Saturday. The weather was sunny and sweet. With that feeling of walking the length and breath of Kenya. The couple felt it should not be wasted. They were paying a visit to a family friend nearby.

The family friend leaved in a heavily iron gated building with their six year old son, Nzomo.

They were there in no time. Mokwele knocked on the door and the woman came to open the door and ushered both of them in after greetings had been exchanged in their local dialect.

“A beautiful Saturday.” Mokwele added.

Upstairs, a tiny voice was singing and there was the sound of football hitting the floor:

Wakyumwa katambanga

Musumbi na muka na kana koo kanini

Mookie kwitu tukethanie namo-ka

Methia ndekw’o kana kanini kasya

“Ethiwa ndekw’o tukoonana ingi uni”

[One early Sunday morning

The King and his wife and little child

Visited to greet us

But they didn’t find me

The little child said

“If he is not in we call again tomorrow]

“Are you going to keep quiet up there!” Nzomo’s mother shouted.

“Children must be children.” Mokwele’s wife said smiling.

“If only you know what I go through with that boy.” the other woman complained.

“I was once there.”

Nzomo came down still singing and bouncing the ball on the floor.

“Mummy, I want to go and play football.”

“And you are taking your manners to the football field?” his mother scolded.

“Good afternoon ma’am, good afternoon sir. Can I go now?”

“It is Saturday, you should be home doing your assignment.”

“No, mummy! Daddy?”

“Your assignment first.” His father said.

“Please, mummy!”

“Who are you going with?”

“Pili.”

“Where is he?”

“Outside.”

“Make sure you are home early.”

“Thanks, mummy.” He was dashing out to meet Pili.

“Are you going to the football field in your slippers?”

“I cannot find my sport shoes.”

“Then go and look for them.”

“I remember now, they are outside.” He lied and dashed outside. He had left his sport shoes in school the previous day and was too afraid to tell his mother.

“The football field is just there where I can put an eye on him.” The mother said

Outside, he held the ball in his right hand and walked along with Pili while they talked.

“Do you know what I want to become when I am out of school?”  Nzomo asked.

“I don’t know.” Pili replied.

“Yeah, I want to be a famous footballer and play for the Harambee Stars.”

“Why?”

“I want to travel the whole world, make money for my parents and make people happy.”

“I want to be President like Barrack Obama.” Pili said.

“Why would you like to become a President?”

“Because I want to be President of Kenya.”

“My daddy said when people say they want to become President they say all the nice things, but when they become President they don’t do what they say.”

“I’m going to be a different President.”

“I just want to play football and enjoy it!”

© Eberekpe Whyte

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