The Dew

by Gladwell Pamba // April 27, 2020 // No Comments

21 of 21 Truphena’s birthmark on her left thigh resembled the crescent moon similar to her late great great grandfather’s. He was said to have had an all-seeing eye that saw into the future and people consulted him. People thought... Continue reading →

The Milk

by Gladwell Pamba // April 26, 2020 // No Comments

20 of 21 Timina was milk:   She gave you the side you wanted to see. She could be yoghurt, ghee, sour milk, fresh, powdered or skimmed milk. To her mother, Timina was a pleasant child except on few occasions... Continue reading →

The Ant

by Gladwell Pamba // April 25, 2020 // No Comments

19 of 21 Wekesa’s entire family perished in a road accident. At the time of the accident, Wekesa was at his grandfather’s place where he had spent the night. People called him The Lucky One, even though the ulcer on... Continue reading →

The Blindsnake

by Gladwell Pamba // April 24, 2020 // No Comments

18 of 21 Lumbasi had a fancy English name, Leonard, that people in the village pronounced as Liyonadi. This name was stolen all the way from Rwanda where his father traversed with his trucks transporting cables and sometimes petrol. The... Continue reading →

The Hedgehog

by Gladwell Pamba // April 23, 2020 // No Comments

17 of 21 Sifuna’s body odor was the heaviest burden he carried around his neck, back, body like yoke, that gave him a slouched frame and stole little joys. In school, they called him namukholondo, a smelly black insect that... Continue reading →

The Thunderstorm

by Gladwell Pamba // April 22, 2020 // 1 Comment

16 of 21 Everybody knows that Majimbo was born during a heavy downpour in the middle of the night, a starless night, a freezing night. It is said that his mother’s labour was a burst pipe, a raging river breaking... Continue reading →

The Snake in a Pot

by Gladwell Pamba // April 21, 2020 // No Comments

15 of 21 The glorious thing about corona besides missing school, is now we look like super stars, like Jet Li, like the formidable Rick Ross, like The Rock or those dangerous people in movies. We are wearing masks, even... Continue reading →

Beard + Circumcision = Husband

by Gladwell Pamba // April 20, 2020 // No Comments

14 of 21 We are standing by the roadside counting motorbikes and cars, decreeing that they were ours: the boxers, the Toyotas, the Mahindras. We shout, mine! Mine! Mine!   Just two years and we will be real men, Majimbo... Continue reading →

Mad Dogs

by Gladwell Pamba // April 19, 2020 // No Comments

13 of 21 It has been disconcerting seeing our fathers arrive in the house earlier than chicken to avoid whipping. We used to think adults are brave, but they are cowards and fear whips. In fact, Timina and I are... Continue reading →

Million-Dollar Business

by Gladwell Pamba // April 18, 2020 // No Comments

12 of 21 Majimbo is brave, but if he is washing his hands, it must be a serious matter. We are washing our hands and we are washing our hands and again, we are washing our hands. You stand to... Continue reading →