Egerton University sets record

DENNIS D. MUHUMUZA

If Tanzanians were really small creatures, they would be snails. And if they were not-so-really small creatures, they would be tortoises. That is as far as the Zain Africa Challenge (Zac) goes. Their slowness in this inter-university battle of wits, as was last season, deserves special placing in the Guinness World Book of Records.

If you witnessed the thrashing the University of Arusha got from University of Ghana a fortnight ago, or the torture Tumaini University suffered at the hands of Egerton University last Sunday, you know I’m not exaggerating.

The Tumaini team, Gift Joshua, Kisaka Mzava and Jokha Ahmed who was attired from head to bottom like an Emir’s daughter, looked like they didn’t want to be reminded that Egerton were favourites, having lifted the prestigious Zain Scholars’ trophy consecutively in 2007 and 2008. They proceeded to answer a few questions taking their first round scores to 60 points.

It’s only when Egerton’s Ralph Obure, George Ralak and Philip Chwanya got their chance to field the host’s questions that Tumaini was exposed as having flattered to deceive. By the end of round two, Egerton had 295 points; 205 ahead of Tumaini.

The ripping apart of the Tanzanians worsened in the third round which had questions on Science, Africa’s Current Affairs, Cotton and How To, at the end of which Kibaki’s boys were enjoying the shine with 515 points while their now pitiable opponents were stuck with 90.

It was really the end of the road, for to expect them to score all the 500 points of the Ultimate Challenge while expecting Egerton to flunk all was impossibility. The only option was to glean from the Ultimate Challenge as many points in order to return home with a little pride. And they laboured through the 10 questions, got five right (250 points) bringing their grand total to 385 points.

That’s how Egerton became the day’s champions even before they played the Ultimate Challenge. They would have chosen to call it a day and wait for their next opponent in the semi-finals but they went for it anyway so they could knock down all the questions and pocket the bonus of $500 each.

They did, smashing the record of 920 points set by fellow Kenyans –Africa Nazarene University (ANU) in the third week, which Egerton now replaced with a whopping 1015 points.

Meanwhile, pray for Uganda Martyrs University as we battle Nigeria’s University of Maiduguri tomorrow night, 8:30 p.m., on NTV.

--Saturday Monitor, April 3, 2010