Diary of a Mjengo girl

In this kavillage of ours, the construction of the Ruaha-Ifakara road is buzzing with activity. This ambitious project is bringing together a mix of local laborers and international workers, each contributing their unique flair to the effort. Among them is Jacques, a French engineer with a knack for turning everyday situations into amusing adventures. Jacques is introducing a playful twist to the construction site, inspired by an old French legend. Each morning, he is secretly adding a pinch of harmless herbal powder to the workers’ breakfast, claiming it’s a special blend for enhanced energy. A proof of the tale that when you want a man to drink anything you just tell them " inaongeza nguvu za kiume ." The powder, however, is nothing more than a mix of dried mint and turmeric. At lunchtime, Jacques is serving a sweet, fruity dessert, which he dubs the “antidote” for the morning’s herbal mix. Jacques is watching with satisfaction as the crew begins to feel mildly unwell thro...

In this kavillage of ours, Kiberege, where gossip traveled faster than the boda bodas that zipped through the dusty roads, Wamaku’s maternal cousin Hamida has been the subject of much discussion in the recent past. Hamida, a spirited young woman in her early twenties, has a reputation that causes many of the village elders to raise their eyebrows and cluck their tongues in disapproval. You see, in Kiberege, the idea of a woman enjoying a drink is as scandalous as a chicken deciding to swim in the village pond. It is simply not done. But Hamida, with her bright smile and infectious laugh, just like her cousin the foreman, has a mind of her own. It all started one fateful evening when the village was celebrating the annual harvest festival. The air was thick with the scent of roasting maize and the sound of jubilant ululations. Hamida, dressed in her favorite kitenge, had been helping her mother prepare chapatis all day. By sunset, she was tired but excited to join the festivities. As th...