Mwezi wa tano baada Nyambura kuondoka, dairy cooperative ilikataa delivery ya Mwangi farm mara mbili.
Mara ya kwanza, maziwa yalikuwa yamechanganyika na maji.
Samuel alisema worker mpya ndiye alifanya.
Mara ya pili, cans zilifika late na temperature ilikuwa juu.
Cooperative clerk akasema:
“Delivery inayofuata ikiwa hivyo, account itasimamishwa.”
Mama Ruth alifika Thika akiwa na Daniel na can ndogo ya maziwa safi, kama zawadi.
Nyambura alikuwa ameanza kuuza chai ya maziwa asubuhi, lakini hakuchukua can.
“Receipt?”
Mama Ruth akasema:
“Maziwa ya nyumbani yanahitaji receipt?”
“Ya biashara, ndiyo.”
“Nimeleta kwa wajukuu.”
“Basi andika gift ya Wairimu na Mumbi, si stock.”
Mama Ruth akakaa kwenye stool.
“Unaona kila kitu kama pesa.”
Nyambura akamwangalia.
“Nilipofanya free, hamkuona kitu kama labour.”
Daniel alijaribu kubadilisha topic.
“Cooperative imeleta warning.”
“Nimesikia.”
“Unaweza kwenda siku mbili kuangalia?”
“Nilitoa terms.”
“Mama sasa anaweza kulipa kidogo.”
Mama Ruth akasema:
“Sijasema hivyo.”
Daniel akafumba macho.
Nyambura akatoa price list mpya.
Farm consultation:
- dairy routine review; - feeding and health record; - milk handling; - cooperative delivery process; - no household cooking; - transport paid; - written report.
KSh 45 kwa siku kwa sababu business yake sasa ina income inayopotea akiondoka.
Mama Ruth karibu aanguke.
“KSh 45! Vet analipwa less.”
“Hire vet afanye management yote.”
“Unajua cows zetu tangu calves.”
“Ndiyo. Knowledge hiyo ndiyo mnaomba.”
Mama Ruth akasema Nyambura amekuwa na roho ya mjini.
Akinyi, aliyekuwa anapanga tomatoes karibu, aliingilia:
“Kiambu iko mbali kiasi gani mpaka knowledge yake ikifika Thika inakuwa ya mjini?”
Mama Ruth akamwangalia vibaya.
“Hii ni mambo ya familia.”
Akinyi akasema:
“Basi kwa nini umeileta market?”
Nyambura akamwomba Akinyi awaache. Hakutaka Mama Ruth ahisi anazungukwa na women dhidi yake.
“Daniel, ukiomba service, terms ziko hapa. Ukiomba niwe wife, marriage issue ni tofauti.”
Mama Ruth akasema:
“Wife wa Daniel lazima ajue wajibu.”
“Na Daniel anajua wajibu wa husband?”
Daniel akasema:
“Nalipa school.”
“Baada kuandikwa.”
Mama Ruth aliinuka.
“Hutakanyaga home yangu tena mpaka uombe msamaha.”
Nyambura akajibu:
“Home yako. Umesema vizuri.”
Wakaondoka bila agreement.
Wiki mbili baadaye, cooperative account ilisimamishwa kwa siku saba.
Milk ikaanza kuharibika nyumbani. Samuel alijaribu kuuza kwa hotels bila quality check. Hotel moja ikarudisha na kudai refund.
Coffee pia ilikuwa problem. Samuel aliuza baadhi kwa middleman chini ya cooperative price ili kupata cash haraka. Mama Ruth hakujua mpaka statement ilifika.
Esther alikuja Thika tena, safari hii bila beans.
“Mama analia kila usiku.”
“Kwa farm?”
“Kwa family.”
“Family ilikuwa inalilia nini nilipoondoka?”
Esther akakasirika.
“Unataka kuona kila mtu akiteseka.”
Nyambura akasema:
“Hapana. Nataka wasinifanye medicine ya system yao.”
Esther alikaa muda.
“Ukienda, watakulipa KSh 30. Mama amekubali.”
“Rate ni 45 sasa, na report.”
“Unaongeza kwa sababu wako desperate?”
“Niliongeza kwa sababu business yangu ina regular order. Opportunity cost imebadilika.”
Esther hakupenda words hizo.
“Umejifunza kusema kama men wa office.”
“Women wa kitchen pia wana cost.”
Mwisho, Daniel alileta agreement iliyosainiwa na yeye, si Mama Ruth. Ilisema Daniel atamlipa kutoka furniture income.
Nyambura akakataa.
“Farm ndiyo inapata service. Payment itoke dairy account, Mama Ruth au Samuel as signatories.”
Daniel akasema Mama hatasign.
“Then she does not agree.”
“Maziwa yanaendelea kupotea.”
“Cooperative ina extension officer. Waite.”
Daniel akasema officer anataka fee na record changes.
“Exactly.”
Walifanya hivyo.
Extension officer alipofika, alikuta feeding ratio mbaya, milking cans hazisafishwi vizuri, worker wages zimechelewa na Samuel anachukua cash bila entry.
Report ilikuwa kali.
Mama Ruth alisema officer anamdhalilisha.
Lakini alitekeleza baadhi ya recommendations kwa sababu cooperative haikurudisha account bila evidence.
Cows hazikufa.
Milk account ikarudi.
Nyambura hakurudi.
Rumor ikaanza kwamba alichukua “mkono wa baraka” kutoka farm.
Mtu wa market alimwuliza:
“Ni kweli ukiondoka cows zilikataa kutoa?”
Nyambura akasema:
“Cows hazijui ndoa. Zinajua chakula, afya na routine.”
Watu wakacheka.
Lakini nyuma ya joke, message ilitembea.
Mama Ruth alikuwa ameuita labour yake bahati.
Sasa professionals waliweka invoice kwenye kile alichofanya.
Daniel alianza kuona kwamba family haikumkosa Nyambura kama mtu pekee.
Ilikosa system aliyobeba kichwani bila malipo.
Wakati cooperative account ilirudi, Mama Ruth alienda dairy meeting. Alikuwa hajawahi kuhudhuria training kwa sababu miaka yote Nyambura ndiye alienda.
Extension officer aliwaonyesha chart ya feed, hygiene na milk cooling. Mama Ruth alikaa nyuma, akasema women wa zamani walifuga bila charts.
Officer akasema:
“Walikuwa na routines. Chart si kitu kipya; ni routine iliyoandikwa ili isife na mtu mmoja.”
Mama Ruth alifikiria Nyambura.
Baada meeting, alimwuliza Daniel:
“Alikuwa anaandika yote?”
Daniel akasema, “Ndiyo.”
“Kwa nini hukuniambia?”
Daniel akamjibu:
“Kwa sababu nilijua ungetumia records zake lakini usimpe sehemu.”
Mama Ruth alikasirika zaidi kwa ukweli huo kuliko accusation yoyote.
Jioni, alimwambia Esther kwamba Nyambura amewafanya watoto na Daniel waone mama yao kama mwizi wa labour.
Esther akasema:
“Labour ilikuwepo hata kabla aitaje.”
Mama Ruth akamfokea.
Lakini sentence ilibaki.
Siku nyingine, worker wa farm alikataa kufanya overtime bila pay. Mama Ruth alisema Nyambura ameharibu watu.
Worker akajibu:
“Nyambura hayupo. Mimi ndiyo nimechoka.”
Polepole, family iligundua si kila resistance ilitoka kwa mwanamke mmoja. Watu walikuwa wameanza kuona cost zao.
Nyambura alipata taarifa hizi kupitia Daniel, lakini hakufurahia.
“Usiniletee kila failure kama proof walinihitaji,” alisema. “Nataka proof wanajifunza.”
Daniel akakubali.
Kumkosa mtu si sawa na kumthamini.
Nyambura aliandika sentence hiyo kwenye notebook yake:
**Kumkosa mtu si sawa na kumthamini. Kumthamini ni kubadilisha mfumo ambao ulimfanya aondoke.**
Wairimu aliisoma na kuongeza chini:
**Na kumwita arudi bila kubadilisha chochote ni kutaka labour irudi, si mtu.**
Nyambura hakurekebisha grammar.
Maana ilikuwa sahihi.