The William Ntimama that I knew

Mzee William Ole Ntimama took his beaded rungu (club) inside a battered classroom in Maela and aimed at my head but it was quickly intercepted by two Narok civic leaders who went for his wrist. I swore that day I would never deal with Mr Ntimama and told my news editor as much. I just saw in him a burly bully as the room exploded into chants of Tapala! Tapala! (Peace! Peace)

But my wall of reciprocal hostility collapsed not long after and we became friends for the next two-decades. This is how my story with Mr Ntimama started. He had declared his functions would not be covered by the Nation correspondent in Narok because he saw him as part of the government conspiracy against him spurned by Nyayo system through the then District Commissioner John Nandasaba.