ALMANAC: It is time

ALMANAC

Dry lips sticking together on mouths deprived of water but a presence of hope lingers, a new wind blows through the uncombed untamed natural African hair that defies gravity,

My people defy all odds and though oppressed are able to stand.

The white van moving at a high speed, in it a multitude; dark skinned and high spirited, the van transporting souls to whence they came

Empty stomachs, but minds filled with thoughts, thoughts of a brighter horizon ahead like the orange sunset over hill communities that shone before them.

They still hear the promises made by the Politicians echo in their ears, many a time it’s been all lies, but my people still have hope.

Time after time, they hear the words of the false leaders delivering false hope, and feeding their true belief with fake promises that never get fulfilled,

My people don`t lose hope.

The van drives on the dusty brown road that was never restored, through the townships that was never developed, metal roof sheets stained brown from rust, houses with paint fading like autumn leaves, densely populated, highly polluted, living together like abandoned sheep with no Shepherd.

The van dashes on the road, its tires bounce off every pothole that is on every side of the road.

My people sit, stand, crowd themselves in this free transport, lifting their hands, palms raised forward or clenched fists; it doesn`t matter.

My people hunger but crave for change.

My people die from lack of knowledge of truth, they sleep hungry if they ever sleep at all, they are over worked or unemployed, they are called dogs, gorillas or pigs, they are beaten, raped and hated.

My people live in houses that are eaten by rats, eat food that would never be eaten by a rich man’s dog, they live today with no assurance of tomorrow.

My people wear clothes that are worn out, they have no shoes for the soles of their feet. They people walk in the ghettos mad with no one to help, sick with no money for medication, jobless and have no pension.

As they ride that van they remember that once again they assembled to hear the manifesto of those who wish to possess the Iron throne, there they were thronged together with many who suffer a similar fate.

Once again a fire was kindled in them, adrenaline as the dashing van made their hearts nearly burst but my people burst into music at the rhythm of their heart beat,

The bumpy roads of their lives lead to this road where a multitude of people not knowing each other scampered for free transport in a long van that taking them back to their devastated homes.

A new wind blows, it is time, ALMANAC, and the time is here,

Mulenga recalls the promises and resounds them, his voice stronger than bull, “change! It is time for change”, his face transforms into one like a warrior as he raises his voice above the sounds of the vuvuzelas and the honking of the van, to what he recalls the Politicians saying,

Chansa joins in the harmony, she is too old to stand in the van she sits, but her voice stands up for her, she feels it in the breeze a new wind blows, in her mind thoughts of her children at home, hungry and uneducated,

“Change! It is time for change,” Her old hands, tired from years of toil but no profit are raised in the air and her strength is found in them as she beats the sides of the open van,

Emasiku, seats at the corner of the van, trying to prevent himself from falling over and ending his life, “his life” he thinks is a waste, he has no education, no job , no happiness, he silently contemplates the promises that he previously heard, and sceptically wonders if they will be ever be fulfilled but he is interrupted by Mwelwas` dancing, yelling and shouting; his beard long and dirty, his hair braided and his dark skin sparkling in the sun, his body decorated with political colours and his cheerful spirit fuelling the van,

“Change! It’s time for change,” he has many problems but worrying is not one of them, Mwelwa lives for the thrill.

His smile is contagious and everybody catches it, he shouts slogans and Mweenda responds, the multitude in the van joins her.

Her high pitched voice nearly lost from all the shouting that took place today, she can feel it and she surely believes it, she would rather live in the dream than dream to leave.

Standing at the front of the back of the open van is her malnourished body like a spear on the head of the van, she uses the little strength she has to support herself whilst she pulls off her chitenge and lifts it high in the Sky, like a flag, she holds it as firmly as a flag pole, the emblem of her youth is decimated in the atmosphere;

the old man on his tired bicycle, the mother crossing the road with a baby tied to her back, the children across the road stained by the mad playing soccer, the men in taverns drinking their worries away, the women selling vegetables by the road side under the pressures of a troubled economy; all standing on the red sand and yellow patched of grass, they all catch the sounds being echoed from the overloaded van.

Something is coming and it is coming soon, ALMANAC, it is time, time for change.

Time to change our mind sets, and set our minds for greater things, a greater stronger, more united Zambia.

Time to change social inequality with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, that all may benefit from a country rich with natural resources to rise up.

Time to end all gender and political violence, to respect the freedom of opinion and tolerate the freedom of choice.

Time to open our eyes and spot the thieves in our midst, time to bring about the full potential of all the resources under the Zambian sun, its already fast growing economy to reap benefits for the poor as it does for the rich.

Time for the young to work and the old to rest, time to end poverty and suffering, to live like human beings, with jobs and pensions like Kings and Queens of a mighty land that Zambia is.

Time to change the social divisions of the stinking rich and the stinky poor.

Time to bring about prosperity and opportunity for all, bring out the potential of the Zambian people a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic country that possess multiple blessings that multiply every day.

Time for a country rich natural resources, a scalable economy and a beautiful people to unite and rise up,

Time for ALMANAC, time for change.

One Zambia, One Nation