The Forgotten Heirs (1)

"Backbencher ndani ya S class, ndula zero mileage ndae speedometer inachezea 260..." Kidule's Bluetooth speaker pumps out heavy tunes from Toxic Lyrikali's hit song "Backbencher."

Through the roof of their hole-ridden house, Kidule is hit with a ray of sunlight, which reveals it is 7 a.m. and time to wake up. As he wakes up, he sees his mother feeding a dozen chickens, which brings him little joy. Not far away, he can see the silhouette of Ludingo, his ever-drunk stepfather, carrying a well-fed rooster on the carrier of his rust-covered black mamba. Grief strikes him as this has always been the trend, mother raises the chicken, Ludingo takes them to the market and sells them at a cut-price just to get the gate pass at Selina's ( mama pima).

Today seems to be different as he saw a staff on the ground near his mother,...