Watu Muhimu katika Historia ya Nchi yetu

[August]

Elias Kisenge gonga hapa

Asante lakini nimeshindwa kuelewa au kupata kirefi cha TAGSA maana wanasema alikuwa kiongozi huko.

 

[Ndahani]

Naam kwa kuendelea tuuu ni kuwa bwan Ramadhani Mashado alizaliwa mwaka 1900 huko Lourenco Marquis (sasa Maputo) na alikuja Tanganyika akiwa mtoto mdogo mwaka 1905 wakati nchi ipo katika vita vya Maji Maji dhidi ya Wajerumani.....waka 1924 alirudi Msumbiji na alisafiri kwenda Lisbon kwa pasi ya Kireno. Wale waliomfahamu wanasema kwa kiwango cha miaka ya 1950, Mashado Plantan alikuwa mtu mjuzi wa mambo. Alikuwa miongoni mwa wanachama wa mwanzoni wa African Association ilipoanzishwa mwaka 1929 na miongoni mwa wanchama wa awali kujiunga na TANU pale ilipoasisiwa mwaka 1954.


Unlike akina media owners tulionao sikuhizi gazeti laZUHRA lilikuwa na masimamowa kuwazindua na kuwashirikisha Waafrika kupambana na ukoloni pamoja na ubeberuna katika editorial zaje zake nyingi, Mashado alimwonyesha Mwingereza kama mgeni ambae baada ya kukaribishwa sasa anambughudhi mwenyeji wake.... Lakini gazeti hilo halikuwa likithaminiwa na wasomi ambao walilidharau na kuliona kama gazeti la Kiswahili tu, lisilokuwa na ujuzi wowote, lililokusudiwa hasa msomaji wa chini asiye na elimu na asiyejua kusoma Kiingereza.

Mashado, kwa kupitia safu za Zuhra, alikuwa ndiye msemaji wa African Association na kupitia tahariri zake alitangaza na kudhihirisha msimamo wa chama.

Una la zaidi?

GT,
Nimetokea kupenda sana mijadala ya JF kwasababu imenipa challenge ya kuanza kutafiti nini watu wanafikiri kwenye vikonakona vingine. Kweli ipo tofauti ya wazi kimawazo ipo na inaletwa na tunavyochagua kuyaangalia mambo yanayotukabili. Au pengine kwasababu sijui kila mtu anadhamira gani ya kutoa michangi katika forum kama hii, inawezekana pia ikawa sababu.
Kwa vyovyote vile ukweli utabaki kuwa ukweli tu na kila dakika inavyosonga mbele, uongo wazidi kujitenga na ukweli.Naomba mungu watanzania tuendelee kuangaliana kama watanzania. Inshallah miaka kumi ijayo tuweze kusema kama watanzania walewale wa miaka mingi kadhaa iliyopita na siyo katika line za kutafuta nani zaidi katika misingi ya dini, kabila au namna nyingine yoyote ile. Mungu ibariki Tanzania!!

 

[Kilasara]

In connection with The Chaga Democratic Party, Parmena Barnabas Matemba was among the young graduates who championed the election of a "President", rather than continuing with "Mangi Mkuu" or paramount chief. For a brief period after Solomon Eliufoo left for the Ministerial posts in Dar es Salaam, Parmena Matemba was the Chief Executive Officer of the Chaga Council.

Following the re-organization of Local Governments soon after Uhuru, Parmena Barnabas Matemba transferred to Dar es Salaam as Clerk to the City Council of Dar es Salaam. JF Members can examine records at the City Council to see who was the first Mwananchi to be Clerk to the Council. It might be Matemba or S. K. George. Anyway, the latter is still alive and can be contacted in Moshi to indicate how and when he rose to this very senior position in the Local Government hierarchy.

 

[Shaycas]

Bado nipo DARASANI.
Nimeshajua baadhi ya majina nasubiri walichokifanyia NCHI HII zaidi ya "kumuandaa" NYERERE kuwa KIONGOZI WAO.
Ahsante sana MTOA MADA na WACHANGIAJI WOTE WA MADA HII

 

[Shaycas]

Historia ipo hata kama ni ya UONGO,cha msingi ni kuisoma na kuielewa na kuanza kuifanyia kazi kwa lengo zuri kuboresha maisha yetu na kuandika historia nyingine.MSISAHAU BINADAMU NA UBINAFSI NI PART AND PARCEL ya maisha yake ingawa gravity tunatofautiana pia kuna asili ya mwanadamu kusahau alipotoka,mfano ukimwambia mtu aandike CV yake,baada ya historia fupi ya kuzaliwa inafufauata elimu,hapo ataanza highest level of educatio n aliyonayo.Pia angalia kwenye hii thread,mtoa mada amekuwa thanked 6 times lakini kunamchangiaji amekuwa thanked more than 6 times,JE NI YUPI MUHIMU ktk hili?MTOA MADA AU MCHANGIA MADA?

 

[Jasusi]

Shaycas,
Hii ya kumshukuru mtu mara ngapi isikupe shida. Labda mchangiaji aliyeshukuriwa mara nyingi kupita mtoa mada kamwaga point muhimu kuliko mtoa mada. It depends.

 

[Chachacha]

I am rather shocked and bored stiff by the Engineer his failure to realize the need ofknowing history and its makers. Perhaps the Engineer is unaware that without knowledge of the past, he would never have become an engineer. He remarked sarcastically: “Sioni haja yoyote, wakijulikana ktk historia then what?” I would like him to take an example of engineers, which is a group to which he boldly claims to belong. It is History that tells us where the engineers originated – from practical artists and craftspeople who produced interesting devices and ancient monuments some of which still incite our admiration today. It is History that gave us the very word “engineer”. It dates from the 11th century AD from a Latin word ingeniator, meaning, one with ingenuim (or the ingenious one). It is history which tells us that there was a foundation period on top of which was built the Scientific Revolution known today. For example, the 16th century Italy produced a giant in mathematics, physics, and astronomy by the name Galileo Galilei, and he pioneered the revolution in science before he died in the 17th century. Our Engineer lacks interest to know about his precursors! History tells us that primary phase provided a ground for the emergence of modern engineering (Industrial Revolution) which came about 200 years ago. The period was marked by construction of a complex device that produced mechanical motion using boiling water, it captured the old meaning of ingenuity and bore the name “engine”. It came to be called the “steam engine”.

I think it’s shame that our engineer is filled with sarcasm about the need for understanding the past and its contributors.

 

[Chachacha]

I am rather shocked and bored stiff by the Engineer's failure to realize the need of knowing history and its makers. Perhaps the Engineer is unaware that without knowledge of the past, he would never have become an engineer in the first place. He remarked sarcastically: “Sioni haja yoyote, wakijulikana ktk historia, then what?” I would like to drive him through history very very briefly, and start with the very word "engineer" to which he associates himself. It is History that has given us the very word “engineer”. It dates from the 11th century AD and originates from a Latin word ingeniator, meaning, one with ingenuim (or the ingenious one). It is History that tells us where engineers originated – from practical artists and craftspeople who produced interesting devices and many ancient monuments some of which still incite our admiration today. It is through history that we know there was a foundation period on top of which the Scientific Revolution known today was built upon. The significance of that period is marked by giants who made its history. For example, the 16th century Italy produced one of the giants in mathematics, physics, and astronomy by the name Galileo Galilei. He pioneered the revolution in science before he died in the 17th century. Our Engineer today lacks interest to know him and all his precursors! History tells us that it is that primary phase which provided ground for the emergence of modern engineering (Industrial Revolution) about 200 years ago. During that period, a complex device was constructed that produced mechanical motion using boiling water, hence it captured the old meaning of ingenuity and bore the name “engine”. That device came to be called the “steam engine”.

So, is it not shame that our Engineer today is filled with sarcasm about the need for understanding the past and its contributors.

 

[Bluray]

I am rather shocked and bored stiff by the Engineer his failure to realize the need ofknowing history and its makers. Perhaps the Engineer is unaware that without knowledge of the past, he would never have become an engineer. He remarked sarcastically: "Sioni haja yoyote, wakijulikana ktk historia then what?" I would like him to take an example of engineers, which is a group to which he boldly claims to belong. It is History that tells us where the engineers originated – from practical artists and craftspeople who produced interesting devices and ancient monuments some of which still incite our admiration today. It is History that gave us the very word "engineer". It dates from the 11th century AD from a Latin word ingeniator, meaning, one with ingenuim (or the ingenious one). It is history which tells us that there was a foundation period on top of which was built the Scientific Revolution known today. For example, the 16th century Italy produced a giant in mathematics, physics, and astronomy by the name Galileo Galilei, and he pioneered the revolution in science before he died in the 17th century. Our Engineer lacks interest to know about his precursors! History tells us that primary phase provided a ground for the emergence of modern engineering (Industrial Revolution) which came about 200 years ago. The period was marked by construction of a complex device that produced mechanical motion using boiling water, it captured the old meaning of ingenuity and bore the name "engine". It came to be called the "steam engine".

I think it's shame that our engineer is filled with sarcasm about the need for understanding the past and its contributors.

Chachacha,

A big part of this has to do with the condescending outlook some scientists employ sweeply on the liberal arts.The misguided perception is based on the fallacious assumption that since historians do not "produce" tangible goods, they are more or less a useless waste of resources.

But what these shortsighted scientists forget - or neglect to properly acknowledge- is the inherent inevitability of history.Even the purest of sciencific expeditions must invoke history.Johannes Copernicus with all his brilliance was not able to deduce his Copernican laws of planetary motion and greatly detail his seminal book "On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres " -which is immortalized in our everyday usage of the word "revolution" - without the rather historical charts of that noble stargazer who went by the name of Tycho Brahe. What is more scientific than to keep track of experiments and the results, yet isn't the very act of keeping records keeping history?

The shortsighted and one track minded notion that science and history are incompatible, and that history is a waste is not only absurdly negligent, but also massively deficient and unscientific.

If the library of Alexandria was still there, would the quest for knowledge of the ancients -some of it superior to our present knowledge - be considered scientific research or lessons in history? And why couldn't this pursuit embrace both without enticing protests of non existing contradictions?

The unscientific observation (more like lack of) of our engineer not only baffles me, but also lay some serious doubt on the credentials of our indoctrinated engineer. I wonder if he has ever heard about such engineering wonders as the Brooklyn bridge, Golden gate bridge, the Parthenon, the pyramids of Gizah etc and ever got curious about their histories.

If he hasn't he is guaranteed to be a very mechanic kind of engineer (no pun intended)

If he has, the premise of his argument will crumble from the weight of his curiosity.

 

[Chachacha]

Hello Jambo Community!

It's nice to be here today. I am prompted to register and drop a few lines here in response to the Engineer who fails to realize the need of knowing history and its makers. He actually shocks and bores me stiff.

Perhaps the Engineer is unaware that without knowledge of the past, he would never have become an engineer in the first place. He remarked sarcastically: “Sioni haja yoyote, wakijulikana ktk historia, then what?” I would like to drive him through history very very briefly, and start with the very word "engineer" to which he associates himself. It is History that has given us the very word “engineer”. It dates from the 11th century AD and originates from a Latin word ingeniator, meaning, one with ingenuim (or the ingenious one). It is History that tells us where engineers originated – from practical artists and craftspeople who produced interesting devices and many ancient monuments some of which still incite our admiration today. It is through history that we know there was a foundation period on top of which the Scientific Revolution known today was built upon. The significance of that period is marked by giants who made its history. For example, the 16th century Italy produced one of the giants in mathematics, physics, and astronomy by the name Galileo Galilei. He pioneered the revolution in science before he died in the 17th century. Our Engineer today lacks interest to know him and all his precursors! History tells us that it is that primary phase which provided ground for the emergence of modern engineering (Industrial Revolution) about 200 years ago. During that period, a complex device was constructed that produced mechanical motion using boiling water, hence it captured the old meaning of ingenuity and bore the name “engine”. That device came to be called the “steam engine”.

So, is it not shame that our Engineer today is filled with sarcasm about the need for understanding the past and its contributors?

 

[Mzuvendi]

My English is raw, so bear with me.

After reading various posts here I came to realize that TANU wasn't actually a nationalist party. It was rather a conglomeration of various interest groups. I might be wrong, however from the outset of TANU's formation, there was TAA which drew its members from urbanite Muslims and few urbanite Christians. Then, there were tribal parties in Northern Tanzania: the waChagga and the waPare.

Besides these indigenous interest groups, there were foreign sponsors. For example, there were white missionaries who sponsored Nyerere's trips to U.N and also Karimjee whose various donations to our nation are well documented.

Now, I am very curious to know the contribution of other Tanzanians. It seems to me that some Tanzanians make history through association, and they don't really try to tell or at least know their own contributions. Don't get me wrong, but I think if you are a Christian from other places you shouldn't point out the success of waChagga or waPare as your own because they didn't fight or advance their interests on religious platform. Likewise, TAA wasn't the movement of all Muslims because there was a number of prominent Christians there. As a matter of facts many Muslims especially in rural areas didn't know the existence of the political party.

Again I might be completely wrong, but it would be very interesting to know the contribution of others too. Don't you like to know what waHaya did? I bet you do. Don't you want to know what waSukuma did? I guess you do. The problem of our modern history is to try to paint that our struggles were between blacks and whites. This portrayal of history isn't entire correct. I believe our struggles, if there were any, should in one way or another reflect our communal lives we had before.

 

[Jasusi]

Mzuvendi,
Your English is very good. If I were a teacher I would have given you 98%.

 

[Mzuvendi]

Mzuvendi,
Your English is very good. If I were a teacher I would have given you 98%.

Thanks Jasusi, but I should admit that it took me almost an hour to write that piece. LOL.

 

[bangusule]

Mzuvendi,
its is important to note that the British colonial rule was based on "divide and rule" method. they used whatever traditional leadership that was at a particular place to advance their INTEREST. in the Chagga areas they used the Mangis, with the Pares they used the Wafumwas etc.

also if you look at the case of these two dominant communities in Kilimanjaro, the Chaggas were not disturbed in their coffee growing not because the British liked it, but by the time the Brits got to the Chaggaland coffee growing was already at an advanced stage and it would not have been easy to kick the Chaggas out of their land. On the otherside the British wanted the Pares to grow Cotton instead of Coffee so there was a time when Colonial agents were uprooting Coffee trees in Pareland. In lowland Pare the British wanted to establish Sisal plantations so they were a lot of problems with the natives because of land shortage or water use for irrigation.

with that background you can see the effects of British Colonial rule in Pareland was from that in Chagaland. i believe we can make the same conclusion in other communities in Tanganyika.

I might be wrong, but I think as time went by the Pares became frustrated in realizing that their social and economic aspirations could not be advanced if the British continued to rule Tanganyika. I am making that assertion because at first the Pares were duped into believing that the Wafumwas could defend the interests of the people before the British colonists. The Mbiru protest was an expression of the frustrations in the failure of the Wafumwas to stand for the peoples interest. The protesters decided/attempted to bypass the Wafumwas and directly engage the British colonial administration.

I think events after the Mbiru protest drove the Pares into concluding that "divide and rule" was not working and their social and economic aspirations could not be advanced with the British rule in place.

I might be wrong, but i believe that is how and why the Wapare joined TANU and the rest of Tanganyika in the stuggle for Independence.

we should also not underestimate the power of TANU'S message of UNITY, DIGNITY, EQUALITY, and JUSTICE for all Tanganyikans.

 

[Obe]

Naungana na wengi wanaoamini kuwa Nyerere alitaka historia ya Tanzania imuimbe yeye peke yake, kuna watu wengi katika kanda tangabyika waliofanya makubwa, toka kanda ya ziwa hadi Kaskazini. Ninaweza nisiwataje wengi lakini majina kama Bomani kwa huku kanda ya ziwa yana maana kubwa sana kwa historia ya nchi yetu


USIMPE MTU UBAYA BILA KUMSIKILIZA

 

[Jasusi]

Naungana na wengi wanaoamini kuwa Nyerere alitaka historia ya Tanzania imuimbe yeye peke yake, kuna watu wengi katika kanda tangabyika waliofanya makubwa, toka kanda ya ziwa hadi Kaskazini. Ninaweza nisiwataje wengi lakini majina kama Bomani kwa huku kanda ya ziwa yana maana kubwa sana kwa historia ya nchi yetu


USIMPE MTU UBAYA BILA KUMSIKILIZA

Toa ushahidi. Si kupayuka tu. Ni wapi Nyerere alijiandikia historia yake mwenyewe?

 

[Mzuvendi]

Mzuvendi,
its is important to note that the British colonial rule was based on "divide and rule" method. they used whatever traditional leadership that was at a particular place to advance their INTEREST. in the Chagga areas they used the Mangis, with the Pares they used the Wafumwas etc.

also if you look at the case of these two dominant communities in Kilimanjaro, the Chaggas were not disturbed in their coffee growing not because the British liked it, but by the time the Brits got to the Chaggaland coffee growing was already at an advanced stage and it would not have been easy to kick the Chaggas out of their land. On the otherside the British wanted the Pares to grow Cotton instead of Coffee so there was a time when Colonial agents were uprooting Coffee trees in Pareland. In lowland Pare the British wanted to establish Sisal plantations so they were a lot of problems with the natives because of land shortage or water use for irrigation.

with that background you can see the effects of British Colonial rule in Pareland was from that in Chagaland. i believe we can make the same conclusion in other communities in Tanganyika.

I might be wrong, but I think as time went by the Pares became frustrated in realizing that their social and economic aspirations could not be advanced if the British continued to rule Tanganyika. I am making that assertion because at first the Pares were duped into believing that the Wafumwas could defend the interests of the people before the British colonists. The Mbiru protest was an expression of the frustrations in the failure of the Wafumwas to stand for the peoples interest. The protesters decided/attempted to bypass the Wafumwas and directly engage the British colonial administration.

I think events after the Mbiru protest drove the Pares into concluding that "divide and rule" was not working and their social and economic aspirations could not be advanced with the British rule in place.

I might be wrong, but i believe that is how and why the Wapare joined TANU and the rest of Tanganyika in the stuggle for Independence.

we should also not underestimate the power of TANU'S message of UNITY, DIGNITY, EQUALITY, and JUSTICE for all Tanganyikans.

Bangusule,
First I would like to applaud your efforts that have enlightened me and may be others in a very positive way. I started school in late 70s, and the history I learned back then wasn’t that deep. And there was a time I thought that the period between Majimaji uprising and 1954 when TANU was launched may be we calmly accepted our fate that colonists would rule the country unopposed. I know TAA started long time ago, however in our school text books TAA is characterized as Chama Cha Starehe. Communal struggles, apart from Arumeru, are hardly mentioned in our text books. In fact this is my first time I hear that WaChagga and Wapare had their own political parties or grassroots organizations too.

Many Tanzanians know a thing about Maumau. However Maumau was a tribal rather than a national movement. If a Tanzanian can freely learn and talk about this Kikuyu’s uprising, he should also make the effort to learn the history of different people in his own country. I believe any tribal or communal movement that has helped to redefine the social landscape of our country should be part of our national treasure.

I agree with you when you say: we should also not underestimate the power of TANU'S message of UNITY, DIGNITY, EQUALITY, and JUSTICE for all Tanganyikans. However, it’s easy to say or put out slogans than really follow them. You cannot force somebody to respect you if you try to monopolize everything. And this is the situation we are in right now.

 

[Kilasara]

I have noted that in Communist countries, unless a fellow sang their song, he was excluded from their history. Someone has also said that capitalist countries do the same.

What I believe JF should espouse is to record all important contributors. I believe in a democratic environment, contributors will be those who initiate ideas or projects as well as those who criticise the ideas, so that the final compromise is implemented. That is why my English teacher who said 'HISTORY IS MADE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY WRITTEN' is the one I follow.

Now I would like to suggest that it is not only politicians who make public speeches and/or go to Parliament who make history. There are many more other people who have made contribution to the development or non-development of Tanzania and I want to mention those who come to my mind:

Geoffrey V. Mmari who as Vice Chacellor led the University of Dar es Salaam, Sokoine University of Agriculture and finally the Open University of Tanzania. I know him as a humble, hardworking and committed patriot and must have the accolade. In this group of Geoffrey, must be added the name of Wilbert Chagulla who precceded him on the Hill, when the University College of Dar es Salaam together with Makerere and Nairobi University colleges formed the University of East Africa.

The other person I knew personally was Augustine Saidi, who was the first Mwananchi Chief Justice and Head of the Tanzania Judiciary. Unfortunately he died early and was, of course, succeeded by Francis Nyalali of the Multi-Party Commission Report fame.

Then I come to the Civil Service: Dunstan A. Omari was the First Mwananchi to be a District Commissioner in colonial Tanganyika and rose to be the Permanent Secretary to President Nyerere and Head of the Civil Service. He was succeeded by Joseph Namata, whom I gather passed away only early last week (May his soul rest in eternal peace). After Ikulu in Dar es SAlaam, Omari went to Nairobi to take over as Secretary General of the East African Common Services Organization which was tranformed into the East African Community (Phase I). Joseph Namata was succeeded by Dickson Nkembo; followed by Timothy Apiyo, then Paul John Rupia. I know Lumbanga followed and finally we have Phillemon Luhanjo of the J.K. era as Head of the Civil Service. These are Tanzanians who moved and made governments tick behind the scenes.

Someone in the JF has suggested that we can access the list of successive Governors of the Bank of Tanzania on the internet. These are the leaders of the financial sector who must have played their part, positively or negatively, in the evolution of our economy in the post-Uhuru era. They should be included even if they were not politicians.

 

[Jasusi]

Bangusule,
First I would like to applaud your efforts that have enlightened me and may be others in a very positive way. I started school in late 70s, and the history I learned back then wasn’t that deep. And there was a time I thought that the period between Majimaji uprising and 1954 when TANU was launched may be we calmly accepted our fate that colonists would rule the country unopposed. I know TAA started long time ago, however in our school text books TAA is characterized as Chama Cha Starehe. Communal struggles, apart from Arumeru, are hardly mentioned in our text books. In fact this is my first time I hear that WaChagga and Wapare had their own political parties or grassroots organizations too.

Many Tanzanians know a thing about Maumau. However Maumau was a tribal rather than a national movement. If a Tanzanian can freely learn and talk about this Kikuyu’s uprising, he should also make the effort to learn the history of different people in his own country. I believe any tribal or communal movement that has helped to redefine the social landscape of our country should be part of our national treasure.

I agree with you when you say: we should also not underestimate the power of TANU'S message of UNITY, DIGNITY, EQUALITY, and JUSTICE for all Tanganyikans. However, it’s easy to say or put out slogans than really follow them. You cannot force somebody to respect you if you try to monopolize everything. And this is the situation we are in right now.

Mzuvendi,
I think it was Bangusule who suggested the book "The history of Tanganyika." I am trying to get the book though it is a bit expensive at $95. I have perused it on the internet and it has all pertinent info on Tanganyika from 1800-1961. The author did a thorough job and I would recommend it to anyone who can afford it.

 

[X-PASTER]

Remember... Citizens create History, Politicians take cover...

Always politician change the history to suit them...!