Wakati Tanzania Bara ikiadhimisha miaka 63 ya Uhuru, ni wazi kuwa uwezo wa kujenga hoja wa Mwalimu Julius Nyerere ulikuwa kiini cha kufanikisha Uhuru wake kutoka kwa wakoloni wa Kiingereza Desemba 9, 1961.
Katika kitabu “Tanganyika’s Independence Struggle” kilichoandikwa na Pius Msekwa, Spika mstaafu wa Bunge la Tanzania na Makamu Mwenyekiti mstaafu wa CCM, Msekwa anaelezea jinsi uwezo wa kipekee wa Nyerere wa kujenga hoja ulivyowashawishi viongozi wa chama cha Tanu kumtuma kwenda Baraza la Wadhamini la Shirikisho la Umoja wa Mataifa (UNO), ambalo sasa linafahamika kama Umoja wa Mataifa (UN).
Msekwa anasema mwaka 1954, wajumbe wa Baraza la Wadhamini la UNO walipokuja Tanganyika walitoa mapendekezo ya ratiba ya kuipa nchi uhuru ndani ya kipindi cha miaka 20 hadi 25. Wakati huo, Nyerere alikuwa mwalimu katika Shule ya Mtakatifu Francis, Pugu, ambayo sasa inajulikana kama Shule ya Sekondari Pugu.
Hata hivyo, viongozi wa Tanu walipinga ratiba hiyo wakiona ni kuchelewesha maendeleo ya nchi. Walimkabidhi Nyerere jukumu la kuwasilisha hoja ya Tanganyika kupata Uhuru haraka zaidi kwenye Baraza la Wadhamini la UNO huko New York, Marekani.
Nguvu ya hoja na matokeo ya haraka
Kwa ushawishi wa hoja za Nyerere, Tanganyika ilipata Uhuru ndani ya miaka saba tu, kutoka mwaka 1954 hadi 1961, tofauti na mapendekezo ya miaka 20-25. Mafanikio haya yalimfanya Nyerere kuwa kiongozi mwenye mvuto mkubwa kitaifa na kimataifa.
Changamoto ya uamuzi mgumu
Aliporejea kutoka UNO, Nyerere alikumbana na barua kutoka kwa Padri Walsh, mkuu wa Shule ya Mtakatifu Francis, akimtaka achague kati ya siasa na kazi ya ualimu.
Kwa maoni ya Walsh na wamisionari wenzake, Nyerere alionekana kuwa mwanaharakati wa kisiasa zaidi kuliko mwalimu wa kawaida.
Tatizo hilo liliwasilishwa kwa Clement Mtamila, Mwenyekiti wa Kamati Kuu ya Tanu. Kamati hiyo iliku-tana nyumbani kwa Mtamila kmtaa wa Kipata, na baada ya mjadala, ilimshauri Nyerere kujiuzulu. Machi 23, 1955, Nyerere aliacha rasmi kazi ya ualimu na kujitosa kikamilifu kwenye siasa.
Mwalimu na uzalendo
Uamuzi huo wa Nyerere uliashiria mwanzo wa safari yake kama kiongozi wa kitaifa. Siku hiyo, alisafiri kutoka Pugu hadi Dar es Salaam akiwa si mwalimu tena, bali kiongozi aliyejitoa kikamilifu kuikomboa Tanganyika.
Miaka 63 baadaye, mchango wa Mwalimu Nyerere unabaki kuwa mfano wa uzalendo na uongozi wa maono, akiwahamasisha Watanzania kuendeleza azma ya kujitegemea na maendeleo.
Safari ya Nyerere UNO
Mwanahistoria Mohammed Said, mwandishi wa kitabu kuhusu Abdulwayde Sykes, anasimulia tukio hili kupitia simulizi aliyosikia kutoka kwa mtoto wa Iddi Faiz Mafungo, aliyekuwa mweka hazina wa Tanu kabla ya uhuru. Said anaeleza jinsi mipango ya safari ya Nyerere ilivyopangwa sebuleni nyumbani kwa Mafungo.
Mafungo, akiwa mweka hazina wa Tanu, alihusika kukusanya fedha. Mwanahistoria huyo anasema jioni moja ya Februari, kikao muhimu kilifanyika nyumbani kwa Mafungo, kikihusisha viongozi wengine mashuhuri wa Tanu, akiwemo Oscar Kambona na John Lupia, aliyekuwa Makamu wa Rais wa Tanu.
Katika kikao hicho, Kambona na Lupia walimweleza Mafungo changamoto za kifedha zilizokuwepo.
“Sheikh, kama unavyoelewa bado hatujapata pesa za kutosha kumpeleka Mwalimu UNO.”
Mafungo asafiri Tanga
Kwa mujibu wa simulizi hiyo, Mafungo alipewa jukumu la kwenda Tanga kuchukua fedha zilikusanywa na wanachama wa Tanu chini ya uongozi wa Mwalimu Kihere.
Fedha hizo zilikusanywa kufanikisha safari ya Nyerere kwenda Umoja wa Mataifa, safari ambayo ingekuwa ya kwanza kwake kuzungumza mbele ya Baraza la Wadhamini la UNO.
Safari hiyo ilifanikiwa kutokana na mshikamano wa viongozi wa Tanu na wanachama wake, licha ya changamoto za kiusalama kutoka kwa watawala wa kikoloni wa Uingereza.
Kwa Said, simulizi hii inaakisi mchango wa watu kama Mafungo na viongozi wa Tanu waliojitolea kwa hali na mali kuhakikisha ndoto ya uhuru inakaribia kutimia.
Katika kikao cha Tanu kilichofanyika nyumbani kwa Iddi Faiz Mafungo, John Lupia alimweleza Mafungo kuhusu taarifa walizopokea kutoka Tanga kwamba mwanachama wa Tanu, Mwalimu Kihere, aliripotiwa kuwa amekusanya fedha kutoka kwa wanachama wa chama hicho, fedha ambazo zilikuwa muhimu kufanikisha safari ya Mwalimu Nyerere kwenda Umoja wa Mataifa.
Mafungo, akiwa mweka hazina wa Tanu, alipewa jukumu la kwenda Tanga kuchukua fedha hizo.
Mafungo alisafiri kwenda Tanga salama na kukabidhiwa fedha hizo, lakini hakujua kuwa alikuwa akifu-atiliwa kwa karibu na maofisa wa ‘Special Branch’, idara ya ujasusi ya polisi wa kikoloni wa Uingereza.
Wakati huo, Waingereza walijua kuhusu mipango ya Nyerere kwenda UNO na walikuwa wakifanya kila jitihada kufuatilia harakati za Tanu.
Mafungo aokoa fedha
Akiwa na wasiwasi kuhusu usalama wa fedha hizo, Mafungo alibuni mpango wa kuzilinda. Akiwa ndani ya basi lililokuwa likielekea Dar es Salaam, alimkabidhi begi lenye fedha binti mdogo aliyekuwa akisafiri kwenye basi hilo. Kwa busara, hakukaa karibu na binti huyo na alihakikisha hawakujulikana kuwa wali-husiana.
Safari yao ilipofika katikati ya njia, basi lilisimamishwa na Land Rover ya polisi wa kikoloni. Mafungo alishushwa pamoja na mizigo yake kwa ukaguzi wa kina, huku abiria wengine wakiruhusiwa kuendelea na safari. Polisi walimpekua Mafungo na mizigo yake kwa makini, lakini hawakupata chochote.
Hawakujua kuwa binti mdogo aliyekuwa kwenye basi hilo ndiye aliyekuwa na begi lenye fedha. Baada ya kuwasili Dar es Salaam, binti huyo alizifikisha fedha hizo salama makao makuu ya Tanu, eneo ambalo sasa linafahamika kama ofisi ndogo za makao makuu ya CCM Lumumba.
Mafungo alikamatwa na kuhojiwa Kituo Kikuu cha Polisi kilichokuwa karibu na ofisi za reli (sasa eneo la stesheni ya SGR). Baada ya uchunguzi, hakufunguliwa mashtaka kwa sababu hapakuwa na ushahidi wowote wa kumtia hatiani.
Wanaharakati waliojitoa muhanga
Mwanahistoria Mohammed Said anasema mafanikio ya harakati za uhuru yalitokana na juhudi za watu waliotoa muda, mali na hata kuhatarisha maisha yao kwa ajili ya Tanganyika.
Anamtaja Sheikh Mohamed Rania wa Bagamoyo, ambaye ushawishi wake ulihamasisha wanachama wa Tanu katika eneo hilo. Mafungo alimpeleka Mwalimu Nyerere kwa sheikh huyo ambaye alikuja ku-wa sehemu muhimu ya harakati hizo.
Mwanaharakati mwingine aliyetoa mchango alikuwa Mwamtoro binti Chuma, ambaye nyumba yake jijini Dar es Salaam iliunganishwa na ofisi za Tanu ili kurahisisha mikutano ya usiku na kupanga mikakati ya ukombozi.
Wanaharakati wa kike wengine kama Nyange binti Chande wa Tabora, Halima Selengia wa Kaskazini, na Lucy Lameck walitoa mchango katika nyanja mbalimbali za harakati hizo.
Vijana watukutu walinzi Siku ya Uhuru
Katika shamrashamra za kutangaza uhuru wa Tanganyika mwaka 1961, hofu ilikuwepo kwamba huenda siku hiyo ingetibuliwa na vitendo vya uhalifu. Hata hivyo, kupitia ujasiri na mbinu za ubunifu za viongozi wa Tanu, hali hiyo ilidhibitiwa kwa njia ya kipekee.
Said anaeleza jinsi Kamanda Rajabu Diwani, aliyekuwa Kamanda wa Vijana wa Tanu, alivyochukua hatua ya kuwajumuisha vijana watukutu wa Dar es Salaam katika mpango wa kulinda mji.
Vijana hao, ambao awali walijulikana kwa tabia zao za kuleta vurugu, walipewa sare rasmi na kibarua cha kusimamia amani. “Diwani aliwakusanya vijana waliokuwa maarufu kwa utukutu na kuwapa juku-mu la kuhakikisha mji unakuwa salama siku ya sherehe za Uhuru,” anasema Said.
Katika siku hiyo muhimu, vijana hao walifanya kazi ya kuigwa.
Miaka 63 baadaye: Undugu umepungua
Huku akiangalia historia ya Tanganyika, Said anasema moja ya mambo ya kipekee yaliyokuwepo wakati huo ni mshikamano wa undugu uliowajumuisha Watanganyika wote.
Anahuzunika kuona mshikamano huo umepungua kwa kiasi kikubwa sasa. Licha ya maendeleo katika miundombinu na sekta nyingine, undugu uliochochea harakati za uhuru hauonekani kwa nguvu ile ile.
Source: mwananchi.co.tz
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Tanzania’s opposition party ACT Wazalendo honours veteran politician under new policy
Unguja. Opposition party ACT Wazalendo today officially bids farewell to its former Chairman, Juma Duni Haji, also known as Babu Duni, as part of a new policy designed to honor retired senior leaders at a ceremony held at Kiembesamaki, Zanzibar.
The initiative highlights the party’s commitment to recognizing and supporting individuals who have served with dedication and integrity.
Babu Duni, who stepped down earlier this year, was succeeded by Othman Masoud, now the First Vice President of Zanzibar.
The policy aims to provide ongoing respect and support to retired leaders, ensuring their continued recognition and contribution to the party’s development.
“Recognizing their significant contributions to the development and prosperity of the party, this policy ensures that retired leaders continue to be acknowledged and respected by both the party and the community,” the policy states.
To benefit from this policy, leaders must not have left or been expelled from the party. They must have served the party with honor and dedication. The national leadership committee will determine whether a leader has fulfilled these criteria.
The policy seeks to honor retired leaders, protect their dignity, acknowledge their contributions, leverage their ideas for the party’s growth, and support them to the best of the party’s ability.
In honoring these leaders, the party will provide a vehicle, the type of which will be determined by the national leadership committee. Additionally, they will receive a monthly allowance, with the amount also set by this committee.
Other benefits include health insurance. If a leader does not own a home, the party will cover their rent at a rate decided by the committee.
The leadership committee may also grant special recognition based on the leader’s contributions. Retired leaders will participate in decision-making meetings according to procedures outlined in the party’s constitution.
Depending on the party’s resources at the time, the policy may also apply to retired deputy chairpersons for both the mainland and Zanzibar, the Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General for both mainland and Zanzibar, and the party’s Attorney General.
Additionally, leaders, executives, or members with exceptional contributions to the party’s protection, advocacy, and defense may also benefit, as determined by the leadership committee.
Currently, those who are eligible for benefits under this policy include Juma Duni Haji (retired party Chairman) and Zitto Kabwe (retired party leader).Continue Reading
Britam half-year net profit hits Sh2bn on higher investment income
Insurer and financial services provider Britam posted a 22.5 percent jump in net earnings for the half-year ended June 2024, to Sh2 billion, buoyed by increased investment income.
The rise in half-year net profit from Sh1.64 billion posted in a similar period last year came on the back of net investment income rising 2.5 times to Sh13.27 billion from Sh5.3 billion.
“We are confident in the growth and performance trend that Britam has achieved, supported by its subsidiaries in Kenya and the region. Our business is expanding its revenue base while effectively managing costs,” Britam Chief Executive Officer Tom Gitogo said.
“Our customer-centric approach is fueling growth in our customer base and product uptake, particularly through micro-insurance, partnerships, and digital channels.”
The investment income growth was fueled by interest and dividend income rising 34 percent to Sh9.1 billion, which the insurer attributed to growth in revenue and the gains from the realignment of the group’s investment portfolio.
Britam also booked a Sh3.79 billion gain on financial assets at a fair value, compared with a Sh1.8 billion loss posted in a similar period last year.
The increased investment income helped offset the 12.7 percent decline in net insurance service result to Sh2.13 billion in the wake of claims paid out rising at a faster pace than that of premiums received.
Britam said insurance revenue, which is money from written premiums, increased to Sh17.8 billion from Sh16.6 billion, primarily driven by growth in the Kenya insurance business and regional general insurance businesses, which contributed 30 percent of the revenue.
The group has a presence in seven countries in Africa namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan, Mozambique, and Malawi.
Britam’s insurance service expense hit Sh13.6 billion from Sh11.3 billion, while net insurance finance expenses rose 2.6 times to Sh12.3 billion during the same period.
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‘No Marburg Confirmed In Tanzania’, But Mpox Remains ‘Public Health Emergency’
Monrovia — The Director General of the African Centers for Disease Control, Jean Kaseya, has said the center stands ready to support Tanzania and other countries in the region where suspected cases of the infectious Marburg Virus Disease have been identified. The World Health Organization earlier this week issued an alert warning of a possible outbreak in the country, although the Tanzanian Health Ministry has said tests conducted on available samples did not show the existence of Marburg in the East African nation.
“As of the 15 of January 2025, laboratory results from all suspected individuals were negative for Marburg Virus,” Tanzanian Health Minister Jenista Mhagama said in a statement. This would have marked the country’s second experience with the highly infectious disease that recently killed over a dozen people in neighboring Rwanda. Tanzania previously reported an outbreak of Marburg in 2023 in the Kegara region, said to have been the epicenter of the new suspected cases.
At the Africa CDC online briefing on Thursday, Kaseya also said another infectious disease, Mpox, “remains a public health concern”. He said that while in December 2024, the disease had afflicted 20 countries, a new country – Sierra Leone – has been added to the number after recent outbreak there. Sierra Leonean health authorities said on January 10 that two cases of Mpox had been confirmed in the country and dozens of contacts are being traced.
With thousands of confirmed cases of Mpox across Africa and more than 1000 people having died of the disease – mainly in Central Africa – Kaseya emphasized the need to increase testing, a theme he’s heralded before. The Africa CDC boss said over the next few months the continental health watchdog will deploy additional epidemiologists and community health workers to areas considered hot spots of infectious diseases in the region.
Source: allafrica.com
