SCHOOL BOY.
BA Languages.
Matochi was a nick name given to Johnston Majaaliwa Magurumashi. The same symbolic name fell on him accidentally. When he was young he used to play with other children on top of a cliff a buttocks sliding game. His shorts got finished behind in a way that two holes were out reflecting a symbol of the two lighted torches at night when it is totally dark. That unique name began from that point. Many people used to call him by that name an act which paved a way for the decline of his original names. His father Mr. Majaaliwa Magurumashi and mother Dorothea Magurumashi were not aware of this name. Perhaps his friends could bother to sound it openly during their games. Maybe they used to hear it from the young boys who played with their son but they thought maybe it was a kind of a jargon used most especially by the youth.
Matochi was born on 24th September of the year 1983 in an area known as Mashon which was fully surrounded by a huge coffee plantation in Arusha region. Mashon was the name of a first German settler who owned the coffee estate there. When Tanganyika got independence the indigenous came back and resettle their own dwellings in this estate. Soon and soon the settlement expanded to the village level and town. The new town was named Mashon in memory of the late white settler. Earlier before this independence of Tanganyika there was a strife between the colonies of German and British. They resolved the matter in a summoned meeting in German by Chancellor Bismarck. The one year meeting from 1884-1885 declared that the whole part of Tanganyika was to be taken by the British. From that year the German settlers started to shift to there colonies in central Africa. The British ruled over the area up to 1960 when they granted independence to the people of Tanganyika. Except they didn’t develop the coffee plantation left by the Germans. People like a father to Magurumashi were experienced in work during the Germany settlers in Mashon thus they passed information generation to generation.
Majaaliwa and Dorothea were both originated from Moshi but unfortunately they were compelled to shift to Arusha for economic reasons. After that entire journey they met each other in 1968 in Marangu Middle school. As usual a good tree produces good fruits they produced five wonderful children. Their first baby daughter was born in 1977 and named Sia. The second product was now a boy who was born in 1979 and named Joseph. The third child was a girl who was born in 1981 and been baptized Haika. Matochi followed the rout in 1983, he was a second brown complexion boy. Then the last born Benguo appeared in 1986 and mark the end of the long lasting journey. These are the blessings from god to the family of Mr Magurumashi and Dorothea.
As it has been said already by people that where many people gathered together to discuss the most crucial matters nothing goes wrong. Out of the five children came up one with extraordinary characters. This was none other than Johnston Magurumashi or Matochi which was known by many people. Like a father like a son Matochi was a copy right of Mr Majaaliwa Magurumashi. He resemble his father in everything. Despite of his short tempered manner which may be he inherited from Magurumashi’s father Matata. Matata had ever participated in work at the Germans farms during the time of Mashon. Workers were mistreated, tormented, embarrassed, killed and given little money for their needs. To Matata it was difficult to accept all these unjust. He would rather being punished than to keep quiet accepting painful. As a second last child, Matochi was so much liked by his father and mother. For the couple he was like a great star which could be seen alone the time when the little ones disappear in the sky. Matochi was bright, polite, and merciful with hardworking elements. This is proved by his childhood when he used to participate actively at work however much he was young. He could wash his clothes, iron them and organize a room himself. His merciful character could be seen when he would play with his brother Benguo when Dorothea his mother went to work. Their mother was a teacher at a nearby primary school called Moshono.Mr. Magurumashi liked him a lot and he could move together with him wherever he went.
On the other hand Mr. Magurumashi had another wife with seven other children. His wife was called Mama Lii. Lii was the name of her first born son. Mama Lii was a house wife and a responsible mother. She didn’t go to school before, she couldn’t count neither reading her names. More often, quarrelers could be heard when Mama Lii spoke with Dorothea. Mama Lii was a legal spouse to Mr.Magurumashi. She authorized herself power when Mr. Magurumashi went out. When a cat does not exist a cat rules. The two wives would fight fiercely when the husband went out for work. It was usual for the hard abusive words to be heard at home even if the children were around. Mama Lii was a double tongued mother who spoke much perhaps only few words could sense. The two rivals could bother to scare each other that one would kill another.
However, Matochi was liked by both mothers sometimes he could eat food in Mama Lii’s house when Magurumashi was around. When Dorothea knew this she would disagree with Mama Lii and started to fight.
Magurumashi was a highly respected person in this village. It was not because of his decent job whether the wealth he had. He was hot tempered person who could be annoyed by anyone at any time. Sometime when people annoyed him he could entered in to his room to pick a pistol. People feared and respected him as well as a king. If he wouldn’t join others for drink ups, meetings and other ceremonies he would have been deserted by the village members.
When one of his wives reported a case concerning her fellow Mr. Magurumashi would punish thoroughly. He had a cane made out of electricity wire for caning and punish those who were reported to him. To him actions spoke louder than words which were not heard clearly because of his stammer problems. He was very successful with a lot of assets the time when Nyerere was a president in Tanganyika. His family problems were not due to poverty but because of the mixture of two unmixed things. Like it has been said that the two bulls are not kept together in his family women were the root cause of all sorts of problems. Dorothea was a tough woman who could not fear to pull up lion’s beards.Dorothea was tall, dark complexion with long huge arms and very strong elongated face. People would refer her as a war like woman. She was originated from a humble family surrounded by poverty. It was a great opportunity for her to be there even though she was not a legal spouse.
When the conflict between Dorothea and her rival Mama Lii Happened Matochi had only four years. The saying that an earth is not bad but the people who are in are the risk causer was clear and proved through actions of these people. Sometimes Dorothea could bother to walk away from the house after been annoyed and came back later. One time she decided to park everything and left the house where no one knew. She claimed that she decided to leave the house because of Mama Lii her rival and her hard hearten illegal husband. She left behind her five children with Mama Lii because Mr.Magurumashi was not at home. She took her belongings to the neighborhood. What a pity it was for the left children who couldn’t depend their selves.
The last born Benguo had only two years when Dorothea left the house to the unknown place. Truly, the days of bitterness, sour and darkness had started. The villagers referred the incident like a hen that left and decided to leave its fowls in the hands of a hungry eagle. To Mama Lii it was a happiest moment because her rival accepted her to be the battle winner. When Magurumashi came Mama Lii embraced him by a full story. She reported Dorothea as a source of problems and a destroyer who spoil even her own children. She accepted to take care of the five children to influence Magurumashi not to return back Dorothea.
Eventually Mr. Magurumashi decided to take Matochi to class one in 1989 the theme school with other relatives. All these happened two years after thedisappear of Dorothea who disappeared where no one knew except her closest friends. Some said that she was around Arusha town with a small business of shop. When Matochi started class one Dorothea didn’t contribute anything as she wasn’t aware that Matochi had began class one. Because Mr.Magurumashi was elite he wanted all of his children to copy his feet steps. He had no joke with education. He used to follow up the continue assessments of his children every month.
At school Matochi was liked by both teachers and students for his brightness and good characters. He was imminent and wanted like a corner ball in football games. When his father came for assessment he was told all good things by the teachers. Sometimes he didn’t believe them as he thought that they were exaggerating his son to get something good in return. When results came Matochi would be a first person out of a hundred students. The neighbors loved him and sometimes create jokes with Magurumashi that he would marry their little daughters. Matochi was a great hope and the pride of his teachers and Mr. Magurumashi. His teachers appointed him to be a class leader.
It was a school body committee’s idea to appoint Magurumashi as the school chairman after appreciated his co operation with teachers in discussing academic matters concerning to his children. Always in ones life joy and happiness come once when end one suffers vehemently. Matochi had greatest opportunity in his life but only one thing destroyed his happiness when he thought about his mother. Sometimes he would be sad and carried with thoughts for long time. He wanted to be happy completely just like his fellow students who enjoyed their happiest moments with their two parents. Believe you me that single parent families are faced with psychological dilemmas. When his friends talked about their mothers he felt sad and uncomfortable to discuss with them. Some say that once your parents either mother or father is away even if you are given opportunity to stay with in the palace your attitude will still be bitter.
His elder brother Joseph didn’t like schools neither teacher. He fought with them and sometimes hidden himself in the bushes the time when others were in classes. When the time for returning home came he pretended that he had also been at school with others. Because Magurumashi followed up the continue assessment it was easy for him to catch Joseph. For that case Joseph and his father were like enemies. One day Joseph refused a punishment from his teacher, the school disciplinary committee suggested that Mr. Magurumashi would be called. Magurumashi came and caned Joseph in front of others when they were in the assembly ground. Dorothea liked Joseph most, she favored him all the time when she was around because Joseph resembled her from A to Z. apart from his brown complexion his small head, thin face, rounded eyes, long chin, aquiline nose strong elongated face and long arms were all the same with Dorothea. Joseph grew up in that rude way, he was a learning drum for his father and teachers at school. Sometimes you feel pity but they say the twig is bending while still supple. If a man will have a way ward and rebellious son who does not hearken to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother, and they discipline him, but he does not hearken them, then his father or mother shall grasp him and take him out to the elders of his city and the gate of the place.
Benguo was still young to go to school. He stayed behind home together with Mama Lii. He was able to let the flock to the pasture and to return them. Also he could be sent to the nearby shop to purchase small things. He was very polite without many words. Sometimes he could respond something by nodding. Mr. Magurumashi bought him a small chalkboard to teach herself before joining a nursery school. He liked drawing very much, he could use the chalkboard to draw car pictures. Sia and Haika were also promising at school. Haika was in class three and Sia in class seven.
When he was ten years Matochi used to be a music fondest fanatic. He was able to identify some western musicians who were among the popular ones. All these happened because of the twenty five inches wooden Philips screen which Magurumashi imported from Germany. He could copy and mock interested songs of a young African American Michael Jackson. He was so much interested by the talent of this pop artist who had a boneless waist. Perhaps Magurumashi had discovered that his son was fond of music he tried to keep him away from music because many people believed that music was done by thug people who were uneducated.
Matochi started his confirmation classes at the nearby church of Moshono. He was in class seven in the year1998.
After a couple of months later he completed his class seven education from Moshono Primary school in September 1998. Thereafter he reached at the climax of his confirmation classes at Moshono Lutheran church in December 20th 1998. He was among the first five students who received special rewards for a well performance. His father Mr. Magurumashi awarded him a new nice tie with its golden pin which was bought from UK. The confirmation celebrations took place at their home garden where many people who used to associate with their family were invited for that historical memorable day. After all, he stayed home for not less than two months before the declaration of the final class seven examinations.
In the beginning of the year 1999 all ears and eyes were set to the mass media in order to know the last resort for the final class seven results. It was in January when the national examination board declared the class seven final results through media. Unfortunately Matochi was not among the eight students who passed to go to secondary school. All seven students were directed to the day secondary schools in Arusha town except one girl who scored 114 out of 150 and directed to the special girls secondary school of Msalato in Dodoma. Magurumashi was eager to know why his son was not among the eight names mentioned through the media. He went to the Municipal council on the following day early in the morning. Because he had ever worked there he knew the person who could help him easily. He talked to the chief education officer who introduced by the names of Moshi and shared with him the problem. He pulled out a large book with names and registration numbers of all students who passed by the marks which allowed them to join secondary school. He asked Mr.Magurumashi, “ what is the name of your son?’’ “Johnston Magurumashi” replied immediately. Before he finished, the land line white phone which was on his table rang twice. “Hallow Mr. James kabwe its education officer speaking can I help you?”…after a short quiet Mr Moshi placed back his phone on the table. He faced Mr. Magurumashi. “There is no way we can help you now, we are lack with class rooms in their respective schools indicated. After two months the buildings will be done”. Mr. Moshi put back the receiver of the phone and placed his spectacles on to his red glistering eyes. “Mr. Magurumashi we are very sorry to tell you that your son has to stay home for till the board announces the completion of the classrooms for the school that he was allocated”. “Your son has also passed to Arusha Day secondary but the school has fewer classrooms so the Board worked hand in hand to finish at least three classrooms before April this year.
Magurumashi decided to take Matochi to town for an English course at the English course college in Arusha town. Magurumashi thought of taking his son to any good boarding school for the betterment of his performance but all these could be possible only if his sons name was already released publicly that he had passed so he had to wait for two months. To Mama Lii it was sad news however she didn’t show openly but her heart pained inner self. It is true that she only accepted to look after the five kids just to please her husband but not to treat them the same way with her kids. That day she stayed without eating whether drinking even a single glass of water. She stopped all those who made noise in pleasing for Matochi’s success. She pretended to be sick with a terrible headache.
After a couple of months ago the joining instructions forms were sent to Mr. Magurumashi through his postal address. All required things were mentioned in these forms. Without fear or hesitate Mr. Magurumashi fulfilled all required equipments. He took Matochi to town for a serious shopping soon after his name had been declared. It was an excitement and fantasy to Matochi that day because he spent a market of months without going to town. According to Magurumashi his family would be able to do a shopping at the end of each year in December. So this was an impromptu shopping for Matochi. The day before the shopping he could not sleep tightly he thought of the city where by many people exaggerated it as heaven on earth. He woke up thrice looking for the day light via his glass window. The following day Mr. Magurumashi and Matochi went out for a school shopping. It was a clear Monday morning, the sun set from east with its rays which made it to peep on top of the Mount Meru. Always Monday is a busiest day in Arusha town because it is a week day. Therefore the town had fewer people who went there to meet their daily demands. Most business men who own school uniform shops were the Indians. So they went to the biggest school uniform shop where they met an Indian with a funny English accent. He spoke with broken old English perhaps he seemed to be talkative person. He showed them variety of school equipments. Mr. Magurumashi pulled out a paper with required things and ticked all things which he bought. After clearing their needs they went back home in the evening.
Arusha Day Secondary school is in Arusha town. It was set all the center of this historical town. For one to travel from Moshono to Arusha town he could spend not less than seven kilometers. Roads in Moshono village were poorly constructed thus the means of transport were expensive and rare. Transport agents used four wheel vehicles to transport passengers. It was open Land rovers where by the passengers could stand holding themselves for the whole journey of not less than two hours. For instance, only private owned schools had school buses. Because Matochi loved to study in town he didn’t see all these difficulties. Sometimes these vehicles started to operate at 8.00am yet he was supposed to to start his first lesson at that time. The roll call was taken at 7.15am by the teacher on duty. He missed it daily an act which made him to pay for the p[punishment from the duty teachers. Mr. Magurumashi advised Matochi to transfer to any boarding school or to shift to town where his uncle stayed. It was difficult for him to agree with his father because Arusha Day was the best Day school in Arusha ever. On top of this he had never got opportunity to stay with relatives, his father didn’t want to be away from him since his childhood. Despite of all these his father didn’t insist any longer he wanted his son to pass examinations therefore it was a duty for him to make sure that his son reach to town early. Magurumashi thought of the best way to save him but the only way was to transfer him to the boarding school. Transport fare was eight hundred per day, at school they were been offered with only tea break thus he had to give Matochi money for lunch.
Matochi was very humble and creative he asked his father to buy him a bicycle which he used it as his new transport. Because was a gear bicycle Matochi could spend an hour to town. He stopped it only during the rainy seasons. Matochi liked his school very crazy he didn’t fear to sacrifice in order to achieve success. Some laughed at him that he is a boorish villager but he didn’t care. He always said within his heart that the sweet comes after sweat.
His new school life brought him variety sorts of friends. He enjoyed his school life because of the two things, teachers and friends. He knew that without a teacher there is no school neither student. Therefore he respected them and worked harder to please them. Matochi had set his own targets of reaching university. He knew that he was the only person who could make it because other relatives stopped at secondary level. He made friendship with the students who liked studies. He had no time to waste with ill company. At that very year he joined extra teaching lessons for science subjects and Mathematics. Well knowing that his foundation was laid in God he respected his religion very much. He woke up early every Sunday and prepared himself for the Sunday service.
At school teachers referred him as an innocent bastard. He had all fulfilled credentials to be a leader. His smartness, humble, simple, humor, polite characters made his fellow students think that secondary is a level where students start to behave matured. For them being matured is starting to associate with girls in terms of sexual relationship. Matochi was a serious and a focused student who had no time to give to these weird issues of premarital relationship. He couldn’t spoke whether associate with girls sexually. Some girls thought that he was shy, they then took it as a yardstick to approach him. When he refused to talk to them they said that he pretended and claimed to know thing more than others.
The long matured journey began from there, many people could be heard that “Matochi has grown mature” most of his relatives and people who stayed far away from him would utter that. To be honest this time Matochi was seemed to have a strength stand. He was still like the only pillar supporting the framework of a house. To leave away those who insisted that youth age is like hot boiling water or sometimes wet cement which can trap easily anything falls in it. His strength made him famous and a majority beloved person. It was his first mathematics teacher who was known as Mr. Mwiba which means thorn became his first close teacher. He was strict and sharp like the dry thorn. Many rude students feared him to the extent that they could plot ways to fight him. Because he liked Matochi very much some students said that Matochi his spy network. Mr. Mwiba was known not only by the parents of the students who studied there but also by external parents and students from other schools. He had his own special teaching skills to influence a learner to understand his subject. He made Mathematics to be the easiest subject yet it was feared by the majority. That was how Matochi created a good relationship with teachers and put himself in a good position of achieving blessings and successes.
When Matochi was in form two in 2000 he dad Magurumashi had began to fall sick. He had many health complications such as blood pressure and diabetes which made him weak and sometimes he could faint. Magurumashi was not capable to follow up things around his house. His business started to lose strength, he didn’t go to school to check the continue assessment of Matochi ever. Mama Lii was not interested in any thing pertaining to academic. She went to Matochi’s school only when teachers called for parents meetings. Because Magurumashi was an important pillar and the backbone of his house, his sickness made things upside down. The big family of fourteen children began to break up and split into three groups. The side of Mama Lii which had seven children, the five children of Dorothea and the last side of the two children who had their different mothers but had married already else where. Trouble struggle hatred conflicts darkness and other unjust began from that point. No one liked another whether respected him or her. At the end of the year results were not satisfactory For Matochi however he passed the exams but with the lower marks. He started to lose hope and courage. He had little support from his father compared to the days before his sickness. The teachers forgot him because his father stopped to go to the school. He used to node his head thinking from the known point to the unknown. Friends deserted him for his lonely and poor performance. He despised himself and swore that he could never back again to share with people who call him an idle bastard. He cried buckets and buckets of blood tears. He hated the day when he was born. He planted rage and vengeance in his heart. Matochi hate and drank with the cursed friends. He began to call himself an innocent bastard who was betrayed by the friends and took away his future.
The following year Matochi entered form three. He seemed not to be the same as the way he began when he was a majority beloved person. He treated himself selfishly without interacting with others. Matochi joined bad groups of students who were rude and stubborn. The students who fought with teachers without fear. Mama Lii was not able to follow his ways of conduct at school because she feared academic matters. She had ever told her children the stories about her school at primary. When others were going to school she left herself behind and hidden in the bushes till evening. Perhaps she could read texts with hesitation and write in a poorly handwriting. It could be the same as the way a duck does while in dirty rain water. She only provided him with school fees and other expenses for school books. Without guidelines and parental advices to Matochi was like a car without a driver or a car with a drunkard driver. Matochi didn’t like his teachers any longer. They became like cats and dogs, human beings and brute beasts. He created very difficult academic situations. He lost hope fiercely and became a lost sheep. Teachers could punish him for his arrogance. He was suspended for his unfair behaviors at school. If it was a football player we would say that he showed up unfair game and therefore be warned by given a yellow card. In the street he was known everywhere for his bad characters of drankardness and adultery. He involved in sexual affairs with any beautiful girl. The first one was called Janet. She stayed with his neighbor as a servant bond woman. Janet was from the suburbs and didn’t go to school. She had no information about the city. She thought may be Matochi could help her to read and write a foreign Language which used by the city men.
Janet was young and beautiful with a cute small abreast feeding breasts and an astonishing number eight figure. She had only 16 years when the neighbor brought her there to help him house works. It was alleged that the neighbor fell in love with her and decided to chase away his wife. Because the man owned a restaurant in Arusha town she made her a receptionist there. Matochi would wait her at the neighbor shop in the evening after classes. Their relationship grew faster and became matured. Matochis friend had warned him that Janeth was like the neighbors wife. When he realized that Matochi wanted to shift to another place to avoid that shame of sharing a woman with his neighbor. It was a letter from his friend Eli revealed all these. Eli was a girl who studied with Matochi at primary school. Her mother was a teacher in Moshono primary school. Sometimes Matochi visited their family so they were good family friends. Eli’s mercy made her to tell Matochi the truth because many people wondered why Matochi decided to engage in love with ones wife. Women could sit in front of their houses discussing the matter with laughter. This was the letter from Eli to Matochi:
Dear Matochi!
I do hope that you are fine! I’m also fine. The purpose of writing this letter is to tell you the truth about the woman you are dating with. I’m your good friend therefore it doesn’t mean any harm to both of you. For your information that woman is your neighbors’ wife. The man chased his first wife and brought Janet as his wife. He gave her a job in town and it has been said that she is now pregnant. I urge you to look for another girl lover if you cant I will help you! Stop embarrassing us and the village. Even children know that you date with a mans wife!
Your friend,
Eli.
Afterwards Matochi was more than a paralyzed man he felt himself as someone who touched fierce. He feared that the news would reach his father’s ears. And this was the last time for him to be with Janet in love relationship. “Someone wife” he was flash backing one of the verses in the previous letter written by Eli to him. It was like a night mare he could not believe his eyes. He started to hate women for their secrecy. He blamed Janet for being quiet for all that time. Matochi went to the shop where they used the shopkeeper as their messenger and informed him not to accept any letter from Janet. When Janet came with a letter after seeing a long quiet the shopkeeper refused to pick it. He told Janet that Matochi’s father knew that she was dating with his son so he was looking for her. When Janet heard that she stopped to write letters to Matochi. After that incident Matochi didn’t want to involve in any relationship around the village. That is how love begins and ends with sour. Always he was in deep thoughts, he thought that he was unfortunate person. Mama Lii knew that Matochi had involved sexually with ones wife. She faced Matochi and advised him to be careful with women. She told her to be passion either to apply protectors. Mama Lii didn’t tell Magurumashi because of his illness. Weeks months and years passed the rumors which were spreader by the villagers collapsed. Matochi began another love relationship with a lady around the same village. She was a student whom he studied with in primary school but she was one class forward.
Philo was a Maasai beautiful girl who was blessed with all attractive things to capture a boy. She was a black beauty, tall with long neck which joined with a thick body up to the waist. She had a wide waist with balloned shapped thighs. She completed the same primary school with Matochi and went to a private school for her secondary. She was unlucky and she never got chance to join a government school. After completing her ordinary level education she joined an English college in Arusha town. They met in Arusha town several times when they were waiting for the buses at the bus stop. One day Matochi asked her to assist him with educational materials. She accepted and told him to meet her in the evening. Because Matochi had work at that evening he didn’t meet her. He went to their home the next day. It was Saturday evening when Matochi asked his friend Benny to escort him so that he could pick books which he asked Philo. They took a bicycle carrying each other. On the way to Philo they mate her at the road just close to her home. After greeting each other she left them on the way and went to pick the books. Philo’s brother saw them discussing, he became envy for his sister in thought that it was about relationship. He went on to call his friends so as to stop Matochi to engage in relationship with his sister. When these people reached where Matochi and Benny were they started to beat them thoroughly. Benny ran away and left Matochi there. The boys punished Matochi heavily and warned him not to repeat to go there again. Matochi left there after a crowd of people arrived to stop the boys. He reached home with red wounds on the chest, around the back and shoulders. He reported the incident to everyone at home. His brothers were furious to the extent that they organized a fight against the street boys who beat Matochi.
According to Matochi there was nothing like love affair with Philo. He only went there to pick the books. The following day morning the street boys who beat him came. They found Magurumashi resting in the garden because it was Sunday. They asked apologize and called upon peace agreement. They said that they were directed by Philo’s brother to beat Matochi. Mr. Magurumashi called Matochi to agree their apologies but he refused. Mama Lii urged Matochi to forgive them because according to their statements it showed that they were innocent. Matochi agreed with a bend neck. The boys left away and that became an end between Matochi and Philo. Magurumashi told Matochi to be careful and passion with girls. This time Matochi was more serious he declared a war between him and love affairs with girls. But he felt hurt when he remembered the two incidents. He started to smoke Marijuana with the street boys. He paid no attention to his subjects and school. Matochi could stay home without going to school for no reasons. The time when others read he was drinking and smoking. When they sat for the Mock examination he passed by average division three. He bragged that he would pass even in the final exams because what he achieved was before his normal preparations. He put the books under the bed and waited for the exams to come. The day reached when they sat for their final exams. After the exams some people asked him “how were the exams?” he replied that they were fair with the greatest hope. Those who heard what their teachers taught them and followed them were passion to know their results. Even those who were stubborn and hard like rocks were on the same boat. What was waited was the verdict to judge the right and the wrong.
After the final examinations it was a great pleasure for Matochi to do what he felt to do in the street. His father was a livestock keeper who kept many heads of cattle, goats and both broilers and layers chicken. Matochi would be sent by Mama Lii to go with drivers to the farms. He moved with tractors to supervise them. Sometimes he would drive 404 Peugeot to get animals foods from Magurumashi’s farms. He was kept busy in order to abandon themselves from the groups of bad street boys. After work in the evening he would be given money for drink up. While looking after his fathers animals and farms he used to remember a will from Magurumashi that, “my son, read hard I’m now sick and tired I cant be able to take you to the private schools”. Life at farm was not easy he worked in the strong sunshine without enough food and water. He started to remember his school friends and teachers for their advices.
It was Monday eight at night when Matochi arrived home from watching a football game between the two neighbour villages. However it was lucky to find him at home at that time. Sometimes the supper could be eaten without his appearance. It was a culture for the family members to sit in the sitting room watching news on a big screen. “Matochi…Matochi…Matochi?” the voice of the elder brother was heared through the window. He heared that the national examination council declared the form four final examinations. David the house keeper entered Matochi’s room to inform him about the results. Matochi did not afraid because he knew that he would pass by either second class or average one. The following day Matochi woke up early as usual with the passion to know his results. He wanted to go to town for the results but he did not know where exactly secondary results are put. A half past one in the afternoon he got a lift of a neighbors pick up to the secondary officer’s office in town. After declaration of the results the national examination board in Dar es Salaam spends two or three days to send them to the regions.
Therefore he didn’t see them on the notice board yet. He went back home on foot after losing hope because he waited there for long.
Thursday evening Benguo came with a piece of Nipashe news paper which had fewer results for Arusha secondary schools. In the paper there were names for the schools registration numbers, student names their registration numbers and their marks divisions. Johnston Magurumashi form Arusha Day secondary school was among the names written in that paper. He scored a division four with twenty nine points. Matochi frighted so much to the extent of losing appetite for eating anything that day. His sister Haika fluttered him by telling him not to lose hope because there was a second chance for hi to repeat again. He thought that would be the end of his education because Mr. Magurumashi had told him that he would not be able to take him to the private schools. Mama Lii did not show up any response towards the results she kept quiet as if she never heard the declaration of the results. Her children also did the same with their mother. Meanwhile Mr. Magurumashi was very old and sick in his bed he didn’t know anything the time when results were out. No one bothered to tell hi about the result release.
The followed day Matochi went to the farm with the drivers as usual. Because he was already addicted to drags and alcohol Matochi increased the quantity of taking the drags compared to the time before the results. He had no thought whether targets in his future. He would sleep drank and woke up the next day to look for alcohol. Matochi didn’t want to hear anything concerning to education. Other students went to school to pick their results slips but Matochi did not go for it. He felt embarrassed and shy because teachers used to say that those who do not hear what were taught would reap what they sore. Mama Lii started to claim that the income from the business that Matochi was taking control were lower compared to the last days before the results release. She reported Matochi to the elder brother for been extravagant. They decided that he would stop to take control of the project.
Few months later Mr. Magurumashi’s health began to decline. He was weak and sometimes he would faint unconsciously. Because his diabetic problems were due to lack of insulin and glucose sugar he would be given soda to increase the sugar. This time he would forget every thing including his own children. Doctors of the doctors would come to treat him without success. Much money went to Mr. Magurumashi’s treatment and medications. All people who had borrowed money from him deserted away because they knew that he lost memory. Mama Lii took over the property and wealth. She started to change her attitude together with her children. Sometimes when Mr. Magurumashi wanted money for drinking she refused to buy him drinks in that the doctors stopped him to take alcohol. When Mr. Magurumashi wanted to visit his cites he was not given the car keys. All cars were driven by Mama Lii’s children as their own cars. They used them for their daily activities and leisure. They spent money earned from the project and decided to replace Matochi to take control of the project.
Matochi started to loiter around the streets looking for jobs. Because he had no academic certificates it was not easy for him to get jobs. He moved here and there without success. Mama Lii’s elder children were educated and employed but were so selfish. Matochi decided to do little jobs which had little salary. He was thin and unhealthy the sharp watery gin eyes and a dry skin could tell how the situation was. He woke up tired because of little energy he had as he could not be allowed to eat food from Mama Lii’s home. Mama Lii accused him of being a thief and an extravagant. She told him to look for his own food money for clothes and other needs. Matochi decided to do anything to earn money. Sometimes he could be give small jobs of pulling wheelbarrow in the street or helping the builders to fetch water and to carry the building materials. At the end of the day he would be paid little money or sometimes the money would be compensating for the food he ate. Other relatives were at home but bee mistreated by Mama Lii as well as their step mother. They missed meals sometimes when Mama Lii ordered the bond woman not to cook for them. Benguo was still in secondary school with John the step brother who had his mother also. They woke up early in the morning and went to school on foot because Mama Lii was stubborn and quarrelsome they therefore feared to demand money for transport.
Sia was also looking for jobs in town without success. She studied short secretarial courses to upgrade her CV but Mama Lii refused to pay for her fees. Haika completed form four long times ago but no body sponsored her for advanced level education. She stayed at home preparing the meals, washing Mr. Magurumashi’s clothes and cleaning the compound daily. Joseph was a street boy who moved with thugs all the time. He would come to steal his father’s property at night when others were slept. He had a child with a woman who would come to complain at home daily. Sometimes the woman came with a baby and dropped it at his father’s home early in the morning and ran away. When the baby grew it developed serious skin diseases in her whole body because of the poor treatment and feeding.
One time Mama Lii’s last daughter took home her boyfriend for introduction. She was engaged to be married the same year 2003 when results for Matochi came out. Big initiation ceremonies were arranged out of the money which would take the young ones to school for the advanced level education. She was married to a certain rich person who stayed in Dar es Salaam but had business in Arusha. The whole house went bankrupt after the wedding because both sides had to contribute for the ceremony. This marriage brought a lot of strife and conflicts; Dorothea’s children refused to go to the marriage. They claimed that the money spent for the wedding would be enough to take the young ones to school or to set business for those who had no jobs. When Mama Lii’s heard that she became furious and mad at Dorothea’s children. She despised them from that day. Hatred and misunderstandings between the three group started from there.
Mr. Magurumashi had many houses apart from the one which he stayed with his children. He had another house in the same street which he built for the purpose of shifting Dorothea to stay with her children there. The house was surrounded by the fertile land of about ten acres. When Mama Lii heard that her rival was going to be given a house and eighteen acre land she went to the church to claim for being confiscicating her right of been given property yet she was the legal spouse. That made Mr. Magurumashi to stop his plan of finishing the house. The house remained uncompleted because even when Mr.Magurumashi bought furnishes Mama Lii would send people to steal them. Because Mr.Magurumashi had ever told some elders on his plan for the house the elders advised him to summon a meeting which would involve the two families to discuss his intention towards the house. The meeting was summoned and the family of Mama Lii was not supposed to intervene in anything associated with the house.
When Dorothea heard that his children were suffering from Mama Lii’s mistreatment she was very upset and sad. She went to the court for her rights because she wanted to stay with her family. She had no money to pay the jurors at that time. No any of her relative could bother to assist her. They feared by saying that Mama Lii was a witch therefore she could bewitch them. Dorothea suffered a lot she went up to the regional commissioner’s office but she had no marriage certificate to prove that she had a right to own the property of Mr. Magurumashi. She went back to the street elders who advised her to enter in to the house because Mr.Magurumashi would not remove her lover from the house. She was told not to fear Mama Lii’s elder children. Dorothea wrote a letter to his elder son Joseph insisted him to help him in case problems would face him. Joseph called all his relatives and read the letter:
Dear Joseph,
Your mother is suffering without food whether anything to support her life. Me your mother Dorothea I’m writing this letter with deep sorrow and tears. I hear that your brother Matochi is in the street with Bad boys. Your sisters are suffering from the witch Mama Lii’s mistreatment. I can’t wait any longer next week I am coming to enter the house which was built for me to stay with you. Here they demand me to pay a debt of three months they want to remove out my things. Your father is now sick he doesn’t see you and your relatives he knows nothing at all. Every one laughs at me that I have a family with a house but I stay in a rental house. Please read this letter when you are with your relatives.
Your lovely mother,
Dorothea.
Joseph read the letter with tears rolling slowly and dropping on to it. His hands were trembling because he was angry. Matochi and other relatives were holding each other and forced themselves to prevent tears. Joseph finished reading the letter and faced them. He told them that he would do the best as he could to make sure that their mother came back home. When this action was going on Mama Lii and her children were not aware that Dorothea was conspiring to come back home.
It was Monday morning, the heavy voice of Dorothea was heard from far. That day she came to fight with Mama Lii and to inform her that she would come back home. She found Mama Lii going to town and started to insult her in front of a crowd that she is a witch and a heartless woman. Mama Lii was so much annoyed and started to respond her to the extent that they wanted to fight each other. The neighbors gathered around to see what was going on. Dorothea was running mad she took a cane to beat Mama Lii. She stopped her to pass but the neighbors intervened. Mama Lii was suffering from Hyper-visor and the blood pressure. She went back inside and collapsed in her bed. While this happened Mama Lii’s sister in law called her husband who was working in town and explained the matter. Mama Lii’s son asked his wife to give the phone to Haika so that they would talk. He told Haika to stop her mother from fighting with his mother or he would come back himself. Haika gave the phone to her mother. Dorothea was very annoyed she started to abuse even Mama Lii’s son. When Mr. Magurumashi heard that he came out with his electric cane he told Dorothea to go away from his home because she was the problem causer. Dorothea left but she left behind the message that she would come back to stay in her house with her children. Mama Lii was taken to the hospital and been admitted. She stayed at the hospital for three days. The night before coming back home her sons came home and started to fall upon Matochi and Haika. They said that they were the ones who explained their mother that they were suffering. Matochi cried for the whole night. The following day he didn’t move with the drivers but he went to smoke marijuana for the whole day. He started to stay where marijuana was sold for the whole day without eating food or even showering. Sometimes Mama Lii could come at the dinning table and tell Dorothea’s children to go and stay with their mother.
Two weeks after the incident Dorothea came back home to stay in the house which was built by Mr. Magurumashi for her and her children. It was Saturday morning when Haika entered Matochi’s room. “Matochi…Matochi” she called Matochi. Mama is calling you to mean that Dorothea was calling him. Matochi feared and couldn’t believe that Dorothea would come back home. He asked “where is she?” Haika said she had entered in the house early in the morning. Matochi feared and went there after having his breakfast. When he reached there he found Mama Lii sat holding her cheeks. He greeted his mother by shaking hand with her. Dorothea told him that she decided to come back home to stay with them. Matochi asked her how she managed to enter in the house because it was closed with padlocks. Se said that she broke the padlocks with the help of a neighboring carpenter. News seeded everywhere that Dorothea had come back home. The neighbors would come there to visit her and to congratulate for been brave. She stayed there for three days alone because Matochi and other relatives were at their fathers house.
Sunday morning, two police officers were taken by Mama Lii’s family to remove her from inside the house. She refused to open the door for them, the police officers decided to break it and took her to the police station. When she left the house she told them to allow her to close her house before going there for her property. She was forced to write a statement and been deported to Ceil waiting for the court decisions. Mama Lii’s sons went to look for a carpenter to break the house and remove Dorothea’s things Monday in the evening. But they failed to do so because the ten cell leader refused to keep the things for her. He said he didn’t recognize Dorothea as part of the houses that he was given power to authorize them.
The next day Monday in the evening, Joseph went to look for the people to bail her. She was bailed and been allowed to go home. When Mama Lii’s family heard that they decided to call upon a meeting to discuss what would be next. They asked Mr. Magurumashi weather he was aware that Dorothea came. Mr.Magurumashi said that he was aware and he told them to leave her there. Because Dorothea had no job they said that her children would suffer from anger. One of the meeting attendant suggested that because Dorothea children were younger to depend themselves ho would it be if they stayed with Mama Lii and their mother stayed alone there. Mama Lii’s sons refused and said that the children should go to their mother for the safety of their wealth. However they agree to provide any moral or financial assistance for them while with their mother. They also discuss the ownership of the house and land that should be on the basis of the five children and not Dorothea. They said that she would sell the land because she demanded money for developing her business. One of Mama Lii’s sons suggested that in their agreements Dorothea would be told that the house and land belong to her children. They agreed to meet again as the two families to resolve the matter on the following Wednesday.
Wednesday morning the two families, ten cell leader relatives, neighbors and well wishers were invited to the meeting to discuss Dorothea’s return. They said because Dorothea entered in the house violently she had to ask for pardon from Mr. Magurumashi and her rival Mama Lii. Dorothea refused to do so by claiming that the house was meant for her therefore she was right. All family members attended the meeting except Matochi who went to smoke marijuana with the street boys. The meeting spokesman advised the family of Dorothea to look for jobs to sustain their living. It was agreed that Mr.Magurumashi would give five acres of land to the family of Dorothea. Dorothea was not allowed to intervene in any thing associated with Mama Lii’s family without their concern. The spokesman ordered other meeting members to move up to the house and the land discussed. Dorothea’s children were allowed to take their bedding, cupboards and some kitchen utensils. Because Mr. Magurumashi had cattle he promised to give them two cows to start life with in condition that they had to build a house for the cows. Dorothea’s family shifted that very day in the evening and went to stay with their mother in the house which was a hundred meters from Mama Lii’s house.
Matochi became a heavy drugs addicted he had no job. He became lazy and unable to work because of too much drugs. He started to steal neighbor’s property to earn money for buying drugs. When the neighbors reported him to the father Mr. Magurumashi Mama Lii told them to tell his mother Dorothea. They knew that Dorothea had nothing to pay back what was stolen by her child therefore they didn’t go to her. Because the neighbors noticed that Matochi was a thief Matochi started to steal from the neighboring villages. When he was there with thugs he could be taken to where jobs were but he was paid per day. One day he was smoking marijuana with his friends, one man came and asked for boys to assist him to build a swimming pool. The man took them up to his office in town where he hired a lorry for carrying building materials to a cite which was built. The cite was out of town therefore it took them time to reach there. The work took two weeks and the labors were paid ten thousand per day. Matochi took the opportunity and began to drink alcohol after been paid his salary. He returned back home at the mid night when others were already asleep. His mother would complain daily for his behavior manners. When he asked him to stop coming back late Matochi abused his mother and scared to beat her. Sometimes they would quarrel each other and neighbors came to solve the problems.
Haika got a house work from the foreigners who came from Nigeria. They worked with the United Nations Headquarters in Arusha. The foreigners lived a royal family lifestyle. They had a lot of money for leisure. Because they liked Haika they could travel with her to various places which they used to visit. They had friends and relatives in UK therefore they could pay many visits to UK during their recess. Haika would come back home to visit her mother and relatives with money and small prizes. Her salary started to increase day after day. She liked Matochi very crazy. She knew that the only way of resettling Matochi was to find him a job to do.
In the street life was tough for Matochi. He started to steal money from his sister Sia’s hand bag. When his mother put money on the table for purchasing food Matochi would steal it. His friends would refer him as a lazy need. He liked things for free than to sweat to get his own things. When his brother Joseph left his room for showering Matochi would enter inside and steal his money and cigarettes. One day Joseph found his cigarette packet missing, he went to ask Matochi in his room. They began to fight, Matochi picked the machete Joseph ran out like a spear. When other relative saw it they began to run also. Matochi became mad he closed the door and go back to sleep. His mother asked him to open the door but he refused and kept quiet.
Because Haika used to come home in the evening he came there and found that the whole family was outside. She was told the problem and decided to go to ask Matochi to open the door. When she reached there she said “Matochi… It’s me Haika asking you to open the door. Please open it”. Matochi refused to open the door as he was crying. Joseph had gone to call their elder brother from Mama Lii’s house. They knew that he run mad therefore they decided to call the policemen to seize him. When the police men came they broke the door and beat him thoroughly. They took him to the police station where they charged him for misusing the machete. His two brothers scared that they would take him to prison. At the police station Matochi stayed there for two days. He refused to eat anything from the day when they took him there. The policemen feared that he would die with anger. They called his brothers and told them to take him back. When his brother came he explained the family problems which were facing his family. They advised him to provide Matochi with the needs which he missed. Because the brother who went there was from Mama Lii’s house he said that Dorothea was responsible for him. He bailed him from the police and drove him home.
When they were on the way he advised him to stop smoking marijuana. Matochi didn’t hear anything because he was mad. He didn’t talk any word from the station to their home. When they reached home he went direct to sleep. He didn’t want to eat anything that day he felt like committing suicide. His mother entered his room with food but he didn’t want to eat food. He thought of revenging and planned to kill his brother. He took his machete, a belt and a knife tighten then on his waist and went out in the street to look for his brother Joseph. When he saw him his brother feared he began to call him peacefully. Matochi thought that the brother wanted peace agreement he went closer. They began to talk and Joseph drew near as if he wanted to insist hi something. He captured his arms and beat him by his head on the fore head. Matochi couldn’t see he saw stars and began to get dizziness. He run a short distance and pulled out his knife and machete. Joseph saw that he had weapons he run to the nearby house where he asked for help. Dorothea saw Matochi when he moved out that night therefore she decided to go out to look for him. Matochi went up to the high way and stood beside the man who stood behind for him when he was baptized. The man had dangerous dogs which were feared much by the villagers. They saw Matochi and began to bark upon him.
Matochi didn’t move because he was mad he didn’t hear anything whether say anything. The man woke up and whistle for other neighbors to wake up. He thought maybe Matochi was a thief therefore he wanted to seize him but he realized that he wasn’t. “Why are you here, what are you doing here, where are you from?” those were questions asked by the man without a break. Matochi didn’t talk anything the man left him there and went to sleep. Matochi stayed there up to the morning when people passed on the way they saw him standing on the way like a mad person. The man’s wife invited him for the breakfast but Matochi didn’t respond anything whether talking. His mother moved from house to house to look for him. When she came up to the highway she saw him standing and began to follow him. Matochi ran away because he didn’t want his mother to talk to him whether to see him. He hated his brother for what he did and his mother for been poor. He swore that he would revenge by killing his brother. Matochi entered into a neighbors house and sat on the sofa bed crying. His mother followed him and began to cry also. The neighbor’s wife asked him questions but he didn’t respond any of the questions he kept on crying. The neighbor’s wife called Dorothea outside for a discussion. Dorothea explained that he was beaten by his brother and taken to the police. The man’s wife decided to take him to the hospital that morning. At the hospital Matochi was admitted and put in drips of water. When people heard that Matochi was taken to the hospital they thought may be he would die. They went there to visit him. Matochi stayed in the hospital for one week and been released. When he was released he was still angry at Joseph. He said within his heart that one day he would kill his brother.
Ever since his back home from hospital Matochi didn’t go to the street to smoke marijuana. He stayed home reading newspapers and books. Desire to go back to school started to fill his heart. He reminds himself the school days when he was with good tattle and the good friends. He listened to the news from the small radio in his room daily. He left his room when going to the toilet and bathroom. Matochi was forgotten by the street thugs they thought maybe he shifted to another place. He remained alone without friends he feared even to go out for what he had done. His sister Haika planned to take him to school she asked her employer to assist her with some money to pay for Matochi’s School fees. Dorothea went to look for him a school in town and she was told to wait for the admission forms in august 2005 for the 2006 intake.
Mr. Magurumashi was at the hospital suffered seriously. He was not able to eat himself whether to go to the toilet. Everything would be done for him at the hospital. He spent more than one month at the hospital. His health was poor and declined from minute to minute. When the condition became serious the doctors took him to the Intensive care unit room and been covered by the tubes for oxygen. Mr. Magurumashi died on 13th of July 2005 at four in the evening. When he was at the hospital no one was informed apart from Mama Lii’s children and relatives. Dorothea didn’t know that Mr. Magurumashi was sick admitted to the hospital. She heard death announcement from her neighbors when they were fetching water. Matochi and his relatives went to Mama Lii’s house and found a lot of people gathered there. Mama Lii told him that Mr. Magurumashi had kicked the bucket. It was not easy for them to believe till the day when they buried him. Mr. Magurumashi died with sixty nine years and a family of fourteen children. He died without say or left anything inform of a will. The family of two mothers sat after the burial to discuss the end of the ceremony. Because Mama Lii was a legal spouse it was agreed that she would take control of wealth and property. However Dorothea wanted Mr. Magurumashi’s property to be divided equally she was stopped and been frightened by Magurumashi’s friends.
Matochi began form five in the school known as Bondeni High school in 2006. He was over aged to study with the students at this school. Teachers could appoint him in terms of anything raised there. Matochi focused more on the studies and never returned back to the failures because he experienced a lot in the street. The end of the year teachers rewarded him a big sponsorship to visit African top hundred university in Uganda Known as Uganda Christian University for been the best student. Matochi is now a saved person and a voluntary adviser for youth most especially students.
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