Wednesday, October 15, 2008

For colleagues dead in duty line

Tuesday shall remain dark
A moment of sorrow to this nation
Sorrow, for on that day, 8 brothers passed on
They were never your newspaper VIPs
Maybe never mentioned even at a village meeting
But crucial to the nation they were

Workers, they were
On a workers fund project they sweated
A Pension Tower they built
Never mind that they never had a pension themselves
A tower built from savings of the nation’s workers.
They laboured to put some kalo on their tables
For others like Julius Otike, it was quest for tuition
Tuition to see him rise to a better calling

Instead
He ended up buried
In a debris of soil—a soul taken
Though it could have been saved
Had the “Squealers” apportioned the right measures
Of sand and cement.
The papers screamed---but
A day, a week, after,
They will just be another stastic
Added unto the many faceless—
Who have perished—to no notice.

But trust me brothers
I know the roll will call
Steven Odong ----Absent
Willie Okello ----Absent
Richard Angweno ----Absent
Silver Olowo ----Absent
JB Tushabe----Absent
Nasib Kisembo----Absent

But to the common worker
You will always be present
A symbol of resilience, hardwork, sacrifice

4 comments:

jny23 said...

Its such a pity.

And i understand one of the deceased had benn asking for a job there for more than a month and was being sent away.
On this day he didnt return home to celebrate his acquisition of a job.

Let's all put in a word of prayer for the fallen comrades.

May there souls rest in peace

Anonymous said...

This is a really sad sad story.

May their souls rest in peace.

Princess said...

May their souls rest in peace and God be with their families.

Don said...

Amen---