Reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I heard tales of how prolific a writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was but from my early reading of her book,  I must admit she's an excellently gifted writer.

Let me be consumed in what Ifemelu and Obinze have in store. The descriptive prose and flowing connections of culture, tales of love and Nigerian stereotypes makes a good reading.

Thank you CNA for this good book.

The Westgate Terrorist Attack: Any Lessons for Kenya’s Approach to Regional Security?

My jointly written article was recently published on Kujenga Amani Website. The article analyzes security implications of the region following the Al Shabaab terror siege on Westagate on September 21. For further details see article here.

Bishop Njoya and Dr. Mvungi Juxtaposed: Tanzania will get a new Constitution!

Nico Minde, Arusha

 

The death of Dr. Sengondo Mvungi, a member of the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) is a major blow. A man described by his colleagues as bright, humble and dedicated, Dr. Mvungi indeed was a man respected by many. Dr. Mvungi was a constitutional law expert and a law lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam. In 2005 he ran for the presidency on a NCCR Mageuzi ticket coming a distant fifth with a paltry 0.49% of the votes. He was badly injured after robbers broke into his house beating hima nad injuring him badly. He passed away after being admitted in a South African Hospital on 12 November. 

World over, prominent and even ordinary people have lost their lives while pursuing dreams. Nationalists in Africa bore the brunt while fighting for independence. Some like OR Tambo did not see the fruits of independence whereas a man like John Garang only lived a month after helping his country, South Sudan get independence. Their memories still live on, we celebrate them. 

The famous Kenyan cleric Bishop Timothy Njoya who fought the state using the pulpit now enjoys the fruits of a new constitution.  "I was defrocked by the PCEA three times, and I have been reinstated three times. I have also been ‘killed’ by the government three times and I have ‘risen’ three times,” he says. Rev. Njoya was once beaten by gangsters, who chopped his fingers and left him for dead because he campaigned for multiparty politics in Kenya. He says his greatest rewards is dismantling one-party rule. Just like Rev. Njoya, Dr. Mvungi was beaten and left for dead by unknown assailants. However, unlike Njoya, his fate was tragic. No one is alluding foul play to his death or any other sinister or ominous allegations in that regard, apart from the fact that he was attacked and beaten up by thugs and later died. But as Njoya likes to say "Through my beatings, comatose, and humiliation I bore a new constitution for Kenya". Maybe Dr. Mvungi's blood is first amongst the many that will fall for a cause, but eventually a NEW CONSTITUTION WILL COME TO BIRTH IN TANZANIA. Fare thee well, Dr. Mvungi!

Iran and the two Genevas

Via Al Monitor- Iran Pulse

Interesting analysis..read more here.

APRM TANZANIA: AU yaipongeza APRM kwa kuchagiza maendeleo ya Afri...

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APRM TANZANIA: Big Result Now; Tumechagua kutekeleza, si kutetere...

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Database tracking Performance in Secondary Schools in Tanzania Launched

A website has been launched to track down the performance in O-Level Secondary Schools in Tanzania. Tanzania's education sector has received a barrage of criticisms from different people most notably educational and curriculum practitioners and policy experts. Further questions arose following the abysmal and appalling Form Four results last year (2012), which saw a record failure of 60 percent. A Commission to Investigate Causes of Poor Form IV Results was quickly formed by Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda. The findings are yet to be made public.

Just last week, the Ministry of Education came up with a new grading system which saw the expunging of Division Zero (Sifuri). Despite these changes, I have read and listened to a number of arguments and it seems the idea has not augured well with many. Tanzania's education system has for decades been on the spotlight for all the negative things. Issues such as the crisis of language in our education system, poor education infrastructure, inadequate skilled teaching personnel, corruption in the education sector, poor payment of teaching staff, amongst many other problems. In the recent past, civil societies in the ares of education have really brought these issues to us. CSOs such as Haki Elimu and Twaweza have instilled a culture of public accountability and citizen action in the areas of education. Civic awareness and the demand for accountability has risen forcing government to act in expediency. 

I am pleased to see more efforts been directed towards tracking the performance of secondary schools in Tanzania using innovative and modern ways such as having a results database for all schools in Tanzania.  The initiative is within  the context of Tanzania’s commitment to the Open Government Partnership, The Shule Yangu initiative promises to be a fantastic idea more precisely because the government has failed in its duty. Such brilliant initiatives will not only improve awareness but act as a engagement platform for all stakeholders to discuss and monitor education trends across Tanzania. The initiative has started with Form Four Results, I am pretty sure the A-Level Tracking will be launched soon. The government should embrace this and seek ways for consultative dialogues in order to improve the standards of education in Tanzania.

For further details see Shule Yangu website here.