Dedication.
Author’s Note.
Introduction.
The Wisdom of the Village.
Changing the Bull.
The Cow That Represents Us All.
The Bull That Mounts the Cow.
When the Bull Is Weak.
The Folly of Keeping the Same Bull.
How to Choose a Better Bull.
The Market of Bulls.
The Calf Is Our Future.
The Power to Change the Bull.
Conclusion.
Dedication
To the farmers of wisdom — the men and women who rise before dawn, work the soil, and still believe tomorrow can be better. To every citizen who dares to look at the field of life and say, “It is time to change the bull.” May this book remind you that the power to shape the future has always been in your hands.
Author’s Note
Many years ago, I worked with a man we all called Amoh. He was a simple man, but his mind was sharp and his tongue was full of unexpected wisdom. One Monday morning, he walked into work, looked at Tess — a young lady we worked with — and said to her, “Today you are gloomy. You are not the Tess I know. If it is a man who spoilt your weekend, garûríra ndume ío.”
We all laughed, but those words stayed with me. Not for a week. Not for a year. But for more than a decade. I never forgot the simplicity of what he said, or the truth behind it. Sometimes, when something is not working, you do not fix the symptoms — you change the bull. You do not wait for another ruined weekend; you take action. You do not accept what hurts you; you replace it.
As time passed, I began to look at my village, my county, and my country with the same eyes Amoh used that morning. I saw our people gloomy. I saw our land tired. I saw our future weakened. And deep inside, I felt an urge rise in me — the same urge Amoh had when he spoke to Tess.
I felt like I need to walk around telling my fellow villagers, “If it is a leader who has spoiled your life… garûríra ndume ío.” If it is a government that has failed you… change it. If it is a system that has weakened your hope… replace it. If it is a cycle of bad choices… break it. That is how this book was born. Not from politics. Not from anger. But from a simple village truth spoken by an ordinary man: Change the bull, and the next calf will be different.
This book is my way of passing Amoh’s wisdom to every farmer, every mother, every youth, and every citizen who feels that something is not right in their life or in their land. It is a reminder that we do not have to stay gloomy. We can choose differently. We can act. We can change the bull. May these pages open your eyes the same way Amoh’s words opened mine.
David Waithera
Change the Bull
© 2025