By Lutivini Majanja Download pdf, mobi, epub
The houses were identical. Each
house had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a sitting room
and a dining room. The people who built these houses had put single
unit servants’ quarters behind each house. Rectangular units, the
size of upright coffins, shelters for the night watchmen, stood
beside the gates. Landscapers had planted fruit trees; pawpaw trees,
mango trees, loquat trees and guava trees in each compound along the
kei apple hedges and bamboo fences that separated each house from the
next so that every household got two varieties of fruit. Every
evening, our night watchmen came to work with clubs, and with bows
and arrows.
house had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a sitting room
and a dining room. The people who built these houses had put single
unit servants’ quarters behind each house. Rectangular units, the
size of upright coffins, shelters for the night watchmen, stood
beside the gates. Landscapers had planted fruit trees; pawpaw trees,
mango trees, loquat trees and guava trees in each compound along the
kei apple hedges and bamboo fences that separated each house from the
next so that every household got two varieties of fruit. Every
evening, our night watchmen came to work with clubs, and with bows
and arrows.
We had potted money plants
growing up the walls in our sitting rooms. We believed that our
financial statuses could be measured by these plants’ steady
growth. The vines wrapped themselves around our framed graduation
photographs, our wedding photographs, our dead relatives’
photographs, our calendars, our framed certificates, our plaques with
inspirational messages, and everything else we nailed to our walls.
growing up the walls in our sitting rooms. We believed that our
financial statuses could be measured by these plants’ steady
growth. The vines wrapped themselves around our framed graduation
photographs, our wedding photographs, our dead relatives’
photographs, our calendars, our framed certificates, our plaques with
inspirational messages, and everything else we nailed to our walls.
Our children went to school and
came home together. Our maids bathed our youngest children at around
four o’clock on weekdays. They sipped their porridge or drank tea
as they watched our country’s flag fly inside the television. The
National Anthem played in the background. They watched Kipindi
Cha Watoto and other
children’s programs before we returned from our jobs in time to
catch Mambo Leo
followed by Habari,
the news at seven. At midnight, after listening to an invocation by a
priest or kadhi, and the National Anthem, we switched off our
televisions and went to sleep.
came home together. Our maids bathed our youngest children at around
four o’clock on weekdays. They sipped their porridge or drank tea
as they watched our country’s flag fly inside the television. The
National Anthem played in the background. They watched Kipindi
Cha Watoto and other
children’s programs before we returned from our jobs in time to
catch Mambo Leo
followed by Habari,
the news at seven. At midnight, after listening to an invocation by a
priest or kadhi, and the National Anthem, we switched off our
televisions and went to sleep.
Except for the Litunda family at
the corner of our street, we who lived in these houses had not yet
become the people that the planners had dreamed of. We had kales,
cowpeas, beans, or maize sprouting in places that had been designated
for flowers. Some of us bought dog kennels and put the Mbwa
Kali warning on our gates but we
used the kennels as chicken coops. Our hens and cocks roamed inside
Nyota Court but we taught them to avoid the Litunda compound. Mr.
Litunda had no problem with going to the local authorities to report
this kind of trespassing.
the corner of our street, we who lived in these houses had not yet
become the people that the planners had dreamed of. We had kales,
cowpeas, beans, or maize sprouting in places that had been designated
for flowers. Some of us bought dog kennels and put the Mbwa
Kali warning on our gates but we
used the kennels as chicken coops. Our hens and cocks roamed inside
Nyota Court but we taught them to avoid the Litunda compound. Mr.
Litunda had no problem with going to the local authorities to report
this kind of trespassing.
His green gate had the Mbwa Kali
sign even though there was no dog or kennel yet. Mr. Litunda intended
to acquire a police-trained dog to replace the watchman. He was also
looking to be the first to install an electric fence in Nyota Court.
Obed, his gardener, told his upcountry family that he worked as a
caretaker at Hotel Litunda. We all called it Hotel Litunda. We served
our night watchmen tea and whatever leftover we had from supper but
the Litunda watchman got a plate piled with food enough for a
construction worker. Like our watchmen, he’d fight sleep and cold
in his shelter and then in the morning wake up and leave promptly at
six o’clock.
sign even though there was no dog or kennel yet. Mr. Litunda intended
to acquire a police-trained dog to replace the watchman. He was also
looking to be the first to install an electric fence in Nyota Court.
Obed, his gardener, told his upcountry family that he worked as a
caretaker at Hotel Litunda. We all called it Hotel Litunda. We served
our night watchmen tea and whatever leftover we had from supper but
the Litunda watchman got a plate piled with food enough for a
construction worker. Like our watchmen, he’d fight sleep and cold
in his shelter and then in the morning wake up and leave promptly at
six o’clock.
≠
I found Nyota Court in the bricks
and cement stage. I put my kiosk close to the main entrance facing
the road and I got a place to live, a short distance away. I helped
the new residents find maids and gardeners, supplied their money
plants and shared with them the news that never got printed in my
newspapers. The majority only ever bought the Sunday paper as they
stopped to ask me why I did not go to church with them but Mr.
Litunda bought all three newspapers everyday, The Nation, Standard,
and Kenya Times. He would roll down his car window and shake my hand,
his smile revealing big white teeth. His daughter, Berita, sat like a
real boss’s daughter in the back left seat. I always had something
for them, sweets for Berita or flowers for Mrs. Rael.
and cement stage. I put my kiosk close to the main entrance facing
the road and I got a place to live, a short distance away. I helped
the new residents find maids and gardeners, supplied their money
plants and shared with them the news that never got printed in my
newspapers. The majority only ever bought the Sunday paper as they
stopped to ask me why I did not go to church with them but Mr.
Litunda bought all three newspapers everyday, The Nation, Standard,
and Kenya Times. He would roll down his car window and shake my hand,
his smile revealing big white teeth. His daughter, Berita, sat like a
real boss’s daughter in the back left seat. I always had something
for them, sweets for Berita or flowers for Mrs. Rael.
“Mkubwa, support me,” I would
say. “You buy, others follow.” Mr. Litunda would feign protest
when I referred to him as a boss.
“Rono, you want to finish my
money, eh!”
He always paid.
“How much did you charge him
for those shears?” other residents of Nyota Court would ask.
“Five hundred.”
“Po!” They turned me away
but, given enough time to see Obed trimming the fence with his new
tool, they found money to spend.
“Just like Mr. Litunda’s,”
I’d say, “and I can give you a better price.” Business was
good. I could see my kiosk growing into a supermarket, then me and my
wife packing up the shack, sleeping and waking up inside Nyota Court
like our rich neighbours. I started saving money to fix my chipped
teeth. I knew they made my customers uncomfortable, especially when I
laughed. There was so much to laugh about those days.
≠
We enjoyed the parties at Hotel
Litunda. We ate and drank without bothering about how much it cost or
the cleaning up afterwards. The Ng’ethes and the Pendos also hosted
gatherings in their houses that they wanted us to believe were also
parties. These were not real parties; their radios did not boom as we
expected them to. Their get-together events always turned into
lengthy prayer sessions, impromptu fundraisers, and attempts to prove
that they were just as well off as the Litunda family. The most
recent disaster had been the Pendo’s new pressure cooker that
produced pulpy overcooked beef.
Litunda. We ate and drank without bothering about how much it cost or
the cleaning up afterwards. The Ng’ethes and the Pendos also hosted
gatherings in their houses that they wanted us to believe were also
parties. These were not real parties; their radios did not boom as we
expected them to. Their get-together events always turned into
lengthy prayer sessions, impromptu fundraisers, and attempts to prove
that they were just as well off as the Litunda family. The most
recent disaster had been the Pendo’s new pressure cooker that
produced pulpy overcooked beef.
At Berita’s birthday party,
Mrs. Rael announced that she was going to work abroad. London, she
said. Mr. Litunda would visit during his leave before joining them
permanently. We shouted congratulations and offered to help with the
moving but we had just arrived at that point where the Litundas were
no longer the only Nyota Court residents with a car, and now they
were announcing themselves as more special than us by flying in
aeroplanes.
Mrs. Rael announced that she was going to work abroad. London, she
said. Mr. Litunda would visit during his leave before joining them
permanently. We shouted congratulations and offered to help with the
moving but we had just arrived at that point where the Litundas were
no longer the only Nyota Court residents with a car, and now they
were announcing themselves as more special than us by flying in
aeroplanes.
“Rono, keep an eye on Mkubwa
for me,” Mrs. Rael said.
“But we must do business.” I
said.
“Ah Rono,” she said. “I’m
sure there’s a big house that side.”
She pointed to the back of her
house, further beyond where my neighbours lived in
four-walls-and-a-window homes and trekked past Nyota Court twice a
day to and from their places of work. I laughed but all I could see
was that my big dreams were flying away with Mrs. Rael. Afternoons
and weekends I was at Nyota exchanging and selling plastic buckets,
dresses, old irons, shoes and mirrors. Mrs. Rael often supplied me
with some of these items, old things that she had already replaced
with newer things. I didn’t always sell everything she gave me,
some things I preferred to keep.
house, further beyond where my neighbours lived in
four-walls-and-a-window homes and trekked past Nyota Court twice a
day to and from their places of work. I laughed but all I could see
was that my big dreams were flying away with Mrs. Rael. Afternoons
and weekends I was at Nyota exchanging and selling plastic buckets,
dresses, old irons, shoes and mirrors. Mrs. Rael often supplied me
with some of these items, old things that she had already replaced
with newer things. I didn’t always sell everything she gave me,
some things I preferred to keep.
Mr. Litunda without his wife and
daughter had no need for a maid, so Gertrude left. Obed’s job
expanded to both gardener and cook on the same salary. The watchman
still had his job and Hotel Litunda was intact though Mr. Litunda
drove off most of the time, hardly ever stopping to buy my newspapers
or anything else I had to sell. I had to jump in front of his car to
get his attention.
daughter had no need for a maid, so Gertrude left. Obed’s job
expanded to both gardener and cook on the same salary. The watchman
still had his job and Hotel Litunda was intact though Mr. Litunda
drove off most of the time, hardly ever stopping to buy my newspapers
or anything else I had to sell. I had to jump in front of his car to
get his attention.
“And the travel plans, Mkubwa?”
“Soon, very soon,” he said,
“Madam sends greetings.” He’d then tell me that he was in a
hurry before driving off. I couldn’t even sell him my new gadgets –
the penknife, the special booster television aerial and rabbits I had
found that might have interested Berita even if she was in London. I
still had newspaper customers and replacing Mr. Litunda was not
impossible. Ah, but this was a big setback.
≠
We did not expect Mr. Litunda to
greet us at the bus stop but if he remembered to wave at us, we waved
back because we had nothing against him. He had never been the type
of person to stop and offer a lift, even on rainy days. We noticed
that his “soon” departure date came and left the Christmas,
Easter and Madaraka Day holidays behind. Obed left Hotel Litunda
after Christmas. “Eish!” was all he could say about what
happened. We imagined him telling his family that Hotel Litunda had
shut down. We did not want to press him to share his money problems.
We had our own. We monitored our watchmen and when we caught them
sleeping, we released them from their jobs. We hired welders to
burglarproof our windows and doors. We told ourselves that all we
needed to protect ourselves was our former watchmen’s bows and
arrows hidden under our beds. Our children played telephone inside
the watchmen’s shelters.
greet us at the bus stop but if he remembered to wave at us, we waved
back because we had nothing against him. He had never been the type
of person to stop and offer a lift, even on rainy days. We noticed
that his “soon” departure date came and left the Christmas,
Easter and Madaraka Day holidays behind. Obed left Hotel Litunda
after Christmas. “Eish!” was all he could say about what
happened. We imagined him telling his family that Hotel Litunda had
shut down. We did not want to press him to share his money problems.
We had our own. We monitored our watchmen and when we caught them
sleeping, we released them from their jobs. We hired welders to
burglarproof our windows and doors. We told ourselves that all we
needed to protect ourselves was our former watchmen’s bows and
arrows hidden under our beds. Our children played telephone inside
the watchmen’s shelters.
Mr. Litunda now received phone
calls at the Ng’ethes home because the fools at Kenya Posts and
Telecoms had accidentally disrupted his connection and he was fed up
waiting for them to come back and fix it. On the Ng’ethe’s phone,
he stood next to the front-door cupboard talking to Mrs. Rael. He
sometimes put his head in the cupboard for privacy. They heard
everything anyway. To keep him from talking for too long, Risper
Ng’ethe stopped offering him a chair. To cut short his shouting,
the Ng’ethes lied that they were also expecting important phone
calls from abroad. He, for a long time now, had not had an office to
go to with his briefcase and shiny polished shoes. Still, Mr. Litunda
left every morning driving his car, always in a hurry.
calls at the Ng’ethes home because the fools at Kenya Posts and
Telecoms had accidentally disrupted his connection and he was fed up
waiting for them to come back and fix it. On the Ng’ethe’s phone,
he stood next to the front-door cupboard talking to Mrs. Rael. He
sometimes put his head in the cupboard for privacy. They heard
everything anyway. To keep him from talking for too long, Risper
Ng’ethe stopped offering him a chair. To cut short his shouting,
the Ng’ethes lied that they were also expecting important phone
calls from abroad. He, for a long time now, had not had an office to
go to with his briefcase and shiny polished shoes. Still, Mr. Litunda
left every morning driving his car, always in a hurry.
Mr. Litunda was denied a visa. We
heard that London only had a shortage of nurses. They had everything
else, even astute businessmen like Mr. Litunda. Mr. Litunda was not
the only one stranded in Nairobi. We saw many husbands, whose wives
were also nurses, who had also waved at aeroplanes rising out of Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport, left behind with promises that could
not pay for their houses and for their food. These husbands escaped
from Nairobi, in breaking down cars and on buses, to upcountry
villages to die in houses that they had never intended to live in
before reaching their sixties. We did not worry; Mrs. Rael had been
the only nurse among us.
heard that London only had a shortage of nurses. They had everything
else, even astute businessmen like Mr. Litunda. Mr. Litunda was not
the only one stranded in Nairobi. We saw many husbands, whose wives
were also nurses, who had also waved at aeroplanes rising out of Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport, left behind with promises that could
not pay for their houses and for their food. These husbands escaped
from Nairobi, in breaking down cars and on buses, to upcountry
villages to die in houses that they had never intended to live in
before reaching their sixties. We did not worry; Mrs. Rael had been
the only nurse among us.
We allowed Mr. Litunda to
persuade us to pay him to drive our children to school instead of
using the school bus. The overcrowded school bus broke down too often
and was always late, he reminded us. The school term was not yet even
halfway and our children complained everyday: He makes us cover the
floor mats with newspapers every Monday. And cover the seats with
lesos to keep them clean. Also no talking in the car. He plays that
one cassette over and over, they screamed. We did not tell our
children that Mr. Litunda’s taxi was cheaper than the school bus.
persuade us to pay him to drive our children to school instead of
using the school bus. The overcrowded school bus broke down too often
and was always late, he reminded us. The school term was not yet even
halfway and our children complained everyday: He makes us cover the
floor mats with newspapers every Monday. And cover the seats with
lesos to keep them clean. Also no talking in the car. He plays that
one cassette over and over, they screamed. We did not tell our
children that Mr. Litunda’s taxi was cheaper than the school bus.
≠
It was not yet August, not yet a
year since Mrs. Rael travelled when Mr. Litunda stopped his car, now
a taxi, beside my kiosk. The same white car Obed had cleaned every
morning was now old and dusty like a farm car. Mr. Litunda’s
gleaming white teeth popped out as he smiled like a politician.
year since Mrs. Rael travelled when Mr. Litunda stopped his car, now
a taxi, beside my kiosk. The same white car Obed had cleaned every
morning was now old and dusty like a farm car. Mr. Litunda’s
gleaming white teeth popped out as he smiled like a politician.
“Brother, how is business?”
he asked.
“I can’t complain,” I said.
“We need to talk seriously.”
“Mkubwa,” I said, “when do
we meet?”
“The shopping center, today?”
he said.
That evening, he waited until my
bottle was half empty before he started to explain things.
bottle was half empty before he started to explain things.
“I will be frank with you,
things have been a little rough,” he said.
“Oh!” I said.
I acted impressed while he
presented his plan. His house needed a fresh coat of paint, a new
sofa set and some new electronics. All these improvements for Mrs.
Rael and Berita’s Christmas visit.
presented his plan. His house needed a fresh coat of paint, a new
sofa set and some new electronics. All these improvements for Mrs.
Rael and Berita’s Christmas visit.
“First,” he leaned forward,
before saying why I mattered. He needed to get rid of the old things.
These things complicated his plan.
I met him at his house to collect
the first item. The sofas, though intact, were covered with
over-washed, fading, covers. The usual photographs in glossy frames
hang on the wall. The new additions, one of Mrs. Rael in her nurse’s
uniform and another of Berita in a class, stood out in their wooden
frames. The money plant was dying. With few leaves to cover the vine
that extended from the pot in the corner and up what had once been a
bare white wall, I could see the yellowed cello tape and nails that
had been used to keep it on its path. Brown leaves drooped over the
curtain boxes. When he went to his bedroom to retrieve something, I
stepped into his kitchen, filled a cup with water and fed it to the
plant. Mr. Litunda returned with the big radio that I had always
admired. We packed it in a carton box and fastened it with sisal
ropes on the bicycle, and then he led me to the back gate instead of
the front one I had come through.
the first item. The sofas, though intact, were covered with
over-washed, fading, covers. The usual photographs in glossy frames
hang on the wall. The new additions, one of Mrs. Rael in her nurse’s
uniform and another of Berita in a class, stood out in their wooden
frames. The money plant was dying. With few leaves to cover the vine
that extended from the pot in the corner and up what had once been a
bare white wall, I could see the yellowed cello tape and nails that
had been used to keep it on its path. Brown leaves drooped over the
curtain boxes. When he went to his bedroom to retrieve something, I
stepped into his kitchen, filled a cup with water and fed it to the
plant. Mr. Litunda returned with the big radio that I had always
admired. We packed it in a carton box and fastened it with sisal
ropes on the bicycle, and then he led me to the back gate instead of
the front one I had come through.
Mr. Litunda was excited about the
money I gave him for the radio a few days later. He pushed a note on
my palm before folding and pushing it away. “Very good, very good
my brother!” I stopped calling him Mkubwa after that, he was just
Joseph. Not a boss. He was not happy with the returns on the sofas
and the suits and after that he had nothing big to sell and nothing
new to tell me. My house was now fully furnished with an excellent
radio, good sofas and my money plant was still growing green and
strong.
money I gave him for the radio a few days later. He pushed a note on
my palm before folding and pushing it away. “Very good, very good
my brother!” I stopped calling him Mkubwa after that, he was just
Joseph. Not a boss. He was not happy with the returns on the sofas
and the suits and after that he had nothing big to sell and nothing
new to tell me. My house was now fully furnished with an excellent
radio, good sofas and my money plant was still growing green and
strong.
≠
We heard from Mr. Pendo, who
worked at the bank where Mr. Litunda kept his money, that nothing had
come from London. We were told that Mr. Litunda had recently caused a
scene at Post Bank insisting that his name was on the Western Union
money transfer list. The tellers at the Post Bank branch on Banda
Street were quite familiar with the man in a brown suit, Mr. Litunda.
Our children’s schools closed for the long holiday. Mr. Litunda’s
taxi also went on holiday.
worked at the bank where Mr. Litunda kept his money, that nothing had
come from London. We were told that Mr. Litunda had recently caused a
scene at Post Bank insisting that his name was on the Western Union
money transfer list. The tellers at the Post Bank branch on Banda
Street were quite familiar with the man in a brown suit, Mr. Litunda.
Our children’s schools closed for the long holiday. Mr. Litunda’s
taxi also went on holiday.
We went to Risper Ng’ethe’s
special prayer meeting for the Litunda family. We planned to share
all our concerns about his situation. We were surprised and
disappointed when Mr. Litunda joined us in his brown suit. We were
uneasy when he called us my sister and my brother. We feared that he
expected to depend on us as if we were his relatives and not just his
neighbours. Risper Ng’ethe reminded us that she had forgiven him
for making those long distance calls on the phone without permission.
He had after all originally only asked for permission to receive
calls, not to make them. Mr. Litunda accepted the forgiveness he was
offered. This Mr. Litunda whose humility denied us the pleasure of
sneering at him embarrassed us all. We were there to pray for the
return of a neighbour who planted flowers, and never considered
cooking with charcoal or kerosene. The Ng’ethes and the Pendos had
certainly failed to come close and we knew that without him, our
vision of ourselves as residents of Nyota Court was lost forever. We
prayed.
special prayer meeting for the Litunda family. We planned to share
all our concerns about his situation. We were surprised and
disappointed when Mr. Litunda joined us in his brown suit. We were
uneasy when he called us my sister and my brother. We feared that he
expected to depend on us as if we were his relatives and not just his
neighbours. Risper Ng’ethe reminded us that she had forgiven him
for making those long distance calls on the phone without permission.
He had after all originally only asked for permission to receive
calls, not to make them. Mr. Litunda accepted the forgiveness he was
offered. This Mr. Litunda whose humility denied us the pleasure of
sneering at him embarrassed us all. We were there to pray for the
return of a neighbour who planted flowers, and never considered
cooking with charcoal or kerosene. The Ng’ethes and the Pendos had
certainly failed to come close and we knew that without him, our
vision of ourselves as residents of Nyota Court was lost forever. We
prayed.
We watched the auctioneers pick
through what was left of Hotel Litunda. We collected enough money to
put Mr. Litunda in a bus with his remaining possessions. We wanted
him to go like other husbands and start a new life, get a new wife,
have children and find new ways to be important upcountry. We
promised to visit him. We encouraged him to call us and tell us how
he was settling, but we were relieved when he never called. We would
not have known what to tell him if he asked about our lives.
through what was left of Hotel Litunda. We collected enough money to
put Mr. Litunda in a bus with his remaining possessions. We wanted
him to go like other husbands and start a new life, get a new wife,
have children and find new ways to be important upcountry. We
promised to visit him. We encouraged him to call us and tell us how
he was settling, but we were relieved when he never called. We would
not have known what to tell him if he asked about our lives.
A new family moved into the
former Litunda house. This family did not care for dogs, flowers or
chickens. They found a tenant for their servant’s quarter. They
added an extension to the servant’s quarter so that they could have
two additional rooms to rent out. They did not host parties. We
believed Mrs. Pendo and Mr. Pendo when they murmured about the banks
stealing money. We were in that time when nobody had a car except
that new neighbour.
former Litunda house. This family did not care for dogs, flowers or
chickens. They found a tenant for their servant’s quarter. They
added an extension to the servant’s quarter so that they could have
two additional rooms to rent out. They did not host parties. We
believed Mrs. Pendo and Mr. Pendo when they murmured about the banks
stealing money. We were in that time when nobody had a car except
that new neighbour.
≠
Mr. Litunda found his way back to
Nairobi. He stood at the junction near our bus stop. He had replaced
his brown suit with a green trouser and a red shirt – the colours of
our flag. We heard him shout, “Attention! Jogoo! Attention! Fuata
Nyayo!” “The Cock” and
“follow the footprints” were
slogans that we heard every day from our radios and our televisions
and in the songs that our children were taught in school. Mr. Litunda
never talked politics so we who remembered him could not draw any
connections to his past. From the bus stop we watched him direct
traffic like a policeman but drivers learnt to ignore him because of
his incoherent signals. We greeted him and he greeted us, but we did
not encourage him to keep talking to us.
Nairobi. He stood at the junction near our bus stop. He had replaced
his brown suit with a green trouser and a red shirt – the colours of
our flag. We heard him shout, “Attention! Jogoo! Attention! Fuata
Nyayo!” “The Cock” and
“follow the footprints” were
slogans that we heard every day from our radios and our televisions
and in the songs that our children were taught in school. Mr. Litunda
never talked politics so we who remembered him could not draw any
connections to his past. From the bus stop we watched him direct
traffic like a policeman but drivers learnt to ignore him because of
his incoherent signals. We greeted him and he greeted us, but we did
not encourage him to keep talking to us.
“Is that you Joseph?” I asked
him. “When did you come back?” I asked him again just like
yesterday and every day since he had returned.
“Rono!” he shouted. “Nairobi
is in my blood!” He saluted this time and then continued to chant
his slogan, “Nyayo! Jogoo!” His answer did not satisfy me but I
wasn’t going to ask him to explain himself. His teeth were still
that brilliant white; they hid his embarrassing problems when he
smiled while I still used my tongue to cover my cracked teeth even
though my troubles were far less than his. I had newspapers to sell.
I waved my newspapers at the fast approaching cars.
A blue car slowed down to a stop.
“Mkubwa, how are you doing?”
I greeted the driver in the car.
“Nation and Standard please,”
he said.
“Left right left right,”
Joseph chanted as he marched away.
I glanced at Joseph Litunda
returning to his self appointed task. I shrugged as I passed this new
Mkubwa his papers. He paid, rolled up his window, and drove away.
returning to his self appointed task. I shrugged as I passed this new
Mkubwa his papers. He paid, rolled up his window, and drove away.
~~
Lutivini
Majanja
is
from Nairobi, Kenya. Her writing has been published on Kwani?,
McSweeney’s and The Golden Key. She holds a B.A from the University
of Nairobi and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of
Maryland.
Majanja
is
from Nairobi, Kenya. Her writing has been published on Kwani?,
McSweeney’s and The Golden Key. She holds a B.A from the University
of Nairobi and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of
Maryland.
~~
~~
Also in this Issue
Short Stories
Poems
