RELIGIOUS STRIFE SPREADS TO TANZANIA

For the first time in our history many of us are beginning to doubt if Tanzania is going to keep up the tag of one of the most peaceful nations in Africa. Burning churches and inciting religious hatred is growing wings in this highly respected country.  Last weekend we were confronted with pictures of those appearing in court and most felt that they are being treated too softly.

Church burning pic courtsey of Francis Brady....

The latest chain of events in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam raised widespread concerns overseas. Listen to some random views around London early this week.

“Things are not right, back home. Where are we heading to?”

“It’s been a roller coaster year. Doctors’ leader beaten up. Journalist brutally killed. His intestines dismembered for the world to see. Mwanza police chief shot. Zanzibar policeman shot. Now this...” 

“Former President Mkapa did the right thing in 1998. Remember Mwembechai killings? He did not let rioters play games. He stamped things right away. Why is the present leadership letting things slip into a nightmare?”

And on the internet it was more explicit.

“Dar is like Syria now.”
<--more--!>

MARLEY FILM HAS AN EXTRAORDINARY MESSAGE ABOUT THE ETHIC OF WORK

On Monday, London’s “Telegraph” published an interview of British director, Kevin MacDonald by Florence Walters. Kevin MacDonald recently made a film on life of Jamaican musician, Bob Marley.  The movie is a masterpiece.

Kevin MacDonald- pic courtsey of University of Aberdeen....

Well to start with in the last 31 years, I have watched many Bob Marley films, read numerous books, wrote several reviews and continue to sing some of his songs in my gigs. In the UK, “Three Little Birds” one of his simplest melodic tunes, is so popular in primary schools that whenever I play it I hear teachers singing along, loudly with pupils:

“Don’t worry about a thing

Every little thing is gonna be alright.”

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT DOGS AND SPANIELS?

The dog looked thin; extremely bony, his tail was tucked in, bent as though his spine was about to crack; a mere skeleton, yes he was a male dog; trembling and shivering.

 I said to the owner:

“He must be feeling very cold.”

Spaniel are considered most intelligent dogs...Pic courtsey of Pet Wave...

October has just arrived (like an unexpected headache); London is turning viciously cold, lots of rain, winds and gales across the northern hemisphere. Summer, sunshine and Olympics seem to be sirens in the distance. So the man with the emaciated dog chuckled and smiled. He was elderly- a perfect English gentleman (always a pleasure to talk to)-with traditional respectful manners. 

“He is not only cold, he is old, 15 years,” the man spoke with simplicity. He reminded me of former Mzungu teachers at Ilboru Secondary School. Those days we were allowed to worship unlike what was reported recently at the legendary Arusha school which I attended 40 years ago.

Me (second left) with The Gringos gang at Ilboru in 1972 during a late afternoon tea break. Others, from right, John Meciri (deceased), Barnabas "Bandido" Sengati (deceased, 1981), Tony Sarwatt (deceased, 2005) and Mohammed Miro (from Zanzibar).... Pic by Emmanuel Yuda

“Were you a teacher once?” I asked.

“Yes. How do you know?”

Thereafter the gentleman told me a lot about dogs.

<--more- - !>

TRAVELS, GADGETS, I-PODS AND BUS STOP MUSIC...

All images by Freddy Macha

Times are hard.

Very.

Sometimes you are (ruthlessly) reminded about this through daily reports of muggings, mass murder and pick pockets. Or how your budget does not fit the weekly shopping list, anymore. Salaries stay where they were ten years ago (and continually zoom down), while prices shoot up.

 Is this something new? You tell me.

I have always travelled.

 Either on foot to school when I was a little kid growing on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro; and a robust teenager on a (two days!) train journey from Arusha to Morogoro where I finished High School at Mzumbe in the 1970’s recession. Back then we thought things were tough.

Well, fact is they were. We had Black September hijacking planes.

“The cause of Palestinians must be heard!” shouted the determined militants. Those green days, the cause (and case) of Palestinians felt new. I had grown up believing Jews are the chosen children of God and anyone else is a dustbin. Truth is everyone is a child of God. We are all here to reap the rewards (and disasters) of mother earth. 

KINYAMKELA CHA MWANAHABARI JULIAN ASSANGE MJINI LONDON

 Niko katikati ya kitongoji cha matajiri, London...

Nimezungukwa na  majumba ya ghorofa, vigae, matofali ya kisasa,  vioo vitupu; mseto wa ujenzi. Punde nimekabiliana na Harrods-  duka maarufu la mamilionea  la ghorofa tano. Harrods imesimama mtaa wa Knightsbridge. Kando yake mna jumba dogo zaidi lenye  matofali rangi kikahawia mtindo wa karne ya kumi na tisa. Mtindo huu unalandana  na mila na desturi za Malkia Victoria aliyetawala karne hiyo (ya juzi) enzi za ukoloni. Nyanyake malkia Elisabeth.

Jengo lina ofisi nyingi na mojawapo ndipo ulipo Ubalozi wa Ecuador. Kawaida Ubalozi mdogo wa Ecuador usingekuwa na haja ya kuandikwa katika safu kama hii. Ila katika kipindi cha miezi miwili – umetajwa tajwa na kufahamika sana.

Hapa niliposimama nje nawaangalia askari zaidi ya kumi wa Kiingereza waliojipanga nje,wakiulinda ubalozi. Upande mwingine wamebana, paparazi na wanahabari na kamera zao; watalii wanapita pita nao wakipiga picha na mkabala wa Ubalozi limejikita kundi la watu, wakipiga kelele, wakiwasuta wale ma-askari. Mmoja wao kashika kipaaza sauti:

“Hakuna mtu aliyepiga simu namba 999 kuulizia msaada wenu, wajinga nyinyi!”

Askari hawasemi kitu. Watasema nini? Nchi hii ina Uhuru wa kusema na kujieleza.  Ukiyatazama mabango waliyobeba waandamaji  na mengine waliyoyabandika kando ya barabara pia mkabala na Ubalozi wa Ecuador, yatakufahamisha nini kinatokea. 

Mathalan:

“Kwanini askari wa Uingereza wanashirikiana na Marekani?”

“Ujasiri Unaambukiza!”

"Chapisheni Ukweli!"

“Uhuru.”

“Ondoeni mikono yenu toka Ecuador!”

“Serikali ya Uingereza ya Aibu lakini si wananchi wake!”

Na mabango kadhaa yana picha za mhusika.

“Mwacheni huru Assange! Msimpige Mjumbe risasi!”

 Yote, yumkini, yanamhusu mwanahabari Julian Assange ambaye toka Juni 19 aliomba ukimbizi  ubalozi wa Ecuador.

TRIBUTE TO ALAN HAYMAN – A SOUTH AFRICAN WHO LOVED PEOPLE OF ALL RACES

In the previous article published in Citizen Tanzania...I made a few errors about the origins of Alan Hayman, like saying his mother tongue was Afrikaans and that he was a Boer. Those errors are highly regretted and this corrected and shortened copy, sets the record straight. You can also read a longer version here...

By Freddy Macha

 I met Alan Hayman, a South African community activist and musician in 1991. Back then I was living in Rio de Janeiro and had reviewed an international film festival for a London magazine. While visiting the country my agent (who was based in London) said she had got a call from this African guy.

Alan pictured here in his last years working with young people in a Brazilian community. Pic courtesy of Vera Lucia Pereira da Silva...

On the phone, Alan was polite and had a strong South African accent. I was used to South African English because many freedom fighters were exiled in Tanzania due to Apartheid.

“Unjani!”

I greeted Mr Hayman in Zulu.

“Ngikhona.”

OLIMPIKI YA VILEMA IMEMALIZIKA -TUJITAYARISHE KWA MICHEZO YA MADOLA GLASGOW 2014

Awamu ya pili ya michezo ya Olimpiki ilishamalizika  London. Tokea 1988, mashindano haya ya vilema yalifanywa sehemu mahsusi  ya Olimpiki kule Korea Kusini, ingawa tukio lilikubalika rasmi  Olimpiki, Roma, Italia, 1960 .

Zaharani Mwenemti akiwa na wahudumu waliojitolea Olimpiki...picha na F Macha

 Mwaka huu Tanzania iliwakalishwa na Zaharani  Mwenemti aliyeshiriki utupaji tufe (“shotput”) na kisahani (“discus”). Mwenemti aliongozana na kocha, John Ndumbaro(mwenye ulemavu wa mguu mmoja) maofisa wawili – mkuu wa msafara, Johnsoon Meela na afisa utawala, Iddi Kibwana- (pichani chini) wote pia walemavu wanaotumia viti vya magudurumu au fimbo kutembelea.

Nilipohudhuria mashindano haya katikati ya juma nilishangazwa na kiasi kikubwa cha watazamaji. Bidii na juhudi za wanamichezo walemavu inasisimua na ni somo kwetu wote.

Suala la michezo ya vilema duniani lilianzishwa na mganga wa upasuaji na mishipa ya fahamu, Profesa Ludwig Guttman mwaka 1948.

Profesa Guttman....aliyeanzisha na kupigania uwezo na maendeleo ya walemavu baada ya vita vikuu vya pili vya dunia...

<--more--!>