To deviate from kasneb ,i had a roommate in campus, a bright chap 9 straight As from Starehe. In our first year the guy went full throttle in partying and drinks, even explored the world of ganja.
He would get the full loan and bursary from helb and an additional 60,000 from his loaded father plus the token from Starehe. I on the other hand, had to survive with the meager helb and unending financial troubles at home. Mid semester the guy, would have squandered all his cash and I was daily sharing my supper of sukuma wiki –he took the sukuma portion with a ndazi (5/=, couldn’t give him my ugali).
He even “hurad mbiro” at Sj during his stint in 1st year. All along, I was the mshamba roommate who kalias ears.
fast forward to 3rd year, I meet the guy without shoes walking in his socks and had converted one of the common rooms as his dwelling –on inquiring I learnt that the guy still had to pass some units in 1st year to proceed. . Apparently the father had learnt of his wayward ways and slashed all his funding, but was unaware of his academic mis-progress.
Come graduation, I learnt that the guy had actually borrowed a graduation gown and sat with the rest of the graduand s despite not even passing his 1st year exams. When asked by his folks why his name was not on the list, he said that it was an erroneous omission and had informed the officials and would read out his name.
Since i cleared campus (over 5years ago), I haven’t heard from / of him.
This just goes to show how gullible parents can get and if not careful taken for a ride proper.