Global Voices » Tanzania

Africa: Calls for Transparency Over Marked Increase in Land Deals

Lova Rakotomalala — Wed, 02 May 2012 11:25:59 +0000

An international coalition of researchers and NGOs have released the world's largest public database of international land deals, reports the Global Development blog of The Guardian's (UK). This marks an important milestone in highlighting a developmental issue that has received little attention in the international news cycle.

The report states that almost 5% of Africa's agricultural land has been bought or leased by investors since 2000, and emphasizes the fact that this is not a new issue, yet points out that the number of such land deals has increased tremendously in the past five years.

Many observers are increasingly worried that these land deals usually take place in the world's poorest countries and that they impact its most vulnerable population, the farmers. The benefits seldom go to the general population, partially because of a lack of transparency in the proceedings of the transactions.

An additional report by Global Witness, entitled Dealing with Disclosure, emphasizes the dire need for transparency in the making of land deals.

World's poorest nations targeted

The Global Witness report lists that 754 land deals have been identified, involving the majority of African countries for about 56.2 million hectares.

Target countries of land deals from the Land Matrix Project

The nations targeted are usually some of the poorest in the world. The countries with the most deals in place are Mozambique (92 deals), Ethiopia (83), Tanzania (58) and Madagascar (39). Some of those deals have made headlines because they were conducted to ensure control over food imports, when the targeted regions faced major food crises.

The NGO GRAIN has already explained in detail the gist of their concerns in an extensive report released in 2008:

Today’s food and financial crises have, in tandem, triggered a new global land grab. On the one hand, “food insecure” governments that rely on imports to feed their people are snatching up vast areas of farmland abroad for their own offshore food production. On the other hand, food corporations and private investors, hungry for profits in the midst of the deepening financial crisis, see investment in foreign farmland as an important new source of revenue. As a result, fertile agricultural land is becoming increasingly privatised and concentrated. If left unchecked, this global land grab could spell the end of small-scale farming, and rural livelihoods, in numerous places around the world.

In Malawi, land deals have grown increasingly prevalent to the detriment of the local farmers. A report from Bangula explains the challenges faced by Malawian farmers, Dorothy Dyton and her family:

Like most smallholder farmers in Malawi, they did not have a title deed for the land Dyton was born on, and in 2009 she and about 2,000 other subsistence farmers from the area were informed by their local chief that the land had been sold and they could no longer cultivate there. […] Since that time, said Dyton, “life has been very hard on us.” With a game reserve on one side of the community and the Shire river and Mozambique border on the other, there is no other available land for them to farm and the family now ekes out a living selling firewood they gather from the nearby forest.

Land construction in Madagascar. Photo by Foko Madagascar, used with the author's authorization

Farmers in Madagascar share similar concerns because they do not own the rights to the land they farm and an effective land reform is yet to be implemented. The Malagasy association Terres Malgaches has been at the forefront of land protection for the local population. They report that [fr]:

Les familles malgaches ne possèdent pas de document foncier pour sécuriser leurs terres contre les accaparements de toutes sortes. En effet, depuis la colonisation, l’obtention de titres fonciers auprès de l’un des 33 services des domaines d’un pays de 589 000 km2 nécessite 24 étapes, 6 ans en moyenne et jusqu’à 500 dollars US. (..) . Face aux convoitises et accaparements dont les terres malgaches font l’objet actuellement, seule la possession d’un titre ou d’un certificat foncier, seuls documents juridiques reconnus, permet d’entreprendre des actions en justice en cas de conflit.

Malagasy families do not usually own an estate property document that enable them to secure their lands against land grab. In fact, since colonial times, one has needed about 24 steps, 6 years and up to 500 US dollars to get such documents. There are merely around 33 agencies in the country that deliver such documents for a country that is 589,000 kilometres square […] In the face of the increasing land grabs that Malagasy land is currently at risk of, this certificate is the only document that can trigger legal action in case of conflict.

The association also reports on the practices of a mining company Sheritt, in Ambatovy, which have created a buzz in the local blogosphere because of environmental concerns for the local population and business malpractices (via MiningWatch Canada):

Sherritt International’s Ambatovy project in eastern Madagascar – costing $5.5 billion to build and scheduled to begin full production this month – will comprise a number of open pit mines (..) it will close in 29 years. There are already many concerns about the mine from the thousands of local people near the facilities. They say that their fields are destroyed ; the water is dirty ; the fish in the river are dead and there have been landslides near their village. During testing of the new plant, there have been at least four separate leaks of sulphur dioxide from the hydro-metallurgical facility which villagers say have killed at least two adults and two babies and sickened at least 50 more people. In January, laid-off construction workers from Ambatovy began a wildcat strike, arguing that the jobs they were promised when construction ended have not materialized. The people in nearby cities like Moramanga say that their daughters are increasingly engaged in prostitution.

Video of a worker's testimony in Ambatovy.

Solutions for the local population?

The plight of Madagascar's farmers' plight may be slowly changing though. Land reform discussions are in progress, according to this report:

According to a paper presented at the 2011 International Conference on Global Land Grabbing, about 50 agribusiness projects were announced between 2005 and 2010, about 30 of which are still active, covering a total land area of about 150,000 ha. Projects include plantations to produce sugar cane, cassava and jatropha-based biofuel.
To prevent the negative impacts of land grabbing, (The NGO) EFA has set up social models for investors, with funding from the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The goal is to help investors negotiate with the people in the area where they want to implement projects, as a way to prevent future problems.

Joachim Von Braun, formerly of the International Food Policy Insitute (IFPRI), wrote the following regarding land deals:

It is in the long-run interest of investors, host governments, and the local people involved to ensure that these arrangements are properly negotiated, practices are sustainable, and benefits are shared. Because of the transnational nature of such arrangements, no single institutional mechanism will ensure this outcome. Rather, a combination of international law, government policies, and the involvement of civil society, the media, and local communities is needed to minimize the threats and realize the benefits.

The need for transparency in land deals is further emphasized by Megan MacInnes, Senior Land Campaigner at Global Witness:

Far too many people are being kept in the dark about massive land deals that could destroy their homes and livelihoods. That this needs to change is well understood, but how to change it is not. For the first time, this report (Dealing with Disclosure) sets out in detail what tools governments, companies and citizens can harness to remove the shroud of secrecy that surrounds land acquisition. It takes lessons from efforts to improve transparency in other sectors and looks at what is likely to work for land. Companies should have to prove they are doing no harm, rather than communities with little information or power having to prove that a land deal is negatively affecting them.

Tanzania: Farewell to a Film Star

J. Nambiza Tungaraza — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:33:36 +0000

Tanzania bid farewell to one of its most popular film stars, Steven Kanumba, with an emotionally-charged funeral on 11 April, 2012. He died early on Saturday morning, aged 28, after an altercation with his girlfriend Elizabeth ‘Lulu’ Michael.

That more than 30,000 people including Tanzania’s Vice President Mohamed Gharib Bilal, Tanzania’s First Lady Mama Salma Kikwete, other senior government officials, artists and people from all walks of life gathered to pay their last respects at the capital Dar Es Salaam's Leader’s Club, is a testimony to Kanumba's immense popularity at such an early age and to his contribution to Tanzania’s film industry (popularly known as Bongo Movies).

More than 30,000 people gathered to pay their last respects. Photo courtesy of @BongoCelebrity.

Some mourners took photos and tweeted live as people grieved, fainted [sw] and demanded to carry the coffin of the much-loved iconic actor to the cemetery.

@BongoCelebrity tweeted [sw]:

@BongoCelebrity: Wananchi wanaimba kwa nguvu wakisema wanataka wamshushe kwenye gari wambebe wenyewe!

@BongoCelebrity: People are chanting heartily saying they want to take him from the car and carry him themselves!

News of Kanumba’s death broke out on early Saturday morning via social media. Blogger Pretty Sintah wrote [sw]:

Dear Wadauzz
nasikitika kutangaza kifo cha Steven kanumba ambaye amefariki leo saa saba ya usiku,maiti ipo Muhimbili hospital.
chanzo cha kifo,inasemekana Lulu na Kanumba were dating secretly,na walikuwa pamoja wakati wa kifo chake,Lulu alimsukuma Kanumba wakiwa katika ugomvi na kanumba akadondoka na kutoa damu na ndipo mauti ilimshika
kwa sasa Lulu yupo Osterbay police.
nitawaletea more updates
ila tusimlaumu Lulu kwani ugomvi katika mapenzi unatokea.
Angalizo
uki comment naomba ujue nilikuwepo eneo la tukio kuanzia Home kupeleka maiti hosp na kurudi kwake Sinza,kwa ujumla sijalala,
ni hilo tuu

Dear people,
I am saddened to inform you of the death of Steven Kanumba who died at one o'clock in the morning, his body is at the Muhimbili hospital.
Cause of death, it is alleged that Lulu [his girlfriend] and Kanumba were dating secretly, and were together when he died, Lulu pushed Kanumba when they were arguing and Kanumba fell, bled and met his death.
Now Lulu is at Oysterbay police station.
I will bring you more updates
But let us not blame Lulu because sometimes arguments arise in a relationship
NB:
When you write a comment know that I was at the scene, from his home and when we took his body to the hospital and back to his house in Sinza. I have not slept.
That is all

Much has been written about the death of Steven Kanumba and the alleged role that his girlfriend Lulu played, but probably one comment on Pretty Sintah’s blog sums up [sw] the mood on social media regarding this tragedy:

It’s so painful to lose you our Hero and the only existed Steven Kanumba ‘the great'. Tanzanians gonna really miss you our best friend. Am sending my condolence to your lovely mom, your young bro, your family members, our bongo movie friends and the entire TZ community.
Its not good to judge anyone on this issue, only God can judge a person, Imagine if you are the one judged by everyone as what is happening to lulu now!! I am very sure that Lulu was not intending to do any bad thing to Kanumba, and am also sure that Lulu was not involved in this matter in any way, may be there was something else concerning Kanumba's health, but let us wait for the Doctors and Lawyers to play their part.
R.I.P our beloved Kanumba. It’s a high time for our guys like Vincent Kigosi and others to go on with this good thing Kanumba started; we still have good actors and actresses who can take us to the next level. I really believe in you Ray.

Wavuti has a curated commentary from social media [sw] including Kanumba’s [sw] last tweets as well as tweets by his fans after his death.

Tanzania: Community Mapping and Open Development

Ndesanjo Macha — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:21:20 +0000

Learn about community mapping and open development in Tanzania: “With facilitation from Ground Truth, the creators of Map Kibera, students from Ardhi University’s School of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP) and residents of Tandale spent much of August using GPS units to collect a wide range of public data points, from school and public toilets to health clinics and trash dumps.”

Tanzania: Support Operation 365

Ndesanjo Macha — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:53:36 +0000

Be part of Operation 365, a project idea from Marisa Ranieri who is taking her first post-graduate job as a high school teacher in Tanzania: “To defray some of the financial stress on my part, my hope is to have 365 different friends and family members donate $10 towards the cost of my program – one for each and every day I’m abroad…As a tribute to your financial support and as a public thank you, I'll dedicate one of my daily posts to you for each $10 you donate.”

Africa: Vote for the Most Influential African Thinker Alive

Ndesanjo Macha — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:38:30 +0000

Who is the most influential African thinker alive? Africa is a Country blog wants readers to vote for one influential African thinker from a list of 12 candidates.

Sean Jacobs writes about the origin of the idea:

At the end of 2011 we contemplated asking you, dear reader, who you think was the most influential African thinker alive. We abandoned the idea for a while because of our thing against lists (except our end of year lists, of course). I got the initial idea from the British blog, Left Foot Forward, which had run a contest to determine “the most influential leftwing thinker of the year 2010/11.”

He explains how they came up with the list of candidates:

So here we are. To start things of, we came up with a list of candidates we canvassed internally. Not everyone will be happy with the list, but we tried thinking of a range of intellectuals representing different parts of the continent, not just from one country. As South African writer Zakes Mda recently tweeted: “Zimbabwe compares only with Nigeria in the per capita production of African intellectuals (scholars, writers, scientists, economists etc.)” In fact, an earlier draft of the List was heavily South African and Egyptian. (That draft was not supposed to be up and one reader responded in kind. It’s been corrected.)

We confess this list is subjective and that is why we have a second round where your suggestions will make up the choices.

Others wanted to know why we’re not including people on twitter: Our response is that we are not sure 140 characters make you “an intellectual.” A lot of stuff on twitter, including our own tweets, is half-baked and amounts to what Americans call “carnival barking” (in the service of traffic or attracting followers), so it is better to leave that alone.

African thinkers. Image courtesy of http://africasacountry.com/.

The polls will be open until 5 March, 2012:

Once polls close, we will arrive at a shortlist of five. Then it gets interesting: We will have a second, separate round of voting based on your recommendations. That is while you vote in round one, we’ll compile a list of ten names from your suggestions in the comment section, on our facebook page and on Twitter. Candidates who are already on the first list, won’t be included on the second. A second vote/poll will proceed and we’ll announce the result. We will then combine the top five vote takers from the second list with the top five vote takers from the first list. There will then be a third and final round of voting based on the new combined list that will take one week. After that we will announce the overall winner.

The candidates are: Samir Amin, academic, activist (Senegal/Egypt), Jean and John Comaroff, academics (South Africa/United States), Chinua Achebe, writer (Nigeria), Mahmood Mamdani, academic (Uganda), Mamdouh Habashi, academic, politician (Egypt), Kwame Anthony Appiah, academic, philosopher (Ghana/United States), Achille Mbembe, academic (Cameroon/South Africa), J M Coetzee, writer (South Africa/Australia), Issa Shivji, academic (Tanzania), Nawal el Saadawi, writer and activist (Egypt), Wole Soyinka, writer, activist (Nigeria) and Virginie Toure, activist (Cote d'Ivoire).

Africa is a Country is a group blog:

The media blog that is not about famine, Bono, or Barack Obama. For that, go to Newsweek. Frequent contributors are media expert Brett Davidson; academics Sean Jacobs (he started AIAC), Neelika Jayawardane, Kathryn Mathers, Marissa Moorman, Lily Saint, Melissa Levin and Dan Moshenberg; writer and health advocate Caitlin L. Chandler; filmmaker Dylan Valley; writer and academic Abdourahman Waberi; and graduate students Boima Tucker, Anni Lyngskaer, Sophia Azeb, Tom Devriendt, Loren Lynch, curator and filmmaker Basia Lewandowska Cummings, writer and journalist Elliot Ross, writer Orlando Reade; Hinda Talhaoui; and Mikko Kapanen.

Go here to vote for the most influential African alive.

Africa: Do You Need a Handbook For Bush Flying?

Ndesanjo Macha — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:25:54 +0000

“Low timer pilots handbook to bush flying?,” Bush Pilot in Swakopund asks: “I was wondering if any of you would be interested in an e-book that has all the information about the where's, how's and what's of the job hunt in Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania (and also some other information I have).

Global Voices in French: Translators' Choice 2011

Marvin Vann — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:10:03 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage 2011 on Global Voices.

With now more than 500 volunteer authors and translators, Global Voices is a unique global media network that keeps track of current events via social media conversation. Global Voices in French [fr] is one of the 20-plus sites of the Lingua translation project, and one of the most read Global Voices Lingua websites.

Since early 2007, when the French site launched, nearly 200 volunteers [fr] have translated or continue to translate articles and posts from various languages into French, every day. Our “family” lives on every continent: Francophonia is truly worldwide!

Global Voices French logo

In 2011, French-speaking translators carried out the challenging task of covering the many historic revolutions and uprisings throughout the world for the Francophone world by translating hundreds of blogsposts (with our co-editor, our Suzanne Lehn, on the front line!).

But, like our friends the Spanish translators at Global Voices in Spanish [es], when we asked volunteers what translations struck them most in 2011, “The Arab Spring” was not their automatic response. (Global Voices has been following and translating bloggers from the Arab world since 2004.)

Our translators' picks for 2011 demonstrate how much they approve of the Global Voices philosophy: shining light on countries, places, people, ignored by traditional media (for now, at least).

From left to right, upper row: Samantha, Abdoulaye, Fabienne, Ange, Lou. Lower row: François-Xavier, Noële, Gaël, Thalia, Stéphanie. Greetings and thanks to everyone involved!

Abdoulaye Bah, a Guinean United Nations retiree living in Rome, naturally pays particular attention to Africa:

I really liked translating the post about the mayoral opposition win in Mozambique. That victory teaches how it's possible to win elections in an African country, without fraud by those in power and without spending large sums of money.

Noële Belluard-Blondel, a professional translator living in France, was the first to refuse to choose only one translation:

My last translation in 2011 made me daydream…. ‘USA: Has NASA Discovered a Life-Friendly Planet?‘ I love astronomy, and space travel fascinates me. These are today's exploratory expeditions, and we're only at the beginning. I find that fascinating, gripping! I must say two other subjects struck me: ‘Bangladesh: A Bold Protest Against Dowry.' The courage of some women makes you wonder. It made me wonder. And China: ‘Do You Have Memories From Before You Were Kidnapped?‘ In this case, I was moved by the life of these women. A disturbing topic, deeply moving.

Fabienne Der Hagopian, who lives in Normandy, makes it a principle to translate what she most likes to read:

There is a lively diversity in our tastes and interests, which means that almost all the posts published in Global Voices in English get translated into French. In 2011, the posts that most struck me were those concerning the women of Yemen and their courage, such as this one on revolutionary women. It's sad that the traditional media don't talk about this more. It reminds me of [French singer] Daniel Balavoine's song, ‘Revolucion.'

Teacher Ange Pambou's pick illustrates the diversity of topics covered by Global Voices:

For 2011, my favorites are: the blogpost about the “Bidun” in Koweit (I was unaware of both the term and the phenomenon), another on homosexuality in Ghana (which, in addition to demonstrating the difficulties of being homosexual in Africa, deconstructs rather methodically the arguments generally advanced against homosexuality), the letter by a young Chinese woman to the Norwegian killer after the massacres in Norway, the gripping testimony of a “nuclear gypsy” in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, a post about the prohibition of water fights in Tehran last summer, and finally, — without a doubt, my favorite among favorites — an astonishing post about the daily life of a blind person who happens also to be a film critic.

Stéphanie Camus, who runs an e-commerce site, takes the time to “listen to the world” by translating:

I think it was my translation of the anniversary of the Sabra and Chatila massacre that had the greatest impact on me. I had just watched the film, ‘Waltz with Bashir.' The full meaning of “We must never forget,” becomes clear when one observes such an event, I find. It's the account of a horrific episode in a long war that symbolises, in my view, the horror and absurdity of all armed conflicts, whatever form it takes…

Lou F., currently studying in the United Kingdom, is a fan of world languages and met interesting people while translating:

In 2011, I loved translating the profile of Julie Kertesz, because she is one of those people one would like to come across more often: passionate, active, and above all, very human. I also really liked the article on the Welsh-language blogosphere. Global Voices allows us to discover voices from throughout the world, and I think it's great that regional languages are now joining the international choir!

Samy Boutayeb, our specialist on net freedom and the free software culture, refuses to choose:

As far as I'm concerned, it's impossible to make a choice, because I loved not only reading but also translating *all* the posts I translated.

Tahlia Rahme, who works for the Global Road Safety Partnership with the International Federation of the Red Cross in Beirut, Lebanon, is addicted to our short “updates”:

Once I got started translating those, I found it difficult to stop. This year I tried to translate every update about the Middle East. I considered it my duty somehow to familiarize the rest of the world, especially the French-speaking world, with the Middle East and its news, and above all to help change its image and the prejudices attached to it.

François-Xavier Ada Afana is a young, enthusiastic translator from Cameroon who is studying in Cyprus:

The post I most enjoyed reading and translating, by far, was the one about Independence Day in Tanzania: A good overview of the situation in the country.

Gaël Brassac lives in South-East France but will soon move to Japan, and opted to go with a “Top 3″ format:

1. ‘Global: Bloggers Take Issue With Anti-Niqaab Punditry,' because this article is a model of sort to expose ethnocentric self-righteousness, feminist extremism, and religious intolerance. 2. ‘China: Reflecting on 100 Years Since the Xinhai Revolution,' because I love history and China, so putting the two together could only please me! 3. ‘Mozambique: Behind the Detention of MC Azagaia,' because this is the kind of articles that makes me love Global Voices, covering countries never talked about in the traditional media.

Samantha Deman began translating for Global Voices while she was living in Singapore and offers a nice panoramic view of her years with Global Voices.

I choose my very first translation, published in 2008: ‘Humanitarian Crisis in South Philippines,' simply because it represents the beginning of my adventure with Global Voices. I like the idea of being able to inform others about what's happening in the remotest, often forgotten locales, thus helping weave ties between people living in the four corners of the world.

This post is part of our special coverage 2011 on Global Voices.

Africa: Startups in Africa 2011 and Beyond

Ndesanjo Macha — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:50:11 +0000

Erik believes that 2011 was a great year for startups in Africa: “The past few years have been about building an infrastructure that improves the chances of the technology startups in Africa to succeed. Seeing this buildout in action in 2011 was exciting, but it should be recognized for what it really was: a setup for 2012 and beyond.”

Tanzania: Dar Youth Mobilise Online to Assist Flood Victims

J. Nambiza Tungaraza — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:57:56 +0000

Dar es Salaam’s young social media users are mobilising volunteers to assist in relief efforts following the floods that inundated vast areas of Dar es Salaam causing deaths and damage to infrastructure. Using the hashtag #Darfloods, Twitter users have been in the forefront informing the public and mobilising relief efforts.

The floods were unleashed by heavy rains that poured continuously for two days caused at least 13 deaths and huge damage to infrastructure. Floods inundated office buildings and residential areas leaving hundreds of people homeless. According to Daily News, Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) said these are the heaviest rains Tanzania has experienced in 57 years.

Dar es Salaam youths rescuing children. Photo courtesy of http://issamichuzi.blogspot.com/.

In the past three days, bloggers and social network users used the social media platforms to send their condolences as well as important updates.

Altaz Premji wrote:

@altazpremji: step in right direction RT @ihelptz: All willing to lend a helping hand in the #DarFloods response can reach out at +255 222181117

Amor Mtage posted a contact number for those who would like to volunteer their time to help the victims:

@AmorMtage: The chairperson UN youth association can be reached thru 0718104565 for anyone hu wants to contribute or volunteer #darfloods

Bongo 5 Media Group posted the locations of emergency relief centres:

@bongofive: Vituo vya waathirika wa #DarFloods ni Sekondari za Azania, Msimbazi, Mchikichini, Kibasila, Mzambaraoni. Sh. msingi Mchikichini, Muhimbili

@bongofive: Relief centres for #Darfloods are Azania, Msimbazi, Mchikichini, Kibasila, Mzambaraoni secondary schools. Mchikichini and Muhimbili primary schools

So far due to ordinary people’s efforts thousands of victims are receiving assistance. Luca in Dar Es Salaam writes:

@simplyluca: We hv seen over 3000 #DarFloods victims, efforts continue kesho (tomorrow)and thereafter. This is real..not for PR! They need help now, acheni majungu (stop witch-hunting)

Acknowledging that more needs to be done at the relief centres, Lusajo L.M tweeted:

@sajjo: @DarFloods kindly concentrate on coordinating relief efforts and disseminating information about #DarFloods leave Politics to Politicians.

President Jakaya Kikwete’s Twitter account (@jmkikwete) posted the following message:

@jmkikwete: @DJ_KIMZ The government is doing it's part.TPDF [Tanzania Peoples' Defence Force] has been working for the past two days to help victims,hand in hand with other stakeholders.

And Singida Member of Parliament Mohammed Dewji posted a statement from the president on his blog:

Nimepokea kwa masikitiko habari za vifo vya wenzetu 13 vilivyotokana na mafuriko yaliyosababishwa na mvua kubwa ambayo sote tumeishuhudia katika mkoa wa Dar Es Salaam tokea jana.

I am saddened by the news of 13 deaths due to the floods caused by heavy rains in Dar Es Salaam since yesterday.

While massive rescue efforts continued, several bloggers in Dar Es Salaam including Issa Michuzi and Bongo5 posted photos showing the severity of the floods.

Dar Es Salaam based tweeps, Rakesh Rajani and Mikie Mckee, explained the extent of flooding in some office buildings:

@rakeshrajani: #Twaweza Dar closed until further notice due to severe flooding (chest high inside the office!). Extensive damage, will take days to fix

@MikieMckee: Diplomatic offices and international organization Including UN Tanzania, Swiss Embassy, Twaweza, India Embassy zimejaa majii #DarFloods

Other tweeps posted much needed real time status of roads using #Darfloods hashtag. EATV 5 twitter account @Number1youthchannel tweeted:

@Number1youthchannel: Lugalo /Tangi Bovu Bridge collapses. NO cars allowed to PASS over it. Picture Courtesy of Jimmy Blanks.

Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete visited the affected areas showing his government's commitment in leading the relief efforts.

Tanzania: Blogging and Tweeting Tanzania@50

Ndesanjo Macha — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:48:44 +0000

The 9 December, 2011, is a big day for Tanzanians as the mainland part of the United Republic of Tanzania, Tanganyika, turns 50. Online, bloggers and tweeps are celebrating and reflecting on the future of Tanzania.

The Dar es Salaam Bloggers' Circle urged bloggers to mark this event by a blog post on December 9:

The rules are simple:
Write a blog post based on the topic.
Hashtag it on Twitter #DarBlogCircle and ##Tanzania50.
Share it here: http://www.facebook.com/DarBlogCircle

Misternv shares excerpts taken from a letter written by Mwalimu Nyerere to his ministers and party officials in 1964:

Official logo for Tanzania at 50. Image source: the government of Tanzania.

Do they [ordinary citizens] really love being shouted at to get off the road because the President, a minister or a regional commissioner is taking an afternoon drive? (…) Do they really feel a surge of pride and patriotism every time they are expected to stop what they are doing and stand at attention just become some newly-appointed official whom they many not even have seen before is being serenaded with the national anthem? (…) Dignity does not need pomposity to uphold it: and pomposity in all its forms is wrong. Even if it were proved that the people really enjoyed it – which I very much doubt- it would still be a wrong; and it would still be our duty to put a stop to it and to tell the people that what they had learned to enjoy was wrong. (…)

After pointing out a few things that Tanzania could do better, David Mugo who lived in Tanzania for 18 months, finishes his post by saying:

In conclusion, I still think Tanzania is still one of the greatest countries I have been to in Africa. The people are definitely the best. Happy independence day, reflect on what independence you have, what it means to you, to this generation and future generations. I challenge young people to view things beyond the eyes of our aging leaders. Congratulations again. Long live Tanzania and its people.

Tanzanian activist and blogger, Ashura, wonders, “Where are we at 50?”:

In the Arusha Declaration of 1967 by Mwalimu Nyerere he stated ‘Independence means self-reliance. Independence cannot be real if a nation depends on gifts and loans from another for its development…’ lets ask ourselves today does Tanganyika not depend on gifts and loans for her development? The answer is yes that is why most of the land is sold to foreign company while leaving Tanzanians with neither land nor compensation. Our government thinks our development will be brought by foreigners in exclusion of Tanzanians, according to Mwalimu Nyerere we cannot depend on foreign company and act as we please! Its fifty years since Tanganyika got its independence on the 09th of December 1961 the country is almost regress and not progressing at all. In 1967, £ 1 was worth Tsh. 16.6 today £1 is worth 2650+ this has bad meaning as far as the economy is concerned.

Mwalimu Nyerere celebrating independence. Photo shared on Tanzania-Have-Your-Say Facebook page.

In celebrating 50 years of independence, The Wayward Press writes:

Right now, our country finds itself at a moment of transition and great uncertainty. Our politics lacks a sense of direction or grand ideological vision anchoring us forward. Our leaders seem to be making it up as they go along. Our knowledge of our history is fragmented and rooted in skewed nostalgic visions of the past. Our cultural identity is confused, informed more by foreign forms than any sense of a local aesthetic. To be a contemporary Tanzanian at the moment is to be a person of great potential unclear about what the future holds for him.

The Creatively Maladjusted looks at blogging and social media in Tanzania at 50:

In a country such as Tanzania where media coverage is likely censored or at the very least is inconsistent / unreliable, blogging (and social media generally) open up a whole new world of opportunities. “Social media can give Tanzanians their own public voices. That’s the most powerful opportunity I can think of to be frank”- Elsie from The Mikocheni Report blog. A common (often intended at ending any further conversation) response that I hear in discussions about social media in Tanzania is that most people don’t have access to the internet. In rural areas where 75% of the population lives, access is without doubt the major challenge (related to poor electricity coverage as well as few and expensive internet cafes), but this situation is rapidly changing from both supply and demand vantage points, with increasingly cheaper internet access on mobile phones and younger generations attracted to the connectivity that social media offers. In towns I would argue that a large proportion of the population are at least on Facebook, and via links on Facebook probably have much more direct access to blogs / citizen journalism than people living in the West…

Ahmed at VijanaFM asks, “Tanzania at 50 what do we have to show for it?”:

I think there is a challenge right now of galvanizing the people to reflect on the past fifty years. We do remember the good times but are constantly reminded about the bad. We have immense challenges and, as the saying goes, do Tanzanians feel they are better off today than they were ten years ago, let alone 50 years ago? The answer is probably no. I think instead of being nostalgic about the good old days we should really look inside ourselves, both the mwananchi and the leadership and interrogate how we can build a better tomorrow. This is because I think the majority of us are concerned about what the next 50 years will look like.

Karim Hirji, a professor of biostatics at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, discusses the education system in Tanzania after 50 years of independence:

At the time of Uhuru, not a single doctor was being trained in Tanzania. Now, my research methods class at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences has 150 students. My dilemma reflects the situation in most of the subjects taught at my university and, in fact, at all universities across the nation. Student numbers have expanded sharply, but the number of lecturers and teaching resources have not. Some universities have a department with 20 or so academic staff, yet none has a doctoral degree We have just gone through a multimillion-dollar curriculum review exercise. Yet, hardly any department has changed the substance of what it teaches.

On Twitter, tweeps celebrate Tanzania@50 with the hashtag Tanzania50:

dgtlUbun2: I am remembering ALL those lives UNNECESSARALIY lost in ZanzibarBoatTragedy & many more lives LOST due to a corrupt system. #Tanzania50

@BabatundeJnr: Happy birthday to D nation of a great African Julius Nyerere #Tanzania50. Wish the people freedom from corruption & bad governance. #Africa

@ChickAboutTown: Happy 50th, Tanganyika! (Dar is ablaze with fireworks.) #Tanzania50

@SalimHatib: Never forget the heroes who sacrified their life's to bring up this glorious day. Happy Independence day #Tanzania50

@dgtlUbun2: Only in Tanzania,whr over 80% population lives in poverty, BUT Mp's get 185% raise on sitting allowances.This is #Tanzania50 gvt. in action.

@SwahiliStreet: sorry, but the independence celebrations include a display by the police of how to stop a public demonstration?

@KateBomz: My finale goes to —> #Tanzania at 50 what do we have to show for it? by @asalim86 http://vijana.fm/2011/12/07/ni-hamsini-ni-hamsini-tanzania-at-50-what-do-we-have-to-show-for-it/ I saved best write up 4 last!

@tweetingchaga: The British departure from tanganyika in 1961 was premature. Yes, i said it #Tanzania50 @atititu @dizainatweets @jmkikwete

@Dunia_Duara: Blogs about #Tanzania50. Read and/or join @DarBlogCircle: facebook.com/DarBlogCircle

Tanganyika gained independence from the United Kingdom on 9 December, 1961, and later Tanganyika formed a union with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanzania.

Tanzania: Tanzania@50: What do we have to show for it?

Ndesanjo Macha — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:40:48 +0000

Ahmed reflects on Tanzania at 50 by asking, “Tanzania at 50 what do we have to show for it?”: “We have immense challenges and, as the saying goes, do Tanzanians feel they are better off today than they were ten years ago, let alone 50 years ago? The answer is probably no.”

Tanzania: Blog It: Tanzania at 50

Ndesanjo Macha — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:02:22 +0000

Celebrate Tanzania@50 by writing a blog post: “The Mainland part of the United Republic of Tanzania, Tanganyika, is celebrating 50 years of Independence on December 9 2011. The Dar es Salaam Bloggers' Circle encourages bloggers to mark this event by a blog post on December 9th 2011.”

Tanzania: YoungAfricaLive Mobile Community Launched

Ndesanjo Macha — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:56:55 +0000

Robert blogs about the launch of YoungAfrica Live mobile community: “Virtual youth community movement, YoungAfricaLive, has launched in Tanzania through Vodacom mobile. Young Africa Live is a mobile community that entertains and educates young people on topics of love, sexual health, gender and relationships which are issues adversely affecting the youth in Tanzania.”

Tanzania: How Not to Launch a Data.gov

Ndesanjo Macha — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:29:06 +0000

Mbwana Ally explains how not to lauch a Data.gov: “Checking my twitter stream I saw that the Tanzania Government had launched a Open Data website initiative (Kiswahili)…The complaints on twitter started mounting and I gladly participated. Where is the data? The SMS no. set up does not work. The site was loading slow or not at all for a lot of people.”

Tanzania: The Faces That Rocked Swahili Fashion Week

Ndesanjo Macha — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:51:07 +0000

Missie Popular shares photos of models who rocked Swahili Fashion Week in Tanzania: “Swahili Fashion Week 2011 provided quite an experience! We witnessed all types of walks and poses on the runway….”