The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media
platforms spanning newspaper print
operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a
leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and
international interest.
You can tell someone’s sense of class when freebies come calling. Take food. A free buffet during the end of year company bash or wedding reception (where over cooked and cold rice is always on the cards) sees smartly dressed Kenyans being propelled to bake in the sun as if they don’t eat at home.
Their plates spill and runneth over with chapati and mukimo before most realise the chicken and goat ribs which come in handy as stomach defence during the copious swilling of onywaji that follows, is on the far end.
Cheap branded company T-shirts and umbrellas also see self-respecting employees in management lunging for them with more vigour than the more deserving junior staffers.
But few freebies bring out the character in more genetic hues than free alcohol.
Take the day when the Mwaura Distributors truck, the official supplier of ‘gauge’ at the local overturned inside the mtaro near Wa-Hannah’s.
Very few, including wapita njia, bothered to take the driver and his turn boy to hospital let alone offer first aid.
Nyambu, the counter girl was the first at the scene of accident, since Mwaura Distributors had called to inform her that supply was on the way.
Nyambu heaved off with two crates of intact booze with the speed that could have impressed Kenyan scouts searching for weight lifters to Rio Olympics.
Within no time, Nyambu had 10 crates earmarked for selling ‘after hours.’
Owish salted away cartons of Johnnie Walker and Sir Roberts Scotch Whisky and was not heard of for the few weeks he held house warming bashes.
Diameter, the political analyst, took a crate of Whitecap which he kanyagad from the comfort of a mawe near the spot where the truck overturned.
Kot-Kot was not left behind. He climbed atop the truck from where he handed down crates to Waka-Knife, the butcher for safe keeping and later drinking, mos mos.
But Waka-Knife instead drunk as many, and as fast as his throat could gush down onywaji. In no time, Waka-Knife was so drunk his mutura unguad at the mesh.
Waka-Knife was arrested by Karao Kiprop without much resistance.
Papa English was so amused by the Mwafrika behaviour he laughed until he cried.
