If you don't remember from past posts, Ngenda was the mentally handicapped guy who never changed clothes (he simply added new ones on top of the old), and always greeted me with a lantern-toothed grin and a shout of "MAKUWA!" or "FAZZAA!" (someone told him I was a priest). He would slap your hand as hard as possible and then give me a big hug (he was built on the tall lanky side and sort of envelopes shorter folks), patting my back and saying "Makuwa, Makuwa, Makuwa!" over and over. Immediately thereafter, he'd ask for a "pin" (K1,000) or a "fiba" (K500), and stride off happily as soon as you handed it over. If you delayed, he simply walked around with you until you coughed up (pretty effective method).
I guess someone asked him to carry something heavy Friday afternoon. He lifted it, was crossing the road, faltered and died. Just like that ... my guess is heat stroke. It's been above 40C for the past week.
They buried him on Sunday while I was in Lusaka.
Here's the only picture I have of him:
I'll miss you big guy. Hope you're in a better place.
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