Our village of 15,000 strong just received
A windfall from the national coffers: 500 million cash,
A golden egg compared to the city village of 700,000.
Our village mandarins declared a celebration party
To mark the fortune. They imported the food,
The flowers, the beverages, and the music.
The chief’s and guests’ seats were hired at a high price,
Including ladies to fan and wipe sweat streams,
Making the celebrants comfortable, with nyash dancers
Through links of cousins, cousins’ cousins, and beyond.
We gave out allowances to the guests
For finding time out of their busy schedules to grace us,
And sought experts to advise on how to budget and spread
The windfall among the citizens, guided by principles
Of equity, equality, and equanimity.
They stayed in exotic hotels near the coast,
Breaking out to swim and savor the coast’s flavors,
All at our expense.
The wise committee budgeted limousines,
Mansionettes for the governor, deputy, and speaker—
A token of goodwill from our chief and loyal subjects.
They budgeted SUVs for the chief’s travel and advisers,
Favorably remembering their spouses,
Who needed cushioning from the rough rides
Of our village potholes, and budgeted them
Several allowances. Then came the advisors,
With several frivolous allowances scattered here and there
As a condiment to good governance and wisdom.
When it came to the mwananchi, we were already
Indebted to the brokers and cartels. What remained
Was change and peanuts, like grains for a fowler.
This was chipped into the CDF, bursaries, infrastructure,
Repairs, and painting, when we remembered
That good politics required some launching by the Leader.