An old respectful Tanzanian lady dropped by for a visit last night. She dropped her hello for my brother who just moved to the US from Tanzania. That was a wonderful courteous Tanzanian gesture. Quite naturally, the conversation touched on politics and “maendeleo” topics. Given that my brother just landed, we all expected a fresh perspective from Bongo. Obviously, when you talk about “maendeleo” you cannot avoid throwing Mwalimu Nyerere into the mix.I have had a taste of what it meant to live in the Nyerere era. I understand the mystique around this late dude. This lady happened to be an old guard who strongly believe that Nyerere is the best thing that has ever happened to Tanzania.
Really?
How do we know that Nyerere was the best thing? See the problem I have with folks who regard Nyerere highly is that we don’t the alternatives, at his time, to make a logical, objective comparison. I am not even sure if we know Nyerere for who is or what he wanted Tanzanians to believe. He managed to create an aura of admiration and worship. He created an atmosphere where no one would question his ideas.
Remember the days when we couldn’t read anything other than Uhuru, Mzalendo, Daily News and Sunday News before Mfanyakazi came into existence to provide some kind of an entertainment relief? You remember the days when the 8:00 PM RTD news bulletin would be followed up by a “Ujumbe wa Leo” propaganda? I have to give it up to Nyerere. He ensured that Tanzanians couldn’t run or hide from his ideology. If you feed someone junk for twenty (20) years, they would believe that crap. He even went as far as insulting our intelligence by putting a hoe against himself in the election. A hoe or a hammer, can you believe that? Who elects a hoe as the president?
What ticked me off is the fact that he forced us to sing derogatory songs against Oscar Kambona. We sang this tune during our morning mchakamchaka routines in High School, “Kambona ameolewa! Wapi?! Wapi?! Uingereza!” Was Kambona really that bad? What is the historical truth?
Since I was born past the time Kambona took off, I had to dig into the history materials to find out for myself. This is what I found.
When the TANU National Executive Committee met in Arusha January 26-29 1967 it turned out to be a stormy session. At this meeting Nyerere proposed that Ujamaa become the official policy of the government. Oscar Kambona objected strongly to this policy. Twice during these sessions, the Executive Committee adjourned in order to allow their three leaders, Nyerere, Kambona and Kawawa to go into private session. Each time that they returned to the Executive Committee it was apparent that Kawawa had supported Nyerere to defeat Kambona. The result was that the Arusha Declaration was adopted.
Source: Maryknoll Africa
It gets me mad to realize that I actually sang derogatory songs against an individual who did nothing wrong. If at all, his crime was to express his opinion against Nyerere’s utopian dreams. The worst part is the fact that the introduction of free market economy has proven that Kambona was right and Nyerere's ideas were just a disaster in the making.
I strongly believe that Nyerere was just another dictator. A very intelligent dictator though. The dude didn’t physically kill anyone, so you cannot put him the same pile with the likes of Bokassa or Idd Amin. Nonetheless, he softly killed Tanzanians mentally and intellectually. He killed private, independent thinking. He hypnotized the majority of Tanzanians.
The saddest part if that the majority of Tanzanians are too lazy to question and explore the truth even today. Some have not awakened to the fact that the Nyerere’s legacy could be all inflated, if not manipulated to glorify his persona. Great people don’t lie, and I feel Nyerere lied to me about visionaries like Kambona whom the Tanzanian history has deliberately marginalized.
I am sure there are plenty of folks who would think that I am crazy for questioning Nyerere’s legacy. But am I, really?
20 comments:
Mhh! Jaduong....this is a very sensitive issue. You surely got the balls! It is amazing how anyone who questions the legacy of Mwalimu is deemed as an outcast by the majority of the Wabongo community.
This is how I look at it -
A totalitarian government seeks to control not only all economic and political matters but the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population, erasing the distinction between state and society. The citizen's duty to the state becomes the primary concern of the community, and the goal of the state is the replacement of existing society with a perfect society. Think about UJAMAA!
Despite the many differences among totalitarian states, they have several characteristics in common, of which the two most important are: the existence of an ideology that addresses all aspects of life and outlines means to attain the final goal, and a single mass party through which the people are mobilized to muster energy and support. The party is generally led by a dictator and, typically, participation in politics, especially voting, is compulsory. The party leadership maintains monopoly control over the governmental system, which includes the police, military, communications, and economic and education systems. Dissent is systematically suppressed and people terrorized by a secret police. Autocracies through the ages have attempted to exercise control over the lives of their subjects, by whatever means were available to them, including the use of secret police and military force.
Listen to what Kambona had to say while in exile,
"When Nyerere visited China, he was very impressed with the glorification of Mao Tse-Tung. I think the seeds of a single, all-powerful individual, an autocrat, were sown in him on this trip. And when he came back, he wanted a one-party state. I sat on the commission that looked at the question of a one-party state and produced a minority report in which I wanted to know what mechanism we had of changing government peacefully. Nyerere persuaded me not to present my report and said that I should go along with the majority report which was in favour of a one-party state and that at the end of five years, we would review the situation and if we found any weaknesses we could put them right. I agreed, but I refused to sign as a member of the committee. I think that Ujamaa was badly implemented and that is why it has been a failure. The government should have had pilot schemes which were successful so that people could go to see them. The farmers in Tanzania are very conservative. They want to know what they get from their labour. If a man has a farm and earns £200 from it, and is then asked to go into an Ujamaa village and gets £20 for the same work, he begins to ask: "How is Ujamaa good for me?"
The system in Tanzania is such that Nyerere will continue to remain in power. The President chooses all the candidates for elections. Whichever way you vote, you still vote for his man. In the Presidential elections, there are only two boxes – one for Nyerere and the other against him. When you go into the polling booth, there is a soldier standing there. He tells you, "If you want Nyerere, vote there and if you are an enemy of the people, then vote in the 'no' box". Nyerere has been in power for 21 years now. And nowadays he is always saying that he is going to resign. Then the parliamentarians stamp their feet and shout that he is their leader and Nyerere says: "Well, what can I do? A captain cannot abandon his ship and let it sink." But why is it that during all this time he hasn't been able to find anyone who can rule the country besides himself?"
Source: http://www.nationaudio.com/News/EastAfrican/081199/Features/PA3.html
Sounds like a totalitarian to me, or should I say dictator?
@Maiki,
You are absolutely right. totalitarian leaders do not provide an opportunity for opposing views. Sana sana ,they like glorification as you pointed out.
I am not sure if Nyerere deserves all the glory accorded to him. The correct Tanzanian history proves otherwise.
In order for Tanzania to move in the right direction, some issues must be put in the right perspective. As "sinful" as it is perceived to question Nyerere's legacy, I am convinced it is necessary.
What Tanzanians need is emancipation from a mental slavery that Nyerere subjected them to. The worse part is the fact that not many folks think that learning and inquiring is necessary.
Some folks even went as far as suggesting that Nyerere should be granted a spiritual sainthood. That just proves the extent to which blinded fools my people became.
Metty – U do have something to say. Solid work – slow down a bit though.
Lakini again hindsight is generally 20/20. wewe unayo benefit ya hio hindsight – Mwalimu ama Kambona hawanayo!
Mwalimu failed in some parts, Mwalimu succeeded in some parts – hakuna la ajabu hapo. Ndio human endeavor ilivyo, mimi, wewe na Mwalimu that’s one of the few things we have in common.
Una-sound kama in turn unataka kumfanya (albeit scanty evidence that I see in your opinions) Kambona awe bora kuliko Mwalimu – a futile exercise. Hakuna zaidi kati ya Mwalimu wala Kambona. They were both striving for something – and as long as U (as a uman being) strive U’ll inevitably err.
Summing up utawala wa Mwalimu:
A human mistake that Mwalimu made was (katika context ya wapinzani wake) to let his personae be ‘confused’ with the institution of the Presidency – his leadership style was more of utemi/u-chief/u-mangi than anything else.
U raise a valid argument hapa - “……….. totalitarian leaders do not provide an opportunity for opposing views. Sana sana ,they like glorification as you pointed out.”
Now this was Kambona at his best (thanks Maiki) “The government should have had pilot schemes which were successful so that people could go to see them. The farmers in Tanzania are very conservative. They want to know what they get from their labour. If a man has a farm and earns £200 from it, and is then asked to go into an Ujamaa village and gets £20 for the same work, he begins to ask: "How is Ujamaa good for me?"
Again hapa Maiki – tunashukuru for clarifying issues - “The party leadership maintains monopoly control over the governmental system, which includes the police, military, communications, and economic and education systems. Dissent is systematically suppressed and people terrorized by a secret police. Autocracies through the ages have attempted to exercise control over the lives of their subjects, by whatever means were available to them, including the use of secret police and military force.”
Nikuulize Maiki/Metty – kuna ambalo limebadilika mpaka sasa katika ingredients hizo alizoanisha Maiki hapo juu?
Maiki je tungalikuwa na “….. governance should be for the people by the people ………..” si tungalikuwa mahala bora zaidi?
Walichoshindwa Mwalimu na Kambona ni kukutana kati (or thereabouts) – one had to exist at the expense of the other. To me ni Uswahili wa kutunishiana vifua (egotism) – haulipeleki Taifa POPOTE! They should have known better they’d have created a system which would have fostered both of them albeit their differences.
Case in point: Nelson Rohlilalah Mandela and Frederick Willem De Klerk ………….. now that was/is leadership (ya Madiba that is) at it’s best. They had their own differences – lakini taifa was bigger than matatizo yao wao wawili.
Nini basi kifanyike?
1. Tubadilike kifikra. Tuwachane na sycophancy – ndio iliyotufikisha hapa. Mabadiliko hayo yawe debated in a positive atmosphere. Tujenge culture ya second opinion-seeking – tusikubali unnecessary questionable loyalty.
2. Tukibadilika kifikra – tutabadili katiba yetu (inatia aibu).
3. We will be able to put most of the things that matter to us in the right context – mfano: mifumo ya kiutawala, hivi leo PM akianza kukagua barabara moja-moja na kutoa ultimatums tutafika kweli? Is that the best way to utilize institution ya PM?
@Anony1 1:18PM
I knew this is a touchy subject - because it is hard to question something folks have believed for ions!
I am sorry if I sounded like I am drumming for Kambona. But my intention was question whether Nyerere's exaltation is justified. That was my agenda. I am still to find an answer to my question - was Kambona that bad as he was portrayed by Nyerere?
To respond to one of the important questions you asked about change:
It is absolutely true that nothing has changed, since we are still suffering from Nyerere's legacy. I'm convinced that bringing forth change must be accompanied by changing some of our unjustified beliefs.
I think the suggestions you brought up at the end of your comments are nothing but brilliant.
Will the majority of Tanzanians embrace your ideas? I doubt it. The best they can do is to view you as insane - particularly on changing the Katiba.
Sio wengi wenye internet, sio wengi wanaufasaha katika lugha ya kingereza. Ni sawa ni lugha pevu,kiswahili sana au kingereza sana kinaaminisha nini? Je uswahili sana ni ujinga? na kingereza sana ni kasumba? I`m just curious, utamaduni na maendeleo yatapatikana kwa kiswahili au kimombo maridhawa?
enyi wenye mawazo ya busara tafsirini maandiko yenu kwenye lugha ya kiswahili na andikeni vitabu au anzisheni magazeti yenu. kidogo kidogo hujaza kibaba, pia hamna haja ya kutafuta email ya Kikwete ili asome yaliyomo humu. atayajua tu, mlishawahi kuandika chochote kwenye magazeti ya The East African au the Guardian au Majira na mengineyo? Waandishi walioko nyumbani msiwacheke nyie mlioko majuu na wenye viapji vya kuandika msimuachie Reginald Mengi kuanzisha magazeti nanyi mnaweza pia. Mnaweza kuwa na TV zenu, talk shows zenu, magazeti yenu. Mtandao ndio wenyewe kama tunavyoona Google wanavyofanya vitu vyao. Wengi bado wanapenda vitabu, magazeti, Radio na TV. Hivyo bwana Metty shukran kwa kuandika kimombo kama vile kimeandikwa na Muamerika mweupe hayo ni matokeo mazuri ya kusoma shule au vyuo vya nje. nadhani gazeti lako litapendwa na wasomi wa East Africa na walio ughaibuni wanaohusudu kimombo sana.
Pia anzisha Consulting firm yako, toa ushauri katika wizara ya uchumi na mipango, fedha viwanda na biashara, World Bank na kwingineko. Kingereza ni tatizo kubwa kwa waswahili wengi, ni lugha kubwa ya biashara hivyo tumia kipaji chako cha upembuzi yakinifu kuwanufaisha wanaojua kimombo na wasiojua kimombo. Usiwatilie maanani wanaokashifu kujituma kwako, be who you are becoming a minister should not be one of your goals. Vipi huko Ohio hamna venture capitalists? Wasiliana na World Bank na tafuta pesa kwa nguvu sana uanzishe vitu vikubwa kuliko hii blog.
@Anony 2:05 PM
Asante kwa maoni yako. Kutumia Kiingereza au Kiswahili ni uchaguzi tu. Mbona serikali ya Tanzania inamiliki Daily News? Vile vile, kujua Kiingereza sio sawa sawa na usomi - nawajua wazungu mabomu kabisa kichwani ingawaje Kiingereza ni lugha yao.
Nashukuru sana kwa changamoto yako, hasa ya hili la kutomuachia Mengi peke yake atambe...niko mtamboni ndugu yangu, saa na majira yakitimia, nitatuma ujumbe.
Asante sana.
Metty – we do have a consensus then that what is wrong with Tanzania is by not questioning (in a constructive manner) what makes us Tanzanians what we are – now, tomorrow and in days to come. Progress means not accepting the status quo at face value.
U owe no one an apology – not a bit. All I was just trying to make sure you portray is a balanced opinion of the facts nothing but the facts.
A valid question this is Metty – “I am still to find an answer to my question - was Kambona that bad as he was portrayed by Nyerere?” The answer lies in the facts and truths about their lives. In the US a public official’s life is under public scrutiny. Maybe we need to have a mindset revolution (whatever that means!).
What U and I can agree on is that Tanzania definitely does not need to have a ‘system’ that puts individual needs above the country’s – that mentality has to change.
Change management is what distinguishes a leader from a manager.
See Mwalimu’s “endeavours” in a different light Metty – or even Rumsfeld’s for that matter – make original mistakes since you know better! But then again you know better because they made some mistakes so that you and I learn from their histories – otherwise we are bound to repeat (and henceforth be condemned) them!
Someone’s giving you (us?) a challenge Metty “enyi wenye mawazo ya busara tafsirini maandiko yenu kwenye lugha ya kiswahili na andikeni vitabu au anzisheni magazeti yenu.”
Ni kweli kuwa watawala wa Tanzania either by design or otherwise are not encouraging young minds to be nourished with knowledge. Do we read to or with our children or is playing with their age mates the only thing they do to have fun? Isn’t gaining knowledge something they should be doing too – maybe an hours or 2 a day?
Last but not least Metty – “Will the majority of Tanzanians embrace your ideas? I doubt it.”
I don’t doubt your leadership capabilities – given the chance (now take that with a pinch salt).
Watanzania hawajawa na leadership for ages man – ndio maana unatuona kama unavyotuona (Say what? I mean exactly that – leadership entails (amongst other things) conceiving an enduring idea and carrying it out to it’s end). You saw leadership at it’s best when Madiba left Buthelezi as the acting Republic of S. A. and he stepped out of the country. It showed guts; it showed the ability to not only to see around corners but also teach. Sadly that’s not something you see in Tanzania nowadays.
Once you see leadership in Tanzania – you’ll definitely see change – amongst them the flimsy constitution. For now, well ………….
Good job Metty and the best of luck in your endeavours (you do have what it takes).
Mungu aibariki Tanzania na akubariki nawe pia!
Kingereza nnachokizungumzia mimi sio anachoongea mzungu yeyote au anachoongea mmarekani mweusi, nazungumzia kingereza unachotumia wewe katika uandishi wako ni cha hali ya mtu aliyeingiliwa na madarasa na vyuo kadhaa,ndio maana nasema kuwa mshauri tafuta kitengo World Bank au anzisha vitu vikubwa zaidi usiishie kwenye blog tu,itakuwa noma! andika articles ziende the Economist, Business Week na anzisha vyombo vyako vya habari, tawala nyanja unayoipenda, you seem to have an opportunity for growth, all you need is to strategize your actions and vision.
Nakubali kabisa kingereza=usomi au uwezo mkubwa wa kufikiri na kujadili issues
Jaduong! I see that we have been forced to digress from discussing whether Kambona was a s bad as Mwalimu portrayed him. Having said that, I am still waiting for a concrete response - "Was Kambona That Bad?"
I believe that the purpose of this blog is to challenge out thoughts and imagination to a point whereby we are able to reason constructively - most of us are tired of political brainwashing, it's about time that we got into critical thinking! Honestly speaking, this blog can be as powerful as IPP MEDIA, I mean even more powerful! Hapa hakuna swala la kufilter what to discuss or what not to discuss - there's no political-driven censoring. As long as the focus is on building a better Tanzania...Jaduong, you don't need any TV station.
Nashukuru kwa ushauri wa anonymous kuhusu swala la kiswahili...nashangaa sana kuwa in this karne, we can argue about this issue! Why are parents taking their kids to schools in Kenya, Uganda.....English Media...mhh you go figure my friend. Huoni kama it is of great benefit for us to learn English? Kama ni Kiswahili...tunakielewa kiasi chetu..but tutawasiliana vipi na wawekezaji wanapokuja nchini kama lugha inatupiga chenga? I have had a bad experience in the interview room simply because ilikuwa kazi kujieleza kiingereza..I know tuko wengi ambao mhhh...nilonge nisilonge???
I am bold enough to challenge anonymous to try wise up and come up with something better! Stop this cheap shots! Sote tunaipenda lugha yetu ya Kiswahili..but we also understand the importance of having a good grasp of the English language..after all this is the second official language in bongoland and the most commonly used language of communication worldwide! Tatizo liko wapi?
Anony..kumbuka kuwa there was a lot of thinking behind the construction of this blog...this is no joke. Hata Jaduong akiishia kwenye blog..ni deal tosha. Why hate?
Sasa tuongelee mambo yanahusu kuliendeleza taifa letu la Tanzania.....
Maiki it is a loaded question, valid though - "Was Kambona That Bad?"
True that it hasn’t been answered – who can answer it though? Who really know the truth and are they willing to be credibly sourced?
There’s so much (relatively speaking) publicly written regarding Mwalimu but very little regarding Kambona? In other countries where they have objective national archivists and historians; where retired leaders give candid interviews. One can deduce that in an environment where siding and or even saying anything positive regarding an enemy of the state (in this context Kambona) would be tantamount to career-suicide or shunning by the ruling party.
I concur - “I believe that the purpose of this blog is to challenge out thoughts and imagination to a point whereby we are able to reason constructively - most of us are tired of political brainwashing, it's about time that we got into critical thinking!”
Solid argument here Maiki – I hope the education policy-makers in Tanzania are listening too - “Nashukuru kwa ushauri wa anonymous kuhusu swala la kiswahili...nashangaa sana kuwa in this karne, we can argue about this issue! Why are parents taking their kids to schools in Kenya, Uganda.....English Media...mhh you go figure my friend. Huoni kama it is of great benefit for us to learn English”
Cheers.
To my view Nyerere is the best and will always be the best for Africa not only Tanzania.Look at the Arusha declaration,look at our culture today,look at our young sisters doing today,Iwish Nyerere could be here today and lead us to our culture.Nyerere knew very well our gate way was through AGRICULTURE and forced everyone to pay Tax to the goverment.Nyerere was an interlectual,he could think and reason and give out the results.I believe in Nyerere and i will always defend him for him was doing to save this generation.Nyerere wanted us to depend on ourselves.
Wana blog mimi sikusema vbaya kuhusu mwenye blog hii, nilikuwa nasisitiza umuhimu wa pesa katika maswala haya, blog haiingizi pesa! Ili chombo cha habari kizidi kuwa na maendeleo na cha kudumu kinahitaji pesa, je mpo tayari wanablog kuichanngia blog hii kwa hali na mali kama wafadhili ili tuendele kupata upembuzi yakinifu wa maswala yanayoikabili dunia na hasa jamii ya walala hoi wa "Sab- Sahara Africa" husasan Tanganyika na Zanzibar au the united republic of Tanzania ambako profesa mwanasheria na mwanadiplomasia kama Costa mahalu anzaweza kufanya kitendo cha kiusaliti na kuachiwa kimyakimya, hizo bilioni 2 zingeweza kuwasaidia jinsi gani wale wamchinga waliotengewa maeneo na bwana Lowassa, utawatengeaje watu maeneo ya kuendeleza umaskini wao badala ya kutoa suluhisho kuhusu swala la umachinga unatoa suluhisho kuhusu usafi wa jiji. hatukatai ni muhumu jiji kuwa safi. Ni muhimu zaidi pia watu kuwa na kazi na kipato cha kuweza kusaidia familia zao na watoto kwenda shule, taifa linapaswa kuelewa yule mmachinga ana familia na anasomesha walau elimu ya msingi. Sasa mmachinga hatima yake nini? mbona bwana Lowassa ana escape responsibility na anajipatia sifa kwa kusafisha jiji, halmshauri ya jiji imeshindwa kazi ya usafi? jukumu lenu kubwa nyie viongozi ni kuleta mazingira mazuri kwa kukua kwa uchumi na walala hoi kuwa na vipato sio vya mzaha bali vya kuziendelza familia zao na taifa zima kwa ujumla.
Bwana Metty namsifu kwa kujituma kwake I don`t hate what he is writing in his blog, i wat him to get richer and think about entreprenuerial ventures as far as the media and technology is concerned and his messages to reach not just privileged few who have internet and can speak or read good English. I don`t care about English or Swahili I care about communicating to the mass and maendeleo yako yangu na yao akina kitwana na kondo wa pale mchikichini kariakoo na kijiji Ntwala huko alikotokea bwana Nkapa.Bwana Metty kama nafasi kuwa tycoon ipo changamkia nna imani ukiwa na pesa za kutosha utasaidia mengi na wengi si wale tu wanaoujua kimombo cha kutafutia kibarua bali hata wale wasiojua kiswahili cha kutafutia kazi kina matonya wa pale Dodoma na Masai wa pale Arusha. Ni hayo tu kwa leo naona nikae chini kuwaachia ukumbi wa kimombo na kiswahili, vyote burdani keep it up but you must all get rich and be willing to use not just your words but your money to bring about change in our society. tazama bwana Mbuguni Business times/majira tazama bwana Mengi the Guardian/Alasiri/ITV/Radio One
niko tayari kusubscribe gazeti la bwana Metty na kusaidia kulisambaza. yaliyomo humu yachapwishwe vitabuni na magazetini
na kwa kufanya hivyo it hoja zitaleta mabadiliko, hoja zinazoishia kwenye blog tu bila kuleta mabadiliko zinazidi kuwapa kicwha wazembe walio madarakani. Kiandikiwe kitabu kabisha Uzembe wa Tanesco au ichezwe movie kabisa everybody should know the rotten side of our leaders and their mess. Why are we very poor as a country and some people like Mahalu gets away with all the money. We need to be informed and if not we will inform the world and at some point tutapata mabadiliko ambayo ni haki yetu kuyalilia, iweje rais mtanashati charimatic leader awe pia dictator!! Kuna maana gani kumpa tena kura mwaka 2010 kirahisi??
Kambona- Nyerere sawa ni viongozi waliopita can they help us today to bring about the change that we need? Let`s not be after historians, use your knowledge, mobilize people and fight for changes. Nyerere was a freedom fighter but I can not say anyhing baout his leadership ability, Kambona was an economic fighter that is all I know and need to know, you and me what are we fighting for? changes, right? let`s get started. Kambona aliagiza hiyooo, chipaka akamilizaaa pindueni mkiweza nitawapeni mapesa nikirudi safarini Uingereza. hey let`s rewrite our history of our beloved country. Tanesco na mahalu saga should be published in books and magazines, inrease tranparency and accountability. Muhimbili na vijijini huduma mbovu madaktari wanalia njaaa na kupewa amri ya kurudi kazini kwa hela mbuzi, mwana diplomasia profesa mwanasheria anaomba hela za kununua jengo la ubalozi Italia hela zinatoka, wizara ya mambo ya nje iko chini ya utawala wa Kikwete, huyohuyo Kikewte anaweka marafiki kwenye uongozi wa Tanesco watu wanaendelea kula giza kama kawaida. Mara oo BOT itatoa pesa za kuinusuru Tanesco, nani mjinga kiasi hicho? chukueni nchi ongozeni leteni maendeleo tatueni matatizo sio kutujazia siasa na kutupiga kiswahili. Ndio maana nauliza kiswahili ni lugha ya CCM au lugha yetu, kizungu kinatupa kasumba au kinatuelimisha katika kutatua matatizo ya kijamii na kiuchumi? Kutawaliwa na Muingereza au Mswahili lipi bora? hakuna lililo bora, toeni maoni yenu?
Kama mzungu anapewa Tanesco au Mswahili anapewa Tanesco bila rushwa au upendeleo kutendeka, sidhani kama kutakuwa na noma. Manake anaweza kuja mzungu lakini rushwa na uovu ukawa bado unaendelea.
Wana blog kwani zinahitajika megawatt ngapi za umeme kwa mwaka? na zipo nia ngapi za kuweza kupata megawatt hizo?
Change outdated energy policies, encourage competition, regulate price, tariffs, privatize Tanesco
30% Government, 30% the public, 10% asian investor, 10% Southafrican investor, 10% Euroamerican and the other 10% Arabic investor. Hiyo itazuia utapeli na abuse of power/corruption. Tanesco pia inaweza kuuzwa kwa bei chee kwa marafiki wa wazee na watu wakaendelea kula giza na uchumi na uzalishaji kudidimia. Wazee fanyeni research zenu hili swala sio dogo na suluhisho lake kama ni la mzaha kama inavyofanya serekali iliyo madarakani, tutazidi kuwa extremely poor country! inauma tunavyowarithisha wajukuu zetu nchi maskini,tunapitwa na Botswana na nchi zingine kibao.
@Anony 4:05PM
I got you. Nonetheless, I think the core question that I am bringing to the table is not whether Kambona was better than Nyerere, but whether our perception of Kambona is right.
We all make mistakes all the time, but don't we owe to ourselves to make amends once we know the truth?
@Anony 12:29 AM, 3:03PM and Maiki,
I think I Anyony's comments were more of a positive challenge than anything, which I greatly appreciate.
Anony - I have taken your challenge to heart. Trust me, I will work on it.
@Luihamu
I must be honest - I think you missed the point of this musing. My key question to you: How can you objectively conclude that Nyerere was the best if you don't have a comparison within Tanzania?
How do we know if Nyerere's ideas were the best, given that there were no any other voice/opinion in Tanzania?
You have not also answered the question: was Kambona that bad?
I struggle with those questions, and I would like to hear your compelling arguments.
@Anony 3:23PM
I believe it is not a wastage of time to "re-write" history. I strongly believe that in order for Tanzania to make any meaningful progress, we have to change our attitudes and put certain things in their proper perspective. History teaches us something, but if we ignore those lessons, the same things are bound to happen.
I am yet to get a response: was Kambona that bad?
How significant is History? History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illuminates reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life, and brings us tidings of antiquity. The study of history is the best medicine for a sick mind; for in history you have a record of the infinite variety of human experience plainly set out for all to see; and in that record you can find yourself and your country both examples and warnings; fine things to take as models, base things rotten through and through, to avoid. Without knowledge of the past we would be without identity, we would be lost on an endless sea of time. Surely, need I say more?
Jaduong, I understand that anonymous threw a challenge, however, I was prompted to interject by the fact that anony never took a chance to discuss the vision behind the idea of this blog. Sasa kama kila mtu mwenye uwezo wa kushare mawazo yake akiamua kuanzisha Tv. station yake,Radio yake au Magazeti yake...mhh..mbona itakuwa shughuli? Anyways, a challenge is a challenge, but I honestly had a problem with how this particular challenge was crafted! Niliona kama ni kejeli fulani ( I may be wrong, but I also know how to read between the lines..ahaaaa). Naelewa kuwa sio wengi wana Internet....naelewa pia kuwa sio wengi wana uwezo wa kununua magazeti, Tv au radio. Bila shaka tutakubaliana kwa hilo.
Anony....It's very sad to see that money should be the reason for everything. This place is not about money, it's about brainstorming, a place where dreams can come true, careers can be developed and where people just simply can have have a good time! There are not many places like this... treasure it and keep the debates and the spirit alive!
I stumbled upon this blog after a night at a namibian friend of mine. We'd gone to have dinner with a Malawian and he was talking about Kamuzu Banda and how intelligent he was and all that.....I obviously found the information intriguing since my primary/secondary school history did not create a passion for it in me, thus i knew nothing about this....so i decided to do what a lot of people do these days...I googled Kamuzu....somehow half an hour later i came across an article from the eastafrican on Bibi Titi and Tanzania's first treason case ever......it began to shed light on a lot of things which up to then had been only heresy to me. (I had not been well informed..or knew very little if not none about the story.....I'm still not confident whether i know the story or not.....bottom line is, i looked back and wondered how come i didnt know of such a major issue....a thought occured to me that this could be put in school curriculums but then i thought to myself....the gov't wouldnt do this....even now....
INDEPENDENT THINKING....why is it that we are taught only the glorius bits of our history, those full of light and only a few dark moments (with the likes of the war on Idd Amin, colonialism, slavery etc)? Why is it that "dark" side of the story, our story, is never told?
again this for a long period of time has been a very strong, powerful and succesful censoring device that different authorities have used in shaping social memories....which are important in determining our free and independent thinking....could it be that the structure of education is a brain-washing of a system?
i strongly believe so...especially after being criticized, given 5% on my final form three history exam, caned and given a couple of visikiz to dig, just because i wrote that colonialism had advantages,....yes i did write that..because it's true...it was an advantage to the COLONIALISTS....and their interests.
anyway....as much as i viwed that i would hate history for the rest of my life, it keeps haunting me day after day....maybe it is true...that even though History is written by the victors..and it shapes a society's memory...it is only the victors who can take it for granted and never care whether they forget or not....but the supposed losers...yes..the ones who dont have even a line or two in the great book of social memory.....they cannot afford to forget....and they will uproot the memory....
this is a great step and i feel that i'm being very well informed by all of you...big ups to the plans on taking hte extra step...to make sure it reaches others as well.
Big up for raising this question and above all for having the courage to ask. It is such that our intellectaul capacity has been dwarfed by fear that we shun any kind of denuine debate.
Was Kambona all that bad? We have to ask what was his crime? He merely challenged the President. Had an alternative opinion. And in so doing was dubbed the biggest enemy of the state?
The title doesn't fit.
How can Kambona have been that bad
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