By Roy Hezron
Most often, we don’t hear enough stories of classroom teachers in the country disrupting the status quo and making a difference in the society.
Salesio Gitonga Njeru, a English and Literature teacher in Kirigi Day Secondary School is not only a teacher, but an author who has the dreams of reaching the heights of Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor and Charles Chanchori in Kenya as well as the late Chinua Achebe of the Igbo community in Nigeria.
Gitonga wrote his first manuscript of Betrayal of a Nun while in Form four in 2005 at Itabua Secondary School. The book has since been published and has gained both national and international recognition.
According to Gitonga, he wrote Betrayal of a Nun as a rejoinder to the many cases of betrayal in all the facets of life; Politics, Education and Public Service.
“I think the singular role of any writer as taught by the late Dr. Wallace Mbugua is not to write art for art’s sake. Art has an agenda. Art has a mission. Art transforms. We are currently living in an era where many of the youths are indulging themselves in debauchery; cheap sex, drugs and substance abuse, terrorism among other social ills,” noted Gitonga.
Published in 2019, the novel has over 300 copies sold in Kenya, 12 copies sold in the United States of America (USA), 3 copies in Sweden, 2 copies sold in the United Kingdom (UK) and one copy each sold in Canada, China and Rwanda.
Gitonga reveals that the title of his novel is symbolic since it tries to show how people pose innocent yet they are not.
“In fact, everyone is capable of betraying another. The characters betray each other through unrequited love, crimes of passion and politics of treachery as well as cannibalism in institutions that should dispense justice. This is the current state of affairs. I presume that the book is as timely as it is relevant,” stated Gitonga.
Currently, the Embu based teacher has over 100 unpublished poems, Short stories like Turbulent Affair, Diary of a Single Mom and Too Hot to Handle. He has also written biographies for the best performing Embu Members of Parliament like Muchangi Njiru Karemba of Runyenjes constituency known as Way to the Top.
He is working on other unpublished biographies for notable people from Embu like Prof. Henry Stanley Mwaniki Kabeca, PhD Dalhousie Canada and Patrick Njiru among others.
‘Chinua Achebe’s work and those of Barbara Kimenye served as my motivation for writing. I have also been motivated by Ben Freeman, the author of Immortal Novel as well as Robert Goddard, the author of Take No Farewell. You can never be a writer if you don’t read extensively,” noted Gitonga.
He revealed that the writers opened his mind on human experiences across the globe.
The teacher has great plans of archiving the history of all Mau Mau heroes in the country especially those in Embu.
He has linked up with Embu County Government to hold interviews with scholars from Embu about their history. He is also bringing on board talented people in various fields to preserve culture, a process which he has already started.
“I also have plans to publish great books that will reincarnate the spirits of great writers of yore, mentor many learners into artistic works as well as start an Academy to nurture African Talents,” revealed Gitonga.
His writing art started way back in primary school when his Inshas and Compositions could be pinned on the wall or read in class.
He recounts an incident when he was in class 4 when he read so well and got a round of applause from learners. That impacted well on his confidence and by the end of class five, he had become a household name.
When he sat for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams at St. Mary’s Ithangawe in 2001, he scored 324 marks out of 500 marks. He received a letter to join Kangaru School in Embu, but couldn’t do so due to lack of school fees. He then joined a local day school, Itabua Secondary School.
While in form four, Gitonga addressed students when journalists visited their school.
“By the time I reached home, my mother and villagers were upbeat about one of their own who was to be seen on the television that night. I don’t even know whether the news was aired but that moment gave me an impetus to push for more in my life,” said Gitonga.
“My book had also been reviewed on Daily Nation by Rumona Apiyo. These moments remind me that all dreams are valid and we strive to better ourselves,” noted Gitonga.
In 2016, Gitonga graduated with bachelor’s degree in Education Arts, English and Literature at Kenyatta University which he was awarded concurrently with a Certificate in Leadership Management and Mentorship Development where he scored a Distinction.
He started his teaching career at St. Teresa’s Girls ‘ School Kithimu the same year.
A year later, he was employed by the Board of Management at Kangaru School.
“I earned Shs 28,000 as a B.O.M teacher. I taught there till 2018 before I was replaced by a teacher employed by TSC,” Gitonga recounts.
When asked about some of his best moments, Gitonga talks about the period when he taught at St. Ann Gituba in Kirinyaga.
“I became the patron of the Journalism Club, Nyeri Hospice Walk coordinator, a class teacher, Amani Club patron to mention but a few. During my brief stint in this school, I mentored many girls and composed several poems like, ‘Oh Mama Africa’ decrying the derth of leadership in Africa which sailed to the Regionals level in Nyeri, Kagumo Teachers College,” revealed Gitonga.
That moment was however not as fulfilling to him as when Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employed him in September 2019.
‘I was so overjoyed when my name was called out by Madam Margaret Wanja, the principal of Kirigi Day Secondary school in Embu. The job would act as a stepping stone to greater milestones in life,” said Gitonga.
In 2020, he was hosted in UTV after selling one of the station presenters his novel Betrayal of a Nun. He has also been invited to various local stations in Embu.
Gitonga says that discipline has enabled him to balance his time as he has to write, teach as well as mentor.
He views teaching as the noblest of all careers and he doesn’t regret joining the service as he loves transforming the lives of students.
He urged the government to look into the plight of teachers.
‘Despite the strides in the teaching profession, there are so many issues affecting teachers. These include the issue of Teacher Professional Development (TPD) and joblessness amongst trained teachers. The government should move with speed to salvage the situation,” noted Gitonga.
