Mtanzania Amkumbuka Nyerere Kwa Hisia Nzito

osted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:42 am Post subject: Barua kwa Mwalimu-By Nthelezi Nesaa
POSTED on KUMEKUCHA.COM forum Mpendwa Mwalimu Nyerere, Mbuya ori tata? Katika kuadhimisha miaka saba tangu Marehemu Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere ututoke, nimeamua kufanya hivyo kabla ya tarehe yenyewe kufika ili lau nikupe nafasi ya kutafakari nitakayoyasema. Kwanza Mwalimu watanzania wako bado wanakukukumbuka sana hasa wanapopambana na matatizo ambayo wakati wa uhai wako uliyatatua au kuyashiriki sawa na wao.Wanaikumbuka falsafa yako ya usawa wa binadamu. Kwa sasa kuna binadamu zaidi ya binadamu kutegemea una nini na nafasi gani. Tangu utuondoke Mwalimu watu wameanza kuona jinsi ulivyokuwa na mapenzi ya dhati na ya aina yake kwa nchi na watanzania. Kwani kama tulivyoambiwa kuwa wakati ukikata roho ulikuwa unasema kuwa unawaacha pabaya watanzania wako. Badala ya kumtaja mkeo mpendwa Mama Maria na watoto wako, ulikuwa unawalilia watanzania wako. Hayo ni mapenzi yaliyotukuka kiasi cha kuwafanya baadhi ya matapeli wa kidini kutaka sifa kwa kukutumia eti wakutangaze mtakatifu. Wale uliowaacha laiti kama wangefikia hatua ya kukata roho, wangesema "maskini wawekezaji wetu tunawaacha pa baya" Kitu kingine kinachofanya watanzania wakukumbuke ni utabiri wako kutimia wakati ukikata roho kule Guy and St. Thomas London tarehe ambayo haijulikani vizuri mwezi wa kumi 1999. Kama wahenga walivyowahi kusema kuwa si ajabu panya wakala viatu hata ngao ya shujaa maarufu kwa uuaji wa simba. Kwani tangu uondoke, wale ulioamini kuwa uliwafundisha wakakuelewa kumbe siyo, waliigeuza nchi chaka la wezi. Nguchiro, vinyamkera, vicheche na vinyama vyote vya usiku vilivamia nchi iliyokuwa ya watu na kuigeuza nchi ya wanyama. Yale maonyo yako kuwa Ikulu ni sehemu takatifu yalionekana upuuzi kwao. Kwanza tangu uondoke shilingi Bilioni tatu zilishatumika kuitia mkorogo Ikulu ukiachia mbali ulaji na matumizi mengine mabaya juu ya ununuzi eti wa mashine za kuditekti moto! Mwalimu sijui katika kuzinunua walitumia kiasi gani lakini najua kuwa Mungu aliwaumbua baada ya kutenda dhambi ile. Maana chumba cha Rais kiliungua wakati yeye na mkewe wakiwa nje wakitanua. Hatujui kama hata kwenye hekelu lao la kule Lushoto nako wameweka manjonjo haya. Pia tangu uondoke matumizi mabaya yamekuwa ndiyo mtindo wa maisha. Kwani kuna mdege mkubwa ya kisasa amenunuliwa Rais baada ya wananchi kupinga kuwa ni aghali sana. Unaitwa Gulf stream na hauwezi kutua kwenye viwanja visivyo vya kisasa kama wenyewe. Ili ujue hali ilikuwaje, Mwalimu bado nadhani unakumbuka kuwa kipindi fulani washamba wetu walikuwa wanashindana kununua mipete ya dhahabu na mikufu utadhani ni akina Defao. Kwa ushamba wao hawakujua kuwa mikufu ya Tanzanite na almas wanavyochezewa ndivyo mali kama wakiamua kuwa malimbukeni. Mwalimu wahenga waliwahi kusema kuwa simba aweza kuzaa mbwa. Haya ni kweli tangu uondoke. Kwani wale tuliowaamini kutokana na wewe kutuambia kuwa ni wasafi, walikuangusha vibaya wakageuka vibaka na manyang'au walioshirikiana na watu wanaoitwa wagenishaji na wawekezaji kuiibia nchi yetu. Wakati wakiingia tuliwajua kama mabwana na mabibi wasafi lakini wakati wa kutoka wameondoka wakiwa mabingwa wa uchafu tena waliondoka kimya kimya hata bila kuaga! Wangemuaga nani iwapo hata inzi walikuwa wakiwazomea? Kwa mfano, wao na mashemeji wao waliiweka rehani TANESCO. Ilipoingia serikali mpya ambayo samahani kuwa nilikuwa sijakuelezea kuwa kuna Rais wa nne, nayo serikali mpya inataka kuleta Makampuni wake wa Kigeni. Hii haikuingia na uwazi na ukweli bali kasi mpya nguvu mpya na ari mpya lakini kwa bahati mbaya wasaidizi wa jenerali wa batiani hii ni re-cycled sometimes or completely re-cycled. Hao waliokuwa wamekopa TANESCO kujua hivyo waliamua kufungulia maji yote kwenye mabwawa kiasi cha kusababisha ukame wakati wa masika. Hivyo Mwalimu kama ulivyotabiri, watanzania wanaishi kama nungunungu au popo kwenye kiza takriban kwa mwaka huu wote. Majenereta yanafuka moshi na kupiga mikelele utadhani Baghdad. Wahenga mwalimu walisema kuwa kutu hutafuna chuma. Najua kuwa uliacha marehemu NBC, DAHACO hata baadhi ya migodi vikiwa vimeishapigwa mnada. Nakumbuka ulivyokinusuru kiwanda cha nguo cha URAFIKI kisinyakuliwe na manyang'au na wakora. Sasa Mwalimu huwezi kuamini kinachoendelea kwani hata pale Musoma watu wameishapigwa risasi na kufa! Ya Bulyankhulu uliayaacha. Kisa eti wanakatiza au kujitafutia riziki kwenye sehemu zinazomilikiwa na wawekezaji. Mwalimu, huwezi kuamini kuwa hata wale uliowabwatukia kuwa wamejilimbikizia mali za wizi ambazo hawawezi kuzitolea maelezo sasa ndiyo viranja na manabii wa kuwahubiria watanzania wako injii ya watawavusha na kuwafikisha Kanani! Wenye akili wameishaanza kuonya kuwa huu ni mvinyo ule ule bwate lile lile au kanzu mpya lakini shehe yule yule. Kwa sasa viranja ambao wengi wao uliwasomesha kwa pesa ya mlipa kodi kutokana na wazazi wao kuwa makapuku, ni mabilionea wenye harufu ya utajiri na ukwasi utokanao na ujambazi na umalaya wa kiuchumi. Kitu kingine Mwalimu ni kwamba zile nyumba ulizowanyang' anya majambazi wa kiuchumi pale mwaka 1967 zimeishatokomea. Kwani wale manyang'au si walizigawana na kuanzisha upuuzi mwingine eti kujenga nyumba za watumishi wa serikali. Mwalimu namshukuru Mungu kwani alikupenda mno na kukulindia heshima kwa kukuchukua mapema ili usishuhudie makufuru yaliyofanywa na wale uliodhani kuwa ni watu kumbe ni aina ya wanyama waitwao masupials. Wao na wake zao ni watu wa kutanua kwani ni matajiri kwa kutupwa. Watoto wao wanatanua ughaibuni, wakiugua mafua wao hata hawara zao hupelekwa majuu kupima hata mafua na uchovu wa kawaida. Kama kuna sehemu Mwalimu walikudhalilisha si kwingine bali kwenye msiba wako. Maana walitumia jina lako na kulinajisi. Eti walitwambia kuwa walitumia shilingi Bilioni moja na ushee kwa ajili ya mazishi yako utadhani ulikuwa Bilionea au mfalme. Walikutumia kutuibia pesa maana tunakujua ulivyochukia makuu ungekuwa hai usingekubali isirafu hii hata huu utakatifu wa kuchongwa unaotaka kupewa. Kabla sijasahau Mwalimu, kumbe ni kweli kuwa paka akiondoka mipanya hujitawala. Kwani baada ya kuondoka, ule mpapure uliotuachia uliota mabawa baada ya kunywa kwenye kombe la madaraka. Najua Mwalimu ulipenda kuchanganya na umombo kwenye hotuba zako. "Do you know what? The dugong-like thing played God and holier than thou to commit all buffoonery" The guy brought his gang of goons and kit of caboodle of devils in the sacred place. The holy of the holy was defamed God knows Mwalimu. Wapo vijana waliojaribu kuhoji hii Infallibility and corruption, unajua waliambiwaje? "Nyinyi ni wavivu wa kufikiri. Kwanza mna wivu wa kike. Basi kama hamnisifii wafadhili watanisifia" Huwezi kuamini Mwalimu kuwa utumbo huu ulisemwa na mtu aliyewahi kuingia kwenye darasa lako! Lakini ilitokea huu ndiyo ukweli. Kuwa kumbe ulikuwa unaishi na kulea michui iliyokuwa imevaa ngozi ya fisi. Enhee! Mwalimu ule Muungano uliouasisi mwaka 1964 kwa sasa umebaki kama kichekesho. Kwani serikali ya mapinduzi ya jimbo la Zanzibar hivi karibuni ilitoa amri ya kuwataka wabara kuwa na vibali kuingia huko. Huwezi kuamini kuwa hata kwenye uchaguzi wa 2005, wakati mtoto wa Rafiki yako aking'ang'ania kuendelea kukalia ulaji, wanajeshi na polisi waliwapiga watanzania wako kile kipigo cha mbwa mwizi. Najua wewe hukupenda cheo ambacho ni dhamana kurithiwa na mtu ndiyo maana hakuna mwanao uliyemuandaa kuwa mwanasiasa. Usishangae siku moja nikakuletea salamu toka nchi ya Tanganyika, Pemba na Zanzibar. Wala Mwalimu usishangae ukisikia msamiati wa Wazanzipemba, Wazanziafrika na wazanziarabu. Pia Mwalimu katika uchaguzi huo chama chako cha Mapinduzi kulipewa sifa na majina lukuki. Kwani kiliitwa chama cha Matajiri, Majambazi hata magabacholi maana pesa zilimwagwa kama njugu. Kumbe ule utabiri wako kuwa kuna kipindi Rais wa nchi ataamuliwa na mfuko wake. Hatusemi kuwa ilikuwa hivyo japo ndo hiyvo hivyo, ni kwamba uchanguzi huu ulikuwa ni matanuzi si kawaida. Hatujui hadi leo nani alimnunua nani kati ya watawala wetu na washitiri wao na wapiga kura wetu! Mwalimu si uliacha migodi ishapigwa mnada tena kwa bei ya "Tajiri leo kapata kichaa anagawa bure".Kwa taarifa zilizopo ni kwamba hata mbuga za wanyama na misitu na mapori hata vichochoro vya Msasai kama wawekezaji watavitaka vitauzwa kama utawala uliopo nao utaendekeza ulevi wa madaraka. Sisi tunasema watauza hadi kaburi lako Mwalimu kama hawatajitofautisha na wale waliofanya makufuru yote tuliyokusimulia. Enhee Mwalimu, pia tukukumbushe kitu kingine muhimu. Wewe ulishutumiwa kuwa ulibana uhuru wa vyombo vya habari. Afadhali yako maana kwa sasa huwezi ukajua vyombo vya habari viko wapi. Waandishi siku hizi wanaukwaa ukuu wa mkoa hata wilaya. Hii ni baada ya kutembeza kampeni hadi mtu wao kupita. Maadili ya vyombo vya habari hakuna. Kwani kama waandishi wapewavyo mishiko midogo ya elfu tano, waandamizi wanapewa maulaji ya vyeo. Hayo tuyaache. Ili tusikuchoshe sana, ndiyo maana tumekukumbuka mwezi mmoja kabla ya siku yenyewe ili uwe unajisomea taratibu. Pia nisisahau miaka kama miwili iliyopita, ilifikia mahali hotuba zako marehemu zikawa na mantiki na akili kuliko viumbe waliokuwa hai wakitangaza injili ya ubinafsishaji, ujambasishaji, ugenishaji, ushemesishaji. Kwanza walijifanya mabingwa wakawa wanaandika mihotuba mirefu, kavu na yenye ukali utadhani walikuwa wakihutubia wafungwa. Mwisho, ukimwi bado unaua. Ila ajabu Mwalimu si unajua wale TACAIDS. Basi Mwalimu wao wanachofanya ni kununua mishangingi ya bei mbaya, kuandaa masemina kwenye mahoteli ya kifahari na kupiga picha za Makete na kusambaza na kupata mshiko huku watu wanateketea. Mwalimu ile ajali ya kisiasa uliyokuwa ukitufundisha pale Pugu kumbe ilikuja kutokea ambapo wananchi walijuta na kusaga meno. Maana ilitokea hata watu wakaanza kuamini kuwa kumbe mtaua aweza kuzaa jambazi na bikira kuzaa kahaba! Kwa vile ulikuwa mtu wa kimataifa, hatuwezi kumaliza barua yetu bila kukupa lau salamu kidogo. Mzee Mandela na Rafiki yako Kenneth ni wazima. Yule rafiki yako wa zamani Obote na hasimu wako Amin waliishakufa. Pia kule Malawi yule Rais mfanyabiashara Bakili aling'olewa kwa aibu kama Chiluba walipong'ang' ania kunya sorry kuchafua katiba. Charles Taylor, yule jambazi wa kimarekani si unamkumbuka? Yuko ananonihino kwenye debe. Walimwengu wanawangojea majambazi wengine kama Meles Zenawi, Yoel Museveni, Paulo Kagame, Theodore Obiang Ngwema, Dennis Sassou Ngweso, Omar Bashir na Yahaya Jammeh. Kule Rwanda yule Rais Kibaraka aitwaye Pasteur Bizimungu aliishapinduliwa na mfalme Paul Kagame wa ukoo wa kifalme wa MUSEVENI ndiye anatawala akitumia vitisho na kutunza mafuvu ili dunia imuonee huruma na kumchukulia kama mtu aliyeituliza ile nchi ilhali ndiye alifanya mauaji ya marais watatu. Pia Marekani ilizivamia Afghanistan na Irak ikazipindua na inaendelea kuzikalia. Ila nayo sasa inajuta maana inapokea kipigo cha mbwa sawa na watanzania wako kule Zanzibar. Mama Maria ni mzima hata vijana wako nao pia. Watanzania hao maskini hawana uzima wowote zaidi ya kuishi kwa matumaini tu. Mzee Mwinyi naye ni mzima ila mvi zinamsumbua sana. Rashid hajambo jambo japo haishi kulazwa. Kingunge bado anaendelea kuwa kijana maana ni waziri! Hata John yupo na siku hizi amepoa si haba ila Ben amejificha sana maana alichowafanyia watu wako sijui! Mwlimu naona kwa taadhima na unyenyekevu nikuage nikikutakia mapumziko mema. Wasalimie Kwame Nkruma, Patrick Lumumba,Modibo Keita, Obafemi Owolowo, Nnandi Azikiwe,Ken Saro Wiwa, Gamal Nasser, Oliver Thambo, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Steve Biko, Seletse Khama,Augustino Netto, John Garang de Mabior na mashujaa wengine uwajuao. Hizo ndizo habari za huku Mwalimu. Ni Binti yako akupendaye daima na watanzania wako Nthelezi Nesaa

Healthy networking: Alumni online networks could be it!

Perhaps the most welcome meeting is that of coming across someone you schooled with sometime back. The further back the more exciting.

There has been efforts to form alumni associations here and there, but few really make anything out of it bcoz of diversity in several variables for would-be members.

It was therefore a good thing I stumbled across two websites that are dedicated to bringing people together, namely alumni.net and graduate.com . I promptly entered my profile and felt happy doing so because with increase in net use, someone who knows me is bound to stumble upon it--likely from search engine results.

Besides, I registered into relevant groups
- graduates of '74 komakundi primary school
- graduates of '78 mawenzi secondary school
- graduates of '81 kibaha high school
- graduates of '90 ahmadu bello university
Motto behind such posts: if you have it, flaunt it.

Forming opinion

In the course of day-to-day life, one comes across many types of individuals.

Different kinds of interaction do occur, from simple ("Xcuse me U got a lighter?") to a more extensive one ("This is Mr John Doe, your new CEO.")

In some cases someone would be uttering a monologue on a podium or pulpit, while in others it will be a passenger on adjacent seat in a 10-hour flight from Amsterdam to Beijing.

Musician may sing with a gravelly voice, such as those of Phil Driscol and Joe Cocker while others would croon with smooth sopranos such as Billie Holiday and Sandra.

You come across a man with stomach spilling over the waistline, or other with a weasel-like nose.

A normal person quickly forms opinion about any such interaction/encounter. Indeed it is a healthy thing--makes one feel real good thinking, "Gee, if that girl knew what I think of the dress she's wearing, she'd run home like a shot to hide or at least change into something else.."
That is, AS LONG AS YOU KEEP THAT OPINION TO YOURSELF. Keep your opinion to yourself.

A few humans are blessed with a sixth sense that's like being able to read minds. This kind of individuals instinctively note the value entered into your head's registry about them (your opinion about them) and react in different ways. from scowling to smiling to offering a handshake. Nevertheless even with these weirdos, as long as you don't voice (or write or key) your opinion and keep it to yourself, no problem. If (s)he comes forth and asks, "So you are of the opinion that my ears look like rabbit's?", you face them, turn on the most clear-eyed, innocent look and gasp, "OGodNooo! Whatever made you think so??", and when they are out of earshot, chuckle with glee and go about your business.

© D. Makundi, 2006.

Emotional story of Matilde

Radio One Stereo, Dar-es-Salaam has a Monday feature program on children exposed to hard times for one reason or other. The program has a large following, judging by a number of people who dial in to contribute.

This morning (4 September 2006) the host Janet Mwenda-Talawa was interviewing a young girl whose only name I managed to catch was Matilde. I feel it my duty to list her story in summary on this blog: It may serve as a good snapshot to how things could easily go wrong where a guardian angel doesn't materialise on time.

The girl was born and grew up in Bukoba, an upcountry northern Tanzania region. She schooled there up to class 5 whereupon one of her parents' relatives visited and offered to take her along to Dar-es-Salaam where she would receive a better quality education compared to the rural setting that she was in at that time.

In Dar-es-Salaam the expectations were dashed. The person who'd made the promise used it as an excuse to get her to travel, then set upon giving her household chores. When she would enquire about her situation with respect to resuming school, she was told that it was unnecessary for her.

For three long years she stayed in this pattern. She would look so longingly when she passed schoolchildren, wearing uniforms, carrying schoolbags.

One day her godsend chance came forward--she got to meet a person named Evans who, after learning of her ordeal, told her about an institution called Friends of Don Bosco in Dar-es-Salaam, that was offering support for cases like hers. As she had no chance of being released from her apparent slavery, she opted for the only option available for her: receive tuition classes from Evans.

When asked what she was being taught, having cut her classes at the age of 15 three years back, she said it was actually her tutor testing her knowledge and capability so as to know the direction to take. How did she manage to sneak to these classes then? After the grown-ups had left the house for work every day, she would take kids to school, and then in two hours time fetch them back home. That two-hour window was the only time she dedicated to her training.

The tutor was far from unhappy with her progress. In one year time he told her she would attempt the Class Seven examination. So far everything had been hush-hush, not even neighbours knew what was taking place. It just came to light when she revealed that she was going to sit for Primary Education Examination. Her guardians thought of it as some kind of silly joke. My God, how blind these snobs are! I guess, alone, they must have rubbed their palms and laughed with mirth. But there she went and did the exam. She had gained a great deal in English Language, Math and General Studies, the three subjects that were determinant in passing.

The exam came to pass and she got selected to pursue secondary education. Her keepers were incredulous. They were sure she would be turned back home in one month or so: how would she cope? They therefore allowed her to attend a day secondary school so as to continue with house chores after classes.

For Matilde, days were short--what with putting up with school as well as housework. In no time at all the four years had raced by. The Form Four Examinations were here. She had reached here enjoying every moment of it, for, such was her thirst for education. It seems during the three-year limbo she was always dreaming of blackboard and oblong classrooms. She got whatever support from the Friends of Don Bosco, it is implied.

She smashed through the exams with gusto and landed unscathed with a 12-point Division One certificate. This time around heads lifted in wonder--are you sure that's her name up there, really? How could she? At this point, Matilde says, the indifference her guardians had been practicing towards her turned magically into affection. Smiles. Praises. (no apologies, though). "That's great, our child", and such stuff.

The rest is easy to figure. She got selected to join high school--this time Msalato, an upcountry boarding school, no less. The two years raced by and she came up with 8-point Division one. That was last year.

Epilogue
At the beginning of this month She has enrolled for Laws (LLB) degree programme at the University of Dar-es-Salaam.