The year was 1999. The news had just come in. Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (KP&TC) was finally being privatized. For many of us, this was going to be no big deal. If anything, now there was the choice of working for Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), Kenya Postal Corporation or Telekoms Kenya. I had worked at the Karuri exchange for a long time and this was going to be a career break.

It never dawned on me that this privatization and split of KP&TC was going mean job losses for some. Some, because I was sure this was not me. After all, I was this technician who could fix the telephone lines with ease. I had been lucky to be among pioneer technicians to go to the Kenya College of Communications Technology to be trained on the AXE Digital Exchange, the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) amongst other emerging technologies in the telecom sector. I was simply indispensable if you know what I mean.

My budding career in Telecoms had been inspired right after my A-Levels at the Chavasingu High School. I left my rural village and headed to Kenya Polytechnic and did a Higher National Diploma in Telecommunications before being absorbed by my cherished employer KP&TC. I never stayed out of work. During the weekends, I would join with my uncle in Kariobangi in his electronics shop to repair TVs. Radios and Fridges. I had developed a mastery at my skill that I did not need electrostatic shielding for my safety while handling Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) in the Gratewall TVs. Never mind what a CRT is if you were born after AOL Instant Messaging (AIM). Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messanger.

Enough of tech. this was not a tech blog. It was about my wounds.

The day finally came. I was called into the boardroom. I met my HR manager and supervisor. I walked in shoulder high and with a broad smile as if I was having a vision that Kenya would one day have a Standard Gauge Railway. Mukazi was my supervisor. He was a man of few words. We knew him as a man who chose his words carefully. He was not known to be confrontational. He never wanted to be on the wrong side with his reports. I respected him. When I walked into the boardroom, I was full of enthusiasm.

“Mr. Mukazi, thank you very much for calling me for this meeting. I am so delighted about what I do. Of course you know am hardworking and very loyal. I am sure you will find me a good candidate for a posting in CCK”.

That was my unsolicited introductory speech. A speech that left Mukazi dumbfounded. He looked like he did not know how to respond, lest he hurts my feelings.

“Mr. Akelanze, thank you for your words”. That is how Mr. Mukazi started off. Only Mr. Mukazi called me by my surname. The rest of my colleagues knew me by Georgy.

“We are here to acknowledge the good service you have rendered to KP&TC for the past 12 years. We know you are dedicated to your work. The company values your work”.

I couldn’t hold back my excitement. I interjected, “are you saying that I will also get a promotion?

 

….. to be continued …..