In Commemoration of Mwalimu Nyerere’s death

The day after tomorrow, 14th October, 2023, will be the 24th anniversary of the death of the father of our nation, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere.  This is the day on which the whole nation normally commemorates  his life and death,  in their varied ways and methods, with  the official  national  celebration events, including a church service,  being held at national level.
        I have always penned special commemorative articles around this time in October of every year, hence  this presentation is just a continuation of that habit; which  is  being done in the spirit of the inspiring statement which says  that “praising what is lost, makes the remembrance dearer”.  This  is to be found in that famous English Playwright William Shakespeare’s Play  titled “All’s well that ends well” (Act v, scene iii).  And indeed, upon his death twenty four years ago this month, our nation truly lost  Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.  These presentations also  seek to praise  Mwalimu Nyerere for what he did  for our country and our nation. They will, hopefully, “make his remembrance dearer”;
        What Nyerere did for our nation.   
This is the twenty-fourth anniversary of Mwalimu Nyerere’s death. In the life of human beings  this is a long period of time;  for it represents a whole generation period.  We therefore now have a new generation of Tanzanians, which is entitled to know the history of where we came from; and, in particular, about his  successful  endeavours in laying the firm foundations for the subsequent management and socio-economic growth of our nation.
        However, looking back now with the advantage of hindsight  at Mwalimu Nyerere’s  ‘huge basket’ of leadership  initiatives and contributions;  I can see some of the  omissions in the story that is told in my book referred to above.  For example, the omission to  include samples of  his willingness to admit, and the readiness to correct, the mistakes that he had made in implementing his administrative decision-making functions.  This was the relatively minor administrative mistake that he made in deciding on the location of the district headquarters of the newly created Serengeti District.
        The President is empowered, by law and  at is discretion,  to establish new administrative units that are designated  as ‘Regions’ and ‘Districts’, as he may consider appropriate.  On this particular occasion,  President Nyerere had decided to establish a new district in Mara Region, to be named ‘Serengeti District’.
On the day of its official inauguration, the  President  sent his  Vice President,  Aboud Jumbe, to officiate at that  ceremony, which had been organised to be held at Bunda. The residents of that area had   generally expected that Bunda  to become the headquarters of the proposed new district; but their expectation was suddenly  frustrated; when, in his speech to inaugurate the new District, Vice President Aboud Jumbe  (obviously on instructions from President Nyerere), announced that the headquarters of the new district will be located at Mugumu.  This announcement not only disappointed, but also annoyed the huge audience which had attended the event; as they all immediately walked away in a clear demonstration of protest.
        Fortunately, President  Nyerere correctly interpreted this protest action as a message to him,  that he had made a mistake in locating the district headquarters at Mugumu; thus, he  quickly decided to correct that mistake by establishing another new ‘Bunda district’, with headquarters at Bunda.
        Those of our readers who are followers of the Christian faith, will easily remember the Biblical story when  the Jewish ruler Pontio Pilato obstinately refused to change his inscription of “Jesus Christ king of the Jews”.  Obviously,  President Nyerere  did not have Pontio Pilato’s  type of obstinacy.
        Another omission in my book referred to above, is in relation to Mwalimu Nyerere’s  achievements  in laying the foundations for effective intra-party  ‘conflict resolution’  mechanisms. This omission was partly due to the fact that  is  because that the main purpose of that book  was   book was to tell  the story of Nyerere’s   leadership and management initiatives and activities, in the country’s government. Consequently, his initiatives in respect of the ruling  political party, had to be omitted. That missing  story  is  now told briefly in the paragraphs which follow below. It is in relation to the initiative to introduce  what are known as  ‘party membership pledges’
The membership  pledges.
When TANU was founded in 1954, with Mwalimu Nyerere as its founder President;  his first task was to prepare a draft of the new party’s constitution.   As this was the first ever political party to be formed in this part of the world, there was, practically, no local experience to guide the undertaking such a  task;  hence,  Mwalimu Nyerere later revealed that he sought assistance from his political friend,  Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana,  who obliged by sending  a copy of the constitution of his own political party, the Convention Peoples’ Party (CPP); and further that  he borrowed the CPP’s party structure in crafting TANU’s structure TANU’s structure  (which was subsequently adopted also  as CCM’s structure);  but that he  added his own initiatives, which are the ‘membership pledges’  that now appear as Appendix ‘A’ of the CCM constitution,  listed as “Ahadi  za Mwanachama”.
        Looked at more closely, these nine provisions actually constitute the beliefs, and principles, that should govern the life of any upright person, for each of them  is a declaration  of  personal  commitment to  certain basic principles, which are the following as follows:-
        Item 1 is a commitment  to the belief in the equality of all human beings.
        Item 2 is a pledge to faithfully serve the country and its people.
        Item 3 is a pledge to participate in the fight against poverty, ignorance and disease.
        Item 4 is a pledge to participate  in the fight against all forms of corruption.
        Item 5 is a commitment to the principle that  leadership positions are a form of  if a surety, which must not be used for private personal gains.
        Item 6 is a pledge to endeavour to advance yourself educationally to the maximum of your ability.
        Item 7 is a pledge to cooperate with fellow citizens in all community efforts  aimed at achieving   sustained   development of our country.
        Item 8  is a pledge to always say the truth, and nothing but the truth.
        The final item 9  is a commitment to be a faithful and devoted member of the party.
        These were the ‘ethical foundations’ that were firmly laid by the founding father of our nation, and, as already suggested above, should govern the life every patriotic citizen of our country.
I should mention also that  Mwalimu  Nyerere  himsefl actually  played his part  in this respect, by truly ‘walking  his talk’.  For,  immediately  after he had completed the task of achieving the country’s independence; he reminded his colleagues in the country’s leadership  about the need to implement these principles; when he said the following:- “During the struggle for independence, TANU called on the colonial government to observe the fundamental  principle of human equality. Our people now expect that their new leaders will observe this cardinal principle.  We also called for the granting of equal opportunities to all citizens. Now that we are in power, our people also reasonably expect to see this call   being  fully  enforced and  practiced” .
 Nyerere’s  practical  re-statement of these principles.
In February 1967, when  he was writing that  major ‘policy document’  known as the  “Arusha Declaration”, President  Nyerere took that opportunity to re-state these principles. The  document’s opening paragraph is a recitation  of the humiliating colonial experience, which was distinctly marked by the deliberate disregard for the fundamental principle of the ‘equality of all human beings’; and the associated right of every individual to dignity and respect.
I therefore wish to suggest,  that in  our regular annual  discussions  that are normally held in remembrance of the  departed  founder-leader of our nation, we should also focus  attention  on  his  three most outstanding  accomplishments; namely:-
        (i) His unflinching support for the liberation of countries in the  Central and Southern Africa Regions from colonialism.
        (ii) His special  achievement  in laying firm foundations for our country’s unity, which we continue to enjoy right up to this day;  as well as  the foundations  for the socio-economic development of our country and its people.
        (iii)  His achievement in introducing the important concept of ‘Leadership Ethics’. More  detailed  information about these matters is given in the paragraphs that follow below.
        (i)   The ‘liberation struggle project.
During the initial period, which covered the first few years of leadership following the country’s attainment of independence;  the struggle against colonialism was the dominant political agenda for Africa.
        Mwalimu  Nyerere himself was of the settled view, that  ‘colonialism was a violation of the human right to self-determination’; and vowed to join the struggle for its elimination.
Thus, upon taking office as President of Tanganyika on 9th  December, 1962,  he made a pledge  to participate  “fully and actively” in the efforts for the liberation of all the countries of Africa from colonialism; which he faithfully did,  as best he could under the circumstances;  particularly, his generosity in hosting many of the liberation parties who established their camps in this country for the training of their freedom fighters;  with the associated danger of our country being attacked by the said colonialists, on the pretext of  pursuing their enemies, the freedom fighters.
        (ii) Laying the foundations for the country’s unity and peace.
Mwalimu Nyerere’s achievement in laying the foundations for our enduring national unity among people of diverse tribal groupings, with each such group having their own tribal Chief to whom they owed allegiance; is perhaps his most widely acknowledged achievement and legacy.
            As confirmed by examples from other  African countries, tribalism can be a  major hindrance  to  the   political progress  of the affected country.  For example, available records show that the political parties that spearheaded the independence struggle in Nigeria,  Kenya,  and in Uganda;  were largely formed along tribal lines.  Naturally, such divisions were a clear hindrance to unity, that was so important for the success of the struggle for independence.
The Nyerere’s conception of  ‘Leadership Ethics’.
            “Ethics is the heart of good leadership”, so the relevant books of authority say. Those of us who had the good fortune of working very close to Mwalimu Nyerere, and thus got the opportunity to observe his unique leadership endowments, can readily testify to the fact that he held a very strong stance on this matter of  ‘leadership ethics’;  and throughout the  entire period of his leadership,  Mwalimu Nyere  strictly adhered to the “ethics doctrine”; which  is one of  his legacies that ought to be emulated.
            Some of our readers may have read my book titled “Uongozi na Utawala wa Mwalimu Julius Nerere” (Nyambari Nyangwine Publishers, Dar es Salaam, 2012); wherein I described, in pretty great detail, the life and work of this unique leader. I was able to do so, simply because I had the good fortune of working closely with him, in a variety of top-notch  public service positions to which he appointed me from time to time, during his leadership period as President of the United Republic.  That gave me the opportunity, and advantage, of being able to observe his ways of doing things, plus his unique personal endowments; which, I humbly  submit, all public leaders should endeavor to emulate.

piomsekwa@gmail.com  / 0754767576

Leo Nafyatua al Jinun Finun Imarati

Na Nkwazi Mhango

Leo naja na fununu na tena kindavandava. Kwanza, niwashukuru mafyatu wote walionikaribisha kwa shangwe na nderemo wiki iliyopita nilipokanyaga hapa kwa mara ya kwanza. Niwatonye chapchap. Nimeanzisha chata liitwalo Al Jinun Finun wanuni na nune (AJFnn). Msichanganye na twambombo tununu kule kwa akina Mwakafwilafwila na Mwakafaga. Chata lina jina nono na tamu la kimanga. Huu nao uwekezaji wa kimanga. Chata halina usununu, ushakunaku, na usongombwingo wala vinyongo. Litakuwa na manufaa makubwa sana. Washikaji wake watakuwa tumbili ili wawaandame chawa hadi kieleweke. Tunashuhudia rafu uchafuzi, sorry, uchakachuaji wa uchaguzi ujao. Tumenyaka ukweli, si fununu. Chawa weshatangaza wagombea wawafugao wakikiuka katiba. Hii haki na demokrasia au domoghasia? Wanawahi nini? Kunani? Chawa na uchaguzi mmhh! AJFnn itajibu.
         Nilimsikia Juli, senzi, sorry, Shonzo akichachawa kama chiwawa kule walikosongwasongwe na dhiki eti 2025 watamchagua chifu Yangaya kumshukuru kutoa njuluku ya miradi ya maendeleo. Kwani, alitoa njuluku yake? Nani anataka chifu usawa huu? Uchawa mwingine kigegezi. Kwa ubongo wa chawa usioweza hata kuonekana, unategemea awaze mambo makubwa kama kuendesha kaya kwa haki na weledi badala ya uchawa?
        Kwa vile kaya imevamiwa na kujaa chawa, imebidi nianzishe chata harakaharaka ili kuikoa na uchafu kabla ya kunyonywa damu hadi kukauka na kunyatuka. Ni baada ya mafyatu wengi kunilalamikia kuwa wamechoka kung’atwa na kunyonywa na chawa mbali na adha, hadaa, na kula mihogo tokana na gharama za maisha kupanda kiasi cha kukosa njuluku ya kula kalimati, keki, mahanjumati, na mikate kama wanene. Wanataka kula halua na tende si adha. Lengo la AJFnn si kudai kitabu wala kuzuia kubinafsisha maji, madini wala majini. Tutaka kaya ibadilishwe jina na kuitwa Al Jinun Finun Fir’aun Imarati. Mafyatu niliohoji wamesema wamechoka na jamhuri isiyo na uhuru ulogeuzwa mhuri wa unyonyaji tena wa machawa na wachafu wawafugao. 
Nitawasilisha maombi kwa msajili wa vyama atusajiri tuanze kufyatuka na kufyatua. Nadhani akina Tunu na Nunu waso wanuni watajiunga kwa wingi ili kufyatua mafyatu wanaotufyatua. Ninapendekeza wanakaya waitwe majinun al mujirmun al mufilis ili nao wajidai kwa kimanga na kula raha kama jamaa zetu wa Dubei. Nani asiyetaka kujulikana na kutanua kama Dubei? Tunapendekeza kubinafsisha kile kitu kuanzia ikuu hadi wanakaya wenyewe. Ila chawa hawatahusishwa. Tutawafyatulia mbali wasichafue dili hili takatifu.
Kwa sera yetu ya ubinafsishaji siyo uwizishaji, tutaanza na katiba ili tujipangie wenyewe tuepuke kubishana na kuumiza, kufyatuliwa, kufyatishwa, na kufyatuana. Pia, tutaokoa njuluku ambazo zingefyatuliwa bure kwenye kutoa elimu isiyo elimu na kukusanya maoni ambayo yangeishia kupuuzwa na kuoza kwenye makabrasha kama yale ya majaji Wariboa na Kisago. Ili kuepuka wambea kutuletea umbea na ufyatu, tutafanya dili siri ili kuepuka kuhatarisha usalama wa kaya na ulaji wetu au vipi? Pili, tutaepusha migogoro ambayo imefikia pabaya hadi wanakaya kurokoroniana, kutukanana, na kuitana majina mabaya. Tatu, tutaokoa njuluku ambazo zingetumika kuwagharimia baadhi ya mafyatu kuzunguka kaya nzima huku wakipoteza muda kutafuta kinachojulikana. 
    Nne, tutabinafsisha ikuu, waliomo, na vilivyomo ili kuukata. Shurti tuwaite wamanga waje na katiba yao ili nasi tufaidi kwa kutawaliwa kimangamanga na kimangaa. Nadhani kwa kuwauzia katiba na kwenda Dubei bila visa na visasi, tutawakaanga wamanga kwa mafuta yao kama wanavyotaka kutuchemsha kwa maji yetu. Hapa ngoma droo. Sipati picha kuwaona akina Mgosi na Njomba wakimwaga kimanga kama hawana akili nzuri. Kama alivyosema fyatu mmoja kule Mwanza, lazima tuchanganye damu ati. Tutakwenda umangani, kuishi, kuongea, na kutanua kimanga. Pia, kaya itapata faida kubwa sana nakwambieni. Msiniulize vipi. Mkiuzwa au kuliwa, sawa.
    Mwisho, tutawataka Al Finun Jinun wa al Mujirmun al mufilis wote wachague kati ya wao kubinafsishwa na kupewa visa visivyo na visa na visasi kwenda kutanua Dubei kama akina Maulaji Kitengi na Zekabwela waliopelekwa kule kutanua hadi wakatanuka, kufyatuka, na kuwapa faida mashakunaku. Pia, tutauza kaya kila fyatua achukue chake na kufyatukia umangani, bondeni hata majuu Watakaobaki watajiju.
Faida gani mtapata? Kawaulize wamanga na maza.

Chanzo: Mwananchi Oktoba 11, 2023.

A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY: WHEN THE FERRY BOAT ‘M.V. NYERERE’ CAPSIZED.

“M.V. NYERERE”, was a government owned ferry-boat, which capsized in the afternoon of Thursday,  20th September, 2018;  just as it  was  approaching its destination  Bwisya,  on Ukara Island. It was  on one of its regular trips between Bugolora (Ukerewe Island) and Bwisya (Ukara Island). The capsizing of the M.V. NYERERE was a terrible, shocking tragedy; which caused the reported loss of 228 lives.  It was a national tragedy, and the late President John Pombe Magufuli  directed the nation to observe a mourning period of four days, during which the national flags would fly at half-mast. 

        That accident brought the nation together in mourning and prayer for the departed souls.  And it was indeed a shocking tragedy; because the very high population density of Ukara Island; for, because of this demographic factor, the deaths resulting from that accident, inevitably caused bereavement and related suffering to a very large number of families. And, taking into account the factor of the ‘extended family’ hat is created by marriage relationships, this was a catastrophe of immense proportions, affecting almost every single family in Ukara. 

        One English poet whose name was John Donne (1573 – 1631), is on record as having written the following words:- “Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never ask to know for whom the bell tolls.  It tolls for thee”. The sudden death of so many people in this single accident, did indeed “diminish” the spirit of our nation.                            

        But it also moved me to write an article, which was published in this column on 4th October, 2018, designed to mourn that tragic event.  Thus, I have considered it worthwhile, to commemorate that event in  today’s presentation, being its  fifth anniversary;  primarily  in order to enable our current readers  to appreciate the  heroic rescue  efforts which were voluntarily made, plus  the instant operations that were  undertaken, particularly  by the residents of Bwisya Village; and  the rapid response actions that were  taken by  the  government of the late President Magufuli  in relation  thereto. 
These  Islands’  profile. 
The two Islands of Ukerewe and Ukara, are the  largest islands among the 38 islands that together constitute the Ukerewe district, which is among the earliest districts of Tanzania, having been established way back in 1947, by the British Colonial Administration.   The ferry boat  that was christened “M.V. NYERERE”, had been provided by the government in order to facilitate the transportation of persons, and goods, between the two Islands; whose residents have, traditionally,  always had  very close relationships.                                                                          

         Since the primary purpose of this presentation is to enable today’s readers to appreciate (and applaud) the heroic rescue and other operations in relation thereto, we will go directly into that  discussion.   
Kudos to the rescuers and other supporters.
Kudos first to the residents of Bwisya village;  for, immediately upon hearing of the bad news, large numbers of that village’s  residents rushed to the scene of the accident, and quickly organized themselves into rescue teams, which deployed every available canoe to the rescue efforts. 

            And  indeed, their heroism and prompt voluntary actions saved about forty lives. Reports emanating from the scene of that accident said that in one particular case of extreme bravery,  one of the survivors of the accident, being an expert swimmer, not only saved himself by swimming alone to safety,  but also saved the lives of two other persons, including a pregnant woman, whom he  carried along with him when he swam to the shore.  The same reports say that  the late President John Magufuli himself immediately swung into  rapid action by sending a contingent of Ministers, plus all the commanders of the relevant security Organs to Bwisya, to the scene of the accident, with instructions to ‘closely monitor and coordinate  the  victims’ rescue efforts’; but also to make arrangements for the provision of alternative temporary transport facilities between Ukerewe and Ukara, to replace the service  that was abruptly terminated by the occurrence of this nasty accident.                

              The President also formed a special select committee of experts, which was tasked to investigate the true causes of this accident, and recommend measures that should be taken to prevent any other such tragic occurrences in future. 
As the gurus have said: “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”.                                        

           Handling the aftermath of this accident was pretty “tough going”; and, consequently, the ‘tough’ government of President Magufuli, got going instantly, in response to this accident.  And the coordinator of government business, Prime Minister Hon. Kassim Majaliwa, himself set up an emergency camp in nearby Mwanza City for the first three days following that accident, and shuttled daily to Bwisya by army helicopter, in order to give “on-the-spot  guidance” to the government rescue team that had camped there.              

        And for the purpose of keeping the nation fully informed of the what was going on at Bwisya, for the whole of the week following the event, the government owned Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) gave full coverage of the operations that were taking place, enabling the whole nation to be kept informed of what was happening there. For example, It was TBC which reported the heroic efforts of the survivor who saved two lives mentioned above. But TBC also also reported everything else that was happening at Bwisya in response to that accident; including the agonizing  news of a Secondary School teacher who had gone to  Ukara to see his wife  who had just given birth to their first baby. As is customary in this area, his wife   had gone to her parents’ home in Ukara, in order to give birth under the watchful eyes and intensive care of her experienced mother.  

     On that fateful day, the couple had gone to Bugolora in Ukerewe, to do some shopping, leaving behind their newly born baby under the safe care of the baby’s grandmother.  They both perished in that accident. Kudos to the government team that had set up camp at Bwisya,  and to all other people who were involved in this emergency operation.  And kudos to all those persons who voluntarily made financial contributions, partly for  compensating the surviving victims, and  the families of those who lost  their lives in the accident; but mainly for the provision of new social facilities for the people of Ukara.

         The government subsequently revealed that some 725 million shillings had been received as such contributions, both from individuals, and from institutions.  

 Tribal attitudes concerning ‘death by drowning’.
For people living in islands like Ukara and Ukerewe, fishing is their main preoccupation. And because of the underdeveloped, ‘hand-made’ canoes which they use as fishing vessels, although they are generally quite safe, but accidents involving the capsizing of a canoe do occur from time to time, causing the ‘death by drowning’ of one or two people.  Hence, the relevant tribal communities have developed certain tribal practices, for handling such ‘deaths by drowning’ when they occur.                                                          

            I am indebted to the TBC broadcasts from Bwisya already mentioned above,  which also gave this information relating to these  Ukara tribal customs, as narrated by the Chairman of the Bwisya Village government.  The said Chairman explained that the episode of  ‘death by drowning’ has a special name in the tribal language of Ukara, it is called “LICHUMU” (spear), and is considered to be a “curse”, or bad omen;  that is to say, a harbinger of  evil harm, or destruction, that is expected to follow its occurrence.           

        Thus, the burial of the dead body or bodies that are victims of “LICHUMU”, is done differently from that of the body of a person who died a ‘natural’ death, who are normally buried in the middle of the household compound of the bereaved family. But the victims of ‘death by drowning’ are buried on the periphery of the family compound.  And this is what happened also in the case of the    M.V. NYERERE accident victims, who were similarly treated.  

         The Chairman further explained that according to their tribal customs, the ‘water body’ which caused such death must not be used for household purposes, at least for a certain specified period. 
The cultural wonders of the Ukara Island people 
I had another occasion last year, on which I wrote another article in which I mentioned some of the folklore that makes Ukara island truly unique and famous, as the land of “miracles”.  Because these stories are so extraordinary and interesting, I will present them again today, for the benefit of our readers who missed that earlier presentation.                                                                        

            The ‘magic powers’ that are possessed by some Ukara families, can only belong to the supernatural world!   For example, there is one clan in Nyamanga village, which has the magic power to command a stationary heavy granite rock, estimated to weigh about 5 tons and stands on another solid, flat natural  rock,  to perform a dancing show for visitors. This is the famous “dancing stone” (locally known as Nyabulebeka),  which  has become a tourist attraction; and I have also witnessed it myself.  

            The other miracles of the  Ukara people, include the magic power possessed by yet another clan  resident in  Chifule village, which has the reputation of possessing an extraordinary  “magic knife”, locally known as  Imbanda ya Nyamalulu ; which has the magic power to settle community disputes instantly.  It is said that any such dispute can be easily resolved by this extraordinary knife “magistrate”.  when such disputes are brought for settlement, the knife is laid on the ground by that owner, who then asks the accused persons separately, to walk across that knife. The results are that any innocent person will easily succeed in doing so; but the guilty party will have his legs suddenly paralyzed, which will make him fail to raise his legs to cross that knife.   

         The person found guilty will be ordered to compensate the victim of his actions, and both will continue to live in their community ‘happily thereafter’. There are many more such reported miracles.  In Kome village, there is another clan that reportedly “owns” a piece of Lake Victoria that is close to their residence.  This clan is reported to have the miraculous power of preventing water that is ‘stolen’, i.e. drawn without their permission, from boiling.  In such rural communities, water is drawn mainly for cooking food.  It is claimed that no matter for how long the thief will try to boil the stolen water, it just will not boil!  

        Then there is  that person in Eburongo area, who had the unusual capability of domesticating some of the Lake Victoria crocodiles, and could use them to carry out such assignments that he would give them.  This was demonstrated in 1972, when the Mwanza Regional government was forced to abandon the attempt to get this unwilling crocodile owner relocated to Sengerema, because he was so effectively defended by his ‘crocodile Unit’ against the Police Field Force Unit which had been sent to force him to obey the government order to relocate.   

         The full story of this episode actually sounds “stranger than fiction”, but it is true, like the other ‘miracle  wonders’  of  Ukara  Island.   And there may be others that I am not aware of. Hence, anyone who is interested, should visit Ukara  to see  these ‘miracle’ wonders for himself. 

piomsekwa@gmail.com /0754767576.

Source: Daily News.

Tumefyatuliwa, tumefyatuka, sasa tunafyatuana

Sijui nianzeje kufyatua kabla ya kufyatuliwa. Sijui niseme tumechanganywa, tumechanganyikana ama tukachanganyikiwa na sasa tunachanganyana kiasi cha kuzugana na kuzinguana. Tumefyatuliwa tukafyatuka na kupagawa kiasi cha sasa kufyatuana kama kaya hadi wachache kutaka kuwapagawisha na kuwafyatua wengi. Kama siyo kupagawishwa tukapagawa na kufyatuliwa na kufyatuka kabla ya kuwafyatua wanaotufyatua na kutupagawisha, inakuwaje walakaya wapingane na wanakaya au tuseme watu walao wapingane na watu waliwao? Kama siyo ufyatu ni nini? Watuwala wanataka kula zaidi kwa kukaribisha na walaji waitwao wawekaji japo wachukuaji huku watuwaliwa wakipinga kuliwa zaidi. 
Naona yule anabeua midomo akidhani fyatu naanza kufyatuka kabla ya kufyatua mambo bila kujua naweza kufyatuliwa na fyatu waliofyatuka kwa ulaji wakavimbiwa na kufyatuka kiasi cha kufyatua kila awapingaye ufyatu na ulaji wao na wenzao wa kutoka umangani kwa deep world aka deep weed aka ganja aka janga aka fyatua fyatu.
Huna haja ya kufanya hivyo wala kuning’onga dugu yangu. Kama fanya hiwo iko dili kuba kwenda fanyia ile fyatu nafyatuka hadi nachanganya, koroga hadi vote nachanganyikiwa na narogeka hadi sasa hapana jua fyatu va kweli na ongo. Hata hivyo, shetani wa yote haya si ufyatu wetu bali dipii wiid sijue weed sijui wed wa mama sijui ganja. Sijui. Ukitaka kujua zaidi hili dude kawaulize watasha wa Dubei ila angalia usipigwe bei ukaishia kufanyishwa kazi za ndani kunyanyaswa hata kuitwa mtumwa aka abid kwa kitasha.
Wadanganyika tunadanganywa hata pasipostahiki. Chukulia mfano, mtu mzima unadanganywa na chawa badala ya kuwaulia mbali. Kwa namna tulivyopagawishwa na wenye shibe, tumechanganyikiwa hadi kuruhusu chawa kufanya mambo ya kibinadamu! Wabonge wanabonga mambo ya ajabu kiasi cha kuhojia hata uheshimiwa sorry uishiwa wao. Wameishiwa hadi wanageuza bonge tukufu kuwa bonge la mipasho. Wakubwa wanafanya utoto kwenye mambo ya maana.
 Mfano ni kipaza sauti. Da huyu fyatu kweikwei. Anapayuka utadhani maamuma wallahi. Amepagawa sina mfano. Badala ya kuisimamia siri kali, anaanzisha siri kali yake bongeni. Ukimsikia anavyojiita mbukuzi unashangaa alibukua nini wakati akizoza hupati pwenti zaidi ya kuhisi chawachawa. Au ni kwa vile kipaza sauti kimejaa chawa waliogeuka bonge? Kama mwenye kaya amejaa chawa, kipaza sauti kitafurika chawa?
Nilimsikia fyatu anayejiita mbukuzi akiwadanganya wadanganyika kuwa katiba mpya haileti chakula mezani! Seriously? Bila katiba kunena kuwa wanene watakuwa wanene na ulaji wao utakuwa mnene, hawa wanene wanaonenepeana na kutumia mashangingi manene kwa kodi ya walalanjaa wangekuwa wanene hadi wananenepesha hata chawa? Asikudanganye fyatu, mdanganyika, mpagawaji, mbonge, wala chawa. Katiba ni kila ni, isingekuwa tiba, isingegomewa. Bila katiba hakuna chawa, wanene, kaya wala ufyatu utokanao na ulaji wa kilafi.
Najua waishiwa waliishiwa hoja zamani. Wanaoshangaa walivyopitisha deep weed wanajidanganya. Walipogeuka/zwa mabingwa wa mapambio, mipasho, ngonjera, kujigonga, kujikomba, kuzuga na sarakasi ili wajaze matumbo yao yaso shukurani hata kwa kumegewa utukufu. Pamoja na ufyatu wangu, naona kama waishiwa wamegeuka sehemu ya siri kali badala ya kuwa bonge la kuizodoa na kuitoboa siri kali kama walivyotumwa na waliowatuma.Wameishiwa hoja na kujaa vioja kiasi cha kujidhalilisha wao na bonge lao tukutu.  Badala ya kunena, wananuna na kuchawishwa. Badala ya kutoa mwelekeo wanaelekezwa kuzimu kwenye deep world.
Ukiachana na waishiwa, hata maza mwenyewe ametupagawisha hadi tukapagawa na kuchanganyikiwa, na kuchanganyana. Kala pini utadhani deep weed halimhusu wakati ndiye aliyeliibua. Hata wadingi tuliotegemea wangeokoa jahazi wamezama nalo. Badala ya kutoa nasaha wanatoa hasira na usaha. Wana hasira kama Stivi wahasira ambaye akipanua kinywa wanatoka harufu chafu na inzi kiasi cha kufanya mafyatu wakimbie. Ni hatari kiasi gani fyatu mmoja kuwakimbiza mafyatu kwa maelfu?
Nilimsikia doktari Silaha, baada ya kufyatuliwa, akilalamika baada ya kusondekwa korokoroni alipodai katiba mpya. Alifyatuka kuwa hakutaka kutoka korokoroni. Du!  Kama hakutaka, nani alimlazimisha au kamba za siasa za visa na visasi? Si ukubali wewe ni fyatu uliyefyatuliwa na mafyatu unaotaka kuwafyatua ili kulipiza kisasi? Huyu Silaha na Tundi Jisu wamefyatuka kweikweli Nilimuona Jisu kule Rongorongo akihenyeshwa afyate asiende kuwafyatua akina yero ili wagomee kupisha uchukuaji, sorry, uwekezaji wa kimanga na kimangaa.
 Kabla ya kusahau, kuna fyatu moja anaitwa Mdudu na mwenzake Mwambukuzi. Du fyatu wanafyatuka! Kama fyatu wangekuwa fyatu kama hawa si haba. Katiba mpya ingekuwa imeishachakaa. Jamaa wanazoza utadhani wana mageshi sehemu. Hawaogopi hata ndata ambao nao siku hizi wamefyatuka kiasi cha kuwekwa rumenya na chata twawala.
Zama zile fyatu nikiwa chuo kikuu cha Hazard kwa Joji Kichaka nilifundishwa kuwa ndata hawapaswi kushiriki siasa wala kutumiwa kisiasa. Hii huitwa uongozi bora siyo bora uongozi kama ilivyo ufyatuni.
Lo! Kumbe naota!

Chanzo: Mwananchi leo.

Oh Uh Avante we truly miss you and RIP

 

ANOTHER IMPORANT AND SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF OUR POLITICAL HISTORY: MWALIMU NYERERE’s DETERMINATION TO ‘MODERNIZE’ THE RURAL POPULATION.

 

We have regularly been presenting, in this column, different important/significant pieces of our rich political history. For today’s presentation, we have selected the story of President Nyerere’s  strong determination to ‘modernize’ the country’s rural population, by re-settling them into properly organized“vijiji vya maendeleo”.  Well- designed stories usually carry some lesson to be learnt there from,  And, as we shall see later  below, this story has its own lessons. One is that it clearly reveals the ‘unshakeable’ determination of a Head of State to implement what he believes will provide positive development for the people under his jurisdiction; such as is reflected in President Samia’s slogan Kazi iendelee”. The other is that it exposes the ‘crimes’ which can be committed by some unscrupulous officials who are assigned the task of implementing the relevant project.  

            At the time when President Nyerere’s project was being implemented, it was known as “Operashen Vijiji vya maendeleo” ; which actually commenced much earlier in 1962, as a ´Village Settlement” programme. However, unfortunately, its implementation was badly designed, and badly executed, leading to its failure and total abandonment; simply because of its ‘capitalist orientation’ nature.                                                                                             

        For it involved the provision by the government to every family in the established village, of a house built by the government, common tractors for tilling the soil, and even the provision of seeds required for planting the crops. The financial burden was, obviously, much too heavy for the government to bear. Thus, this ambitious, but obviously ill-conceived initiative, had to be totally abandoned; and subsequently ‘resurrected’, in 1973/74;  in the new form of “Ujamaa Villages”.

         It is probable that this bold initiative remains practically unknown to the present generation of Tanzanians. But it is nevertheless a very significant part of our socio/political history.  And it is for that basic reason, that today’s presentation has been designed to focus on that matter.
The background to that ’village resettlement’ drive.

        There may, probably, be many people, who either still remember, or who  have been so  informed as a result of their own learning of Tanzania’s history, about Prime Minister’ Julius Nyerere’s voluntary resignation from that high position very soon after the country had achieved independence from British colonial rule.                                                                                     

        Looking back at that matter now with the advantage of ‘hind sight’; it becomes quite clear that  this was Nyerere’s personal strategy  to give himself time, to quietly prepare the country for the subsequent fundamental changes which occurred on 9^th December that year, when Tanganyika (now Tanzania Mainland) became a Republic,  with him being at the apex of the country’s leadership, both as  ‘Head of State’ as well as ‘Head of Government’.                   The lessons referred to above.

In my considered opinion, there are two useful lessons which could be learnt from this story. One, that it was, indeed, President Nyerere’s ‘unshakeable’ determination, to implement the “village settlement” project;  for he knew, perhaps better than anyone else,  the benefits that would accrue therefrom. For example, in a comment he made regarding the American successful landing on the moon in 199; Mwalimu Nyerere said this: “While others go to the moon, we are going to the villages”.
President Nyerere’s plans.

         President  Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, revealed his plans for the country’s future, in his inaugural ‘Address to Parliament’, on 10^th December, 1962. In that powerful speech he said the following,  among other things:- “The Tanganyika we intend to build, must be different from the Tanganyika that we inherited from colonialism”. And continued as follows: “If you ask me what our government is planning to do in the next few years, the answer is simple.  It is that  for the next few years, the government will be doing all it can to enable the peasants of Tanganyika to live together in properly organized villages.                                      

          And if you ask why the government wants them to live in such villages, the answer is equally simple, namely that  unless they do that, we shall not be able to provide them with the things they need to raise their standard of living. We shall not, for example, be able to provide schools for their children, or provide medical infrastructures, or clean water facilities, which are close enough to their homesteads. And even if we had plentiful supplies of electricity, we shall not be able to connect that power  to each isolated homestead. 

         However, I do not want anybody to start thinking that by just going to live in an organized village, he will find himself miraculously supplied with all these good things. No, that is not what I am saying, for I know that we shall still be a long way away from solving all our problems, even by the time we succeeded to resettle every peasant family in an organized village community. All I am saying, is that if our peasant population does not live in proper village communities, then all our endeavours to develop our country will be just so much wasted effort.”.                                                      An unfortunate ‘false start’.

The President’s initial ‘experiment’ (obviously upon persuasion by the expatriate advisers and officials who had been given that advisory role); was to establish what were then called “Vijiji vya maendeleo” (Development villages). For the implementation of this project, a government “Village Settlement Agency” was established; which was mandated to do the design, as well as the  operational  system that would apply to  these villages. We were informed then, that these new villages  would consist of ‘collective dwellings’ called “village settlements”; that  each  of them would consist of 250 family households; and that they would  be established on previously unoccupied land.                    

                And further that in Its first phase, the project would consist of 22 such ‘model’ villages; established in different selected areas of the country. The entire operational costs of implementing this project, were to borne by the government. Such costs included:  the construction of houses for all the intended residents thereof, plus  the provision of tractors (and other farm implements), for tilling the soil;  the provision of seeds for planting,  plus  fertilizers, where these items were required.               

            In other words, these villages were  (unwittingly), given the equivalent of the status of “state farms”, where the people working there are  employees of the government!                                      

              Such ‘capital intensive’ undertakings, obviously, could not possibly cover the whole vast country, and were clearly unsustainable. The project was a kind of ‘false start’, and was, obviously, bound to fail, as it eventually did;  and had to be totally abandoned.                                   

        It was, in other respects, a case of “conflict of interests”; contradicting  the  Arusha Declaration policy of “Ujamaa and Self-reliance”.  For it was, by its nature, ‘a capitalist oriented project’,  which was  being undertaken by the government in a  country that was determined to build ujamaa!

        But the idea itself, of “resettling the rural population into properly organized villages” was not abandoned; for it was later vigorously ‘resurrected’ in 1973/74, under the code-name “the ujamaa villages development programme”; when  the entire Regional Administration  establishment, was mobilize  to  concentrate on this particular  undertaking, and, for that purpose, was  given a specific time-period, within which to complete that the exercise. 

            As if to illustrate his firm  determination to make  the village re-settlement  project a resounding  success; at one regular meeting of TANU’s National Executive Committee, President Nyerere revealed that when he was  resting at Butiama during the previous  year’s Christmas holidays;  he had noticed some kind of reluctance,  in responding to the directives to  re-locate to the designated villages; and that he had consulted his brother the Chief of the Wazanaki, regarding what he thought could be the cause of this reluctance. The Chief’s reply was: “Mwalimu, the people have not yet been convinced that this is what the government actually wants them to do. They still believe that these are mere noises coming from groups of rabble rousers.                                      

         Mwalimu Nyerere further inquired:  ”Chief, what then,  do you suggest  should be done, in order to convince them”?  The chief’s reply was: “Mwalimu, Just mount an ‘exhibition’ of a small contingent  of the military forces, passing  through parts of the rural areas, but  doing no more than just urging the people there  to heed  the government’s  call  to  re-locate to the designated development villages, and you will be surprised by the peoples’ response”.

             Mwalimu Nyerere said he was persuaded by the Chief’s advice, and gave appropriate instructions to the  Chief of the Defence Forces.  The intended ‘small exhibition’ was duly mounted; and indeed, the targeted people immediately responded, and very positively.
Lessons to be learnt there from.
The Holy Bible says the following in Ecclesiasticus:-“Miss not the discourse of the elders, for  from  them thou shall learn understanding, and how to give answer as needth”, The  “villagezation” story is one such ‘discourse’, and from our own very distinguished ‘elder’, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, fonder President of the United Republic of Tanzania.                                          

        As already stated above, there are two useful lessons that could be learnt from this little story. One, it shows that a Head of State can go to very a Head of State can go to very great lengths, in order to ensure that what he believes to be a positive development project for the people who are under his jurisdiction; as we have just seen above, in the part relating to Mwalimu Nyerere’s consultation with his Chief of the Wanzagi people. (It may also be remembered that President Nyerere had, in1963, engineered the abolition of the colonial “Chiefs’ Ordinance”; which had vested all the tribal Chiefs with certain Executive, legislative, as well as judicial powers, to  be  exercised in their respective areas of jurisdiction.          

        This incident also helps to clarify the point, that the said legislative action, did not at all  remove the said Chiefs’  traditional roles, as custodians of their tribal customs and traditions; which has been misunderstood by some people, such as those who  questioned President Samia’s recent  participation at a traditional ceremony at the Bujora Sukuma Cultural Center, arranged and managed by the country’s  current Chiefs. 

        The second lesson, is that, the story exposes the ‘crimes’ that can be committed, without the knowledge of the boss, by some unscrupulous officials who are given the task of implementing the relevant project. This is illustrated by the cruel, anti-human treatment, which was, in some areas, perpetrated on some of the people who were involved in this exercise,  when forcing them to move to  new areas. There was evidence to show that in some extreme cases,  people were forced to move from their previous dwellings  to some empty areas of land, and just abandoned there, under the  trees, and left there to fend for themselves, without any assistance; and their previous homes were burnt down, in order to prevent them  from returning there.                         

        Many of the offenders were subsequently apprehended, and punished  appropriately according to law;  but, as that famous English Playwright William Shakespeare said a long time ago:  “The ‘good’ that men do, is often interred with their bones, but the ‘bad’ lives  long after them”. The said “bad things”, or crimes, that were committed by those unscrupulous officials have lived long after their commission. These are matters that should, perhaps, best be forgotten. But we cannot obliterate history.

piomsekwa@gmail.com/0754767576.

Don’t vote Ngwena Zim’ll be found after being lost for decades

When Zimbabwe got its independence on 18 April 1980, many people, especially Zims wrongly thought that, at last, the Zimba za Mabwe was retrieved from the daggers and dirty hands of brutes and criminals. For a long time, I’ve not contributed to this forum. Today, I am breaking my own vow after being provoked by Zim’s senescent monarch who needs to be helped to pack and go home to play with his grandchildren and learn the names of his bovine and goats. I believe that I’m not the only one peeved by this tottery’s polemics and heedless hullabaloos. He’s recently quoted as saying “if Harare fails to vote Zanu-PF, you will be lost” (The East African, 9 August, 2023). How many times have Zimbans gotten lost? He who doesn’t know that they got lost under Jongwe must have mental issues.

Because of such insults from those who’d put or shut up, may I candidly and honestly ask. Hasn’t Zim been lost for a long time since Jongwe teamed up with Ngwena and turned it into their private estate at the peril of poor Zims? Who’s so precipitous and preposterous that doesn’t know that Zim got lost a long time ago? Why don’t such a pretender accept that Zim got lost when sanctions from imperial powers were imposed on it! Is it because such sanctions have never affected them or just because they use them to make quick dosh?

On top of dispatching such insults, I don’t know if it is because of Alzheimer or other related malaises, the dude said that those who’ll vote him and his outfit will go to heaven. Does he know really how heaven looks like? How can a dirty soul talk about bliss instead of the netherworld for the evils such a soul committed against innocent Zims? Seriously, we need to feel for such hoary coots. Because of their puniness, sometimes, they even forget their names and those of their spouses. Therefore, for this geezer, getting lost and being found are the alike. Essentially, he didn’t know what he’s saying. What Zim voters need to remember is that voting for bankrupt and expired geezers will suffer more than they’re now. What can an octogenarian do while he can’t even dress himself properly? Have Zims easily and quickly forgotten what ensued to Bob after clocking fourscore?

Who knew that such a nifty thespian would be commandeered in his bedroom so as to create his own cascade from the power he loved dearly? Didn’t this happen just yesterday? Remember the neighbouring Malawi where a dying geezer, Hastings Kamuzu Banda, was bundled out of office after becoming gangly due to old age? Remember how Habib Bourguiba in Tunisia’s toppled because of his old caducity?

Sometimes, young people need to help old geezers to take power and let them go home to rest. Such geezers are too forgetful. Most of them are surrounded by bootlickers and puppeteers who hijack and keep on using them to profit from their presence in power. Imagine. I heard the same geezer promising Zims paradise shall they vote for him. What a big lie! Can a malefactor guarantee innocent people any nibbana while he himself has never been sure if he’ll ever see it? Like any false prophets and quacks like the one in gold mafia scandal, beware of fake prophets and their fake paradises. They’re but hyenas in sheepskin. Follow or vote for them, you’ll be lost and eaten alive. That’s what Ngwena means sarcastically.

Zimbans are mature and know who wants to fool them by puffing lies and false promises. They know who’s among the architects of their quandaries. They know all who were in bed with Jongwe the author of miseries Zimbans have been facing for close to three decades. Apart from being an accessory to the crime, Ngwena doesn’t have any left sanity to do things differently. Since independence, Ngwena was close to power playing and abusing power. What’s done or delivered? Deceit and defeat? It is toppling the government of the Jongwe or amassing wealth not to mention corruption. Let’s be fair to ourselves all those who know the history of Zim and its manmade imbroglios and pauperisation of the earthlings by big criminals.

Source: Indepedent Zimbabwe.

Wimbo wa juma

 

Opposing everything for political gains, or opposing merely out of ignorance’

FOR the last two weeks we have been discussing the impact of the statement made by the Leader of the nineteenth century British WHIG PARTY, who said that “the duty of the Opposition is to oppose everything propose nothing and throw out the government”, on present opposition political parties in Tanzania.  We will continue with that discussion in today’s presentation, but from a different angle, namely the distinction between “opposing everything” (however unreasonable and absurd that might be) and  “opposing  certain  things  based on sheer ignorance”  of the consequences  that might follow their success; citing  the example of   the senseless/pointless opposition to every government budget.
            However, my own experience shows that some sensible matters have also been vehemently opposed (by political parties or other groups or even individuals), purely out of ignorance of the negative consequences of their proposed action. In my working experience of several decades, I have witnessed the occurrence of many such matters  right here in our jurisdiction which I will share with our readers in this presentation.
        These are:-(i) TANU’s opposition to the colonial “tripartite vote” legislation of 1957;  (ii) that of the many  individuals who  opposed  the proposed re-entry into the multi-party political dispensation (1991) and   (iii) the opposition by  the Parliament of the Australian Capital Territory,  to the inclusion of the “Bill of Rights in their constitution; which was based not really on “ignorance”, but on the questionable  grounds that: “In the first place, there is absolutely no need for it, because our rights are adequately protected by our conventions, our Acts of Parliament, and our democratic system, which is one of the strongest in the world,
        Another objection is that a Bill of Rights will generate a litigation culture and the only benefit will be to the lawyers. There is also the concern that a Bill of Rights takes away power from an elected Parliament, to an unelected Judiciary”!
        But before we embark on that topic; I will make a small digression in order to express my amazement and wonder at the events I witnessed only last week regarding the extraordinary power of religious FAITH on individuals, that was displayed by extraordinary huge numbers of people who attended the said event, wherever it occurred.
        This was the catholic “marathon race” of the sacred picture of the virgin Mary, Lady of Fatima; though my District of Ukerewe, and onwards through the City of Mwanza; on its way to the rest of the country; as evidenced by pictures taken and distributed by Radio Maria.
        I myself attended and witnessed this event at our local Nansio Parish; where the Parish priest told us that the last time this event occurred, was exactly 106 years ago and it will not happen again for another 106 years. All this sounds pretty mysterious, but that is what emphasises the power of religious faith on individuals.
        The Holy Bible is,  of course, full of  even more amazing stories about individuals, such as  the ‘martyrs of Uganda’,  who willingly suffered death for the sake of their religious faith, which they refused to abandon even on command from their country’s  pagan ruler, Kabaka Mutesa II;  plus  other stories  about religious persecutions, and even  fierce wars in the countries of Europe; which have greatly contributed to strengthening faith  in many  individual believers; But such extreme life sacrifices  have not happened in modern times. And this is what makes witnessing last week’s ‘Our Lady of Fatima’ marathon event truly amazing.   It is clear evidence to prove that religious feelings are still very deeply rooted in peoples’ hearts, in this part of the world.
        This particular event can be likened to the honest feelings of joyful excitement coming from the heart that is normally displayed by football fans, on occasions when their teams are playing. I know that political rally events can also fill football stadiums “to the brim”; but these are often the result of some hard work done by the organizers, who hire lorries and other forms of transport to ferry their supporters to the venue of the event.
        They obviously cannot be compared with the massive, sentimental gatherings, that accompanied the “Our Lady of Fatima” marathon race through the streets, and particularly   at their designated destinations.
        We will now go back to today’s scheduled topic; which focuses on the issue of those who oppose sertain things, “purely out of ignorance of the consequences of their actions”; in sharp contrast to  those who  “oppose everything, with the aim of overthrowing  the government”.
(i) TANU’s opposition to the colonial tripartite vote
        It should be remembered that the country then known as ‘Tanganyika’, was Administered by the British government as a “Trusteeship Territory”; under a mandate granted to them by the United Nations Organisation. This means that in its administration of Tanganyika, the British government was obliged to submit regular reports to that Organisation regarding its management of that mandate; and to obey instructions issued by that Organisation.
        One such instruction was to require the Administering Authority “to prepare the people of Tanganyika for eventual independence”. And for that purpose, regular Missions were dispatched to Tanganyika from New York, to inspect the progress being made in the implementation of that objective, in order to enable the Organisation to assess, and determine, the time when such independence could be granted.  The last such Mission came to Tanganyika in 1954; and estimated that the country could be granted independence “in twenty to twenty five years”; ie. between 1974/75, and 1980.
            But other events occurred rapidly, (including TANU’s huge successes in mobilizing the people to participate in the tight for independence); which somehow forced the British government hasten the process of Tanganyika’s advance to independence.  Thus, they enacted a law to make provision for the first ever Legislative Council elections to be held in 1957. That law included the controversial provision  which imposed a compulsory “tripartite” voting system; which meant that in order for any  vote to be considered valid, the voter must have voted for three candidates, namely,  a European; an Asian; and an African.
        Trouble began when some TANU leaders, including TANU’s Secretary General, Zuberi Mtemvu; started raising strong objections to this racial arrangement, claiming that “Africa must be governed only by Africans”.  The next TANU annual Conference was scheduled to meet in Tabora in January 1958. Hence,  Zuberi Mtemvu and his supporters,  started campaigning for a boycott of the said Legislative election, as a  show of protest against this imposed  requirement.
            However,  Mwalimu  Julius Nyerere, knew  the negative consequences that would result from such boycott.  He therefor prepared himself for the “battle” of changing that misguided viewpoint by his colleagues at that conference.  In his abundant wisdom he crafted an ingenious strategy, which was to try to convince the majority of the delegates attending that conference to abandon the idea of boycotting that election; but that goal should achieve without him appearing to have used his powers as President of the party and Chairman of the conference, to put undue pressure on them to accept his views.  

        Thus, on the day of the Conference, he chaired only the usual preliminary part of every meeting, that of approving Minutes of the previous meeting and matters arising therefrom.  Thereafter, when they reached the main agenda of considering the controversial issue of the tripartite vote, he surprised the conference by announcing that he would temporarily vacate the Chair for the duration of the discussions on that agenda, until a decision is reached and asked the conference to elect a temporary Chairman.
        Mwalimu Kihere, the TANU Chairman for Tanga Province, was accordingly elected; and took the chair.  This gave Mwalimu Nyerere the opportunity to argue his case from the “back benches” like all the other delegates.  That is when he carefully explained the negative consequences of boycotting the scheduled election. He pointed out that the proposed action will shut TANU out of the Legislative Council; which will enable the other parties to pass oppressive legislation which could delay the achievement of the desired independence totally unchallenged.  

        He further pointed out that “if we agree to participate, TANU could select Asian and European candidates who were sympathetic to the struggle for independence to stand on TANU tickets, which would enable TANU to get  seats in the Legislative Council, and thus be in a position to fight the enemy from within the Legislature”; plus making their voices heard by the United Nations, in their struggle to show that Tanganyika was actually ready for independence much sooner than their estimated “twenty to twenty  five years” timetable.
It was his cogent arguments which convinced the majority of the delegates to abandon the boycott stand, and instead, genuinely agreed to a resolution “to participate in the scheduled Legislative Council elections”.
        Malimu  Nyerere’s  strategy had  succeeded.  But Zuberi  Mtemvu and his fellow “African racists” immediately broke away from TANU, and formed their own splinter party, which they named the “African National Congress” (ANC); which also participated in the said election, alongside the colonial Administration’s sponsored party, the “United Tanganyika Party” (UTP).  TANU won all the 10 available Legislative Council seats; thus delivering a ‘death’ blow to those other parties.
        This episode is recorded in TANU documents as “Uamuzi wa Busara”; and is regarded as the ‘cornerstone’ in the political history of our country; for it marked a fundamental turning point in the  difficult  process  leading to the achievement of country’s independence.
(ii) The opposition to the return to multi-party politics.
        I am here referring to the exercise which was assigned by President Ali Hassan Mwinyi to the ‘Nyalali Commission’ in March 1991; and given the task of “consulting the people of Tanzania, to find out whether, or not, they were willing and ready to accept the  change from the single party political system to the multi-party system”. I had the good fortune of being appointed a member of this commission.
            President Mwinyi was given that mandate by the CCM National Executive Committee meeting in February 1990; which had made the fundamental decision that “a change from the single-party system to multi-party politics was inevitable, and must be implemented”; and had authorised the President to appoint a high-level Presidential commission, whose duty would  be “to carefully assemble, and coordinate, the expressed views of the people, and report accordingly”.
            What the commission actually encountered in the course of its public meetings with the people, is the substantive point of this presentation; for it confirms the assertion that most of the participating individuals (who expressed opposition to the proposal to return to the multi-party system) were, in fact,  motivated by sheer ignorance of the actual working of the multi-party system.
        A typical argument that was advanced, was that “under the one party system, we are required to pay party fees and other contributions, to the party.  Now, assuming that some ten different parties will emerge under the system now being proposed, it means that we will be required to pay fees and subscriptions, to all of these numerous parties, which will create immense financial problems for us poor people!”  The outcome of such absurd arguments was that 80 percent of all the people who were interviewed, rejected the proposal to change the political system.
piomsekwa@gmail.com/0754767576.

Source: Daily News today

Dirge: Fare-thee-well Dr. Arthur V. Mauro

The late Arthur V Mauro (15, February 1927 – August 4, 2023) the founder of the Arthur V. Mauro Institute of Peace and Justice, University of Manitoba.

Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro What an incomparable hero! Go dear Dr. Mauro We’ll miss you dearly Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro You lived your life resourcefully You delivered on your mundane duty You did a godly provision Now, that you’ve completed the excursion You deserve our ululations and admirations May you rest serenely Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro We’ll truly remember you fondly We too will miss you profoundly You exceptionally and truly gave generously For the development of the people Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro The baobab tree has fallen Our hearts are sunken I can’t easily explain the pain We who know what you meant It becomes harder for us to withstand Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro Go selfless man Go and rest in eternal habitation You were a caring and daring man A sharp but kind businessman You’ll always be in our hearts You are a treasure in our hearts Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro You were a man and a half A man of high bluff but not a toff You were generous and brave but not aloof You shared what you used to have You saw the future on our behalf In you we saw goodness and love Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro Go Dr. Mauro go Go our dear hero go Dr. Mauro you’re humble No dispute about this clangour Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro Mauro created the instate of peace It is the Mauro institute of peace and justice Here we are at your institute This is one of your shining legacies I know of other buildings That received your contributions Even though you viewed it as a tintinnabulation Huge was your contribution Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro We know your big heart Though you’d a small body Among us you’re a massif Your role was impressive What else can I say? Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro You’re rich in every aspect You were rich financially You were rich academically You’re rich at heart Your donations speak loudly You offered much of what you got What else can I say? Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro You stood tall among us Though you were one of us I must truly admit this You were a frontrunner Our dear leader Yes, a great patron Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro I know you have a lonely and long journey Humbly, let me doff here I pray for your afterlife May your maker make it glassy May your SOUL rest in eternal harmony Fare-thee-well Dr. Mauro

Rest in Peace Dr. Mauro