DAR ES SALAAM: DEAR Nephew Milambo.
I greet you in the mighty name of all our Nyamwezi ancestors, led by the fearless and ever-victorious Chief Mirambo, whose wisdom still echoes through the hills and valleys of our beloved Ukumbisiganga.
May our great Nyamwezi God Limatunda continue to spread His mighty shield over you, your family, our relatives, the elders, the children, the goats, the cattle, the chickens and even those stubborn village dogs that bark at visitors as if they own the entire kingdom. I hope that everyone in our beloved village is in good health and good spirits.
I trust that the rains have been kind to your crops, that the granaries are filling up nicely.
Here in the confused city, we are all doing well by the grace of Liwelelo. Life continues at its usual breathtaking speed. Sometimes the sun becomes so hot that even the shadows appear to be sweating. By midday the tarmac shines like freshly polished black leather.
Your aunt is also doing well, although she continues to remind me that my greatest talent is forgetting where I leave my keys. According to her, if forgetfulness were an Olympic sport, I would not simply win the gold medal, I would forget where I had placed the medal immediately after receiving it.
My dear nephew, a few days ago your aunt and I decided to travel to another region where she was supposed to lead a youth seminar and she requested me that I should accompany her.
That day we woke up very early before sunrise, packed our bags, checked the vehicle carefully and began our journey with cheerful hearts. The weather was pleasant, the road was smooth and we were happily discussing everything from family matters to whether goats secretly laugh at human beings whenever we are not watching.
My dear nephew, everything was peaceful until we encountered a group of traffic police officers standing beside the road like hunters patiently waiting for unsuspecting antelopes. One officer stretched out his arm with such confidence that I briefly wondered whether he was directing aircraft instead of vehicles. Your aunt slowed down and stopped respectfully.
The officer approached us wearing the serious face of a man who had personally discovered every traffic offence ever committed since the invention of the motor vehicle. He greeted us and told us that we were over speeding.
My dear son, l was genuinely surprised because your aunt was driving at a snail’s pace after she spotted the 50 kilometres warning post. I politely requested to see the reading on the speed monitoring machine because I was quite certain we were driving carefully, especially since the road section required motorists to travel at no more than fifty kilometres per hour.
The officer suddenly became very uncomfortable. He told us that there was no need to see the machine because that will be wasting his time. My dear nephew, that answer confused me more than a chicken trying to solve a mathematics examination.
I politely insisted, and told him that if we had broken the law, then he should show us the evidence. Instead of producing the machine, he simply repeated that we had exceeded the speed limit.
My dear nephew, even our village chief settles disputes by allowing both sides to present evidence. Here, however, evidence appeared to have gone on annual leave. When the speeding accusation failed to convince us, another officer arrived as reinforcement, looking extremely determined to discover a crime somewhere.
ALSO READ: Kiswahili expands global reach
He slowly walked around our vehicle, examining it as though he were inspecting a spaceship that had just landed from another planet. Then his eyes landed on our tyres.
“These tyres are worn out.” I nearly laughed.
Those tyres had been purchased only a few weeks earlier. They still had deep tread and looked almost brand new. I politely explained this, but the officer shook his head dramatically. Since the tyre accusation also failed to achieve the desired result, the officers changed tactics once again.
They demanded that your aunt produce her driving licence. Unfortunately for them, by this time your aunt had become thoroughly annoyed. She calmly folded her arms and refused to produce it.
You know your aunt, my dear nephew. She is normally one of the calmest people you will ever meet. But when she believes someone is being unfair, she becomes as immovable as the ancient rocks surrounding our beloved Ukumbisiganga. The officers then declared that we should accompany them to a nearby police station so that the matter could be concluded.
I politely asked them to explain the matter, whether it was the invisible speeding evidence or the miraculous brand-new worn-out tyres. They did not appreciate my question.
We also refused to drive to the police station because we believed we had done nothing wrong and no proper explanation had been given. My dear nephew, for almost half an hour we remained there while the discussion went round and round like a dog chasing its own tail.
Finally, your aunt remembered that one of her friends was a senior police officer. Without wasting another minute, she took out her phone and called the officer. She calmly explained exactly what had happened. My dear son, as soon as the traffic officers realised whom she was speaking to, the atmosphere changed faster than weather before a thunderstorm.
Their stern expressions suddenly became friendly, their voices became softer, even their posture improved. One officer smiled so broadly that I wondered whether he had suddenly remembered his birthday. After a few polite conversations among themselves, they returned our documents and wished us a safe journey.
My dear nephew, this experience taught me that honesty sometimes requires patience and courage. It also reminded me that public servants should always treat citizens fairly, professionally and according to the law.
Most police officers carry out their duties with integrity, but whenever anyone abuses authority or attempts to pressure people unfairly, it undermines the trust that should exist between the public and law enforcement. Please continue growing into an honest and principled young man. Respect the law, but also know your rights.
Never offer bribes, never demand them, and always stand for what is right with courtesy and patience. A good name is worth far more than any shortcut gained through dishonesty. Give my warm greetings to everyone in Ukumbisiganga. May Limatunda continue blessing you all and may the mighty spirit of Chief Mirambo inspire courage, wisdom, unity and laughter in our beloved village until we meet again.