Tokens of my visit to Yaounde & Harare

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Bobolo (the cassava wrapped in a banana leaf),
with fried plantains with greens and kidney beans

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/magazine/Yaounde-Plantains-chicken-keep-the-luggage-blues-away-/-/434746/2815966/-/i1g6a1z/-/index.html

In Shona and French

The yellow taxi in the 'starlet' car model
common mode of transport in Cameroon

The mist of withering dreams greets the city at dawn with the previous day ending in a rush, exhaustion the only claim to pause between today and tomorrow. Now shouts welcome the day with horns from the ‘daladala, matatu, taksi and bodaboda’.

‘MamaNtilie’ is quickly serving breakfast by the side of the road this of boiled cassava, ‘beignets-maandazi’, mince on bread sandwiches, chapatti. With the vendors making a flail attempt to clean their stalls positioning their tables’ upright to trade in Chinese merchandise for another day.

So far this year I was able to step out of Dar es Salaam, venturing to Harare in Zimbabwe and Yaoundé in Cameroon. Noticing the bustle of these cities and seeing similarities with my own, gave me more gusto for solidarity among our African nations.

What’s new…?

Clusters of people lining the streets of Yaounde
on the last day of Ramadan in July 2015 in the
morning waiting to go inside the mosque

When I was in Harare, I was pleasantly surprised to witness order in the suburbs, I visited a ‘mitumba’ stall that was well organized. No one was pushing to hold my hand so I go see their merchandise. Shouts were dismal and better yet there were several second hand book stalls, where one could find novels some of which were authored by Zimbabweans. The vendors seemed to have read the works which was an added bonus.

Compared to my Karume, Ilala ‘mitumba’ stalls which in infrastructure are well the same. One can’t however see a book stall in here let alone a gentleman approach at selling which lets the customer veer to the stall without harassment.

When I was in Yaoundé I was like oho am back home, no book stalls there and Yaoundéans are loud with boisterous French sentences. Which flavored with the African accent gave me a peek to a new culture. One where breakfast includes thick meat stew on bread rolls.

Where their equivalent of Kariakoo though the same in selling long dresses-‘Dera’ from Thailand & China. With a big percentage of Muslim brothers dressed in Kanzu’s behind the counter. There was proportionately more African garbed ‘Deras’ in the shelves as well the Muslim brothers in question were native Africans with Kanzu’s made of African fabrics.

What’s the same…?

A Bronze Statue representing
 the mother that greets the
National Museum of Cameroon

Starting with what made me proud as a singleton in these African cities, here Harare’s city planning left me with a sigh; as I lapped all those trees scattered evenly on roads and homes alike. The National Museum of Cameroon in Yaoundé left me agape with envy, as its stocked with rich well organized history relevant till the last decade. The details of which will leave any African native proud.

Travelling to these cities it must be said I was made more proud of Dar es Salaam’s friendly demeanor plus our ‘afropolitan’ language-Kiswahili. That ensures despite colonization we relate across tribes with a heavy African infused tongue.

For singletons in these cities of African peppered cultures, there’s a struggle to make ends meet. The common routine in finding food and shelter given vile abodes, here there’s a beckon to let government see me. See me the vendor waking at 4:30 am selling goods mostly manufactured out of my country.
See me the woman selling fruits by the street wasting my precious breath to earn less than 5 dollars a day, see me the educated man who managed to attain higher education.

The lush vegetation in Yaounde

Yet is still scratching his head at how he’s really free? For the real fruits of his land he sees foreigners and big wigs enjoying.There’s hope in our shared walk if we but come together; so this week I say you’re not alone #AfricaUnite as we’re all born single and shall meet our death recount by our single some. Better to accept ourselves faults and all, for then we can fork out our strengths to make the life of a singleton in the African city dignified.