This weather makes you want to sneak into every single joint with the magic inscriptions; Amata na Fanta bikonje to empty all its shelves and refrigerators. Another thing this weather has taught me is to revisit the old practice of carrying a hand kerchief in the back trouser pocket at all times, like my very life depended on it. Yet, the lessons are still many. Because of this treacherous Kigali sun, I now fully realize how difficult it is to find my favorite chilled drink, Agashya. Who knows where else Agashya is sold, apart from its base at Nyirangarama? Who needs to first arrange a trip from Kigali all the way to Musanze, just so they can make the mandatory stop at Enterprise Urwibutso to find Agashya? Also, do people still go out in full force to dance in the clubs? This is something about which I have tried to seek clarification from my DJ buddies, and that I will still do. So to the DJs –Africano, Adams, Pius, Bisoso, Karim, Nano, Afshon, not to forget DJ B, that question falls squarely on your feet. The last time I went dancing, it was at the Heinekken activation party at the Volcana Lounge in Musanze, a day before Kwita Izina. DJ Africano, the man in charge of the event is known to dish out more than a few free beers at his bar activations, so although Heinekken is not really my thing, I tagged along. But this did not mean that the heat would go away just like that. But knowing how scarce night life in Musanze is, I decided to brave the heat. After about forty or so minutes on the dance floor, there was a need to visit the washrooms to tame the sweat and freshen up a little. Why had I not carried a hanky in my trouser back pocket? But as far as violating the rule of carrying a handkerchief goes, I am not the only culprit. At a luncheon organized for invited guests to the Kwita Izina ceremony on Tuesday, this fact came to light, and I must add –it accorded me the much-needed “safety in numbers”. A combination of factors made sweating inevitable for most of the people in the tents; the large, packed crowd, the blazing sun, the wine and the beers, and of course, the steaming hot food in abundance. In short, people did indulge –in food and in drink, and when people indulge, they emit sweat. It was not long before, one by one, people now took to snatching the brightly colored serviettes on the tables and disappearing with them under the tables to wipe away the beads of sweat. Also, it’s interesting how consumers of Super gin and Konyagi have not cut down on their consumption in spite of the searing heat, yet these are known to heat up the body mechanism once poured down the throat.
