Chokwadi ndechekuti kabasa kandanga ndapihwa ndiko kaifaniropihwa koporo vanenge vachatanga chingonjo, asi ini mudhara ane bvudzi jena, ane makore akutosvika makumi matatu ari pabasa ndakakandwa uku nekuti vakuru vakanga vaindibatirira. Asi iyo yatova imwe nyaya hayo. Ndichiri munzira chiovha-ovha chakarira, zvikanzi naSajeni, “Zuze, mhanya kubasa izvozvi. Kwaita nyanya kuno. Ovha.”
Ndakarova kabhizautare kangu, tande, nekuti ukasakurumidza vakuru vadana, basa rinogona kukuperera ukakwangwaya. Vaindiona ndakapomba munaEnterprise vaiti kamudhara aka kanenge kasvikirwa. Ndaienderana nemota chaidzo zvekuti miti yemupuranga mucheto menzira ndanga ndisingatomboiona. Tumakomba twakazara mumugwagwa ndaingopinda, tubwi, ndichisiya ndamwaya mvura yainaya muzhizha.
Pandakasvika paMorris Depot, ndakaona vakomana vachimhanya-mhanya kunge nyika yava kuguma nemoto weSodhomu. Misindo yavo yaiti dhi, dhi, dhi patara senge vane nyundo kunze kwetsoka.
“Zuze, mhanya-mhanya, mdara. Chaputika mudhorobha,” ndiNdlovu uyo aindidana. Ndakaona anga akapfeka riot yake, full gear chaiyo.
“Uthini mfowethu?” Ndakapindura nechiNdevere nekuti ndakambenge ndagariswa kwaBurawayo nyika payakawana kuzvitonga kuzere.
“Mfowethu, mfowethu chiiko? Chatsva muguta, Zuze, Sajeni vati munhu wese ngaapinde mugear.”
“Kana neniwo?”
“Usaite kunge mbwende so. Munhu wese arikupinda nhasi. Unofunga vangakusiye wakamira kunge chitunha kuzvikoro mune mabiribobi muguta? Manya unopfeka, ukanonoka uchaenda uri musvuu kunge nzungu.”
Ndakamhanya ndichinzwa achidevedzera kuti “Simudza gumbo, harisi rako…” Sezvinei, nebasa redu iri, zvinhu zvinogara zvakarongeka mumba yenhumbi. Vakomana vaikatanura hembe dzamazuvaose vachipfeka dzebasa chop-chop chaiyo. Hazvina kumbotora nguva, ndakanga ndatosimira hembe yeruvara rweutsi, bhurugwa riri reruvara rwedenga, nemumusoro – nguwo yakasimba kunge damba mbishi. Muruboshwe ndaiva newuko, kurudyi ndine tsvimbo, mutsoka, ndakapfeka shangu dzangu nhema dzaipenyeswa nezuva. Ndiyo gear yanga yakapfekwa nevamwe vedu iyi.
Ndakanopinda padandaro apo vebato rangu vanga vakatomira kuti twi, pasina arikufamba. Sajeni kumberi vaideedzera nezwi riri pamusoro-soro:
“Pinda mumutsetse, wanonoka, Zuze! Varume woye, nhasi, ndiri kuda zvitunha. Mazvinzwa here kumashure uko? Nhasi vachachema kuti amai. Hazviitwe muguta mangu zvavari kuita izvi. Bodo. Kwete muguta mangu. Tanzwisisana here?”
“Hongu, ishe,” takapindura tose. Patiri nehembe dzebasa, taiita kunge mhuka imwe chete, ine chinangwa chimwe.
“Ndati nhasi kunofiwa. Vatamba nemago iwo vasiri wekwa Mhofu. Mazvinzwa here, machinda?” vakashedzera Sajeni.
“Hongu, ishe,” takadavira nehukasha.
Takamira takadai, tichinzwa Sajeni vachishaura, tanga tatova imbwa dzapihwa mhiripiri. Vakawanda vakomana vaivepo vaiva majaha anotemwa dzinobva ropa, asi kana nesu ana makeyi takatozvinzwawo ipapo.
“Muri kumirirei apo. Pindai mumota. Pindai, Pindai, Pindai!”
Takamhanya tichinopinda shure kwemaLandrover nemaSantana anga akatimirira. Yangu ndakatobata yava kufamba ndikaita zvekushetukira mukati. Pane akashedzera kuti “Ninja”, asi handina kuona kuti ndiyani. Tanga takazara kunge pakisimusi. Ndagara, ndakaona, hezvo, ndiNdlovu akagara parutivi pangu. Maziso ake anga akatsvuka kuti piriviri, zvairatidza kuti anga adziputa.
Kwese, kwese tainzwa mota dzichichema bopi, bopi, bopi, takacheka munaChinamano kuti tinobata Fourth. Mhepo yaitirova tiri shure, mota ichigujumuka zvekuti ukasabatisisa waidhonha, woita munyama, dzaitevera kumashure dzaikupwanya senhanga. Mota dzepovho dzaisuduruka, isu varidzi veguta tichimhanya zvedu. Vetsoka vaingotarisa vachiti asi chava Chimurenga? Pamarobot aFourth na Samora Machel, takangopinda ari matsvuku. Kamwe kasawara kaitoda zvekufamba kunge tsikombi kachitaura parunhare, asi sporo yakakarova tauya! Kakapona neburi retsono nekuti kaigona kufira ipapo.
Takapinda muna Nelson Mandela, takanaga Africa Unity Square. Mapato ese aiziva kwaari kunosiiwa. Chinangwa changa chiri chokukomba guta, tobvisa mhandu dzaikonzera mhirizhonga.
Takaburutswa pedo nepariyamende, tiri kumucheto kwemugwagwa. Muna Africa Unity Square manga makazara kuti ta nevanhu. Vaiita kunge masvosve chaiwo. Mureza weZimbabwe waizeya nemhepo. Magonhi epariyamende anga akapfigwa, varimukati vasunga mbariro. Kurimwe divi, panaSilundika na Third, paiva nemahofisi makuru eOld Mutual. Mberi, paunosvika pana Jason Moyo, ndipo paiva nehotera yeMeikles. Chandakatanga kufunga ndechekuti, chikatsva pano, vemadzibasa – vashandi mumahofisi, nevatishanyira vekudzimwe nyika vachaona mhirizhonga. Chokwadi zvainyadzisa.
Vanhu vaiva pakati, padariro raAfrica Unity Square vaiimba. Vaiimba karwiyo kekushoropodza vachiti, “Dzemadhisinyongoro povo yaramba/ dzemadhisinyongoro povo yaramba…” Vamwe ndivo vairidza ngoma, pakati pedariro paiva netukomana twaitamba kongonya yekwaBorder Gezi chaiyo. Muchawonga maiva nemadzimai akapfeka mazambiya nemadhuku, vamwe vaiva vanhurume, majaha ne mhandara zvaivemowo. Ndakaona vamwe vainge mhuri, baba naamai, baba vakatakura mwanasikana pamapendekete.
Magirazi epa Meikles aipenya nezuva remasikati. Kwaipisa asi povo yaidzivirirwa nemimvuri yemiJacaranda nemiPine, miti yaive muSquare macho. Pandakakura, Harare ichiri Salisbury, painzi Cecil Square zvichirangaridza Cecil John Rhodes, bhunu rakaisvoronga kuti nyika yedu ipambwe. Chero marongerwo etwunzira twepo twanga twakagadzirwa twakachekana kuti varimudenga vaone mureza weBhuriteni uya unonzi Union Jack. Pakatizve ndipo paiva nemvura yaipfachuka-pfachuka mukachisipite kakaumbwa nemaoko.
Paiva nemurume akanga akamira aripamusoro, akabata loudspeaker muruoko achisvevedzera nechirungu, iye ari mutema, munyika yevatema:
“The price of bread has become unaffordable for the ordinary man on the street. Everyday prices are going up, we are hungry, yet those we voted into power are driving around in their airconditioned Mercedes Benz!”
Vamwe vakaridza muridzo, vamwe vachisvedzera kuti, “Taurai, Save, munotaura chokwadi.”
“We are here to tell the government that enough is enough.”
Haiwa ndaifunga kuti ava ndivo vekumaUniversity, vaya vanotaura chirungu chemuduramazwi. Ndakamira ipapo ndichiti murume anotaura chokwadi uyu. Netumari twangu twekubasa twushomanana, mhuri yangu yakanga isisakwanisa Lobels kana Aroma. Mangwanani ndanga ndamwa hangu svutugadzike ndikatsenga chimupotohai nembambaira dzandanga ndabikirwa naMai Bhoi.
Mupovho maiva nevanhu vakabata zvikwangwani zvemavara akawanda zvakanyorwa zvichemo zvavo. Vamwe ndivo vaidemba mitengo, vamwe vaigunun’una kuti havana mabasa, vamwe vaiti hurumende ngaichibva. Asi pavari vese apa, hapana aiita musindo, vaiisa zvichemo zvavo murugare rwaKristo. Ndinganyepa ndikati panga pane mhirizhonga.
Kumativi kainga kwakamira vaya venhau, vaya vanopona neghuhwa. Pavari paiva nevarungu, ava taiziva kuti vaimiririra mapepa emhiri kwemakungwa. Mashoko avo ainyadzisa hurumende mumaziso edzimwe nyika. Vatema vaive veHerald, kana mamwe mapepa omuno.
“Vamwayei chiutsi, vakomana,” Izwi revakuru rakaupa pazviovha.
Pasina kana nguva takaona vemagidi voanangisa mumhepo.
“Fire!” Sajeni vakashedzera.
Takangonzwa magu-gu-gu, ndokuonda muchaonga mopfumbuka utsi kunge makore edenga. Povo yakatanga kuchema ichiti, “Yowe, amaiwe.” Maiva nevaikosora, misodzi ichierera. Chiutsi chakaipa hama dzangu, hachisi chekutamba nacho. Vakatanga kutiza nekuti dariro ranga risisagarika nemweya wetsvina wanga wazaremo. Asi kwavaitizira panga pasina nekuti takanga takavakomba. Takaona vaimhanya vakananga kwanga kunebato redu, Sajeni vakati:
“Munhu ngaarohwe semunhu, vakomana.”
Ndakaona Ndlovu osimudza ruoko achirakasha kamwe kamupfanha kanga kave pedo. Yavo yanga iri nhamo yefodya yemudzanga, uko kwaiva neutsi, kuno kunemazino eMaBlack Boots. Vamwe amai vakangoyerekana vavepadhuze ndikavarova bendekete netsvimbo yangu.
“Mwari we!” vakachema vachidzokera kuutsi. Yakanga yava mhirizvonga. Ndaingonzwa vanhu vachichema. Kwese kwanga kuzere maBlack Boots achitinha vanhu. Chero mombe iri pagejo hainzwarwo.
Ndakarova kamwe kamukomana, kadhonha ndikakakava mumbabvu. Pane akakanda chidhinha chikarova wuko. Simba racho rakaita kuti mabhonzo emuviri wangu agedegede. Dai pasina wuko ndakatofa ipapo. Kamukomana kandanga ndarova kakamuka kakarova sporo senge tsuro murutsva. Handina kuona nyakupotsera chidhinha, asi ndakabva ndarova vamwe baba vaimhanya vachipfuura.
Hamenho kuti unosvikirwa nechii panguva dzakadai asi ndakarova munhu semhuka. Sajeni vaisheedzera vachitiraira pekumira, vachitinangisa kune vanga vasina kurohwa. Asi kune vaipoya. Povo yanga yakawandisa, isu tiri vashoma. Vakomana vechidiki ndivo vaiedza kurwisa, asi vakanga vasina zvombo kunge isu. Mumwe akandirova musoro nechikwangwani, ndokubva atinhwa naMuvingi aive pedo neni. Takamurova kusvika tara yatsvuka neropa.
“Rovai, rovai, varovei,” Sajeni vaikurudzira, apo vachiriga rimwe zihofori ranga raita munyama kuuya padhuze navo.
Varume, vakadzi, vana, chembere neharahwa, vose taingorova kunge mwana wemunhu mumwe. Pane murume aidzedzereka akabata kuoko rwerudyi, bhonzo richionekera panze. Vamwe ambuya vaichema kuti, “Mwanangu wakundiuraya,” kunaBhimha aivatinha. Neukoko Chasisi akasvetuka akakava kamwe kamuchinda. Ndakabwaira nekuti akaita kunge ari mubhaisikopo rekung-fu raibuda Chishanu paZBC.
Mumhirizhonga umu ndakamira kumbotura mafemo. Ibasa guru, rinonetesa kunge kusakura pamugwazo. Ndlovu akanditarisa achinyemwerera.
“Machemberaka, mudhara, hamucharigona,” akataura Ndlovu.
“Fokoro mupfana. Ndakapinda basa iri usati wazvarwa,” ndakamupindura.
“Bvuma wasakara, bvuma waunyana,” akataura Ndlovu.
Mashoko ake akandipa ukasha, ndikabva ndatandanisa imwe mvana ndikairova kuti Ndlovu aone kuti ndichiripo. Ndakanzwa achiseka, achindikuza mujambanja. Takashanda nesimba zvekuti pasina nguva takanga tabvisa vanhu vose vakanga vakaungana. Chakangosara chete zvikwangwani, mapepa, marara, neropa raiyerera patara. Dariro rose ranga ranyarara kuti mwiro. Mureza waizeya zvinyoro-nyoro mumhepo papariyamende yenyika.
Vaya vanga vanyanya kukuvara zvekuti havaikwanisa kufamba vakauya vachitorwa nemahamburenzi, vachinorapwa kuParirenyatwa. Taingovanzwa vachigomera vakarara pasi. Vaityisa ndevaya vainge vakarara vakati zii, waishaya kuti munhu mupenyu here kana kuti atisiya. Asi tose takadzidziswa kuti rovai muviri, kwete musoro. Taive mapurisa, kwete mhondi, asi panenge pachiitika jambanja, zvinonetsa kunyatsoona kuti chii chiri kuitika. Bato redu rakanzi ridzokere kukamba, vamwe ndivo vakanzi vasare kuona kuti muguta mune rugare rwaKristo. Ndakadzokera mumota, Ndlovu akanyarara ari pedo neni. Hapana aitaura nemumwe. Handizive kuti vakomana vaifungei. Mumwe nemumwe aitaura neMusiki wake nechomumoyo.
Patakasvika, ndakanokatanura nhumbi dzebasa ndikapfeka dzomazuva ose, bhurugwa rejinhi, nehembe chena. Chandisina kubvisa shangu dzangu dzebasa. Sajeni vakapinda mumba mataipfekera vakati:
“Magona basa, vakomana. Ndizvozvo zvatinoda. Hamuone kuti muguta mava nerunyararo. Honai vatishanyira vemhiri kwemakungwa wava kugona kurara zvakanakamuMeikles vasinganzwe ruzha nhasi manheru. Haiwa, chero vakuru vari kumusoro vatiudza kuti maisvonatsa.”
Ini ndakatora twumuriwo twekovho twandanga ndatenga nebhodhoro rekokokora zvaiva muplastic bag.
“Toonana mangwana, varume,” ndakaoneka.
“Ko, uri kumhanyireiko? Dai wambogara mbichana, Zuze, tapfuura nepabhawa,” Ndlovu akataura.
“Inga unoziva Mai Ano vanovava. Uri kuda kundiuraisa?”
“Ramba mukadzi timwe hwahwa, ndigokutengera chingoto,” Chamisa aikatanura nhumbi akashaura, vakomana vose vaive mumba vakatanga kuimba naye.
Ndakaseka hangu, ndikati vari kuda kuputsa musha wangu. Vakawanda vaigara pedo, kuChikurubhi. Ini ndaigara Mufakose. Handaigona kuswera ndichimbeya mumabhawa, mhuri yakandimirira kumba.
“Zuze,” Sajeni vakandidana ndava pagonhi. “Nezviri kuitika izvi, tiri kuda munhu wese kuti asvike pabasa zvinenguva. Mangwana fumobata jongwe muromo, tichatumira mota iri kutenderera ichitora vanhu vese zuva risati rabuda. Handitika?”
“Hongu, ndichagadzirira, shefu.”
Ndakaoneka, ndikavasiya hangu ndoende kumba, kundozorora.
About the Author
Tendai Huchu is the author of The Hairdresser of Harare which has been translated into several languages. His short fiction has appeared in various literary magazines and anthologies. In 2013 he was awarded a Hawthorden Fellowship and a Sacatar Fellowship in Bahia, Brazil. He is currently working on his next novel, The Maestro, The Magistrate, & The Mathematician.
Post published in: Arts