Hear No Evil...See No Evil...

Adios...

Hope Is A Good Thing...

"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies" The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

For some very weird reasons, that movie is on my favorite list. It ain't something to do with Morgan   Freeman.  Nonetheless, my brief reflection today has nothing to do with The Shawshank Redemption, but on the current political climate in Tanzania.

If you have been a follower of this blog you will definitely know that I have not been a fan of the incumbent. I had hope, just like many Tanzanians when JK took the keys to Ikulu. Remember the Kasi Mpya, Ari Mpya stuff? We all know that none of that stuff materialized. I think I was bold enough to predict on here that JK will go down in history as the worst president Tanzania has ever seen.

But that was just a little blah blah. So let's get to the point about hope.

I know I live miles and miles away from Bongoland, but I have to say that I like what I'm seeing. The biggest change, if you ask me, is that there is hope. And hope my friend, is a very good thing.

We can not marginalize the coming of Dr. Slaa into the scene as a  main contributing factor to the change in political landscape. However, we have to give credit to CCM, they messed up.  Folks are tired. Not only that, abundance of information has also helped to shed light on some of the "old" CCM blah blah.

Just look at the yelling CCM members in this other photo.

That is a sure sign that Tanzania is changing. Folks are changing. My people have come to the point of not accepting the status quo. And that is good thing. Will everyone change? Absolutely not. We ain't created equal. Some are just used to the old ways of thinking and doing things.

I know disappointments will come following October 31, 2010, particularly if Dr. Slaa will not be declared a winner of the presidential election. That is because emotions (and not hope) are riding high. Despite the possibility of a heartbreak, something has definitely happened to Tanzanians.

They have found hope. And to me, hope will take my fellow Tanzanians a long way.
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Photo credit:  1) Chadema - http://www.wavuti.com/ 2) CCM - jiwe-thedj.blogspot.com

Kombolela Show July 17, 2010

Friends,

Here is another recording of a Kombolela Show I hosted on July 17, 2010 focusing on the quality or impact of education in Tanzania. The guest on the show was Aisa Lema Ole Nguyaine.

Aisa is currently a lecturer at the University of Dodoma.

Listen on.

Kombolela Show August 14 2010

In my last post, I pointed out that I've embarked on a new challenge, which is hosting a radio program, Kombolela Show.

As I pointed out, I may not have all the answers, but the objective of the Kombolela Show is to educate, inform, and challenge the status quo. My hope is that the information and insights the program provides will empower Tanzanians to see life in a different light.

I have hosted a couple of shows, but I don't have all the shows available for those who missed the live sessions. The technical guys at Radio Mbao (http://www.radiombao.com/) are working on the best way to archive the programs. Once all the technical issues are resolved, you will have a dose of the programs archived and shared here.

Nonetheless, here is a recorded interview I had with Madaraka Nyerere. Just to ahead and surprise yourself with the following facts:

1. I actually forgot the day (seriously?)

2. Mwalimu's Kifimbo had no magical powers...it was for a reason I never thought of...

Let me shut up and let you listen...

The Kombolela Show

Dear Reader,

I have not stopped thinking. I have not stopped reflecting. Nonetheless, I have just found myself on a different platform. Yap. A different platform.

I'm now a host of a live radio show, broadcast through the internet at www.radiombao.com. The name of my show is Kombolela, which is aired live every Saturday, 1:00pm EST or 8:00pm East African Time.

So what's up with name of the show?

Kombolela is a popular game with children in Tanzania. The game is a version of hide-and-seek games that are popular with children across the world. The objective of the game is for the player who loses the cast lot to seek other players who go into hiding. In playing, the seeking player yells “kombolela!” when a hiding player is spotted.

Like many developing countries, Tanzania is trying to break out of poverty and into the realms of development. Nevertheless, there are times when marching to that desired destiny – both individually and collectively as a nation – seems impossible. Furthermore, it appears at times that Tanzanians cannot even articulate the reasons for their plight. Given that other countries have succeeded in eradicating abject poverty, we believe achieving progress is therefore possible.

Achieving progress, however, will requires Tanzanians to think and act differently.

I may not have all the answers, but the objective of the Kombolela Show is to educate, inform, and challenge the status quo. My hope is that the information and insights the program provides will empower Tanzanians to chart a new course. I also hope that every time key information is passed on and a mentally enslaved Tanzanian is set free, we will all shout “Kombolela!” just like children do on many playgrounds across Tanzania.

Why don't you check me out every Saturday then?

We Are Not Blind, Progress is Visible

So what's the point of opening up shop and never keeping it operational? Don't answer that, because that's not a question for you, it is for me. I have my reasons, plenty of them, but that's a topic for another day.

What made swing by today is this recurring theme in Bongoland politics – the notion that politicians have to highlight "progress" that whichever "awamu" has made. I have tried to ignore it, but I just felt like musing about it. Please review this article to follow me.

I can understand the temptation that the Makambas and the Kikwetes have, causing them to drum up non-issues as the highlight of the day. That is because from a practical standpoint, these guys aren't doing crap.

Politicians' talk or discussion on issues that are part of their daily responsibilities and which are visible or assessable without explanations, speaks volume about either their intelligence or wananchi's understanding. I would lean, however, on the later, because the Makambas know exactly what they're doing.

And that to me is a sad reality.

Seriously, isn't progress visible? Can't wananchi see for themselves a constructed road, a fully equipped health clinic, or a fully staffed local school without Makamba telling them? Won't they be able to tell if they are employed, have safe and steady water supply, uninterrupted supply of electricity, or responsible cops securing the streets?

So why on earth would I be sit or stand in the scorching sun to listen to an incompetent District Commissioner (DC) rumble about "progress" I can assess for myself?

I guess I'm just seeing things from a weird perspective.

I have said this before, but it wouldn't hurt to do it again. I strongly believe that lack of critical thinking skills is hurting the Tanzanian society a whole lot. I'm convinced that if the led (wananchi) had the capacity to look at the leader's speeches and deeds critically, they would have been able to hold the leaders (mafisadi) accountable.

Don't you think someone with a critical thinking mind would have raised hell for a DC to spend their tax shilling to propagate something that don't need propagating?

Man, I can't wait for the day a Korogwe's DC would get washed in cow dung for saying something stupid or a Mwanza's Regional Commissioner going home smelling like raw tilapia. Seriously. These guys are insane.

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Photo credit: kyelacommunity.blogspot.com

If I Were Nicholas Mgaya….

I have said this before – the very reason I get discouraged to share my thoughts on this blog is because the country’s issues are fundamentally the same, though coming in various colors.

The most amazing thing this week for me is the fact President Kikwete managed to scare the heck of out The Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA), to the extent that the labor union actually folded and ceased calling for a countrywide strike. The scariest part of all is the fact that the President hinted at the possibility of “authorized” human rights abuse by the Tanzanian police force!

Yikes!

That alone, could be a separate topic on its own. Seriously, does it mean that if I am a civil servant in Tanzania and I stop going to work on a strike, the police could actually come at my house and start clobbering me?

Wow.!

Before the President’s speech, it is obvious TUCTA and Mr. Mgaya had a lot going on for them. The speech, obviously, took the wind out of the high-flying balloon and has painted TUCTA in the negative light. That’s a political strategy that I have to commend the President for.

So what would I have done, if I were Mr. Mgaya, following the President’s speech? I would have used the President’s speech against himself.

Let’s go to it folks.

I would have attacked and negatively painted the President’s remark about being ready to “forsake” workers’ votes in the upcoming general elections. I would have done that by focusing on the fact that Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s (CCM) logo – the famous hammer and a hoe – speaks of CCM as a party of farmers and workers. As such, the “disrespect” shown by the President on the very same foundation he is standing on, is a sign that he is out of touch with his own party’s tradition of respecting workers who are the backbone of the Tanzanian economy.

Furthermore, I would bring up the whole Jumuiya ya Wafanyakazi (JUWATA) which was nothing more than a labor union under the CCM’s wings. The existence of JUWATA, I would emphasize, was a sign that the Father of the Nation – Julius K. Nyerere, had a lot of respect for workers than the current chairman of the party who seems to have lost his ways [ thrown in Nyerere in the mix and you got someone’s attention in Tanzania, trust me!]

I would also spin, the possible degree, the fact that the President also “assured” himself of being to on the October ballot. I would made it seems like the President is not respectful of the democratic principles and process instituted in his own party. I would emphasize the fact that anyone desiring to vie for any political position must go through a screening process to ensure qualification. As such, the President’s self assurance of being on the October’s ballot indicates dictatorial tendencies, as that indicates the President does not believe nor respect a democratic process nor the desire of other CCM members to vie for the post.

To add more drama, I will tie the dictatorial tendencies to the fact that the President made threats of a possible police abuse of peaceful workers.

Would all that be effective? Probably. Nevertheless, since Mr. Mgaya has the microphone with the media following up what he says, I would make sure that I cause a strategic havoc at Ikulu.

Besides, all politicians are spin doctors. Why not beat them at their own game?

Story reference:
1. http://www.freemedia.co.tz/daima/habari.php?id=15377

2. http://dailynews.co.tz/home/?n=9611&cat=home

3. http://dailynews.co.tz/home/?n=8738&cat=home

Photo credit: www. Sufianimafoto.blogspot.com

TZ Soccer Players: Victims of Culture?

It is been a while since I experienced temperatures in the 60s (that is in Fahrenheit, my Bongoland friends). As such, if I get giddy in here, don’t blame me. It is the Spring fever catching on!

I have to admit, I hardly go through ippmedia.com a lot. It is not that I don’t like Mr. Mengi and his outfit, it is just the layout of website is not inviting. Furthermore, articles on the website are not as updated as quickly as, let’s say, Daily News.

Nevertheless, I found myself going through the site today. Guess what I found? It is this hidden column by “Super Coach” himself, Syllersaid Mziray. Read on…

As a coach, I have to respect his analysis, which is based on an extensive experience in Tanzanian soccer. Man, you can’t argue with experience. In a nutshell, Super Coach dispelled some of the “myths” explaining why Tanzanian soccer players can’t go flying to the big leagues and also some other practical things that happen in the Tanzania’s soccer system that are bound to produce zero professional soccer players. One particular observation, however, that caught my attention was the following:

“In most clubs, players will go to the training field late and hence fail to cope with the coach’s schedule and during training, they seldom engage seriously in the process”

I know some folks think that I am taking this culture thing out of proportion, but …

Oh well.

I’m not a social science expert and therefore I am not really qualified to go into a deep analysis of what culture is or what it is not. The little I know, however, is that culture is just a body of rules governing a society. Those rules govern how one succeeds or fails; what one should say or not say in a particular situation, etc.

In a nutshell, what Super Coach tried to say, but came short of saying is this – the Tanzanian culture, particularly when soccer players fully embrace it – will never produce a player capable or worthy of playing in European leagues, for instance.

See, from my vantage point, culture creates expectations. And I can bet you my house that the highest expectation a soccer player can have in Tanzania is to play for Simba or Yanga. Period. A highest expectation a Simba or Yanga fan have is for their respective teams to win against their archrival and to clinch local trophies. You will never hear fans rioting because Coach Phiri, for instance, won a game against Yanga but got walloped by an Egyptian’s side. It is because the expectation, well, is kind of low in Tanzania.

Remember the clash between former Yanga’s “super star” Gaudence Mwaikimba and his former Serbian coach, Dusan Kondic? Do you really thik the conflict was about talent? All of that was simply a cultural conflict. It was a conflict arising from a huge expectation gap. And that expectation gap, amigo, was rooted in cultural differences.

Let’s think of this for a minute. Coach Kondic comes in, joining a team that he didn’t assemble. In the team, there’s this dude Gaudence Mwaikimba who was a star, with a “guaranteed” starting position regardless of dedication and effort level he shows in training. Don’t you think that conflict was only imminent when Coach Kondic emphasized discipline in training before a player was “guaranteed” any playing time?

On the flip side of better cultural inclination, remember the DRC national, Shabani Nonda who once played for Yanga? How did he manage to secure a team in Europe? Wasn't he playing on the same "ugly" soccer pitchs in Tanzania?

I think you get my point.

I have said this and I will say it again. Tanzania’s problems are not rooted in lack of experts, talents, resources or whatever you want to throw in the mix. Yeah, those play a part, but the worst enemy the country is facing is its own cultural inclination. The scary part, as I said about Hasheem Thabeet last time, the people are not even aware of it.

So go ahead and have your Vision 2025. However, without a cultural transformation to back that up, I can only say this quitely and nicely, good luck.

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Photo credit: Michuzi

HT to D-League: Lack of Skills or Cultural Disorientation?

Hasheem Thabeet’s draft to the NBA is one of those things that has not and will not regularly happen to Tanzania. It is for that reason, I was happy for Hasheem and for Tanzania, because this was a history changing event.

However, just less than a year since Hasheem was picked by the Memphis Grizzlies; he made another history by being the first second pick to be send down to the NBA’s Development League. For those who watched Hasheem play at UConn, one thing was clear – the kid was not fully developed in his game.

I would definitely cut Hasheem some slack. The kid had very little basketball experience prior to donning a UConn’s uniform. I would guarantee you that 99% of NBA ballplayers had touched a basketball by the age of 10. Furthermore, Memphis clearly understood that when they drafted him.

It is for that reason I wasn’t surprised when the Grizzlies sent Hasheem to the D-League. He truly needed some playing time to develop his game. What surprised me, however, was Hasheem’s response to his D-League’s trip. You could read Hasheem’s response here...

The comment that irked folks the most is about the kid’s paycheck being the same despite being sent to the D-League. I am not surprised he made such comments.

In many ways, I could relate to Hasheem’s comment about paycheck, haters, and so on. Part of it is immaturity, but largely cultural. When I started my career with KPMG after graduation from college, I had a lot of trouble initially because I came to KPMG hung up on my college academic achievements. Bad enough, in that lake of stupidity, I was basking in the glow of what my paycheck could accomplish in Bongoland. Boy, I was wrong.

See, after some painful experiences I came to learn – the hard way – that it was imperative for me to make a quick transition from having Tanzania as my yardstick to seeing things from an American perspective. And I think making that transition is where Hasheem is currently struggling.

I cannot blame Hasheem for having the I-have-made-it kind of mentality. Truthfully, he has made it. A very little percentage of folks in Tanzania or even Tanzanians in the United States will ever make $4.5 million in their lifetime - legally or illegally. Furthermore, a very small percentage of Tanzanians living abroad will ever have the privilege of hanging out with the President and having a “national” reception when you land at JKN International Airport.

Nonetheless, the biggest question is this – would Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, or LeBron James regard $4.5 million in the bank, but with lack of strong basketball skills and playing time a success? Hardly.

See, going back to my KPMG experience, I came on board with a purely Tanzanian mentality. I placed very little value in the desire to get ahead (Ujamaa mentality anyone?), seeking career advice through mentorship, hard work, etc. At the end of the day, despite my academic achievements (potential), I ended up frustrated and frustrating my employer. That is because I didn’t fully understand the culture around me and what was expected of me.

Playing ball in the NBA, whether Hasheem understands it or not, is just like any other career, ignoring the obvious differences. And as far as I know the American corporate culture, each employee tries to be their best without even the employer prompting them to. It is for that very reason, true “professionals” like Michael Jordan worked hard despite having more talent that the majority of their peers. Ask Kobe. Ask Carmelo. Ask LeBron. They would tell you that they have something to work on. You will never hear them talk about their paycheck first.

Going beyond the NBA, the American culture, somehow expects more. Yesterday’s technology is not good enough. Yesterday’s methodology is not good enough. The American society sort of expects improvement and not mediocrity. What Hasheem did in college is simply history. Honestly, with all the “accomplishments” Hasheem has had, getting the fact that American society expects a little bit more could be a struggle for the kid to comprehend.

If Tanzanian basketball and culture was the standard, I would not ask Hasheem to change anything. That is because most successful folks in Tanzania didn’t get there through hard work, but through dubious means. I would not ask Hasheem to mend his attitude and improve on his work ethic because in Tanzania, generally speaking, having a little more (or not having it bad) than your neighbor is good enough.

What is telling of Hasheem’s cultural orientation is this US Today's article. So the kid truly thought Coach Calhoun was picking on him for requiring hard work? That also begs the question, how much has he learned since UConn days?

At the end of the day, however, it is not all doom and gloom for Hasheem. I think the kid will learn, improve and make Tanzania proud.

Nonetheless, right about now the kid does not need criticism, but some serious mentoring to help him shift from a Tanzanian mentality to an American cultural orientation. Once he gets it, taking a vacation while his offensive game stinks wouldn’t be on his to-do list this summer. Furthermore, the “haters” would disappear, for he will realize that his NBA dream is not hinged on some blog comments, but on his own work ethic.

My struggle at KPMG was not because of the color of my skin. It was mainly because of my cultural “disorientation”. I know Hasheem is going through it right now, but he will get it eventually. Trust me on that one.
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Photo credit: Shwari.com

The Electronic and Postal Communications Bill: Welcome to 1967?

I know that we as human beings we like progress. We love to see things change around us. It is not like change is good all the time, but we like to see change nonetheless. Some changes are introduces out of necessity, but some changes are out of sheer creativity juices that flow through our veins as human species.

I think it is in same spirit that someone in Bongoland had an epiphany to introduce the Electronic and Postal Communication Bill of 2009. I have not read the bill, but I would trust that Leonard Mwakalebela of Daily News did a good job in summarizing some of the key stipulations of the bill, which include the following: sharing of infrastructure among mobile phone operators in Tanzania, mandatory listing of mobile operators’ stocks in Dar Stock Exchange and slapping a fine on unregistered sim card owners.

Please see the Daily News article here…

Honestly, the rationale given by the government for requiring mobile operators to share infrastructure are creative and acceptable, if the goal is cut down on the prices and protect the environment. Nonetheless, the two other stipulations of the bill are shaky if you ask me.

A practical solution for unregistered sim card, as pointed out by Hon. Arfi is for the mobile companies to turn off the darn line. Is that hard to do?

Now let’s see the mother of all booboos – requiring foreign mobile operators to cross-list at the DSE.

I am not going to argue against the notion that other countries also require cross-listing. That is because I will need to scour through laws and requirements of a plethora of countries. That ain’t easy. Nonetheless, the argument given, especially by a few legislators such Hon. Nyami that listing at the DSE will bring transparency to the mobile company’s financial statements is stupid.

The truth of the matter is this, if TRA wanted to know how much Zain generated in revenue, they could do that from a computer screen. From the comfort of my couch, I was able to tell that Zain generated $327.8 million in revenue in financial year 2008 from their operations in Tanzania. Unabisha? Just select any financial report for any year you want right here..

You know, some folks don’t like my choice of words, especially when I brazenly come out to say that some things are stupid. Forcing companies such as Vodacom, Zain, and so on to cross-list because Tanzanians want financial transparency is just plain stupid. If a dude like me could access Zain’s financial records openly and easily, how come TRA can’t?

Let me just remind our ignorant MPs of this fact – countries don’t invite foreign direct investment primarily to boost corporate tax revenues. Countries invite foreign direct investment to derive other indirect benefits that are larger than corporate taxes.

The other second reason given to require listing is to allow wazalendo also to participate in the economy. If wazalendo have that money in their pockets to invest, why didn’t they band together to form a new telecom company instead of waiting to “nationalize” other successful companies? Furthermore, why didn’t Tanzania formulate proactive policies that require joint ventures with wazalendo before any foreign investors commence operations?

We can argue and kill each other about the merits of the bill, but what the Tanzanian government did in spirit is to nationalize telecom companies. Period. That is essentially reversing to 1967.

As Hon. Arfi put it, the bill is also fundamentally discriminatory as it targets a single industry. The spirit of majority’s participation in their own economy shouldn’t be narrowly confined to a single industry. The message it sends to the world is this – Tanzanians are incapable of creating successful companies, they only wait to snatch successful companies from their owners.

Please read my lips (err...my typing fingers) this bill will haunt Tanzania for many years to come.

As it has been clearly claimed by telecom companies in Tanzania, it is not the government’s duty to play board members of any given company. The decision to list on any stock exchange is up to the board members of those companies. Just for the information of our ignorant MPs, the main reason companies go public is because they want an easy access to capital, though it spreads ownership in turn.

Ask yourself this – if a company wants to raise $10 billion at the DSE today, would they be able to that in a heartbeat? I doubt that. That’s why companies go to robust exchanges like London or New York. Not because they want to stash cash away from Dar-es-Salaam, but because they can raise the needed capital there.

I rest my case.
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Photo credit: bongopicha.blogspot.com

JK Is Cool With Opposition, So What?

I have no idea what is going on with me, but I think have lost my writing mojo or it is just I am bored with the same old crap. It is kind of hard to talk about the same thing over and over again, you know? For instance, did you hear about Minister Ngeleja’s crazy stuff?

Now, stuff like that makes realize how crazy the Tanzanian society, generally speaking, is. Some of that craziness makes you realize that it would take more than my blog to change the course.

So what really got me out of a self-imposed hiatus? It is this piece of opinion posted by my fellow Bongolander, Professor Mbele (Hi Professor!). Read on…

Now, what’s the general idea that Professor is professing? It is that Jakaya Kikwete should be elected for another 5-year term simply because he is mature politically as evidenced by him being “buddy-buddy” with opposition parties.

I hope the professor is just kidding. Otherwise, that is the craziest endorsement I have ever come across.

To see my point, let ask ourselves this fundamental question: why was Kikwete elected in the first place? Wasn't it because he convinced Tanzanians that he was capable of delivering on his promises? I think we can go back to the 2005 CCM’s election manifesto to see exactly what JK promised to do. For instance, remember the promise to bring Tanzania into the hari mpya, kasi mpya world? Well, you be the judge.

I have to agree with Professor Mbele that this was all his opinion. Nonetheless, I would just like to add that opinions don’t come out of blues. They are typically rooted in our belief and value system, past experiences, personalities, and other factors. As such, what I am reading from Professor Mbele is that he is putting more value on JK’s social tendencies than delivered tangible and measureable results for the benefits of Tanzanians.

And that is crazy if you ask me.

Personally, I don’t care if JK is able to kiss and hold hands with Professor Lipumba or Zitto Kabwe than his predecessors. What I care about is that my mom in Shirati has running water, Tanzanians can go for 365 days without power interruption, and folks like Ngeleja get booted out of power, just to name a few things that I believe most Tanzanians care about.

If making out with the opposition is truly an important factor for reelecting JK – how come then, under JK’s watch, the Muafaka thing between CUF and CCM is going around in circles? Isn’t telling so much about JK’s true resolve to hug and embrace the opposition?

The existence of the multiparty system in Tanzania, regardless of how well or bad it has functioned, is not a question of some favor from CCM. It is a Constitutional right. It is a legal matter. As such, respecting those that hold a different political view shouldn’t be an exception, but a norm. If respecting the Constitution is the main reason Kikwete should be re-elected, then we have more than 1 million Tanzanians who are qualified for the office of presidency, me included.

Furthermore, calling for Kikwete’s re-election on the basis of “political maturity” is just plain lowering the expectation of Tanzanians. And that is insulting. And that is also disappointing, especially when such a call is coming from someone like Professor Mbele who has lived and worked in the United States, where expectations typically go higher.

Seriously, what about endorsing JK for improving educational system, economic progress, reduction of graft, for instance?

Well, we know he didn’t do well on those areas, don’t we?
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Photo credit: Mjengwa

Change Starteth In the Mind…

For a long time I have been in denial. I just come to grips with the fact that I hate conformity. I love for things to evolve, change, move, whatever. I abhor being stuck on the same spot forever.

It is for that reason, this mwenge thing is driving me crazy…I mean seriously, and why in the world do we still need mbio za mwenge in Tanzania, in 2009? I know, I know, it is the Mwalimu legacy whatever. But, hey, isn’t this just another indication that the Tanzanian society is dormant to the extent that we can’t be creative?

Let’s just review the very essence of mbio za mwenge, if not for a meaningful reason, just for kicks. Mwalimu had an idea. Let’s light this thing up [ I can clearly visualize Mzee Kawawa nodding in approval]. Put it up on Mount Kilimanjaro so that it could accomplish the following: 1) shine beyond Tanzanian borders 2) bring hope to the hopeless 3) bring love where there’s hatred 4) bring respect where there’s plenty of disrespect.

The above really sounds great, brilliant and magnificent. The only problem is this – that’s all political manure.

Let’s ask this practical question – how the heck is an annual torch relay going to accomplish all those grand goals? The answer to that question is obvious. Never.

See, the goals Mwalimu had in mind were great. I’d be insane to discredit the spirit behind the mbio za mwenge. Nonetheless, there are practical sides of things that separate those that should be confined to a mental institution from those that should be consulted for a strategic plan. The practical outcome of mbio za mwenge speaks volume of what Mwalimu could have been.

The most insane of all, if you ask me, are those Tanzanians still running after that stupid mwenge.

My point is this – mbio za mwenge will forever remain a meaningless symbol that will never accomplish anything [please don’t give me the ufunguzi-wa-miradi-ya-maendeleo crap]. That is because the spirit behind mbio za mwenge is about human transformation. And human transformation, honestly, starts in the mind, the heart, and the spirit.

You may not like my argument, but let’s be practical for a minute. How many people do you know got transformed in Tanzania this year, simply because that stupid smoky torch passed through their village?

The point is this; we can transform human beings through other meaningful, practical means. What about education for starters?
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Photo credit: Mjengwa

The Older I Grow...

I must admit that the pressure mounted on me to write something. In response to the pressure, I’m writing something, even for the sake of something. Ahadi ni deni, si ndiyo?

I got to work today with a copy of US Today in my hand. “Free” newspapers are one of those perks you get for staying at some hotels. Don’t ask me more questions on that, because I am not telling. I typically don't like to read newspapers that much, because the print media appears to be behind everything else. But occassionally you find some indepth coverage that fast-talking TV hosts won't give you.

The newspaper had an insert covering healthcare, more specifically, highlighting the stories of real people who could truly benefit from the healthcare overhaul. The insert also included a comparison of healthcare costs between the United States and other developed countries.

It wasn’t so much about the stories of people in the insert that got me thinking, but how the whole healthcare debate got out of hand.

Seriously, it is hard to tell the truth when some Republicans call President Obama a liar, while President Obama is also shooting back that the Republicans don’t have a plan. In all of this, I feel like my head is spinning. Is the overhaul about public option, illegal immigrants’ coverage or skyrocketing healthcare costs? You can’t really tell.

In all of this, something is very wrong. Guess what that is? It is politics.

To tell you truth, as I grow older I feel politicians are full of crap. Yeah, some politicians have truly changed the course of history (both positively and negatively), but the rest of the pack is just a bunch of conmen running their mouth.

So Tanzanians recently got thrilled that President Kikwete took his “precious” time to respond to their questions through a television show. Big deal. After the show, how many people really had their lives changed? Nada. Isn’t that crazy that folks get excited for absolutely nothing meaningful?

Or better yet, who’s really telling the truth about the whole vita dhidi ya ufisadi rhetoric in Tanzania? Is it the opposition? Is it hardcore CCM members of the parliament? Is it the House Speaker? It is hard to tell. See my point?

Maybe as you get older, you also get cynical. But politicians really do know how to capture our attention with their meaningless rants.

So this is what I am going to do. Be a good father. Be a good leader of my family. Hopefully, I will succeed in imparting some wisdom on my boys. I truly hope so.

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Cartoon credit: US Today

A Month? Really?

I can't believe it has been almost a month since I posted anything here. But you know what? I have been busy with those two guys...Seriously, can you blame me?

Police Mentality and Professor Gates' Arrest

The debate is still raging on about Professor's Gates arrest in his own home. This is what I picked up from a CNN's commentary by Maria Herbefeld, a professor of Police Science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in NY City:

"Police work is about sub-cultural contexts, about war stories, about suspicion, about unpredictability, about danger and fear for one's life. Police officers make their decisions based not just on a given situation but also based on their prior experience, the experience of those they have worked with and the stories they have heard about incidents that happened in the past."

I'm just wondering - given the above observation, isn't it safe to assume that some of those police "prior experiences" leads to some racial biasness, going as far as assuming that any black man is dangerous?

I'm posing that question because if a police officer is not making a judgment based on facts at hand but some prior experiences and stories they hear, what's preventing them from excercising racial biasness or any other form of biasness?

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Photo credit: wbz.com

Kingunge Versus RC Church: Fear of Righteousness?

Like death, change is one of those things that we can’t avoid. Nonetheless, resisting change is also a human thing. It would be ignorant of me to assert that the Tanzanian society is not changing, for the country is truly changing - both in the positive and negative directions.

It is obviously that the Tanzanian society is increasingly experiencing a serious shortage of great leaders. That is a negative change.

It is for that reason I am encouraged by the step taken by Roman Catholic Church in Tanzania to prepare a pastoral document providing guidelines on electing political leaders. I don’t know what the document said, but a guideline is always what it is – a guideline. Once can elect to ignore a guideline. If that is the case, then why is Mzee Kingunge getting up in arms against the document?

I believe it is because the document demands righteousness from elected officials, not rights.

In recent days, the Islamic community in Tanzania has been in a tug of war with the CCM party, demanding the formation of a Kadhi court. I’m not even sure if the Kadhi court is constitutional, but given the fact that my Islamic friends were promised the court – their demands are essentially a quest for some “rights”. Given that rights are hardly afforded in Tanzania, the demand thereof must be less threatening to CCM.

The difference between what the RC church is doing in Tanzania and the demands set forth by the Islamic community is that the RC church is not asking for any “favors”, but giving information and empowering. We all know educated and empowered folks are difficult to manipulate. As such, empowering the powerless, it appears, is more threatening to Mzee Kingunge, CCM and those who have devoured the powerless for quite a while.

If I quote The Citizen’s article, part of the RC document says the country is experiencing “serious leadership problems”. To me that is just short of blatantly saying the country is stinking of corrupt and evil leaders. And who could that possibly implicate? You know the answer. No wonder CCM MPs, including Mzee Kingunge, are running wild.

When the righteous rule, the people rejoice. I think that the RC church is in a better position to gauge that, since the church and all other non-governmental organizations in Tanzania provide services to communities that were supposed to, in the first place, responsibility of the government. The church and other religious organizations are not blind to the fact that the government allegedly lacks capacity, but they also understands that the said lack of capacity is mainly attributed to corruption and lack of accountability.

It would then be ridiculous to ask the RC leadership, or any other religious organization for that matter, to stand on the sidelines simply because someone like Mzee Kingunge stands on the “during the era of Nyerere” crap. If experience has shown that the church and other religious organizations have taken a meaningful and positive leadership role in the lives of Tanzanians beyond preaching, then politicians should only regain their influence by performing better beyond what the church and other religious organizations have done, not spewing criticism laden with fear at religious bodies.

Given the fact that recently a thorny issue for CCM has been rampant corruption, Mzee Kingunge’s phobia - and the entire CCM party as well - is the fact that the RC document is setting the stage for the demand of accountability and righteousness from the elected officials. That is because, if I quote The Citizen’s article, the document “highlights major areas voters should get convincing explanations from individuals seeking public leadership positions”.

Seriously, what’s wrong with the electorate seeking more information from politicians? Even more, how is that divisive?

I have not read the document myself, but I don’t think any of the “major areas” specifically require that an elected leader be a member of the RC church or of a specific faith. If that is true, then Mzee Kingunge must be afraid of one thing that political leaders in Tanzania have failed to be, and that is righteous.

And for that I can only say this: shame on you Mzee Kingunge.
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Photo credit: bongocelebrity.com

If It Ain't Your Forte...(2)

I occasionally come across stuff from Bongoland that makes me happy. Likewise, I come across things that outright make me go crazy. Come with me.

I recently came across an interview posted on Issa Michuzi’s blog, where Michuzi had an opportunity to interview Anna Kahama Rupia of Seacom regarding the fiber optic project that is soon to be operational in Tanzania.

So the following is an excerpt of the interview:

Michuzi: For ordinary Tanzanians, what should they expect out of the fiber optic services?

Anna: They should expect reliability in communication. They speed is faster as well. Because now we are not relying on satellite, it is all fiber optics. So now you can down big files. Imagine downloading a 3 hours movie in a matter of seconds. That’s what they should be expecting.
And then reduction in costs as well, because right now all the carriers are paying about $3,000 to $5,000 per megabyte per month per capacity. With our costs, they will be paying under $100. So there is a reduction in cost.

Michuzi: Now, is that not a threat to our ISP or cell phone companies?

Anna: No. We are a complement to their business. We’re reducing their costs. They were paying more, now they are paying less…

Michuzi: I’m talking about their business…

Check out the entire interview for yourself right here…

Given that I’m not a journalist by profession, I’m disqualified from discussing some deep technical stuff connected to the art of journalism. Nonetheless, as a consumer of journalistic products, I can tell a good journalistic product from a lemon.

I think one of the key ingredients of good journalism/interviewing is listening. Maybe I am missing something, but it appears Michuzi didn’t do a good job at listening or comprehending what the interviewee was saying. As a result, he ended up asking ridiculous follow-up questions that were meaningless in the general business context and the strategic reasons for the Seacom’s project.

And then some folks (see the comments at the Michuzi’s blog) still wondered why the lady was sheepishly smiling? I’m sure she was just playing nice.

I also believe that a good journalist must be technically good at the subject matter. Folks who watch the NBA and other sports programs in the United States can relate to my argument, as most TV analysts are former players or coaches in the particular game they analyze. Michuzi is definitely a great photographer, but I am not sure if he is technically good to indepthly cover IT and business matters. And the interview with Anna Kahama Rupia showed that.

This is really not a knock on Michuzi, because lack of polished communication skills is a general problem in Tanzania. Furthermore, what is reflected in the Michuzi’s interview is something that tells a story about the quality of journalism in Tanzania. If this is the best we can get, then I can’t really get mad at some politicians who have a few nice things to say about journalists in Tanzania.
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Photo credit: Wikipedia

CD Release....

A musical labor of love and faith that’s been a long time coming is completed and you’re invited to the celebration.

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A California based artist and minister, Dennis Massawe who is a native of Tanzania, has put his inspirational message of faith into songs and you’re invited to celebrate the release of his CD No More Limbo. His message transcends all faiths and his uplifting rhythms that combine gospel, reggae and soul will move you to get into the spirit of love.
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His journey has not been easy but he believes all things are possible when you follow the path you were called to walk on. From childhood to teenage, Dennis grew up in the slums of Nairobi Kenya. He later moved to his native country Tanzania with his father where he started his family at the age of twenty five.
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Massawe and his family were lead from Dar-es-salaam Tanzania to Southern California and when you hear his music you too will be inspired, motivated and encouraged to go from your journey of challenges and desperation to one filled with hope and purpose.
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For more information go to: http://www.dennismassawe.com/

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For a copy of your CD go to: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dennismassawe

Bunge & Michael Jackson:Misplaced Relevance?

I am trying to imagine what is going through the minds of close relatives of late Michael Jackson right now. I have experienced death in my own family and I know how it feels. Regardless of how each one of us felt about Michael Jackson’s “craziness”, he was human first and foremost. He was a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, etc to someone.

Undoubtedly Michael Jackson was famous. He was gifted. He was entertaining. He had also visited Tanzania. Nevertheless, is any of the above reasons, especially his visitation to Tanzania, compelling enough for the Speaker of the National Assembly to officially recognize Michael Jackson’s death? I am trying to think of any positive impact that Michael Jackson’s visitation to Tanzania had to the overall socioeconomic progress, but I can’t find any.

I come across ordinary Americans quite often that are clueless about Tanzania. Obviously, there are Americans who know more about Tanzania and who have given their sweat to the country through volunteer work, etc. I wonder if, three weeks ago, Michael Jackson recalled anything about Tanzania.

My point is that to the majority of Americans, Tanzania is irrelevant. They could not even locate where Tanzania is on the map. As such, for Bunge to make “big events” in America, especially those that are of relevance to the internal America is equivalent to sucking up. Huko ni kujigonga.

Let’s flip the coin a bit. Didn’t Hasheem Thabeet become the first Tanzanian ever to be drafted to play in the NBA the same week?

While the death of Michael Jackson has this “global impact” connotation to it, I strongly believe it was utterly ridiculous of the Bunge to highlight Michael Jackson’s death while ignoring Hasheem Thabeet’s draft to the NBA.

The reality is this: Hasheem’s participation in the NBA is more relevant to the lives of many Tanzanians, as it will have a lasting impact on the lives of many Tanzanians than Michael Jackson’s visitation to Tanzania or his death. Ordinarily, Mr. Speaker would have been expected to know that.

I discuss Tanzanian politics and politicians on this blog, but I have never fully understood how politicians in Tanzania think. They must be a very special breed. A very weird type.

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Photo credit: Michuzi

Tweet: National Assembly Goes Gay?

Boy oh boy.

Do you see what I am seeing?

It appears that our interpretation and therefore reaction to certain things, depends on where and when you live. This would have been crazy in my current world…for the National Assembly to go gay....

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Photo credit: Michuzi