They are building colonies in outer space as we consult ‘Lambalambas’
This week, I was shockingly taken aback. All this time I had thought our Bongoland rural communities were catching up and fast embracing modern trends with its attendant science and technogical cutting edge modules.
The mobile phone technology, internet access and mobile money transfers are now the norm in our ‘Uswekeni’ Bongoland.
But no! That is not the case.
I am presently in my paternal rural village, Chalowe, Wanging’ombe District, in Njombe Region. And in response to our Bongoland Chief Executive, Dr Magufuli’s call to industrialise our communities and create more employment, I decided it was appropriate to establish an accomodation, eatery and pub facility in my village, renown for its abundant production of ‘ulanzi’, the famous bamboo wine. Strategically, the village is straddling the major Njombe-Iyayi-Mbeya highway, and is located near the Igwachanya township, the head office of the newly established Wanging’ombe district.
Among other structures I had to put up was the vital ‘nyama choma’ hut. The village elders appropriately advised me to contact one Commander Senye - not his real name but ‘Commander’ he is.
Now Commander Senye is the foremost mason in the area. These being financially trying times, Commander Senye was more than willing to take up the project. And soon we were in business. Besides his unpredictable ‘ulanzi’ drinking spells, the Commander was indeed one hell of an expert bricklayer.
In due course I took the liberty to enquire from him as to why he was populrly called ‘Commander.’ That is when Commander Senye bragged transparently that he got the name during his heyday as the Commander of the Peoples Militia - ‘mgambo’ - in the village, more than 15 years ago. He recalled that everybody feared him as he was a tough and no-nonsense commader.
Among the highlights of his commandership, he regalled, was his leadership in arresting and detaining more than 20 women of the village for drinking and being in the local ‘pombe shop’ beyond the stipulated 8 pm time as per the village by-laws. The women were forced to pay a Sh10,000 fine each before they were released.
Apparently, the village authorities had enacted a gender biased by-law which barred women to drink and be inside local pubs beyond 8 pm. The men, on the hand were allowed to patronise the ‘pombe shops’ until 10 pm.
Women were naturally rattled by this by-law. Some of them defied it. That is when Commander Senye took the drastic action against them. He further explained that it was only after the male ‘pombe shop’ patrons protested that the drinking joints were no longer attractive in the absence of women that the by-law was scrapped.
But Commander Senye was still proud of his operation. It took me quite a while and a lot of lecturing to convince him that his operation was a gross violation of human rights, abominable gender discrimination and against the Bongoland constitution, that the Commander ‘saw the light.’
Then mid this week, a delegation of members of my Village Executive Committee, led by its chair made an imprompt visit to my homestead.
They were about ten of them. I warmly received them thinking that they were on a noble mission, most probably something to do with the village’s development projects.
But no! That was not the case. The delegation was here to seek contributions to a less honourable cause.
Apparently the village authorities had, like many in the area, and in their wisdom, felt that their economic woes and hardship had something to do with the presence of ‘evil spirits’ amongst them, represented by some ‘successful’ witches.
They thus resolved that there was need to invite’Lambalambas’ who would ‘unearth, expose and neutralise’ these witches. And all the villagers, including your columnist, had to contribute a minimum of Sh2,000 to finance this ‘noble’ project. Again I had to give them a long lecture on the unconstitutionality of the whole project and how it violated the laws of the land, before refusing to contribute and dismissing them.
Indeed I am appaled by all these heartbreaking developments. What is going on in our Bongoland villages, and even in urban centres? We are steadly going down a treacherous and dangerous road. No wonder the Police authorities in Njombe region, this week, reported of the abduction and slaughter of about ten children, some of whose bodies were foung with some body parts missing. All this happened in a span of one month.
The authorities link these crimes to beliefs in magical and witchery practices, all in a futile attempt to acquire wealth.
It is indeed tragically pathetic. While other members of the human race in Eurooe, Asia and America are racing to establish permanent colonies in outer space, including the moon and other planets, we on the other hand are busy seeking the help of ‘Lambalambas’ to solve our development problems. I think I am going to cry!
