TATIZO KUBWA LA VIRUSI SUGU LEO LIMETOKANA NA UTOAJI DAWA KALI KIHOLELA...

Enzi hizo hatukua na UKIMWI.

Magonjwa ya zinaa hayakuua mtu. Dalili yake ilikuwa kuwashwa na kujisikia vibaya wakati wa kwenda haja ndogo tu, basi.  Yakikuzidia  unazunguka zunguka mitaani unanunua dawa  rangi ya chungwa na manjano- kidonge cha “tetracylene”- aghali ndiyo; lakini kinamaliza kabisa tatizo.

Baadaye miaka ya Themanini UKIMWI ukatangaza ufalme.

UKIMWI haukuponywa kwa kidonge kama hicho.

 Na hata baada ya miaka thelathini, UKIMWI uliposhaanza kutibika- ( nchi zilizoendelea), haikua kidonge kimoja. Vingi.  Tena bei yake si ya porojo. Sijasikia mtu anayeweza kuingia tu sehemu akanunua msururu wa vidonge vya kutibu UKIMWI. Tiba hii ilihimili lakini haijaondoa kirusi, abadan.

WATU WEUSI TWAKUMBUSHWA MADHARA YA ULAJI CHUMVI NYINGI

Ladha ni kitu muhimu sana.

Siku moja nilikuwa nimealikwa karamu fulani kubwa- mwenyeji ni Mzungu aliyemwoa bibi wa Kiafrika. Kufumba na kufumbua dada mmoja, (sikumbuki taifa lake, lakini alikuwa Mwafrika)-hakuwa na raha hata kidogo na misosi. Kawaida ukialikwa hizi karamu za kimataifa, si mara zote utakuta vyakula vya kwenu; ulivyozoea. Mathalan, Wazungu wanavyokula ni tofauti sana na sisi. Hutumia vitu ambavyo si mazoea yetu mfano jibini (chizi), kachumbari nzito (“mayonnaise”) yenye mayai, siki, mafuta, malai (“cream”), nk. Au kuna suala la nyama.

Siku hizi idadi ya wasiopenda nyama jamii zilizoendelea imekua kubwa kiasi ambacho ukihudhuria mikutano au makongamano ya kimataifa unaulizwa (kabla) je mlaji nyama au hapana.Basi dada hakua na raha.Meza zilijazana vyakula vya wanga, mboga, nyama na protini. Dada alilalamika ladha.

USONGO WANGU NA KISWANGLISHI : WATANZANIA HATUJAKOMAA KILUGHA-2

Kusoma na kutukuza fasihi  ya Kiswahili Fasaha kupitia vitabu na sinema  ndiyo njia pekee itakayoendeleza na kuimarisha lugha yetu...

Wiki jana tuliangalia namna ambavyo Kiswahili kimekua, kikazoa na kuburuta misamiati  ya lugha za Kiarabu, Kiingereza, Kiajemi, Kireno, Kihindi nk. Hapo hapo kanuni zake za kisarufi (“grammar”) ni za Kibantu. Ina maana Kiswahili ni lugha ya Kiafrika, inayojitosheleza.

Kukua kwa “Kiswanglish” si jambo baya. Tatizo hili si geni barani Afrika.Wala si geni ndani ya baadhi lugha mbalimbali ulimwenguni. Waspanyola wakazi wa Marekani wameunda “Spanglish”- lugha ya mitaani inayotumiwa  na walowezi waliozaliwa kule walio baina ya utamaduni wa Kimarekani na Kilatina. Tofauti ni kwamba Walatina huwalea wanao kufuata mila zao. Si kama Waafrika wengi wanaokulia Majuu- hawasisitizi wanao huku Uzunguni kuzijua mila na lugha zao. Wanaona nishai na aibu... kwamba lazima wafanane na wenyeji.

Amina Waziri ...mjukuu wa Shaaban Robert ambaye ni mmoja wa waalimu wakubwa wa Kiswahili Ughaibuni akiongea nami mwaka 2008 kuhusu haja ya kutukuza kumbukumbu ya babu yake na kuendeleza lugha hii muhimu. Picha na F Macha

Wiki jana tuliangalia namna Kenya ilivyoanza lugha ya Shenge, miaka 20 iliyopita. Lugha hii ilichanua kutokana na baadhi ya Wakenya-hasa mjini Nairobi- ambao ni wazungumzaji wazuri wa Kiingereza kuwa dhaifu katika msamiati wa Kiswahili na kuamua kuchanganya changanya. Lakini haina maana walikua duni lugha ya Kiingereza. Sisi tunaingiza Kiingereza katika Kiswahili- lakini tunasutwa (hasa na majirani wetu wa Kenya na Uganda) tulivyo wabovu kwa Kiingereza. Kabla ya kuendelea – hebu tuangalie nchi nyingine ya Kiafrika zenye mtindo wa kupikicha pikicha lugha kama Kenya.

CHINUA ACHEBE’S TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTION TO AFRICAN LITERACY

Chinua Achebe speaking at SOAS London in 2008 to commemorate 50 years of publication of Things Fall Apart. Pic by F Macha...

Overseas based Africans do all sorts of jobs. What they qualified at institutions of higher education is often thrown out of the window for mundane jobs to support families and a life that is as tough as this March’s freezing weather, rain and snow plus shocking news of death. Anglo-European news broadcasts were mum, but stations that beam African news (Al Jazeera, French TV 5, Africa Channel etc) did mourn the famous, esteemed Nigerian writer’s demise, last Thursday.  

I was chatting to a Tanzanian musician who once worked at a five star London hotel. 

“The place received interesting visitors; one night boooom! In strolled two prominent African writers. They were attending a big conference. Later we sat for a long time talking.  I said to myself, Woow! I am sitting with celebrities.”

One was the 1986 Nobel Prize For Literature winner, Wole Soyinka; first African to scoop the coveted award since French writer Sully Prudhomme netted it in 1901.

“I could not believe I was chatting to Soyinka and fellow Nigerian legend, Chinua Achebe. Achebe said he gets ideas to write out of the blue, gifted by God.  Because I had told him I am a musician -and this is a side job I do to pay bills- he said the way I compose songs is the same way a writer works.”

USONGO WANGU NA KISWANGLISHI : WATANZANIA HATUJAKOMAA KILUGHA- 1

Karibuni, Baraza la Waganga Uingereza lilipitisha sera ya kutomruhusu daktari wa kigeni kufanya kazi bila kufuzu mtihani wa Kiingereza fasaha. Ina maana ili kutibu wagonjwa lazima uimanye lugha ya wenyeji vizuri. Wenyeji wanathamini sana lugha yao mama- bila kuichanganya nganya na kuibandika  bandika viraka.

Mwandishi maarufu wa Kiswahili fasaha, Adam Shafi akiwa Uingereza mwaka 2007. 

Picha na F. Macha

Msemaji wa Baraza hilo alipohojiwa na runinga ya “Sky” alijitoa mwenyewe kama mfano:

“Nilisoma Kifaransa nikiwa sekondari. Ninaweza kuongea Kifaransa cha kuombea maji. Ila nilipofanya kazi kwao  kama mganga nlikua na matatizo maana sikuyajua maneno au misemo ya taaluma ya uganga ipasavyo. Ikabidi niende kozi. Ni hatari sana kutibu watu kama unaboronga lugha.”

Akiwa na maana kujua lugha juu juu au sawasawa ni mambo mawili tofauti. Wenzetu waliondelea wanathamini sana kufahamu lugha sawasawa badala ya kubabaisha.

Nimetathmini sera hiyo ya Waingereza ili kuongelea suala la Ki-Swanglish ambacho kinaendelea kuzaa chawa Tanzania. Miezi michache iliyopita nilikua kwenye kikao na kundi la Wabongo wenzangu hapa Ulaya, mzalendo mmoja akauliza: “ Bwana Macha hapendi sana kuchanganya changanya maneno ya Kiingereza na Kiswahili.”

Kitabu kipya cha Adam Shafi- kinachoendeleza Kiswahili Fasaha. Picha toka Blog la KiSwahili Afrika Mashariki

RESISTANT BUGS AND THE FUTURE OF ANTI-BIOTICS

Professor Dame Sally Davies is one of UK’s most distinguished medical professionals. She is England’s Chief Medical Officer and was Director General of Research and Development and Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department of Health and National Health Service. Actively immersed in the business of disease and hospitals since 1972 when she qualified as a medical doctor in Birmingham, the 63 year old Professor is also a “dame” which is the feminine equivalent to “sir”; titles given for highest services in this Queen’s nation.

 Apart from numerous ranks, Professor Dame Davies (pictured in 2011) has been engaged in research for sickle cell disease where red blood vessels assume an abnormal, rigid bent shape and shorten lives. Majority of affected are blacks and people from sub tropical, Saharan area, or where Malaria is common.  Listing her brilliant credentials and activities here will reduce this column to some biographical data which many in East Africa may find irrelevant; but, here comes the reason.

Two weeks ago, I caught the professor giving a very stern caution on television regarding the state of the health service today.

AS UK AID IS RESTRICTED, WAZUNGU GET WARY OF AFRICA

We all know fungi. They grow out of soil, plants or decaying organisms; when they develop in our bodies we call them parasites.  Fungus can be a symbolic way of describing what is going on around our beloved continent today.

I was watching African news via the French international channel – TV 5- beaming last weekend’s slaughter of hostages in Nigeria by Ansaru. A French terrorism expert was asked whether Africa is too risky to work for foreigners.

Without flinching the expert said yes, certainly, some regions are getting dangerous.

 Later I listened to a Nigerian guy on a London street, who said he was  Igbo.  Alongside Yorubas and Hausas, Igbos are considered the main tribes of this very interesting West African nation.

“You Tanzanians,” the soft spoken, articulate man started, “supported us during the Biafra war. We shall never forget that. Nyerere’s type of leadership is rare these days. General Ojukwu died around a year ago. Did you know that?” His eyes were shining.

For those too young to remember (I was only twelve) Lieutenant Chukwuemeka Ojukwu (pictured above) led the region of predominantly Igbo people in East Nigeria to form Biafra in 1967. A three year civil war, followed.