Thirty Years later, Sokoine Remains a Tanzanian Statesman

Nations world over are built on the ideals of their founding fathers. Some like in America, the sheer will and dedication of the founders molded a nation while wisdom, courage and selflessness built empires, strong democracies and civilizations. Historic moments such as revolutions, civil wars, crises, constitution making, war for independence, and many others define polities. Great men also define nations. When I was growing up, tales of Tanzanian great men where told to me either by my parents or at school. Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere was a man whose stories were told to me as a child. I grew up listening to his speeches in the national radio, seeing his face on the currency, his grayed hair portrait hung on government offices and private businesses. During one Christmas holiday in our rural home, as I looked into my dad's high school and college books, I found Nyerere's book "Miaka Kumi Baada ya Azimio la Arusha". I read it despite not knowing exactly Ujamaa was at the time. Of course I was born after the Arusha Declaration of 1967 that made Tanzania a Socialist country in what Nyerere termed as "Ujamaa is Tanzania's unique form of Socialism" in yet another great book "Freedom and Socialism" which I read later on. Nyerere was not the only Tanzanian hero I knew while growing up. Edward Moringe Sokoine was another Tanzanian statesman whose remarkable leadership was told to me while I grew up. As an avid lover of history and politics, I read of this great Maasai man who served as Prime Minister of Tanzania on two occasions.

Reading yet another Tanzania history book "Maadili ya Taifa na Hatma ya Tanzania: Enzi kwa Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere" by Ibrahim Mohamed Kaduma, he recalls in 1980 when Edward Moringe Sokoine vied for a seat in Monduli Constituency together with a driver in the Department of Livestock and who was his supervisor. This was the Tanzania of old when character and service was the drive for power and not money, wealth and status. Prime Minister Sokoine as is written was a man with character, love for the people, and one who wanted a better Tanzania. He condemned corruption and excessive capital accumulation - some allude his death to these principles that he stood for. Reading yet another book (I can't recall the title or the author), it is written that Edward Sokoine died in a car crash. Although it is believed that he survived the crash after a collision with a car driven by a South African man by the name Dumisani Dube, it is said the man finished him off. That is a story for another day. A man who spoke openly in support of equality for the ordinary Tanzanian passed away on 12 April, 1984. Thirty years on, the Tanzania he envisioned where government is free from corruption and without excessive and exuberant capital accumulation is still there. Without wealth, riches and glory that comes with status you cannot vie for an elective post and win, ask Torongey, the man who vied for the Chalinze seat with the President's son. You cannot get a job if you don't know somebody, electoral corruption is rampant. But again, he did his best in a short stint as Prime Minister and he remains a man of honor in Tanzania.       

 

Ujana, Usasa, Udijitali; Namkumbuka Monika wa Mwisho wa Kosa!

Jana, Jumapili, jua angavu na hali ya hewa tulivu. Nipo katika shughuli zangu za kawaida za Jumapili. Natizama mechi ya Ligi Kuu ya Uingereza, Everton wanacheza na Arsenal huku nikifuatilia kwa utaratibu mechi za Ligi Kuu Tanzania Bara kwenye simu yangu ya kiganjani kupitia mitandao ya kijamii. Yanga inacheza na JKT Ruvu huku timu ya vijana ya Tanzania - Ngorongoro Heroes wanakipiga na Kenya. Mara napata simu. Ni mzee wangu anauliza niko wapi. "Nipo hapa Sakina natizama mechi baba," namjibu huku Everton wanapiga goli la tatu. Dah! Vipi tena Arsenal? Mporomoko huu sio mchezo. Rafiki yangu pembeni ananiambia nisishangae ni kwmba wanarudi ile nafasi yao wanayoipenda - nambari nne! Shabash! 

Baba anataka twende naye kumwona ndugu yetu mgonjwa. Nasita kidogo kwani Liverpool ndio wanaingia uwanjani Upton Park kucheza na Westham. Kaida yangu nikutizama mechi zote. "Sawa baba, we nikute hapa twende kumwona mgonjwa" namjibu kwa shingo upande. Baada ya dakika 15 hivi bado milango migumu kwa timu zote, natoka baada ya baba kufika pale Sakina. Napanda gari, mama naye yuko. Namsalimia na tunaondoka kwenda kumwona mgonjwa nyumbani kwake. 

Ndugu wengine wamefika nyumbani kwa mgonjwa kumpa pole baada ya kulazwa kutokana na presha kupanda ghafla. Tunasalimiana kwa bashasha, furaha kama kawaida ya Watanzania. Baada ya kumpa pole mgonjwa hadithi zinanoga. 

"Mara ya mwisho kukoona ulikuwa mdogo sana vipi habari yako?" wananiuliza. Natabasamu tu. Katika maongezi yetu pale suala la ndugu kutotembeleana linaibuka. Ujana, usasa na udijitali unatajwa kama sababu ya mkengeuko huu. Nakumbuka kwa haraka riwaya ya Mwisho wa Kosa iliyoandikwa na Z. Burhani. Tuliisoma riwaya hii na kutahiniwa Kidato cha Nne. Namkumbuka mwalimu wetu Bwana Mugambi na Mama Shihemi, walikuwa bora sana. Monika, mhusika mkuu alitoka Ulaya masomoni na kurudi nyumbani na usasa, ujana na ujiditali kama inavyofahamika nyakati hizi. Monika alijishaua, alijibetua na kujidahi kuwa hawezi hata kunywa uji wa Bi. Keti. Yote ni kutokana na usomi na elimu ya magharibi. Maongezi yetu ya jana yalinikumbusha Riwaya ya Mwisho wa Kosa na mkasa wa Monika huku nikijilinganisha.

Hakika kizazi cha siku hizi, sio tu cha vijana bali hata wazee wa kisasa. Tumesahau tulikotoka huku tukikumbatia usasa. Tumesahau utamaduni wetu, watu wanakutana kwenye mazishi tu. Ndugu wamesahauliana kabisa. "Yaani niko busy sana!" ndio kauli zetu. Lakini kama Z. Burhani anavyosema Mwisho wa Kosa ni pale Monika aligundua usasa na ujana ni mpito; utamaudini wake unabaki pale pale. Tuenzi utamaduni wetu, lugha yetu na falsafa ya Kiafrika! Majuto mjukuu huja baadae!

Why we love April Fools Day!

You know what? I love jokes and pranks. I like to prank my close friends and family periodically and they do the same at times. But today I have pranked you!! There's no reason why we  love April Fools Day, only that it exists for people like you! #sarcasm. Here's an interesting fact: Do you know why April Fools Day ends at 12 noon? Happy New Month and God bless!

The Western way of life in Nairobi!

Seated at Mater Hospital at the Thika Road Mall (TRM) Nairobi waiting to see the doctor. I have severe nausea and feeling dizzy and sweating excessively. I have vomited thrice since morning. As I wait to see the doctor  I make several observations. A woman seated besides me in her 40s is reading something from her Kindle. She is engrossed in the story. Another woman walks past me holding an Ipad. She's with a small girl; her daughter I guess. She looks 40 something as well. She goes to the counter to pay. She uses her Visa Card to make the payment. The young people in the waiting area are all in their smart phones, chatting or maybe just browsing the internet. The young ladies here are well dressed and in Western attires, well groomed. My girlfriend Joan, who has escorted me to the hospital is also on her phone playing Temple Run. 

"Faith Mwende" the receptionist calls out. A lady in red jeans with pierced lips and tongue and with long weave walks to the reception. The rest of the waiting patients seem to be watching a Nigerian film on Citizen TV. The lighting and sound of the film poor. A lady in long weave is shouting at a gentleman. They're arguing. I can't hear them well. Just outside the hospital, which is the second floor of the Mall are food courts. People in there are taking chips, chicken and pizza with large glasses of milkshake and juice. 

"Nicodemus Minde" the receptionist calls. I go and pick my receipt so that I can see the doctor. It's Kshs. 750 for consultation. 

Nairobi is a city that has really embraced the Western way of life. Let me get in and see the doctor.

Warioba awasilisha Rasimu Bungeni: Live Tweets

Leo, Mheshimiwa Jaji Warioba awasilisha rasimu ya pili mbele ya Bunge la Katiba. Follow my tweets in English and Swahili here

Suala la Muungano limepamba moto Bungeni.

Quotes on Constitution and the Scottish Independence: Lessons to Tanganyika - Zanzibar Union

Thomas Paine was an English-American political activist who wrote a lot on constitution making. He has very notable constitution quotes which are relevant to Tanzanian context as we write our constitution. Here are some:

 

"The Constitution of a Country is not the act of its Government, but of the People constituting a Government."

 

"A constitution has not an ideal but a real existence, and wherever it cannot be produced in visible form, there is none."

 

"A constitution is the means by which the people determine the nature of the government that they will set over themselves, it is to a government what the laws made afterwards by that government are to a court of judicature."

These are interesting quotes especially on the supremacy of peoples' choice as opposed to party directives (in this case the ruling party - CCM). 

I have found an interesting article on Scottish independence which is relevant to the national debate on the future of the Tanganyika - Zanzibar Union which is a contentious and polarizing subject in our country Tanzania. You can read it here.

The hypocrisy of US Foreign Policy in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin

There has been a buzz over Ukraine in the last few weeks. The media is reporting it as the Crisis in Ukraine, emblematic to previous media declaration such as those in Syria (Syrian Crisis), Egypt (the Crisis in Egypt) e.t.c. What started as street protests by the people of Ukraine over the country's stance of being anti-European Union, soon escalated and saw the entrance of other forces. Efforts to pacify the opposition factions by the now ousted President Viktor Yanukovich were squashed. Yanukovich had made serious concessions which the European Union rebuffed in contempt. The February-21 agreement was mediated by Russia, France, Germany and Poland and aimed to end the bloodshed in Kiev by reducing presidential powers and establishing a framework for a national unity government, in addition to electoral reform, constitutional changes, and early elections. These efforts failed and the opposition toppled Yanukovich.

John Kerry and Ukraine interim leaders

British Foreign Secretary William Hague

In a leaked telephone conversation between the US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and the US ambassador in Ukraine saw the use of 'undiplmatic' language (Fuck the EU). Russia was responsible for the telephone leak. The conversation between the two showed America's proclivity to meddling in foreign relations and determining the destinies of countries based on Washington's recourse. As soon as the 'crisis' took another dimension after the ouster of a legitimate government, Nuland's conversation and statements were quickly forgotten and the barrel shifted. The interim government, reminiscent of the Transitional National Council in Libya, received praise and admiration from the West. Kiev, the capital of Ukraine started to receive high profile visits from the British Secretary of State William Hague and his American counterpart John Kerry. It did not take John Kerry long to brand the actions by Russia on Ukranian autonomous region of Crimea as an 'incredible act of aggression'.  Russia had sent its troops to Crimea, a region  with a 59% Russian speakers. 

"It's an incredible act of aggression. It is really a stunning, willful choice by President (Vladimir) Putin to invade another country. Russia is in violation of the sovereignty of Ukraine. Russia is in violation of its international obligations," Kerry said. It hard to imagine these words coming out of John Kerry, whose country has in the past in utter disregard of international law and norms invaded countries and violated their sovereign authority and integrity using various euphemistic pretexts such as 'humanitarians' 'democracy' etc. Before the ongoing Geneva Talks over Iran Nuclear, there was heightened rhetoric of a plausible invasion of Iran with America's ally Israel fueling the rhetoric. Western media camouflaged in 'humanitarian plea' demanded Obama to act on Syria's use of chemical weapons on its citizens. In 2011, the US invaded Libya on humanitarian grounds brutally killing Muammar Gaddafi. The US has also used the drones, sending them to Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan allegedly to do away with 'terrorists'. All these acts are tantamount to aggression, the same crime they accuse Russia of doing. This is an aberration to the foundations of democracy and rule of law which US prides itself on. 

President Putin affirmed that Russia is not going to war with Ukraine and there are not trying to make Crimea apart of Russia. What is mind boggling is the$ 1 billion in US aid, loan guarantees pledged by US to help Ukraine economy. Your guess is as good as mine!