SAMPLE ESSAYS

1. “Though Resian goes through the valley of death, her determination leads her
to a victorious life.” Write a composition to show the validity of this assertion.
Resian in the Blossoms of the Savannah seems to experience several challenging
situations in her life. In the scenarios she seems resolute in her actions as shown in the
following ways

Oloisudori declares his intention of marrying her at an early age. This follows after he
changes his initial plan: extorting Kaelo. He demands that she should first be
circumcised so as to get rid of her state as nemengalana intoiye. He intends to use
anesthesia to make her unconscious and grab her. Resian resolves not to be married.
She tells Oloisudori point blank that she cannot be his wife. She returns the gifts that he
had earlier brought and escapes to her father’s shop. Her father beats her so as to
submit to the marriage, but Resian remains steady is her decision.

A number of callous youth in Nasila wish to assault Resian and Taiyo. In the first days,
Resian and Taiyo take a walk around uncle Simiren compound. All of a sudden a young
man emerges from the blues and grabs Taiyo. Resian order the callous young man to
release Taiyo immediately. The Young man has no option but to give in though he
promises to revisit his grave decision.

Though in a dream, enkamuratani and other two women surround Resian to circumcise
her holding an olmurunya. Although Resian is in a strange land and is defenseless she
does her best to combat the situation. Determined, Resian twists enkamuratani’s hand
with an intention of ensuring that she does not initiate other girls in the future. She
knocks the old witch using a mallet as well as fights the third woman until she
disappears.

Olarinkoi disappears with Resian to a far hut in the forest. He locks her up and returns
very late in the night while drank. Once he returns, he is in his mission of raping her. He
unzips and this gesture sets her trembling. She bites Olarinkoi’s thumb so that the pain
reduces his action of rape. Owing to the fact that Resian had earlier witnessed
Olarinkoi’s fiery attacks when he dealt with two callous men, it calls for a lot of
determination on the part of Resian to tackle him.

In summary, from the above illustrations it is evident that Resian suffers rough
challenging times in her life but she deals with all these situations with determination.

2. “The strong bond between Resian and Taiyo contributes significantly to their
triumph.” Write an essay in support of the statement.
No man is an island. Human beings were created to relate mutually. The close friendship
between Resian and Taiyo is the key to overcoming stormy times that present
themselves in their lives as follows

In their new environment at Nasila, the girls meet unique challenges. They are not used
to the communal life for all along they have stayed in an urban set up where life is
individualistic. At Nasila, they have to get used to impromptu visitors and superior male
counterparts. It is the love between the two girls that helps in these scenarios. The duo
stay together most of the times. By so doing, they share a lot Taiyo counsels Resian on
using kind language on Yeiyo Botorr her aunt. The two girls discuss about danger that
lurks from the hostile youth especially because of their uncircumcised condition.

In overcoming the challenge of female genital mutilation (FGM), their friendship bond
comes in handy. When Resian goes on a hunger strike she says it is only Taiyo who can
change her stand. When Taiyo is informed of Resian’s condition, she does not hesitate
to offer herself for Resian’s redemption even when there are risks all over. While at
Nasila, they have a lot of time sharing their views towards FGM. The discussions must
have strengthened their hard stands towards FGM. It is from these discussions that they
vow never to give in to FGM.

In the incident when Taiyo and Resian are accosted by two callous young men their
coordination and friendship save them. The incident finds them while they are walking
together where they had visited Maiso for lunch. If the struggle had between two men
versus one girl probably she would have been surmounted. Although most of the
salvation is largely brought by Olarinkoi the fact that the two girls where together
makes it easier for them to go about the ordeal. Their joint screaming and their escape
unhurt is partly contributed by their togetherness.

The two birds of a feather hatch a scheme to outwit Oloisudori. They wrap the gifts he
had brought them into a box and title it as a gift. They then plan how to execute the
plan. They arrange on how Resian is to thank Oloisudori and give him the gift. They
discuss the aim of the gesture; to clarify to Oloisudori the fact they cannot be cheated
with gifts. From this co-operation, Resian manages to trick Oloisudori and tells off her
father and later with Olarinkoi, they manage to leave Nasila.

It is clear from the above illustration that strong friendship bonds can help friend go
about hard experiences and overcome them in their lives.

3. Bad decisions can adversely affect our lives. Write an essay in support of the
statement with illustrations from the novel.
The Choices we make can affect us positively or negatively. Bad choices definitely have
adverse effects on our future. A character like Ole Kaelo makes several bad choices
which not only affect his life but also his daughters.

Ole Kaelo is advised by his friend what kind of man Oloisudori is. He is told that he is
not a man of integrity and warns him about doing business with him. He even warns
him to keep his daughters from him. Oloisudori is unheeding to this warning. He goes
on to sign business contracts and receiving a loan from him. Later, this man causes him
great worry when he threatens to bring his business down if he does not give him his
daughter in marriage.

Ole Kaelo makes the bad choice of agreeing to give his daughter Resian in marriage to
Oloisudori. He does this to save his business empire and to acquire more wealth as
dowry from him. This unleashes a myriad of problems in his family. He keeps assuring
himself that his choice of Oloisudori is good and that the man is not all bad but
inwardly, he has reservations about such a marriage. His decision worsens the already
poor relationship between him and his daughter, who ran away and gets into more
trouble with Olarinkoi. Taiyo also has her life ruined by being forcefully circumcised
before being forced to marry Oloisudori. Finally, he loses his daughters trust and his fate
is unknown because Oloisudori might come for him in person.

Olarinkoi is not known by the Kaelos yet nobody asks questions about him. He seems a
mystery and with time becomes like a member of the family. This earns him trust among
the Kaelos to the point that Resian trusts him to take her to Minik’s ranch. This man who
the family trusted so much turns into a beast by raping Resian and even planning to
circumcise her by force before marrying her. If the Kaelo’s had not trusted the stranger,
Resian suffering in his hands would have been avoided.

Mama Milanoi makes a bad choice of giving over her daughter Taiyo to three strange
women cheating her that she was being taken to her sister. Her plans is to have Taiyo
circumcised before being married by Oloisudori. This action makes her lose the trust her
daughters had for her. The wound she has caused them will definitely take time to heal.
They too are angry with her that they vow that they would not want to be like her in
marriage.

Bad decisions made knowingly or unknowingly will definitely have negative impact in
our lives or on those that are dear to us.

4. Gender inequality is tantamount to violation of human rights. Write an essay

in support of the assertion drawing your illustrations from Blossoms of the
Savannah.
Today’s position on the male and female gender is that men and women are equal and
none of the gender should dominate over the other. In Blossoms of the Savannah,
women are culturally forced to be subservient to men, a practice that denies them some
fundamental rights as human beings.

A wife has the right to state his position on any matter even if it is contrary to the
husband’s position. This is not the case with Mama Milanoi, wife to Ole Kaelo. She
admits that she did not know which man her husband was doing business with and even
if she did, she would not do anything about it for he was the one who carried the
family’s vision. She thus leaves every aspect of decision making to him whether those
decisions are good or bad.

A woman is a being to be loved and not to love back. Although Ole Kaelo genuinely
loved Mama Milanoi when he saw her first, her feelings on him are immaterial. Women
were not expected to resist a man’s advances according to Nasilian culture. This is a
great violation of her right to love or hate. In her case there is no room for that. It is also
expected that Resian should give in to Oloisudori’s plans to marry her. Refusal is
regarded as stubbornness. In fact, Oloisudori claims that none of his wives put any
resistance in his interest in them. This means that their feelings for him did not matter a
great violation of their freedom to choose their marriage partner.

Resian and Taiyo are forced to undergo cultural coaching by Joseph Parmuat. Resian
rebels this citing inequality in the plan. She opines that if they were boys, such a thing
would not be done on them. Instead, they would be freely roaming Nasila with nobody
bothering them. In their case, there is no such option simply because they are girls. Their
right to choose what to and not to learn is violated. Girls are taught how to cook for
their men but there are no lessons for boys on how to please women. Resian opposes
such arrangements saying she would not be taught to solely please men. She claims
that even boys should be taught how to please women.

Gender inequality in this society elevates man over the woman to the extent that Resian
says that it made men assume that they had right over the body of any woman. This has
reduced women to be objects of sex to be exploited by men at will. This practice started
with the Ilarinkon warriors who sexually exploited women after arousing their desires.
Taiyo and Resian undergo several rape attempts with Resian ending up being raped by
Olarinkoi who assumes he has every right over her body. These inequalities have greatly
undermined women’s right to privacy and to choose whom to have sexual relation with.

Gender inequality does not just stop at that. Instead, it is a major cause of violation of
basic human rights that all should be accorded a chance to enjoy. Women in the novel
have most of their rights curtailed as a result of gender imbalance between men and
women.

5. Help can come when least expected. Discuss.

Most people reach the end of the tether in difficult situations and are just about to give
up when help comes. Most instances of help appear coincidental but nonetheless; they
change the course of life of the character as well as shaping the rest of the novel.

Olarinkoi seems to be at the right place at the right time. He happens to be the savior of
Resian and Taiyo when they need help most. He comes to the rescue of the two girls
when they are coming from their father’s shop and are about to be raped by two men.
Olarinkoi single-handedly saves the girls by fighting the men. Resian and Taiyo are
much grateful and would not want to imagine what would have happened if he had not
come at that time, even fearing that they would have been infected with HIV.

Olarinkoi again comes to the rescue of Resian when she discovers her father’s betrayal
by planning to marry her off to Oloisudori. He comes to her rescue when she is even
contemplating committing suicide by drowning herself into the river. At the same time,
Oloisudori and his men are looking for her to abduct her. Olarinkoi promises to take her
to Minik whom she had been yearning to meet someday. Although the help turns
disastrous with Olarinkoi turning against her, she is able to escape the current wrath of
Oloisudori.

Taiyo is rescued from the hands of her circumcisers by Minik’s men. Minik’s rescue team
use tricks to rescue her from the well-guarded home which she would not have escaped
in her sickly state. Were it not for Minik’s intervention, Taiyo would surely have been
forcefully married off to Oloisudori after healing. The rescue gives Taiyo a new lease of
life, reunion with her sister and of course quicker physical and emotional recovery.

Minik’s help to Resian and Taiyo perhaps is the most important event that completely
changes their lives. She gives refugee to the girls in her ranch hence protecting them
from marauding men like Oloisudori and Olarinkoi. She gives Resian a job in the ranch
hence giving her something to live on and promises her a scholarship from the ranch.
Most importantly, she is able to have the two girls enrolled at Egerton University, their
dream university. These kind gestures create a happy ending in a novel that has been
dominated by sad events.

When people are about to despair, that is usually the point when help comes. No matter
how belated characters like Resian and Taiyo get help, their lives are greatly impacted
and changed by those interventions.
6. In the novel, Blossoms of the Savannah, Ole Kulet goes out of his way to
castigate some Maa way of life. Write an essay to show the validity of this
statement with close reference to the novel. (20marks)
Introduction-2mks

 Must display that they understand the question

 Can either be general or contextualized?
 Accept any plausible introduction

Body-12 marks

FGM

F.G.M was valued by Maa people. No girl would get married before going through the
rite.

It was a tool to fight against sexual harassment by Olarinkoi warriors Resian and Laiyo
fail to see its purpose and try to run away from it Minik has a ranch where over five
hundred girls have been resolved from circumcision.

Resian manages to escape from circumcision through Nabaru who sneaks her away.

Though Mama Milanoi has undergone the rite, she is apprehensive against her
daughters Undergoing it.

Heinous acts in the society

Ole kulet castigates heinous acts in the society. When Taiyo and Resian are almost raped
by two vagabonds, Tara Muyo and Lante, the society is mad at them and they are
almost killed.

Ole Kaelo almost kills them, but later is relieved that he has not caused the death of the
man for this could have brought a curse which could not be cleansed.

When Olarinkoi attempts to rape Resian, she almost bites off his finger, He is banished
from the village for some time and he misses the opportunity of making her his wife.
Kulet portrays that this behavior is unacceptable in the society.

Old men marrying young daughters

Ole Kulet castigates this vice of old men marrying girls young enough to be their
daughters.
Mama Mitanoi in her anguish about Oloisudori's wish to marry Resian remembers that
in the past, such a thing would not have happened. She could have appealed to the
elders' court which would have ruled in her favour.

Oloisudori's effort to marry either Resian or Taiyo does not succeed. He ends up losing
his vehicle and fleeing for his life.

Kulet Castigates forced early marriages. Emakererei has rescued over five hundred girls
whose dowry their father had taken. She has kept them in her ranch and taken them
back to school.

Prejudice against Women

Women in the book have no place in decision making. Mama Milanoi has to accept
everything that her husband does.

Taiyo and Resian are also not given their space. Their father refuses to give Taiyo
permission for the extravaganza. He is also not bothered about their education.

Resian and Emakererei break the tyrannical regime by making their own decision.
Emakererei campaigns against F.G.M and early marriages. Resian defies the dominance
of her father by refusing to marry Oloisudori.

Kulet develops these characters to water down male dominance in the society.

Mark 4 well illustrated point 3:3:3:3:3 = 12 marks

Conclusion

-Accept any relevant conclusion

-It must be linked to the marks of the body i.e.

0-4 = 1 mark
5-6= 2 marks
7-9 = 3 marks
10 - 12 = 4 marks

7. Some cultural practices are archaic and outdated, With evidence from the
Blossoms of the Savanna, Write a composition in support of this statement.
Introduction: Give a general introduction of the retrogressive cultural practices
imposed on the people on diverse cultural practices.
Context based: Highlight the main points of discussion.

Points of interpretation

i) Female genital mutilation which is depicted as a compulsory rite of passage

which a girl must undergo in order to be married to a man.

(ii) Under age marriages where young girls are denied their rights to pursue their
ambitions e.g. Resian and Taiyo are sold off by their father at their young age to the
Monstrons Oloisudoni.

(iii) Barring people to get married even if they belong to the same tribe but have no
blood relations e.g. Taiyo and Joseph Parmuat.

(iv) Male Chauvinism where men feel that they are superior than women e.g. Ole Kaelo
being very hard on Mama Milanoi.

(v) Seeing girl child education as waste of money and opportunities. Where we find Ole
Kaelo not regarding their daughters not to join Egerton University.

Conclusion

Give a general opinion whether to shed off the said archaic traditions.
Or
Recap of the points discussed as topic sentences.

8. Alienation is a theme that runs through the novel, Blossoms of the Savannah.
Discuss.
Introduction

To be alienated implies a state of separation of a person from a former position, state or

object of attachment. There is an aura of enstrangement that runs through the novel in
relation to the family of Kaelo and their cultural establishment.

Body

At the start of the novel, Parsimei Kaelo who has been in Nakuru for a number of years
is alienated from his ancestral family and roots. His younger brother, Simiren who
remains in Nasila, had been more appreciated and was considered the cultural head of
the community by the Kaelo's. Simiren, Parsimei's younger brother happens to be the
one who represents the family in the Ilmolelian clan to which they belong. He performs
sacred rituals like initiation of girls, circumcision of boys or bethrothal ceremonies on
behalf of Parsime. We are also told that Simiren, unlike Parsimei is a strict adherent to
his people's customs amd traditions.

The Kaelo daughters, Taiyo and Resian, are also alienated from their roots. Mama
Milanoi's women friends refer to the girls as Intoiye Nemengalana (girls who are not
circumcised) contemptuously. In their culture, it was expected that females be
circumcised, something that has not happened to Taiyo and Resian. In fact it is a taboo
to remain an uncut woman/girl. The young man that Taiyo and Resian meet at Nasila
also refers to them as Intoiye Nemengalana (girls who are not circumcised). This societal
expectation is so critical so much that Joseph Parmuat is given the responsibility of
talking to Taiyo and Resian about their tradions. (Pg 71). However, the girls are so
alienated that they don't see the gravity of being uncircumcised and that Resian thinks
of is her enrolment to Egerton University.

Parsimei Kaelo is also alien. They are alienated to the clan dictates on marriage. Elders
term Parsimei's decision to remain married to only one wife who had borne him two
daughters as a reckless one. This is alien in a society where polygamy is practiced and
boy children are cherished. For instance, Simiren has 4 wives and 16 children or so; Ole
Supeyo has 6 wives and about 30 children. It is this alienation that makes Parsimei enlist
the help of Simiren and several senior elders of the community to re-establish links and
also blessings for his family. (pg 37). He decides to do this by throwing a party. It is in
this party that Ole Musanka blesses the Ole Kaelos and advises them to re-assimilate
themselves to their peoples' culture. (pg 52)

Minik ene Nkoitoi 'wasp' is alienated to her community. She is regarded as the devil
incarnate. She is hated and reviled for campaigning vigorously against traditions that
she says abuse the right of the girl child - namely - girls' circumcision and early
marriages. (pg 62). This puts her in direct collision with the people of Nasila.

Finally, Mama Milanoi is also alienated from the cultural expectations of her community.
She lets her daughters remain uncircumcised in a society where this is considered a
taboo. She is also accussed of being aloof and selective on the aspects of Nasila culture
that they choose to interact with. (pg 145) ((Plus any plausible argument)

9. Man is the defacto leader of the family and when he faulters many things are
bound to go wrong. Using Ole Kaelo for your illustrations show how the faults by
the head of family affect
INTRODUCTION
In the Africa set up men is assured to be the family head. He makes major decisions
concerning the family and doesn't have to consult. Ole Kaelo in Blossoms of the
Savannah is a perfect example of such a man.

Unfortunately for him he faulters and the effects are clear.

Points of interpretation

Ole Kaelo solely opts to move his family to Nasila from Nakuru. He assumes
that they will be comfortable and that by taking them to his newly build house will make
them happy. Unfortunately, the family does not know joy there. Pressure from the
community to have the girls circumcised is overwhelming and denies them joy. Sex also
abounds.

Ole kaelo gets financial and from Oloisudori, an evil man against all expectations.

The result demands to have over his daughter Resian to him. Something that eventually
collapses his family.

Ole Kaelo opts not to educate his daughters further and instead hoping that they will
get good Nasila man to marry them. This is against the expectation of the girls. Resian
tells him in his fate that she will join University. This decision that he makes affects the
family unity and his image before them. In the end the family breaks up as the girls opt
out.

Ole kaelo resolves to have his daughters circumcised and later handover Resian to
Oloisudori to be married by him. This is against her wish as the man is old and she does
not love him. Her wish is to join Egerton University to further her studies. It is because of
this that Resian leaves and is later followed by Taiyo.

Conclusion

Ole Kaelo blindly makes decision that affects his family as seen above

10. "Diligence and determination are the key to success." Write an essay in
support of this saying with illustrations from H. R. Ole Kulet's "Blossoms of the
Savannah."
Introduction

When a person desires to achieve something, no amount of obstacle can deter him/her
as long as the ambition lives on. Resian succeeds in fighting FGM, forced marriage,
attempted rape and her desire to join university because of her strong determination.
`Accept any other valid introduction
POINTS OF INTERPRETATION

i. Resian is determined to go back to Nakuru and join Egerton University

She is determined to take a course in Veterinary Science and become a veterinary
doctor. She wants to read everything that there is to be read and put on the
graduation regalia at the end of four years. She therefore requests her sister to
persuade their father to allow them go back to Nakuru and join the university.
Discussing polygamy, Resian reminds Taiyo that she doesn’t want to be a parent
in the foreseeable future but wants to study emphasizing that such peripheral
matters as marriage will come only after she will have obtained her degree. She
enlists for the help of her mother who later becomes elusive.
When Taiyo fails to find the most opportune moment to speak to their father, she
decides to take the bull by the horns by facing her father at the shop to ask him
about her plans of taking her to university. Ole Kaelo tells her she has had
enough formal education. Instead, he has sold her to Oloisudori. Unbowed, she
tells him she will still go to the university and hopes that his father will be there
to witness her graduation. Olarinkoi’s abduction doesn’ t stop her either. She
shares her afflictions and dreams with Nabaru. Touched by her physical and
mental courage, Nabaru promises to help her do what she intends to do or go
where she wants to go once she is back onto her feet, with or without the
enkoiboni’s predictions. She later procures a lorry with which she helps recue her
out of Olarinkoi’s tentacles and takes her to Minik’s ranch which is a safe haven
for young girls escaping female genital mutilation and early marriage.
Minik later calls her with her sister and shows them two envelopes containing
their letters of admission at the university where they are to report on fifth of
September. On the very day, they board Minik's vehicle and travel to the
university. They cannot believe that their long cherished ambition and adoration
had at long last become a reality. Resian says prayerfully that all is well that ends
well. 4, 18, 71, 87, 206-207,279,281,284*
ii. Resian wins against the attempted sexual assault by Olarinkoi
After being abducted by Olarinkoi, Resian is consoled by a dream in which she
meets the Emakererei who promises her all kinds of wonderful things. Her sweet
dream is, however, interrupted rudely and violently by Olarinkoi. Drunk, he walks
to the terrified Resian, gets holds of her shoulders and shakes her violently
glaring at her with his glittering eyes. He tells her that she is his wife and he will
find out how educated her body is. He gets hold of her, drags her into the other
room and begins unfastening her buttons with his rough trembling hands.
Panicking and terrified, Resian tries to get away from him, but he holds her
effortlessly as he brutally continues to fumble with her dress, trying to loosen it.
 Resian screams as loud as she can in vain as her abductor holds her more firmly
with his strong arms and against her loud protests, he tears her garments and
begins to push her towards the bed.
Resian doesn’t give in, however. She desperately takes her last chance of self-
defense and self-preservation. She musters all her strength, thrusts his thumb
into her mouth, sinks her teeth into the flesh like a ferocious animal and
tenaciously holds onto it, tugging at it fiercely like a lioness and tears it. She
clings unto the thumb as Olarinkoi howls in pain, tries to push away but she
holds on, digging deeper into the flesh, nearly severing the limb as Olarinkoi cries
loudly. Olarinkoi struggles to escape the wrath of Resian’s teeth. He knocks and
manages to escape. Although she faints, she manages to prevent Olarinkoi from
defiling her. later, feeling embarrassed, Olarinkoi apologizes and assures her that
he will not repeat what he tried to do. p.220, 212, 215, 222, 223, 240-241, 245,
248, 249
iii. Resian successfully fights forced marriage.
Oloisudori who is hugely owed by Ole Kaelo gets attracted to Resian upon seeing
her when he visits Kaelo’s home. He takes advantage of Ole Kaelo’s assurance
that he cannot be denied anything in his home by telling his host that he is
interested in his daughter, Resian. Grudgingly, Ole Kaelo consents. Later, he
arrives and pays dowry for Resian. The briefcase of five hundred thousand
shillings plus other princely gifts like a pretty golden brooch and twelve lengths
of different kinds of materials, a golden pendant, golden bracelet a cutely
designed golden ring for Resian to seal the marriage. Determined to ward off any
possible marriage plans, Resian swears to show Oloisudori that she was a chattel
to be secured by the content of a briefcase. With her sister, she intends to show
him that they were not on sale and that they were not equal to the prize the
briefcase. They are determined to show him that they were young women who
had their own pride, self-respect and self-esteem and not rudderless objects
drifting in the sea without direction. P196. Determinedly, Resian asserts that she
will try to face him bravely and tell him what she thinks of him they plan to
repackage the gifts and return them to the monster-Oloisudori. P. 195-198
Oloisudori invites the Kaelo’s to his palatial home in Nakuru Milimani area to
show them the magnificent house he had been building for Resian. He had been
beautifying it in order to make Resian fall in love with upon seeing it. So much
that on seeing it, Ole Kaelo is attracted so much to the wealth that he decides
that he was not going to allow his daughter’ s ignorance to destroy her future. He
declares that as a father, he had a Godgiven duty to guide her to a secure future;
to lead her to the honey pot that would be part of her future. A plan to ensnare
Resian is hatched. Kaelo would prepare the ground for Oloisudori’s coming to
persuade Resian into the marriage. If she refused, his men would arrive in the
 evening, pounce on and abduct Resian and drive her to her house in Nakuru.
When she refuses, the three-Oloisudori, Kaelo and Mama Milanoi connive and
agree on abducting Resian and forcefully marrying her.
In his third visit, Oloisudori reveals to Resian that she is his wife and that their fate
is sealed and that only death shall par them. Resian screams at him telling that he
is mad…stark mad to think that she is his wife. She adds that she can only be his
wife over her dead body and that he and her father can kill her and take her body
to Oloisudori’s palatial home. Excruciatingly pained by Oloisudori’s remarks,
Resian storm out of the house and heads to the shop to confirm this plans from
her father.
He confirms her fears by telling her that Oloisudori has asked to marry her. she
interrupts her father by shouting and screaming. She tells him to better kill her
than hand her over to Oloisudori. Even the revelation by her father that he has
already taken dowry from Oloisudori and that she is his wife whe likes it or not
doesn’t deter Resian. She walks out on her father and rushes to Nasila river as she
contemplates committing suicide. She is prepared to die than marry Oloisudori.
Luckily, Olarinkoi appears and saves her. She later reveals to Nabaru her dreams
of meeting Minik. However, Olarinkoi is determined to fulfil her mother’s
prophesy of marrying Resian and living with her in Tanzania. Olarinkoi’s
abduction doesn’t stop her either. She shares her afflictions and dreams with
Nabaru.
Touched by Resian’s physical and mental courage, Nabaru promises to help her
do what she intends to do or go where she wants to go once she is back onto her
feet, with or without the enkoiboni’ s predictions. She later procures a lorry with
which she helps recues out of Olarinkoi’s tentacles to Minik’s ranch where she
finds a safe haven for young girls escaping female genital mutilation and early
marriage. P.93-95,194,192,197,195,203-210,213215,222-224,245-247,248-249.
iv. Resian manages to fight female genital mutilation.
Her mother tells her that F.G.M is in everyone’s lips in Nasila. It is so entrenched
that Resian and her sister experience so much contempt from the vagabond who
first accosts them. For Ole Supeyo and his ilk, circumcision was "an important
practice which tamed an otherwise wild gender." P.22. he says that"...a certain
measure of docility was necessary to keep more than of lots of poisons." P.22. He
and Ole Musanka castigate Minik who protects girls from this practice. It is
therefore difficult for Resian to escape especially when her father, after the
cultural reception declares that after his wife "prepares his daughters to
appreciate and accept their future responsibilities as mothers and home builders"
and after Joseph Parmuat "teaches them a few home truths", they will "...call the
enkamuratani to play her part before we give them away..." P.61 Aware that men
"...are the creators of the labyrinth the women continue to meander around...P.91
 she promises to escape going through this barbaric practice. Resian declares that
the enkamuratani’s "…withered, claw-like hands would only touch her over her
dead body..."P.58. she declares that over her dead body will she be circumcised.
She says she would rather live in a noisy place than live anywhere near a
vagabond who would accost her ...with the intention of mutilating her sexuality.
P.33 • Resian and Taiyo vow to join Minik in fighting against F.G.M. P.87 To
escape, she constantly reminds her sister to persuade their father to allow them
travel back to Nakuru. However, this doesn’t go through. Even so, her
determination sees her escape from home through the ‘ help’ of Olarinkoi. When
she later learns from about the mono-eyed woman and her son’s determination
to clip that erogenous salacity from you that destroys homes… in order ….
become a respectable woman worthy..."P.229 • Resian's determination to live
through the challenge inspires Nabaru to support her escape "...I am willing to
help you do what you intend to do or go where you want to go once you are
back onto your feet..."P. 233. She finally manages to escape from Olarinkoi and
meets her mentor Minik, the anti-crusader of F.G.M. pgs: 224-225,232-234,
242,245-249 253, 277278*
v. Resian’s wins in her will to meet her mentor; Minik, the Emakererei.
She first hears about Minik when Ole Musanka places a voluble on Minik
contemptuously referred to the wasp on account of her advocacy to maintain
intoiye nemengalana amongst their daughters. Resian and her sister, Taiyo
wonder who Minik is and why she evokes so much virulent hatred amongst
Nasila people.52,53. When her further confirms that he has already sold her to
Oloisudori, she contemplates ending her life. However, Olarinkoi finds her at
Nasila river and offers to help her fulfil her dream of meeting Minik. However,
Olarinkoi changes his mind and decides that she is his wife and even attempts to
rape her. The rape attempt wears her down. However, Olarinkoi’s abduction
doesn’t stop her from meeting her mentor. She shares her afflictions and dreams
with Nabaru. Touched by her physical and mental courage, Nabaru promises to
help her do what she intends to do or go where she wants to go once she is back
onto her feet, with or without the enkoiboni’s predictions. She later procures a
lorry with which she helps recues out of Olarinkoi’s tentacles to Minik’s ranch
where she finds a safe haven for young girls escaping female genital mutilation
and early marriage.
vi. Minik’s determination to save girls/Taiyo from F.G.M and forced marriage
respectively pays off.
In her efforts to save young girls from retrogressive customs, she had come to
persuade Ole Supeyo not to circumcise his five daughters. She is so insistent that
the old man has to forcefully eject her out of hiss homestead, threatening to
clobber her. p. 21,22 despite being abhorred in Nasila she doesn’t relent in her
 efforts to save the helpless girls who are circumcised and married off at an early
age. A case in point is Taiyo whom she rescues from Olosudori who has already
managed to have her circumcised and is planning to marry her off against her
will. She had sent her rescue team to trace Taiyo. It was easy to find her as for the
home in which she was kept was being guarded day and night by fierce armed
men. The rescue team had to retreat to Nasila to find Parmuat, their contact man
who had initially directed them to Esoit. They make several attempts to save
Taiyo and almost giving up when Parmuat manages to help them rescue Taiyo by
luring Oloisudori’s the whole team of guards into a beer party, leaving Taiyo
unguarded. They team strikes and scampers away with Taiyo like men fleeing
from a burning village for three kilometres, to spot where they had left their
vehicle. They escape the stones that are thrown at them. Later, when Oloisudori
shows up at the ranch to take one of Ole Kaelo’s daughters, Minik does not allow
him. She orders him to get out of the place fast for his own safety and the safety
of his expensive machines, adding that the two girls are under her charge and
that none of them will be taken away from her. she steels herself and looks into
his eyes with an unwavering stare. when he orders his men to get Resian, her four
hundred energetic workers who had just eaten to their fill surged forward and in
no time reduced Oloisudori’s convoy into smouldering shells and acrid smell of
burning tyres besides clobbering Oloisudori and his men thoroughly to the
extent that they had to run away. P. 281-284
vii. Nabaru's determination helps Resian escape F.G.M, forced marriage to Olarinkoi
and take her to Minik, her mentor.
Frustrated by her father's determination to sell her ofc to Oloisudori, Resian runs
to Nasila where she contemplates suicide. Olarinkoi finds her there and offers to
help her fulfill her dream of meeting Minik. However, Olarinkoi changes his mind
and decides that she is his wife and even attempts to rape her. The rape attempt
wears her down. Luckily, she finds a God-given mother in Nabaru, who is so much
touched by her physical and mental courage that she promises to help her do
what she intends to do or go where she wants to go once she is back onto her
feet, with or without the enkoiboni’s predictions. She feeds her well and nurses
her until she regains her strength, which was necessary for her escape. She later
procures a lorry with which rescues her. Olarinkoi hangs on the lorry, threatening
fire and termination, but Nabaru's will sees Resian escape to Minik’s ranch where
she finds a safe haven for young girls escaping female genital mutilation and
early marriage.
(Accept any 4 well illustrated points. Mark 3;3;3;3) Total 12 marks
Grammar and Presentation- 4 marks
Conclusion
In conclusion, Resian and Minik succeed to achieve their goals due to their unwavering
determination.
Accept any other valid conclusion-2 marks

11. Basing your illustrations on Blossoms of the Savannah, write an essay to

negate the saying “Blood is thicker than water” (20 marks)
Actions by some characters in Blossoms of the Savannah tend to negate the saying
‘blood is thicker than water.’ We expect family bonds to be the strongest and the loyalty
to be true yet that is not the case. Ole Kaelo and Mama Milanoi put their daughters
Taiyo and Resian through harrowing experiences and ironically, they get help from
strangers such as Nabaru and Minik ene Nkoitoi.

Ole Kaelo’s actions go against the saying blood is thicker than water. Although he is
Resian’s father, he abhors her for no apparent reason. Ole Kaelo intimidates Resian so
much and she only finds solace in her sister Taiyo. Ole Kaelo teams up with Oloisudori
to hatch an evil plan to kidnap Resian, anesthetize her and have her circumcised should
she turn down Oloisudori’s proposal. He is against her ambitions of joining Egerton
University with the intention of marrying her off to an old man she hates. This indeed
negates the saying; blood is thicker than water.

Mama Milanoi’s actions also negate the saying blood is thicker than water. In the face of
Resian’s constant intimidation by her own father, Mama Milanoi fails to protect her.
Resian constantly rushes to Taiyo for a shoulder to lean on. She also deceives Taiyo
using Resian’s plight, to accompany the three women to Esoit where she is savagely
circumcised against her will. Surprisingly, Taiyo is rescued by Joseph Parmuat, who is not
a blood relative; sadly, he loses his life. Indeed, this is a testament that family bonds may
sometimes be the weak link in a relationship.

Taiyo’s experiences in Nasila prove that sometimes family ties are not the strongest ties.
Her father is clearly inconsiderate of her feelings and needs when he denies her a
chance to attend a music extravaganza in Mombasa. When she is kidnapped, help
comes from unexpected quarters. She is rescued by Minik ene Nkoitoi’s team. Joseph
Parmuat, a distant clan member, sacrifices himself for Taiyo’s sake when her parents
seem indifferent. Indeed; this negates the saying blood is thicker than water.

Lastly, Nabaru the enkabaani cares for Resian more than her mother does. Resian even
calls her a “God given mother”. Although they are not related, Nabaru proves to be
caring and motherly. She tends to Resian following the nasty beating she received from
Olarinkoi. When her father tries to forcefully marry her off to Oloisudori, Resian escapes
to Inkiito with the help of Olarinkoi; little does she know that he has ulterior motives. He
attempts to rape her and hurts her badly. During her 3 weeks stay at Inkiito, Resian
receives tender care in terms of medical attention and food from Nabaru. She is not only
a loving and caring mother to her, but also a valuable friend and confidant. She also
rescues her from the hands of Olarinkoi and his evil mother Enkoiboni despite the fact
that she has been paid handsomely in order to be part of the scheme. This also negates
the popular belief that blood is thicker than water.

To sum up, Mama Milanoi and Ole Kaelo prove that family members can turn out to be
our greatest enemies and occasionally help comes from people who are not necessarily
related to us.

12. Determination leads to victory. Write an essay to qualify this claim basing
your illustration on H.E Ole Kulet’s Blossoms of the Savannah (20 marks)
Trying to achieve something difficult relentlessly and resolutely always results in success.
In other words, steadfastness pays off. In Blossoms of the Savannah Resian’s strength of
will pays off when she beats all the challenges and manages to go to the university
against all odds. She breaks the shackles of unsupportive parents, archaic cultural
practices of FGM and early marriages and cruel patriarchal beliefs to achieve her dream
of enrolling at Egerton University.

Resian is determined to join Egerton University to pursue a course in Veterinary

Medicine, a dream she manages to achieve. From the onset, Resian is resolute about her
ambition of joining Egerton University. She obstinately urges her sister to talk to their
father about their prospect of returning to Nakuru to enroll at Egerton University.
Although her father does not support this, she still fights determinedly until she
achieves her dream. Her determination makes her trust Olarinkoi who has promised to
take her to Ntare-naaju ranch to meet Emakererei who is to aid her pursue her dream.
The journey is tumultuous but she beats all odds and finally departs for Egerton on 5th
September.

Resian is determined to cheat the cultural expectations and remain uncircumcised, a feat
she manages to achieve. When Ole Kaelo relocates to Nasila from Nakuru, there is
immense pressure on him to circumcise his girls to evade the derogatory title of father
to intoiye nemengalana (uncircumcised girls). He is torn between the Nasila culture and
his daughter’s liberty and needs. Some men like Ole Supeyo circumcised all their girls
and married them off to prominent men in Nasila. He says that women have to be
circumcised to control their wild nature. Ole Musanka, a dignified elder insists that girls
must be circumcised. Other women like Enkamuratani, Enkasakatoni and Enkaitoyoni
also vehemently support the cut. She risks her life by blindly trusting Olarinkoi with
sheer need to escape the cut. She manages to escape from Nasila to Ntare-naaju albeit
through difficult situations. Eventually, she escapes both FGM and early marriage.
Resian also manages to escape the suffocating chains of patriarchy when accosted by
Oloisudori; she manages to escape forced marriage to an old man due to her steely
steadfastness. Oloisudori hatches a heartless plan to have Resian kidnapped and even
anesthetized if need be. He plans to forcefully have her circumcised and to marry her as
a sixth wife. He manages to arm twist Ole Kaelo into accepting the deal by using gifts
including 500,000 shillings and a mansion for Resian in Milimani-Nakuru. Resian is
neither lured nor sucked in by Oloisudori’s pompous show of financial might. She calls
him mad and says she can only marry him over her dead body. Even though Oloisudori,
Ole Kaelo and Mama Milanoi conspire to have her married to Oloisudori, her sheer
determination helps her to avoid this.

Resian manages to fight off Olarinkoi who is led to believe that their impending
marriage is destiny as prophesied by her diviner mother. She prophesied that Olarinkoi
would live with the Kaelos and later marry one of his daughters. He kidnaps her and
hides her in a dungeon in the sleepy village of Inkiito after deceiving her. He even tries
to rape her. Resian’s courage and determination is seen when she fights bravely and
bites him badly while defending herself. She endures harrowing life in Olarinkoi’s hut
that is crawling with rats, lizards and snakes. She remembers the Biblical story of Job and
how he triumphed because of perseverance. Eventually she manages to escape with the
help of Nabaru the enkabaani. Inspired by her bravery and determination, Nabaru walks
through the dangerous Inkiito terrain until she finds and convinces a lorry driver to
make a detour in order to help Resian. Finally, she meets Minik ene Nkoitoi, who helps
her to enroll at Egerton University.

Resian beats all odds and achieves her dreams. Surely, determination leads to victory.

13. “Our greatest enemies are those close to us.” Basing your argument on H.E
Ole Kulet’s Blossoms of the Savannah write an essay to qualify this assertion. (20
Marks)
More often than not, we are harmed or betrayed by those close to us. Our close family
members, trusted friends, or other relatives sometimes turn out to be our biggest
adversaries. In Blossoms of the Savannah Mama Milanoi betrays her own daughter Taiyo
when she deceives her and has her savagely circumcised against her will. Other
characters that highlight this vice are Oloisudori and Ole Kaelo.

Parsimei Ole Kaelo is an enemy to his own daughter Resian. He has abhorred her since
she was born because he expected a boy. He plans to have Resian forcefully circumcised
and married off to a sly and cunning extortionist Mr. Oloisudori, a man she vehemently
hates. Oloisudori financed Ole Kaelo’s businesses and helped him to acquire a
magnificent home in Nasila. He uses his guile and money to lure Ole Kaelo and Mama
Milanoi into accepting his odd demand. Ole Kaelo schemes with Oloisudori to have his
own daughter kidnapped and anesthetized should she turn down his proposal. He
equates her to a stubborn kid that refuses to suckle. Ultimately, Ole Kaelo fails in his bid
to please Oloisudori and to fulfill his own avarice since Resian escapes, leaving them
reeling in turmoil.

Oloisudori Loonkiya turns out to be an enemy to Ole Kaelo. They are friends and
business allies. Although he knows that Oloisudori is a criminal, he does not expect him
to betray their friendship. When Oloisudori visits Ole Kaelo’s home and meets Resian he
falls in love with her and demands to marry her. She also has to be circumcised.
Oloisudori is an old man while Resian is still a teenager. Ole Kaelo is shocked by this
strange demand and beseeches him to drop it and ask for anything else. Oloisudori uses
his financial strength and emotional blackmail to convince Ole Kaelo to bless the union.
He gives him 500,000 shillings as dowry. This evil scheme fails when Resian tells
Oloisudori off in his face and escapes. Oloisudori later faces the wrath of Minik ene
Nkoitoi and his vehicles are destroyed.

Olarinkoi betrays Resian’s trust. He looks odd but seemingly harmless. He is accepted
into the Kaelo homestead where he visits freely and eats together with them. He
deceives them with food supplies. He earns Resian’s trust when he rescues Taiyo and her
from their would-be rapists Ntara and Lante. He turns out to be Resian’s foe when he
deceives and kidnaps her taking her to Inkiito instead of Ntare-naaju. He plans to have
her circumcised and to marry her and escape with her to Tanzania. He attempts to rape
her and causes grievous bodily harm on her. His evil scheme also fails when Nabaru
helps Resian to escape from his home. He is also forced into hiding after his shameless
rape attempt.

Mama Milanoi is an adversary to her own daughters. She fails to speak up for them but
instead selfishly guards her marriage. She is scared to ask her husband to let them join
Egerton University. In the face of constant intimidation, she fails to offer her protective
wings to Resian who only finds solace in Taiyo. She is privy to the evil scheme to have
Resian kidnapped and forcefully circumcised and married to Oloisudori but she remains
callously indifferent. She laughs when Ole Kaelo compares her to an obstinate kid. She
also blatantly lies and convinces Taiyo to follow the three women to Esoit where she is
brutally circumcised. Surely, our family members turn out to be our biggest foes.

Lastly, Ntara son of Muyo betrays Resian and Taiyo. He is their relative. Although he is of
the Ilukumae clan, he is their first cousin. He is a son of Mama Milanoi’s sister who
married Muyo an elder. He accosts them while in the company of Lante son of Kanyira
and attempts to rape them. In the scuffle that ensues, the girls are injured. They are
rescued by Olarinkoi. It is odd that he tries to rape his own cousins. He is later
apprehended and beaten up mercilessly. He is also fined three heifers.
In conclusion, the events in Blossoms of the Savannah prove that those close to us turn
out to be our greatest adversaries.

Summary:

 Oloisudori betrays Ole Kaelo. Though they were close business friends. Oloisudori
blackmails Ole Kaelo so that Ole Kaelo has no option but to marry off his
daughter to Oloisudori.
 Mama Milanoi who is the mother to Taiyo betrays her by allowing her to
accompany three women to take her to Resian only for her to end up being
forcefully subjected to F.G.M.
 Ole Kaelo, father to Taiyo refuses to allow his daughter Taiyo to travel to
Mombasa with the other youth selected by an FM radio station for a music
extravaganza. To him participating would be like engaging in prostitution.
 Ole Kaelo also betrays his daughter's ambitions to join Egerton University
preferring instead to marry them off to Oloisudori. This shows he is not ready to
help them realize their dreams as a father should do.
 Ole Kaelo betrays Resian. He openly shows his resentment to Resian. Constantly
rebuking her for even the slightest of mistake she makes. He hates because he
expected a boy child not a girl child. This leaves Resian with a low self-esteem
and fearful.
 Olarinkoi, who is occasionally accommodated by the Ole Kaelo's and is even
though he is not part of their family, later betrays the Ole Kaelo's when he
abducts Resian with the intention of eloping with her. This is betrayal to a family
that had hosted him.

14. “Individuals who are selfless and determined are always rewarded in life”.
Using illustrations from the novel Blossoms of the Savannah, write an essay in
support of this statement. (20 Marks)
Some individuals show great concern for other people by sacrificing their valuable time
and possession for others. Their steadfast spirit coupled with their selflessness always
results in success. In Blossoms of the Savannah Minik ene Nkoitoi and Nabaru are
characters who are rewarded for such acts of kindness. They achieve what they set out
to do.

Minik ene Nkoitoi is not only selfless but also determined. Her resoluteness pays off.
First, she manages to go to Makerere University to pursue a course in veterinary
medicine, which is no mean feat for a Maa woman. For instance, all of Ole Supeyo’s
daughters were circumcised and married off to prominent Nasilian elders. Although
Minik was also circumcised, that does not hinder her from achieving her dreams. She
manages a sheep ranch at Ntare-naaju. Unlike other Maa women who subserviently coil
before men, ene Nkoitoi remains an assertive individual who succeeds because of her
resoluteness.

Apart from her success in education and career, Minik also succeeds in her fight against
needless cultural practices like FGM. She relentlessly puts up a spirited fight against
FGM and early marriages. She faces stiff resistance from conservative chauvinists such as
Ole Supeyo, Ole Musanka and Oloisudori but she stays steadfast in her quest to abolish
the inessential traditions. Even fellow women like enkamuratani, enkasakatoni and
enkaitoyoni fuel the practices further. Minik has been labeled entagoroi (wasp) but she
does not relent. Due to her selflessness she manages to rescue five hundred thousand
girls and sacrifices her valuable time and resources to make them comfortable. Resian
and Taiyo also benefit from her selfless nature. She accommodates and feeds them and
enables them to join Egerton University. Indeed, Selfless and determined characters
always succeed.

Nabaru is also both selfless and determined. When Olarinkoi deceives and kidnaps
Resian and takes her to Inkiito instead of Ntare-naaju, Nabaru’s help comes in handy.
She nurses and feeds Resian like her own daughter. She gives her water, milk, bits of
olpurda, pounded mutton and ugali. She reveals the evil plan that enkoiboni has for
Resian. She selflessly nurses and feeds Resian for over 12 days. Although she has been
paid handsomely, she abandons the initial plan and chooses to help Resian. In her
Resian finds not only a loving and caring mother but also a valuable friend and
confidant. She makes Resian comfortable by making her a bed using her two blankets.
She manages to make Resian’s stay at Inkiito a bit bearable. She succeeds since selfless
individuals more often than not achieve success.

Nabaru is also determined to help Resian escape the cut and marriage to Olarinkoi; she
succeeds. She walks a long distance to the next shopping centre to find a driver, Lebutu,
and convinces him to help her rescue Resian. She makes a daring and determined trek
considering the terrain was dangerous and riddled with wild animals. She succeeds since
she ensures Resian arrives safely at Ntare-naaju and meets her role model Minik ene
Nkoitoi, the emakererei. Resian refers to her as yeiyo-ai-nanyorr which means my
beloved mother. Nabaru’s resolute spirit helps Resian evade circumcision and marriage
and instead get chance to join her dream institution- Egerton University. Olarinkoi and
enkoiboni fail terribly but Nabaru succeeds.

In conclusion, it is indeed true to say selfless and determined individuals are usually
rewarded in life.
15. “Bad deeds always go unrewarded.” Write a composition to support this
assertion basing your illustration on HR Ole Kulet’s Blossoms of the Savannah.
(20 Marks)
Individuals who commit atrocities more often than not fail to achieve whatever they are
trying to achieve. Some individuals do shocking or cruel things due to their selfishness
but they never succeed. In Blossoms of the Savannah, Olarinkoi, who tries to rape
Resian, is hurt and humiliated and he fails to marry her. Ole Kaelo and Oloisudori’s
atrocities also fail to bear fruits.

Oloisudori plans to forcefully circumcise and marry Resian against her will but he fails
terribly. Oloisudori is a sly extortionist tricks Ole Kaelo (Resian’s father) into a business
partnership. After helping Ole Kaelo secures several lucrative contracts, he demands to
marry Resian forcefully. Resian hates him since he acts suggestively when the first meet.
Ole Supeyo had earlier cautioned Ole Kaelo about his randy traits. He tries to woo her
with gifts such as a golden brooch and bracelet and a spectacular house which she duly
hands back. He hatches a callous plan to have Resian kidnapped and anesthetized
should she turn down the proposal. He fails terribly since Resian calls him mad and says
he can only marry her over her dead body. Even after spending millions of shillings and
using unethical means to get a wife, Oloisudori fails to get Resian hand in marriage.

Olarinkoi, who kidnaps Resian with a view of marrying her, is unrewarded. Olarinkoi is a
wolf in sheep’s clothing. He pretends to be a friend to the Kaelos when he lives with
them. He rescues Taiyo and Resian when Ntara and Lante try to rape them thus earning
Resian’s trust. He tricks Resian into believing that he will take her to Ntare-naaju to meet
Minik ene Nkoitoi, and avoid circumcision and marriage to Oloisudori. Instead he takes
her to Inkiito village where he tries to rape her and assaults her until she passes out.
Resian’s journey to Inkiito and the stay there is harrowing. Luckily she escapes with the
help of Nabaru. Thus Olarinkoi fails to marry her. He is also forced into hiding due to
shame and nearly loses a finger when Resian almost severs it. Surely, bad deeds always
go unrewarded.

Ole Kaelo’s greed for material possession does not bear fruits. Ole Kaelo is sucked in by
Oloisudori’s opulence and apparent generosity that he fails to see the danger he
exposes himself and his family into. After getting into a business partnership with
Oloisudori, he is thrown into turmoil when Oloisudori demands to marry Resian. He is
faced with a dilemma of either losing his daughter’s faith and love or losing his lucrative
contracts and possibly his magnificent house. After visiting Oloisudori’s palatial homes,
Ole Kaelo chooses wealth over Resian’s happiness. He warms up to the idea of having
Resian kidnapped and anesthetized. He receives 500, 000 shillings among other gifts but
fails to have Resian marry Oloisudori. She runs away from home leaving his father
confused! His evil plans prove futile.
Mama Milanoi selfishly guards her marriage at the expense of her daughter’s happiness.
She is a conservative conformist who remains subservient and fails to protect Taiyo and
Resian. When they move to Nasila, she is delighted since her daughters would be
married by prominent men. She is, however, stuck between the devil and the deep, blue
sea of either losing her daughters’ faith and love or going against the Nasila traditions.
She deceives Taiyo and aids three women to abduct her and whisk her away to Esoit
village where she is forcibly and brutally circumcised. She hopes to have her married to
Oloisudori so that they keep the business contracts and maintain the enviable living
standards in Nasila. Her plan fails since Taiyo is rescued by Minik ene Nkoitoi’s team and
taken to Ntare-naaju where she joins other girls. Resian and she swear never to be
subservient like their mother! Indeed, bad deeds always go unrewarded.

In conclusion, bad deeds never bear any fruits instead the perpetrators fail terribly.

16. Irresponsible decisions can lead to serious consequences. Referring closely to

H.R. Ole Kulet's Blossoms of the Savannah, write an essay in support of this
statement.
When people make decisions that are devoid of good judgement the results are usually
adverse. People like Ole Kaelo and Oloisudori suffer as a result of their rash decision.

Ole Kaelo makes an irresponsible decision when he engages in business with Oloisudori.
When Ole Kaelo is retrenched from Agribix Limited, he chooses to relocate to Nasila, his
native home, with his family. Here, he opens a shop dealing in Agricultural products. His
business is funded by Oloisudori. Oloisudori also helps him to secure some business
contracts. He helps Ole Kaelo to secure a 4 years' contract to supply all government
institutions in Nasila with agricultural inputs like fertilizer, seeds, herbicides, fungicides
et cetera. His mentor Ole Supeyo warns him against his involvement with Oloisudori. He
says that Oloisudori is corrupt. He equates him to a hyena and a randy he-goat and
cautions Ole Kaelo to keep him away from his daughters. Ole Kaelo does not heed. This
decision haunts him when Oloisudori asks for his daughter Resians' hand in marriage.
Resian has to be circumcised first. Her dream is to enrol at Egerton University. When she
learns of her father's plan, she confronts him at his shop and he slaps her, further
straining their relationship. She runs to Nasila river where she contemplates suicide.
Olarinkoi finds her and promises to take her to Ntare naaju to meet Minik ene Nkoitoi,
who could help her pursue her education. Ole Kaelo's rash decision makes him to lose
his daughter. She leaves Nasila with Olarinkoi.

Mama Milanoi makes an unwise decision when she keeps a low profile when her
daughters are subjected to punitive cultural practices. When they relocate to Nasila after
Ole Kaelo is retrenched, Taiyo and Resian suffer the stigma of being labelled "intoiye
nemengalana". Ole Kaelo plans to circumcise Resian and marry her off to Oloisudori.
Mama Milanoi knows that her dream is to join Egerton university and pursue a degree in
Veterinary medicine. She however fails to defend Resian against the pressure from
society to have her circumcised and married off against her will. She succumbs to the
pressure of the Nasilian culture. She knows that FGM is a tortorous and painful
experience but she still fails to speak to Ole Kaelo against it. She is privy to the details of
having Resian abducted and forcefully circumsised but she still remains silent. The
painful outcome of her subservience is that Resian esacpes from home with the help of
Olarinkoi and she eventually manages to meet Minik ene Nkoitoi and to enrol at
Egerton University. Mama Milanoi loses her daughter's trust.

Ole Kaelo suffers when he chooses to deny Resian and Taiyo a chance to pursue their
education at Egerton university. Parsimei Ole Kaelo instead asks Joseph Parmuat, a
teacher, to teach them cultural aspects of Nasila in preparation for circumcision and
marriage. Resians coaxes her sister Taiyo to speak to their father about the prospect of
joining Egerton University on so many occasions, because she burns with passion for
education. When she tries to ask her father, he gets so angry at her. He warms up to the
idea of marrying her to Oloisudori. Ole Kaelo receives gifts and money from him. He
fails to protect her daughter from advances by the corrupt extortionist. Resian finally
escapes from Nasila with the help of Olarinkoi and later manages to meet Minik ene
Nkoitoi who helps her to finally leave for Nakuru to join Egerton university. Oloisudori
loses her as a result.

Oloisudori errs in his decision to follow Resian and Taiyo all the way to Ntare naaju
ranch. When his first choice for a wife, Resian, runs away with Olarinkoi, the Kaelo's offer
Taiyo as a replacement. Minik's men manage to rescue her from Esoit village but not
before she is circumcised. When he loses both of them, Oloisudori pursues them upto
Minik ene Nkoitoi's ranch. He knows that Minik is referred to as 'entangoroi' or wasp but
still chooses to confront her. He demands for either Resian or Taiyo saying he has paid
dowry enough for both. Minik says that she will not release them even to their own
father. She asks Oloisudori to leave. He asks his men to grab Resian and then a
pandemonium ensues. Minik's 400 workers descend upon them and clobber them
thoroughly before torching his expensive vehicles and reducing them to smouldering
shells. Oloisudori loses his vehicles and still fails to get a wife even after spending a lot
of money, time and effort.

Olarinkoi makes two foolish decisions. First, he abducts Resian and then he tries to rape
her. When Resian runs away from home and is contemplating her next course of action
by the Nasila River, Olarinkoi arrives and tells her that Oloisudori's men are looking for
her all over. He offers to take her to Ntare naaju to meet Minik her icon. She complies
owing to the fact that she trusts him since he has been a regular visitor at their home
and he saves Taiyo and her when the vagabonds, Ntara Muyo and Lante, try to rape
them. Olarinkoi does not keep his word. He instead takes her to Inkiito. He locks her up
in a dingy hut. That night he comes back stone drunk insisting that Resian is his wife. He
mocks her about her education and he forcefully grabs her tearing her clothes and
pushing her to the bed. She defends herself by pushing his thumb into her mouth and
sinking her teeth into it until he bleeds. She almost severes the thumb. Olarinkoi suffers
physically and also emotionally when he is admonished by his mother until he goes into
hiding due to shame. Nabaru, the nurse, who was contracted by the mono-eyed woman
to take care of Resian after circumcision helps to rescue her when she brings a lorry
driver, who takes them to Ntare naaju. Apart from the physical and emotional pain,
Olarinkoi fails to get Resian as a wife as a result of his irresponsible decision.

Mama Milanoi makes an irresponsible decision when she tricks Taiyo into circumcision.
When Resian runs away with Olarinkoi to avoid marriage to Oloisudori, Taiyo is offered
as a replacement. Mama Milanoi allows her to accompany the three women from Esoit.
They lie to Taiyo that Resian is on a hunger strike and has gone for three days without
eating. They want her to accompany them to Esoit for Resian's sake. She complies and
accompanies them happily since her mother assures her that their father had vowed
never to try to marry them by force to any man. At Esoit she is thrown into turmoil as no
one attends to her or talks about Resian. She is instead left in a dingy hut. The next
morning she is dragged out of the hut by a group of excited women, 20 litres of cold
water is emptied on her head before she is forcibly circumcised by 'enkamuratani'. The
ordeal is so painful that she passes out. She is later rescued by Minik's men with the
help of Joseph Parmuat, who tricks the guards guarding her, with alcohol. The guards
attempt to chase after Minik's men,pelting them with stones, but they fail. Parmuat is
speared to death. Mama Milanoi loses Taiyo when she is taken to Minik's ranch.

Through characters like Oloisudori and Olarinkoi, we learn that foolish decisions usually
lead to bad consequences. We ought to think before we leap.

17. Women suffer in male-dominated societies. Write an essay to validate the

truth in this assertion basing your illustrations on Blossoms of the Savannah.
In most societies, men hold primary power and influence. Blossoms of the Savannah
highlights the problems women suffer in a male-dominated society. Resian, Taiyo,
Mama Milanoi and Minik ene Nkoitoi suffer a myriad of problems in Nasila.

Resian suffers for simply being born a girl. Ole Kaelo is infuriated when his second born
child turns out to be a girl. He had prayed for a boy and wanted at least three boys. The
society values boys more than girls. A boy would carry the Kaelo's name to the next
generation Ole Kaelo offers Resian as a sacrificial lamb when Oloisudori comes looking
for a wife. As much as she knows her father hates her, she is shocked that he has the
temerity to sell her to a man she hates with a passion. Resian is always sad and aloof
owing to her father's mistreatment. Resian feels betrayed by her father and at one point
considers committing suicide. She is forced to run away from home with the help of
Olarinkoi. Surely, women in male-dominated societies suffer a great deal.

Men in Nasila use FGM to oppress women. Women are considered a wild gender that
has to be tamed through FGM. Girls who undergo FGM suffer physical and
psychological pain. Uncircumcised girls are mocked, derided and contemptuously
referred to as intoiye nemengalana. Circumcised girls are considered decent and
accorded respect. The subject of FGM makes Taiyo and Resian feel squeamish, hopeless
and downcast. Resian feels that FGM is useless today and is only used by men to
oppress women. Taiyo is duped and taken to Esoit village, 5 kilometers away from
Nasila, where she is forcibly circumcised. She is dragged out of a hut, splashed with 20
litres of cold water, wrestled to the ground and circumcised. The excruciating procedure
is carried out using a bladelike tool known as olmurunya. She faints and only regains
consciousness two days later. She even imagines she had died! Even after being rescued,
she suffers bouts of sickness, restlessness, weakness and pain. This all happened in order
for her to be married off to Oloisudori since men in Nasila do not marry intoiye
nemengalana.

In male-dominated societies, women suffer forced early marriages. When Resian learns
that she has to marry Oloisudori, she is thrown into a sea of agony. Forced marriage is
rampant in Nasila. Oloisudori and Olarinkoi try to marry Resian forcefully. Resian's
dream is to join Egerton University. Her father, however, plans to marry her off to
Oloisudori against her will. He makes all these plans behind Resian's back. He receives
cash and gifts from Oloisudori knowing too well that Resian only values university
education. Oloisudori even considers rendering Resian unconscious should she decline
his proposal. At Inkiito, Resian realizes that many girls are married to old men. One girl
is eighteen and her husband is about seventy five. Such girls live in squalor conditions.
To avoid marrying Oloisudori, Resian runs away from home. She endures an agonising
3-week stay at Inkiito battling hostile hosts, mosquitoes, hunger and physical injury.
Surely, she suffers a lot when her father tries to marry her off without her consent.

In Nasila, Resian and Taiyo suffer sexual exploitation since they are not circumcised.
They are mocked and chided by strangers. Two vagabonds attempt to molest them. Like
most men in Nasila, Ntara and Lante do not respect women. When they first meet,
Oloisudori harasses Resian despite her being too young for him. She describes him as
an ill-mannered devil. At Inkiito, Olarinkoi unsuccessfully tries to rape Resian. He comes
home drunk as a skunk and demands for food from her. He then tries to molest her. She
fights back fiercely and bites his thumb. Olarinkoi then assaults her viciously rendering
her unconscious. For a couple of weeks that follow, Resian endures pain from the attack.
Resian and Taiyo undergo physical and emotional anguish in the hands of men who
abuse their privacy.

Women in Nasila suffer because they are voiceless. Mama Milanoi is voiceless when her
husband plans to marry off Resian to Oloisudori. She cannot even dissuade him from
circumcising their daughters. In Nasila, it is men who make decisions. Mama Milanoi
suffers sleepless nights pondering in pain owing to the excruciating experience awaiting
her daughters yet she remains voiceless. Mama Milanoi is in a dilemma because she is
torn between being a dutiful Maa wife and being a protective mother to Taiyo and
Resian. As a subservient Maa wife, she has little choice but to submit to her husband
and Nasila cultural dictates. She is baffled that an old man like Oloisudori could marry
Resian, something that was unheard off during her childhood days. She visits and talks
to other women like Yeiyo bottor in an attempt to avert the marriage. The thoughts of
early marriage and circumcision take her through mental torture yet the male-
dominated society gags her and renders her voiceless. She suffers in silence.

Minik ene Nkoitoi is treated contemptuously by men in Nasila. Men like Simiren and Ole
Musanka hate her passionately. She is referred to as entagoroi, a derogatory name for a
sharp-tongued woman. When she tries to stop Simiren from circumcising her daughters
and marrying them off to old men, he chases her away and almost assaults her
physically. Ole Musanka curses her that “she may go down with the setting sun”. Even
women in Nasila call her a witch. Minik ene Nkoitoi suffers mistreatment and alienation
in Nasila simply because she fights archaic practices like early marriages and FGM, which
are perpetuated and fueled by men, with a view of oppressing women.

In summary, it is clear that women suffer in male dominated societies.

18. Betrayal causes pain and strain in the family. Using illustrations from Henry
Ole Kulet's Blossoms of the Savannah, write an essay to validate this statement.
Good families are built on trust and love. When we fail or desert our family members, we
cause them untold grief. In Blossoms of the Savannah, Taiyo and Resian suffer when
their parents betray them.

Ole Kaelo betrays his daughter Resian when he irrationally mistreats her for no apparent
reason, causing her untold grief. He fails his daughter because he detests her right from
birth. He feels cheated by nature since he had prayed for at least three boys but as fate
would have it ends up with two girls. Ole Kaelo loves his first daughter Taiyo but hates
her younger sister Resian. He was utterly disappointed when she turned out to be a girl
when he prayed for a healthy baby boy to carry the Kaelo’s name to the next
generation. He is angered by her body size and intends to dispose of her as soon as
possible. Resian feels betrayed since her father intimidates her and her mother fails to
protect her from the provocations. Her only reprieve is Taiyo, who gives her a shoulder
to cry on. The girls enjoy their father's absence more than his company. Resian wonders
why her father despises her so much but does not hate Taiyo. She ponders whether it
was her fault. Her father wants her to marry a shady crook named Oloisudori by force.
She argues that if her father respected her, he would have listened when she said she
disliked Oloisudori. Resian knows that her father hates her but is shocked that he could
go as far as selling her. This betrayal causes Resian misery since she was a child and she
grows up to be sullen, bewildered and resentful. She even thinks there is a curse for
being born a woman. Her nature is darkened with melancholy. The frequent tongue
lashing and harshly impatient nature from her father towards her contribute to her
tempestuous disposition. She is haunted by nagging complaints and never ending
unhappiness. Sometimes she sits alone in the biting cold brooding over her father's
inexplicable hateful nature. Her sadness is compounded by the fact that he intends to
forcefully marry her off to a monster she hates, in order for his business venture to
thrive. The pain pushes her to edge until she contemplates drowning herself in Nasila
River in pursuit of peace. Surely, when a father hates his own daughter this, much the
result, needless to say, is untold suffering. (Pgs. 9-10, 34, 172-173, 205, 210)

Mama Milanoi betrays both Resian and Taiyo when she chooses to remain indifferent
and aloof to her own daughters causing them pain. At first, she has a strange
premonition since her daughters are uncircumcised yet the culture demands otherwise.
She is thrown into a conundrum of either forcing the girls to undergo FGM and losing
their faith, love and confidence, or refusing to yield to tradition at the risk of being
labelled a pariah. Instead of fighting to protect her daughters when their father plans to
circumcise them, she subserviently bows to pressure and foolishly asserts that culture is
everything and it rules their lives. Now that FGM had reared its ugly head, she knows
that it was going to wreak havoc in the innocent girls’ young lives. She also knows that
her daughters do not expect their own parents to subject them to the excruciating pain
and turmoil of FGM. It would be mental torture for them. However, she remains aloof
and selfish simply to protect her position as a dutiful Maa wife. She concurs with Yeiyo
Bottor that Resian has olkuenyi which can be cured through FGM. She knows that FGM
would terribly hurt the girls but she fails to protect them. She kept lying to the girls and
reassuring them that nothing sinister was in the offing as they prepared to circumcise
them. She laughs with her husband and Oloisudori as they discuss Resian's fate but a
feeling of betrayal lingers in her heart. Mama Milanoi fails Resian and Taiyo since she
abandons them at the time of need. Taiyo and Resian are angry at their mother and
term her as an example of a wife they never wanted to be. She had been held captive by
her husband and could not express her own opinion unlike Nabaru and Minik ene
Nkoitoi. Resian is forced to run away from home through a harrowing journey but Taiyo
pays the ultimate price when she undergoes the excruciating pain of FGM. Surely, when
a mother fails to protect her daughters, they suffer. (Pgs. 17, 34, 60-62, 63, 78, 147, 192,
276)

Mama Milanoi tricks her daughter Taiyo into circumcision causing her pain and regret.
She calls Taiyo to greet three women visitors from a village called Esoit. They say Resian
had sought refuge there after running away from home. They need Taiyo to accompany
them since Resian was on a hunger strike and had not eaten anything for three days.
They claim they pitied Resian and claim she had mentioned Taiyo who could persuade
her to eat and save her life. Since Taiyo is caring and knows Resian depends on her for
protection, she buys the story. She is happy since her mother assures her that their
father had vowed never to marry them by force to any man. This is the height of deceit
and betrayal from a mother. At Esoit, there is no sign of Resian. Taiyo is abandoned in a
dingy hut and at dawn she is dragged out, drenched with 20 litres of cold water,
wrestled to the ground and forcibly circumcised. Her screams of terror and pain fall on
deaf ears. She faints and only gains consciousness two days later, feeling sore, bitter and
angry. She even imagines she had died. She is later rescued by Minik ene Nkoitoi but
still suffers bouts of pain, intensely painful headaches and weakness. It is difficult to
come to terms with the forcible circumcision. Taiyo and Resian blame their father for
wanting to please Oloisudori at the detriment of his own daughters. Their mother does
not escape their ire. They think she is the embodiment of a bad wife and mother. When
a parent betrays their child, they cause the child grief. (Pgs. 272, 274, 275, 276-277)

Ole Kaelo betrays Resian when he agrees to marry her off against her will to a wanton
criminal - Oloisudori, causing her untold misery. Oloisudori is a rich man who helps Ole
Kaelo by financing his business in Nasila and assists him in acquiring government
contracts to supply agricultural inputs. He then demands to marry Resian. Ole Kaelo had
been retrenched from his job at Agribix limited in Nakuru and had decided to relocate
to his native Nasila to venture into business. Ole Kaelo's mentor Soin Ole Supeyo warns
him that Oloisudori was a corrupt criminal, a hyena and a randy he-goat. He cautions
him to keep the amorous man away from daughters. He does not heed the warning. Ole
Kaelo knows that it is his duty to protect and educate his daughters and it pains him to
hand them over to a man they don’t love. He foresees them crying forlornly and
questioning the sincerity of his love and the reason for his betrayal. However, he still
chooses to betray and sacrifice Resian. He accepts cash and other gifts from Oloisudori.
He vows that Resian has to be married by Oloisudori and is party to an evil scheme to
abduct her in the event that she resisted. While Mama Milanoi feels they were betraying
Resian, Ole Kaelo feels happy and satisfied especially after visiting her potential
husband’s palatial homes. As they drive past Egerton University, he feels Resian was
foolish for choosing education over marriage to a wealthy man. Resian was speechless
when it dawned on her that her father had sold her to Oloisudori. She feels it was a
curse being born a woman in Nasila. She knew he disliked her but never thought her
own father could sell her. She cries in anger and outrage and accuses him of betrayal
and hatred. She says it was better to die than marry her father's monstrous friend. He
even slaps her with the view of intimidating her into bowing to pressure of his demands.
Resian leaves his office and heads to Nasila River where she contemplates suicide. She
instead chooses to flee from home with the help of Olarinkoi and embarks on a
harrowing, daunting journey to Ntare Naaju not knowing what awaited her. Resian
surely suffers in the wake of her father's betrayal. (Pgs. 26, 108, 111-112, 178, 185, 191-
193, 204, 205, 208, 209, 210)

Ole Kaelo betrays his daughter Taiyo when he fails to support her musical aspirations.
Taiyo loses trust in her father when he denies her permission to attend an extravaganza
organised by an FM radio station. Taiyo loves music. She has excelled in music festivals
and been awarded many times. Broadcasting stations noticed her talent and
encouraged her to pursue a career in music. Even her parents applauded her on many
occasions so she did not expect them to have any objection if she pursued the desire of
her heart as a future occupation. An FM station offered her a chance to attend a music
extravaganza in Mombasa and attend a short course later. Her father refuses to grant
her permission, claiming rather absurdly that performing for money was akin to harlotry.
It is evident that Taiyo loves music. It was in her blood. She thoroughly enjoys the
children’s performance in Nasila. When her father denies her permission, it leaves a
wound in her heart. She stubbornly tries to convince him but loses the fight. This
betrayal leaves her seething in rage. (1-2, 44-45)

Lastly, Ole Kaelo betrays his daughter Resian when he refuses to send her to university.
Resian is determined to join Egerton University. When they are about to relocate to
Nasila from Nakuru, she tells Taiyo that she does not want to work at their father's shop.
She wanted to join Egerton University to study veterinary medicine and be called Dr.
Resian Kaelo. She requests her sister Taiyo to persuade him to allow them to return to
Nakuru and enroll at the university in order to avoid being subjected to outdated
traditions. She is not interested in Parmuat's cultural lessons. She only wants formal
education which is universally beneficial to all. Her only hope was placed on Taiyo
speaking to their father as their mother proved to be either impuissant or unwilling. She,
however, chooses to remain optimistic envisioning herself in Egerton University donning
academic regalia. She rejects Oloisudori’s gifts and hands them back since her only
ambition is to pursue university education. Her father refuses to allow her to join
university. He intends to marry her off to Oloisudori, a man Resian deems a monster.
She refers to him contemptuously as ol-ushuushi – a reckless person and olbitirr - a
warthog. Resian assertively declares that even if she was over eighty years old she would
still join university. It is painful for her to struggle, run away from home, suffer in Inkiito
in the hands of a callous brute – Olarinkoi, before she finally joins university, courtesy of
total strangers Nabaru and Minik. She finds solace in the distant lands of Ntare Naaju
when her own parents betray and hurt her. (Pgs. 4, 18, 33, 58, 73, 89, 196, 207, 210)

In brief, when family members fail or desert us, we suffer immense pain or hardship.

19. “As bad as it may be, every culture has a good side. Closely referring to the
treatment of the girl child”, write a composition in support of this; drawing your
illustrations from H.R. Ole Kulet’s Blossoms of the Savannah.
Introduction
Traditional cultures though condemned have been of great help in caring for the
interest and safety of the girl child against wayward/predatory men. This is evident in
Nasila culture in Blossoms of the Savannah.

 Elder’s court
Mama Milanoi laments Oloisudori’s obnoxious act of demanding her daughter
Ressian for a wife. Oloisudori is the age mate of Parsimei – Mama Milanoi’s
husband. Mama Milanoi recalls that such a thing would have never happened in
the past. She says that in those old good days, had her husband tried to enforce
such an abomination, she would have appealed to the Elders court which would
have ruled him out of order, possibly fined him together with his purported son
in law. A public rebuke and cleansing ceremony conducted by the fearsome
Oloiboni would shamed the culture – abusers and their collaborators; a deterrent
act. (without mentioning of elder’s court, it is thin) page 113-114, 115
 Women’s court
Culture also gave aggrieved women room to call for mass action-swift, vindicive
and decisive. It was most feared by men. Mama Milanoi recalls an incident of a
mannerless old man who got infatuated with a fourteen-year-old daughter of his
daughter of his agemate and started stalking her. The man seduces the girl while
milking her mother’s cows. The girl reports the incident and her mother appealed
to the women’s court for the culprits, let out the calves. No cow was milked no
fire was lit in the hearths. Then they attacked the homestead of the accused using
firewood, husband’s knobkerries. The old man is beaten thoroughly, stripped
naked; teased and paraded naked in all the homesteads. The aggrieved girl
would question him and he would be forced to give a certain response. The
women’s cry would send all men scampering for safety up in the hills. The
accused would be beaten to death. All the men would be denied food and milk
till they called the Oloibon to cleanse the homestead and restore peace, love and
unit. Such punishment deterred men from offending the sensibilities of Maa.
(without appeal to women’s court - thin)Pg 115-117
 Patureishi
Joseph Parmuat cultural lessons and dances helps Ressian and Taiyo understand
the various kinds of love that young people in Nasila were involved in. Such love
include the conventional and the Patureishi. Those involved in conventional were
considered betrothed. Should the betrothed misbehave or offend the sensibilities
of the Nasula culture and lose the favour of the girl’s parents, he would forfeit
right to marry the girl. Patureshi – institution also checked the conduct and
behavior of young people and keep them discipline. The young man who
violated it or engages in disgraceful act, disrespect for women, the Paturesihi
would shame him. A young man who balanced conventional and Patureishi
earned respect and was regarded as a potential leader and of the future of Maa.
This safeguarded the girl child. (Role of Patureishi must come out clearly, failure -
thin) Pg 125-127
 Punishment of the vagabonds
Another incident where sensibilities of Nasila was breached is when Taiyo and
Resian are returning home from their father’s shop. Two young men accosted
and attempted to rape them. They dragged them to the bush and Olarinkoi’s
appearance and has intervention saved them. This was a serious violation that left
the girls traumatized. When they reported to the family, the entire clan is
enraged, and a search for the culprit ensures. When they were caught they were
clobbered until they bled profusely. They pleaded for mercy and fearfully hid
under the legs of and old man. One of them –Ntara Muyo was their first cousin.
The other was Lante-son of Kanyira. Elaborate cleansing ceremony is planned and
Ole Kaelo is compensated. Taiyo and Resian went to be paid two heifers each.
The tenets of Nasila culture ensured justice for the girls. (without punishment,
compensation and cleansing ceremony - thin) Pg 140, 156-164
 Olarinkoi’s Exile
Olarinkai offers to evacuate Resian to Ntare Naaju Ranch – the home of Minil-ene
-Nkotoi- Emakererei to escape a forcible circumcision and marriage to Oloisudori.
Resian who was at the verge of committing suicide saw a savior in Olarinkoi and
accepts the offer gratefully. However, he takes her to Inkiito where he goes
drinking and comes in at night and attempts to rape her. She bites his thumb and
he hurts her until she passes on. Nabaru who nursed her tells her that the mono
eyed woman – Olarinkoi’s mother had prophesied her marriage to his son but the
attempted rape diluted everything. Olorinkoi is banished into exile for days and
later the marriage fails to materialize pg 232 – 234
 Ill-intent men
Resian blames her father for the tension in the family for being forced to stay
behind to host Oloisudori against her will – Resian opines that this is the neo-
culture. Girl child was always protected and shielded from males who ogled and
 stare at them with no good intentions. Where there were male visitors, the girls
were taken to their aunt’s houses to avoid meeting some of these ill-intent
fellows. The aunts would instead serve the guests. Fathers too had minimum
interaction with their daughters and guarded jealously their privacy and
guaranteed them security(without the shielding of girls from men; taking them to
aunt’s place, score thin). Pg 174-175

Conclusion
It is therefore clear that most traditions of the people have a way of ensuring that its
daughters’ security was guaranteed and there is need to perpetuate them.

20. Some cultural practices are archaic and out dated. Write an essay in support
of this statement. (20mks)
Introduction
This can be general, specific or general specific bringing out the retrogressive nature of
cultural practices imposed on people
of diverse cultures.

Content:

 Female genital mutilation which is depicted as a compulsory rite of passage if a

girl has to be respected, valued and married. Expound on Resian’s and Taiyo’s
experiences in Nasila.
 Under- age marriages where young girls are denied the right to pursue further
education and ambitions e.g Resian and Taiyo are sold off by their father to
Oloisudori without their consent.
 Barring people from getting married or involved in a relationship if they are
considered to be of the same clan but not related by blood eg Joseph and Taiyo
 Male chauvinism where men feel they are superior to women eg Ole Kaelo’s and
Mama Milanoi’s situation concerning their daughters’ circumcision, lesson on
Maa culture,Olarinkoi’s demand that Resian cooks for him,Ole Supeyo’s opinion
on women circumcision as being dehorned and therefore being made docile and
submissive, Oloisudori being sarcastic towards Resian after having confirmed that
he has already bought her off from her father and that she can do nothing
concerning the betrothal( His word was final)
 Seeing girl child education as a waste of time eg Ole Kaelo totally denies his
daughters pursuing further education saying the education they have is enough
and Joseph was asked to teach the girls on the reqirements of a respectable
Nasilan woman and later get cicurmcised as they await getting married. Ole
Supeyo educates his sons upto the University level yet his daughters don’t get
such opportunity but married off to prominent men in Nasila .
Conclusion:
Recap on the points discussed in the content.

21. “Self-interest is a vice that whoever engages in it is bound to fail” Using

Blossoms of the Savannah, write an essay to support this assertion. (20mks)
Introduction
When one does something in the hope of benefiting himself or herself, the person is
most likely not to succeed in his or her endeavors. This is well illustrated by Ole kulet in
Blossoms of the savannah. (2mks)
Accept any other valid introduction.

Body

 Ole Kaelo’s self interest make him to engage in things which later on make him
regret his decisions. Ole kaelo is advised by a friend Ole supeyo about the kind of
man Oloisudori is. He is told that Oloisudori is not a man of integrity and warns
him about doing business with him. He is even warned to keep his daughters
away from him. Later this man causes him great worry when he threatens to bring
his business down if he does not give him his daughter in marriage. Since Ole
Kaelo does not want to lose his business and the money given to him by
Oloisudori he accepts to offer Resian to oloisudori, leading to him losing his two
daughters in end when Resian escapes to Miniks place and later Taiyo who was
rescued by Minik’s men.
 Mama Milanoi decides to participate in offering her two daughters to Oloidudori.
First Resian who ecapes then Taiyo. She fears going against ole Kaelo since she
knows what is at stake if she does. This action makes her lose the trust of her
daughters and they are angry with her and vow that they would not want to be
like her marriage. In the end she also loses her two daughters.
 Olarinkoi seems to be a mystery in Ole Kaelo’s house, though he has his hidden
intentions. He pretends to be of help to Resian when he finds her by the river
after being disappointed by Ole kaelo the father. After taking Resian to his place,
he turns into a beast by trying to rape Resian and even planning to circumcise
her by force before marrying her. But Resian protects herself by biting his thumb
when it was later known that he had to rape Resian, he was admonished and he
later lost Resian when she was helped to escape by Nabaru
 Oloisudori is also another person who perpetuates self-interest when he extorts
his clients. He has made Ole kaelo sign up to several contracts just to extort him
at the end. He then changes his mind when he comes over at Ole Kaelo’s for his
pound of flesh. He demands that Ole Kaelo gives him his daughter
instead. Later on he still insists on his demands even after Resian escaping to
Minik’s place and Taiyo being rescued, he proceeds to the ranch when Minik was
 having a farewell party for the 2 girls. This decision which he made out of self
interest sees his convoy being reduced smoldering shelf and acrid smell of
burning tires clobbered thoroughly.
Mark 3:3:3:3

Conclusion.
In conclusion we can therefore agree that self –interest can lead to failure to anyone
who engages in it.
(2mks) (Accept any valid conclusion).
Font – 12
Grammar – 8
Introduction – 2
Conclusion – 2
Total - 20

22. When people build a strong friendship, they easily endure and overcome any
obstacle that come their way and emerge successful. Using examples from Ole
Kulet’s Blossoms of the Savannah, write an essay to show the truth of this
statement.
Points of Interpretation

 Who have strong friendship?

 What challenge/obstacle/problem do they face?
 How does their union come in handy to help alleviate/overcome the challenge?
NB: How their strong friendship works to help in a given challenge must
clearly be brought out for the candidate to score a full mark in any point.

Introduction
In Blossoms of the Savannah, Taiyo and Resian, Resian and Nabaru and Resian are some
of the characters that forge deep friendship which helps go over the many problems
that befall them.
(Accept any other relevant introduction) 2marks

ILLUSTRATIONS

 When Taiyo and Resian are accosted by a vagabond on their first day in Nasila,
their closeness helps them avert a would worse scenario. Resian asks the
vagabond to leave her sister’s hand. She reminds him that they don’t have any
money on them. Taiyo on her informs the vagabond that they are not the type of
women he thinks. Later when Resian is traumatized by the experience, Taiyo
 comes in to reassure her by promising to talk to their father about the possibility
of going back to Nakuru. Pp. 14-19; 32-33.
 On realizing that Resian is always tempestuous after the father’s constant
tongue-lashing and that even their mother would not help them, Taiyo takes it
upon herself to mob her sister’s tears. Right from nursery school through to
secondary, Taiyo who was ‘fiercely devoted to her sister’ ensured that she
protected her sister from the bullies. She was also keen and ‘always sensed her
sister’s yearnings.’ PP. 32-34.
 The two sister bank on their love to outwit Oloisudori upon realizing that their
mother and father would not assist them at all. They come up with a conspiracy
to return the gifts as a reciprocal gesture to Oloisudori. This is to prove a point-
that they are focused girls with a clear map of what they want in life. They also
plan that they would feign innocence until when Oloisudori’s intentions become
apparently clear to them. Taiyo advises Resian to ensure that he doesn’t remain
alone in the house with oloisudori for he may harm her. This plan works to their
favour as Resian is able to face-off Oloisudori and beat them at their plan- that of
forced marriage. Pp. 195-205
 After Resian is rebuked by her father for refusing to serve Oloisdori, Resian runs
out into the cold at night. Taiyo follows her out in the cold and condemns her for
endangering/risking her life. She urges her to go back into the house so as not to
catch a cold. Pp. 169-173
 Resian forms a formidable alliance with Nabaru to defeat Olarinkoi and the
enkoiboni’s schemes. Nabaru becomes Resian’s confidant. She buys into Resian’s
dream. She reveals the evils planned out against Resian and goes out of her way
to rescue Resian into the Ranch. Despite Olarinkoi’s infantile threats, she delivers
Resian safely to her nirvana. Pp.220-223; 230-245; 248-252; 262-265
 Taiyo and Resian forge a strong bond with the Minik and the over 400 girls they
find at the Ranch. It is this bond that has thrived between them that helps them
to vanquish Oloisudori. Because of the love Minik has developed for the girls, he
faces Oloisudori, a man of means and humiliates him publicly. Together with
other enegetic workers they burn down Oloisudori’s convoy and ashes and also
beat him thoroughly. With their biggest threat behind them, the two girls embark
on their academic journey. Pp. 279-284.
(Accept any 4 well illustrated points. Mark 4;4;4;4. Total 12 marks)
Grammar and Presentation 4marks

Conclusion

True friendship knows to obstacle raised on its way.

(Accept any other valid conclusion) 2marks
23. Irresponsible parenting can lead to instability in a family. Discuss the truth of
this statement using the novel “Blossoms of the Savannah” by H. Kulet
Accept any relevant introduction (2 mks)

1. Hatred – Olekaelo hates Resian from birth. He hoped mama Milanoi would give
birth to boy for a second born.

 He gets disappointed when he gets a girl.

 Vents his frustration on the poor child.
 Effects – Resian realizes her father does not like her right from her cradle.
 He detests her, treats her harshly, openly favours Taiyo. Distance created.
 Her personality is affected since she grew up sullen, bewildered and
resentful (pg 10).
 She becomes rebellious, angry and bitter.
 Her nature was darkened by melancholy, self – doubt.
 At home she became difficult to deal with especially with her father
 Ole-kaelo as a parent failed to offer lose, acceptance and assurance.
2. Forced Marriage:- Ole Kaelo fails to protect the girls from Oloisudori. Resian was
left alone in the house when she encountered Oloisudori.
 Ole kaelo agrees to Mary Resian to Oloisudori: He is aware he is a criminal,
a bank robber and a gangster (pg. 194)
 He is willing to cast a blind eye on the fact that Oloisudori is old enough to
be Resian father.
 He is willing to use Resian as the sacrificial lamb to secure his palatial
home and business contracts.
 He allows Oloisudori to black mail him with a demand for his daughters
hand in marriage. Giving out Resian to Oloisudori is too small a price.
 He betrays his daughters when he agrees to the plan fo her abduction
should she turn down Oloisudori’s marriage proposal> (pg 191).
 He fails in his responsibility to care and protect his daughter because of
material gain.
 Resian feels betrayed is full of anger and bitterness – she runs away from
home, where she undergoes such trauma at the hands of Oloirinkoi.
 Resian has suicidal thoughts.
 Olokaeilo chose to please the Maa people at the expense of his family.
3. Education – Olekaelo refuses to take Resian to Egerton University.
 Her ambition was to study veterinary doctor.
 She asks her mother and Taiyo to make the request for but never go the
chance.
 When Resian vehemently asks if he will take her to university, he informs
her that formal education that she had was enough. (pg 207)
 Suggests that she can join Parallel program once she marries Oloisudori.
 He also fails in assisting Taiyo pursue her music interests.
 He fails in His responsibility to fully educate her daughters when brought a
big conflict between his and the girls.
4. Mama Milanoi’s silence;-
 She fails to protect the girls from the harsh mean traditions.
 When Resian tries to confide her fears to her she dismisses and scolds her
for referring to Oloisudo as a manner less old man.
 She sends her back to serve the old lustful man tea.
 She does little to correct the tension between Resian and her father does
not come to rescue her.
 Taiyo is surprised at her mothers inability to protect Resian from
mistreatment from her father.
 She betrays Resian – she failed her.
 She was fearful of her husband and was owed to silence even when
injustices were being committed against her own daughters.
 Her silence pained Resian beyond words.
 She betrays Taiyo by tricking her into going to Esoit to undergo faced
circumcision.

Conclusion:
The once good and peaceful family falls apart due to the parents failure to take up her
roles responsibly.
In the face of adversity one requires strong - will power. Justify – referring to the story
“No need to lie”.

24. Mama Milanoi’s submissiveness results in the break up of her family. With
clear illustrations from the novel, Show the truth of this statement.
Mama Milanoi is depicted as a woman who is unable to defend her daughters against
unfavourable decisions made by her husband in order to protect her own interest.
Points

 She does not protect Resian when she is harassed for not being born a boy.
 She fails to defend daughters against their father’s decision to have them
circumcised.
 She does not speak out against the plot to drug and abduct Resian if she refuses
to marry Oloisudori.
 She is part to the women who abduct Taiyo and have her circumcised against her
will.
Conclusion

Any other correct point. Expect fully illustrated answers

Introduction 2 marks
Body 12 marks
Language 4 marks
Conclusion 2 marks.

25. “When faced with challenges in life, help comes at a time that it is least
expected.” Citing evidences from Henry Ole Kulet’s Blossoms of the Savannah,
write an essay in support of this statement.

 Most people reach the end of the tether in difficult situations and are just about
to give up when help comes suddenly. Most instances of help in Blossoms of the
savannah appear coincidental but nonetheless; they change the course of life of
the characters as well as shaping the rest of the novel. (Accept any other relevant
introduction)
 Olarinkoi seems to be at the right place at the right time. He happens to be the
savior of Resian and Taiyo when they need help most. He comes to the rescue of
the two girls when they are coming from their father’s shop and are about to be
raped by two men, the vagabonds. Olarinkoi single handedly saves the girls by
fighting the men. Resian and Taiyo are much grateful and would not want to
imagine what would have happened if he had not come at that time, even fearing
that they would have been infected with HIV. The incident also made the two
girls build up their trust in Olarinkoi, (Pg. 140-143).
 Olarinkoi again comes to the rescue of Resian when she discovers her father’s
betrayal by planning to marry her off to Oloisudori. Resian confronts her father at
the shop and realizes she has been ‘sold’ to the monster Oloisudori. Her father is
hostile to her and beats her up and she runs away. He comes to her rescue when
she is even contemplating committing suicide by drowning herself into the Nasila
River. At the same time, Oloisudori and his men are looking for her to abduct her.
Olarinkoi promises to take her to Minik whom she had been yearning to meet
someday. Although the help turns disastrous with Olarinkoi turning against her,
she is able to escape the current wrath of Oloisudori. It is while at Olarinkoi’s hut
that Nabaru becomes of help and eventually escapes with her to Minik’s Ranch.
She also escapes the knife remaining intoiye nemengalana.
Olarinkoi’s help then is a blessing in disguise, (Pg. 204-2011, 224, 237, 244-249).
 Taiyo is rescued from the hands of her circumcisers by Minik’s men. Minik’s
rescue team in coordination with Joseph Parmuat use tricks to rescue her from
the well-guarded home which she would not have escaped in her sickly state.
Were it not for Minik’s intervention, Taiyo would surely have been forcefully
 married off to Oloisudori after healing. The rescue gives Taiyo a new lease of life,
reunion with her sister and of course quicker physical and emotional recovery.
Their dream of joining Egerton University is equally realized after the recovery,
(Pg. 270-274).
 Minik’s help to Resian and Taiyo at the most challenging moment perhaps is the
most important event that completely changes their lives. She gives refuge to the
girls in her Ranch hence protecting them from the marauding men like Oloisudori
and Olarinkoi. She gives Resian a job in the ranch hence giving her something to
live on and promises her a scholarship from the Ranch. Most importantly, she is
able to have the two girls enrolled at Egerton University, their dream university.
These kind gestures create a happy ending in a novel that has been dominated
by sad events, (Pg. 261-262, 264-267, 279,281-284).
In conclusion, people are about to despair, that is usually the point when help
comes. No matter how belated characters like Resian and Taiyo get help, their
lives are greatly impacted on and changed by those interventions. (Accept any
other relevant conclusion)

26. The rich culture in the Nasila community bonds the people in the society
together. Write an essay with clear illustrations from the novel ‘Blossoms of the
Savannah’ by Henry Ole Kulet to justify this statement.

 There is an instance of pride in cultural identity. This enhances the Maa’s unique
identity as witnessed during Ole Kaelo’s homecoming party. It is manifested in
songs and dances (pg44) the jewelry worn by the guests: ivory beads, coloured
lessos, kangas and shukas.
 The generosity of the Nasila community as all and sundry are invited to savor in
the celebration and partake in typical Maa food and drinks served during the
home coming ceremony. (pg51-52)
 The community bond is also laudable in the togetherness seen in the
community’s activities. We are told “Life and work was communal.” This evident
at Ole Kaelo’s homecoming party, (pgs 42-52) No wonder, Kaelo is overwhelmed
at the brotherhood, honour and selflessness he witnesses during his ceremony.
 Nasila way of life clearly defines relationships. And from his consanguinity is kept
at bay (pg 118)
 Justice system among the Nasila is apt and acceptable. (pgs 162-164) and (pgs
115-117)
 The Maa people value family. In the family there is love, care and provision.
Simiren and his family. (pgs 152 – 155)
  The Maa people have a strong religious/spriual mentality which binds them
together. Ole Kaelo’s home is blessed by elders who give good tidings to the
children and property (pg38)
 Cultural expectation on love to guard against illicit relationships. (pgs 124-127)
“When one fails to heed to advice, they suffer.”

27. "Change is inevitable in any society”. Validate this statement with the
illustrations from the novel, Blossoms of the Savannah (By Henry Ole Kulet)
Introduction: Accept a valid introduction

Points to consider

 Ole Kaelo and his family relocate from Nakuru to Nasila after his retrenchment
from Agribix limited. His two daughters, Taiyo and Resian were born and raised
up in Nakuru. The idea of leaving Nakuru for a village town, Nasila, is coldly
embraced by Taiyo and Resian.
 There is change of Nasilian cultural practices. In the past, culture did not allow an
elderly man to marry a girl young enough to be his daughter. It was considered
an abomination, and the perpetrators risked being fined heavily besides facing a
public rebuke and cleansing ceremony. Ole Kaelo is collaborating with Oloisudori,
his age mate, to ensure that he marries his daughter, ResianKaelo.
 There is environmental change. Mama Milanoi recounts how Nasila Rivers had
changed. Nasila water was no longer the same clean water that she and her
friends drew when they were girls. The water had been polluted. People were
emptying sacks of agricultural chemicals and poisonous pollutants into Nasila
River.
 There is an emergence of new generational vocal female activists who openly
oppose FGM. Minik, a manager of a big sheep ranch and veterinary medicine
graduate fights against female circumcision, a practice that is deeply embedded
in Nasilian culture. She faces sharp resistance from conservative Nasilans and is
christened Emakererei, the wasp.

Conclusion: Accept a valid conclusion

28. “people who do bad deeds to others never go unrepaid” Show the validity of
this statement with reference to Henry Ole kulet’s novel “Blossoms of the
Savannah”.
In the text, characters like Oloisudori, Ole kaelo and others perpetuate evil towards
other characters, but they also receive their equal measure of pain and suffering as
discussed below.
Oloisudori is a businessman but with questionable deals. Despite his age, and being
polygamous, he shamelessly wants to marry Ole Kaelo’s teenage daughter. He
blackmails Ole Kaelo into giving his daughter Resian in marriage to him or forgets his
numerous business contracts which Oloisudari had helped Ole Kaelo to secure. He
further puts Ole kaelo in a tight corner where he has to forcibly circumcise. Taiyo and
give her to him in marriage after Resian runs away from home. However, his actions
never go unpaid, in a bid to forcibly take his bride from Minik’s ranch, his convoy of
vehicles is attacked and several of hi cars burnt. He ends up losing both Resian and
Taiyo, his money and his property.
Ole kaelo betrays their trust of his daughter Resian. He openly resents Resian and is
quick to scold her for the slightest of mistakes. He insults her just because he expected a
boy child for his second born and not a girl child. He readily agrees to marry off Resian
to Olisudori rather than forfeit his numerous business contracts which Oloisudiri had
helped secure. He also turns down her request to join Egerton University saying that he
had already received her dowry. However, Ole kaelo pays dearly for his decisions since
Resian openly comfronts him at his shop and turns down the marriage deal with
Oloisudari, she later escapes from home and leaves Ole kaelo with no option but to give
out Taiyo in marriage to Oloisudori.
Mama Milanoi’s bad deeds towards her daughters leaves them with a strong dislike for
their mother. As a mother, she never comes to the defense of her daughter when Ole
kaelo constantly scolds her. She further colludes with her husband to marry off Resian to
Oloisudori. They collect gifts and dowry from Oloisudori and even shamelessly hatches a
plan on how Olisudari will collect his bride Mama Milano also colludes with the
Enkamuratuni to have Taiyo forcibly circumcised thereby causing her a lot of physical
and emotional pain. All her actions never go unrepaid as her two daughters all run away
from home and vow never to copy her example as their mother.
Oloisudori bad deeds towards Resian never go unpunished. He rescues Resian just
before her attempted suicide promising to take her to Minik’s Ranch. He however turns
on his words, forcibly abducts her with the intentions of marrying her. She endures a
long torturous journey at the back of an old pick – up track. She forced to stay in a
lonely dark hut and even physically assaults her when his attempted rape on her
backfires. He however pays dearly for his actions as Resian bites off his thumb to near
amputation during the attempted rape. He is rebuked by his mother for his actions and
forced to go into hiding for a number of days.

In conclusion bad deeds are always paid with bad deeds as seen above.

29. Parenting should build an environment of trust and peace in a family. Write
an essay that explores how this statement applies to the Ole Kaelo family in
Blossoms of the Savannah.
Introduction - (2mks)
Body

Points of interpretation;

- The kind of parenting by Mama Milanoi and her husband does not herald peace and
trust in their family. The girls desire to join the university does not receive any attention
from the parents. The girls get emotionally affected as a result.

Ole Kaelo's acerbic/stinging tongue is a source of discomfort to his daughters. They

enjoy his absence from the house.

The parents secretly conspire to marry off Resian to Oloisudori, which leads to her
escape from home and her misery. This betrays her trust.

Resian is fully aware that the father loves Taiyo and hates her. Reasian is always on the
receiving end, being cajoled and criticized for this or for that by the father. She knows
no peace in the family.

(Any 4 well explained points x 3)

Conclusion - 2mks

Language A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1

(20mks)

30. The author has been able to effectively employ irony to bring out the message
of the text. Illustrate the effectiveness of this style in the text.
Introduction

Communication is greatly dependent on the manner of passing the message. One of the
most effective ways of communicating is by use of irony. The text Blossoms of the
Savannah by H.R Ole Kulet clearly employs this style.

Content

Olarinkoi presents himself as dependable person when he saves Resian and Taiyo from
rapists. He however turns out to be a rapist himself he wants to have Resian
against her will.

FGM which is a harmful practice to women is practiced, propagated and defended by

the people it hurt most women.
Mama Milanoi remains mum even when her daughters are harassed by her husband
who wants to have them circumcised and married off to Oloisundori against their
wish.

Ole Kaelo opts to marry off his daughter Resian mannered old man, in order to save his
business.

Conclusion

Irony as a style is one of the major styles employed by the author to communicate his
message.

31. It is resian’s determination that makes her achieve her goals. In the light of
what happens in the novel, Blossoms of savannah, Write an essay in support of
this assertion.
Introduction

People who are determined and optimistic in life achieve success in their life endeavors.
Although Resia's road to success is in pain, she finally achieves her goals in life as
portrayed in Ole Kulet's Blossoms of Savannah.

Body

Resian is determined to join the university. On the day her family packs and leaves
Nakuru for Nasila, Resian expresses her feelings about not working at the shop saying
that she wants to come back to Nakuru and join Edgerton University. She hopes to take
a course in veterinary medicine and become a veterinary doctor. She keeps urging her
sister to talk to the father to enroll them at the university. At one point she is worried
that her sister has spent all the money decorating the shop and leaves nothing for their
University education. She tells her father that even if she lives to be eighty, she will still
go to university. Finally, after a long struggle, she is able to enroll at Edgerton University
for her dream course. Not giving pays up for her.

Resian is determined not to undergo female circumcision. She is opposed to this

retrogressive practice and says that she would rather live in the noisiest place on earth
than live anywhere near a vagabond who would accost her with the intention of
mutilating her sexuality.Resian is optimistic that soon Nasita culture would do away with
FGM as a cultural practice. While she's held captive in Olarinkoi's hut she dreams in her
sleep.In her dream she show cases her gallant and determined nature She vows that the
old enkamuratani and enkoiboni with a mallet. Her determined resistance against
undergoing FGM starts bearing fruits when she and Nabaaru reach Minik's Ranch. This is
after a hair-raising and daring escape on the verge of being circumcised in Olarinkoi's
hut in inkiito. She is finally safe with Emakererei.Her determination not to be circumcised
has borne fruit.

Resian is determined and hopeful of meeting and working with minik ene Nkoitoi,her
role model. She dreams of graduating from University and getting a chance to work
with Emakorerei. She imagines herself already working at the ranch during a large flock
of sheep. She even thinks of asking for help of Joseph Parmuat in composing a song in
her praise. When the ill-INTENDED Olarinkoi suggests he could rescue her from
oloisudori by taking her to Emakerereri,sje jumps at th idea and falls prey to his evil
plans. However after such a struggle, she is able with the help of Nabaaru,to escape
from Olarinkoi,s hut and run to minikis ranch. There,she gets her own house ,a job and
finally gets to enroll at her dream university and dream course. Her remaining hopes has
finally paid off.

Determination not to get married to Oloisuduni forcibly has paid off for Resian.
Oloisudori is an old man that Resian describes as a monster. Her father Ole kaelo,
intends to give his daughter away in marriage as a seventh wife. However, she is
determined to face him and resist his advances on her.she and her sister Taiyo hatch a
plan to return the gifts that were part of the dowry by Oloisudori.when Olosudori
announces that his fate with Resian is sealed,she responds by telling him that he is
mad.He is stunned. She tells her father that she would rather die than get married to a
monster,an Ol-ushuushi like Oloisudori,a monster,gangster,bank robber and an
extortionist per excellence. Oloisudori makes a final attempt to get either Resian or
Taiyo for marriage from Minik's ranch, a move that sees his convoy reduced to ashes. He
is thoroughly clobbered and has to run for his life.resian has finally won the battle.

Conclusion.(sample)

It is imperative to say hopeful even in the midist of a storm.Resian, albeit stuggling,

succeeded because of her unwavering determination.

Introduction-2mks Body -12mks Conclusion -2mks Language -4mks = 20mks

Total

32. Other people’s wrong choices can adversely affect our lives. Justify this
statement using Blossoms of the Savannah by Henry Ole Kulet. (20 marks)
Introduction.

When people make poor decisions without good judgement it can negatively have
serious consequences to other people’s lives. People like Olekaelo make others suffer
due to the poor decision they made. This is illustrated in the novel Blossoms of the
Savannah.

Body

CI: Ole Kaelo makes a wrong choice when he engages in business with Oloisudori;

Ole Kaelo is retrenched from Agribix Limited, he chooses to relocate to Nasila, with his
family. He opens a shop dealing in Agriculture products. His business is funded by
Oloisudori. Oloisudori helps him secure some business contracts. He helps Ole Kaelo
secure a 4 year contract to supply all government Institutions in Nasila with agricultural
inputs like fertilizer, seeds, herbicides and fungicides. His mentor Ole Supeyo warns him
against his involvement with Oloisudori. He says that Oloisudori is corrupt. He equates
him to a hyena and a randy he-goat and cautions Ole Kaelo to keep him away from his
daughters. Ole Kaelo does not listen. This choice haunts him when Oloisudori asks for
his daughter Resian’s hand in marriage. Resian has to be circumcised first. This affects
Resian her dream to enroll at Egerton University. When she learns of her father’s
plan, she confronts him at his shop and he slaps her in anger after she refuse the
proposal calling Oloisudori a monster. Resian also runs to Nasilariver. She contemplates
suicide. (pg 107-113, 114- 119, pg 176-180, 205-206, 207-210)

CII : Ole Kaelo makes a poor choice to deny Resian and Taiyo a chance to pursue
their Education at Egerton University.

Ole Kaelo has been reassimilated to the Nasila culture, during the home coming
ceremony Ole Musankaadvice him to come back to Nasila and embrace the pillars. He
takes this advice of bringing his family back into the Nasila fold.

He asks Joseph Parmuat to teach them cultural aspect of Nasila in preparation

for circumcision and marriage. Resian coaxes her sister Taiyo to speak and convince
their father about joining Egerton University on so many other occasions because she
burns with passion for education and wants to fulfill her ambition of joining Egerton
University. When she tries to ask the father he gets angry at her. Ole Kaelo says he
thought of it but decided not to send her there because she has had enough of formal
education. He even accepts the bride price in suitcase from Oloisudori. He fails to
protect her daughter from advances by the evil and corrupt extortionist. This
affects Resian, she suffers emotionally and tells the father he’d rather kill him than hand
her over to his monster friend. A monster, gangster, and a bank robber. The father slaps
her and she rans away from home then later joins Emakererei. (pg. 37-47, 198- 203, 204-
205, 206- 210)
CIII: Mama Milanoi makes an unwise choice to keep a low profile and not
protecting herd aughters when subjected to punitive cultural practices.

Ole Musanka advices the women to re-assimilate mama Milanoi and her daughters. She
was also torn in a dilemma to support her daughters and be a pariah in Nasila or accept
to follow tradition and lose her daughters trust. She chooses to be submissive to the
husband and accept to circumcise and marry them off. Taiyo and Resian suffer the
stigma of being labelled intoiyenemengalana. Ole Kaelo plans to circumcise Resian and
marry her off to Oloisudori. Mama Milanoi knows that its her dream to join Egerton
University and pursue a degree in Veterinary Medicine. She however fails to
defend Resian against the pressure from society to have her circumcised and marry
them off. She knows that FGM is torturous and painful experience but she still fails to
speak to Ole Kaelo against it. She is aware to the details of having Resian abducted and
forcefully circumcised but still remains silent. Resian escapes from home and separates
with her family. Taiyo is also psychologically damaged she says it will take long before
conscience reconcile with what happened to her. The damage done to her will be
indelibly printed in her memory. (pg 113- 119, 37-47, 203-205, 272-275)

C.(IV). Mama Milanoi decides to collude with the three blind mice affects Taiyo.

Resian runs away with Olarinkoi to avoid marriage to Oloisudori, Taiyo is offered as
replacement. Mama Milanoi allows her to accompany the three women from Esoit, they
lie to Taiyo that Resian is on a hunger strike and has gone for three days without eating.
They want her to accompany them to Esoit for Resians sake. She complies and
accompanies them happily since her mother assures her that their father had vowed
never to try to marry them by force to any man. At Esoit no one attends to her but she is
left in a dingy hut. The next morning they drag her out and poured cold water on
her then the enkamurataniforciblt circumcise her. She passes out. She is later rescued by
Minik the guard to a beer party. Parmuat is speared to death. Taiyo is affected
psychologically, she says that the damage done to her will be indelibly printed in her
memory. (pg 270-273, 272-275)

C.(V): Olarinkoi chooses to attempt raping Taiyo and it affects her.

Resianrans away from home and Olarinkoi finds her by the river, he lies to her that
Oloisudori’s men are looking for her all over. He offers to take her to Ntarenaaju to
meet Minik. She complies since he had saved them from the vagabond whenNtaraMuyo
tried to rape them. He take her to his dingy hut and came back at night stone drunk.
Insisting Resian is his wife. He even try to force her to cook maize meal and meat. He
mocks her about her education and forcefully grabs her attempting to rape her then
tore her clothes. Resian defends herself by pushing his thumb into his mouth and biting
his thumb almost severing it. He also knocks Resian on her ribcage with his elbow until
she became unconscious. He had a choice of being patient to fulfill the mother’s
prophecy but he decided to deep his hands in the porridge before it was served to him.
She bled and her head throbbed with an excruciating pain, blood trickled from her
nostril; she nosebleed. She also suffers psychologically, she was tortured. She saw
distorted images moving and a lonely darkness. Images of Olarinkoi and Oloisudori
merged haunting her and becoming one great terror. (pg 217-222)

Conclusion
In conclusion, choices have consequences.

33. “The frustrations faced by people in the contemporary times can be traced to
the conduct of a few immoral individuals.’’ Write an essay supporting this
statement drawing illustrations from Ole Kulet`s Blossoms of the savannah.
Introduction
Moral decadence is a vice which leads to several negative consequences in the society.
Immoral people such as rapists, extortionists, thieves and others abuse the rights of
people hence leading to frustrated lives. In Blossoms of the Savannah, characters like
Oloisudori, Olarinkoi, the warriors ,Lante and Ntara have frustrated various people as
explained below.

a. F1.Oloisudoris blackmail frustrates the Ole Kaelos when he demands for Resian
 p110 As a blackmailer, his demand for Resian makes Ole Kaelo seethe with
impotent fury
 p111 it excrutiatingly pained him that circumstances would force him to
hand any of his daughters to a man who was not their choice
 p112 He cried and his heart bled for Resian amid threats of being fleeced
by Oloisudori. He had had to agree that she becomes sacrificial lamb
 p112 ole Kaelo infuriated by Ole Kaelos demand that Resian be
circumcised,he felt sick and nauseated by the whole affair.
 P113 Mama Milanoi tossed, writhed and cried like a a woman in
labour.This is not what she had dreamed to achieve in Nasila.She sadly
admits there is no other action they can take other than hand over Resian
 p119 Ole Kaelo gritted his teeth like an animal that was unable to free
itself from a snare
b. F2. The mythical Olarinkoi’s cruelty frustrated the Maa people in the novel. These
people do not only subdue women but also
 p85 when he killed two men, women squirmed and gasped while the
men ground their teeth with impotent fury
 p86 the Maa men hold meeting after meeting to find ways to resist the
perplexing demands but found no workable solution
  P86 Women perturbed as they were forced to to compose lewd songs
which they had to perform in the most outrageous and and indecent
postures and styles
 Women angry because forced to perform the offensive dances with their
daughters
 Women hated themselves as they were unable to resist the sexual
demands of the Ilarinkon
 In frustration, they resorted to FGM.
c. F3. Olarinkois mother’s cruelty frustrates Resian.
 p228 she insultingly tells Resian that she ought not to have fought
Olarinkoi as she had no honour to defend as intoiyenemengalana
 Resian stares at her frightfully, a new hopelessness and helplessness
threatening to wreck havoc in her
 Resian cried out silently unable to bear the detestable stressful disgusting
verbiage from the old witch, but is forced to listen to the nasty loathsome
foul language
 p229 when threatened with FGM, she cries out bitterly “what have I done
to the gods to deserve this kind of punishment?
d. F4 NtaraMuyo andLante son of Kanyira’s contemptuous violence frustrate Resian
and Taiyo
 p19 The vagabond spits in disgust and tells them there is no room for
intoiyenemengalana. He roughly grabs Taiyo’s arm. The girls are shaken
and note that they would have been helpless in the hands of the brute.
Taiyo sheds tears of anger and indignation
 p46 the vagabond sneers at the girls in their own home during the
homecoming. This goes unnoticed by the crowd and the girls felt angry,
terrified and isolated although they were in a crowd
 p 141 When two men almost rape the girls,they scream but cant restrain
the two men who have heavy knobkerries
 Later they sob with rage and shame The near rape incident left a feeling of
invasion and degradation
 Taiyo seethes with fury at a society that despised women
Conclusion: We should behave in a morally upright manner to avoid
bringing emotional suffering to ourselves and others in society.

NB

 Accept any other relevant point as long as it is well identified, illustrated and
explained. Eg Ole Kaelo’s hatred for Resian, Ole Kaelos greed, Oloisudoris
insensitive bullying of Resian, etc –
  Mark any other relevant introduction and conclusion.
 Introduction (2mks)
 Body 3:3:3:3: 12mks
 Grammar and presentation mark: 4mks
9 – 12 3mks
6 – 8 2mks
4 – 5 1mk
1 – 3 1mk
 Must have introduction and conclusion, if not deduct 3AD –
 Conclusion (2mks).
Accept any other relevant conclusion.

34. "When we create with concerted effort strong bonds and relationships, we
can easily overcome challenges that come our way." Justify this assertion citing
evidences from Henry Ole Kulet's Blossoms of the Savannah.

 Who have strong friendship?

 What challenge/obstacle/problem down to access
 How does their bond come in handy to help alleviate/ overcome the challenge?

NB: How their strong bond works to help in a given challenge must clearly be brought
out for the candidate to score a full mark in any point

Introduction

a. In Blossoms of the Savannah, Taiyo and Resian, Resian and Nabaru and Resian
are some of the characters that forge deep friendship which helps go over the
many problems that befall them. (Accept any other relevant introduction) 2marks

ILLUSTRATIONS

B(i) When Taiyo and Resian are accosted by a vagabond on their first day in Nasila, their
closeness helps them avert a would-be worse scenario. Resian asks the vagabond to
leave her sister's hand. She reminds him that they don't have any money on them. Taiyo
on her informs the vagabond that they are not the type of women he thinks. Later when
Resian is traumatized by the experience, Taiyo comes in to reassure her by promising to
talk to their father about the possibility of going back to Nakuru. Pp. 14-19, 32-33.

B(ii)On realizing that Resian is always tempestuous after the father's constant tongue-
lashing and that even their mother would not help them, Taiyo takes it upon herself to
mob her sister's tears. Right from nursery school through to secondary, Taiyo who was
fiercely devoted to her sister' ensured that she protected her sister from the bullies. She
was also keen and 'always sensed her sister's yearnings.' PP. 32- 34.

B(iii) The two sisters bank on their love to outwit Oloisudori upon realizing that their
mother and father would not assist them at all. They come up with a conspiracy to
return the gifts as a reciprocal gesture to Oloisudori. This is to prove a point- that they
are focused girls with a clear map of what they want in life. They also plan that they
would feign innocence until when Oloisudori's intentions become apparently clear to
them. Taiyo advises Resian to ensure that he doesn't remain alone in the house with
oloisudori for he may harm her. This plan works to their favour as Resian is able to face-
off Oloisudori and beat them at their plan- that of forced marriage. Pp. 195-205

B(iv) After Resian is rebuked by her father for refusing to serve Oloisdori, Resian runs
out into the cold at night. Taiyo follows her out in the cold and condemns her for
endang her life. She urges her to go back into the house so as not to catch a cold. Pp.
169-173

B(v) Resian forms a formidable alliance with Nabaru to defeat Olarinkoi and the
enkoiboni's schemes. Nabaru becomes Resian's confidant. She buys into Resian's dream.
She feveals the evils planned out against Resian and goes out of her way to rescue
Resian into the I Despite Olarinkoi's infantile threats, she delivers Resian safely to her
nirvana. Pp.220-223; 230-245; 248-252, 262-265

B(vi) Taiyo and Resian forge a strong bond with the Minik and the over 400 girls they
find at the Ranch. It is this bond that has thrived between them that helps them to
vanquish Oloisudori. Because of the love Minik has developed for the girls, he faces
Oloisudor, a man of means and humiliates him publicly. Together with other energetic
workers they burn down Oloisudori's convoy and ashes and also beat him thoroughly.
With their biggest threat behind Pp. 279-284
(Accept any 4 well pasip, the two girls embark on their academic journey.

35. Irresponsible decisions can lead to serious consequences. Referring closely to

H.R. Ole Kulet’s Blossoms of the Savannah, write an essay in support of this
statement.
When people make decisions that are devoid of good judgment the results are usually
adverse. This is well illustrated by Ole Kulet in his book Blossoms of savannah.

i. Ole Kaelo makes an irresponsible decision when he engages in business with

Oloisudori. When Ole Kaelo is retrenched from Agribix Limited. He chooses to
relocate to Nasila, his native home, with his family. Here, he opens a shop dealing
in Agricultural products. His business is funded by Oloisudori. Oloisudori also
 helps him to secure some business contracts. He helps Ole Kaelo to secure a 4
years contract to supply all government institutions in Nasila with Agricultural
inputs like fertilizer, seeds, herbicides and fungicides. His mentor Ole Supeyo
warns him against his involvement with Oloisudori. He says that Oloisudori is
corrupt. He equates him to a hyena and a randy he-goat and cautions Ole Kaelo
to keep him away from his daughters. Ole Kaelo does no heed. This decision
haunts him when Oloisudori asks for his daughter Resians’ hand in marriage.
Resian has to be circumcised first. Her dream is to enroll at Egerton University.
When she learns of her father’s plan, she confronts him at his shop and he slaps
her, further straining their relationship. She runs to Nasila river where she
contemplates suicide. Olarinkoi finds her and promises to take her to Ntare naaju
to meet Minik ene Nkoitoi, who could help her pursue her education. Ole Kaelo’s
rash decision makes him to lose his daughter. She leaves Nasila with Olarinkoi.
ii. Mama Milanoi makes an unwise decision when she keeps a low profile when her
daughters are subjected to punitive cultural practices. When they relocate to
Nasila after Ole Kaelo is retrenched, Taiyo and Resian suffer the stigma of being
labeled “intoiye nemengalana”. Ole Kaelo plans to circumcise Resian and marry
her off to Oloisudori. Mama Milanoi knows that her dream is to join Egerton
University and pursue a degree in Veterinary medicine. She however fails to
defend Resian against her will. She succumbs to the pressure of the Nasillian
culture. She knows that FGM is a torturous and painful experience but she still
fails to speak to Ole Kaelo against it. She is privy to the details of having Resian
abducted and forcefully circumcised but she still remains silent. The painful
outcome of her subservience is that Resian escapes from home with the help of
Olarinkoi and she eventually manages to meet Minik ene Nkoitoi and to enroll at
Egerton University. Mama Milanoi loses her daughter’s trust.
iii. Ole Kaelo suffers when he chooses to deny Resian and Taiyo a chance to pursue
their education at Egerton University. Parsimei Ole Kaelo instead asks Joseph
Parmuat, to teach them cultural aspects of Nasila in preparation for circumcision
and marriage. Resians coaxes her sister Taiyo to speak to their father about the
prospect of joining Egerton University on so many occasions because she burns
with passion for education. When she tries to ask her father, he gets so angry at
her. He warms up to the idea of marrying her to Oloisudori. Ole Kaelo receives
gifts and money from him. He fails to protect her daughter from advances by the
corrupt extortionist. Resian finally escapes from Nasila with the help of Olarinkoi
and later managed to meet Minik ene Nkoitoi who helps her to finally leave for
Nakuru to join Egerton University. Oloisudori loses her as a result.
iv. Oloisudori errs in his decision to follow Resian and Taiyo all the way to Ntare
naaju ranch. When his first choice for a wife, Resian, runs away with Olarinkoi, the
Kaelo’s offer Taiyo as a replacement. Minik’s men managed to rescue her from
 Esoit village but not before she is circumcised. When he loses both of them.
Oloisudorii pursues them up to Minik ene Nkoitoi’s ranch. He knows that Minik is
referred to as ‘entangoroi’ or wasp but still chooses to confront her. He demands
for either Resian or Taiyo saying he has paid dowry enough for both. Minik says
that she will not release them even to their own father. She asks Oloisudori to
leave. He asks his men to grab Resian and pandemonium ensues. Minik’s 400
workers descend upon them and clobber them thoroughly before torching his
expensive vehicles and reducing them to smoldering shells. Oloisudori loses his
vehicles and still fails to get Resian as a wife even after spending a lot of money,
time and effort.
v. Olarinkoi makes two foolish decisions. First, he abducts Resian and then he tries
to rape her. When Resian runs away from home and is contemplating her next
course of action by the Nasila River, Olarinkoi arrives and tells her that
Oloisudori’s men are looking for her all over. He offers to take her to Ntare naaju
to meet Minik her icon. She complies owing to the fact that she trusts him since
he has been a regular visitor at their home and he saves Taiyo and her when the
vagabonds, Ntara Muyo and Lante, try to rape them. Olatinkoi does not keep his
word. He instead takes her to Inkiito. He locks her up in a dingy hut. That night he
comes back stone drunk insisting that Resian is his wife. He mocks her about her
education and he forcefully grabs her tearing her clothes and pushing his thumb
into her mouth and sinking her teeth into it until he bleeds. She almost severe
the thumb. Olarinkoi suffers physically and also emotionally when he is
admonished by his mother until he goes into hiding due to shame. Naburu, the
nurse, who was contradicted by the mono-eyed woman to take care of Resian
after circumcision helps to rescue her when she brings a lorry driver, who takes
them to Ntare naaju. Apart from the physical and emotional pain, Olarinkoi fails
to get Resian as a wife’s a result of his irresponsible decision.
vi. Mama Milanoi makes an irrepressible decision when she tricks Taiyo into
circumcision. When Resian runs away with Olarinkoi to avoid marriage to
Oloisudori, Taiyo is offered as a replacement. Mama Milanoi alows her to
accompany the three women from Esoit. They lie to Taiyo that Resia bis on a
hunger strike and has gone for three days without eating. They want her to
accompany them to Esoit for Resian’s sake. She complies and accompanies them
happily since her mother assures her that their father and power never to try to
marry them by force to any man. At Esoit she is thrown into turmoil as no one
attends to her or talks about Resian. She is instead left in a dingy hut. The next
morning, she is dragged out of the hut by a group of excited women, 20 liters of
cold water is emptied on her head before she is forcibly circumcised by
‘enkamuratani’. The ordeal is so painful that she passes out. She is later rescued
by Minik’s men with the help of Joseph Parmuat, who tricks the guards guarding
 her, with alcohol. The guards attempt to chase after Minik’s men, pelting them
with stones, but they fail. Parmuat is speared to death. Mama Milanoi loses
Taoiyo when she is taken to Minik’s ranch.

In conclusion, through characters like Oloisudoiri and Olarinkoi, we learn that foolish
decisions usually lead to adverse consequences.

Mark 3:3:3:3
Introduction: 2 mks (Any other relevant introduction)
Body: 12 mks (4 well elaborated points)
Language: up to 4 mks (Language pegged on marks from the body)
Conclusion: up to 2 marks (Any other relevant introduction)

36. In a male-dominated society, only women who are resilient in character

overcome the hurdles placed on their paths. Write an essay justifying the
assertion with clear illustrations from Henry ole Kulet's Blossoms of