In his time he was a lovely father, one who really cared for his family and he made sure we are living mostly above the life styles of the rest of the villagers. He competed with business men in the area in comfort.
He decided to retire to his home in Bikita. I was against this idea but we had some friction due to the my parents and my wife relationship which was characterised by altercations everytime. i used to fervently defend my wife but I was later to see that she was also careless with her words especially when she referred to them. Therefore there was a bit of dramatisations from both sides and i was caught in the middle. My worry though was his own personal life in the rural areas. I let him take his decision which, like the other one of my sister, I regret to this day.
He only lasted a year.
i went to the rural home for the annual Christmas and we did spent a quality time together. i left behind my family to follow. He saw me off. 2 days later joined the rest of the villagers in their drink. He was one to sleep when he has had enough so he came back home to sleep. raphael and Kasongo came home, woke him up and asked him to join them at Rafa's place for another round of drinks. He refused but my mom convinced him saying that is how the villagers do every Christmas and new year so he cannot separate himself from the rest. Fine and fair he later joined them. On arriving he was handed a cup full of seven days beer. Just as he drank, a young man tried to stop him because he knew they had laced his beer but it was too late he had already taken the beer. he started behaving strangely and walked back home in stupor, he walked past home. tangwara and Nigel saw him and the realised something unusual in what he was doing. the grabed him and took him home.
Some traditional inducement was tried but it was too late so he was taken to Silveira Hospital where he died 3 days later. I was devastated and did not know what to do. Like his own father he died of poisoning. I took the whole family home for the funeral wake. We buried him later on and let him rest. i suddenly took over the burden of the family. Fine and fair i was the one now responsible for everything even when he was alife but his mature and fatherly advices where no longer there.
One day as I prepared to go home from Harare to prepare for his Nyaradzo, he came to me in my dream " son I know you are going home, on the way you will be told about the people who killed me." with these words he disappeared. I packed my bag and went to Mbare Musika. i boarde Manyanga bus and arrived at Nyika with nothing significant to say my dream would be true. I was though still continuing in the bus for my bus stop was about 20 km down the road. An inspector came checking our tickets. His name was Richard, I had made friends with all the Manyanga crew. he just said 'Machururu ndichataura newe manje manje' .
He came back and sat beside me and he bagan to speak' Ndakatakura varume 2 pano apa vakaburukira pa bus stop penyu asi vakati "ko mudhara uyu takamuuraira chii, mwana wach achirikungovhaira'. he descrined them very well that it was clear that it was Kasongo and Raphael. I told my mother about it, initially she doubted me until I told her about my dream. i also told my Uncle, my mother's father about this.
When I got a company car, the 2 being close relatives would not get anyway near or in the car. Just an eye would chase them away. i had not told them about their act but somehow they acted strangely as if i knew their deed. Me and kasongo were supposed to be our uncle's confidantes bt we would not travel together. I would tell him to go alone and meet me there because I did not want him to ride in a car my father never did.
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