The Hidden Motive (Conclusion)

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The aftermath of battle was clear for everyone to see. They came unannounced and wreaked terror. They did not discriminate; man, woman, child, or goat, all were killed. There was no warning. They still had 24 hours, but what made Uncle Mwaluga’s men strike is still a mystery.

They came in the shadow of the darkness and started the slaughter. Most people were preparing meals outside their huts. A neighbor saw what happened to another and screamed. The warriors of the village tried to assemble, but it was like the enemy knew where to strike. There were no weapons (they mysteriously vanished), the commanders were missing and it was too dark to judge where the attack was coming from. To the defenders, the attack came from everywhere.

As the massacre continued, the attackers failed to notice their own running to stop them. They just heard a scream, a spear was sent her way and she was silent. As her friend rushed to try and save her, a knife passed through her throat. Once they were done they left as mysteriously as they came.

In the morning one could see billows of smoke from the village. The other community decided to come over for a visit. They knew what had happened, they wanted to come and see or finish whatever or whomever remained. Mama Anita was passing by a familiar figure. She stopped and looked closely.

“No it can’t be. No please, no. ANITA!!!!”

She tried to wake her daughter up, but it was all in vain. Her ‘people’ gathered around her. They too were shocked. They had killed their own, trying to protect themselves. Mama Anita pulled on the spear, maybe it was the barrier between her and her daughter, but it was too late. Uncle Mwalugha came forward and fell on his face. He wept like a baby. His niece was a victim of what he thought was a victory.

As the assailants wailed and wept, there was movement around them. Within minutes they were surrounded. It was a trap. No wonder the weapons and the army generals were not present. They were using some poor unfortunate people to act as bait to give them a chance to finish off their enemy.

However, Mama Anita was weeping too loudly to care and this attracted the attention of a young man in the opposing strike force.

“What Anita?”

He ran to the weeping mother only to find someone else close to him.

“MWANAIDI?!!”

Mama Anita raised her cloudy eyes and tried to make out who the young man was. It was Anita’s fiancé. Mwanaidi it would seem was his sister.

The community on the outside was ready to avenge their own. The community surrounded had resigned themselves to die. They had no weapons, just like their victims on the previous day. The enemy was moving closer and the circle was getting smaller.

“WAIT! STOP!”

The young man rose after realizing it was futile to raise the two people who meant the world to him from the dead.

“Can’t you see? We are killing each other left, right and center and it is solving nothing. We knew the enemy was going to attack us. We had an informant in your village. We knew you would strike today night, but we planned ahead, and I am glad we did so. However, we still had regrettable casualties. I have lost my sister and my bride to be. This lady (pointing at Mama Anita) has lost her family, husband and daughter. Other people have also lost their loved ones too. The question is when will this stop? What are we fighting about? Why are we killing each other? What do we hope to gain? I refuse to fight.”

With that he dropped his spear and knife. He went back to try and reconcile with the two loves of his life. Everyone else was looking at each other. They had heard what the man said and everyone was trying to find answers to his questions, to justify why those different from them should die.

Uncle Mwalugha rose. “This war started a long time ago. The fathers of our two communities were brothers, though not related. They were adopted by an elderly rich man. Surprisingly they were the only children in the homestead as their foster father had never married. When he died the brothers were left to share what he left behind. However, there was a disagreement and the brothers fought. There were two pieces of land. One fertile and with good soils, the other, a semi-desert where the earth refuses to support life. Where we live. We have been trying ever since that day to take back what is rightfully ours and force you to feel what we have been through. The man who was killed 15 years ago, it was done by us to start the war. Unfortunately we suffered the most, and it would seem today we will suffer more. Well, I guess the best community won.”

With that he bowed his head down, and resigned himself to his fate.

(The End)