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Heavy responsibilities for elder aunt among the Logooli

With Seenge Fonesi. She is the elder grand daughter of Isagi and elder daughter of Amugasya. She is often present in functions involving the family of Amugasya. Pic taken on 18/4/2024. The elder sister soon becomes the elder aunt. It is this “seenge munene” (elder aunt) tag that she is tied to many cultural responsibilities – back home. To her marital family she may appear as any other woman, but she is not so in the eyes of her people. Marriage does not steal her away as it would happen with other daughters of the old man. To her, as days go and the old man and woman of the estate are dependents, she becomes increasingly present.  Her brothers also need her for almost all traditional markings. They are marrying, she needs to welcome the new wife. They are giving birth, she needs to come to midwife or “bless” the new born. They are paying dowry she needs to lead the women delegate. There is a conflict she needs to come for a hearing.  And many others. Traditions does not expect her to
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Do you work on Saturdays?

The Saturday question came to the attention during one of our ad hoc meetings. It had been talked about in the general meeting and people had decided to brush it away, complained the chair. So he started by asking everyone where he was last Saturday that there was no office attendance.

I took my husband to the hospital- that is understood. I am sorry, said a stupid one. I was here all the days long, bragged one of us. I lied that I chair a certain committee to sound big and thoroughly occupied. Then the floor was opened for discussion.

Some had noted that they are Jehovah witnesses and had earlier on turned down Saturday’s work. I struggled to say that the day is aimed at having a person do other things away from job’s work-visits, hang away, get a part time job. That would have eased them for it is expected that a person should all week be occupied with the organization’s work. I cried that it was overtime and some pay should be added. To conclude, I defended that if we were to ballot it no one would vote Yes for Saturday apart from the motion mover. He quickly responded that no one would work on Friday too. In my mind I responded that people work on Friday because they are paid for it and it would be so even on Sundays.

If work is well done, the reports forwarded, the lazy men asked to tighten their ass, there is no need for Saturday. An organization whose capacity is well managed needs not to have work for Saturday. And if there is great need for Saturday, then one person can be in for clients incase there are. On special occasions staffs can be requested to be in for the whole weekend. I was for this reasoning and applauded it silently before the head spoke.

This organization got a culture- he thundered. His push for Saturday is nothing but to have him use the staff for other off work duties. When you go to an organization, do what people have been doing. That is the start of failing and poor inculcation of a new member. Saying a must for Saturday was his first reaction before beginning to say that the day would be used for paperwork, week summary, forecasting for the next week and all that. I was listening no more. He had come to drive the wedge in our minds- not get reasonable.


It is upon him and the organization. An organized person can do tomorrow’s work today. Attendance doesn’t mean working. And working could be just looking busy. 

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