This archive report was first published on 28 September 2019.
Kenya Airways Memories ¶
It's been decades since I worked at Kenya Airways, but the memories remain vivid. I was young, had just bought my first car, a Datsun 120Y, and was beaming with joy. Girls galore, I was a popular man in town, with 'girlfriendsss' rather than a single girlfriend.
Those days, having a car was rare, especially for a young person like me. The car was on loan, and I was paying it through my nose. I worked in the expenditure section of the finance department, where I met a diverse group of colleagues, each with their own stories and struggles.
There was Mr. Kariuki, a man from Kiambu, who always talked about his cows and sold milk to his office mates. Then there were the two brothers, Peter and John, from Nyatike in Migori County. Peter was an extrovert, polygamous, and loved hanging out in Luo joints, while John was more reserved and loved soul music and English theater.
My supervisor, Mr. Andala, had a Peugeot 504, just like Peter, and we also had Wairimu, a Bishop's daughter, who was a preacher and had issues with her men. Sadly, both she and her husband passed away, and we also lost Peter.
One of the most memorable colleagues was Mukami, who had worked at East African Airways before it was dissolved and Kenya Airways was born. He was a great philosopher and had lived a troubled life, which made him all the more insightful. He taught me how to balance long reconciliations of creditors' accounts, but I soon realized that accounts wasn't my passion.
My overall boss was Ole Tiampati, the grand old sage of KQ finance department. He loved his job, dressed impeccably, and had a Catholic prayer displayed on his office wall. We were all responsible for paying suppliers of KQ, and our main job was giving creditors stories and hope.
I remember Mr. Oparanya, now a Governor, who was a debt collector clerk for Nairobi Airport Services (NAS) at the time. He was ambitious and did part-time studies in accounting, eventually becoming the NAS financial controller. Today, he's a powerful governor of Kakamega County, and I learned a valuable lesson from him about the law of compounding.
Then there was Naisola, a stunning lady from Narok County, who was 6 feet tall, had a lovely complexion, and was extremely polished. She was a friend, and I often told her suitors lies that she was not in, when in fact she was out on a date. Naisola would buy me coffee and take me out, and I still miss her today.
Finally, there was Miss Makena, a lovely Meru girl, who was reserved, wife material, and focused on becoming a pilot. I couldn't be bothered with her, but I think I gave her butterflies in the stomach. The airline was interesting, with many office relationships between colleagues, and I advise anyone with a spouse in KQ to beware of infidelity.
During the Christmas holidays, Makena asked me to go with her to Meru, and I obliged. It was there that I met Liz Atieno, a gorgeous tall lady, who was a businesswoman and our romance began...
