By Dickson Jere
In my early twenties, I bought a beautiful metallic grey Toyota Corolla. It had a powerful music system and leather interior. Even though it was bought as a used car, the appearance looked pretty brand new. It was envied by many! It was a marvel of a car.
You see, I have a friend called Munakopa, who had a similar car although his was white. Those days few young people had cars of their own. So, weekends used to be lit. We featured all over bars…Zenon, club mulamu, tall trees and all!
One Saturday afternoon, Munakopa asked me to trail him. The casual drive took us to the bushy Makeni area. We stopped at a construction site.
“This is my project…” he said, as he led me to the uncompleted double-storey structure.
“What do you mean your project,” I asked as I never thought at his age he could be building such a massive structure and yet we hanged around together every now and then especially weekends.
“DJ, even you can start,” he retorted.
Mr. Phillimon Zulu is a trusted builder. Once worked In National Housing Authority (NHA) – the Kenneth Kaunda one – where discipline and honest was a hallmark. I was given his number by Munakopa with high recommendation. He also gave me number of his Architect.
“Speak to them about building…” he said.
I met Mr. Zulu that same Saturday and he made building a house look so easy even without money and a plot yet. The idea was to start with the idea itself – he said.
And a search for plot began in earnest after that Saturday getaway. It was to be the turning point of my life!
Back to my beautiful Toyota Corolla.
Every weekend, instead of looking for newest bars in town, it had a new role. Carrying two bags of cement to my construction site before heading out for a drink with friends.
“Follow that pattern. At least one or two bags of cement per week,” Mr. Zulu said, adding that no single bag or material will ever go missing as long as he was in charge.
That, my beautiful Toyota Corolla, suffered!
Another friend came into the picture. He introduced me to Oriental Quarries who agreed to supply me with sand and blocks but to be paid “whenever you have money”. Before I knew it, we were at roof level. They supplied on time.
Lamasat had just entered the Zambian market. Another friend – James Chungu – introduced me to Mahmood – the proprietor. We clicked! He agreed to supply me with aluminum windows but to be paid in installments whenever I had money.
“Don’t put wall fence yet so that people can see the windows,” he said, which was form of advertising his newly introduced windows on the market.
Deal done!
Albert Mundia, a tall and slim smart youngman, was a timber trader at Buseko Market in Matero who knew Mr. Zulu. He agreed to supply me the timber to be paid within six months but “don’t over pressure yourself boss”. He trusted my builder who vouched for me.
Anyway, I moved in.
The fittings were supplied by Mr. Raman – Hardware Shop – who was introduced to me by Ba Cosmas Mwananshiku. It was “get and pay later” because we trust Ba Mwananshiku.
So, I had just miraculously built a house without a loan or mortgage in my twenties! It was the work of a strong network of friends and the discipline of buying a bag of cement per week religiously!
That house – built with the help of my beautiful Toyota Corolla – is just one of the several other similar projects that followed. And all, except one, built by the same Mr. Zulu who is now my family and project advisor.
Young people, you too can do it!
Choose your friends wisely and properly…
Back to my beautiful metallic Toyota Corolla.
At the end of the project, it was battered and looked so dirty. It was no longer envied by many. But alas it delivered me from rentals in my young age.
I pay tribute to my Toyota Corolla! And my friends.
Kalemba May 6, 2024
