By Joseph Mbazzi Muguluma
Mukabadda, a man from Kifuuta, Kyotera, has a chilling tale of betrayal, humiliation and survival after spending three days trapped inside a wardrobe at the home of a married woman he had secretly been pursuing.
In a dramatic confession, Mukabadda recounts how his appetite for other men’s wives nearly cost him his life, despite having sworn at an ancestral shrine never to repeat the habit.
His resolve collapsed when he met Nawozantya, the beautiful and well-mannered wife of Wafula, a travelling fish trader whose business frequently took him across the borders to Tanzania and the former Zaire.
With Wafula often away, Mukabadda seized the opportunity to pursue his wife, showering her with handmade gifts and secretly visiting her whenever her husband travelled.
He even prayed for Wafula’s business to prosper so that he could make more frequent trips, creating opportunities for the illicit affair.
However, their secret arrangement unravelled when Wafula unexpectedly returned home after discovering he had forgotten his national identity card.
As the couple enjoyed a radio comedy programme, Wafula’s voice outside sent Mukabadda into panic.
Nawozantya quickly ordered him into a wardrobe, promising to release him the following morning.
But the husband had other plans.
Instead of leaving, Wafula decided to postpone his journey, slaughter a chicken, invite neighbours and open beer.
Mukabadda remained trapped in darkness as the household festivities continued.
Things took a sinister turn when Wafula delivered a proverb that Mukabadda interpreted as a warning that his presence had been discovered: “A rat that mocks a trap does not worry until it triggers it.”
Later, Wafula locked the house and left with his wife to visit an elderly man, leaving Mukabadda imprisoned in the wardrobe overnight. Hunger, thirst and fear overwhelmed the unfortunate intruder.
When the couple returned with visitors, Wafula announced that an animal had been caught in his trap.
The supposed animal eventually cried out for help, prompting the visitors to approach the wardrobe cautiously, initially suspecting a spirit.
Mukabadda identified himself, but Nawozantya fled, abandoning him to face the consequences alone.
Once discovered, he was severely beaten and dumped in the bush near Nakibizi, Mbiko, left for dead. He eventually crawled home at midnight, battered but alive.
Reflecting on his ordeal, Mukabadda warns men against pursuing other people’s wives, arguing that forbidden relationships offer neither security nor loyalty when trouble strikes.
Yet his story ends with a humorous contradiction: despite his suffering, he still longs to reunite with Nawozantya, claiming he wants to discuss the ordeal and settle his troubled heart.
For Mukabadda, the lesson is clear: a secret affair may begin with excitement, but its consequences can be devastating.
