Anne Kamau – 09-0676                                                                                                                                                                                                

My worst day of the week is here once again. I wish had an option of skipping this day, most of you would agree with me that Monday is not our favorite day. Others have a nickname for it such as crazy Monday or Monday blues. This Monday is even worse because am traveling from school to town through public means to run some errands.

I am late so there is no time to wait for the Nissan; I have to travel with what is there, the minibus. These minibuses mostly are from eastern province. Have you been in one? If not, this is how usually is, Most of them are usually 33 seaters, when you board the bus your are welcomed by very loud Kamba music. Don’t get me wrong I don’t hate Kamba music. The passengers carry a lot of luggage and even chickens from the upcountry. Trust me it’s not a funny scenario.

“Good morning” the preacher in the bus says. It even feels like I am in a mobile market place. I thought the preachers in the bus are only found in town buses. Guys have you ever thought that this might be someone’s career? Personally it’s very annoying because this specific preacher in our minibus does not consider the noise in the bus. He keeps on talking, doesn’t even care whether he has an audience or not. He has a strategic way of sugarcoating his name; He says that he doesn’t ask for money for his own upkeep like others do. And that’s get me thinking, how does he know that the others get money for upkeep? Anyway a little benefit of doubt, so I pay attention to him. I want to satisfy my curiosity. The sermon is almost over and the preacher walks around in the bus humming, he comes to the last seat in which I happen to be seating. This reminds me of the other sales people who mistake a market place for a bus when they shout “dawa ya mende-eee,” “dawa ya minyoo,” “tropical five bob”. They make no difference with the ‘preacher’ in the bus.

All over sudden he gets out some envelopes from in between his Bible and distributes them saying “God will bless you”. On top of the envelope its written “give and it shall come back to you”. Kenyans are generous trust me; even after he has been blabbing all by himself they still give him the money. Another disturbing thing is that most of these preachers don’t pay bus fare, they always foregoer their seat for any extra passenger. It feels like they use that as a scape goat. I have a lot to do so I ignore the situation on arrival in town and gets off the bus.

I am not lucky to catch up with the bus back to school once again. My errands took longer than I expected. I walk to Machakos bus station where I board a bus back. You may be wondering why travel with a bus again after the morning encounter? When using a Nissan they don’t consider your distance, you will have to pay the same amount as the person who travels to Machakos or even a person who travels further than that, while the bus they consider distance hence paying a hundred less, so do the math.

At least on the way back it’s a little bit peaceful. No loud music just some soft and soothing soul music, actually it was very relaxing. Reaching Cabanas they stop to pick more passengers.  “What?” My good morning preacher is back. Maybe he thinks no one knows him since it’s a different kind of a bus. “Praise God my fellow passengers, God have sent me with a message all the way from Eldoret….” Wait a minute; it has only been hours since I saw him. What more evidence will I need to know he is a liar? It’s unfortunate I don’t have the chance to listen to his sermon to the end, its taking longer maybe because he has a long way to go. Thank God I get off the bus before the ‘offering’.