“When Losing Nyakatsi Saved Me”

Sincerely, the world has become a global village; any incident that happens in one part of the world could have a direct or indirect bearing on another part of the globe. If it is an incident, then it must have happened or almost happened to many other people. In the Village, we were at peace to think or do as we wished. There were no eavesdroppingjournalists or Paparazzi! Just imagine waking up to find all the villagers around you giggling maliciously as you pass by them! Some of the less informed you(s) must be wondering as to what tricks or malice the Villager is at this time round! Never mind, all international TV and Radio Stations have been wagging their “tongues” about this oneChief Executive of a New York renowned World financial Institution, a one Dominique a.k.a. DSK. Word has it that, he is facing charges of attempting to “play ball” on an “unfriendly ground” (away match). Since I am just hearing this through the grape vine of the world media, I do not want to dwell on the so called rumours for so long. Sometimes, we get too excited about some legal matters; don’t the Learned Friends say that, “man is innocent until proven otherwise”? At least DSK is somehow lucky that his own Chain Keeper came out strongly to stand by his side, it is said that, she does not believe that, her “Cher” did what the press want us to believe he did. If it was my Chain Keeper, I would have had an uphill task trying to convince her that the media was in the wrong! It is normal; the African Chain Keepers always say that, men are like dogs! If DSK was one of us, he would be a guilty man even before the courts did declare him to be so! I was once in DSK’s shoes; nearly a decade or so ago. While on my way from Kacyiru’s KBC to town, I was stopped by a lady who desperately wanted a lift, so I thought; she told me that she was having a fever and there were no Taxis. Sometimes, kindness can kill! As I was approaching town, I asked her where she wanted me to drop her off and she begged that I drop her off at Gikondo Township near the MEREZ Petrol station. In those days, the road to Gikondo was such a pain; but I willingly decided to help her to the end! Maybe that was my mistake number one, on reaching Gikondo, she begged me to drop her off just outside a drinking joint (I don’t remember the name), no sooner had I stopped than she opened the door and started shouting on top of her voice that, “Give me my Money, we agreed on fifty thousand francs and now you are giving me nothing”! At first, I thought I was dealing with a lunatic but then it dawned on me that I had beentricked by a con-woman! From nowhere, a crowd was fast gathering. The Gendarmerie (the then police) turned up and wanted me arrested there and then. God saves his people, luckily for me I had just had an operation to get rid of the “nyakatsi” from my gadget; as a result, it hadn’t healed yet. I took one of the Gendarmeries aside and showed him the scenario; in an instant, he was pouncing on the con-woman for trying to frame a “nyakatsiless” man! She realized that, she had been caught in her own trap! I hope DSK’s predicament will end likewise! Mfashumwana@fastmail.fm