14 February 2020: Lessons from Molo and Mama

 

Overview of the Chapter

This chapter reflects on Kombani’s early childhood in Molo, tracing how family breakdown, illness, poverty, and encouragement shaped his identity, confidence, and love for reading.

Family Separation and Father Absence

The chapter establishes that Kombani grew up without an active father, a situation that shaped his emotional world from an early age. His mother had separated from Joram shortly before Kombani’s birth, after their marriage deteriorated. She moved from Nakuru to Molo, where she built and furnished her own house.

Joram’s absence was not accidental or gradual. According to what Kombani was told, Joram left while his mother was hospitalised and recovering from another eye operation. Her eye problems had begun in her teenage years after an incident involving hot ash thrown during a sibling fight, and they worsened over time. Joram is reported to have said that he “would not keep a blind wife,” a statement that directly explains his decision to abandon the family.

Illustrations from the text:

• Joram sold all the property he and Kombani’s mother had acquired together while she was in hospital giving birth.

• After the sale, people came to collect items from the house. On one occasion, she had to vacate the sofa she was sitting on while nursing Kombani because it had already been sold.

Because of this absence, Kombani notes that they never referred to Joram as “Dad.” The lack of a father figure became more painful as Kombani grew older, especially when his schoolmates boasted about their fathers’ achievements, highlighting what he did not have.

Mother’s Suffering, Strength, and Moral Choices

Kombani’s mother is presented as a figure of endurance and responsibility despite repeated hardships. Her declining eyesight forced her to retire from her teaching job on medical grounds, cutting off a stable source of income. Nevertheless, she continued working to support her children.

She started business ventures in Molo, including running bars near the KCC depot and later at Total. After a serious bus accident in 1985, which led to a long hospitalisation, she returned to find her business mismanaged and nearly empty of stock. Despite this setback, she continued to look for ways to provide for her family.

She later secured a tender at Molo District Hospital to supply foodstuff and firewood. However, after becoming a devout Christian, she refused to participate in corruption. As a result, she lost the tender, choosing integrity over financial security.

Illustrations from the text:

• She travelled frequently to Nakuru Treasury offices and Nairobi law firms to follow up compensation claims from accidents in 1985 and 1987.

• Due to her failing eyesight, she could not read unless material was very close to her face and could not travel alone, yet she persisted.

Her actions demonstrate not comfort or ease, but determination shaped by responsibility and moral conviction.

Life in Molo and Childhood Limitations

The chapter situates Kombani’s childhood within Molo, described as a fast-growing, multicultural town located along the Nairobi–Eldoret highway. It served as a junction linking major agricultural regions such as Kericho, the Mau Summit, Olenguruone, and Kamwaura.

Despite this activity, Kombani’s personal circumstances were modest. Material limitations affected his everyday experiences, including how he understood the world.

Illustrations from the text:

• He once embarrassed himself at school by saying a football team wore black jerseys, unaware that they were red, because he had only watched matches on a black-and-white television.

• The television belonged to Mama Ochieng, and later, access to a colour television at the Molo Police Station canteen allowed him to see programmes like Ramayan properly.

These experiences reveal how limited resources shaped his perceptions without preventing him from participating in communal life.

Early Love for Reading and Intellectual Awakening

A key moment in the chapter occurs during a matatu journey when Kombani notices an old man carrying a newspaper. Although shy, he gathers the courage to ask to read it. The old man initially doubts him and asks whether he can read at all.

Kombani responds by reading the newspaper aloud. As he does so, the old man’s attitude changes from suspicion to admiration.

Illustrations from the text:

• The old man pays the bus fare for both of them.

• He allows Kombani to keep the newspaper.

• Before alighting, he pats Kombani on the back and says, “Young man, you are very creative. You’ll go places.”

Kombani notes that after this encounter, he walked with “a new spring” in his step. From then on, he deliberately sat next to people with newspapers and asked to read them. The affirmation stayed with him for years and strengthened his confidence in his abilities.

Key Themes Developed in the Chapter 

1. Abandonment and Resilience

The theme of abandonment is grounded in Kombani’s father’s deliberate withdrawal from the family. Joram leaves while Kombani’s mother is hospitalised, openly rejecting her because of her worsening blindness. His absence is final and compounded by betrayal: he sells all shared property without her consent.

This abandonment creates emotional consequences for Kombani. He notes that they never called Joram “Dad” and admits to harbouring bitterness, especially when classmates boasted about their fathers. The lack of a father figure is not abstract; it affects his sense of belonging and confidence in social settings.

Resilience emerges not as optimism but as endurance. Kombani’s mother continues to work, relocate, raise children, and seek compensation despite illness and blindness. Kombani, observing this, adapts early—becoming her guide, travelling with her, and learning responsibility through necessity.

Text-based illustration:

• Property sold while mother is hospitalised.

• Mother forced to vacate furniture she was using while nursing.

• Kombani accompanies her as a guide due to her failing eyesight.

2. Integrity and Sacrifice

Integrity is shown through choices that lead to loss, not reward. Kombani’s mother refuses to participate in corruption after becoming a devout Christian. As a direct result, she loses a hospital tender that provided income for the family.

This decision does not improve their material situation. Instead, it increases hardship. Yet the chapter presents this refusal without regret or justification, suggesting that moral consistency mattered more to her than survival through compromise.

The sacrifice is practical and immediate: less income, more struggle, continued dependence on follow-ups and compensation claims. Integrity here is not symbolic—it has consequences.

Text-based illustration:

• Loss of hospital tender due to refusal to engage in corruption.

• Continued financial strain despite moral choice.

3. Power of Encouragement

The chapter shows how a single moment of affirmation can counter years of limitation and silence. When Kombani asks to read a newspaper on a matatu, he is initially doubted. The old man’s question—“Do you even know how to read?”—reflects the low expectations often placed on children like him.

When Kombani reads fluently, the response is immediate and transformative. The man pays his fare, gives him the newspaper, and speaks words that Kombani remembers for years: “You are very creative. You’ll go places.”

The chapter makes clear that this encouragement alters Kombani’s behaviour. He begins actively seeking newspapers and reading publicly, suggesting increased confidence and self-belief directly linked to that encounter.

Text-based illustration:

• The old man’s change from scepticism to admiration.

• The gift of the newspaper.

• Kombani’s changed posture and later habits.

4. Education as Escape and Empowerment

Education in this chapter is informal but powerful. Kombani reads newspapers, observes the world, and learns through exposure rather than structured schooling alone. His love for reading is self-driven and nurtured through access, curiosity, and encouragement.

Reading becomes a way to transcend material limits. Despite poverty, blindness in the family, and restricted access to resources, literacy gives Kombani confidence, recognition, and direction.

This theme is reinforced by repetition: after the matatu incident, Kombani deliberately sits next to people with newspapers. Reading is no longer private or timid—it becomes an assertion of identity.

Text-based illustration:

• Desire to read a stranger’s newspaper.

• Public reading aloud.

• Continued pursuit of reading opportunities.

Overall Thematic Significance

Together, these themes explain how character is formed under pressure. The chapter shows that Kombani’s later confidence, discipline, and creativity are rooted not in comfort, but in abandonment endured, integrity witnessed, encouragement received, and education pursued.

Stylistic Devices 

1. First-Person Epistolary Style

The chapter is written as a personal letter addressed to “Mama”, using the first-person pronoun “I” throughout. This epistolary form frames the narrative as a private communication rather than a public account.

How it works in the text:

• The chapter opens directly with “Dear Mama,” and closes with “Your loving son, Kombani.”

• The narrator speaks directly to his mother, often anticipating her reactions or memory: “If you remember…”, “You will be glad to know…”

Effect grounded in the text:

• It allows Kombani to recount painful events—abandonment, poverty, illness—without explanation or defence, because he assumes shared knowledge with his mother.

• It creates emotional immediacy: the reader experiences events as remembered and felt, not as reported history.

2. Flashback

The chapter is structured almost entirely as a flashback, moving from the present (14 February 2020) into childhood memories from the late 1980s and 1990s.

How it works in the text:

• Kombani recalls events that occurred before his birth (his mother leaving Nakuru, separation from Joram).

• He moves through stages of childhood: early school years, watching television, travelling with his mother, and reading newspapers.

Effect grounded in the text:

• The flashback explains why Kombani values reading, encouragement, and resilience later in life.

• It allows the reader to see cause-and-effect: early deprivation leads to curiosity; encouragement leads to confidence.

3. Contrast

The chapter relies heavily on contrast to highlight emotional, social, and material differences.

Key contrasts in the text:

• Affluence vs hardship

  • Kombani mentions invoices showing his parents once lived in Nakuru’s London estate, an affluent neighbourhood.

  • This is contrasted with later poverty: property loss, dependence on public transport, and struggling for income.

• Presence vs absence

  • Joram’s absence is contrasted with the mother’s constant presence and effort.

  • Kombani notes he never called Joram “Dad,” while his mother is central to every memory.

• Limited resources vs rich intellect

  • Black-and-white television limits understanding of football matches.

  • Reading newspapers expands knowledge and confidence.

Effect grounded in the text:

• These contrasts sharpen the reader’s understanding of loss, resilience, and growth without overt commentary.

4. Symbolism

The chapter uses ordinary objects and conditions symbolically, without explicitly naming them as symbols.

a) The Newspaper

Textual role:

• The newspaper is first seen as an object Kombani desires but hesitates to ask for.

• It becomes a tool through which he proves his literacy.

Symbolic meaning grounded in events:

• It represents access to knowledge beyond his immediate environment.

• Receiving the newspaper permanently marks recognition and validation of his ability.

b) Blindness

Textual role:

• The mother’s blindness is described factually: inability to read, need for a guide, medical retirement.

Symbolic dimension grounded in action:

• It exposes societal cruelty (Joram’s abandonment).

• It contrasts physical limitation with moral clarity and determination.

5. Dialogue

Dialogue is used sparingly but strategically to heighten realism and emotional impact.

Examples from the text:

• “Do you even know how to read?” — expresses doubt and social prejudice.

• “You are very creative. You’ll go places.” — delivers affirmation.

Effect grounded in the text:

• Dialogue breaks narration to capture turning points.

• The old man’s spoken words directly influence Kombani’s confidence and behaviour.

6. Imagery

The chapter employs simple visual imagery drawn from everyday life.

Examples grounded in the text:

• Black-and-white television screens.

• A matatu interior with passengers seated closely.

• Kombani standing to give up his seat while reading.

Effect grounded in the text:

• These images anchor the narrative in lived experience.

• They help the reader visualise poverty and movement without exaggeration.

7. Simple, Conversational Language

The language throughout the chapter is plain, reflective, and conversational.

How this appears in the text:

• Short sentences and direct statements.

• Minimal figurative language.

• Explanations given as if speaking to a familiar listener.

Effect grounded in the text:

• The simplicity reinforces authenticity.

• Emotional weight comes from events themselves, not stylistic ornamentation.

The chapter’s style is deliberately understated. Through epistolary narration, flashback, contrast, symbolism, dialogue, and imagery, Kombani presents a truthful account of childhood hardship and encouragement. The stylistic devices serve the story, not the other way round.

Characterisation 

1. Kombani (Narrator)

Kombani is presented as observant, emotionally honest, intellectually curious, and shaped by hardship. His character is revealed through memory, reflection, and action rather than direct self-praise.

a) Emotionally Aware and Vulnerable
Kombani openly acknowledges difficult emotions, especially regarding his absent father.

• He admits to “harbouring some bitterness towards Joram”, showing honesty about unresolved feelings.

• He feels uncomfortable when classmates brag about their fathers, highlighting the emotional impact of growing up without one.

This vulnerability is presented calmly, not dramatically, making it credible and grounded.

b) Observant and Reflective
He pays close attention to his surroundings and links small experiences to larger meanings.

• He remembers details such as the black-and-white television at Mama Ochieng’s house.

• He connects being laughed at over football jersey colours to deeper issues of poverty and limited access.

This shows a reflective mind that learns from everyday experiences.

c) Curious and Courageous
Despite shyness, Kombani shows courage in pursuit of knowledge.

• He “really wanted to borrow” the newspaper but hesitates.

• Eventually, he “gathered the courage” to ask the old man.

His action demonstrates quiet bravery rather than boldness.

d) Intellectually Capable and Confident in Ability
When challenged, he does not retreat.

• He reads the newspaper aloud fluently when questioned.

• His reading ability surprises the old man, proving competence through action, not argument.

This shows self-belief rooted in ability rather than arrogance.

e) Responsive to Affirmation and Growth-Oriented
Encouragement has a clear, observable effect on him.

• After being told “You are very creative. You’ll go places,” he notes he had “a new spring” in his step.

• He begins deliberately sitting next to people with newspapers and asking to read.

This shows that positive affirmation reinforces his confidence and shapes his habits.

2. Kombani’s Mother

Kombani’s mother is characterised as resilient, principled, hardworking, and self-sacrificing, revealed through her actions and endurance rather than emotional expression.

a) Resilient and Enduring
She faces repeated physical, emotional, and economic challenges.

• She suffers worsening blindness caused by an injury in her youth.

• She retires from teaching on medical grounds but continues to work in business and supply tenders.

• She survives abandonment, accidents, and financial loss.

Her resilience is shown through persistence, not complaint.

b) Morally Principled
Her values guide her choices even at personal cost.

• After becoming a devout Christian, she refuses to engage in corruption.

• As a result, she loses a hospital supply tender.

This illustrates integrity grounded in belief rather than convenience.

c) Responsible and Determined Provider
She actively supports her family despite limitations.

• She builds and furnishes a house in Njoro.

• She runs bars in Molo and follows up compensation claims.

• She travels to Nakuru and Nairobi despite failing eyesight.

These actions show responsibility and determination.

d) Supportive and Empowering Parent
She involves Kombani in her life and work.

• He becomes her guide during travel.

• She allows him access to environments (offices, towns, transport) that expose him to reading and learning.

This involvement indirectly nurtures his confidence and curiosity.

3. Joram (Absent Father)

Joram is characterised indirectly as neglectful, self-centred, and emotionally absent, revealed entirely through reported actions and statements.

a) Emotionally Detached
He is physically and emotionally absent from Kombani’s life.

• Kombani notes that they never called him “Dad.”

• His absence is so complete that no relationship develops.

b) Unsupportive and Self-Interested
His actions prioritise self over family.

• He leaves while his wife is hospitalised.

• He sells all jointly acquired property without her knowledge.

These actions demonstrate disregard for responsibility.

c) Lacking Compassion
His reported statement — that he would not keep a blind wife — shows cruelty rather than care.

This reinforces his role as a negative influence through absence rather than presence.

4. The Old Man in the Matatu

The old man is a minor but pivotal character, serving as a catalyst for Kombani’s self-belief.

a) Initially Sceptical
He doubts Kombani’s ability:

• “Do you even know how to read?”

This reflects common social prejudice toward poor children.

b) Fair and Observant
Once Kombani proves himself, his attitude changes.

• His face transforms “into fascination.”

• He acknowledges ability rather than clinging to assumption.

c) Encouraging and Generous
He actively supports Kombani.

• He pays the bus fare for both of them.

• He gives Kombani the newspaper to keep.

• He speaks affirming words about creativity and future success.

d) Transformative Influence
His encouragement has lasting impact.

• Kombani remembers his words years later.

• His reading habit changes permanently.

The old man represents how a brief, genuine act of encouragement can alter a child’s trajectory.

Characterisation in this chapter is indirect, realistic, and grounded in action. Kombani’s growth emerges from hardship, support, and affirmation. The mother represents endurance and moral strength; Joram represents neglect through absence; the old man represents the power of recognition. Together, these characters explain how Kombani’s confidence, curiosity, and creativity were formed.