SHOCKING VOICE FROM THE GRAVE

 The richest man in the family had just died. Every relative wanted to have a share of his wealth. The late Mulimbule was just marvelously gifted and accumulated a lot of wealth.  He looked after workers and kin very well.

The village was about to conclude an elaborate funeral process at a traditional meeting locally called Isambwe Lya Mfwa.This is the climax of any funeral in the village. It’s here that the family considers and distributes the deceased’s estate.

The eldest paternal uncle chaired the meeting. Mulembwe indicated the meeting would not be prolonged because people had been spending nights in the cold for the previous five days. They needed to settle the question of inheritance quickly.

They confirmed his nuclear family comprising eight official wives, nine concubines and 39 children. Only 11 children were recognized by his extended family. The rest lived with their mothers away from his home in Chumbwe.

The 28-strong team of adolescents had been regularly supported by their father secretly. But on this particular day, they had come to receive their last share of his estate.

Before Mulembwe could even finish reading the will, he was interrupted by Clara, Mulimbule’s niece. She demanded that the meeting disregarded lists of shameless impostors, because they already knew who deserved the coveted inheritance.

She was supported by a  ruffian brother who threatened to preside over the meeting if his uncle tolerated the “nonsense” of fraudulent beneficiaries.

Before long, the meeting broke into pandemonium. Each one claiming their entitlement or people would “swim in blood.”

Meanwhile, widows quietly followed the unfolding drama. One of them motioned an old man to reveal the will and avoid a blood bath.

When Chitali signaled for silence, noise slowly subsided.  He produced a flat black folder that contained Mulimbule’s fully signed WILL.

Chitali informed the meeting that the will was the only “living thing” that specified legal beneficiaries and entirely reflected Mulimbule’s desires.

 Before he could even open it, Clara sprang up pointing an accusing finger at him.

“Do not think you will fool anybody by that rubbish you purport to have been written by uncle Mulimbule,” she declared. “You connived with the so-called widow in that open secret. Dead people don’t speak. Is that his voice from the grave?

“If we have men from this family present, get up and tear that piece of junk quickly to end this saga!”

Chitali stood motionless as two hooligans pushed him to try and grab the will. He wrestled with one while other mourners restrained the other.

 Clara and relatives accused Chitali of having been a long-time boyfriend to one of the widows who treacherously planned to loot their inheritance.

Confusion ensued for a couple of minutes until suddenly, a troupe of police officers arrested trouble makers. Nobody knew that Mulimbule’s son had earlier informed the police of imminent trouble.

“Now you all heard the loud voice from the grave?” Chitali mocked. “His wishes are in this bundle of audible and vibrant “nonsense.”