Arthur Greene
Ngenkathi i-Taliban ihlasela e-Afghanistan ngoNcwaba odlule ngemuva kokuhoxa kwamasosha aseMelika, ezinye izikhulu eziphezulu zezwe zanikezwa indlela ephephile yokuphuma ezweni.
Phakathi kwalezi zikhulu kwakukhona noNgqongqoshe wezeziMali kuleliyazwe, uMnu Khalid Payenda, owake waba ngumqondisi wesabelomali sika-R90 billion. Manje, useziphilisa ngokushayela i-Uber emigwaqeni yase-Washington DC – inhlokodolobha yezwe elashiya izwe lakhe dengwane.
Eshayela imoto yakhe i-Honda Accord, uPayenda ubenengxoxo ne-Washington Post.
Lo mlisa (40) utshele leli phephandaba ukuthi wazizwa enenhlanhla enkulu ngokuthola lo msebenzi, ngoba uyakwazi ukondla umkakhe nezingane zabo ezine.
“Ngijabule kakhulu ngalo msebenzi. Kusho ukuthi akumele ngiphelelwe yithemba.”
Abantu abaningi base-Afghanistan abanalo uzinzo olufanayo kwezezimali. Ngemuva kokuthi inhlokodolobha yezwe i-Kabul iwele ezandleni ze-Taliban, umnotho uye wawohloka.
Lokhu kuqhubeke izinyanga eziyisikhombisa, futhi abantu abangaphezu kwengxenye yesigidi balahlekelwe yimisebenzi, ngokusho kwe-United Nation.
Ebuka ukuwa kwezwe lakhe ekude, uPayenda uzwa intukuthelo enkulu maqondana neMelika ngokuvumela izwe ukuthi libuyele ezandleni zamasosha amaSulumane agcindezelayo.
I-Taliban yagcina ukubusa e-Afghanistan kusukela ngo-1996 kuya ku-2001, ngesikhathi ixoshwa ngamasosha aseMelika.
Kodwa futhi wazizwa sengathi yena nabanye abaholi bezwe behlulekile emsebenzini wabo wokwakha i-Afghanistan kabusha.
“Manje njengoba sekuphelile, sibe neminyaka engu-20 futhi umhlaba wonke wasesekela ukwakha uhlelo oluzosebenzela abantu. Sehluleke kabuhlungu,” esho.
“Esikwakhile yindlu yamakhadi ehle yashayeka ngokushesha. Indlu yamakhadi yakhelwa phezu kwesisekelo senkohlakalo. Abanye bethu kuhulumeni bakhetha ukuntshontsha ngisho sesinethuba elincane lokugcina. Sibakhaphele abantu bakithi.”
Manje uzizwa edingiselwe ezweni eladela inkululeko yakhe ukuze aziphilise.
“Okwamanje, anginayo indawo,” esho. “Angiyena owalapha, futhi angiyena owase-Afghanistan.”
Kwesinye isikhathi, uPayenda ugibeza abagibeli abamchwensayo ngendlela akhuluma ngayo. “Unesikhathi esingakanani ukulelizwe?” bayabuza. “Uluthola lunjani uguquko?”
“Kuwushintsho olukhulu,” kuphendula uPayenda.