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LIVING A NOBLE DREAM BORN OF COMPACT DISKS.
I heard about Lady M,
Asked around for Intel,
Denotations I got
Contented was not
Fact finding commenced.
Hear she’s a heroine,
Works against villains,
From villages to Countries
Continents not exempted,
She’s quite a chivalry.
I hesitate not
Failed attempts matter not,
Now I’m a Soldier,
An anticipating Commando,
All for the Military,
A beauty to behold.
Such is the story of a young man twenty-four years old from Wayaga village, Ndhiwa sub county. His ardent desire to be a part of the noble Kenya Defense forces born out of a neighbour’s tales and disks. As Peter Ochieng’ still undergoes training to be a commando hopefully in 2022, he says, “It is nice to be driven by passion and not compelling forces, it is equally very satisfying to be living your dream.”
‘There is more to a boy than what his mother sees and there is more to a boy than what his father dreams…” Peter’s dad (Charles Oyoo) had great expectations for his first son. The late doctor looked into the future and saw a lawyer and the young boy was okay with his father’s wishes at the time. However, because life is dynamic and “…inside every boy lies a heart that beats and screams sometimes…” Peter came to envision himself as a soldier from the onset of his life as a ‘mono’. The late had undertaken the means necessary to provide a conducive environment for the actualisation of his dreams for his son some of which include taking him to a nice primary boarding school. (Mtwapa Elite Academy) “Upon the demise of my father in 2008, the journey towards law was disrupted and it started with having to move to a public school as my widowed mother, Millicent (a peasant farmer) would not be able to shoulder all the responsibilities and provide the same standard of life as before,” says Peter.
“… And sometimes the boy has to dream his own dreams and break through the clouds with his own sunbeams.” A neighbour who had just been recently recruited in the forces told interesting stories to the form one boy and showed him several compact disks portraying their training sessions and other activities. Peter saw the rays that would not only break the clouds but that also glowed in his heart and would illuminate his paths. Having gained quite some interest in the stories they began training in the mornings and it was at this point that Peter enrolled himself in Graduan Martial Art School in Mombasa where he would train during the holidays. “My mum was against the karate training, she thought it would make me end up as a thug.”
“The nature of my dream, though noble put me at loggerheads not only with my mum who couldn’t understand why the forces of all things) but also with my teachers back at Bristtol school — I recall being suspended one time. I spent more times training on my own within the school than I spent studying and my grades were greatly affected. Whenever I was confronted about my grades I would in my defence say, “My dream is to become a soldier and the trainings will help me get there.” My teachers felt that I was reasoning like a child. A few students like Allan and Vincent and teachers like Mr. Haye and Madam Jane understood me though and saw my passion.
Every process is complicated at the beginning, and his starting journey was not any different. In 2016, after having sat his KCSE in 2015 and attaining a mean grade of C+, he went for the recruitment exercise but was not successful. However, due to the fervent desire to live this new-found dream, he made a second attempt in 2017 but owing to the competitive nature of the recruitment exercise and the few chances available he still wasn’t selected. “My mum then advised me to join the TTC as this dream of joining the forces was not forthcoming. Although I did comply, my heart still ached for my dream.” The diversion towards teaching was cut short in September 2018 when he headed straight to Ndhiwa from Asumbi TTC for the recruitment exercise without even telling his mum and this time luck was on his side. By then he was remaining with just a year to complete the course. “Leah and Wycliffe, some of my classmates in TTC were happy about my recruitment that they even asked me to pull a few strings for them if I am ever able to”.
“I was very excited now that I had a chance to live my dream. I put all the passion in my nine months training. Although it is normally a difficult process, with the passion I had and experience from the personal trainings, I was able to push through. On completion, I was posted to Kahawa barracks. My boss, Steve Odhiambo Warindu, a commando trainer by then and an honourable man having noted my dedication advised me to undergo more training in order to become a commando, a proposition that I jumped at with enthusiasm. I am determined to finish the required training and serve my country in a higher capacity and at greater lengths.”
