer but a servant to the people he leads. That entire military facility must be so happy to have him as their leader. I’m sure even the president will appreciate the General’s work as he gets hosted there for the cadet graduation soon.

Folks, if there is one thing I believe we should apply in our civilian lives to make Kenya a better place, it is the officers’ creed:

The safety, honour and welfare of your country come first, always and every time. The honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next, always and every time.  Your own ease, comfort and safety come last, always and every time.

Thank you for hosting me General, I will seek to apply the lessons you taught me and maybe I can be a civilian General for the sake of our great nation.