Mumbi Girls: Where Senator Omanga danced like a queen

Mumbi Girls High School is the only girls’ boarding school in Kiharu Constituency, Murang’a County where it was founded in 2000.

The government-sponsored school now headed by Jane Wambugu always performs well during inter-school competitions in football, gymnastics and taekwondo. Besides extracurricular activities, other forms of release include entertainment on most Saturdays.

Students here love rice with muthokoi on Tuesdays and Fridays and meat with greens and ugali on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Many girls have fond memories of Patrick Ndemo, the famous school cook. Whether paraffin was added in the food is still a matter being debated by former girls.

Bullying was unheard of but many girls recall ‘monos’ having sessions to ‘introduce’ themselves to “seniors” complete with their backgrounds.   

Common punishments included caning but when corporal punishment was abolished in Kenyan schools in 2001, the school adopted manual work including cleaning the dining hall, dormitory, running around the compound, or collecting rubbish.   

Girls feared John Chege, the no-nonsense Discipline Master. Cheerful Alice Mwenda was a darling of many for friendly and social nature.

 Notable alumni still guided by the motto “Determined to Excel'' include Hon Millicent Omanga, a nominated Senator in Nairobi, Theresia Wairimu a tutor at Nyeri Polytechnic, Mary Mwangi, a clinician at Outspan Hospital, Nyeri and Mercy Mwangi, a cosmetologist based in Nairobi.  Others who wore white blouses, light blue skirts with dark blue pullovers include Maximilla Njeri, a crane operator with a Nairobi based Chinese contractor, Trizah Kui, a salonist based in Thika, Julian Nderitu, a land surveyor based in Muranga, Rebecca Kimani, a chef at Nyali Sun Hotel, and Linet Nafula, currently a businesswoman in Uganda.