A young woman named Pendo has made headlines for rejecting a luxury car gifted by her estranged mother at her university graduation.
Pendo, who was abandoned by her mother 15 years ago, made a strong stand during her graduation at the University of Dar es Salaam. According to a video posted on YouTube by Kiredio, the mother, who had been absent for over a decade, reappeared with an expensive gift—a Mazda CX-5, along with a heartfelt note explaining her absence and expressing regret.
However, Pendo stood her ground. She declined the gift, delivering a firm message that material things could not mend the emotional scars left by her mother’s abandonment. “I don’t need it,” Pendo stated, rejecting both the car and the attempted reconciliation.
Pendo’s Mother
Their story began in Dodoma, where Pendo’s mother found herself pregnant after a brief relationship. After Pendo’s father left, she faced the challenge of raising a child on her own. She moved to Singida and entered a new relationship, but her partner did not want the responsibility of raising another man’s child.
Facing financial constraints and emotional pressure, Pendo’s mother made the painful decision to leave her daughter with her own mother (Pendo’s grandmother) when Pendo was just eight years old. She then started a new life, leaving her past, and her daughter, behind.
Pendo grew up in her grandmother’s care, with no contact from her mother for years. When her mother finally resurfaced, it was with the expensive car gift, attempting to reconnect after years of separation.
The mother’s return, accompanied by the car and a handwritten letter, was meant to be a gesture of reconciliation. In the letter, she expressed remorse for her past actions, explaining the difficult decisions she had made, her regrets, and her desire to make amends. Despite her heartfelt words, the damage had already been done. Pendo, now an adult and independent, declined the gift without hesitation.
