PROJECT X...the Nkirote way...

I have not written since the year begun, "I was finding myself" as most of the artist blind our minds with this cliche "finding myself.' For me it was not the case but i was busy with the Kenya Drama Festival trying to pass the creativity mantle to the young generation. As i was busy doing something worthwhile to our young ones, they were busy celebrating their K.C.S.E results. (it is funny how when a school displays good results everybody becomes associated with it instantly even those who didn't sit for the exam). Amid the celebrations, i was ensuring that my drama team members sharpen their skills so that they can lock horns with other teams and give them "old guards" a run for their money. I was in Meru, away from Nairobi, i mean far from this intoxicated town but thanks to social media i was still intertwined with the city. That is how i learnt of Project X, it was unfair how i was doing something positive to the teens but they were in turn inventing something heinous like Project X.

Meru is a nice town with a lot to admire; however, the terrain is quite scary especially to those who fear heights. It is a town that is high above sea level with a higher altitude than most of the places in Kenya. Therefore, what happens in Nairobi might take time before Vaites get a wind of it, but Project X was an exceptional. My students were in full swing with the trend, i bet its due to the fact that they had a mid-term break during that time. If you ever attended drama festival in high school, then you are aware at advanced competition levels students from various schools spend away from their schools collectively into one or more schools referred to as"villages" and attend the competitions venue during the day. As the most accredited trainer, thespian, playwright, instructor, director from Nairobi (with all those tittles just imagine nobody even noticed who i was, ni sawa tu watu wa Meru) I was in the forefront ensuring that my students perform in time and display the best show that has ever been witnessed in the highland region (although that only happened in my mind, when they went on stage, i hid my face).

To cut the short story long, this was the venue where my girls led by the one and only Nkirote and Kairithia were going to execute their well planned Project X. At first, the patron and I did not notice what was going on with our students. They always maintained a distance from us and sometimes we had to look for them thoroughly if we needed them. As a drama festival die hard, i made sure that i remained in the hall watching items in order to sharpen my skills to equip akina Nkirote for the coming year (i was already guarantee for an early exit after witnessing exemplar performances from other schools). Nkirote seemed shy all through the festival which was not usual, i assumed she was suffering from teenage problems or she was scared of the boys. My suspicion was all wrong, Nkirote had something in mind, something that would make me run wild and could even earn her recognition worldwide within a day. She called other girls to an urgent meeting and they had to lay down a workable strategy on how to execute Project X without notifying or attracting unnecessary attention. They held numerous meetings behind school buses, in the lavatories, and even in the villages where they spent their nights.

As wise custodians (patron and I), we did not take long before noticing something was not right with our girls. We were all fond of Nkirote and spending two days without seeing her meant something was completely a miss. We decided to follow up. As good spies, we sent a girl from another school to locate our girls and give us the intelligence information, we were now NIS. The patron assured me that whatever the girls were doing we would pounce on them just like a cat grasps a grasshopper. The girl we had sent came back and told us that she had seen them behind the school buses in the field discussing project X. The venue of their meeting was already suspicious, we knew that our girls were not to something good.

Kwisha, i told the patron "have you heard of Project X" i asked her. Project X is a curse to humanity. It is the worst invention that humanity has come up with for the last 2000 plus years, i told the patron. I assured her that our girls were now heading to hell and we had to act in a haste. The patron was already swearing how she will punish them and make sure they return to school immediately. She almost rung the principal but we had to get hold of them first. Like the SWAT team we swung into action towards where the girls were. As we were told, behind the buses they were. I removed my shoes and tip toed ensuring i made no noise towards the girls in order to catch them red handed. Nkirote was the ring leader in laying out the plan, they did not notice my presence as they vehemently discussed about Project X. The patron arrived and also listened to them carefully. I tell you Nkirote and others were formulating a play to present at the drama national festivals next year titled Project X. They had witnessed severe competition from other schools and started planning for 2017 as early as possible. Nkirote was not thinking of that Project X that were duped to think it was but a very nice idea that i welcome with an open mind.

Meru see you next year with Project X and Nkirote will be my main character. Next time i narrated an ordeal that i went through in Meru, i almost kissed heaven, i cheated death...real story