Running the wrong way – the Chancellor teaches marathoners a lesson
Rumours turned to reality when the Chancellor of the Republic of German visited the institution on Tuesday, July 12, 2011. But the visit was a challenge, even the seasoned runners like me.
The rumours:
Two weeks prior to July 12, rumours of the President visiting the institution (again) started. This however was very unlikely given that the previous visit was just late last year. That bit of rumour run around for less than two days, since the clincher came when one staff, inadvertently, informed our maintenance team to paint some walls at the main Admin block in readiness for the visit by Angela Merkel. For damage control, the management finally released an official communique to the effect that surely the Chancellor was visiting the campus.
Wrong runs start:
On Friday before the visit, we were given a preliminary schedule that indicated a 4pm visit, followed by a meeting with staff. That meant that staff had to be seated at the address venue by 4.00pm. They had to have vacated their offices by 3.55pm (or be locked in until five). We were all eagerly awaiting this once in a lifetime meeting, when a new message was sent 24-hours to the visit canceling the staff meeting. Nonetheless, staff had to clear out of the tour route by four, by remaining in their offices or breaking for the day.
Photo runs:
I had charged the camera battery the previous evening and by eight on the D-day, the camera had been assembled, checked, tested and counter-checked. The cancellation of the staff address was however weighing heavy on me. I started planning to be out of the compound by 4pm, though I did not have any other plans for the evening.
Engineering runs:
As a service provider, I found myself in the mix, when I was called over to the venue of the meeting to confirm that all installations were in order. I had to give directions to some staff to ensure that everything was functional. The sound checks and recording tests were verified and re-verified. The public address system was tested and retested, with each test resulting into reposition of the loud speakers. The red carpet was rolled, cleaned then re-cleaned.
Running with the flowers:
The young girl, hardly four, who was to present the flowers was coached by the mum, a colleague, on what it shall take. To her it was just an amazing experience. Her young self and small size could not comprehend what was going on. She run away with the flowers, when they were first given to her – and the bouquet was quite heavy that she almost dropped them.
“Hey girl, come to mummy”
She changed direction and moved toward mum, the flowers evidently heavy.
“Say, 'Welcome to Kenya', then give me the flowers”
“Welcome... thank you,” she struggles to say and gets a relief as the mother takes the flowers. She laughs shyly, covering her face then runs down the red carpet, totally impressed.
A few trials later and she is ready for the task. I am also confident that she shall manage. I give the mother a few tips, “Tell her to say 'Guten tag', and see how the visitor shall be impressed”
“Kutak... mummy, what did you say?”
Running motorcade:
When the three minister arrived, that of Public Health who is also the area MP, that of Agriculture and that of Livestock, we knew that the dignitary was not far. Their motorcade did not raise much attention, after all staff were still generally out of the vicinity of the event. I was in thick of things due to my Engineering pass. It is the Landrover of the Traffic Police boss that caused some excitement as it arrived at the Green House site. The driver must have ignored the 25kph sign and the 'bumps ahead', since the big vehicle was tossed so high by the two consecutive bumps that we thought it would overturn.
Run to carpet:
It was now 4.10pm and the air was full of anticipation. Any time now and the mystery of the visitor shall be unveiled. Two outrider motorcycles signaled the arrival of the VIP, who was in a dark blue Mercedes Benz, with four additional security men running besides it, two on either side. The vehicle of the guest was to stop just next to the red carpet, so that the visitor can disembark from the right of the car, straight to the carpet. The DG and the welcoming party had positioned themselves just at the start of the long red artificial turf. However, the limo driver had different ideas – he drove and turned into the carpet. This confused all the welcoming party, not knowing which limo door she would disembark from. The confusion won – she disembarked from the left. I was standing at the tent to the immediate right, just next to the sound mixer. Her disembark on the opposite site obstructed my photography – but it had been a day of wrong runs so far.
Public address:
“Wilkommen Madam Chancelor fur Deutsch Bundesrepublik in ILRI,” the DG started off. We had hoped that the speeches would be in English but we were on a different run. As he spoke, all were standing, with the five dignitaries at the makeshift podium near the Green house. The other dignitaries apart from the Chancellor and three Kenyan ministers, was the German Agricultural minister. During the silence there was a thick presence of security agents. About five had an earpiece. Nonetheless, those who heeded the warning of putting on their staff IDs visible at all times did not suffer any adverse security inconveniences. Anyone without an ID was physically blocked from moving anywhere in the vicinity of the Green House.
“Danke Doktor Carlos Sere fur Seine gut Wilkommen. ILRI ist wunderbar” Madam Merkel responded when her time to address the gathered commenced. She went on to deliver her address, while an English translation was relayed through the public address, by a translator just next to her podium. Her remarks lasted about five minutes. Immediately thereafter, the guest and team toured the Green House then the Lab complex.
Running the wrong way:
After the tour, which was restricted to accredited passes only, there was to be the signing of the visitors book, then a press conference in front of the New block. Since I would not make it to the lab tour, I was eager to be part of the group steadily gathering at the New block in readiness for the signing ceremony. We had started taking some of the snacks marked 'Press only'. However, when the blue limo with the German flag zoomed past the block towards the rear entrance of the Lab. complex, I knew that something was about to happen. I took off, camera at hand, in the direction of the vehicle. Behind the lab, I found some members of the press and visitors waiting for Madam Merkel to leave the lab. Momentarily, she did and proceeded to sign the visitors book, which was in a new tent just at the parking lot. After the signing, she proceeded to the lawn next to the lab and answered a few questions from the press. She was just a meter away from me as we, the press, pressed forward to hear her address in Deutsch. A colleague journalist was still asking a question when she turned back and headed to her limo.
Final run:
The uniformed security personnel in her blue airforce like regalia opened the left door to enable the visitor get into the car. She then took the front seat, while another civilian lady moved swiftly from nowhere to block the back left door with her frame. There was a human shield around the limo that just stood there with no action. It was as if she had decided not to leave! After about two minutes of calm, at exactly 4.55pm, the outriders cycled off, followed by Angela's car, as the human shield run after the car and progressively jumped into their dark blue cars as the chase hastened. All other vehicles followed in tow.
Back to the New block, the few staff from the event gathered to munch on the bitings as they reflected on the busy day.
“Why were so many things in the program changed? This must have been bad for the visit,” I wondered aloud, to my colleagues.
“Nothing in the program was changed. The event just went on as planned. It is only that the wrong programme was released to the public, for security reasons,” I was told.
Those of us who like running, this 'as planned' program was good for practice. One more reason why running is good for you.
Wanjawa, W. B. - Nairobi, July 12, 2011
