HIS SNACK OF CHOICE

 

Adeladius Makwega – Mbagala

 

On this day, Mwanakwetu went to work at his workplace, but unfortunately, the attendant who used to serve them arrived late. Until around 10:30 in the morning, this Catholic young woman, originally from two regions of Tanzania—Iringa and Mara—had not yet arrived.

 

By custom at their workplace, this young woman would usually go and buy breakfast snacks for them. However, due to her lateness, everyone left at different times to go drink tea at a café.

Mwanakwetu drank plain tea with a piece of boiled cassava, then bought a soda and returned to work. He was not sure what his colleagues had taken.

 

He was unable to finish the piece of cassava, so he asked the café attendant to pack it well together with his soda, then he returned to work.

 

Later, the female workplace attendant arrived late and said:

 

“My child was sick; I just came from taking them to the hospital, that’s why I’m late.”

Those who understood the situation expressed their sympathy, and the attendant continued with her work.

 

By the custom of that place, when the attendant is present, she goes to buy snacks from a certain place where everyone has their own preferred choice, then prepares tea for them. On this day, no one was able to drink tea with their snack of choice.

 

When the attendant is present, Mwanakwetu usually spends 2,500 Tanzanian shillings (about one US dollar) on these snacks, and when he takes them with tea, he often does not feel hungry until dinner.

My reader, understand that everyone has a place in each of our lives in this world. Never underestimate someone’s presence; you may not notice their role when they are there, but when they are absent, you may realize it in a very unique way.

 

Mwanakwetu worked well, and at 4:00 p.m., he left with his colleagues to return home. When he arrived, he slept for about two hours, then woke up feeling very hungry and asked himself:

 

“Today, I—child of Francis, grandchild of Fidelis, great-grandchild of Peter, descendant of Makwega bini Kazimbaya—what is wrong with me? Why am I this hungry?”

Later, he realized it was because of what he had put in his stomach that morning—a piece of cassava and a cup of plain tea. He had not even finished the cassava, and it was still in his bag together with the soda he bought that morning.

 

Mwanakwetu got out of bed, spoke briefly on the phone, then decided to go to the café to buy dinner.

 

When he arrived at the café, the female attendant said:

 

“Greetings, sir. Today I have nothing except ugali, tripe, and beans; and also cold food if you want, let me warm it for you.”

 

Mwanakwetu replied:

“Please warm it for me.”

The attendant placed the food on a charcoal stove and warmed it well, then served him. Mwanakwetu gave her a 5,000-shilling note, asking her to buy him either an avocado or bananas and deduct the cost. However, she could not find either. Mwanakwetu ate, and then he was given back 3,500 shillings, meaning the meal cost 1,500 shillings (about 60 US cents).

Afterward, Mwanakwetu left to return home, and on his way, he came across this story from a motorcycle taxi (bodaboda) rider:

 

“This morning I left home and went to the stand to wait for passengers. As you know, on July 7, 2026, I didn’t do any work. Then I got a passenger and picked him up.

 

While riding with this passenger, I started talking: these protest issues are very bad, they make us poor; we should protect our peace. Brother, have you received the SMS message about maintaining our peace?

As I was talking, the passenger didn’t respond. I assumed he couldn’t hear because of the wind on the road. So I continued riding while talking.

 

After about two minutes, the passenger tapped my shoulder and said, ‘Stop.’ I rode to a suitable place and stopped. The man took out a 5,000-shilling note, gave it to me, and said:

 

‘My young brother, I have not yet reached my destination, but I will walk from here. Keep that money; something you said has upset me. Let me tell you the truth: do not repeat this mistake in your life with another person. As you see me here, on October 29, 2025, I lost my sibling—we were born of the same mother; he was shot. So what you are saying has hurt me deeply. Goodbye.’

 

I tried to apologize, but he refused. The man left me there and walked toward his workplace, while I later returned to the stand.”

 

Mwanakwetu continued walking as if he had not heard these words, but in his mind, he realized that missing tea with his snack of choice had a deeper meaning—it made him hungry so that he could hear this bodaboda rider’s story.

 

What does Mwanakwetu say today?

This is a summary article of July 8, 2026, as compiled by our colleague Mwanakwetu.

 

Mwanakwetu, are you there? Remember:

“Your snack of choice.”

Have a nice day.

Email: makwadeladius@gmail.com

Phone: 0717649257