"Reality and Truth Are Never The Same Thing..."

Major Ayok mingled with his hirelings and we prepared to go up the coastline is search of the mythical warlord Yusuf Ahmed. I did my best to describe the exact location that Samiya had told me but she had not been talking about Mogadishu then but about a house in Mombasa.

The place was not guarded probably wise if you are a fugitive hiding from the prying eyes of the world. That did not stop Ayok from being cautious. He did not need to be though as we found the man we were looking for seated in the garden drinking tea and reading a book.

He looked up as we approached before he returned to his book and ignored us until Ayok kicked the book out of his hands.

“That’s not very nice, is it?”

“I have prepared for this moment for the past ten years, a moment when I would finally get my retribution. Every day in this forlorn dark place I have calculated and recalculated on how I would get my revenge. I have had my eyes on you since I was a boy. So many times I wanted to reach out and take you away from your parents but I could not. But I thank providence that I have finally found you.”It seems everyone is busy holding a grudge and seeking revenge. I wondered what Yusuf had done to Ayok. Probably he had burnt his family in one of the village massacres that he became known for before the Americans killed his wife and children.

The old man looked gaunt and tired he was not the imperial figure of my dreams. There was nothing to fear in his eyes. He looked right at me and he shook his head.

“You were not satisfied with killing my daughter but now you have come to finish of what your father and his friends did all those years ago.”

I was jolted from my analysis of the man. Ayok shouted at him to shut up.

“Before we kill you I want you to remember the sunny day in 2006 when you sent your man to take control of the Mogadishu market. Your decision let to the death of over three hundred people who included my parents. You have not paid for your crimes but thankfully today you will be sent to a higher court to appeal if that is your desire.”

“I never gave any order I was not involved…”

“Ahmed Ayok, Khadija Ayok, Sharif Suliman, Yusuf Dheere. Those are just a few of the names of the people that got caught up in your dangerous games.”

“I was defending the nations, the Americans were responsible for what happened, they infiltrated our groups and funded…”

“After all this time you refuse to take responsibility, were you not in command? Do you want us to believe that your men acted without instruction…?”

“I was fighting for the people and history will prove me right…”

“You do not feel any remorse for the lives you have destroyed, children as young as nine years are running all over the place carrying guns because of you…”

“The Americans are behind all this chaos, they have sponsored the collapse of this nation…”“All I know is that men under your command precipitated a situation that should not have occurred because of your greed...”

“Why don’t you ask your friend, his father was directly involved in what happened in the Market place on that day.” A wry smile distorted the old ma’s wrinkled face.

“I am sure that he can explain how he got into Sandhurst Military Academy…”

“Shut up old man, I do not care about where he studied I just want you to pay for your crimes.”Ayok walked away and he said something to some of his men. They rushed towards me and the old men and they pushed us towards the gate. Outside there was a convoy of trucks and we were thrown into the back of one of the cars.

“What did you mean my parents were involved in the massacre that happened?”“Even from beyond the grave they still control your life.” He laughed sarcastically

Mikuyu had become a frustrated and isolated figure ever since your parents overrode his decision. He did not want to pay the price for the deception so he killed your parents and he made sure that you got a dangerous mission and he used his contacts to destroy you. Unfortunately for you my daughter got information about you and she considered it her duty.

They built that empire on the back of funds that they looted from the government. Your parents loved money but they drew the line when they were forced to sanction direct murder but on the other hand their actions meant that a lot of people died anyway.”

Some of the stuff that the warlord was saying was barely registered. He was a terrorist and he knew my parents well but that was not a surprise since he blamed my father for the airstrike that killed his wife. I was watching his mouth move. I could hear the words tumbling from his mouth but I could not make sense of what he was saying.

“Your parents have a lot of blood on their hands. It is unfortunate that they have not survived to face the consequences of their actions. My daughter’s investigation led her to you. I wish I could show you the evidence showing how wicked your family is. Unfortunately for my daughter she didn’t guard her heart and that got her killed.”

“My father would never..."

“Your father worked with the CIA and any other western agency that would give him money. He told the Americans that Sudan was producing weapons of mass destruction.”

“Samiya found out all of this before she was killed under the orders of your friend.”

The expose had seemed revelatory, but I could not believe it because no one has been telling me the truth. Maybe this is another story built on false facts in a bid to tarnish the image of my parents.I needed to escape from these people. A multitude of simulations ran through my head as I dreamed up and exit strategies. I meticulously considered every outcome. I was only alive because I had hope. Hope that the moment would come when I could escape and would satisfy my overwhelming need to revenge and wreak havoc upon the people who had brought him down to this forsaken place. But they were all dead and I was paying the price for naivety.

​My parents and Mikuyu the orchestrators of these events were all dead and I was left to deal with the fallout.