People applauded.
The policemen hesitated for a while, but then they pounced on Matigari, handcuffed him and threw him into the darkness.
The crowd booed. They all began singing:
Show me the way to a man
Whose name is Matigari ma Njiruungi,
Who stamps his feet to the rhythm of bells.
And the bullets jingle.
And the bullets jingle.
The minister growled. He tried to raise his voice. He shouted:
I have banned all the songs about Matigari ma Njiruungi! I have also banned all dreams! This is a new law! Do you hear? All subversive songs and dreams are banned! ’
The people continued singing. The police cocked their guns. The meeting is over! ’ the minister shouted. ‘Go home! You have all been dismissed! ’
'And don’t stop on the way! You are not allowed to walk in groups of more than five people, ’ the police chief added.
But the people sang louder than ever before. Some started shouting for the release of Ngaruro wa Kiriro. Others shouted slogans, ‘Down with theft and lies! ’
I have also banned crowds in the village, the Provincial commissioner added. ‘I have authorised the chiefs to use their powers as provided by the Chiefs Act. They may arrest anyone found roaming about the village without sababu’
The people rose as one and heaved towards the minister, still standing as though they wanted to go into the small room to free Matigari ma Njiruungi, Ngaruro wa Kiriro and all the other political prisoners.
The police commissioner blew his whistle. The police and the army came rushing in and drove the people out with the butts of " Sababu (Kiswalili): reason. their guns. People screamed and dashed out of the hall, heading for their homes. But as soon as they got to their places, they spoke of nothing else but Matigari ma Njiruungi, Ngaruro wa Kiriro and the brave university students.
‘What? ’ asked those who had not been present.
‘He said that the days of the imperialist robbers and their servant Boy are numbered. ’
‘The forty days of a robber? ’
‘And when those days are over? ’
‘Really! Must you have everything spelt out for you? ’
‘He will come back. He did not say exactly when, but he will surely come back. ’
‘What a wonder! And his name? ’
‘Matigari ma Njiruungi. ’
‘It’s quite true. Everything that has been said is true. There are two types of people in this country. There are those who sell out, and those who are patriots, ’
‘Matigari ma Njiruungi is a patriot. ’
18
In the mental hospital, Matigari ma Njiruungi and Ngaruro wa Kiriro talked nearly the whole night about the workers... peasants... freedom fighters... revolutionaries... about all the forces committed to building a new tomorrow for all our children... Amen,
They became like student and teacher. Each was both a student and a teacher to the other.
The birds began to sing:
If only it were dawn,
If only it were dawn,
So that I can share the cold waters with the early bird...
19
No government, not even the most repressive, has ever managed to silence the voices of the masses. The songs spread the wildfire in a dry season. They spread through the villages. The people sang them day and night. They would start with the student’s song:
Even if you kill us,
Victory belongs to the people.
Victory belongs to the people!
They would sing the song of Matigari ma Njiruungi:
Show me the way to a man
Whose name is Matigari ma Njiruungi
Who stamps his feet to the rhythm of bells.
And the bullets jingle.
And the bullets jingle.
But who was Matigari ma Njiruungi?
* * *
1 Matatu: originally an unlicensed ‘pirate’ taxi, Matatus are now a recognised form of public transport, comprising cars or converted pick-ups, usually crammed with passengers, who often engage in lively debate, exchanging news, stories and gossip.
2 Lakini watona cha mtema kuni (Kiswahili): ‘they will be dealt with’.
3 Kiama Kiria Kiratkana: Gikuyu for ‘The Ruling Party’,
PART THREE
Guthera na Muriuki
The Pure and the Resurrected
1
He made the decision while still in the mental hospital. It dawned on him that one could not defeat the enemy with arms alone, but one could also not defeat the enemy with words alone, One had to have the right words; but these words had to be strengthened by the force of arms. In the pursuit of truth and justice one had t be armed with are words.
When the worker in metals returned from where he practised his skill far away from home, and found an ogre starving his expectant wife, did he send the ogre peace greetings? Did he not sharpen his spear?
Justice for the oppressed comes from a sharpened spear. He removed the belt of peace he had worn earlier and trampled it down on the ground.
2
The news was first heard at about 10 a. m. from the Voice of truth. A group of patients had escaped from the mental hospital.
It was not known how they had managed to escape, but the justice suspected that they had used a file to cut through the wire mesh that ran around the hospital.
The hospital administration was completely at a loss as to how the patients had obtained a file, for all instruments of violence such as sticks, razor blades and nails, or anything with a sharp edge, were prohibited. For the prisoners had to be protected from one another.
The police were still investigating, the radio announced. The government appealed to the public to be careful, because the madmen might be carrying dangerous objects.
The public were requested to keep listening to the radio. The police would continue giving reports about the progress made in tracking down the dangerous madmen.
3
... This is the Voice of Truth.,. While waiting for more information on the escaped madmen, we have just received news that Britain and the European Community have given this country a loan of several million pounds for the development of the administration of instant justice. The loan will be used to buy handcuffs, hand and leg chains, uniforms for prison warders, electric fences to help guard the prisons and ropes for hanging those who have been sentenced to death. All the material must be bought from British factories or from the other EEC countries. Part of the loan will be used to send prison warders, high-court judges, riot police and district commissioners abroad for retraining in modem methods of the administration of instant justice. The Minister for Truth and Justice gave a vote of thanks... The United Stales government is requesting the World Bank and the IMF to give this country a loan for the development and the defence of the rule of law, truth and justice..,
The United States government has also said that it would be willing to listen with sympathy to a request to supply this country with Phantom jets, tanks and attack helicopters. The US government spokesman said this when he addressed Congress. He also thanked the government of this country for granting the USA military facilities at the coast...
When the priest heard the news about the escaped madmen, he fell to his knees and frantically began pleading with God... O Lord, you didn’t give me a chance to visit those in mental hospital... So if it should happen that you have come back among us disguised as a madman, remember, O Lord, that I am preparing to go there tomorrow,,.
5
This is the Voice of Truth... A special announcement. The police are
continuing their search for a group of madmen who escaped from a mental hospital. The policemen are also looking for a woman and a boy, who were seen taking food to one of the patients. The police have appealed to the boy and woman to present themselves at the nearest police station, in order to help the police in their investigations.
6
This is the Voice of Truth... This is another special police announcement.. The public are requested to report to the nearest police station, anybody found speaking like a madman, or dressed in rags like a madman, or anyone with unkempt hair like a madman’s or anybody seen asking awkward questions like a madman, or doing things which only a madman would do. The police are saying all those who are not mad must shave off their beards, cut short their hair and keep it tidy at all times. They must not, repeat must not, wear rags...
7
It so happened that, when an elderly woman and her husband were rummaging through some dustbins, they came across posters bearing the pictures of Jesus Christ and Karl Marx.
‘Here are those lunatics we have been hearing so much about! ’ the woman said to her husband.
‘You are right there! They have long hair and long beards, just like madmen! ’ the man exclaimed.
They each carried a picture and headed for the nearest police station.
‘Nyinyi wenda wazimu! the policemen shouted. ‘We want the actual madmen — not their photographs! Go and bring those madmen; or better still, take us to where they are... ’
8
.., This is the Voice of Truth... This is an urgent announcement... The Minister for Truth and Justice has authorised the police to shoot down all madmen... Shoot on sight!...
The police have set up road-blocks on all the roads in their continued efforts to arrest the escaped madmen. Many vehicles, especially buses and matatus, have been searched. It is believed that some of the madmen might use public transport to escape. The police have asked the drivers andconductors of matatus and buses to report anyone with no bus fare, as it is believed that these madmen have no money on them. Other road users have turn instructed to report anybody seen hitching a lift...
10
This is the Voice of Truth... The police have been told not to harass white people even if they are wearing long beards and have unkempt hair or even if they are dressed in rags and dirty clothes, or are hitching lifts, or are without bus fare. The police made this announcement after the United States, and British Governments complained through their embassies here that their citizens are being harassed on the roads in the belief that they are madmen, merely because of their beards and their long, unkempt hair. The Minister for Truth and Justice apologised and warned people. The public were warned against finding fault in people because of their while colour. The chief of police has told the police and members of the public that, in any case, white people do not go mad. The police would like to inform the public that the escaped madmen, with the exception of me Asian, are all black...
11
This is a special announcement... This is a special announcement...
The police have shot one of the escaped madmen. He has been identified as Ngwaruro wa Kiriro. He was rushed into hospital in a critical condition. Before he was shot down, he demonstrated violent tendencies and boasted that he was going to make the rest of the workers mad. He even tried to influence the security forces, by telling them that they too were workers and that they were being used by the government of capitalists, landlords and imperialists as watchdogs...
12
... A special announcement,.. The police have revealed that one of the escaped madmen is the one who calls himself Matigari ma Njiruungi, The public are warned that this man is particularly dangerous because he has delusions that everything belongs to him: houses, the land, the industries and even all the women. This is the second time this week that this madman has slipped through the fingers of the law. The first time was after he had been arrested on Mr John Boy Junior’s land. He demanded the keys to his house by force. It is still not known how he managed to break out and escape from the cell, he was taken to the mental hospital yesterday after shouting down the Minister for Truth and Justice. The Minister was speaking at a meeting held to resolve a dispute between striking workers and their employers. The police are still investigating how a woman and a boy were allowed to take him food after the court had ordered twenty-four-hour surveillance over him. The police are still waiting for the woman and boy to appear and assist them. Police have also been sent to guard John Boy Junior’s home.., and John Boy Junior has been assigned bodyguards to protect him from Matigari ma Njir- uungi...
13
At the time Matigari, Guthera and Muriuki were sitting under a leleshwa bush trying in vain to keep cool under the little shade of its leafless branches. The sun was blazing, hotter than the hottest coals, and scorched them mercilessly. The grass withered and wilted in the heat.
‘This scorching sun makes the heat of the day before yesterday feel like ice by comparison, ’ Guthera said.
Yes, and yesterday was such a lifeless day, ’ Muriuki said in response. ‘It was neither hot nor cold. ’
'This kind of heat harbours ill, ’ she added.
Matigari lay on his back. He used his coat to support his head. He covered his face with his hat. His snoring was like the roar of a lion in the wilderness. Guthera and Muriuki were just sitting on the grass. Guthera wore a lasso of white and black paint, with patterns all over it. She wore this round her shoulders. Muriuki’s clothes were still covered with patches of all the colours of the rainbow.
Let’s wake him up, ’ Guthera said; but by the time she had finished the sentence, Matigari was already fully awake.
Let’s go, ’ he said. His voice did not betray the fact that he had just woken up.
"But where are we going? " asked Muriuki.
‘To the house! ’ Matigari answered him.
Muriuki and Guthera exchanged glances. He still wanted to go back to the house that had got him into all these problems?
"Isn’t it better for you to leave those people alone? ’ Guthera asked. ‘Yes, isn’t it much better for you to stop asking too many questions, better for you to forget the house and save your life? seal your lips? ’
You mean that I should seal my life in a tomb of silence? that I should abandon all the produce of my head and hands? leave everything to parasites? The labour of he-who-sows to them -who-never-sow? Listen to me, Guthera. This world is upside-down, but it must be set right again. For I have seen that in our land today lies are decreed to be the truth, and the oath is decreed to be a lie. Theft and corruption have become the order of the day. That is what people pride themselves on. Should the shepherd and the shepherdess let the wolves and hyenas herd their sheep for them? This world is indeed upside- down, and it must be set to rights again. The builder wants a place in which to lay his head. The tiller wants his harvest. The worker wants the produce of his labour. We have refused to be the cooking pot that just cooks and never tastes the food. Or do you want our women to continue trading their bodies for a few coins? Our children too, do you want them to continue scavenging in dustbins for left-overs, like vultures? Boy will never sleep in my house again. ’
‘Supposing they arrest you again, and take you back to prison, or to the mental hospital? They might even do something worse to you. ’
‘Let me tell you one thing, ’ Matigari said. ‘Whether they imprison, detain or kill us, they will never stop we who toil from struggling against those who only feed on our toil. Between producers and parasites, there will never be peace, or unity, or love. Never! Supposing our forefathers and foremothers had behaved as if they had no eyes to see, no ears to hear and no tongues to speak? Where then would we be today? Yesterday, yes, only yesterday, I believed that if I wore a belt of peace, I would be able to find truth and justice in this country. For it has been said that truth and justice are mightier than any armed power. That the enemy who is driven out peacefully, by negotiations, never comes back. But the one driven out by force alone always comes back. Yet where did that kind of thinking land me? First in prison, then in the mental hospital. If it were not for the two of you, where would I be today? Still in prison, or in a mental hospital. Since last night, I have now learned a new lesson - or, rather, learned a new and an old lesson. The enemy can never be driven out by w
ords alone, no matter how sound the argument. Nor can the enemy be driven out by force alone. But words of truth and justice, fully backed by armed power, wilt certainly drive the enemy out. When right and might are on the same side, what enemy can hold out? In a wilderness dominated by beasts of prey, or in a market run by thieves, robbers and murderers, justice can come only from the armed force of the united oppressed. Boy will never again sleep in my house for as long as I live. ’
‘And from where will you get your armed forces? ’ Muriuki asked him.
Matigari looked at both Guthera and Muriuki for a while. He told them the same story of how he came out from the forest, armed with an AK47, a pistol, a sword and a cartridge belt. He also told them of how he had hidden them under a mugumo tree.
‘How does the saying go? You may well return to places you once left behind. What shall I add to that? You may well return to find an unfinished war. I wilt retrace my steps to where I went astray and resume my journey from there. It is better to build another house altogether - a new house with a better foundation. But what I know for sure is that, for as long as I am alive, I shall never allow Boy to inherit my house. ’
‘Let’s go! Let’s go and get the gun now! ’ Muriuki said excitedly, already imagining himself wearing a gun.
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