POLITICIAN’S WIFE

Bottomline: I must take an active role in voter mobilization moving around villages hugging women,distributing Lesos, sugar,salt and cooking oil in an attempt to endear him to the female voters who have the decisive vote only for me to become the first causality

Its now two weeks and counting,I haven’t heard from him no text, no call, no anything just like any other common,ordinary citizen I just see him on the television during those live parliamentary sessions if they happen to be aired by the national broadcaster while am in the house. Sometimes I see him neatly dressed during television interviews and am not the one responsible, who dressed him? To worsen the matter am seeing those clothes for the first time in my life. Questions start lingering across my mind where does he freshen up from before donning those adorable designer suits? Who is this woman who has taken over my husband? Where was she before he rose to this prestigious position?

The problem isn’t with her any way since in the absence of water lizards can claim to be crocodiles anyway let’s get back to my husband. I have been covering for him when our children bombard me with those questions that don’t have a proper-definitive answer on the whereabouts of their father. Since I don’t want to tarnish his ‘good’ name to his children I had to be a liar, yes a  serial liar who has to plan lies upfront and execute them with utmost precision to ensure they come out us the sheer truth nothing more. ‘Dad came home late and left early to attend to a matter of national interest;”I would feign as I prepared them for school around 5 am.

I must not only put a good face but also a good word in front of the children,something they will buy easily with little or no question marks.They should not see any sign of my pain,despair and struggle in keeping the family together. The picture of their father being the national hero everybody wants to be associated with at every level from the constituency to the national level has to be maintained at all costs necessary. Any sign of unhappiness from my side will definitely change their perception of the national hero, I don’t want to attract any unnecessary questions especially from them as it would lead to emotional instability which will affect their academic performance,perception and self esteem.

Sharing with friends,neighbors,colleagues or relatives is a no, yes a big NO. I can’t take chances they will make mince meat out of my struggles providing the necessary fodder for rumor mills, gutter press and blogs to attract traffic and make money through shouting headlines accompanied with exaggerated stories. This will expose my fragile union even further in this internet era fake news is rife soon social media investigators in their attempt to make the story juicy with interesting twists and turns they will dig out further splashing our photos everywhere for all to see.

Though the story will have some truth from a distance bulk of the information contained in the alleged ‘dossiers’ will just be hogwash. This will provide the best foundation for political propaganda with a well oiled political machinery thanks to my husband’s political enemies with the help of their handlers,data mining companies and political spin doctors. I may wake up to bad news which was my creation; with photos of my entire family circulating on social media from Whatsapp groups to Telegram channels as bloggers try to outshine each other on who can sell a much more juicier story with damning details and exposes. The internet never forgets by the way….

Having normalized the pain of an absent husband perfecting the art and technique of putting a brave face full of fake smiles as I talk with anyone and everyone who asks me how we are doing at home or how has been. I have to be at my best even on my worst days as I go on with my daily activities since any behavioral change might attract some unwanted attention from members of the fourth estate and their accomplices.

As a political tool on standby to be deployed and employed when necessary in fighting political propaganda during the messy,noisy and chaotic electioneering period that lasts for close to a year. I have to accompany him so that he won’t be called names or despised of how he expects to take care of a constituency with close to 80,000 voters and approximately 200,000 inhabitants yet he can’t take care of his wife.

In politics anyone or anything can be used to undress you thus discrediting you amongst voters. I must take an active role in voter mobilization moving around villages hugging women,distributing Lesos, sugar,salt and cooking oil in an attempt to endear him to the female voters who have the decisive vote only for me to become the first causality. As if this is not enough I form campaign parties dubbed ‘Warembo na Mheshimiwa’ in all villages with an aim of covering more ground to ensure he wins two elections; both the party nomination ticket and the actual election. The party nomination is usually the herculean task though…

Being a trophy wife to be used for public displays during state functions,dinners,church sermons and political rallies. I have to look good at all times, dressed in the latest designer attires top-down,with the latest hairstyle,shades from Dubai,Italian handbag topped up with an irresistible French cologne. Physically I may seem to be well,however, the devil is in the detail; what you may not know is that am emotionally drained. After the function we might not even go home together let alone being driven in the same vehicle. We will be seen together in the next function for the sake of publicity, if I fail to make a grand entrance away from the public eye; tongues will start wagging which is not good in this line of business.

Driven in the latest Toyota V8 with a bodyguard and driver at my disposal, living in a state of the art 10 bedroom maisonette in a leafy suburb,children attending an international school, unlimited vacations topped up with numerous shopping trips many are of the opinion that I should forever keep my silence and enjoy the privilege that comes with the trappings of power as long as it last. What they don’t know is the emotional pain that comes with such a life. They don’t know of the long sleepless nights as I pray that whenever he is may he be safe,may he not bring that disease,yes that DISEASE we all talk about in hush tones that requires daily medication though thanks to the introduction of PrEP I care less. What hell of a life……..