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.”