Friday, 2 December 2011

TANZANIA’S 50TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS START ROCKING IN THE UK

 
It could have been bigger than this; maybe it should have started six, seven months ago; the buzz, I mean; but as they say, better late than ever. Things switched to high gears last Saturday when Kinondoni based Twanga Pepeta band rocked London’s Club 2000 Banqueting Suite. The venue is close to the famous Wembley Stadium; hard to locate, but easy for those who were keen to search the North West part of this city. Even if you had no car, taxis were hired, friends offered lifts and public transport is rarely a problem in London. Most important thing was that attendance during this inaugural night was passionate if not positive.
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Sunday, 27 November 2011

MACHALARI MGOMBANI MOSHI NA NYAMA CHOMA ZA ARUSHA


Dunia yetu ina kila aina za udongo.
Udongo wa Mpirani nje kidogo ya Moshi mjini unanikumbusha wa Kigoma ambapo rangi yake inakurubia wekundu. Mimea ya Mpirani ni migomba, mapera, machungwa, ndimu, maembe, kahawa na gari analoendesha dada yangu Juliana linakwenda taratibu, likikwepa mashimo shimo ya udongo huu.


“Unaona ule msikiti?” naulizwa. Nikiwa mdogo haikuwepo misikiti mashambani Moshi.  Kidesturi migombani kwa Wachagga hujazana makanisa.
“Wapo mangi wengi Waislamu siku hizi,” dereva anafafanua.
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Sunday, 13 November 2011

CHUCKING NAPPIES IN THE SEA AND PLASTIC FEEDING GOATS

  I am taking photos of a young goat at a busy Dar es Salaam road. The animal is standing on its hind legs her extended light brown body stretched like rubber. Such an agile creature.  Goats, deer and gazelles are athletic animals; and you know what? Delicious too.
No time throughout the history of Tanzania have I seen so much roasted goat meat in our bars and restaurants. The craving and availability of Nyama Choma is as versatile and as fascinating as the goat I am photographing.

 Might I be an angry vegetarian who loathes killing animals? Is my intent highlighting the athleticism of Tanzanian goats?
 Hardly.
This lithe, elastic and agile goat has interested me because she is feeding on a piece of plastic hanging on an electricity pole.
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Wednesday, 9 November 2011

SANDUKU YATIMA NA SAFARI YANGU DODOMA KUELEKEA ARUSHA

Nilipokua nikiulizia basi la mikanda  Dodoma mjini;  jamaa mmoja akanicheka:
“We siku yako ya kufa ikifika utakufa tu…”
Na mimi pia  nikacheka nikikumbuka manabii walioandika maneno ya Mungu. Ndani ya sura ya saba ya Biblia mlango wa Mtakatifu Matayo tunashauriwa :
“Ombeni nanyi mtapewa; tafuteni, nanyi mtaona; bisheni, nanyi mtafunguliwa; kwa maana kila aombaye hupokea ; naye atafutaye huona; naye abishaye atafunguliwa.”
Niko Dodoma.
Nnasubiri kukata tiketi ya basi nielekee zangu mikoa ya kaskazi.
Uvaaji mikanda ndani ya magari bado unapuuzwa sana kwetu Afrika na nchi zinazoendelea...
 Baada ya kuzoea kuyapanda mabasi ya Kizungu niko kwetu Bongo nikizozana na itikeli, itikadi na desturi kidogo tofauti ambazo ingawa nilizaliwa na kukua nazo naziona kiasi fulani ngeni, za kutisha. Watanzania wenzangu wanakubali tu lile linalotokea na litokee. Mstari huo umezoeleka  kana kwamba Mtanzania anadhani maisha yake hayana faida tena; liwalo na liwe. Ni kama keshakata tamaa; ari ya mapigano inaanza kumnyauka; hana moyo.
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Monday, 7 November 2011

HOTEL MNARANI AND HOW INVESTORS CAN HELP TRANSFORM TANZANIA


Nungwi has in recent times been infamous for the boat that capsized and killed hundreds. However, Nungwi is also re known for very welcoming and friendly people where thousands of tourists and visitors flock to enjoy the beautiful seaside and Zanzibar’s elegant coastline.
“Everyone here was affected by MV Spicer’s tragedy,” Mr. Nassor Maharouky, director of Hotel Mnarani right at the heart of Nungwi tells me. Although born in Pemba, Nassor has made Nungwi his home as any true Zanzibari businessman would.  The 40 plus year old is one of those rare individuals whose passion for life usually transforms communities.


I first bumped into Mr. Maharouky (pictured top) in London a couple of years ago when he came to represent Tanzania at the annual trade fare in the UK city.  Held in November Excel international fare has had several Tanzanian tourist representations, lately.
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Monday, 24 October 2011

US AND TOILETS –WHY DO WE DISLIKE EACH OTHER SO MUCH?

Just contemplating on the above subject is enough to give one jitters.
Without self analysis and critical examination, one cannot be honest. Honesty is a very expensive piece of information.

Like some proof?
Ask any wealthy person to give you the price for honesty…tell them you want truth at any cost. Watch their faces; listen to the tone of their voices. You will observe a certain degree of discomfort in their reaction.
Truth is annoying and that is why we had the hacking scandal via News of The World earlier this year. The owners of News of The World kept denying. Denial is the best weapon for avoiding the truth.
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Tuesday, 4 October 2011

JE, KWANINI OMBI LA WAPALESTINA KUJIUNGA NA UMOJA WA MATAIFA NI MUHIMU KWETU SOTE?

Wiki iliyopita kiongozi wa Wapalestina, Mahmoud Abbas, alipigiwa makofi alipotoa hotuba ya dakika 35 kuutaka Umoja wa Mataifa uwatambue wananchi wake kama taifa huru.
“Wakati umefika, “ alieleza, “kwa wanaume, wanawake na watoto wetu kuwa na maisha ya kawaida. Kulala salama wakijua wataamka bila woga wa nini kitatokea kesho yake asubuhi.” 
Wapo waliompinga; mathalan Hamas, iliyodai kuna njia  bora zaidi kuwasukuma Wayahudi watambue haki za Wapalestina. Hamas ilisema Wapalestina lazima watumie nguvu kujikomboa badala “ya kuupigia magoti” Umoja wa Mataifa.

Mahmoud Abbas akiwa na bango la kiongozi maarufu wa Wapalestina Yasser Arafat....

Mrengo huo wa mawazo  unathibitishwa na Wamarekani walioshasema dhahiri kwamba watatumia kura ya “veto” ndani ya Baraza la Usalama kuzuia Wapalestina kuwa taifa huru. Kihistoria kura ya “veto” ilishatumika miaka ya nyuma kuyatia kabali masuala mbali mbali ya kimataifa. Iko mikononi mwa mataifa matano: Marekani, Uingereza, Urusi, Ufaransa na China.
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