Kituo kidogo cha mabasi kijijini mwetu kilijaa shughuli za watu na mabasi. mabasi mengi yalikuwa yamejaa mizigo. Chini, palikuwa na mizigo zaidi ya kupakia. Makondakta walikuwa wanataja majina ya sehemu mabasi yalikokuwa yanaelekea.
The small bus stop in my village was busy with people and overloaded buses. On the ground were even more things to load. Touts were shouting the names where their buses were going.
kituo kiɗoɠo tʃa maɓasi kiʄiʄini mwetu @kilijaa ʃuɠhuli za watu na maɓasi ɓasi ɲiᵑgi zilikuwa @zimejaza miziɠo tʃini palikuwa na miziɠo zaiɗi ja kupakia koⁿɗakta waliita maʄina tofauti ja mahali ɓasi @zilielekea
“Mjini! Mjini! Magharibi!” Nilisikia kondakta akiita kwa sauti. Lile ndilo basi nililohitaji kupanda.
“City! City! Going west!” I heard a tout shouting. That was the bus I needed to catch.
kweⁿɗa ʄiʄini kweⁿɗa ʄiʄini kweⁿɗa @magharibi nilisikia koⁿɗakta @akiita kwa sauti ile ⁿɗijo ɓasi @niliyohitaji kupaⁿɗa kwa usafiɾi waᵑgu
Basi la kwenda mjini lilikaribia kujaa, lakini watu wengine walikuwa wanasukumana kupanda. Baadhi yao walipakia mizigo chini ya basi. Wengine waliiweka katika sehemu ya juu.
The city bus was almost full, but more people were still pushing to get on. Some packed their luggage under the bus. Others put theirs on the racks inside.
ɓasi la kweⁿɗa ʄiʄini lilikuwa kaɾiɓu kuʄaa lakini watu zaiɗi @walijishughulisha kutaka kupaⁿɗa ɓaaɗhi jao @walipakia miziɠo tʃini ja ɓasi weᵑgine @waliiweka katika sehemu ja ʄuu
Abiria wapya walishika tiketi zao huku wakitafuta mahali pa kukaa. Wanawake waliokuwa na watoto wodogo waliwatayarisha kwa safari hiyo ndefu.
New passengers clutched their tickets as they looked for somewhere to sit in the crowded bus. Women with young children made them comfortable for the long journey.
aɓiɾia wapja @walishika tiketi zao huku wakitafuta mahali pa kukaa wanawake waliokuwa na watoto @wodogo @waliwatayarisha kwa safaɾi hijo ⁿɗefu
Nilijipenyeza ndani na kukaa karibu na dirisha. Mtu aliyeketi karibu nami alishika mfuko wa plastiki wa kijani kibichi. Alivaa viatu vilivyochakaa, koti kuukuu na alionekana kuwa na wasiwasi.
I squeezed in next to a window. The person sitting next to me was holding tightly to a green plastic bag. He wore old sandals, a worn out coat, and he looked nervous.
@nilipenyeza ⁿɗani nikakaa kaɾiɓu na ɗiɾiʃa mtu alijeketi kaɾiɓu nami aliʃika mfuko wa plastiki wa kiʄani kiɓitʃi alivaa viatu @vilivyozeeka koti @kukuu na alionekana kuwa na wasiwasi
Niliangalia nje na kutambua kwamba nilikuwa naondoka kijijini kwangu, mahali ambapo nililelewa. Nilikuwa naenda katika mji mkubwa.
I looked outside the bus and realised that I was leaving my village, the place where I had grown up. I was going to the big city.
niliaᵑgalia ⁿɗʒe na kutaᵐɓua kwaᵐɓa nilikuwa naoⁿɗoka kiʄiʄini mwaᵑgu mahali aᵐɓapo nililelewa nilikuwa naeⁿɗa katika ʄiʄi kuɓwa
Upakiaji mizigo ulikamilika na abiria wakawa wameketi. Wachuuzi walizidi kusukumana kutaka kuingia ndani ya basi ili wauze bidhaa zao. Kila mmoja alitaja kwa sauti majina ya bidhaa alizokuwa anauza. Maneno yao yalinifurahisha.
The loading was completed and all passengers were seated. Hawkers still pushed their way into the bus to sell their goods to the passengers. Everyone was shouting the names of what was available for sale. The words sounded funny to me.
upakiaʄi miziɠo @ulikamilika na aɓiɾia wakawa wameketi watʃuuzi waliziɗi kusukumana kutaka kuiᵑgia ⁿɗani ja ɓasi ili @wauze ɓiɗhaa zao kila mmoʄa @alitaja kwa sauti maʄina ja ɓiɗhaa alivjokuwa @anauza maneno jao @yalinifurahisha
Baadhi ya abiria walinunua vinywaji. Wengine wakanunua vitafunwa vidogo na kuanza kutafuna. Wasiokuwa na fedha, kama mimi, walitazama tu.
A few passengers bought drinks, others bought small snacks and began to chew. Those who did not have any money, like me, just watched.
ɓaaɗhi ja aɓiɾia walinunua viɲwaʄi weᵑgine wakanunua @vitafunwa viɗoɠo na kuaⁿza kutafuna wasiokuwa na feɗha kama mimi @walitazama tu
Shughuli hizi zilikatizwa kwa mlio wa honi ya basi, ishara kwamba tulikuwa tayari kuondoka. Kondakta aliwataka wachuuzi kuondoka ndani ya basi.
These activities were interrupted by the hooting of the bus, a sign that we were ready to leave. The tout yelled at the hawkers to get out.
ʃuɠhuli hizi @zilikatizwa kwa mlio wa honi ja ɓasi iʃaɾa kwaᵐɓa tulikuwa tajaɾi kuoⁿɗoka koⁿɗakta @aliwataka watʃuuzi kuoⁿɗoka ⁿɗani ja ɓasi
Wachuuzi walisukumana huku wakitafuta njia ya kushuka. Wengine waliwarudishia wasafiri chenji zao. Wengine walifanya juhudi za mwisho kuuza bidhaa zao.
Hawkers pushed each other to make their way out of the bus. Some gave back change to the travellers. Others made last minute attempts to sell more items.
watʃuuzi @walisukumana huku wakitafuta ⁿɗʒia ja kuʃuka weᵑgine wao @waliwarudisha aɓiɾia tʃeⁿɗʒi zao weᵑgine walifaɲa ʄuhuɗi za mwiʃo kuuza ɓiɗhaa zao
Basi lilipoondoka kituoni, nilichungulia dirishani. Nilijiuliza endapo ningerudi na kwenda kijijini kwangu tena.
As the bus left the bus stop, I stared out of the window. I wondered if I would ever go back to my village again.
ɓasi @lilipoondoka kituoni @nilichungulia ɗiɾiʃani @nilijiuliza eⁿɗapo @ningerudi na kweⁿɗa kiʄiʄini kwaᵑgu tena
Safari ilipoendelea, joto lilikuwa jingi ndani ya basi. Niliyafumba macho yangu nikinuia kulala.
As the journey progressed, the inside of the bus got very hot. I closed my eyes hoping to sleep.
safaɾi @ilipoendelea ʄoto lilikuwa ʄiᵑgi ⁿɗani ja ɓasi @niliyafumba @macho jaᵑgu @nikinuia kulala
Lakini mawazo yangu yalirejea nyumbani. Je, mamangu atakuwa salama? Je, sungura wangu wataleta hela zozote? Je, ndugu yangu atakumbuka kunyunyizia maji miche ya miti yangu?
But my mind drifted back home. Will my mother be safe? Will my rabbits fetch any money? Will my brother remember to water my tree seedlings?
lakini mawazo jaᵑgu @yalirejea ɲuᵐɓani ʄe @mamangu atakuwa salama ʄe suᵑguɾa waᵑgu @wataleta hela @zozote ʄe ⁿɗuɠu jaᵑgu @atakumbuka kuɲuɲizia maʄi mitʃe ja miti jaᵑgu
Njiani, nilikariri jina la mahali mjomba wangu alipoishi kwenye mji mkubwa. Nilikuwa bado nafikiria wakati nilipopatwa na usingizi.
On the way, I memorised the name of the place where my uncle lived in the big city. I was still mumbling it when I fell asleep.
ⁿɗʒiani @nilikariri ʄina la mahali mʄoᵐɓa waᵑgu @alipoishi katika ʄiʄi kuɓwa nilikuwa ɓaɗo nafikiɾia wakati @nilipopatwa na usiᵑgizi
Baada ya saa tisa, niliamshwa kwa kelele za kuita abiria waliokwenda katika kijiji changu. Nilichukuwa mfuko wangu mdogo na kuruka nje ya basi.
Nine hours later, I woke up with loud banging and calling for passengers going back to my village. I grabbed my small bag and jumped out of the bus.
ɓaaɗa ja saa tisa @niliamshwa kwa kelele za kuita aɓiɾia waliokweⁿɗa katika kiʄiʄi tʃaᵑgu @nilichukuwa mfuko waᵑgu mɗoɠo na kuɾuka ⁿɗʒe ja ɓasi
Basi la kurudi lilikuwa linajaa upesi. Muda mfupi baadaye, lingeanza safari ya kwenda mashariki. Jambo la maana kwangu wakati huo lilikuwa kuanza kutafuta nyumba ya mjomba wangu.
The return bus was filling up quickly. Soon it would make its way back east. The most important thing for me now, was to start looking for my uncle’s house.
ɓasi la kuɾuɗi lilikuwa @linajaa upesi muɗa mfupi ɓaaɗaje @lingeanza safaɾi ja kweⁿɗa maʃaɾiki ʄaᵐɓo la maana kwaᵑgu wakati huo lilikuwa kuaⁿza kutafuta ɲuᵐɓa ja mʄoᵐɓa waᵑgu
