Intriguing new sensation at Wa Muyanza’s local

There’s a brand new mhudumu at this noisy but popular bar in my neighbourhood. She’s so special that I didn’t immediately realise she was a mhudumu.

Why, her physical appearance wouldn’t impress you. She’s a bar employee, or indeed, any establishment’s employee. She isn’t more than four feet tall, but that wouldn’t matter if she were a bit meaty.

She was short and quite slim. One of the kitimoto section's staff is more or less of the same height as hers, but you wouldn’t confuse him with a primary school kid because he’s fattish.

But the petite girl has the proportions of a nice little schoolgirl!

Your curiosity towards the new employee leads you to a gossipy conversation with Stella, the accountant, to whom I ask, “Hey, Stella; you people will be in trouble with the Social Welfare Department, for sure.”

“Why are you saying that, Mzee Muyanza?” Stella asks.

“The ka-small serving drinkers here, I notice, are youngsters who should be in lower primary school, si ndiyo?” I say.

In response to that, instead of saying something, the massively built Stella roars into laughter.

It’s like I’ve said the most ridiculous thing ever uttered since Creation Day. She continues laughing even as she cuts short our conversation in order to handle orders from the wahudumu and my fellow counter customers.

Earlier on, as I sat on a stool having my beer straight from the bottle as usual, I had felt someone’s head touch me just before my waist, and I had said to myself, What the heck? It’s upon checking out that I noted it was the head of a little girl.

My first thought was that a crime was taking place right here beside me, literally.

Our laws forbid persons under 18 not only from drinking alcohol but also from being in places where alcohol is sold or being taken.

Ni marufuku, that’s the Law!

So, you asked yourself, Who has sent this kid to this noisy place to buy beer for them? Kumbe, this isn’t some kid sent here to get drinks by some unconscionable parents; she’s actually a mhudumu like any other!

Having sorted out her counter customers and the wahudumu with their trays, Stella turns to face me and says in a mocking tone, “So, mzee, you were suggesting that ka-girl should be in school and not working as a mhudumu in a bar?”

 “Yes, of course—she’s obviously too young to work here… You’re engaging in child labour, and that’s criminal!” You charge.

“How wrong you are, Mzee Muyanza!” says Stella, who’s laughing at me again, adding, “This girl is much older than most of our other wahudumu here, and besides, she’s a mother of two… I’ve only one child who is younger than her lastborn… Ask her if you want to prove what I’m saying.”

Duh! That’s all I say as I order myself my third and last beer after I leave.

Verifying Stella’s assertion on the petit mhudumu’s social status is something I’ll do on another day, maybe.