It so happened just like drama just like video. There used to be a notorious paka ya jirani in the plot where I lived with my parents when I was kush yule m.small.
So one day mum is preparing food, amekatakata matumbo (at the time my favourite food) into manageable pieces. She steps out for a few minutes and guess what the cat gets into the house through the open window and snatches a piece of the meat. Mimi huyo nimetulia hapo inje nategea msosi ikue ready. Kidogo paka imechomoka na piece ya matumbo ile ya black hukaa kama blanketi, kwanza inavurutia chini. Nimetoana nayo mbio ikanishinda. Ilibidi nimeiwekea ‘wanted’.
So the next day I spot the cat imetulia inakula siesta. Nikaingia kwa keja nikatoka na weapons zangu za mass destruction namely kerosine na matchbox. Nimekuta paka bado imezubaa nikaiosha na hio kerosene, ikahepa ikajificha hapo kando ya dustbin. Nikaikuta huko before ijue ni aje kunaenda nikawasha kiberiti na kuirushia. Paka ikawaka moto. Ile kuchanganikiwa ikatoka mbio kama imeingia kwa keja ya jirani, wagithomo fulani. Alikuwa na tabia ya kuwacha mlango wazi akitulia kejani. Paka hio ikaingia straight chini ya kitanda. Kidogo pazia ikashika moto, wagithomo naye akatoka inje mbio akiwa confused anashindwa ni mapepo gani tena. All this time am standing there not knowing what to do.
Being a weekday and most of the guys were not around the fire spread so fast with no one to help contain it. Before we knew it most of the two roomed mbao houses were on fire. By the time the fire brigade crew arrived there was not much to be salvaged. Hio usiku tulilala inje before moving to my uncle’s place for temporary shelter. It was somehow a blessing in disguise as finally mzee agreed to move to a better house.
Up till today hawajawai jua I was the cause of the fire. Waluya na wajaluo being the majority tenants in the buloti, blamed it on uchawi.
hahaha another rascal there. This reminds me how we burned 2 new manyangas (we called manori, still dont know how the name came up) It was early 90’s and being rascal we had cigarettes and match boxes, so during brake time we would go near the then NCCK garage which was just next to our primary school to try smoking. It was around June, July and very cold. so as we puffed and coughed, we lit a small fire to keep us warm and confuse wasororaji with the smoke. After the bell rang we ran back to class and left the fire burning. The fire spread to the garage and burned 2 new 58 matatus to shells .