Drive Two

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&ll=-1.369727,36.651721&spn=0.022567,0.038581&sll=-1.366917,36.64887&sspn=0.00141,0.002411&geocode=FXYk6_8dVTYvAg%3BFVEm6_8dcjwvAg&vpsrc=6&mra=dme&mrsp=0&sz=19&t=m&z=15

This are the directions home from Ngong Town

Mwangi Rest in Peace

He was tall and strong. I met Mwangi in the mid 1990's after I moved to the neighborhood where I now live. He was a jolly good and jovial man who frequented the local pub to socialize, drink and each roast goat meat with the rest of us. He was particularly fond of his friends, whom he generously entertained. Mwangi was a staunch Catholic and member of Catholic Men Association, which he introduced me to. He was by our standards, doing well, living in his own home as opposed to a rented one like many of his peers, driving a 504 Pickup and with adult children. When he retired something happened. I don't know what. His pickup broke down. He did not repair it, it just stayed in the garage rotting away. Then some years later, his home was auctioned by the bank. His son, a seminarian in whom he had so much hope was expelled. That was ten years ago. For five years, he has been sick and aloof. He stopped attending Catholic Men Association meetings, and for a year, church service altogether. I did not hear from him or about him until last night when Charles called to say Mwangi was dead. Rest in Peace.

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From Hekaya za Uhuru Wa Pori

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This picture was taken sometime in April 2011. I had just joined Internews Network, Kenya as a Broadcast Trainer.

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I have not posted an update for a while. The story of the animal kingdom is still developing. The animals were happy that the king, Lion had accepted that they would elect their leader. It was hoped that they would now replace Lion and his chief generals, Leopard and Hyena.

Njama Inaiva Sehemu ya Pili

Hapo Sungura akajitolea kuwakusanya wanyama wote walao mimea na wengine wanao waunga mkono wakutane katika tambarare ilio katikati ya pori ambako kwa mbali wanaweza kuwaona majemedari na watumishi wa mfalme iwapo watavamiwa. Kwenye mkutano huo watawasihi wanyama hao wakatae mamlaka ya Simba wa wanyama pori. Swara akaongeza maoni yake kwamba badala ya Sungura kufanya hio kazi peke yake, wagawanye ili yeye Swara awaambie Ndovu, Nyati and Pundamilia ilhali Sungura akazungumze na Twiga, Ngiri, na pia atume ujumbe kwa viongozi wa nchi jirani ya binadamu na pia kwa nchi za wanyama maji na ndege wa angani. Ujumbe hasa kwa nchi ya binadamu ulikuwa muhimu kwani wakiweza kusaidia mpango huo, ingekuwa rahisi mno kumng’atua Simba mamlakani. Wakakubaliana na wakaenda zao kuanza kazi. Lakini Sungura akawa ana wasiwasi na akarudi tena kwake Swara. “Kuna jambo ndogo ambalo nimelikumbuka” akamwambia Swara. “Ni muhimu tuwekeane ahadi kwamba tutalinda kwa siri kubwa mambo haya ili yasimfikie mfalme kabla ya kuyapanga vizuri. Maoni yangu ni kuwa tule kiapo cha kuweka siri” Lakini Swara hakutaka kula kiapo. Kulingana naye wale swara wengine wote ambao wamekufa mikononi mwa simba na wajakazi wake walikuwa ishara kubwa kuliko kiapo. Fauka ya hayo, nia ya kuwakomboa wenzao ilikuwa na uzito mwingi kuliko kula hicho kiapo. Akasisitiza kuwa kiapo chake yeye ni hio nia ya ukombozi wa wanyama.

Njama Inaiva

Ndipo basi Sungura akamwandama Swara. Alimpata Swara kajitambaza kuota jua mikono kama ambaye yuapiga dua. Swara alikuwa bado hajamwona Sungura na kwa ujanja wake Sungura alipapasa Swara mkiani kwa makucha yake madogo. Kwa mshtuko mkubwa Swara aliruka juu akatoka mbio kisi cha mita hamsini kasha akaangalia nyuma. Sungura kwa wakati ule alikuwa ameangua kicheko, mbavu zauma.

“Nakuonya kabisa Sungura ukome mzaha kama huo” Swara akamwambia Sungura. “umenifanya nikadhani mmoja wa majemedari amenishika akapata chakula cha mchana na mabaki ya kumpelekea mfalme. Naye Sungura akamajibu akisema hakufikiri Swara ni mwoga kiasi hicho. “Nitakosaje kuwa mwoga huku wenzangu wakiliwa kila siku na hawa kina Simba na majemedari wake” Swara akamuuliza. Naye Sungura akamjibu “Nikidhani ni sisi tu akina Sungura tulio na shida. Ninyi mnayo bahati pamoja na familia ya kina Ndovu na Rhino kwani mataifa ya nje hasa nchi ya binadamu wanawatetea msije mkamalizwa kwenye sura ya dunia”.  

“Nimesikia jambo kama hilo kweli, lakini walio na bahati sana ni kina ndovu kwani kuna kamati kubwa sana wa binadamu wote wanawatetea ndovu wasuawe kwa sababu ya pembe zao” akasema Swara. Hapo Sungura akapata nafasi ya kuelezea kilicho moyoni mwake. “Kwa maoni yangu ikifanywa sensa ya wanyama pori wote, sisi ambao hula nyasi na mimea ndio wengi kuliko wale walao nyama au sio”. Sungura akamjibu kwa kukubaliana naye. “Linalosikitisha ni kwamba sisi tulio wengi tumekubali kutawalwa ki mabavu na hawa walowezi walao nyama na kunywa damu kama vile Simba na….” Kabla hajamaliza aliyotaka kuyasema, Swara akamkatiza “Jambo hilo hunisumbua na kunikera mno kwani hatuachwi kuishi kwa amani yetu, kula bila hofu ya hao majemedari wa mfalme”. Sungura akamjibu “mimi naona tuungane wanyama wote tuipindue huu utawala wa Simba. Swara naye akafurahishwa na wazo hilo lakini akawa hajui waanze wapi. Huku akiwa na mchanganyiko wa mawazo akamkumbusha Sungura mambo machache kuhusu huyo mfalme “Kaka yangu Sungura kumbuka nguvu za mwili lilo nazo hilo jinyama. Mkono, paja na makucha yake. Mdomo kubwa waweza toshea wewe na dadako mmzo mmoja, na meno yalio na makali kama msumeno”. Sungura naye akasisitiza wasiuogope mwili mnene wa Simba “Simba ana miguu miwili na mikono miwili kama tulivyo sisi. Anachotuzidi nacho ni mwili mkubwa lakini kiakili hatushindi kabisa. Sisi japo tuna mwili mdogo, tunao ujanja na werevu mwingi kumshinda huyo mfalme”. Swara akakubaliana naye lakini akazua hoja kwamba haiwezekani kwao wakiwa wawili kumng’atua Simba madarakani bila ushirikiano wa wanyama wote walao mimea.

Sungura Apanga Njama

Ikawa basi siku moja, Sungura akawaza jinsi wanyama wala mimea wanavyoweza kujiondoa kwenye minyororo ya utawala wa ki imla wa mfalme Simba na majemedari wake. Akamwendea Pundamilia kuumuliza maoni yake na kumshawishi waungane wamwondoe Simba kutoka kiti chake cha enzi. “Naja kuuliza maoni yako kuhusu huyu mfalme wetu kwani naona hafai kwetu sisi” Sungura akmwambia Pundamilia. “Tazama, huwezi kula nyasi kwa amani kwani kila wakati wajichunga huenda mmoja wa majemedari wa Simba akatokea na kukuua anywe damu yako” akaendelea Sungura. Pundamilia akamsikiliza naye Sungura akazidi kumshawishi “hao majemedari hata hawana nguvu, ukimtandika mmoja teke moja tu la ubavu atakufa tu, lakini kwa sababu ya uoga huwezi” akamalizia hoja yake Sungura.

Baada ya kuwa kimya kwa kipindi, Pundamilia akajibu akasema “nenda zako usiniletee majaribu. Uonavyo ningali hai na sura yangu haijaharibiwa kwa viboko kama ilivyo ya dada yangu Punda muishi na binadamu. Akatulia kidogo akamtazama Sungura kwa macho ya huzuni na kuendelea “katika nchi ya binadamu alikopelekwa mateka, dadangu ndio hubebeshwa mitungi ya maji, ndio hubebeshwa magunia ya mizigo, hutumika kulima, maskini kazi yote hufanyishwa yeye hata nafasi ya kula nyasi kama hii nilayo mimi hapati kabisa”.

Sungura hakufa moyo “hebu fikiria ni akina Pundamilia wangapi wameyapoteza maisha chini ya majemedari wa Mfalme wa Nyika. Sitakushawishi zaidi, lakini nakuomba uyatafakari hayo niliokwambia” Sungura akamwambia kisha akaenda zake.

Sungura alizidi kutafakari sana hayo ya mfalme na jinsi angeondolewa mamlakani. Iwapo kungefanywa sensa ya wanayama pori wote, wale ambao hula mimea ndio waliowengi kuwashinda wale wala nyama. Ni kwa nini basi wale hula nyama ndio wawe wanatawala na kuwahangaisha walio wengi? Utawala huo ungeweza kubadilishwa vipi. Kwa kimo, yeye Sungura alikuwa mdogo tu, lakini akili alikuwa nazo, bali hangeweza kufanya mapindizi akiwa peke yake. Yeye alikuwa tayari kuwa mwanzilishi wa mapinduzi. Alikuwa tayari kutolewa zaka ili wanyama wengine wapate uhuru kutoka kwa utawala wa kimila nyikani.

Imla ya Mfalme Simba

Tangu zamani za kale, hamna mnyama yeyote katika nchi ya Pori aliye jaribu hata wakati mmoja kubishana na Simba, wala kuteta naye wala hata kuwaza japo kwa ndoto tu kwamba Simba ang’atuliwa kutoka kwa cheo chake cha enzi kama mfalme wa Nchi ya Pori. Hilo halikupingwa wala halingelipingika. Tangu atawazwe, alitawala kwa nguvu na uwezo wake wote, imla hiyo ya Pori.

Wanyama wengine wa nchi ya Pori waliishi kwa uoga mwingi, wakijaribu wawezavyo kutopitia njia aipitiayo mfalme Simba. Wanyama ambao waliishi na binadamu kama vile Mbwa, Ng’ombe na hata punda walitamani kuishi nyikani kwani kwao waliona kuna amani nyikani. Hasa punda na Mbwa walitamani kuishi maisha ambayo wangeepuka kichapo walichokuwa wapata kutoka kwa binadamu naye Ng’ombe alitamani maziwa yake yabaki kuwa ya ndama wake na wala siyo kutumika na binadamu kulisha watoto wake na yeye mwenyewe. Laiti wangelijua maisha ya woga walioishi wanyama kama vile Punda Milia, Nyati, Swara, Paa na wengineo walio hofia kuuliwa na Simba au majemedari zake.

Mara kwa mara Simba alinguruma na kwa sauti kuu kuwambia wanyama wengine  “tazameni enyi wanyama wa wenzangu wan chi ya Pori jinsi wenzetu wanavyoteseka katika nchi jirani ya binadamu. Punda hufanyishwa kazi ya kitumwa na baadaye huchapwa mijeledi isio kifani. Paka ambaye ni binamu yangu mimi hulishwa mabaki ya chakula lau sivyo kujitafutia chakula kisicho faa kama vile Mapanya na Mapanya-buku. Basi sisi hapa nyikani, tuzoee kuitunza amani yetu na tuwe na heshima kwa viongozi wetu”.

Ama Simba alikuwa mfalme wa ki imla. Alizugukwa na kulindwa na majemedari kama vile Fisi na Chui ambaye alikuwa Jemedari Mkuu. Chakula chao kilikuwa wanyama walao mimea. Kwa sababu hio, Swara, Sungura, Pundamilia, Twiga, na hata Nyati na Faru walimwogopa na kumchukia sana Simba, Fisi, na Chui. Kwa makadirio yao, Simba hakuwa mbaya, bali hao majemedari wake kwani hao ndio walowezi na wachochezi.