During the 1960s, despite having no TV, we adored international soccer stars. Just like today. Ron Springett – English acrobatic goalkeeper, Pele, Mane Garrincha, George Best (Irish legend) and Eusebio the Mozambican. We, children, exaggerated his strengths. One yarn “confirmed” Eusebio had a kicked a ball so hard that it killed a goat! When I…
The fridge light shines like courtroom truth,Exposing every midnight move.I open doors with noble plans,Then leave with cheese held in my hands. Vegetables decay in shame,While sauces multiply unnamed.The leftovers form ancient states,Governed by uncertain dates. One shelf freezes fruit to stone,Another warms milk on its own.Family members stand and stare,As if fresh meals appear…
The leaf doesn’t think twice before letting go,It knows the roots have held it firm,The branches have swayed it in comfort,And the other leaves have rustled with it in the breeze. The parting is sweet when it is time to go,A voyage of its own,Twirling in the air,Carried away by the wind,Far, far away. As…
The charger beats with quiet grace,Refusing work by morning light.It charges phones in tidy homes,But mine? “Accuracy uncooperative” shows. I twist the wire, hold my breath,Negotiating digital death.One angle works for seconds three,Then power leaves abruptly free. Guests plug in, it works just fine,As if embarrassment is mine.Type surrounds the wretched rock,A patient held by…
How different we have in hues and shades,Yet clasp to one another,Never apart,Dancing together on not skin,A brilliant rainbow of love,Bringing smiles on your face,All seven in a stance. Similarly are our moods,One after another,Happy one moment,Sad another,Upset, annoyed, angry,Joyous, excited,Yet staying putOvercoming it all. Pretty smiles lift up spirits,Covering a blanket over dangerous ones,Just…
As a little boy, my biggest reference for understanding “Wazungu” – (whites) -was my paternal, priest grandfather. Reverend Anaeli Macha, was fluent in Kichagga, Swahili, English and German. Articulate and funny, he not only preached in churches and hospitals, but equally wrote religious books and broadcast etiquette and morality in radios across East Africa, Addis…
Taylor Swift has said that no matter what happens to you in life, do good things to people. Doing so is the most important inheritance you will leave for the world. This wise saying by Swift, an American artist and musician, comes alive in the presence of Rotarians worldwide who give selfless service to those…
Exactly one year after assuming my international duties at the Arusha-based United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), an incident that remains permanently etched in my mind occurred. It was on the morning of 19 July 1997 that my boss, Bocar Sy, at the ICTR offices in Arusha, informed me that we would be…
I recently visited a hospital over a minor discomfort I had ignored for some time. After completing his examination, the doctor calmly explained that I was suffering from an ailment common among “old people.” Instinctively, I looked around the room searching for the elderly person he was referring to, only to realise moments later that…
Sunlight returns at Leganga forests after days of heavy rain. Delicate flowers blossom and sound of birds fill the humid air some shy others curious their colours as vivid as their names. Nearby, I spot a cute Variable Sunbird sit on a branch dive bombs anything that approaches. A few minutes later some serious drama…
