The Raid

I was teaching my Grade 8 computer class yesterday when I noticed the director at the door talking with some police men. I was curious to know what was going on but kept on teaching until the director came up to me and said, "Ah, Mr. Epp. We have a problem." He went on to explain that the police were shutting down the room. Shutting down the room?! I did not understand what could possibly be wrong with the room - it is probably the best kept room in the compound. It turns out that the room that the school was using for its preschool class was not plastered and had no door, so the police were there to shut down the preschool. Since that room had no door, however, they figured they had to find another room to lock down. Discussions had ensued with the director. Originally they were going to shut down a large hall that is used as a classroom and a church. The director was not going to allow his church to be locked up so the only other real option was to lock down the computer room. This left the staff a bit despondent in the afternoon, although some were relieved that the whole school was not shut down.

The room is currently being held as ransom for the school to pay the astronomical fee of K2 million ($500 US). I can't imagine that the school could ever afford to pay such a sum, but they figure that if they can pay K150,000 they might be able to get the room reopened. The school has also decided that it probably won't be able to continue offering preschool. Thanks, city council, for taking kids out of school.

Apparently nursery/preschool inspections have been taking place throughout the city, and the school had expected that their turn was soon to come. If you take a quick look at the compound of Ng'ombe, however, I'm sure that 95% of the nursery schools don't match up with the official standard yet I can't imagine that inspectors are going to shut down every nursery school in the city. It is this seemingly random use of the law that made my MCC Country Reps suspect that this was a case of jealousy - someone saw the school getting ahead and wanted to drag them down to earth. Such an act would not be unknown, but it is an unfortunate indictment of the society that such a cause is even suspected.

It also says something about the city council. Lately the council has been involved in three activities. The first is demolishing "illegal structures" - the houses and businesses of poor people who either can't afford land or for whom there is not enough room in the markets. The second is shutting down nursery schools. The third is bickering endlessly among themselves about firing the mayor for attending the welcoming ceremony for the Chinese president when he was here.