Just this week I was contacted by someone who I knew from back in 1990….my thanks to Memory Mapiti for enabling the contact.
A new teacher (one of several) who started at Pakati Secondary school in January that year, Mr Givemore Kamuti. He joined along with others like Mr Siayawamwaya who has appeared here on Friends of Pakati previously.
Let me tell Mr Kamuti’s story from the chat we are having on WhatsApp.
Born in Mutoko, he attended Bwanya School in his local area. He started in Grade 1 in 1976, but his education was interrupted by the Civil War for 3 years. (The fighting took place largely in the rural areas, moving steadily in from Mozambique border on the Eastern edge of Zimbabwe, towards Harare, before ending in 1979).
He completed Grade 7 in 1984, before attending Mutoko High school up to 1988. He went on to become a Tempoary Teacher for 3 years, which is how I met him.
As I mentioned earlier, he came to Pakati Secondary school in January 1990, the beginning of my second year there. Here is what he told me:
“I was teaching Geography and Science Form 3 and 4, plus Shona and Agriculture to Forms 1 & 2. I was also the 1991 sports organizer And I also was organizing drama performing from school to school especially the neighboring schools.” I remember him as a valued teacher at the school.
Tarisai Gonye & Guvemore Kamuti
He married a lady who was selling things at a shop in Chigwada, & took her to his home in Mutoko. From there, he was no longer teaching after his year at Gezi Primary school in 1992.
He went in to say: “Then I started gathering things in Harare and selling them in my rural area, bartering them for grain, especially plastic buckets, second hand clothes and such like. I did that for at least 4 years, before becoming a Security Guard.”
During the time of economic challenges in the 2000’s he says “I did what ever was possible for me just to put bread on the table. I am now in Harare living at my late father’s house with the family.”
He lastly tells me more about the family: “God blessed me with 4 children, 3 girls and 1 boy. The First is married with 3 kids and the second is also married with no kids and the 3rd (boy) is also married with 1 baby. Only the last one is with me now.”
Finally, I want to end this by adding something he said when I asked him what he remembers from Pakati:
“Mr Walker was a different type of person He most of the time associated with parents in the society, could walk alone with ease in the area and was a very strong man. He would cook meat & relish with many spices in it. However, he could eat sadza but didn’t want to learn cooking it!”
I have to admit he was right about most of that!