UDADISI: Rethinking in Action

KISWACENTRIC: ENGAGING THE POLITICS OF LANGUAGE

2012-02-25T01:33:00.004+03:00

KISWA-CENTRIC: The politics of language in East African culture, art, and media

Yale University

Linsly-Chittenden Hall Room 211

63 High Street, New Haven

Friday, March 2, 2012

10am-5:30pm

This one-day symposium will explore the politics of language and representation in East African culture, art, and media, reflecting on the tension between artistic choices and conventions, on the one hand, and colonial and post-colonial legacies of "foreign" and indigenous languages, on the other.

SPEAKERS:

Omari Kaseko, Filmmaker

Zavara Mponjika, Hip Hop Artist, Emcee

Catheryn Massamu, Presenter, East African Television

Mukoma wa Ngugi, Author, Nairobi Heat

Mohamed Yunus Rafiz, PhD Student and Filmmaker

For more information and to RSVP, visit https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEk4Q0NONUFJM3o0cmVWUmVjbmtDUlE6MQm

If you have other questions, contact zachary.enumah@yale.edu

UHARIBIFU WA KISWAHILI MITANDAONI

2012-02-23T09:05:00.010+03:00

UHARIBIFU WA KISWAHILI MITANDAONI

ZAVARA MPONJIKA

Nimefurahishwa sana na waraka wa "Watanzania Tunavyokiharibu Kiswahili Twitter"na namna mwandishi anavyokabiliana na hili tatizo. Nimefurahi kuona kuna watu wengi wanaguswa na tatizo hili linaloanza kupevuka. Watu wengi wanaoingia humu kwenye hizi baraza za kijamii(Facebook, Twita) kiukweli wana zile athari za ulimbukeni.

Ugonjwa wa ULIMBUKENI ni mbaya yaweza kuwa pengine kuliko UKIMWI na SARATANI, ila unaweza kupona. Inasikitisha kuona hadi leo watu wanadhani eti kuongea kikoloni ndo' ujanja. Bahati mbaya pamoja na kulundikana kwa mashule yanayoitwa English Medium hicho kikoloni bado hakina nguvu. Nimeshakaa na wanafunzi kibao wa vyuo vikuu ambao hawawezi kuongea lugha hii wanayoinyenyekea. Ni aibu kweli wanachokinyenyekea hawakiwezi na cha kwao kinaanza kuwaponyoka.

Nilitarajia kwenye makala yako ungegusia kuhusu huu mtindo wa kuingiza herufi C (inatamkwa CHE kwa kiswahili) na kuingiza namba 2 na 4 kwa kujifanya kama mtu anaandika kikoloni, mtindo ulioanzia kwenye kuandika ujumbe wa maandishi kwenye simu. Kuna wanaohadaika kudhani eti ni ubunifu kuandika vile, wakati ukweli ni kwamba ni UJINGA wa hali ya juu. Maandishi na herufi hizo haziendani na lugha ya kiswahili hata kidogo. Ukiandika "m2" kwa kiswahili inasomeka "mmbili" - kitu ambacho unakuwa umeondoka kabisa kwenye mantiki. Kwanza hairahisishi lolote kwa vile inabidi utafsiri mara tatu ili kupata maana. Kwa hiyo kusudio la msingi linapoteza maana yake. Hii inadhihirisha watu hawajui kusoma na wana utata kwenye kuandika. Hili jambo limeanza kukomaa sana. utaona mtu anaandika "cina" akimaanisha sina ambapo kwa Kiswahili inasomeka C"chena". Je, hapo unawasilisha nini na kupunguza herufi gani? Kwa huo uandikaji ulikusudiwa na lugha ile kupunguza urefu wa maneno. Hapo ule ujinga niliousema unajidhihirisha.

Sasa ina maana gani kwa neno kama hilo hapo juu iwapo idadi ya herufi inakuwa ileile?

Inafaa tufanye juhudi za dhati wadau wa kiswahili hasa wa kizazi hiki kukemea na kufanya mambo mbali mbali kuonyesha madhara ya kudharau lugha na tamaduni zetu na kuendekeza vya wengine. Nimewahi kuwa na mijadala na watu wengi kuhusiana na suala hili, kuna wanaojitetea eti ndio usasa. Nilicheka sana na kuwaambia sio usasa bali ni ULIMBUKENI na kama hao wanaojaribu kuwanakili mbona hawachanganyi Kiswahili? Usasa iweje uwe unaathiri upande wetu tu?

Hongera sana kwa kukemea hili, kwa wote wanaokemea tuko pamoja kwenye mapambano haya. Nahitilafiana tu kidogo na mwandishi wa makala kule Tanganyikan pale usemapo Kenya Kiingereza ndio lugha yao ya kwanza, hilo sio sahihi lugha ya kwanza haimaanishi lugha unayokutana nayo shule. Wapo watu wengine pia wanosema na kudhania kuwa Kiingereza ndio lugha ya kwanza. Nigeria hilo pia sio sahihi. Lugha ya kwanza ni ile unayoongea ukizaliwa, unayokuta mama akiongea nawe. Kule Kenya lugha za kwanza mara nyingi ni zile asilia na Kiswahili ni ya pili kwa mantiki hiyo, ila kiswahili ni lugha ya taifa ya Kenya pia kama ambavyo ni ya taifa hapa Tanzania. Huu mjadala ni mrefu tuendelee kujenga ili tunusuru taifa letu kuangamia kwenye dimbwi la maangamizi. Upendo na amani.

Twitter: @Rhymson

Facebook: Zavara Mponjika

chakula

2012-02-22T06:05:00.004+03:00

Chakula

(Dedicated to those who can read the signs of times)

Want for chakula and more want …

Hunger pangs without being hungry

Greed!

Thirsting for more food, drink and pleasure

Craving!

For food, drink and pleasure

Sometime, just the notion of it

Craving for power!

To make all humanity bow at the snap of your fingers

Such a craving!

For means to sustain that POWER

Hunger pangs leading to grab, grab, and more grab!

Money grab, sex grab, land grab and more grab!

A drunken feeling of emptiness

Void!

In spirit, deeds, relations and all life’s endeavors

An empty feeling of want and more want…

Selfish pursuit for more pleasure, power and ACCUMULATION

Opulence!

Cry my beloved country

For birthing this monstrous pursuit for chakula among the least hungry

A land of abundance that feeds not its hungry bodies and minds!

©Demere Kitunga, February, 2012

MGENI KWETU NYUMBANI

2012-02-19T17:36:00.007+03:00

Shikamoo

Unashangaa nini?

Msiba kwetu nyumbani

Kisiwani mwa amani

Kizazi hadi kizazi

Sisi tumeuzoea…

Mgeni kwetu nyumbani

Kamwe si hayawani

Twamthamini mgeni

Kuliko hata mwenyeji

Sisi tunampokea…

Biashara kwetu ndani

Haikosi mshitiri

Bara hata visiwani

Nyanda juu hadi pwani

Sisi tunaiwezesha…

Walokuja kwa jahazi

Wakisukumwa na kusi

Wa merikebu za mbali

Mizinga zikisheheni

Sisi tuliwaitika…

Wengine wakichuuza

Na baadhi kulowea

Bara wakitangatanga

Kuzitafuta ngawira

Sisi tuliwaonyesha…

Nasi hatukukaidi

Kuwapokea kwa jadi

Walipoibisha hodi

Na misafara kuhodhi

Sisi tuliwapenyeza…

Hatukuuanza leo

Ukuwadi tufanyao

Tulianzia na hongo

Kwa kila jino la tembo

Sisi tulijitwalia…

Mambo yalipogeuka

Tukageuzwa ngawira

Ndiposa wenye dhamana

Bei walipotupiga

Sisi tuliwahofia…

Ni hawa hawa wakuu

Wa jana na leo yetu

Wanaofanya mizungu

Kutugeuza vizuu

Sisi tunawatazama…

Wametuweka jamvini

Kututia msibani

Tulie kwa ufakiri

Na mali zetu lukuki

Sisi tumehamanika…

Leo ushangae nini

Kwani ulikuwa wapi

Nyuki wakipigwa moshi

Na kulala usingizi

Sisi tukisuasua…

Masega yalipovunjwa

Na asali ikarinwa

Na wanapozindukana

Nta wakasake tena

Sisi tulinung’unika…

Lini tutakuwa mbogo

Tuyakatae makombo

Tukashikane mikono

Tusitoe shikamoo?

Sisi tunajiuliza!

©demere kitunga, 2012

JOIN FRIENDS OF PAMBAZUKA AND KEEP IT FREE

2012-02-17T13:30:00.004+03:00

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FARE THEE WELL WHITNEY HOUSTON (1963 - 2012)

2012-02-12T04:35:00.008+03:00

<https://twitter.com/#!/richardroeper/status/168504701841719296/photo/1>

"I can never claim to know you in lived experience but your voice and music connects to many realities we live in (love, loss, woman's dignity and pride) - in that part I know you. Your voice and passing could be crowded with many stories - perhaps with drugs, marriage and the choices you made - yet we know very little of you as a person, mother or wife. In the middle of all this, I am proudly calling you a sister in respect of your talent, content of your music and your contribution to the music industry. In that, I choose to remember you as one of the greatest female vocalists of all time – not only for your voice but also for allowing us to learn the complexity of the woman journey out of yours. I will always love you " - Jacqueline Mgumia

CAN THE YOUNG GENERATION OF LEADERS DO IT BETTER?

2012-02-10T23:07:00.009+03:00

"My students know that there are problems with the development and aid industries and can even offer biting critiques of celebrity interventions in aid programs in Africa. But they believe that they can do it better, that their generation understands the failures and can solve them, and that their intentions are pure enough to overcome cynics" -Kathryn Mathers

WHAT ABOUT OUR CELEBRATED YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS AND PROFESSIONALS - CAN THEY DO GLOBAL 'AID', 'TRADE' & 'DEBT' BETTER?

Activists detained for demanding health rights

2012-02-09T17:25:00.007+03:00

Activists demand government action to resolve health crisis or resign

Thirteen leaders of national and grassroots activist organizations in Tanzania have been detained today by the government in the Oyster Bay Police Station, Dar es Salaam, in a government clamp down on protests by women/feminist and human rights activists against the failure of the government to resolve the health crisis arising from a two week doctors strike in Tanzania. The leaders come from LHRC, TGNP, TAMWA, NEDPHA and several other grassroots organizations. They and others were on their way to Muhimbili Hospital to await the outcome of talks which the Prime Minister was having with striking doctors. On Wednesday 8^thFebruary more than 200 activists successfully ‘occupied’ Salendar Bridge and the roads leading into it for two hours, and got major media attention and support from motorists and passersby for their action, based on the posters demanding that the Minister of Health and other top officials must resign; and protesting the failure of the President’s Office and the Parliament to give the situation priority. Countless numbers of people have died as a result of the strike. However, as the participating organizations such as TGNP have noted, people were dying long before this strike because of the lack of adequate human, financial and material resources provided to health care at all levels.

Many of the organizations leading the protest are members of the Feminist Activist Coalition, Fem Act, including TGNP, TAMWA, LHRC, HakiElimu, SIKIKA, and NEDPHA; others belong to Policy Forum, including Policy Forum itself; and many others are grassroots organisations participating in the Gender and Development Seminar Series [GDSS].

[Anna Kikwa is one of the TGNP leaders locked up, along with Diana
Mwiru and Dorothy Mbilinyi from GTI; Helen Kijo Bisimba and Marcos of
LHRC, Anananilea Nkya of TAMWA, Specioza Mwankina of NEDIPHA and
several GDSS organisations]

Marjorie Mbilinyi, TGNP

[UPDATE: RELEASED ON BAIL]

KISA CHA MBAYUWAYU NA KIOTA CHAO

2012-02-08T07:30:00.005+03:00

Mbayuwayu akijiandaa kukimbia baada ya kutishwa

Kiota cha Mbayuwayu kikiwa wazi bila ulinzi wa wenyewe

Mbayuwayu wakikitazama kwa mbali kiota kilicho hatarini

THE CENTER CANNOT HOLD

2012-02-08T06:32:00.003+03:00

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

- William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

pan-african forwardism

2012-02-07T04:48:00.001+03:00

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Kwame.jpg

From Frank: For TZ Students Seeking Scholarships

2012-02-06T14:42:00.008+03:00

Dear all -

It is a pleasure to meet you.

I had promised [...] that I would send him a 1 page biosketch to share with Tz students seeking scholarship opportunities in the US. Days are fast becoming weeks, and soon will be months .. the more I think about it, the more the task seems more daunting! And so, with your permission, I will free-style a few paragraphs here, and welcome any comments you may have. I think all of us have experiences that would immensely help others, we just never get around to sharing them ...

==

IST 1992-95
I read about the IST scholarships in the Daily News newspaper, there was a full page advertisement of the scholarships with exam dates at the Masaki campus. I had just completed the O-level exams at Azania Sec School, and was waiting for my results. I also had the good fortune of knowing at least two Tanzanian students who had won the IST scholarships, they were sister's of my former classmate from Mlimani Primary School. I say good fortune because it is very important to see what it is possible, so as to believe what it is possible. The exams went well, and I was selected for a panel interview which I remember included the CEO of IST. My only other interview up to that time had been at Mzizima Sec School, where I had categorically told their Headmaster that if I got placed at Azania or Tambaza, from Muhimbili Primary School, I would never bother going to a private school - sadly those were the last glorious days of public education in Tanzania! By the time I had spent four years struggling with haphazard teaching and random school schedule at Azania, I had wised up just enough to know how good an opportunity IST would be - and this insight served me well at the IST panel interview! It still bothered me that IST didn't offer PCB (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) which could hamper my chances of getting into Muhimbili, as a medical student. But the opportunity and sheer excitement of the scholarship seemed to vastly outweigh this concern. This is how one knows the risk is probably worth it. My struggles at Azania had taught me good study habits, which when combined with the excellent resources at IST, made the time at IST very enjoyable and fruitful. There was a disconnect with me going to school on a daladala or pickup ride from my fellow students, when many arrived in posh cars, but that was the least of my concerns. The scholarship after all was for education, not better school transport!

Harvard 1995-2004Applying to Harvard was serendipitous in the sense that most of my classmates applied to college - and everyone listed some very competitive schools, average schools and 'safety' schools. Those seeking scholarships were told to apply to at least 30-40 schools at the minimum, you can imagine the number of essays and secondary applications one has to fill. Fortunately, using the common application, many of the schools waived the fees which cost $40USD per application at the time, not counting the SAT and TOEFL exam fees. I mention this to emphasize that good grades, while essential, are not enough to make one competitive. We applied early and to many many schools, and we were also constantly reminded that we were competing with International students world wide not just from IST - because IST administers the International Baccalaureate (IB) exam which is a global exam. This was an important lesson because many good Tanzanian students are very comfortable competing against Tanzanian students, but not against students from let's say Kenya! I am afraid this is increasingly becoming the reality, especially as we move towards the East African Federation. At Harvard, the same themes continued, only more intensified because most students there tend to be competitive and ambitious - which is a great environment for growth. But again, going to Harvard and getting good grades is not enough, one still has to apply early and to many many opportunities, like everyone else competing for the same opportunities. Surrounding oneself with like minded people, especially those with a similar background, allowed me to see what was possible, and have an immediate source for bouncing off ideas and strategies.

I would be remiss not to mention one of my worst grades at Harvard, where I got a B- in Physics 11A. This will resonate with the premed types who by necessity have to obsess over their GPAs. I remember thinking that the dream of medical school was now over, but my premed Advisor was kind enough to teach me two important lessons: Never let a bad grade hurt you twice and always over prepare for the next test or task. While I was busy making a few dollars here and there for 10-15 hrs/week, my fellow students were using that precious time to read 4-5 chapters ahead of the class and visit Professors during office hours and after class. I also learned that books for the semester were bought weeks before the semester began, not 2-3 weeks into it! You can only imagine the shock of actually learning what your competitors have been doing all along, while I depended on studying habits I had learned at Azania! Many times we are competing in the dark, without even knowing what the competition is. Know thy enemy. When I put my advisor's lessons to work, surely enough it paid off with an A+ in Physics 11B the following semester. My only regret is that I was a second semester Junior by that time.

Yale 2004-present
I am now an Assistant Professor in Neuroradiology, which means that I both teach and interpret medical images of the brain and spine. The only constant has been learning and competing. But I believe this is true of whatever profession one chooses. It used to be that one needs to learn in order to compete, now one has to learn in order to simply survive and remain relevant. These are challenging but incredibly exciting times. I am hoping we will embrace the challenge of learning and competing in our own lives, and freely share with others our own lessons.

==

Thanks for reading.

Frank

Ref: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101138862235029008620/posts

Cf. http://udadisi.blogspot.com/2011/09/profiling-tanzanias-scholars-in_7451.html

ARDHI YETU

2012-02-06T14:00:00.006+03:00

UWEKEZAJI KATIKA ARDHI

Rasilimaili zetu watanzania,

Mola ametupatia kwa uwingi,

Hifadhi za misitu na za wanyama,

Ardhi yenye rutuba na madini,

Kwa wingi tumekirimiwa na Mungu.

Sheria na sera tukazitunga,

Ili kulinda rasilimali zetu,

Mfumo wa usimamizi kuweka,

Kurahisisha kazi za kuratibu,

Na usimamizi wa ardhi yetu.

Sheria na sera zetu zimepwaya,

Zimerithi mfumo wa kikoloni,

Rais ana milki ya hatma,

Wananchi wana hadhi ya upangaji,

Katika ardhi alowapa mola.

Vyombo vya usimamizi legelege,

Watendaji wamekosa maadili,

Rushwa imekuwa kipaumbele,

Maskini hawezi kupata haki,

Kama mfumo hautabadilika.

Uwekezaji sasa ni uporaji,

Ardhi za vijiji zinawaniwa,

Sheria za ardhi hazifuatwi,

Watendaji wastahili lawama,

Kwa kuwa wasaliti wa wananchi.

Haki za ardhi tuzifahamuni,

Sheria, taratibu kuzijifunza,

Kamwe tusikubali unyanyasaji,

Wanyonge tusiache kuwatetea,

Ardhi ni rasilimali! Itunze.

Ardhi ni rasilimali ilindwe,

Haki na mfumo wa usimamizi,

Uwekwe na Katiba izitambue,

Milki ya hatma iwe kwa wananchi,

Ili wawe na maamuzi ya mwisho.

zilizokuwa fikra sahihi za mwenyekiti wa chama

2012-02-05T13:26:00.003+03:00

http://yle.fi/elavaarkisto/artikkelit/suomalaisjournalisti_vallan_vaiheilla_tansaniassa_76590.html#media=76595

DAR ES SALAAM IS NOT TANZANIA!

2012-02-04T15:20:00.006+03:00

AN INTERESTING DEBATE ON TWITTER HAS REMINDED ME OF THIS UNPUBLISHED LETTER THAT I SENT TO A NEWSPAPER EDITOR IN 2007:

Stop this ‘Dar’ Gibberish: Tanzania is not Dar-es-Salaam

I am surprised, nay shocked, to see your esteemed newspaper carrying articles which substitutes Dar for Tanzania . In your newspaper, one can find headings such as these: ‘Dar kicks off drive to end death penalty’; ‘Glowing tribute to Dar as refugees return home’; and ‘ Japan to cancel Dar’s debt’. I find these titles very disturbing given the fact that we, Tanzanians, have no political culture of referring to our country as Dar. Other countries may be doing that but that is not a sufficient reason to make us do as they do. One may say it is professional to do so. But who defines what is professional, especially when it comes to matters that have serious national implications?

It is important to remind you or rather clarify some important facts to you about Tanzania . First of all, its capital is Dodoma . Not Dar-es-Salaam. That is the first fact, that is, the capital of the United Republic of Tanzania is not Dar as you, dare I say, dearly call it. So even if your newspaper wants to maintain that ‘professional’ style of using the capital of a country to refer to that country, then, professionally, Dar does not qualify.

Another important fact is that this country was and is still built on the foundation of nationalism. This was a nationalism that stretched beyond the borders of Dar, as workers and peasants joined hand in fighting for independence. This Uhuru was not to be restricted to hegemonic cities such as Dar. The culture and politics of nationalism necessitated and still necessitates the need to decentralize Dar as the epitome of Tanzania.

Despite its primacy elsewhere, that culture of privileging the capital city in political discourse did not entrench its roots in Tanzania , something that your newspaper, knowingly or unknowingly, seems to be working on. In the so-called age of ‘the end of history,’ whereby people tend to forget who they are and where they are coming from, I am tempted to believe that your paper may succeed. But in the wake of fast tracking the East African Federation, the ongoing debate on nationalism casts doubt on this belief. People are coming to realize what Tanzania really means to them, and I can bet it does not mean Dar to them. A national consciousness is being born or, rather, being reborn.

Honestly, I don’t see why we should start or keep on imitating those who refer to USA as Washington or Russia as Moscow. By the way, in the first place have we even asked ourselves if we know why they do so or we are just copying and pasting a hegemonic political culture? And more significantly, do we know what implications this cultural and political parroting has on an African country that is beset with socioeconomic crises resulting from urban primacy and migrations? ‘Words Create’ so we are told. Let us not use our written words to create a Dar, a Nairobi and a Kampala that can talk on behalf or at the expense of Arusha, Mwanza, Unguja, Pemba, Mombasa, Kisumu, Mbarara, Jinja etc. Dear Editor, let a thousand flowers bloom in Tanzania. Let Tanzania be Tanzania.

BURIANI KAMARADI HENRY MAPOLU

2012-02-02T22:46:00.008+03:00

Sitaomboleza

Rafiki yangu, kamaradi Henry Mapolu

Sijaja kukuzika

Sijaja kukuaga

Sitaomboleza

Sitabubujika

Nimekuja na marafiki zetu

Na makamaradi wetu

Kupokea mchango wako

Kujikumbusha mfano wako

Ewe kamaradi!

Unatukumbusha mengi ya usafi, sio ya ufisadi

Uhongo wa kisiasa uliukata,

Ukaenda wilayani

Udisi wa Mzee Ruksa haukufarijisha,

Ukauficha ukayani

Aha! hili halikuwa geni kwako

Kwani ulijiuzulu Uzuoni,

Ukaenda Urafikini

Mwito wako kuinua uelewa wa proletari

Hukujali kutunikiwa uzamili wa profesari

Ulituachia mabepari-chipukizi

Wakicheza ngoma ya ulimbikizi

Tumefika kukuenzi

Kwa fikra na mawazo yako

Kwa mtazamo na msimamo wako

Na waledi usiotetereka

Uaminifu usiopingika

Wapo kina Adamu na Zakia

'Bakileki na Bgoya

Karimu na ukarimu wake

Na Kashiwaki namuona pake

Wapo pia Joe na Jenerali

Sio wa wanajeshi

Wa waandishi-wacheshi

Sitaki niwasahau Mwami na mwenzie Masanja

Eti wakijidai wanasosolojia viranja

Qorro wa Karatu

Amefuatana na Msoma Salumu

Aliyekuwa anatusalimu

'Venceramos! A luta continua'

Ndio kamaradi: A luta continua

Amekuja pia Rameshi

Vijana wakimtania 'wa Bangladeshi'

Na mwandishi mwenzio Nizari

Aishio nchi-kavu Kariakoni

Akijitambulisha orijino wa nchi-Visiwani

Namuona mheshimiwa Liundi, balozi

Akipambana na mawimbi ya machozi

Na Mzee Butiku amekaa majanini

Unakumbuka tulivyomsumbua ujanani?

Nimemuona rafiki yako wa siku zile za Kivukoni

Mzee wetu, mzee Ngombale wa Kiliwani

Alikuwa anakuulizia juzijuzi

Nipashe za Kamaradi Henry asiye na upuuzi

Sikuwa na ujasiri wa kumkumbushia

Barua yako ya wazi ulomrushia

Uonjo mkali wa kalamu yako katili

'Ewe kamaradi wangu wa prolitari

Usikubali kupigwa teke na siasa za jemadari'

Kamwe sitosahau unyekekevu na utulivu wako

Kiburi uliepuka kama tauni, jazba zilikuwa geni kwako

Nilipotunga hadithi ya Amina na kijana mwanafalsafa

Nilikuwa nakuwazia wewe na usawa wa yako falsafa

Shati nje ya suruali, na ndara za kanda mbili

Ukiishi katika risachi fleti namba mbili

Yenye kuta pasi picha wala pambo

Isipokuwa Mzee Maksi na madevu yake ya majigambo

Ndugu yangu, rafiki yangu, Kamaradi Henry – mbele sitaenda

Nakuachie salamu za kamaradi chipukizi Sabatho Nyamsenda:

'Afrika imepoteza mmoja wa makamanda muhimu

katika vita dhidi ya mfumo huu dhalimu ...'.

Issa bin Mariam

02/02/2011

Ndugu zangu,

Henry Mapolu ameaga dunia, juzi Jumapili jioni.

Ni kati ya waanzilishi wa Chama cha USARF na jarida la Cheche katika chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam miaka ya 60. Kwa mliopata kitabu cha "Cheche" mtakuta makala / taarifa zake.

Kwa mliosoma kitabu cha Walter Rodney "How Europe Underdeveloped Africa", mtakuta ametoa shukrani kwa watu wawili: Karim Hirji na Henry Mapolu.

Prof. Shivji anamwelezea Henri Mapolu kama ifuatavyo:-

Henry alichagua kuwa upande wa wanyonge mapema katika maisha yake tukiwa sote Chuo Kikuu, na kushiriki katika vuguvugu la mwamko wa nadharia na itikadi ya Ujamaa kwa mtazamo wa Kimaksi. Baada ya kufuzu shahada ya uzamili, bila kusita, Henry akaacha kazi yake ya uhadhiri chuoni na kujiunga na Kiwanda cha Urafiki kama Afisa Elimu ili aweze kutoa mchango wake kwa kuamsha uelewa wa wafanyakazi na wavujajasho juu ya hali yao halisi. Mimi binafsi ninafarijika kwamba niliwahi kufanya kazi naye kuandika, kukusanya na kuhariri makala ambayo yalichapishwa katika kijitabu kiitwacho 'Vuguvugu la wafanyakazi Nchini Tanzania'. Maandishi ya Henry Mapolu yataendelea kuwa nyenzo mojawapo katika mapambano ya wavujajasho dhidi ya mfumo katili wa ubepari.

Issa Shivji

30/01/2010

Hakika Afrika imepoteza mmoja wa makamanda muhimu katika vita dhidi ya mfumo dhalimu wa ubepari / ubeberu.

MAPAMBANO YA KUBOMOA NGOME YA UBEBERU YANAENDELEA

Sabatho Nyamsenda

HAVE YOU HEARD FROM JOHANNESBURG ?

2012-02-02T03:37:00.001+03:00

http://www.clarityfilms.org/haveyouheardfromjohannesburg/

Warsha ya Uandishi wa Miswada ya Filamu

2012-02-02T02:53:00.004+03:00

SEHEMU:

Idara ya Sanaa na Maonesho (FPA) -

Chuo Kikuu Cha Dar es Salaam (UDSM)

TAREHE:

13-15 Februari 2012

MUDA:

3 Asubuhi - 8 Mchana

KUWASILIANA:

0714132249

mwakilamajohn@yahoo.com

Vazi la Taifa alilobuni Lucy Lameck Liliishia Wapi?

2012-01-29T13:25:00.005+03:00

Thanks Kathleen of http://katebomz.tumblr.com/ for pointing out this picture from http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalarchives/5404812081/in/set-72157625849884949 with the following caption:

Miss Lucy Lameck, M.L.C. (left), Organising Secretary of the Women's Section of the Tanganyika African National Union and Miss Victoria Kopney are seen wearing the proposed national dress for women designed by Miss Lameck.

MAKING 'DISEASES OF POVERTY' HISTORY WITH DR. HULDA

2012-01-29T04:03:00.003+03:00

"Research by a Tanzanian woman scientist is turning up roses in South Africa and could save millions of people the pain of tuberculosis and other ailments which she calls 'diseases of poverty.'" - http://in2eastafrica.net/tanzania-researcher-in-sa-roots-for-new-tb-therapy/

"One of our own daughters, Dr Hulda Shaidi Swai, is currently making news across the world in her pioneering work that seeks to employ 'nanotechnology' to treat TB and what she calls 'other diseases of poverty' more efficiently - and in less the time it takes now - yet still hopes to do so in safer ways" - http://allafrica.com/stories/201201260325.html

Kilombero Sugar Company/Illovo-Economically Sabotaged?

2012-01-24T16:42:00.009+03:00

I have just read this scathing editorial from the Daily News: http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/dailynews/1271-blunders-in-sugar-cane-project-are-economic-saboteurs . It has reminded me of a research I did in 2010 on what this editorial sadly albeit strangely refers to as a "simple land dispute" which, in its opinion, was ought to be easily and speedily resolved by the government so as to pave way for the investor's "mega investment" that would have allegedly "saved the country's meagre foreign exchange on sugar". In the spirit of hearing the other side of the story I present below the section from my research report that dealt with the dispute:

3.2 Kilombero Sugar Company Limited

The transition from the ‘nationalization’ to the ‘privatization’ era also enabled Illovo Sugar

Limited of South Africa to acquire part of the previously nationalised Kilombero Sugar Estate in Morogoro region. According to its official website, this happened in 1998. Its latest annual report provides the following breakdown of the percentage stakes acquired: “Illovo’s shareholding in Kilombero Sugar Company Limited represents 55% of the issued share capital, with 20% held by ED&F Man, the London-based commodities group, and 25% by the Government of Tanzania” (Illovo Sugar Limited 2010: 26). Thus, as far as land acquisition is concerned, this case appears as that of Kilombero Plantations Limited in which an investor gets land that is already the property of a public company. However, as the main operator of the farm, its quest for expansion coupled with other nuances has been creating a crisis with a different dimension.

A letter dated 1 February 2005 and referenced KDC/M.40/1 from the then acting District

Development Director directed chairpersons of Namwawala, Mbingu, Mofu and Kisegese toprepare Village Council and Village Assembly’s minutes, in a space of nine days, which shows villagers’ approval of giving land to the company. The letter is titled: “YAH: UMILIKISHAJI WA ARDHI KWA KAMPUNI YA SUKARI (ILOVO) KATIKA MAENEO YA BONDE LA MTO RUIPA”, that is, “TITLING OF LAND FOR ILOVO SUGAR COMPANY IN AREAS WITHIN RUIPA VALLEY”. As the Land Rights Research and Resources Institute (LARRRI/HAKIARDHI) and the Legal and Human Rights Centre’s (LHRC) fact-finding mission team observed in their report, as written by Isaya I. Makoko (2009), it is obvious that this directive required an extraordinary/emergency Village Assembly, a practice which is not procedural in such a case as per Local Government (District Authorities) Act Number 7 of 1982.

It is not surprising then that a year later the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) was busy

presenting the ‘success story’ of this investor as a rationale for expansion. In a presentation

entitled Investment Opportunities in the Sugar Ethanol Sector, TIC (2006) commended the

company for increasing its production from 29,000 tons to over 140,000 tons since it started

investing. It also noted that the company was considering an additional $75 million investment to increase production up to 200,000 tons. However, it asserted Ruipa valley actually had 250,000 tons of sugar potential. As far as investment land is concerned, it affirmed that more than 40,000 hectares with potential for both irrigated and non-irrigated sugar-cane production had already been identified and earmarked accordingly. The country has over 88 million hectares of suitable agricultural land, it reaffirmed, of which less than 6% is currently utilized. It capped its rationale with this claim: “With less available arable land, Kenya and Uganda currently import more than 300,000 tons of sugar. With unrestricted preferential access under the East African Community, sugar producers based in Tanzania are ideally placed to serve these markets” (TIC 2006: 3 - 4). Then in a letter dated 18 March 2010 and titled ‘MAANDALIZI YA MILIKI ZA MASHAMBA KATIKA BONDE LA RUIPA’, that is, ‘PREPARATION FOR THE TITLING OF FARMS IN THE RUIPA VALLEY’, the Kilombero District Executive Director (DED) Office informs the Director General of the Sugar Board of Tanzania that the letter of offer has been prepared for the farm earmarked as an industry area for the investor. It also note that the farms earmarked for Illovo Sugar company and a farm earmarked for investors from ‘outside’ were not included in the process so as to wait for a corrective resurvey following complaints from Mbingu Village that the first survey went beyond the project area to include its land. The letter thus concludes:

Kwa kuwa eneo lililoguswa ni lile lililopendekezwa kupewa Kampuni ya Sukari

Kilombero ambalo lina ukubwa (hekta 1976) maalum, marekebisho yake yataelekea

kwenye eneo la wakulima wa nje katika kijiji cha Mofu ambalo nalo litahusika

kufanyiwa marekebisho kwa sababu yanapakana [Since the area covered is the one

earmarked for Kilombero Sugar Company, with special 1976 hectares, the corrective

resurvey shall be directed to the area of outgrowers farmers in the village of Mofu as it

will also be involved in the resurvey because they border each other]

A letter dated 23 February 2010 from Mbingu Village Council and directed to the District Land Officer confirms the village’s complaint. It states that on the basis of the Village Land Use Plan part of its land was wrongly included in the survey of the sugar planting project. To rectify this, as the following title of the letter indicates, the village requested back that area: Maombi ya Kuachiwa Eneo la Makazi na Kilimo Kutoka Mradi wa Miwa (SUDECO), that is, ‘Request to Retain Residential and Farming Area from the Sugar Farming Project (SUDECO). It should be noted that SUDECO stands for Sugar Development Corporation, the then Tanzanian parastatal that was behind the quest to expand sugar plantation in the area during the ‘nationalisation’ era.

In their baseline study conducted three years ago in the district on behalf of HAKIARDHI,

Jackline Mgumia, Bashiru Ally & Emmanuel Mvula (2007) pointed out that the land conflict in the Ruipa valley has its genesis in ‘1984’. SUDECO surveyed Morogoro region to determine the areas suitable for sugarcane plantations. However, it did not start any plantation since those were the times when about 400 parastatals in Tanzania were going bankrupt. The baseline study found out that when the sugar estate was privatized as a joint venture to Illovo, leaving the government with a stake of 25 percent, the same information regarding bounderies collected then were used without resurveying the area to determine whether there were new developments in the land.

However, when Illovo surveyed the area it found out that 6,024 acres were occupied by the

villages of Njagi and Magombera in Mkula and Mchombe Wards of Kilombero District

respectively. Upon valuation in regard to relocation it was determined that it would be possible to compensate the villagers in Magombera. In the case of Njagi it was determined that the compensation would be too costly for the company as those villagers had permanent settlements.

It is this latter situation, they note, that led the government to decide to allocate 1, 976 acres in Ruipa valley to the company instead of relocating Njagi villagers. Even though the company affirmed that the area was suitable for sugarcane it asserted that it was too far from its premises and would thus increase the cost of production. On the basis of this argument, the baseline study documents, it requested the government to allocate it 8,000 acres in the valley so that it can plant sugarcane and construct an industry. This requested acreage, however, included areas claimed by Namwawala, Mofu and Mbingu Villages in the Idete, Mofu and Mbingu Wards in the same district. The processing of this request and the reactions it sparked are sharply captured below:

Ombi hilo lilitumwa wilayani toka Serikali Kuu, ikiitaka Halmashauri ya Wilaya

isimamie upimaji wa eneo hilo na kuwapatia ILOVO eneo husika. Wilaya ilipima eneo

kama ilivyoagizwa na kuwaeleza wananchi juu ya agizo la Serikali Kuu. Wanavijiji wa

vijiji vya Mofu, Mbingu na Namwawala waligoma kutoa eneo la nyongeza na

kuchaguliwa mwekezaji. Wananchi hao walidai kuwa chini ya Sheria ya Ardhi ya Vijiji

Namba 5 ya Mwaka 1999, wanakijiji wana mamlaka juu ya ardhi ya Kijiji na Serikali

Kuu haipaswi kuwaagiza wampokee mwekezaji ambaye hataki kufuata sheria

zinazotawala ugawaji wa ardhi ya vijiji. Serikali Kuu kwa upande mwingine ina mtazamokwamba eneo la RUIPA liko chini ya mamlaka yake kwa sababu lilifanyiwa tathmini na SUDECO. Lakini wananchi wanasema SUDECO haina hatimiliki ya eneo hilo.

Wananchi waliamua kutafuta mwekezaji wao anayeitwa Alhooshom na kumpa muhtasari

wa kupewa ardhi ili aanzishe kilimo cha miwa katika eneo hilo. Halmashauri ya Kijiji

iliamua kwamba ikiwa kampuni ya ILOVO inahitaji ardhi kwa ajili ya kilimo cha miwa

inapaswa ifuate taratibu kwa mujibu wa Sheria ya Ardhi ya Vijiji [The request was sent

to the district from the central government, directing the District Council to oversee

surveying and provide the requested area to ILLOVO. The district surveyed the area and

informed the villagers of the decision of the government. Mofu, Mbingu and

Namwawala villagers refused to give the additional area and rejected the choosing of an

investor for them. These villagers asserted that according to the Village Land Act

Number 5 they have authority over the village land and the central government is not

supposed to direct them to accept an investor who does not want to follow the laws

governing village land. The central government, on the other hand, is of the view that the

area is under its authority as it was valuated by SUDECO and it has a title for it. The

villagers decided to look for an investor by the name of Alhooshom to farm sugarcane in

the area; they gave him minutes approving him to start farming. The Village Council

decided that if ILLOVO needs land to farm sugarcane then it is supposed to follow

procedures stipulated in the Village Land Act] (Mgumia, Ally & Mvula 2007: 33).

Two years later, as LHRC’s (2010) Tanzania Human Rights Report 2009 documents, the trend of arbitrary exercise of powers emerged again. The District Commissioner “for Kilombero was accused of forcing the villagers of Namwawala to move out of their lands to pave way for sugar plantation investment” (LHRC 2010: 127). This accusation was also documented in the print and electronic media. In the case of former, for instance, one newspaper carried these alarming news titles: Kijiji cha Namwawala hatarini kuuzwa kwa mwekezaji: Viongozi wanadi ni Agizo la Rais, wanakijiji waunda tume (Tanzania Daima 27 April 2009). Its subsequent issues thus carried a more sensational news title: Kijiji cha Namwawala Chalipuka: Polisi Watembeza Mkong’oto, Wananchi Wamlilia Pinda (Tanzania Daima 2 May 2009). The former is an alert that Namwawala village is in danger of being sold to an investor whereby leaders are claiming it’s a presidential directive while villagers have formed a commission. ‘Namwawala Village Explodes’ is the direct translation of the latter title with its subtitle noting that police have gone on rampage beating people while villagers are pleading with Pinda – the Prime Minister. It should be noted, however, that other sections of the media, particularly a community radio in Kilombero district, was used in the first place to announce the district authority’s notification of evicting villagers.

In her presentation on the role that the media played in reporting the case of Namwawala, Devota Minja (2010) documents how a team of journalists visited the district. What they observed was an arbitrary use of power. Their attempt to ascertain why the district authority was evicting villagers by force and without compensation proved to be futile as district officials remained mum. Their reportage, it is noted, raised alarm and prompted the Prime Minister to direct the regional authority to resolve the issue. What they reported in the media, the presentation further points out, led to the arrests and framing of those presumed to have divulged information to the journalists. They continued covering the case and collecting the views of villagers. It was only until the beginning of 2009 that the case of these arrestees was struck out in court by the judge.

However, a fact-finding mission team that was dispatched by HAKIARDHI and LHRC in May 2009 was furnished with slightly conflicting versions of the history and scope of the conflict. Backing up their version with map and other documents, district officials told the team that the land under dispute belonged to the government since the early 1970s and it was surveyed by SUDECO in 1976. This is in contrast to what the baseline study cited above indicated. Nevertheless the officials confirmed the claim that the land was surveyed for the purpose of growing sugarcane and allied projects but it was not implemented. They located 2005 as the year in which the plan was revived by the successor of SUDECO namely the Sugar Board of Tanzania (SBT). This revival, they affirmed, involved seeking an investor to implement the sugar projects.

According to the team, two key district offices contradicted each other in regard to the state of ownership. The office of the Development Executive Director (DED) stated that SUDECO/SBT was and still the title holder whilst that of the District Administrative Secretary (DAS) said it was not. However, no official could show any Government Notice (GN) that indicates the area was gazetted as having been acquired by the President, presumably through the Land Acquisition Act of 1967, for the purposes associated with the project. The only proof availed to the team was a map. This map is similar to the one that accompanied the above mentioned letter from the DED to SBT dated 18 March 2010 and, as the team concluded, its validity and legality is questionable.

The Office of the District Land Officer revealed that the net project area was estimated at 9272.54 hectares. This, it was found, make up a total of 62 percent of the whole land of the affected villages. Way back in the 1970s, it was further elaborated, the surveyed area was divided into six blocks, that is, A, B, C, D, E and F which appears in the contentious map referred to above. Since blocks D, E and F were later occupied by people and registered as villages, the office informed the team, SUDECO abandoned them. Hence, it was clarified, the proposed project only cut across 4 villages appearing in Table 1 below which has been adapted from HAKIARDHI & LHRC’s data – Makoko (2009) – from Kilombero District’s Land Office.

TABLE 1: PROPOSED SUGAR PROJECT AREA IN RUIPA VALLEY

BLOCKS VILLAGES HECTARES

A Kisegese 863.53

B Namwawala & Mofu 6032.55

C Mbingu & Mofu 2376.46

TOTAL 9272.54

The views of the villages presented to this fact-finding mission team in 2009 corroborated, in part, those presented to the baseline study research team in 2007. Villagers consulted asserted resided in the area since the 1970s. However, contrary to what was said in the baseline study, one that it was only in 2005 that they started hearing about the sugar projects even though they had of the villagers said it is their Member of Parliament (MP) who came with an investor known as Ally Hushum in 2005 and they were asked to discuss his land application but they did not accept this investor though the then MP asserted the project would still go ahead. This outgoing MP is still referred to as part of the problem not least because he is allegedly a member of SBT’s board.

In their joint analysis on the source of land conflicts in Kilombero Districts submitted to the from Namwawala, Mbingu, Mofu and Msolwa Station villages accuses this MP for colluding with district officials in fueling conflicts by using the opportunity provided by the national Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) on 23 June 2010 for support, seven villagers investment policy. Therein they claim that ten villages in the districts have been affected by these conflicts since 2003. Apart from the three, these include: ‘Lukolongo, Ikule, Mkangawalo, Kisegese, Chita and Lungole’. In the case of Msolwa Station Village, they assert, its land was grabbed and given to Illovo. They recall that when villagers protested they were beaten and apprehended by the police even though they were not charged in a court of law. The analysis also point out that the houses of some villagers were demolished or burnt. About 13 people were framed and charged in court whereby after four years they don’t know when the cases will end.

The seven villagers also point out that on 10 December 2008 three officers responsible for land stated that the President of Tanzania had ordered the transfer of land in Namwawala village to an investor. However, when these villagers followed up on 13 February 2009 by submitting a letter of enquiry to the President’s Office this office could not confirm that such an order or directive was given. A letter, with reference number SAB 110/302/01, from the President’s Office was directed to District Commissioner asking for a confirmation of such an order. In a response, through a letter referenced D40/31/118, the District Commissioner could not to offer such a confirmation. These villagers continued to follow-up through the Morogoro Regional Commissioner and Prime Minister’s Office in letters referenced TM/KJ/NML/02/09 and TM/KJ/NML/01/04/09 respectively. But the issue was unresolved. It is in this regard they sent their request and its attendant analysis, to a consortium of activists in the country through TGNP.

As it has been pointed out earlier and elsewhere, the legal reform of 1999 has not altogether reformed the land tenure in the Tanzania as it continues to affirm a ‘radical title.’ This entitlement still vest all land, commonly known as public land, and its administration in the President as the trustee for and on behalf of all citizens in the country and hence it does not repeal the Land Acquisition Act of 1967. This is the Act that seemed to be invoked in the contest between villagers and district officials in Kilombero. Even though section 4(1) of the Village Land Act Number 5 of 1999 empowers the President to transfer - in 'public interest' - any area of village land to any other category of land whereby under the Act the term 'public interest' also includes “investments of national interests”, as Nshala (2008) sharply observe, yet as it has been hinted above, so far there is no proof whatsoever that this actually happened in the case at hand.

The following legal analysis succinctly sums up what it would have taken for this to be the case:

Part II of the Act empowers the President to a compulsory acquisition of land for use by a

corporation within the community or agricultural development; but subject to prescribed

procedures. There are three stages in the process. The first stage is preliminary

investigation of suitable land for the intended purpose. Under this stage the responsible

organ, among others conducts a survey together with clearing and setting out boundaries

of the proposed land...This is what SUDECO did...The second stage is giving notice of

intention to take the land after the President is satisfied with it. This notice should be

within 6 weeks. This is given by the minister on his behalf...lastly, taking possession of

the land. This is done after the compensation is completed after giving notice as per

Section 7 (1), 8 and Sub-part (b) of the Act above. Generally, procedures under Section 4

(3) (a)-(d) of the Village Land Act, 1999 are not proved to have been followed in

transferring the disputable land. ... Stage 2 and 3 above were not fulfilled... Thus, the

validity of the alleged acquisition is also questionable because by virtue of Section 19(1)

of the Act, the President is not compelled to complete the acquisition – he or she may

withdraw (Makoko 2009: 6).

Nevertheless all these invocations of the failure to adhere to the three procedures do not negate the call to amend or repeal altogether the Land Acquisition Act. Nor does it negate the call to do away with its attendant provision in the Village Land Act. Rather, the fact that these villagers occupy, use and even (re)claim their land customarily as allocated to them by their village governments through normal legal procedures affirms all these calls as encapsulated hereunder:

This [Section 4(1) of the Village Land Act, 1999 read in conjunction with Section 4(2)] is

a very dangerous provision which is an excellent opportunity for corruption and self-

enrichment. It allows self-aggrandizing bureaucrats to acquire profitable or well-

resourced village land and pass it on to private companies and rich individuals...As this

procedural chain [Section 4(3) - 4(5) of the said Act] illustrates, although the village

council and assembly are charged with the management and allocation of village land

they have little voice in a President’s decision to acquire and transfer any part of their

land ... as he or she deems fit...These powers are however inimical to the

decentralization concept which the Village [Land] Act and the Land Act purport to

espouse, and to the conceptualization of the President as the trustee of public land. The

Acts should therefore be amended to ensure that the President’s powers to transfer village

land are subject to the determination of the Court...where the reasons for and against this

action will be agreed and determined by an independent judiciary (Nshala 2008: 9 - 10).

The conflict has now taken a legal twist. With the legal aid of LHRC, three out of these seven villagers are representing their fellow Namwawala, Mofu and Mbingu villagers in a suit for the recovery of their land. Their case will be heard at the High Court of Tanzania (Land Division).

SOURCE: http://www.eed.de/fix/files/doc/110406_Land_Acquisition_Tanzania.pdf

Regia Mtema & Political Participation of Persons with Disabilities

2012-01-24T16:14:00.007+03:00

My communication with Regia Mtema while writing this http://www.ccbrt.or.tz/uploads/media/CCBRT_Survey_Election_Report__June_2011_.pdf was the last - she agreed that we use her photo on the front page.

'ULIZA TU' - NA EVARISTO HAULLE

2012-01-19T17:33:00.008+03:00

Enyi wanazuoni weledi,

Amani iwe nanyi!

Napenda kumpongeza jukwaani mwanazuoni Evaristo Haulle kwa 'kukataa kufa'. Amekataa kufa kwa kutoenda kuuza mchicha ama kuanzisha dirisha la kuuza sabuni pale nyumbani kwake, aitwe mjasiriamali. Amekataa kufa kwa kugomea kunyamaa afe kibudu; Amekataa kufa kwa kukionea haya Kiswahili lugha adhimu ya Taifa;

Mwenzetu kakataa kufa, amechapisha Diwani yake ya kwanza; ULIZA TU (kitabu cha mashairi), amekataa kufa, amekibinua kiulizo!

Onja Ladha ya yaliyomo:

MAHABA:

Mahaba ni kama moto, joto utafurahia

Mahaba ni kama moto, chakula utapikia

Mahaba ni kama moto, mwanga tajipatia

Mahaba ni kama moto pia unaangamiza,

Mahaba ni kama maji, mwilio wahitajia

Mahaba ni kama maji, kiu yatakukatia

Mahaba ni kama majiukikosa wajutia

Mahaba ni kama maji, yazoa yaangamiza

KAMA KWELI WAFAA:

Kama kweli unafaa, khanga vitenge vya nini?

Kama kweli unafaa,huhitaji bilioniKama kweli unafaa, huna haja kurubuni

Kama kweli unafaa, waonekana machoni....

WAFALME MWITUNI:

Tembo na miguvu yako, ni vipi unatishika

Ndani ya himaya yako, kichwani unajishika

Tazama unyayo wako, sisimizi watishika

Ni nini uoga wako, waache waandamane.

Langu ni neno la pongezi kwako mwanazuoni Evaristo, changamoto umenipa. Ninazo nakala chache kwa walioko Dar waweza kujipatia.

Adam Lingson

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wanazuoni/message/13461

Buriani Regia Mtema (1980 - 2012)

2012-01-19T16:54:00.004+03:00

Kamanda Umechanua na kunyauka. Pumzika kwa amani!

Na Michael Dalali

“Tuache masihara, hakikisha unaninunulia ukiwa unarudi vitabu hivi; Balance Scorecard na Iron Lady cha Margeth Thatcher maana nimesikia upo nje ya bongo” aliniambia Regia, name nikamjibu “sawa. usijali nitakununulia”! Sikufahamu kuwa ndiyo yalikuwa mawasiliano yetu ya mwisho kati yangu na rafiki yangu Regia tuliyofanya tarehe 12.01.2012 na hata wala hatutoonana name kupata fursa ya kumpatia vitabu kama ombi lake.

Kwangu ni kama ndoto. Ukishtuka isiwe kweli. Lakini si njozi. Tayari Regia amefunga kitabu cha maisha yake duniani angali katika umri moto wa ujana.

Angali akiwa bado na mipango na mikakati mwingi kutelekeleza.

Alikuwa rafiki yangu ambaye tulishazoeana sana kiasi cha kutaniana na kuongea upuuzi upuuzi mwingi sana……maana hata binadamu wa namna gani kuna watu wake ambao anataniana nao na hata kuongea upuuzi upuuzi.

Niandikapo tanzia hii kwa laptop nayo ni sehemu yenye kuongeza machungu na simanzi. Kwani nakumbuka aliniomba nimsaidie kupata laptop kwa kazi zake, nami nilikuwa nataka kubadili kompyuta. Hivyo nikamuhakikishia nitaenda kumchagulia kompyuta nzuri ambayo ataipenda maana alishachoka kuzunguka madukani bila mafanikio hadi akafikiria kuagiza nje. Nilikwenda naye, na kumwonyesha kompyuta ambayo alipenda hivyo tukanunua pamoja aina moja ya kompyuta.

Alikuwa mtu ambaye nilikuwa nimeshibana sana na nilifurahishwa sana nae mara kwa mara tulipokuwa tukikutana. Tulisoma pamoja kozi ya mwaka mzima ya uongozi ambayo ilizidi kutuweka karibu zaidi na zaidi. Mengi tukifundishana na kuelekezana. Kozi tuliyoifanya mwaka 2006/2007.

Nakumbuka ni kipindi hicho na kuendelea ndipo alikuwa mstari wa mbele katika kazi za kisiasa kupitia chama cha Chadema. Mara kwa mara nilikuwa namwambia kuwa angalikuwa mbunge baada ya uchaguzi wa mwaka 2010. Jambo ambalo mara nyingi alikuwa akikwepa kulijadili kwa kina na kuyeyusha kwa mizaha na pale nikimsisitiza kuwa sikuwa katika mizaha aliishia kuniambia siasa ni safari ndefu lolote linaweza kutokea hivyo tudumu katika kuombeana na utashi wangu mwema utimie.

Ifahamike, wakati namwambia hayo juu ya uwezekano wake kuwa mbunge hakuwahi kuniambia juu ya kufikiria kusimama kugombea, na wala hakuwa ameniambia juu ya jimbo la Kilombero.

Nilishawishika na uwezo, dhamira, jitihada alizokuwa nazo na hakika kwa yeye kuwa katika siasa na kufanya kazi za chama kwa kujitolea na kujituma niliona ni miongoni mwa vigezo muhimu sana ambavyo vilimpatia zaidi na zaidi uwezo na ufahamu wa kisiasa hivyo nilitaraji yeye kugombea na kushinda mwaka 2010. Maneno yangu kwake daima yalikuwa msukumu kumuonyesha kuwa anaweza na kama alikuwa akisita kuthubutu apate ujasiri wa kusonga mbele.

Na mwaka 2010, ndipo aliniambia dhamira yake ya kuingia moja kwa moja katika siasa. Kusimama katika jimbo na kushindana. Taarifa hiyo kwangu ilikuwa furaha kuu. Nilimwamini, na kuwa na uhakika angalifanya vizuri na kuibuka kidedea.

Ukiwa mwaka wa mikiki mikiki mingi kisiasa, licha ya majukumu mengi, alidumu kuwasiliana nami na kubadilishana mawazo hapa na pale. Na hatimaye hata dakika za mwisho za kusubiri matokeo nilikuwa na furaha sana kuona amemudu kufanya vyema. Licha ya kutotangazwa mshindi. Hakika Regia alikuwa mwakilishi imara wa wanakilombero.

Nilifurahi zaidi nilipoona orodha ya wabunge rasmi wa Chadema kupitia viti maalumu jina lake likiwamo, nakumbuka nilikutana nae na kwa furaha niliishia kumwambia; “unakumbuka lakini nilikwambia utakuwa mbunge?!” yeye hakujibu neno bali kicheko tu na kunirushia matani ya hapa na pale.

Uwakilishi wa kibunge aliutumikia vyema pasi kuchoka, akijituma licha ya changamoto nyingi zilizopo katika uendeshaji wa siasa zetu nchini. Hakukata tamaa na kurudi nyuma. Hakuacha kujifunza, hakuacha kuwa msikivu!

Ni mapambano haya ya kuleta mabadiliko katika jimbo la Kilombero ndiyo pia yalimsukuma Regia kuja na wazo la kuwa na vuguvugu “movement” ya maendeleo ndani ya Kilombero. Katika mwaka wa kiuchaguzi alikuwa tayari akitumia kauli ya; “Kilombero for Change” (Kilombero kwa Mabadiliko). Nakumbuka tulikutana na kujadiliana juu ya umuhimu wa kupiga hatua ya kutoka kuwa “movement” na chombo rasmi, kuwa taasisi kwa jina la Kilombero for Change. Jambo ambalo baada ya siku kadhaa aliniomba nilisimamie mwanzo mpaka mwisho kuhakikisha chombo kinasajiliwa na kuanza kujiendesha. Kazi ambayo niliipokea na kuitenda kwa uaminifu mkubwa nikijua nasaidia mabadiliko kwa wanakilombero na zaidi namsaidia rafiki yangu katika kutekeleza ndoto aliyonayo.

Ingawa bado shirika halikufikia hatua ya kusajiliwa, lakini tulimudu kukamilisha taratibu zote zilizostahili katika usajili kama Katiba, nembo, jina na vingine vingi tuliweza kuvikamilisha nikisaidiwa na marafiki wa karibu katika harakati. Tukiwa tunasubiri jambo moja tu, orodha ya majina ya watu ambao aliwaamini walikuwa imara kuanza kutenda kazi katika ngazi ya wajumbe wa bodi. Mara kwa mara nikiwa namkumbusha juu ya kukamilisha mchakato wa kuanzisha taasisi, alikuwa msikivu na kunikumbusha pia umuhimu wa kuhakikisha anapata watu wazuri katika bodi na si bora watu tu kutimiza hitaji la uanzishwaji wa taasisi.

Licha ya majukumu mazito ya kibunge, daima alikuwa mwepesi katika mawasiliano kupitia mitandao ya kijamii na hata simu yake. Alikuwa mshirika imara na mwepesi kushughulikia jambo hasa upatikanaji wa taarifa au nyaraka kwa wakati. Nilimtegemea sana kwa hili na yeye hakuniangusha daima.

Kwangu daima aliendelea kuwa rafiki wa karibu zaidi hata ya nyadhifa yake!

Najaribu kutafakari maneno ya Jim Reeves katika wimbo wake wa; “This world is not my home”! Siamini maneno haya sasa yanarindima kwa rafiki yangu Regia.

Licha ya majonzi nafarijika sana kwa Regia kumudu kufanya mengi katika umri wake mbichi wa ujana.

Amemudu hata kuthubutu kuingia katika siasa tena kupitia upinzani na zaidi kugombea kiti cha ubunge kupitia jimbo! Wengi sana wamekuwa wakiahirisha uamuzi na kusubiri miaka ipite kwanza. Wengi kwa kuwa wanawake wamekuwa wakirudi nyuma na kuacha kugombea kupitia majimboni. Amemudu kuishi na kuitumikia nchi, si tu katika harakati kupitia mashirikia ya watu wenye ulemavu bali katika kutunga sheria na kuisimamia serikali. Amejitahidi kurejesha matumaini na fikra mbadala kwa wanakilombero, kwa vijana, kwa wanawake na zaidi kwa watu wenye ulemavu. Amedhihirisha inawezekana!

Licha ya nafsi zetu binadamu kutokumudu kuhimili majonzi na simanzi nzito na kuishia kuanguka katika kilio, naamini Regia huhitaji machozi yetu sana sasa kama unavyohitaji sala zetu. Daima nitakuweka katika sala zangu. Daima tumuweke katika sala zetu!

Pole sana kwa Remija natambua uchungu ulionao kwa kupoteza pacha mwenzako. Pole sana baba na mama, najua mpo katika simanzi na majonzi makuu ya kumpoteza kijana wenu. Ni uchungu gani kumlaza kijana mbichi kama Regia! Mungu awape faraja na moyo wa saburi. Pole kwa familia nzima ya Regia, ndugu, jamaa na marafiki. Naamini ni kipindi kigumu sana, tuweka tumaini letu kwa MUNGU.

Makamanda wote wa CHADEMA poleni sana. Kwa namna ya kipekee John Mnyika (MB) ambaye amekuwa chachu, taa na muongozo mkubwa kisiasa kwa Regia, pole sana. Mwenyekiti Mbowe na Katibu Mkuu Dkt. Slaa, Makamu Katibu Mkuu Zitto na viongozi wengine wote pamoja na maafisa na watendaji wa chama Makao Makuu poleni sana. Kamanda alisimama kidete, alipambana, hivyo daima tunu kubwa itakuwa kuendeleza mapambano; Hakuna Kulala Mpaka Kieleweke!

Poleni sana wananchi wa jimbo la Kilombero!

Poleni sana wabunge na bunge zima kwa ujumla!

Zaidi poleni sana wananchi wote wa Tanzania.

“Even though crying is a human act that helps in healing our pains in our souls…now Regia needs much our prayers than tears”!! (Hata kama kulia nikitendo cha kibinadamu kinachosaidia kutuliza maumivu katika roho…sasa Regia anahitaji zaidi sala zetu zaidi ya machozi!)

Kwa kheri Kamanda! Ulale mahala pema peponi.

introducing elimu share

2012-01-01T12:13:00.005+03:00

Visit: http://elimushare.org/

Follow: @elimushare

At The Moment Elimu Share Provides:

Maktaba: A library-under-development of formal and informal research on Tanzania.

Moodle site: A classroom-based environment for the development of virtual courses.

Scholarships - Where are Tanzanians (again)?

2011-12-27T09:48:00.010+03:00

Following her successful application to a scholarship program that she read about in the Wanazuoni: Tanzania's Intellectuals online forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wanazuoni/, a friend from a neighboring country wrote: "As you can see from our profiles http://www.africaportal.org/exchange/students-profile, the Nigerians dominated the research grants, where are the Tanzanian scholars?" This question raised a lot of interesting responses from Tanzanians. Some of them are reproduced below:

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The example presented here (the profiles) might be 'one story' thing but I feel it represent a true picture about Tanzanians. We could argue that many of the PhD students enrolled in Tanzania universities had other sources of fund - an excuse for Tanzanians not to appear in the list. Still, (generally speaking) the share of Tanzania in these competitive domains is very small be it in academic, business, innovation, arts,... you name them. There could be many reasons contributing to his, but here is the list according to my experiences (mainly focusing on academic opportunities/scholarships and international jobs).

1. Not being aggressive enough to look for the opportunities.

2. Inadequate skills to prepare proposals or statements of intent. We are not very conversant with preparing effective application letters (content and persuasive language). In some situations, we get lucky to have the skills but fail to meet the deadlines etc.

3. Believing that such opportunities require connections and/or favours. Most of us refrain from applying thinking that we can't afford to win as we are not known or can't find godfathers (or godmothers??). It's very easy to prove this - refer a friend to a job or scholarship opportunity and s/he will ask you to either write a letter on his/her behalf. This could get worse to being asked to submit the application on their behalf.

Who to blame? Someone said we are very good at it.... we blame too much.

I can't think of the solutions but if the above reasons are true, then it's a good step towards thinking about what we need to do to reverse the trend.

- Kapongola

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One addition will be that: many young scholars do not seek advice especially in editing and getting some useful content comments on their draft proposals, application statements, etc. They feel ashamed in case something is terribly wrong in their writing style and content. Usually we are encouraged to share our draft write-ups with people we trust can provide some useful comments on improving them. But maybe we are too proud to expose our writing weaknesses such that we end up submitting poorly constructed ideas and poorly written proposals. We need to get over this pride.

- Baruani

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Scholarships, grants, fellowships, you name it, are very competitive in the knowledge economy. The institutions offering the scholarships want to recruit the best talents, and therefore the recruitment process in most cases is rigorous. It is not surprising that most of us (Tanzanians) are priced out of the market. I have the following issues to highlight.

Many fellowships require degree holders with higher GPAs. The problems in our education system in our country is that the assessment/examination system do not in most cases offer students opportunities to earn what they deserve. Examination are prepared to eliminate not to test understanding, and competence, as it is in developed countries. As result a proportional of students completing with outstanding grades is marginal (not based on scientific data; it is my own views and experience, but can be researched, or anyone with data can help).

Until recently, university education was a preserve of a few 'deemed' higher flyers, because you wouldn't go to UDSM or Sokoine, and Mzumbe uni... if you were an average student not a higher achiever. Even those higher achievers who managed the majority did not realize their dreams, and most ended with seconds (lowers or pass) degrees or degree equivalents. Thus lower GPAs are a barrier to competing in scholarships, unless you are specifically selected by the institution as part of long term/short term on job training/career development programme.

With the advent of private owned universities in Tanzania, these offer a fair assessment (examination) of their students work, and majority of students graduate with good grades. Consequently, students from the elite universities have been complaining that they receive poor grades compared to their fellows from these private universities. Note that these private universities are in business, they must adhere to customer satisfaction, in terms of knowledge transfer and performance of their students. As no one would be ready to sell a poor performing university to potential students. Locally, the competition in the labour market is stiff and I am not sure who are winners and losers among elite (mainstream ) university graduates and those from private universities.

I agree with Baruani, Sulle and Kapongola's earlier comments, but would emphasize that the majority of Tanzania graduates lack transferable skills such as writing, communication, interview skills, and even CVs are not professionally prepared. This is a weakness in the education system of 'copy and paste'.

Furthermore, we don't have a culture of supporting each other especially in education issues, lakini kwa harusi tuko tayari kutumia mamilioni ya pesa, sina nia mbaya kwa wale ambao hamjaoa, nasema tu tumekuwa na culture of extravagance.

On the one hand, Baruani mentioned that maybe people are not ready to expose their writing weaknesses by seeking help, because of being too proud. On the other hand, the practice is that those with skills are not silent helpers, they are arrogant, once they help 'wanaanza ah bila mimi huyo asingekuwa....'. so people have reasons to protect their status quo, mtu anakufa na tai shingoni, maskini jeuri, na ndiyo haya mambo yanatufanya hatuonekani sana katika hizi scholarships, acha kazi katika mashirika ya kimataifa hapo nyumbani tu. So those who help others have to learn to be humble servants, watavuna kwa wakati wake.

Personally I acknowledge those who are taking trouble to give us scholarships, grants fellowships, employment information, God bless you. Finally but not least, those seeking scholarships, fellowship and grants need to invest sufficient time in advance, unafanya kama kazi, italipa tu.

Together we shall overcome.

- Maziku

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Nimependa michango yote kwa ujumla.Mimi pia naamini kuwa wakati mwingine GPA inaweza kuwa sababu ya watu kushindwa kushindana lakini tatizo lingine ninaloliona katika vyuo vyetu ni ushiriki wa wanafunzi kwenye mambo mengine ya kijamii na vyama mbalimbali ndani na nje ya chuo.

Ukimaliza chuo na ukawa na GPA ndogo halafu pia huna ushiriki wa namna yeyote kwenye mambo mbalimbali nafikiri unakuwa kwenye nafasi mbaya zaidi ya kuweza kushindana.Nina mifano ya rafiki zangu wengi tu ambao walimaliza na GPA za kawaida tu lakini wameweza kushindana katika baadhi ya nafasi kwa kuwa uzoefu wao na ushiriki wao katika hizo jumuiya mbalimbali zimewapa edge!

Hivyo nafikiri ni nzuri kushawishi vijana wajiunge kwenye hizi jumuiya mbalimbali vyuoni na pia nje ya chuo kwani zinawapa huo ujuzi ambao pengine wasingeweza kuupata darasani lakini pia inawapa nafasi ya kukutana na watu ambao wanaweza kuwa wa msaada zaidi inapofika wakati wa kufanya hata hizo application za scholarships.

Unapomaliza chuo na msaada pekee ni toka kwa profesa wako tu sidhani kama unaweza kupiga hatua kama mtu ambaye anamaliza na anafahamiana na watu wengi huko kwenye ulimwengu wa kazi.

Kujiunga tu na jumuiya kama hii ya wanazuoni inaweza pia kumsaidia mtu kuona fursa nyingi mno na pia kujifunza mengi mno.Wakati mwingine unaweza usichangie sana lakini ukichukua muda wako kusoma kila kinachoandikwa kwenye jukwaa kama hili nafikiri kuna mengi ya kujifunza.Ukiweza kutumia fursa nyingi ambazo Subi, Chambi na wengine wengi wanatushirikisha basi nafikiri hakuna sababu ya kushindwa kushindana!

- Nkunga

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Two quick additions:

1. While GPA is one of the key objective assessment criterion, it is usually not the only one and people shouldn't get discouraged. If one has at least an upper second GPA (anything from 3.5/5 upwards) one is very competitive. What is needed to qualify the low GPA is a comparative assessment by the recommenders e.g. by stating that despite the student having a 3.6/5.0 GPA but s/he was among the top 1% or 5% in the class. This helps putting the GPA in context and better presentation of the student's abilities. But do our referees care about this? NO, they don't. They write brief one page letters which are not personalized any how. They don't state what is unique about their students and how the students compares to his/her peers in academic performance, leadership, independence of thoughts, etc.

2. This leads to my next point. A weak GPA combined with an excellent letter of recommendation addresses the issue of a weak GPA. And the student has the task to "earn" that excellent letter of recommendation. You don't get it by simply asking for it. But supply information to the letter writers so that they have right information to compose that outstanding letter of recommendation. You also earn it by nurturing good relations and ensuring visibility by your professors/lecturers.

3. From my experience through sitting on panels reviewing applications for masters and PhD scholarships, the GPA was never the most important criterion. It is the CV and the research statement. Therefore, it's a combination of many factors that enables one win a scholarship and not a single factor. After all, no one is excellent in all the different factors. They complement each other. However, it is always important to pay sufficient attention to all application materials: transcripts (good GPA), statement of purpose, research statement, CV, letters of recommendation, writing samples, etc.

Talking about these things in abstract terms is useful but maybe if people have some examples/experiences to share, it would be helpful as well to stress that we, Tanzanians, possess the right qualifications but lack the aggresiveness and determination required in pursuing these scholarships.

Chambi, Maziku, Sulle, Subi, Kathleen, Nyirenda, etc, you have all earned some outstanding scholarships, do you have 5.0/5.0 GPAs? Tell us.

- Baruani

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I certainly do not have a 4.0 GPA nor did I have one before getting a scholarship here...if anything I believe I owe it to the letters of recommendation that were sealed when mailed (I never saw what was written of me).

-Kathleen

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Test issues!

Most of the US graduate universities require GRE and TOEFL scores of which very few Tanzanians plan to attempt (others tests include GMAT, SAT, IELTS etc). There is a general fear about these tests among graduates - in most cases this fear is spread by people who do not know anything about the tests. There is the money issue too, for example the GRE and TOEFL tests currently cost about $190 and $160 respectively. Still, there is a charge for additional score reports that ranges between $17 and $23 (for those who would apply to more than one institution). These rates could be a limiting factor for Tanzanians who want to sit for these tests.

Keeping the fear and money issues aside, such tests require good planning and motivation. How many of us have the required motivation and plan ahead for such tests?

- Kapongola

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Actually I have never known what my GPA is or even bothered to calculate it though I have always had a feeling that it is very low as I repeated a couple of courses.

I strongly believe that our greatest need as Tanzanians is to believe that it is possible to prepare a competitive application regardless of our past educational limitations.

- Chambi

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Mshale, umesema kweli.

Mimi nina scholarship ya shirika la Uchumi na Maendeleo ya Science ya jamii kupitia Research Degrees Committee fund for Law School research projects. Na Assessment yangu ilifanyika nikiwa sijamaliza shule kwenye Master yangu ya pili. Napatana nawe zaidi kwa kile ulichokiita recommendation. Master yangu ya pili nilisimamiwa na Deputy Dean wa Faculty, mnaweza soma wadhifu wake m-kigoogle, Prof. Nigel Fielding. Reference yake, na ya course director pamoja na Proposal nzuri niliyoandika na kusahihishwa na Maziku (Huwa tunamwita Prof. Masabuda) pamoja na kufaulu mitihani yao vilitosha kunipatia fedha za kusomea miaka mitatu.

GPA ni mfumo wa Elimu ya Kimarekani. Nimesoma University tatu za Waingereza na GPA si sehemu ya assessment criteria maana haitumiki kama grading system. Nafahamu pia kuna British Universities ziko Americanised. Wale mliosoma league table aliyoituma Maziku the top 100 University only 4 are British universities and 78 were Americans. That is to say, British subjectivity to American ways of doing education is something that British universities are begged to consider.

Nadhani networking ni kitu muhimu sana.

- Chaggama

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Binafsi scholarship ya kwanza ya America niliipata kwa jasho, niliwekeza muda na hii ilipatikana kwa ushindani sikuwa na GPA. Transcripts zangu mbili moja ya hapo nyumbani TZ haionyeshi GPA, ila nilikuwa overall best student (academic performance). Transcript ya pili ya Nairobi ina Distinction hakuna GPA iliyoandikwa.

Kilichonisaidia zaidi katika kupata scholarships ni professor wangu wa Nairobi, aliweka very strong recommendations. Nasikitika hapo nyumbani TZ nilihangaika sana kupata recommendations kutoka kwa walimu wangu, and since then nikatafuta external network, huo ndio uzoefu.

Scholarship ya pili, ya University of Reading, it was automatic, niliomba admission tu, lakini walinipa admission na scholarship, sijui kama waliangalia academic records hadi leo sina jibu, na sijawauliza.

Kwa ujumla classifications (GPAs/Pass, merit, & distinction) etc ni muhimu, lakini zaidi sana kuna factors za msingi hasa statement of purpose, na references na kama una exprience ya kazi usiache kuiweka. Baruani ameeleza a typical American system wanayotumia ni ya kuzingatia. Ingawa zinaweza kutofautiana kidogo kati ya nchi na nchi ila kwa ujumla comment zake ni za msaada sana.

Nimeandika hapo juu kwa faida ya wanazuoni, na vile Baruani alivyouliza.

Tuendelee kusaidiana kwa mawazo na uzoefu, ni sehemu muhimu ya kupata experience, na kama mtu ana shida huwa nawaambia Watanzania wenzangu usife peke yako. Kwa wanazuoni hii network ni social capital, tujadili, tusaidiane na tusonge mbele.

- Maziku

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Nakumbuka watu wa US society in political science walipokuja hapa Tz kulikuwa hakuna mtz aliye apply. Na hii ilikuwa teaching seminar na wenyeji hata mmoja hajaaaply ingawa tulijaaribu sana kuitangaza na kushawishi watu ambao wako vyuoni, junior scholars na wanaharakati. sijui watz wana nini?

- Salma

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Siye tuko nyuma mno kutokana na kuzingatia elimu ya msingi enzi zile wakati wenzetu walikuwa wanapaa hewani. Sasa tunakimbilia kwenye elimu ya ju lakini bado tuko nyuma/duni. Tutabaki nyuma tu, hata ukizingatia kuwa hata kujiamini ni tatizo kubwa. Tuna tatizo la kitaifa.

- Mobhare

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Sitaki kueleweka vibaya kwa sababu mimi ninafanya kazi ya kufunza ila nasema ukweli. Nilikuwa na GPA ninazoweza kusema 'za juu sana' kwenye shahada yangu ya kwanza na ya pili (kama UD wangekuwa wanaiweka kwa shahada ya pili). Nilitafuta scholarship ya PhD kwa miaka 3 (toka 2004 sikupata hadi nilipopata 2007). Wanachosema wanazuoni wengine kuhusu kufanya kazi ya zaidi ya GPA ndicho cha msingi. Watanzania tufanye kazi ya kukusanya na kuandika kwa ufasihi hizo nyaraka za ziada. Tuache uvivu, uzembe, woga na kudanganyana. Kiutendaji, GPA ni rahisi sana kuipata lakini kuitumia ni ngumu zaidi.

- Vicensia

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I don't want to repeat but I think in most universities Professors highly consider applicants' other achievements like what you have published, exemplary work you have performed, leadership experience etc. Just because I had a publication in 2009 though really proof-read and edited by experts was enough for me to get admissions and scholarships at the universities of Edinburgh, Sweden, Ohio, VJ University and Maryland. At the end I was stuck in making a decision of where to go. Also, the other thing people often forget is to mention the realities like your family background etc. I have seen someone getting admitted just because she/he was from the poor family in rural areas.

- Sulle

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I am very sure that these are very valid explanations as to why, we, Tanzanians are missing in action as far as those scholarship offerings are concerned. However, I think there might be more to it, in additional to the many good reasons offered here as to why we don't have a strong showing, and here are few more perspectives:-

1. Small Competitive Base - As we have been exploring this issue, we have measured ourselves in relationship with the strong showing of other African nations. In my humble opinion, I think Tanzania's competitive base (the pool) for graduate and postgraduate candidates is just too small compared to other countries. Up until very recently, our focus was to mandate only primary education and that we tried to do. Even when that changed, if I am not mistaken, during Mkapa's era, it was changed to promote up to secondary education.

Tertiary education, for whatever reasons, has not been promoted properly in Tanzania to make it tenable. As a results, the few who are priviledged to go to University are faced with great many challenges, underfunded, mistreated and when done, it could be fair if they choose to retire in the education path. So public policy is secondary education, some who push themselves beyond secondary education are worn out in their undergraduate studies and you may find that very few are still motivated to pursue graduate and post-graduate studies, hence, seek these kinds of funding we are discussing. So number one, I think the Tanzanian graduate and post-graduate candidates pool is very small both in terms of qualification and motivation, in comparison to our other African compatriots.

2. Vijisenti - Now, the few that are qualified and motivated to pursue further studies may also not show up in these lists for, in my opinion, three other reasons. First, vijisenti. I have met a number of Tanzanian students who are fully sponsored by their families so they do not bother to seek any kind of scholarship, hence, no show in the scholarship listing. In the university I am working now we have a number of Tanzanian students both undergraduate and graduate who are family-sponsored and they are doing fine. In fact, the pocket money they get from home is sometimes more than my few months' salaries. So, these will not make a showing in the scholarship listing. It's striking to see that students from Somalia, Kenya, Sudan and other countries get some scholarships but Tanzanians and Nigerians are mainly sponsored by their families.

3. Kazi - I have also met a number of graduate and postgraduate Tanzanian students who work to sponsor themselves. Chambi I think when you came to visit in Berrien Springs you met the Migombos, Mwashingas and others who did their Masters and are now doing their PhDs by working and paying their way.

4. Other Funding Sources - I was in Tallahassee, Florida few years ago and I met two outstanding Tanzanian personalities. One in particular was a Department Head and was in-charge of disbursing funding for research for his department. Before going to Florida he was at UDSM, so what he was doing was recruiting engineering students from Tanzania, especially graduate students from UDSM for fully funded studies at Florida State University (FSU). And it was an impressive sight to go to that department and almost everywhere you turn you see fellow Tanzanians busy with different kinds of engineering researches they were brought there to do. In their own admission, some of them while talking to them admitted that they had no plans to pursue graduate studies until they got the fully funded post at FSU. And those who endured they did their Masters as well as PhDs in that arrangement. And I believe this is not an isolated case because a short distance from there, we met another Tanzanian who was a Vice-Chancelor, if I remember correctly, for Finance and Administration for another university and was helping other Tanzanian students to go there.

Now, having said that, I am not in any way, shape or form, suggesting here that students from other African countries do not do these other kinds of things, they do, I am just contending here that, we have a small pool of candidates, from that pool if you take out those who are family-sponsored, self-sponsored and those using other funding sources, wanaobaki wanakuwa wachache sana kuwa visible kwenye scholarship listings ndiyo maana tunabakiwa tu na kina Chambi, Maziku, Sulle, Subi, Kathleen, Nyirenda, etc.

- Gureni

Visit http://www.tansao.info/ for information about Tanzania Student Achievement Organisation (TanSAO) that is 'Seeking University and Scholarship Opportunity Worldwide"

Also visit http://scholarshipnetwork.ning.com/profile/MAKULILOJr

You may also wish to visit http://www.wavuti.com/scholarships.html

PS. Cf. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wanazuoni/message/10894

Mabadiliko ya tabia ya nchi sio sababu pekee za Mafuriko

2011-12-25T07:34:00.003+03:00

Ndugu Wadau,

Nimekuwa nafuatilia kwa ukaribu sana juu ya hali ya mvua na jinsi uokoaji unavyoendelea katika Jiji la Dar. Sambamba na hapo nimepata wasaa wa kusoma maoni ya wadau mbali mbali na mitazamo tofauti kuhusu suala la majanga. Na ni kweli inasikitisha na kutia simanzi sana kuona tunapoteza ndugu zetu na Watanzania wenzetu kwenye mafuriko kama haya sanjari na kuona watu wanapoteza mali zao na hivyo kulazimika kutafuta njia ya kurudi katika hali zao za mwanzo.

Ni kweli tatizo hili linatokana na mabadiliko ya tabia ya nchi na hivyo Tanzania sio nchi pekee iliyokumbwa na mafuriko na kumbukumbu zetu zinaonyesha pia nchi za Marekani na Japani zilikumbwa na aina hii ya janga. Ila pia hatuwezi kuficha ukweli na kuishia kusosoneka bila kuangalia vyanzo vingine vilivyotufikisha hapa.

Kuna baadhi ya watu wanajitahidi kuzuia watu wasihoji suala hili kwa kisingizio kuwa sio wakata wa “siasa” ingawa mimi naona kwa nini watu wazuiwe kufanya hivyo maana bila kufanya hivyo tukiishia kusononeka tu hatutajua wapi tulipoanguka, kupasahihisha na kusonga mbele. Na hii sio mara ya kwanza watu kujificha kwenye mwamvuli huu wa “siasa” ili kuzuia watu wasihoji. Tunakumbuka kuhusu EPA, RICHMOND, mvua za Morogoro, MABOMU YA MBAGALA na kisha yale ya Gongo la Mboto n.k. Hatuwezi kwenda na mtindo huu lazima tubadilike.

Mbali na mabadiliko ya tabia ya nchi, tumefika hapa tulipofika kutokana na MIUNDO MBINU MIBOVU ya kupitisha maji na wengine kujenga kwenye mkondo wa maji mabondeni. Na hili mbali na jamii kupuuza watendaji wa serikali nao wanahusika katika hili maana wamefanya UZEMBE katika kutekeleza majukumu yao. Nakumbuka kipindi cha aliyekuwa mkuu wa mkoa Mhe. Yusuf Makamba alianzisha kampeni ya kubomoa nyumba zilizopo mabondeni (ingawa kulikuwa na hitilafu katika kutekeleza hilo zoezi) ila alionyesha nia ya dhati ya kuleta mabadiliko lakini siasa ziliingia na kulizuia hilo suala maana tulikuwa kwenye kipindi cha kuelekea uchaguzi mkuu wa 2005. Tunapaswa kuwawajibisha viongozi wote wanaohusika na uzembe huu. Dar hata mvua ya saa 1 tuu inaleta maafa kwa wakazi wa maeneo ya Jangwani, Mikocheni, Kigogo, Mto Msimbazi, Tandale n.k ila tumekuwa hatujifunzi hata kidogo - hata mvua za El Nino za mwaka 1998 bado hazikutufunza!

Tunapaswa kuanzisha mtindo wa kuwawajibisha watendaji wetu na kinachoshangaza zaidi ni pale ambapo mbali na watabiri wetu kubashiri mvua hizi ila serikali haikujiandaa na hivyo kusababisha uzembe mwingine wa kuchelewesha uokoaji kwa wahanga. Na hili si sawa na haliwezi kuwa sawa.

Kutokana na hili tutegemee kuona uchumi ukizidi kuzorota maana uzalishaji utapungua, mfumuko wa bei utapanda tena maradufu kutoka hapa tulipo kwenye 19.2% na wengine kukosa kazi na makazi pia.

Moses Robson Kavishe

A POEM OF UHURU

2011-12-09T20:11:00.002+03:00

Dear our motherland,
We are proud of you,
As you we celebrate your birthday,
Fifty years of age mama,
You deserve a pat on your back.

Mama i want to tell you some things today,
Which i am sure can refresh your mind,
And put somethings in perspectives,
As you celebrate this day....
Your birthday!

There is big gap between your children,
Some are so rich and others extremely poor,
Some are plunders and others spectators,
In our homestead there is no peace but tranquility,
There is no patriotism anymore.

Mama can you please tell my elder brothers and sisters,
Those you entrust the responsibility to take care of your farm,
To stop stealing and to think of me and your grandchildren,
Your great grandchildren and the posterity,
Tell them that God will punish them.

I hope they will listen,
If they won't i will tell my younger ones,
That they have disobeyed you and the will of our late father,
We will know what to do after four years..
Happy birthday dear Mama!

SCREENING AFRICA:THE RISE OF NATIONALISM AT UDSM

2011-12-07T13:07:00.006+03:00

Comrades,

Kindly find attached an invitation poster to a documentary show on 9th Dec. 2011 evening as from 06:30 to 08:30 PM at the University of Dar es salaam Nyerere theatre one.

Title: AFRICA: The rise of Nationalism

Regards,

Stephen W. Msechu

www.msechustephen.blogspot.com

FRANTZ FANON AND 'THE FACT OF BLACKNESS'

2011-12-06T22:02:00.002+03:00

Read Udadisi's Essay on Fanon and 'The Fact of Blackness' at http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/78424 and other tributes to him in Pambazuka News' Special Issue '50 Years On: Frantz Fanon Lives at http://www.pambazuka.org/en/issue/current/.