What A Life

Peter Opiyo, dogged by misfortunes after a very successful career rising from a Graduate Teacher to a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education He was happily married to Rosemary, a Matron at Mulago Hospital even though Rose was barren. Tragedy began when the father of Peter, Robert Opiyo, was shot to death by robbers in Nairobi where he was the Regional Manager of Trans Ocean, Uganda Limited with its main Headquarters in Kampala, Robert Opiyo’s murder was planned from Uganda with involvement of the Government State Research Bureau. While in Gulu for the burial of his father, Peter’s house in Kampala is burgled, in-spite that Peter’s house is sandwiched between two Senior Army Officers, in Princess Anne Avenue, in Kololo.Peter’s neighbours claimed ignorance of the breakage. Beside this, on their way back to Kampala as they approached Bombo Town, where a military barracks is located, a military lorry drove straight into the path of their car. To avoid a head on collusion, Peter swerved off the road and the car rolled several times into the valley before bursting into flames. During the fall, Peter was thrown out of the car and sustained multiple fractures but Rose, strapped in her seat belt, was burnt to ashes. After recovery, Peter took the remains of Rose and buried her next to his father’s grave. Peter was completely broken, with the loss of his wife, father, and property. His inadequate salary as Permanent Secretary and with no access or benefits from his employment began to feel the pinch of poverty. Peter’s childhood friends, Andrew and Walter became his sole-mates supporting him financially. To bail himself out the financial challenges, Peter tried his hands at various illegal and legal businesses. but, all ended in failures. The only glimpse of hope was in the ivory tusks which ’nearly succeeded’ but in the last minute, they were out-smarted by a disloyal friend who disappeared into thin air Peter’s heart broke and he gave up trying any other ’illegal’ business but because he had met a lady in Gulu who resembled his dead wife Rosemary, he fell in love with her but after check out on Peters social and financial status’ she gave up on him. To win her, Peter once again was lured into illegal ’gold trade’ smuggled from Zaire and sold in Kampala. His nephew a rich young man of Nebbi loan him the money to procure the gold, deal which nub at the bud. His fortune ran out again and this time, he called it quits. On his way to Kampala Peter decided to stop over at Wilobo Inn to meet Rose but found that she was off duty attending her introduction engagement ceremony. With her new husband to be. With a broken heart Peter walked to a stone at the Inn’s gate and sat, whispered to himself what a life. To console himself, he drank a bottle of the local brew he had bought in Pakwach. After, he decided to walk to the Railway Station in Gulu but his life was cut short. A military truck coming from Kampala to Gulu knocked him dead.