Long Wait

A happy and long to live life,with hopes of being rich,working smart and still hard,to eventually achieve his goal,of being a rich, successful,business man,was the dream Zaka had once he took in Tamina,without informing either of their parents.

Since to him officialy getting married, Involed a long process of unnecessary money spending of which he didn't have at the moment.

Some of his friends could come to his single room and invite him to their big wedding with expensive food and high class rented cars,a reception to party after the wedding,fare accomodation for their upcountry family and friends.Then imediately after honey moon,a huge break up is the aftermath of not having money, with dept collectors knocking at their door.

He often thought of how much planning, raising,and executing a big wedding costed,and knew that given a chance he wouldn't hesitate to spend the wedding money in opening a small business,which will eventually grow big and generate much income.Knowing that this will have turned him to an entrepreneur, from an employe,earning peanuts every month,after the tax deductions were done on his salary.

This made his mind trip, and travel in a train of thoughts sometimes contemplating on his next move,so as to have his own business,so the solution he would always come up with was saving,enough so he could quite his less paying job hence escaping the chains of having to answer to a superior person every day.

Living a hand to mouth life,day to day hustle through the sun roasting streets of coast,trying to make ends meet so the two could eat,'come we stay' is what most of the independent youth say,or even call it,this single room that Zaka had rented in Likoni an area where security and unity was scarce,four on a scale of one to ten,now had been of joy since he now could experience the love of enjoying fresh cooked meals from a female counterpart.

Time grew fast so their love became thick,without rumbles or shackles in quarrels over petty stuff, because Tamina understood Zaka was an all day hustler,and she now had to play the role of a house wife even without Zaka having paid any dowry,of which to Tamina's tribal laws was considered as a mistake,there was this proper formal introduction of a man to a woman's family even without having to give a coin but just for it to be known.

This now was a match sent from heaven,a month passed,and there were rumours spreading around town that Tamina's parents had plans of coming to get Tamina from Zaka,this to Zaka meant that he had to prepare himself,report to his elders and go meet with Tamina's parents before it was too late.Since once a girl had been taken back to her parents place by her elders, it was a first sure sign that any dowry price that one was going to pay, had doubled.

Love is hard to come by in Mombasa,since it is said that getting into this town is one big party,but leaving it,is truely only in a coffin.Zaka was different,he had his morals set and a good church upbringing,Tamina was a changed beautiful angel who had her share of 'bad girl' days,and saw a honest young man who had potential of being rich in Zaka.

Where Tamina's parents lived was far,upcountry in Meru, and Zaka's parents on the other hand were living in Malindi a place not far from Likoni compared to Meru.

Three months passed and now Zaka received a letter sent to him through his Bose's postal adress,he worked at a huge supermaket called Baivas in Mombasa town, where he had to board a ferry over five thousand passengers to cross the indian ocean every morning from Likoni,to get to work,being the silent type Zaka did not open it,since he had a hint of what it was about,he simply was afraid of losing Tamina because of East African traditions that made it hard for a young man,not making much to settle down and get married.

When he was home a message was sent to him,about a tragic virus that has hit the world and is spreading fast across Africa.At home with Tamina. In their single room with only a bed and a cooking corner, with some water Jerri cans and a few untensils,Zaka lay puzzled on the bed with his eyes facing the ceiling.Tamina was bussy cooking.

He thought of telling her of the bad news, or the bad news,the un opened letter he had in his pocket or the message about a Virus that is to change the economy.

Smart enough he knew all these two concerned him,and him alone since he now had taken the role of a husband.

Days passed and still Zaka hadn't opened the letter,new measures had been put into place about social distancing,wearing of face masks and washing hands with soap and running water.

Then before he could open the letter a cafew and lock down was imposed,by the government across the whole country.Now this made it hard for Tamina's elders to travel from Meru to Mombasa-Zaka thought.

He was happy yet sad at the same time,that evening he decided to tell Tamina of the bad news of him being temporarily out of his work due to the Virus,and happy to inform Tamina of them having more time to think of how to approach Tamina's Parents.

They now for the first time opened the letter Zaka had been walking with for some time now,with their hearts all hoping for the best,but still expecting the worst out of it,what they found was astonishing.

Tamina's parents had sold one of their 5 hectares land in Meru to a rich investor who paid in full,they had sent a cheque of 3 million shillings,for them to start out a business of their choice,while thinking of when to go visit them,to talk of their marriage.

A year passed.Now the two had enough time in lockdown,to think of how to wisely use their money.

Story writen by

Joseph W. Mukoya