“Imfeketho” Yokwakhiwa Kwendlela KwiAfrika EseMpuma
NGUMBHALELI KAVUKANI! EKENYA
UKWAKHIWA komgaqo kaloliwe onqumla kwiAfrika eseMpuma okwacetywa eBritani kwiminyaka engaphezulu kuhle kweli-100 eyadlulayo akuzange kwamkelwe ngezandl’ ezishushu kwipalamente yaseLondon. Omnye owayengayiginyi ncam le nto wabhala wathi phofu enyemb’ ethukela:
“Le nto iza kusibhunyul’ inkuntyula yemali isishiye singenayo nempunde;
Ngumgomagomane nje wento ongenakwaziwa mntu ukuba uza kunyanga ntoni;
Luntyingantyinga lomrhutyululu wento esiqalo singaziwa mntana mntu;
Yintyonkobila yento engaziwa mntu apho iya kuphelela khona.
Ukwakhiwa kwayo kuyinto entsusa-mabandla ingenakuchazwa bubuciko bomntu;
Kuqin’ inqawa xa kufuneka kuchazwe owona msebenzi wayo kanye kanye;
Licacile elokuba le yona yokwakhiwa kwalo mgaqo yimpambano ongasokuze uyibone ndawo.”
Enyanisweni kona, lo msebenzi wokwakha awuzange unyenjwe ngolu hlobo ngumntu wonke. Kwakujongwe into yokuba lo mgaqo kaloliwe wenze umtyhutyhumezo omalunga neekhilomitha ezili-1000 ukusuka eMombasa, elizibuko laseKenya elikuLwandlekazi lwaseIndiya, ukuya kuthi xhaxhe ngeChibi leVictoria. Abo babeququzelela ukwakhiwa kwawo, benza isiqinisekiso sokuba, kwakuza kuwuxhoma umgangatho wemeko yezorhwebo nenkqubela phambili kuze kuphelise le nto yokurhweba ngamakhoboka kuloo mmandla. Ngokomyinge kwakuqikelelwa ukuba ukwakhiwa kwalo mgaqo kaloliwe kwakuya kuxabisa ii-R25 ezigidi, mali leyo eyayiza kubethw’ emqolo kubahlawuli berhafu baseBritani. Kwakuqikelelwa nokuba ke lo msebenzi wokwakha wawuya kuthabatha iminyaka emine ukuya kwemihlanu.
Ngokwelo xesha yayingekacaci kakuhle eyona nto yayiza kwenziwa. Unonjineli owayeyimfolo-mfolo yalo msebenzi, uGeorge Whitehouse, wagaleleka eMombasa ngoDisemba 1895, ephethe nje umzobo wendawo owawuza kuba kuyo lo mgaqo kaloliwe. Emva koko lo kaWhitehouse wabona eny’ intw’ apha eyayihlathuzelisa amanwele. Kanye ngakwintshona yeMombasa kwakukho intlango eyayingathi livundu ukutshis’ oku eyayibalekwa ngaw’ omane luninzi lwabakhenkethi. Ngapha koko lo mgaqo kaloliwe wawuza kugugutha kangangeekhilomitha ezingama-500 phakathi kwamahalatushe amathafa nemithana ekwakudakasa phakathi kwayo iingonyama nawayebhuzwa ziitsetse flies neengcongconi. Kwakuza kuthi ke emva koko, uguguthe ngakummandla ophakamileyo obangelwe yintaba-mlilo owahlulwe nguMwonyo Omkhulu obubanzi buziikhilomitha ezingama-80, nethambeka elikuwo eliqengqeleka kangangeemitha ezingama-600. Kanti iikhilomitha ezili-150 zokugqibela ukuya ngakwelo chibi kwathiwa ziza kunqumla ngakumgxobhozo oxhofu-xhofu. Ayimangalisi ke into yokuba, ukwakhiwa kwalo mgaqo kaloliwe kwakuza kuba yenye yezona zinto zibangela umdla ezimbalini zaseAfrika.
Amahlandinyuka Zisuka Nje
Lahla lazicacela lona elokuba, umsebenzi omkhulu ngolu hlobo wawuza kufuna igquba labasebenzi. Ekubeni ke abantu baseMombasa babeligcudwana nje, kwaya kuthatyathwa abasebenzi eIndiya. Ngowe-1896 nje kuphela, inqanawa yagaleleka ithwele abasebenzi abangaphezu kwama-2000—ingcibi zokwakha ngamatye, abakhandi beentsimbi, abachweli, oonocanda, abazobi, oomabhalana nabanye ke abasebenzi.
Eny’ into ke kwakuza kufuneka ilungiswe kakuhle iMombasa le ukuze ibe yindawo ekuza kugalelwa kuyo izixa ezikhulu zezixhobo ezaziza kuthunyelwa apho kulungiselelwa ukwakhiwa komgaqo kaloliwe oziikhilomitha ezili-1 000. Lo mgaqo uwodwa wawuza kufuna iintsimbi zesiporo ezingama-200 000, nganye kuzo inobude obuziimitha ezisi-9 nebunzima buziikhilogram ezingama-200. Kwakhona kwakuza kufuneka amanqwanqwa ali-1,2 lezigidi (uninzi lwawo engawentsimbi). Ukuze kuqiniswe ezi ntsimbi zesiporo nala manqwanqwa kwakuza kufuneka kuthunyelwe iintsinjana ezingama-200 000 ekuthiwa ziifishplates, izikhonkwane ezingama-400 000 ekuthiwa ziifishbolts, neentsimbi zokugcina isiporo singashukumi ezingama-4,8 ezigidi. Ngaphezu koko, kwakuza kuthunyelwa oololiwe, inqwelwana zokuthutha izixhobo, iinqwelo zomthwalo, namakhareji okuthwala abantu. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba kuqaliswe ukubekwa kweentsimbi zesiporo, kwafuneka kwakhiwe iindawo iinqanawa ezaziza kothula kuzo imithwalo, iindawo zokugcina impahla, iindawo zokuhlala abasebenzi, iindawo zokulungisa izinto neendawo zokusebenzela. Ukutshintshwa kwale dolophu ithe nkcwee ingaselunxwemeni ukuba ibe lizibuko elisemcimbini, yaba nguqhwii nje.
Yakhawuleza yathi qatha engqondweni yalo kaWhitehouse into yokuba amanzi aza kuthanda ukuba yingxaki; imbinana yemithombo eyayiseMombasa kwakunzima ukuba ixhase nkqu abantu balapho. Ukuze aba bantu bakwazi ukusela, bahlambe baze bakhe kwakuza kufuneka amanzi, hayi loo ndlalo. UWhitehouse wathi xa wayebhala: “Ngokusuka kwinto endiye ndazibonela ngawam amehlo nangangendlela endilazi ngayo eli lizwe, elam lithi ayikho enye indlela esinokuyiphepha ngayo le meko ngaphandle kokuba kubekho oololiwe abaza kuthutha amanzi ukuze sifikelele iimayile zokuqala ezili-100 [iikhilomitha ezili-160].” Abo loliwe kwakuza kufuneka beze neelitha ezingama-40 000 suku ngalunye!
Ekuqaleni, oononjineli ababesakha lo mgaqo kaloliwe bayicombulula le ngxaki yamanzi ngokuthintela umsinga baza bakha umthombo owawuza kukhongozela amanzi emvula. Kamva, kwaziswa oomatshini ababeza kuhluza amanzi awayefunxwa elwandle.
Waqala phantsi ke umsebenzi ibe ngasekupheleni kowe-1896—kunyaka nje emva kokufika kukaWhitehouse eMombasa—kwakusele kubekwe isiporo esingangeekhilomitha ezingama-40. Phezu kwayo yonke le nto yayisele yenziwe, abantu abahlalele ukuhlab’ amadlala bakhawuleza bayibona into yokuba ukuba kwakungakhawuleziswa ukwakhiwa kwalo mgaqo kaloliwe, yayiya kuthi ibetha iminyaka yokuqala yee-1920, kube kungekahambi nomnye uloliwe osuka ngakolo nxweme usiya kwiChibi iVictoria!
Ukunqumla IThafa ITaru
Ngelo xesha kanye, abakhi bathiwa nqo sisifo. NgoDisemba we-1896 iintente zesibhedlele zazizaliswe ngabasebenzi abangaphezu kwama-500 ababegula bebuthwa phantsi ngenxa yesifo seengcongconi, isisu segazi, izilonda zesisu ezixhaphake kakhulu kweleenjiko nenyumoniya. Kwiiveki ezimbalwa emva koko, isiqingatha sabasebenzi sagulela oogqirha nezicaka.
Sekunjalo, umsebenzi waqhubeka ibe ngoMeyi umgaqo kaloliwe wawusele ungaphezu kweekhilomitha ezingama-80 ukuya kufikelela kwiThafa iTaru elingumqwebedu. Nangona yayikhangeleka iyindawo entle yokwakha xa uqala ukuyibona, iTaru le yayilihlathi elinamatyholo alingana nomntu naneencakuba zameva. Abasebenzi babegqunywa ziingqimba zothuli olubomvu. Ingqatsini yelanga yayiwenza umhlaba ube ngathi usembizeni—loo mmandla wawungathi yipani yokuqhotsa yaye ingengomeva alapho hayi suka. Nkqu nasebusuku kwakungafane kwenzeke ukuba iqondo lobushushu libe ngaphantsi kwama-40 ngokukaCelsius. Nqeberh’ ithile yombhali, uM. F. Hill yathi xa yayisenz’ imbali ngalo mgaqo kaloliwe: “Kwakubonakala ngathi kwaiAfrika nje ngokwayo yayiyicaphukel’ egazini into yokungena komgaqo kaloliwe wabamhlophe.”
Ukugrogriswa Ziingonyama
Ngasekupheleni kowe-1898 lo mgaqo kaloliwe waya kufika kuMlambo iTsavo kwiikhilomitha ezili-195. Phezu kweengxaki zalo mmandla, kwavela enye ingxaki—le yeengonyama ezimbini ezazihlalele ukuhlasela abasebenzi. Uninzi lweengonyama ludla ngokubonqena abantu. Ngokuqhelekileyo ezitya abantu zezindala kakhulu okanye ezisele zigula kangangokuba zingabi sakwazi ukubamba izilwanyana. Yayingumnqa ke le yezi ngonyama zimbini zaseTsavo, ezaziyinkunzi nemazi. Zazingekho ndala zingengawo namatyutyusi, kodwa zazichwechwa ngobusuku zimke namaxhoba.
Abasebenzi ababengcangcazela ukoyik’ oku barhangqa iintente zabo ngameva, babasa imililo baza bakhetha abalindi ababeza kubetha iinkonkxa zeoli ezindala, ngethemba lokuba loo nto yayiya kuzigxotha ezi zilwanyana. NgoDisemba abasebenzi babesele bedikwe yeyokosa yile nto yezi ngonyama kangangokuba abanye babo balala emgaqweni kaloliwe bezama ukumisa uloliwe obuyela eMombasa, yaye abamalunga nama-500 kubo bakhwela kulo loliwe. Kwasala nje abamalunga nama-48. Sehla isantya somsebenzi kwiiveki ezintathu ezalandelayo njengoko eyona nto yayiphambili ezingqondweni zabasebenzi yayikukuzikhusela.
Ekugqibeleni bada bazibulala ezi ngonyama, waza waqhubeka ke umsebenzi.
Ezinye Iingxaki
Phakathi kowe-1899, lo mgaqo kaloliwe waya kufikelela eNairobi. Ukusuka apho ke, lo mgaqo wagugutha ngasentshona, nanko ke uphinyela usehla ngaphezu kweemitha ezingama-400 ukuya kutsho kuMwonyo Omkhulu uze unyuke ngeliny’ icala unqumla phakathi kweentshinyela zamahlathi naphakathi kwemiwonyo enzulu de waya kuthi xha ngeNkcochoyi ekuthiwa yiMau ephakame kangangeemitha ezingama-2600.
Ukwakha umgaqo kaloliwe kwimixawuka elolo hlobo kwakungumgomagomane kukodwa nje kodwa kwakukho nezinye iingxaki. Ngokomzekelo, amajoni alapho ayesiya kwezo nkampu aze afike azenzele kwezo zixhobo zokwakha—ethabatha iingcingo zemfonomfono ukuze enze izacholo kwakunye neebholiti, izikhonkwane neentsimbi zesiporo ukuze enze izixhobo. Ephos’ izwi ngale nto, uMhlekazi uCharles Eliot, owayesakuba ngugxalaba-libanzi kwiAfrika eseMpuma wathi xa wayebhala: “Unokuyicinga nje indlela ekwakunokubiwa ngayo kumgaqo kaloliwe waseYurophu ukuba iingcingo zemfonomfono yayizizacholo zeperile neentsimbi zesiporo ziyimipu nje yokudlala . . . Ayisothusi ke into yokuba la [maxhanti esizwe] eye azibona sele eyenzile le nto.”
Amaqotsini Alo Msebenzi
Aba basebenzi babesakha lo mgaqo kaloliwe bathi befika kwiikhilomitha ezilishumi zokugqibela ukuya kwiChibi iVictoria, saba isisu segazi nesifo seengcongconi zisenz’ unothanda kuloo nkampu. Isiqingatha sabasebenzi sasilele ngendlu. Kwangelo xesha linye, zagaleleka iimvula, ziwushiya loo mhlaba wawusele uxhofu-xhofu kakade uyinto nje etyiki-tyiki. Iindonga ezazingakulo mgaqo kaloliwe zaziyiki-yiki kangangokuba oololiwe ababethwele izixhobo zokusebenza kwakufuneka bothulwe behamba; kungenjalo babeya kubhukuqa baye kulim’ edakeni. Omnye umsebenzi wathi xa wayechaza lo loliwe “uthi qhaphu gqi phayaa ethe chu kuhle ebekelele, aventshuze ebheka ngapha nangapha, agexagexe eyaluzela kany’ ok’ kwenqanawa ekulwandle olungazolanga, aze ke ahamb’ etsabis’ udak’ olumnyama, kube yiloo nto ke kangangeenyawo ezilishumi [iimitha ezintathu] macal’ onke.”
Ekugqibeleni, ngoDisemba 21, 1901, kwabethelelwa isikhonkwane sokugqibela, kwisiporo sokugqibela kwiZibuko iFlorence (ngoku eyiKisumu), elunxwemeni lweChibi iVictoria. Lilonke, kwathabatha iminyaka emihlanu neenyanga ezine ukwakha umgaqo kaloliwe oziikhilomitha ezingama-937, ibe kwaxabisa ii-R45 700 000. Abasebenzi abangaphezu kwama-2000 kwabangama-31 983 ababesuka eIndiya bafa, abanye babuyela eIndiya baza abangamawaka bahlala baza banda bebumba inkungu nelanga yabemi baseAsia abakwiAfrika eseMpuma sithetha nje. Kwakhiwa izikhululo zikaloliwe ezingama-43 kwakunye nemichankcatho engama-35 neebhuloro ezili-1 000 neembobo ezihamba ngaphantsi komhlaba.
Kaloku eliny’ ixhwangusha lombhali uElspeth Huxley lathi “ngowona mgaqo kaloliwe wawufun’ isibindi ehlabathini lonke.” Sekunjalo, umbuzo umi, Ngaba into owaba yiyo kamva ibonisa ukuba loo migudu yayiyimfuneko, okanye ngaba loo mgaqo kaloliwe ngokwenene “wawungenambadla,” uyinkcitha-xesha, kudyakrazw’ imali, yaye kudlalw’ upuca ngobomi babantu?
Lo Mgaqo Kaloliwe Namhlanje
Ukuze uphenduleke loo mbuzo kuya kufuneka kuqwalaselwe izinto eziye zenzeka kule minyaka iphantse ibe li-100 ukususela ekugqityweni komgaqo kaloliwe wokuqala. Endaweni yoololiwe bamalahle kwangena abedizili bezi mini abangaphezu kwama-200 nabanamandla. Watwetywa lo mgaqo kaloliwe waya kufikelela kwiqela leedolophu nezixeko zaseKenya naseUganda. Uye wanegalelo elibalulekileyo ekuphuculweni kwezixeko ezilikomkhulu zaseNairobi naseKampala.
Lo mgaqo kaloliwe unendima entlu-mbini namhlanje. Okokuqala, uthutha abahambi ngendlela ethembekileyo nekhuselekileyo uye kubabeka kwiindawo abaya kuzo. Okwesibini, lo mgaqo kaloliwe wenza kube lula ukuthutha imithwalo enjengesamente, ikofu, oomatshini, amaplanga nokutya. Ukuthutha intarhantarha yeebhokisi zemithwalo emva kokuba zothulwe ezinqanaweni elunxwemeni kulelinye lamashishini anengeniso eZikhululo zikaLoliwe zaseKenya.
Licac’ okwekat’ emhloph’ ehlungwini elokuba, lo mgaqo kaloliwe ungqineke uluncedo gqitha kwiAfrika eseMpuma. Mhlawumbi nawe ngeny’ imini uya kuze unandiphe ukukhenketha kulo mgaqo kaloliwe udumileyo nowakha wanyeliswa kusithiwa “yimfeketho.”
[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]
UKUKHENKETHA NGOLOLIWE
ABAKHENKETHI nabantu basekuhlaleni ngokunjalo, bakuthanda gqitha ukukhenketha ngololiwe, ingakumbi phakathi kweMombasa neNairobi. Uloliwe okhwelisa abantu uyaphuma eNairobi naseMombasa suku ngalunye ngqo ngentsimbi ye–7:00 ngokuhlwa. Ukuba uhamba ngololiwe okudidi lokuqala okanye olwesibini, ukhangela uludwe oluxhonyiweyo ngaphambi kokuba ukhwele ukuze wazi ikhareji negumbi oza kuhlala kulo. Kuye kubekho gosa lithile ke eliba kufutshane neliye likubuze enoba ungathanda ukufumana into eya ethunjini ngo–7:15 okanye nge–8:30 ngokuhlwa. Uyakhetha ke lize likunike iphetshana elithile.
Utsho phezulu. Litsho ikhwelo likaloliwe, kuze ke kutsh’ umculo njengoko uloliwe econdoba kuhle eshiya isikhululo.
Xa kufika ixesha lokutya, kubakho umntu ohamba kuloo paseji imxinwa ekhalisa intsimbi ngelokunazisa ukuba sele kulungile ukutya. Kweli khareji kutyelwa kulo uthenga kooni nooni abathengiswa apho; uze ke ngoxa usatya, kubekho oza kungena egumbini lakho akondlalele.
Inxalenye yolu hambo iba sebusuku. Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba ulale, usenokufuna ukucima izibane egumbini lakho, ukrobe ngefestile uze uzibuze, ‘Ngaba ezo zithunzi zibangelwa kukukhanya kwenyanga ziindlovu neengonyama, okanye ngamatyholo nje nemithi? Kwakunjani ukulala phandle kwisithuba seminyaka elikhulu eyadlulayo ngoxa wawusakhiwa lo mgaqo kaloliwe? Ngaba ndandiya kuxhaxha luloyiko xa kwakufuneka ndenze loo nto ngelo xesha? Kuthekani ngoku?’
Olu hambo luthabatha nje malunga neeyure ezili-14, ngenxa yoko ke ininzi into onokuyibona emva kokuba ikhwezi lomso sele lithe gqenye phezu kwaloo mimango yaseAfrika. Ukuba ke uya eMombasa, uya kulibona ke ilanga lakusasa liphuma liloziza phezu kwalo mahlathi anameva, elithi chu kuhle liye kuhlala phezu kwemithi yesundu liye kuhlala kwingca echetywayo, kwimithi edwele nechetywe kakuhle nakwizakhiwo zezi mini zaseMombasa. Abalimi balima amasimi ngezandla ngoxa abantwana abapacaza ngeenyawo ngehlombe bewangawangisa bebulisa abo bakhwele kuloliwe.
Kanti ukuba uya eNairobi, ilanga lithukuza njengoko usagoqoza unqumla kolo lwabhebhe lwethafa. Xa ulapho ke kulula gqitha ukubona izilwanyana, ingakumbi njengoko udlula ngakwiNairobi National Park.
La ngamava akhetheke ngokwenene. Nguwuphi omnye uloliwe onokuthi xa ukhwele kuye unandiphe isidlo sakusasa esimuncis’ iintupha ngoxa ubukele ngefestile imihlambi yamaqwarhashe neembabala?
[Inkcazelo]
Kenya Railways
[Imaphu/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 23]
(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)
KENYA
Lake Victoria
Kisumu
NAIROBI
Tsavo
Mombasa
INDIAN OCEAN
[Inkcazelo]
Globe: Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.
Map of Africa on globe: The Complete Encyclopedia of Illustration/J. G. Heck
Male and female kudu. Lydekker
Trains: Kenya Railways
Lioness. Century Magazine