***Why I wont return home***

7th April 2013

After many years of staying in my father’s compound, at last I moved away from Mzee Caleb’s home. It was never planned. But when I got my loan money, it was clear I was likely to differ with my father since he always believes that my money is our money, a position I have never agreed to.
That is the reason why last weekend, the old one was on my case demanding for money. All of a sudden, he had several things that he wanted me to do for him. At one moment he wanted me re-roof his house, yet at another, he wanted me to help him start a business.


“If you can give me money to buy 10 bags of maize,” my father said, “I will sell during famine and never ask you for money at all.”
I maintained that I had no money. But you know the people of Mwisho wa Lami – keeping secrets has never been their stronghold. No sooner had I given Cate and Fiolina money than this information reached my old man.
Once my father took one for the path at Hitler’s, he staggered back home in a foul mood. He started his shouting at the gate.
Leave compound
“You can’t give your father money yet you dish out money to women,” he said. “You must leave this compound,” he added as he approached my house. Not wanting to engage him in a quarrel, I stealthily left the compound using one of the many panyaroutes in our fence.
When I returned home that evening, Fiolina had not slept. “We have to move away from this home,” she said, “I can’t stand these abuses from your father.”
“Relax,” I told her. “Mzee is 1always like that when drunk, but once he sobers up, he will be our amicus once more.” But my father would not relent this time round. He was at our door early the next morning, and made it clear in no uncertain terms that I had to leave.
I left for school but after two lessons, I went to our market centre to look for a house. Most of the rooms available were one-roomed but I managed to get a two-roomed place for Sh600 per month.
I immediately paid for three months, and also went and bought a few house-hold items. This included a mattress, blankets, a stove and utensils.
I got back home to find that Fiolina had again been chided by my father. Rumona, my brother’s wife, had not spared her either as they had quarrelled over our chicken that had been feeding in Rumona’s house.
“Me, I am not staying here,” she said. “Leo niRumona, kesho ni baba yako?” I told her to quickly arrange her things after which we left our home and we went to our two-roomed massionette at Mwisho wa Lami market centre.
Fiolina was so happy and although we only had a mattress and a few other items, she said: “This is better than the quarrels I undergo.” I had talked to a mkokoteniperson who carried some of our stuff from the home to the market centre. We, however, agreed that he carries the things at around 7 p.m. so as to avoid the prying eyes of our people.
His property
However, when he went to pick our things, my father blocked him, saying that everything that was in his home was his property. We, therefore, left everything behind.
To celebrate our new independence, I bought a kilo of beef which Fiolina gladly prepared. And although we slept on a mattress that was on the floor, Fiolina really liked this.
News that I had moved to a two-roomed house at the market spread in the entire region, and this found itself in the staffroom the next morning. It all began after I stepped in to reconcile Lutta and Mrs Atika, who had strongly differed over a small matter – chalk. You see, the quality of chalk in our school is very poor and Mrs Atika had bought for herself a packet of dust-free chalk. From this, Lutta had stolen a few pieces thus the quarrel.
“Guys, we are colleagues in the same staffroom, so why are we quarrelling,” I said. “We need to be more than just colleagues, we should be friends.”
Madam Ruth supported me. It was at this level that Rumona entered the conversation.
“Kuna watu wanajifanya hapa atipeace-makers and they can’t bring peace in their homes until they run away!” she started
“Tell us more!” said Anita.
“Wenyewe wanajijua,” she said. Even before she could say more, Juma entered the staffroom and immediately after taking his tea said: “Dre, kwaniyou moved, today I saw you in our plot very early?”
If you did not know, although Juma has his home, his second wife, Madam Ruth, stays in a house in the same plot where I had rented a house.
Full attention
“Yes, I moved a little nearer the school so that I can give my full attention to the school,” I said.
“That is very good,” the HM said. “I hope you can now start preps every morning since you are now nearer the school.”
The same day, my brother Pius called me to find out why I had moved. I clearly told him that we had had irreconcilable differences with my parents thus my move.
I am coming home so that we can discuss this, he said. “You need to go back home.”
Pius arrived on Thursday morning. He wanted us to meet at our home but I refused. We agreed to meet at Kasuku Hotel at lunch time.
I found Pius, my father and mother waiting for me. We went straight to the discussion where Pius said that I had to move back to our home.
“We need someone near our parents to support them since Ford and I are far away.
“Yesterday we slept on empty stomachs because there was no one we could ask money for food from,” said my mother. “Please come back.”
Although I always give my father money, he never admits as much but that was the first time he admitted that I help him. “Even if you cannot return, can you promise that you will continue helping us?”
I immediately knew that this is the reason they had called for a reconciliation meeting.
I told them that I would think about it and give them an answer. But clearly it was clear that all they were interested in was for me to continue supporting them financially. For that reason alone, I will not be returning at home!