Dear readers,
This week, the village witnessed a scene that many are still struggling to process, a strange mix of spectacle and sorrow. After weeks of speculation, worry, and complete silence from his family, Anganga Che Chitekwe has returned.
But now, what should have been a quiet, dignified homecoming for a respected elder turned into something that left most of us deeply uncomfortable.
He came back not in silence or rest, but in parade.
James, ever the mastermind behind Anganga Che Chitekwe’s public image, and Aunt Martha, his fiercest defender, staged what can only be described as a mobile political theatre. Before the sun had fully risen, the village was abuzz. Loud whispers spread faster than the morning breeze: “He’s back. Anganga Che Chitekwe is back.”
Instead of resting at home, recovering from whatever condition had taken him away, Anganga Che Chitekwe was dragged, almost literally, from house to house. Like a returning hero from war, only this time the war seemed to have been fought inside his own body.
Dressed in a faded overcoat, Anganga Che Chitekwe was hauled from compound to compound. His eyes looked tired. His voice barely audible. He waved only when prompted, and most of the time he didn’t seem to know where he was.
But James didn’t care. “Let the people see the lion has returned,” he declared, as if Anganga Che Chitekwe was still the roaring beast he once pretended to be.
At every stop, James gave his own speech, one hand on Anganga Che Chitekwe’s shoulder, the other in the air. “Our elder has come back stronger, wiser, and ready to lead!” he bellowed, as villagers looked on, shocked at how weak and exhausted Anganga Che Chitekwe truly appeared.
Aunt Martha followed close behind.
There were no campaign posters, no drums, no slogans, just hushed concern.
“He looks sick,” murmured one woman. “He should be resting.”
“This isn’t campaigning,” said another. “It’s cruelty.”
Some children ran alongside the entourage out of curiosity. Others stood back, afraid to speak.
The elderly shook their heads, and many of the women clutched their chitenjes tighter. Everyone could see the truth: Anganga Che Chitekwe was not well. Whatever had taken him away had clearly taken a toll. He looked a shadow of the man who once dominated village debates with fiery speeches and oversized glasses.
And yet, through it all, James and Aunt Martha kept the show moving. They smiled, they waved, they insisted. “You see? He is fine. He is back!”
But no one is fooled.
The conversation in the village now has little to do with his bid to come back to the Committee of Elders and everything to do with human dignity. Questions are being asked quietly but firmly: Why are they forcing him into this? Why is his health being sacrificed for a dream that may not even be his anymore?
There’s a sense of sadness now when Anganga Che Chitekwe’s name is mentioned.
What was once laughter at his wild antics and exaggerated confidence has turned into worry.
People are not mocking him. They are praying for him. Because what we saw this week was manipulation. It wasn’t strength. It was a man being paraded like a banner in the wind by those who should be protecting him.
James and Aunt Martha have a lot to answer for. And maybe, just maybe, this latest stunt will finally make the village stand up and say: Enough. Enough of the shows. Enough of the deception. Let Anganga Che Chitekwe rest.
Let him go out with the dignity he deserves. Until next week, I remain concerned and watchful as James insists that Anganga Che Chitekwe is as fit as a fiddle for a come back into village politics.
