THE STRUGGLE FOR WIFE INHERITANCE

It was now the responsibility of the community to ensure they got the remains of Asweda for burial. As for their case, it was a very difficult task. They organized the young men and dispatched them on a search mission for the remains of Asweda. The group went on searching from village to village*** from bush to bush. After seven days of vivid search, they later found a chopped off leg which they suspected to belong to Asweda. They wrapped the leg in an animal skin and continued with their search mission. They went through thorny bushes but still their efforts were fruitless. They returned home after two weeks of serious search. It is now assumed that world animals could have already consumed the remains of the great Asweda. It was now the community to perform the burial ritual. As for this case, the custom has provided that a banana stem has to be buried in the case of the deceased body is not found. The custom vividly dictated that a six-foot banana stem should be buried. In the case of Asweda, a three-foot banana had to be buried because it had another part (the leg).

The family decided to send off their beloved one on the first day of the third month. The preparations were made in advance. The professional mourners were hired to mourn the great Asweda. The community had professional mourners who usually wailed around, singing praise songs to the deceased. Their songs and wails also gave hope to the deceased family. The traditional brew locally known as busaa was put in place. The burial of a prominent person was not complete without the traditional brew. The brew usually gave a refreshing taste. On the material day, all plans were in place. The young strong men, as usual, were directed to dig the grave. The determined men were really willing to execute the task. They quickly cooperated, and their cooperation was really amazing. There is this narrative that Asweda was cursed by the ancestors. This narrative is mainly based on the way Asweda ignored the community customs and was not even ready to listen to the directives of her ancestors. There is this thing that happened at the time of grave preparation. The grave diggers had just started fighting among themselves. According to customs, it was really a bad sign to ignore. The situation was to be intervened by the council of elders who were to intervene on behalf.

Now, before the council of elders' intervention, the family believed that their loved one could be alive. According to the community, a person who dies mysteriously was expected to communicate through dreams and guide the family about his where about. But in this case, they had never heard from Asweda. There was no option, hence organizing his burial as the custom requires, though reluctantly. Asweda had not paid the dowry for his third wife and, according to the culture, it hindered the burial process from going on. The family gathered and raised the bulls for the dowry process. They selected three elderly men who were sent to pay the dowry as custom dictated. Osuna was the best person with high bargaining power and experience in the matter of dowry payment. Osuna was among the three selected men to be sent to pay dowry. He was really respected for uttering words of wisdom. The day came, and the burial ritual was performed. Asweda was now well sent off, and now it was the time for the family to heal.

Everything had to be done accordingly, and the family was careful not to make a mess. It was now the interesting part to inherit the widows to show up. There was a great struggle as the interested parties struggled to win. Asweda's brother Ochilo had returned home after being informed about the death of his brother Asweda. Ochilo had earlier run away into the hideout after having an affair with Asweda's second wife. Ochilo was among the people who were in a hurry to inherit his brothers' wives. Ochilo had an admiration of inheriting his brother's second wife, who had earlier had affairs that resulted in the birth of Thishida Nasimalwa. Ogungo Hatari, Asweda's cousin, was also attracted to all the three wives of Asweda and had already taken a step to convince them. Another party in the inheritance wrangle was an old man, Osuna, who had previously been sent to participate in dowry payment for Asweda's second wife. It was now the three to play tricks to win the wives.

Osuna, an elderly man, thought about how to play safely. The process of inheriting was very simple. The first man who would close the door, regardless of the length of time the door would remain closed, was considered the one to inherit. Osuna thought that he could be tactful by visiting them independently with a target*** with the intention of closing the door, automatically inheriting them all. Osuna's plan was fruitless as all the three wives were careful and could not allow him into their huts. Osuna got angry and planned something evil for the widows. He deliberately organized a mad man into Asweda, s third house, as they were in the house, Asweda strolled quietly and closed the door. It was a big disappointment as she was now to be inherited by the mad man. Osuna was on a revenge mission, having known that her effort to inherit them was fruitless.

Ochilo was a smart man and his wisdom was not questionable. He tactfully convinced them and, without wasting time, he was the husband. Ochilo was a man with a high affinity for other peoples' wives. He had severely engaged in infidelity with other people's wives. Without further ado, Ochilo impregnated the two wives almost at the same time. He was a good person. He took ownership and protected the family of his brother. The community permitted the practice. They both delivered baby boys. The first wife named his child Okumu and the second wife Asweda Junior. Three months after delivery, they got pregnant again. Ochilo was a superb working person.