SLUM MONSTER

I

n the slums more often you are likely to see a dark smoke on the sky, this sometimes is usually a clear indication that there is a fire somewhere. These fires are at times caused by electrical shots due to poor wiring connectivity, carelessness and   recklessness in handling flammable equipments, conflict and even accidents.

Fire in the slums is like an enormous, fierce, ruthless and dreadful monster that causes massive destruction of property, major injuries and other times even death. When it occurs it spreads to the rich and the poor, the young and the old, both women and men, hence becoming a common tragedy.

After the outburst, many people always respond to the disaster, more so the youth are always on the front line to react to the situation. Although many people act in response but others respond with other intentions: some come to help and steal. Others steal and go away but the righteous one’s comes to help. By helping they try all means: run to and fro to look for water to put out the fire, removing properties, helping the injured as well as the old and to prevent the fire from spreading to other areas. The people moreover get help from the county fire brigades, if they arrive in time and aid in putting out the fire.

Finally the “monster” after, it leaves many people hopeless and homeless, some mourning for loss of their  beloved and others scream and cry for their wealth or property which has been turned into ashes. However, those who went to steal end up being happy after stealing.

WHAT AIL'S GHETTO YOUTHS

The ghetto youth, much has been said and heard about them; basing their lives, their background, their behavior and incidents. For instance, mostly ghetto youth are associated with all sorts of immoralities in the society like: high number of drug addicts, HIV/AIDS, High crime rate, violence etc. However have we ever asked ourselves what troubles them? 3 things are certain to trouble the ghetto youths:

Power : ability to affect the behavior of other people i.e. ability to be at the top of every matter, top of everybody, top of the law, top of the society, uncontrollable and their action and their say is the final. Thus in order to gain the power among the other youths or the society they go an extra mile in acquiring things like fire arms or indulging in violence. Therefore, with that, they can do what they want, and have what they want.

Respect: after power comes respect. You are on top, your say is the final, most people and youths fear you, that’s what they call “RESPECT”. Once you have power and respect, most of the other youths and girls want to befriend you.  When you welcome them you finally end up having a gang, with you as the “KING_PIN”, which leads to an extra power and more respect.

Money: finally they need more cash for their luxurious lifestyle, cash for best clothing, best meals, and cash for their girls, and mostly for their entertainments.

In rush for this 3 things many youths in the ghettos have lost their lives, others afterwards wasting their lives in drug abuse, prostitution , and some ending up getting the killer disease HIV/AIDS.

THE KEY TO OUR FUTURE

Human beings are created with the desire to seek new challenges, discover new opportunities and hopefully succeed along the way. However in order to achieve success today you simply can’t remain in your carefully constructed comfort zone. Instead you must learn to be comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown and be flexible to adjust to the current livelihood.

No matter what you set out to accomplish, one thing is certain: you’re going to find yourself thinking that the task would be so much easier if only there were more time, or money... or if some obstacle was not always getting in the way, despite the fact that obstacles are everywhere.  Instead what we ought to do is accept things the way they are and create a conducive and comfortable environment in that task.

In a nut shell the key to our future can be summed up in one word –adaptability. In a rapidly changing world, it’s often a matter of survival to change one’s mind, one’s attitude, one’s way of thinking and doing things. Even when survival is not an issue, we should all know how to adjust to the incredibly fast-paced and constantly changing life style.  

For instance a chameleon has ability to create its favorable environment wherever it goes, be it on a leaf, log, ground, tree, earth and anything, this is by shifting it color to suit it current environment.   

ONCE UPON TIME IN KITUI

BASED ON THE TRUTH

Back in 1920’s when the Whiteman were believed to have dominated most part of Kenya during the colonial period; many Africans rebelled the white man’s rule; because of their biased colonial rules they had  imposed .i.e. tax collection, carrying kipande system, forced waged labor  etc.

In those years in the deep forest of Kitui their lived a rebel to the Whiteman’s rule called Matenzawa. He never paid tribute   to any Whiteman’s ways including tax collection which was  vigilantly collected by the Whiteman’s-African-  puppets (this were Africans from local tribes who were used to help  the Whiteman’s govern their colonies effectively.

Although Matenzewa lived in the forest, he had a house, wife, daughter and a son, which he visited after some days or weeks in the forest. He lived in the forest by hunting and gathering wild fruits and honey, mostly hiding from the Whiteman. He was an archer, gigantic with tall dreadlocks which extended down to his back.

After hiding for a long time and evading tax for years, Karobwe (one of the African puppets) from one of the colonial posts in Kitui requested for a gun from one of the Whiteman to go and hunt Matenzewa. He was given a gun under a condition that he was to return with Matenzawa’s head.

Karobwe started his quest which took him 3 days on the way and to reach Matenzawa’s neighborhood. He encamped on one of Matenzawa’s neighbors and enquired about him, time, and days he came back home from the forest. After getting the information he set a trap for him, by hiding in the nearby bushes close to his house. He waited for him for 3 days between the time he was told he used to come (between 8-10 o’clock) but he never saw him.

On the fourth day, by the time he was told by the neighbors he saw Matenzawa carrying a dead animal; on his back a bow and arrows. Karobwe was not in haste he observed first. When Matenzawa came home he greeted his wife and children and gave them the prey he had hunted for them. He was told by his wife to sit down and eat something he had prepared that evening. At the entrance of their house were some huge rocks where Matenzawa used to dine from. Just as he was about to sit Karobwe without wasting time shot him on the chest and run with his dagger he cut off his head. He held the head by the dreadlocks and began his journey back to the post, happy that he had accomplished his mission.

When the elders and the community had the evil that had been done by karobwe they sang a song for him saying (we have seen and witnessed the evil you have done, you have betrayed your people, the people will sent you a fly, a fly will finish you). The song was sung beyond boundaries. But to karobwe after returning with the head he was much complimented and made a senior chief in his area.

After many years one of Matenzawa grandson became a medical office; and was posted at a town called Kase in Kitui. Then it happened that karobwe was very sick and decided to sick medication from the medical officer. When the medical officer saw him he remembered the evil that Karobwe had done to his family and knew that time for revenge had come. After testing him, he gave him a mixture of liquid and told him that he will be well soon. Karobwe was happy about the officer‘s news and set off back home. After a few kilometers Karobwe started bleeding from the eyes, nose, ears and mouth, the officers who had escorted him panicked with fear, none dared to touch him. Finally Karobwe fell down and within a few minutes he was no longer on this world. The medical officer had poisoned him to revenge for his family.

When the elders and community had about the death of Karobwe they yet sang another song saying “the evil has been settled, we told you Karobwe that we will sent you a fly, now the fly has finished you”. The song was sung again beyond boundaries; and all people knew that the curse of Karobwe was repaid.  

-Prince safari-