“Surviving January 2012”

As the men from the land of “OGA” would say, “when the hunter learns to shoot without missing, the birds must learn to fly without perching”, eh oga! Just as we ushered in the New Year 2012, we still have to remember that, there are many “hangovers” from the past or yesteryears! The Global Economic crisis is not yet ready to decrease and so, we must learn to tailor our suits according to the available cloth! As I talk, there are lots of people out there, who have “eaten” their last coin and are waiting for the next payday (nearly 30 days away)! How the hell are we gona survive the month long scarcity and unavailability of funds? Only God knows! Not far from making a drastic new year’s resolution, we have got to tighten our belts! Much as the old year was sent off in style and the new one ushered in in equal style, the pomp with which the yearend and beginning have been characterized has left many people penniless!Considering the fact that, many employees received their pay checks way back on 18th December 2011, they are now completely broke. As a result, many have begun drawing out plans for January 2012 lest they don’t make it to the next pay day! As we talk now, talk is rife that, the famous or is it infamous garbage damping site at Nyanza (Kagarama) is to be relocated far from the city (maybe to Gitarama or Ruhengeri or Byumba), that translates into higher costs of garbage generation as well as collection! Be prepared to pay much more for the garbage disposal or cut out all the unnecessary garbage altogether! On my part, I have resolved to only feed my family with foodstuffs like rice, Irish potatoes as well as sweet potatoes.Instead of peeling the potatoes, we shall just wash off the soil and cook them like that, rice has no peelings; as for bananas, no way! In consuming the potatoes like that, we shall be killing two birds with one stone; no garbage generated and no potatoes wasted, we shall only “send ourselves” (only one simple waste to contend with)! As for the generation of broken glasses and the likes, as and when the maid breaks a glass, the onus will be on her to go and throw it outside the gate of a rich man (who can afford to pay for its disposal) or she will pack it in her suit case till she returns home or risk paying for it! For items like meat (read beef), we shall only buy boneless meat so that we have no bones to dispose off (eat everything) and this is true with rice! To some of us who will want to enjoy the “matoke” (bananas), we shall only do so at our nearest pubs so that, the pub owners are responsible for the garbage! All the above meals will be accompanied by the popular “push the week” (sukumawiki) if not (sukumajanuary). In the meantime, allow me to wish you the best of luck in surviving the month of January. Mfashumwana@fastmail.fm