#WeddingDiaries : Wedding Off

Scheduled to meet Gupta, my suit designer at Sarit Centre, Nairobi. Heated argument with my fiancée. She walks away from me but later says am the one who has walked away from her. Writing thus blog entry from Text Book Center. Feel so low. A Christmas band plays carols outside.  Nairobi people shopping and eating out. The festive season is alive in Nairobi. Thinking of getting Martin Meredith's book 'The Fortunes of Africa '. Feeling sad. I pray for strength. God hear me. I love you.

I sent this message to Joan :

     Am sorry I've not been the perfect person you envisioned. Forgive me for everything I've ever done to you. Find it in your heart to forgive me. My dear, am on my way to Arusha. Kindly send my stuff by shuttle tomorrow morning. It has been very difficult for me but my dear know that I will always love you.

Her responses:

Ni sawa my dear. God bless you abundantly.. Na ufanyiwe unavyo nifanyia... If u want to call off the wedding... Call my uncles n everyone uwaambie. I have forgiven u for everything.

Will send your stuff.. Pick them and pay for them.

If thats what umeamua... I will respect it.

I have nothing to say. Siwezi kuforce.

Will ask my bro to take the stuff to town now.
Am almost at home.

Kikwete must sack corrupt ministers to prove his credibility

JAKAYA KIKWETE’S tenure as president comes to an end next year. President Kikwete has many international admirers and has received adulation from the major Western democracies. As president, Kikwete twice hosted two US presidents – George W. Bush in 2008 and Barack Obama in July 2013. With many branding him the “darling of the West,” Kikwete in March 2013 received the Chinese president Xi Jinping, demonstrating to the world Tanzania’s non-alignment foreign policy. 

Although many interpreted the US and Chinese presidents’ visits as competition for Tanzania’s natural resources, it was a diplomatic victory for Tanzania. Kikwete scooped the Most Impactful Leader in Africa Prize in April 2013 and in July 2014 the Icon of Democracy Award.

With the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Good Governance in Africa failing to get a winner this year, many have predicted that President Kikwete will win it when he retires. Despite the international accolades, President Kikwete has faced myriad challenges at home. Major corruption scandals have engulfed his presidency.

Parliament recently passed a scathing resolution to have Kikwete’s Cabinet ministers revoked over the Independent Power Tanzania Ltd (IPTL) that has rocked his government. A government report implicated the Prime Minister in the scandal that resulted in the plunder of more than $120 million from the country’s central bank by private businessmen and government officials.

With PM Mizengo Pinda narrowly escaping the censure, President Kikwete has no choice but to take action on the ministers implicated in the scam and prove that the international accolades were given to him on merit. 

Nicodemus Minde
Arusha, Tanzania.

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/OpEd/letters/Burundi--Arusha-Accord-must-be-implemented-to-avert-disaster/-/434756/2546716/-/item/1/-/fvwnkp/-/index.html

#Tanzania: A Sleeping Lion Awakes

The November issue of Guardian Report looks at Tanzania rising fortunes. As a stable country politically, Tanzania is seen by many as the next frontier in the East African region. Endowed with an array of mineral resources, excellent weather, magnificent tourist destinations among many other things, Tanzania's political stability has seen a huge attraction to foreign investors and direct investments in areas of mineral exploration, banking and finance, tourism and in many other commercial deals. The Guardian in an exclusive report looks at Tanzania-UK relations, tourism and speaks to key stakeholders to Tanzania's increasing fortunes. There is a Q&A with Tanzania's Finance Minister Saada Mkuya where she highlights among other things the government's efforts to increase capital access to SMEs, Tanzania's GDP growth and bridging the gap in people's access to credit and integration to the banking industry.

Further analysis is done in Tanzania's tourism sector. Our tourism sector has not be aggressively advertised. Doing so will help convince many tourists from Europe, Americas, Asia and indeed Africa visit the magnificent tourist destinations such as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Selous, Zanzibar among many. The Commissioner General of Tanzania Revenue Authority explores the effective ways of tax collection and government financing through revenue and tax. Further insights are given by the Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Membe, embattled Minister for Energy Prof Sospeter Muhongo, TANESCO Managing Director among others.

Tanzania stands at a critical transition for progress and development. Sound leadership, vision and accountability remain crucial in taking Tanzania to the next level.

See links:    http://www.theguardian.com/the-report/the-report-tanzania

    

#Poem: What Truth?

What truth?

The idea of justice. Truly utopian

Masses concerned, quizzing and reflecting

Colloquialism

Engaging, calling, texting, many vibrant..

Soliloquy

In the end they will prevail

You're left groaning - they laugh

All the way into the bank and the ballot

Triumphantly they dance, ironically you join in

And life goes on

The truth  

Lessons for Tanzanians? The Day Burkinabe People Recovered Their Voice

Here is an interesting article I came across this morning. As a keen follower of African politics, I was pleased to see the dethroning of an autocrat in Burkina Faso. The people of Burkina Faso without Western persuasion said enough is enough. The longtime dictator Blaise Compaore was forced out. Compaore had overthrown Thomas Sankara in a military coup in October 15, 1987. Compaore was trying to change the constitution and extending his reign. The article by Amy Niang examines how the people of Burkina Faso recovered their voices. 

http://forums.ssrc.org/kujenga-amani/2014/11/07/the-day-the-burkinabe-people-recovered-their-voice/

Peace and Tranquility as Zanzibar marks four years of the GNU

Today marks the fourth anniversary of the historic Maridhiano agreement signed by President Karume and the opposition leader Maalim Seif Shariff Hamad in Zanzibar which later formed the government of national unity after the general elections in 2010. This extraordinary act between the two leaders heralded a new beginning in Zanzibar. I assess the the GNU vis-a-vis democracy in an article submitted to the Kujenga Amani forum. Regardless, the GNU has brought remarkable trnsformation in the sociopolitical setting in Zanzibar. Zanzibar remains at peace and the two primordial nemesis in CCM and CUF now somehow coexist. For more details on the GNU in Zanzibar see link below.

President Karume and Maalim Seif shake hands to seal the historic Maridhiano agreement in November 5 2010. Besides them in Ismail Jussa

http://forums.ssrc.org/kujenga-amani/2014/08/04/democracy-versus-stability-political-reconciliation-and-the-government-of-national-unity-in-zanzibar/

    

#Poem: #ThanksGiving

I stop and wonder,

Think and ponder,

The great blessings and splendor,

Life in abundance, smiling no wonder

I raise my eyes and thank him above for grace and grandeur

The good health, radiance, my troubles I surrender

My cries and tribulations, He is my fender

A thanksgiving prayer to my God my redeemer