Chapter 2: Joe Mzalendo

Shortly, just after he had finished reading the epistle, he got a call from his boss, whom apparently, he was replacing. He was summoned to the most powerful office in the chain of command to confirm the letter he had just received. It was in deed the best achievement of his life. With the excitement of the promotion, he matched into the office shoulders high and very confident.

On the contrary, before, he used to walk into the office on his toes with doubts of his worthy of being in there. This day, he; even became afraid of his own self and developed self-respect to a level he never had for self before. Nothing feels better than catching the president’s eye and attention. Did he just say the president? Of course, he did.

After knocking on the magnificently furnished oak door, inside, he went majestically. This day, he had no trouble with the secretary. She; even ushered him into the office, a thing she had left for her fingers in the past. She went ahead to do the knocking on his behalf, to show how special he had become. He had never figured out reason for her negative attitude towards him in the past, but; it was least of his concern at the time. The higher was surely cooler for him at that particular moment.

It was then he realized; the sky is beneath limit to some populaces. He was on his way to acquiring all the power he needed and to help more of those he could wash off poverty. He was being promoted from a Principal Secretary to a Cabinet Minister. This was the biggest day of his life.

From the literal way, he knew about promotion, one only gets one after a very good job done. By him helping the poor out of poverty was a reason enough for his promotion. Having worked as a Principal Secretary for quite some time, being a Cabinet Member was not going to be hard for him. He required no much orientation. Before, he could find himself in the midst of Cabinet Members; therefore, he had picked a thing or two.

Above all, he was not just to be any cabinet member but, the head of Credonian Finance Ministry. Who could say, he was not living his dreams. Even the tiniest of God’s creation was about to feel his promotion. He had no plans for holding back his newly acquired aptitudes, with regard to, performing his duties and, transforming the country. Having this much power at his reach also meant, his status quo had just pitched an octave higher. He; was now eligible to devour with the big fish at will in the ocean, or, should it be, go for a dip with them.

His community and, his people back at home, had more to enjoy than himself. Nothing gives more joy than a warrior and hero in the community. To his people, he was a true warrior and their hero. Would you have met them in celebration, you would think they had just been made him; and yet, he had not been heralded by the president officially. They danced and made merry in pride and honor of their son. They knew; the doors from poverty had opened wider now that, their son was the head in the Finance Ministry, and so, he did as well.

A few days later, he was officially named the new Credonia’s Cabinet Minister of Finance, along with few others. He was not the only one caught by the eye of favor after all. The president was serious about his government and active leadership. Indeed, he was a man of vision and a true guru. This is what got him the landslide victory in the previous elections. He was reason for Joe’s interest to work with the government. He had won himself a position in the president’s inner circle. To work, he shot head first with the vision of a better Credonia. 

Indeed, the first few years in the job paid off very well. His people and the Nation in general, did feel the change. He worked very hard and tirelessly to make sure his country would get out of the third world classification. He was also not willing to let his president down. A miracle had happened; he had to make the best of it. Through the years of working, he had not officially married a woman, but; he surely was married to something else. The love for his people, work, and to make Credonia a better place for all. Not to forget, a good name for himself as well.

His success; so fast, he was one of the few young Credonian citizens to become a Cabinet Minister. It was after this that, he got himself a very beautiful girl to marry. Shortly after the wedding, several months later, she bore him a child, a son for that matter. Life was proving to be heaven on earth. He was really living his dream. It is also good to know; his wife came within the stream of success he had achieved.

As it is always said, good and evil are born of the same mother. This makes it true that, whenever there is good, evil dwells in the shadows. His life was very okay and normal with the power, money and authority. He surely did admit that, nothing feels better than power, a beautiful woman, having authority and, people at your service and command. Indeed, life was truly good and worthy to not waste time thinking about anything but success.

As mentioned, all he ever wanted was a good degree and a good job with the government. What could get better than a Master’s degree in Economics and a job as a Cabinet Minister in the Finance Ministry, just to mention but a few? It could not get any better. In the end, it was so sad when it dawned on him.

He had just gotten into bed with a demon and gave it as many kids as he could sire. All he kept wondering about was; how his better half could not have seen it and stop him before he gave birth to so many demons.

In the end, he had his answer. What normal person would dare think of a weakness in such a perfect outcome? It was very overwhelming and the why none of them could see the deep pit they were getting into. He then realized that, all the factors for his better half to have equal addiction to power were present.

It is so addictive; it affects those close to you more than it does to you. They were all blinded by this much power and his dream that they saw not more than an inch around them. He was so focused on his goals that he never saw the game change around him. As it happened, his playmates had a different setup for the same game.