CROSSFIRE
The Devil Is In
Assumptions, Adeptness In
Details
By Herman Githinji
I
t’s a hot and sunny Saturday morning. I
am driving all the way from Westlands
to Athi River to receive a car. Mr.
Hinata is a short and stout Japanese man.
He has worked in Kenya for over 20 years
in one of the water NGOs. He is not done
yet but he is taking a six-month break and
going back to Japan. His car is a dark blue
colored Toyota Prado the old model, but
in pretty good shape. He wants to leave
it with me for safe parking, and also for
some repairs.
I arrived at his home just after he finished
packing his suite cases. I am right on time.
The Japanese time. Not early, and not a
second late. By the way, in Japan, arriving
earlier than agreed is as bad as arriving
late. So, I had arrived 30 minutes earlier,
considering the traffic at Mlolongo, but
had to hang around Kitengela waiting for
the right time.
Mr. Hinata is pleased to see me. He speaks
scant English and broken Kiswahili. But
we can still communicate. After a brief
catch up, Hinata leads me to the garage
where the car is parked. I have driven that
type of a car before and Mr. Hinata knows
that. So, no worries, I was ready to drive
off. But Mr. Hinata wouldn’t allow me.
He took a long list, kind of an official hand
over sheet. He took me through every car
detail; from how to start the engine, what
fuel it takes, how to remove the spare
wheel, how to access the tool kit, and all.
We finally went back to the driver’s seat
and he directed my fingers onto where the
cut out was. We switched it on and off and
then started the engine. He smiled. Now
I am good to go. And not to forget the
manual he had written, he placed it in the
glove compartment.
Now, if you are an African, and a Kenyan
for that matter, you are at one point bored
and annoyed by such details. I mean, we
all have better things to do, or to learn.
But that mentality is where our problems
begin. The assumption that we know, or
that we can always figure out things on
the go. Taking time to go through such
small details determines success or failure.
Planning and organizing is the cornerstone
of good management. And professionalism is
hinged on those two management skills. We
can never talk of achieving what we determine
to achieve, if we can’t plan, if we can’t set ob-
jectives, and if we can’t organize resources and
tools.
04 MAL27/18 ISSUE
I realized that many months later through
a hard lesson.
This time around, I am taking a car from
the fleet manager Jimmy. I am swapping
company cars. I am returning a Nissan X
Trail and getting a Toyota Prado. But just
for a short time. My car had issues and was
being taken to the garage. Nevertheless,
I am getting a Prado and I am excited.
Jimmy is from Eastern Kenya and always
seemed to be in a hurry to do stuff. I got
the car key and he quickly described to me
where the car was parked. It is Friday 5.30
pm, and Jimmy is gone.
I located where the car was parked. No
worries. I got in and started the engine.
I adjusted my seat, buckled my seat belt
and drove off. I needed some fresh breeze.
So, I wound down the driver’s window. I
started humming a love song as I tapped
the steering wheel with my fingers as I
waited for the traffic to clear at a junction
right outside our offices. Life was good.
But not for long.
Immediately I took the left turn, the car
showed the empty tank sign. No problem.
I drove to a nearby filling station, opened
the tank and the attendant asked, “Diesel
or petrol?” A gut quickly told me this must
be a diesel car. So, I requested for diesel.
After a few kilometers from the gas
station, the car started jerking. I had put
the wrong fuel. A few minutes later, the
car started beeping and immediately the
engine went off. The car has a cut out.
I immediately tried to call Jimmy. His
phone was off. A thin sweat broke from