Friday, February 23, 2007

Kama Nabwa umekwenda, Unabwa umetuwachia

Na Mohammed Ghassani

Mwanzoni mwa asubuhi
Dunia inaamka
Malaika wa mauti akashuka
Baba akamkabili kumwambia:
“Nimetumwa na Molao
Mbeleye uhudhurie!”
Kwa sauti ya kupuma
Baba akamuuliza:
“Ni vipi wanangu, nani atawalea
Ni nani wa kuwatunza
Nani atawaongoza
Kupambana mapambano?”

Yule malaika akaamba:
“Uliishi uhai wako
Kwa hima ya kupambana
Ukazaa watoto wako
Kwa hima ya kupambana
Na sasa hivi waenda, wauliza mapambano?
Masikini Ali Nabwa, mja wa kupambana
Hebu tuende kwa Mola
Siku sasa imefika
Urudi ukapumue!”

Baba naye akajibu:
“Kurudi kwa Bwana’ngu,
Sipingi, sipingi katu
Hiyino faradhi yangu
Walakini khofu yangu
Ni hawa vijana wangu
Wataweza mapambano
Wataishi kimapambano
Kisha wafe kimapambano
Kama nifavyo baba yao?”

Basi Nabwa, baba yetu
Kaondoka akikhofu
Lau wanawe twaweza
Kupambana kama yeye
Mbele ya vitisho vile
Mbele ya idhilali ile
Mbele ya gharama zile
Jabir, Ghassani, Salma,
Ali, Jussa, Bimani na Hamza
Wanawe, bila ya yeye, tutaweza?

Tutaweza kusimama kulinda kauli yetu?
Tusiogope lawama wala fitina za watu
Za kuvuliwa uraia, na kupokwa paspoti
Za kuzuiwa riziki kwa kufungiwa milango
Za kugeukwa na hata watu wa karibu
Hivi sisi, wanawe, tutaweza?

Kama tukikoseshwa ajira na pesa ya matumizi
Tukawa twarudi majumbani, paka jikoni kalala
Na kosa letu ni kuwa:
Tumefuata nyayo za baba
Kusema la kweli na lilo la haki
Wanawe tutasubiri na kisha twende pamoja__
Tusigeuze shingo zetu na kumeza matapishi?

Khofu za baba si kwamba
Alituona dhaifu
Lakini dunia hii
Aliona ikichenji
Na mambo yakijipinda
Mbele nyuma; nyuma mbele
Na yeye alitamani azidishe kutufunda
Tuhitimu somo hili
La dhati ya mapambano
Illa sasa amekwenda, akilia:
“Wanangu, Mola, wanangu!”

Naam, ndio sisi wanawe
Katika fani ni yeye aliyetutotoa
Alotuzaa, alotulea, alotukuza
Akatuonesha wapi tusimame na wapi tukae
Wapi tuseme, wapi tunyamae
Na juu ya yote:
Alitufunza heshima na utukufu wa mtu
Kwamba ni kujiamini
Na asojiamini hana utu

Nasi twaona fahari
Kuwa Nabwa baba yetu
Kwamba ndiye mlezi wetu
Kunasibishwa na yeye
Kwetu ni jambo akhasi
Na kiapo chetu ni hiki:
Kama baba kama mwana!

Nabwa, baba, hukujijenga wewe
Uliyojenga ni taasisi
Nitaiita Unabwa
Unabwa ulitufungua midomo
Leo hakuna wa kuifunga
Unabwa ulifungua milango
Ya habari, ya kujieleza na kuelezwa
Wale jamaa wameshindwa kuifunga
Mwangwi wa Dira yako
Ungenasi hadi leo
Ulikuwa taasisi
Na taasisi hudumu!

Basi wewe, baba, fika mbele ya Molao
Jasho ukitiririka
Hilo si jasho la wizi
Ni jasho la kutumika
Kutumikia watuo
Kutumikia faniyo
Kutumia ulezio
Nao ni sisi wanao.

Tungetaka ubakie daima dawamu
Illa madhali mwito wa Mola umeita
Ni shuruti uitikwe
Nawe baba umeuitika
Basi nenda kwa salama
Mithali waja wendao
Wanao ulotuwacha nyuma yako
Usitusikitikie
Tutapambana kijanadume
Na tutakufa tungali watu.

Wanao, baba, wanao
Twakupa ahadi hii:
Tutakufa tungali watu
Hatujageuka nguruwe
Hatutakufa nyamamwitu
Azaaye na wanawe
Tutakufa tukumbukwe
Kama ukumbukwavyo wewe
Kwa heshima, kwa staha na kwa jina
Tutakufa na Unabwa!

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Nabwa: The man, the pen and the gun


By Ally Saleh

I am sitting before my computer a few minutes after the news of the tragicdeath of Ali Nabwa was conveyed to me. I did not know what to do and my firstgut reaction was to prop myself up before the screen to type what I knew of the man.This is the screen of which Nabwa was ignorant of, as he was not man ofcomputers and until his death he used to write his essays by the traditionalway, by scribbling his ideas on paper and we had to do the computer typing.

But such an irony does not represent this man in the larger picture of hislife, activities and writings. Apart from computers, Nabwa as I knew him wasnot afraid of crossing barriers. In fact he had crossed many more impediments than any one I personally know. At the end of such hurdles he graduated. As he was dying he had graduated into an institution. Nabwa was what I could describe as the man, the pen and the gun.

I was privileged to know Nabwa at the height of his writings and at the helm of his wisdom having seen it all and reaching the top and was now slowlygliding down a hill that became bumpier than what he originally thought andbelieved.
If Nabwa had written for the Tanganyika Standard in the early days of the Zanzibar Revolution and covering big stories that were made by late Presidentof Zanzibar, Abeid Amani, Karume, he was supposed to know that writing forDira between 2003-2004 would prove to be a bigger challenge to him. Many years had passed since Nabwa was on the limelight. The current generationknows Nabwa only after his one year editorship of Dira and columnist forAnnur of Dar es Salaam between 1964-2003. He was lost into other activities that either pulled him outside Zanzibar or if he was in the Isles there was noneed for public appearance.

Nabwa is also known to the current generation because of his fight against thegovernment order that stripped him of his citizenship. This story became so big that it overshadowed the whole life of Nabwa.The issue of citizenship became an issue. It entangled both the Union andZanzibar governments and at its height it took an international turn.Throughout his past troubles with the Government, no international human rights organization had raised a voice on his behalf.

But not this time. Many felt Nabwa was being victimized because of his stand.And what was his stand? His stand was to be critical of the Zanzibar Government. Nabwa felt he was the only person who knew very well what happened during thefirst 10 years after the Zanzibar Revolution. He would tell me so often thatthe atrocities that were committed here would never give him a sleep in his grave if he did not talk about it during his life.

He was thus engaged in a one man mission. He wanted and wished to expose allwhat he knew of arbitrary arrests, back knifing, torture and deaths. He knewthe names, times and places so well as if everything happened yesterday.As he was editing Dira he had a column called Siku Moja Itakuwa Kweli andthis became his forum where day in day out he kept on fiercely revealing what he knew so much that irked the Zanzibar Government which said he was "turningup the graves."A plot was here hatched on how to stop him. Someone remembered that there wasa shoddy past on his movements when he was in Comoro. While there he took a foreign passport and thus technically stripped him of his Tanzania citizenship.

Nabwa vehemently denied this until his death. He refused to make a freshapplication of citizenship on his stand that he never denied his citizenship. It was this issue of citizenship that frustrated Nabwa into many kind ofillnesses.For two years as he fought this battle, he suffered high blood pressure andhis earlier heart problems surfaced and kept him on the bed most of the time. He died while asking the Tanzania and Zanzibar Government for merely USdollars 10,000 that would have taken him to India for heart operation toinstall a pacer that would have probably prolonged his life. He was not even answered.

Nabwa traveled the world. He studied medicine in Romania and took journalismin England. Everywhere he went he was not shy of telling about his life. Hewould write in his columns how womanizer he was and how he liked his beer. He was not short of controversy and in fact he thrived in them. He wouldplunge himself deep into them and if comes out winner he laughed at it and ifhe came out bruised he never regretted it.He cheated death so many times. He was twice on death row. One time here at Keko Remand Prison when he was waiting treason charges and another time whenhe was already being led to face the firing squad in Moroni, Comoros.

When he talked about these incidents he was not sounding bitter. Fate, he said, is what he believed in and that he wrote about it into his column. Hesaid he climbed so much up that finding himself humbled down has taught him alesson: that a man is nothing in the bigger picture of the world. He worked as Chief Protocol Officer for Zanzibar Government for only one weekafter a controversy with Karume whom he challenged on many issues, including his style of leadership, vision of the government and disappearances of many politicians at that time.He went into publishing with East African Publishing House in Nairobi where heworked for a long time and from where he was picked in 1973 to be joined inthe long list of Zanzibaris accused in the treason trial. He believed his mistakes or folly was that he was associated with former UmmaParty members and he was an admirer of another political genius in Zanzibar politics, Abdulrahman Muhammed Babu.

Nabwa, I believe, died having completed his mission which, as eluded earlier, was to reveal all what he knew. I am sure of one thing, that Nabwa had never forgiven those who had mistreatedhim over the past four years. Those who hatched and sustained the plot to denyhim of his citizenship, which many believe to be the source of all his illnesses. And as he lies in peace now, he would wish the writers like me and Muhammed Ghassany whom he nurtured in his days in Dira, would continue the flame he setalive. He would not know that his shoes would be too big for us to wear. Frankly speaking, apart from that we are just too weak hearted as compared tohim and we can not be the one into three as he was throughout his life time. We can not be the man, the pen and the gun he was.

Lie in peace Nabwa…the struggle has just started.

Nabwa umetuwachia kalamu

Na Ally Saleh

Hatua yake ya kwanza
Akifika kaburini
Mimi hilo ndani naliamini
Ni Ali Nabwa kuuliza
Jee huku nilikoletwa
Lipo gazeti niandike?

Hakuna hapa gazeti
Ataambiwa na karipio kupewa
Sharubu za Munkar akikaziwa
Wewe vipi, kwanza hapa zoea
Makazi yako ya kudumu
Ndipo mengine uulize
Tuanze na takadumu?

Nipeni niandike makala zangu
Duniani kule ambazo
Sikuwahi kuzimaliza
Maana uhai nimekatizwa
Nikiwa nina mengi umma kueleza
Uss!! Ataambiwa

Hiyo ndivyo atakavyokuwa
Mwenzetu huyu alotangulia
Alietuachia sisi ukiwa
Ukiwa wa habari na taarifa
Kiza…kiza hata kupapasa hatuwezi
Wengine ndio kwanza maziwa
Ametuachisha…kunyonya uwezo wake

Ghafla taa imezimika
Tukiwa katika meza
Mbele ya kompyuta yetu
Tukiandika habari… kujuvya umma
Na yeye kinara wetu
Akididimiza kalamu yake
Kuandika sisi tusiyoyajua

Aliandika mengi mno
Mengi ya kujaza dunia
Kama ingekuwa ni karatasi
Ya ndani mno
Kuumiza moyo
Kama ingekuwa unayafika
Lakini maandishi yake
Ukuta yaligonga
Masikio yakapita…tundu hadi tundu

Nabwa kalamu yake haijakauka
Ila mkono tu umesita kuandika
Maana mwenye uhai ametaka
Kiumbe chake kukichukua
Aliyetua ndie amechukua
Na sote kwake tutarejeya

Kinachotuuma si kifo
Maana kifo ni wajibu
Wajibu mchungu lakini
Kuuweza kukwepa haiwezekani
Ila kinachotuuma ni namna
Mwenzetu huyu alivyoondoka
Kalamu ikiwa na wino

Mengi alitaka kuandika
Umma wetu kuuamsha
Kujua yaliopita mwetu
Humu nchini wengine
Watakao kuwa yafunikwe
Ala! Haiwezekani, ndipo akajitolea

Na huko kujitolea
Ndiko kuliko mchongea
Alikuwa shujaa, lakini shujaa akanaswa
Kwenye mtego wa maadui zake
Jarife likamtanda, kidole hakipenyi
Ilikuwaje wewe karambisi ukawemo
Ndani ya kundi la tasi?

Papatuzi…na pirika wapi zimfikishe
Wenye nguvu na ulwa yao wataka
Wayafiche hadharani yasitoke
Na hilo Nabwa lilimuuma
Alisema hatakufa, katu hatakufa bila kusema
Kutapikia sandani hata kukiri.

Walopenda na wasopenda
Makala zake walisoma…wakacheka
Wale walotenda
Wengine wakalia…kwa kwikwi
Wale walotendewa
Wengine wakasema sasa iwe nini
Wengine wakasema: Sema Nabwa sema
Magazeti yakanunuliwa…Nabwa kasema

Naam, Nabwa alisema lakini
Sauti ilisikika…masikio ilipenya?
Hisia zilipatikana?
Yaguju…roho ngumu, kalbi kasi ikawa
Ndipo akatumbuka maradhi
Kuhojiwa yeye karambisi
Vyereje kwenye kundi la tasi?

Nabwa hatupewa gazeti huko aliko
Atapata hukumu kwa alichochuma
Miaka aliyokaa duniani
Lakini kama atapewa huruma
Basi itakuwa angalau waliotendewa
Yeye kuwasemea…
Alipokuwa na kalamu

Gazeti ameliacha duniani
Ambako hakuna mtu kama yeye
Aliyeweza kuwa ni taasisi
Taasisi iliyotimilia na inayoweza
Kupigana na serikali hadi kifo
Maana mapambano yalikuwa ni
Nabwa na Serikali
Nabwa na Serikali
Nabwa na Serikali

Sasa ufwe…
Amepumzika
Amelala
Amekwenda
Amefika
Serikali inae kwa kupambana nae?

Wino upo maana kalamu haijakauka
Lakini mkono wa kushika kalamu upo
Sijui…
Maana shujaa huwa mmoja tu
Wengine huwa ni waigizaji
Na serikali hupambana na shujaa

Sisi si mashujaa, si mashujaa kama yeye
Ila kalamu tutaichukua
Hatutandika kama yeye
Lakini juu ya kaburi lake tutapanda mche
Ambao tutautilia maji na kuupalilia
Ili tuweze bado kuwa na mawasiliano nae
Maana kuandika bado tunataka
Na yeye ameondoka na kila kitu
Kalamu tu aliyotuachia haitoshi
Nabwa…hakutuachia mengi…
Mengi umeondoka nayo…

Lala salama
Usiulize gazeti maana hutapewa
Usiulize kalamu maana huko haiku
Sisi tutakuwa na gazeti na kalamu
Kama unatusikia…
Kama unatusikia…tupe vitu
Tutaandika…naam… tutaandika

Monday, February 12, 2007

Mechi za bar’za zastawi Zanzibar

Na Ally Saleh

Tabia ya kuzungumza katika ba’rza imeota mizizi sana Zanzibar. Ni jambo la kawaida mno kiasi ambacho imekuwa ni sehemu ya utamaduni wetu.

Na hii hapana shaka inatokana na ule utamaduni wa ujenzi wa kila nyumba ya Mswahili kuwa na bar’za, ila Waswahili wanaojenga mijengo ya kisasa aina ya kasri hilo sio tu halizingatiwi, lakini pia halina nafasi.

Karibu kila mtu ana bar’za yake ya mazungumzo. Na wengine huwa na zaidi ya bar’za moja na hii inatokana na kile anachokifuata katika bar’za moja ikilinganishwa na nyengine, au watu anaokutana na au pia wakati wa bar’za hizo.

Kuna bar’za kazi yake kuzungumza mambo ya dunia na siasa, wengine hukutana kuzungumza ushongo, wengine kucheza karata na bao na wengine michezo na mambo ya ujana.

Tabaan bar’za huwepo pia kwa mujibu wa umri au stahiki ya watu.

Tena mtu huchagua panapo mridhi yeye, ijapo pengine si mchangiaji ila ni msikilizaji, lakini almuradi na yeye ni mwanachama. Mtu huonekana kama mchawi hivi iwapo hana bar’za.

Wazanzibari hupoteza saa nyingi katika bar’za na wengine hata ndoa zao huingia matatani kwa vile wake zao wanashindwa kuwaamini ama kwa tabia ya kukaa muda mwingi humo vibarazani au kwa kujua ushawishi na ubilisi uliomo humo vibarazani. Si imesemwa bilisi wa mtu ni mtu?

Si ajabu wageni wakawa wanapata hisia kuwa Wazanzibari ni wavivu, ingawa watu wenye nadhari na kazi zao hasa hawakai barazani…mpaka wakati huo ambao kazi zao zimemaliza, maana kazi na dawa.

Zamani bar’za zilikuwa hazina majina. Sana labda hutajwa mtu maarufu anaezungumza pale, kwa mfano “ Bar’za ya Maalim Said” na kadhalika. Lakini leo au tuseme kuanzia miaka 25 iliyopita kila bar’za ina jina.

Inaweza kuwa jina lenye staha kama Right Brothers au lenye amani kama Peace. Inaweza kuwa la miji au nchi za kigeni kama Durban au Lebanon na majina mengine mengi ya ajabu ajabu.

Najua zamani zaidi majina ya bar’za yalikuwepo kama vile Comeback, ambayo ilikuwa ikisifika sana kwa mambo ya ujana, lakini hakikuwa kitu kilichoenea sana.

Kama nakumbuka uzuri majina kwenye bar’za, kwa mtindo tulonao sasa, yalianza kuja pale ujana nao ulipoanza kustawi na mtindo wa kufanya party ulipopamba moto. Kila bar’za ilitaka ijitambulishe vilivyo

Lakini pia zamani hiyo ba’rza zilikuwa hazijapewa jina la kuitwa maskani. Nionavyo neno maskani kuitwa baraza ina maana ya kujitambulisha kwamba wapo pale kwa muda mrefu zaidi au kwa kudumu.

Hii ina maana zaidi ya kuwa kwa kuwa hawana kazi basi mazungmzo na makaazi yao ni hapo na hivyo hayo ndio mas’kani yao.

Ushindani wa soka baina ya bar’za kwa mtindo tunao uona hivi sasa ulizuka kiasi cha miongo miwili hivi. Hapo ndipo kila aina ya michuano ikaanzishwa na vijana kushirii kwa hamasa zote.

Nafikiri mechi za bar’za zilianza kupata nguvu pale kiwango cha soka cha Zanzibar na usimamizi mzima wa mchezo huo ulipoanza kutetereka. Washabiki wakaanza kukosa raha, na wachezaji kuvunjika moyo na kwa hivyo ikawa lazima kupata mbadala.

Nakumbuka viongozi wa vilabu walipoanza kukasirishwa na wachezaji wao kushiriki mechi hizo za bar’za kiasi ambacho walikuwa wakichukua hatua za kuwafungia wachezaji, lakini haikusaidia kitu.

Ilianza kuonekana kwamba wachezaji walizipenda sana ligi hizo za bar’za na kuwazuia wachezaji au kuwatia adabu isingesaidia kitu, na badala yake viongozi hao hao wakaanza kuzitumia ligi hizo kutizama vipaji vipya ambavyo vimeshindwa kujitokeza katika mechi za kawaida za ligi.

Ndipo kwanza mechi za mwezi wa Ramadhan ziliopoanza kuchipua. Viwanja vya Malindi, Mnazimmoja na baadae sehemu za Nga’mbo zikazuka ligi za ushindani wa Ramadhan. Vyovyote iwavyo mpaka sasa ligi inayoandaliwa na Dula Sunday ndio inakuwa bora kabisa.

Inashangaza kijana huyo anavyoweza kusimamia mashindano yote karibu peke yake na michuano kuweza kuanza na kumalizika. Amejijengea heshima kubwa miongoni mwa vijana.

Sasa umekuwa utamaduni mkubwa kuwa na mashindano wakati wa Ramadhan na fainali yake kufanyika yaumu shaka, yaani siku ya kutarajia mwezi kuundama.

Ligi za ba’rza zina raha sana na hupata watu wengi kuliko mashindano ya ligi ambayo huandaliwa na Chama cha Soka Zanzibar ZFA. Ligi za bar’za pia zina msisimko kuliko mechi zinazoandaliwa na ZFA.

Tizama hamasa ya wachezaji na namna wanavyojitolea kulinda majina ya bar’za zao…ni kuliko wachezaji katika ligi ya soka ya kawaida. Tizama jinsi ya washabiki wanavyojipamba na kushangiria…kuliko washabiki katika ligi ya kawaida.

Tizama usimamizi wa ligi na uchezeshaji…ni kuliko wa mashindano rasmi…tizama ahadi za utoaji wa zawadi…inatimizwa ikilinganishwa na michuano rasmi ambapo washindi hawapewi vikombe.

Kwa kuwa michuano hii huchezwa kindavandava, basi hapa ndipo pahala pazuri sana kuweza kujua uwezo wa mchezaji…maana hakuna anaejilegeza..kujilegeza ni dhambi maana sio tu kuwa utachekwa lakini utaifungisha timu yako.

Hapa pia ni pahala pazuri pa kuona vipaji au uwezo wa mchezaji. Binafsi timu yangu imefaidika mara kadhaa kupata wachezaji kwenye mechi za bar’za au kuona uwezo halisi wa mchezaji kwenye mechi kama hizi.

Uzuri mwengine wa mechi hizi ni nafasi ya wachezaji wasio na namba au nafasi katika klabu zao au wanaotafuta soko kuweza kuonekana.

Jengine ninalolipenda kwenye michuano hii ya bar’za ni ile hali ya wachezaji maarufu kuweza kuchanganyika na wale wachanga na wasio na uzoefu ili sio tu kujisikia wamecheza nao lakini pia kuwapa moyo kwa kucheza nao.

Hii ni muhimu mno, maana huwa ina mjenga vyema yule chipukizi, hasa kwa vile mechi hizi huhudhuriwa na watu wengi sana.

La mwisho linalofanya nihusudu mechi hizi za bar’za ni ile hali ya kuwa mpira unarudishwa kwa wapenzi. Maana mpira ni wapenzi, sasa ikiwa unachezwa bila ya wapenzi hata uwe mtamu vipi au kwenye kiwanja kitamu kama halua, huwa haina maana yoyote.

Mechi za bar’za raha yake kubwa ni wapenzi. Na mimi naamini si kwa sababu mechi hizi huwa bure au kwenye viwanja vya wazi ndio maana zinahudhuriwa na watu wengi, si sababu kabisa.

Nionavyo washabiki wanajaa kwa sababu mechi hizo zina hamasa, kiwango cha juu cha soka kinaonekana, maandalizi na usimamizi wake ni mzuri, fursa ya kuwaona mtaani wachezaji nyota na kutimizwa kwa ahadi za zawadi…kama ni kikombe kinatolewa, kama ni fedha zinatolewa la kama ni n’gombe basi pia huletwa uwanjani akakabidhiwa mshindi kama hivi majuzi walivyopewa bar’za ya Lebanon baada ya kuwalaza Durban.

Happy Birthday CCM, mwana usiyejua shida!


Na Ally Saleh


Hongera Chama cha Mapinduzi!!! Hongera ndugu yetu, wengine mwanetu na wengine mjukuu wetu. Vyovyote iwavyo, hongera haigombi. Happy Birthday CCM….tunakutakia siku njema ya mauled.

Mungu akuweke uishi miaka mia, na uende kwa mkongojo!!! Siwezi kuwa hiana mpaka nikatae kukutakia maisha marefu ingawa sina hakika kuwa wewe ndugu yetu unaweza kuwatakia wafanana na wewe maisha marefu.

Tunakupa hongera kwa mengi, mengi sana. Maana mwenzetu umepita siku na miaka mpaka leo nchi nzima inatikisika ikiimba sifa zako na kusherehekea kuzaliwa kwako. Dogo hilo?

Si dogo maana birthday za wengine hawapati fursa ya kutengenezewa fulana wakagaiwa wala mishumaa ya kupuliza kwenye keki, seuze ngoma na chereko.

Leo unatimiza umri wa miaka 30 kutokana na kuzaliwa kwako tarehe kama ya leo, yaani Februari 5, 1977. Si haba kuwa mpaka leo upo na tunakuona, mzima wa afya. Na umejaa tele kama pishi ya mchele.

Hujatetereka, pengine umetikiswa hapa na pale, basi. Lakini wakati wewe umetikiswa wenzio wamepatwa na matetemeko ya ardhi na wengine wamefunikwa na vifusi siku sio zao.

Hospitali uliyozaliwa, maana ulibahatika wengine huzaliwa majumbani, bado ipo pale pale lakini iko hali mbaya kiasi ambacho nasikia masahiba wako na waliokuwa wa wazee wako wanataka kuja kuitengeneza.

Inasikitisha kuwa kijana muelewa, mwenye uwezo kama wewe ukapadharau pahala ulipozaliwa kufikia hali ilivyo sasa. Lakini ndiyvo mlivyo vijana wa siku hizi, nyote jora moja ila mishono tu tofauti.

Baya ni kuwa karibu kila mwaka umepatumia pahala hapo mara kadhaa, lakini hata kuruzuku maji basi, au brashi ya rangi? Sakafu yake hivi sasa aibu kuhusishwa na weye.

Nina hakika unaringa ukijitizama hapo ulipo. Mrefu kama twiga, mkali kama simba, mnene kama mbuyu, miraba minne kama kifaru na mjanja kama sungura. Ukizitizama sifa hizo, unajiona wewe ndio weye. Ulipo hutachechetuka, wengine wote sisimizi tu kwako.

Unajiona mtimilifu, mpatifu na mzoefu. Hakuna kama wewe, hilo sisi tulokuona ukizaliwa tukikutizama usoni tu tunakuona. Tunaona sijui ndio tambo au majisifu au jeuri, lakini usikatae bwana hilo unalo. Pengine mwenye huoni hiyo ni ila, maana kawaida huwa desturi.

Ni mkamilifu kwa maana ya kukamilia kimuundo, kisera na kimkakati. Maana wewe una mashina nchi nzima na umeota mizizi; sera zako ndizo zilizosikilizana zaidi na watu kuzichagua na kimkaati nani akuwezae…nyumba hadi nyumba na “mvungu hadi mvungu”, chembilecho mama Salma Kikwete.

Ambacho nina hakika nacho pia katika hilo suala la mikakati, basi magodoro pia yalifunuliwa, maana ndio maana mpaka leo usufi umetanda mitaani na wengine ukitusumbua katika uvutaji pumzi.

Hata mwenyewe hupumuwi kwa raha, lakini kama desturi yako unakataa kukiri na unasema hakuna usufi hapa, mbona wewe huoni wakati unaukupua na tunauona umekuganda kwenye kope zako kiasi cha kukuziba macho.

Ni mpatifu maana fedha haikupigi chenga, majimbo ndio usiseme na serikali unazo kibindoni. Kampuni za mafuta zinajipendekeza kwako, za simu zinalala kwako na hazina ya Serikali ufunguo unao wewe kibindoni, kama Baniani Kamba.

Na ni mzoefu kwa mbinu na hila na ndio ukafika hapa. Ndio maana kampeni zako hazina ukwasi. Maburunguta nje nje, mafuta ya petroli chekwa na misosi na moto wa kukanzia ngoma huwa ni vitu visokosekana.

Nchi hii imeshuhudia vifo vingi sana vya watoto kama wewe. Wengine wamekufa uchangani, wengine wamekufa balegheni na wengine wamekufa wakiwa vijana shababi, ambao wengine walikuwa wameshaanza kuwatumainia.

Mlozaliwa wakati mmoja wengine wamekufa kwa utapia mlo, wengine wamepopotoka kwa polio na wengine wamekuwa punguani. Kama nakumbuka uzuri wewe ulikuwa ni mtoto peke yake uliozaliwa na wazazi wawili – Afro Shirazi na TANU.

Mamaako tuliambiwa ni Afro Shirazi na babako TANU. Lakini sote tulikuwa hatujui kuwa Afro alikuwa mwanamke, maana muda mrefu hapa kwetu Zanzibar tulijua ni mwanamme, wallahi naapa au kama kiapo cha kwetu Pemba, baraatu nakualfia na mama yangu

Udume wa Afro Shirazi tuliushuhudia alipowatwanga makonde vijana wenziwe akina Umma Party pamoja na kuwa kama Cassius Clay kwa mbwembwe. Pia Afro akambwaga ZNP aliyekuwa kama Rocky Masiano na mwisho Afro akamgaragisha ZPPP ambaye alionekana kama Sony Liston wakati huo.

Lakini ghafla siku ile unazaliwa tukasikia kuwa Afro ni mama. Tukaona haya makubwa lakini hatujayauliza, maana mambo ya nyumba kunga. Sasa leo mwenyewe umekuwa mkubwa na mdadisi unaweza ukayauliza. Yalikwendaje, hata Afro akawa mama…na umama huo unaendelea hadi leo?

Umeishi mpaka ulipo hujapata utapio mlo maana umezaliwa katika familia yenye kipato kwa hivyo vyakula vya protini, wanga na mafuta vimekuwa haviadimiki kwenu, chokoleti na matunda hayo ndio usisime. Kuhusu ma apple ndio usiseme, mpaka Kwamtipura yamefika.

Maisha ya shida hujayajui kabisa, wewe unayasikia tu kama matangazo ya redio. Ukosefu huujui kabisa maana hujawahi kulala na njaa, sio kama wengine waliowahi kulala kwa uchochoni, mabiye au boribo.

Zamani kidogo wapo walioponea kwa unga wa manjano wa sembe ambao tuliambiwa ni chakula cha farasi Ulaya au zaidi Marekani…nay ale maharage ya ajabu ambayo mara yalikuwa manjano, mara kahawia na mara zambarau.

Wakati ule wa foleni za vyakula na kwenye mabekari…wewe kabisa sijawahi kukuona katika kesha na timbwa za wakati huo. Wenzetu wa kike na kiume walibakwa na kunajisiwa, mama zetu walifunuliwa nguo zao kwa ajili yetu, lakini wewe na familia yenu hamkuyajua hayo.

Tuseme kwa ujumla umezaliwa katika nyumba kubwa yenye fursa na satwa. Yenye ulwa na stahiki zote.Umelelewa kwa vitanga na mbeleko. Mpaka leo, nyumba yenu ndio kubwa kiamboni kote, ijapokuwa haijaongezeka kitu, kubwa baraka ya kuzongwa na msitu.

Halafu ulipochuchuka tu ukaanza ukorofi. Ukasema jahara kuwa pasiwepo na mwanamme yoyote ule ambae atakuzidi wewe. Wewe ndio wewe uwe kama jogoo la mtaa yaani makoo yote uyazalishe wewe, chembilecho wenzetu wewe ndio “ dume la mbegu.”

Kwa hali hio ukakataa mtu yoyote asijenge nyumba wala asipande mti. Maana nyumba na mti ni dalili ya uhai, na wewe ulikuwa peke yako, kama ulivyojinata ndie mwenye uwezo wa kuhuisha na kufisha.

La, sikufuru. Leo ndio unasema kuwa nakufuru. Hayo uliyasema bwana, usinisute.

Si tuliambiwa kuwa CCM imeshika hatamu. Labda hatamu za lijamu za kumpinda n’gombe utakavyo bila ya kujali maumivu kwenye pua zake, machofu na njaa yake au pia kuchagua atakako kuenda.

Na kwa kweli sisi wakati huo wa pawari za CCM, hatukuwa kama ng’ombe bali tulikuwa kama punda tena yule wa Mwembemakumbi au wa pale Amani. Bakora nyingi, mtama na maji kidogo.

Tuliambiwa lazima kuwa CCM. Ukitaka kazi, masomo, matembezi na chochote kile. Lakini pamoja na lazima yote akina sisi wengine tulikataliwa uanachama kabisa kabisa. Mpaka leo tukijiuliza hatupati jawabu.

Sote tulitakiwa tuwe chama kimoja, kama kibla. Tukubali itikadi kama Kurani, na tuwe chini ya mawazo na fikra za Mwenyekiti mmoja. Tuwe waladhalina amina au wasamiina wawataana. Tuwe kama matoto ya reli, tuvutwe na kubururwa.

Pengine kutakuwa na hoja hayo ni ya wakati ule. Lakini wakati ule,na mimi nitauliza , kulikuwa hakuna nchi ambazo zililkuwa na vyama vingi na watu wake kuwa na uhuru wa vyama wavitakavyo? Hicho kisiwe kisingizio.

Tukubali tu kuwa ulikuwa unataka upate utawala wa kujifaragua. Ulianza mapema kupata makole ya wazee wako TANU na ASP ambao na wao walianza mchezo huo mapema kabisa.

Na kosa hilo ndio lilozua utata katika siasa za nchi hii hadi leo. Maana ASP ilipokataa vyama vyengine ilikumbatia watu waliokuwa wanachama wake au wapenzi wake na hao wakapewa nafasi zote kushika…walizoziweza na wasizosiweza.

Nchi ndipo ilipoanza kwenda songombingo. Maana kukaanza kuwa na makundi ya wenye haki na wasiokuwa na haki. Wenye haki ni wale ambao walikuwa na uhusiano na ASP na wengine hata ambao hawakuwa ZNP, Umma wala ZPPP wakati wa kwenye kapu moja… kama hukuipenda ASP, na tabaan CCM basi wewe ni hao hao…

Na leo ukitimiza miaka 30, bado CCM umo kwenye mawazo mgando kuwa wengine wote ambao si wanachama wa CCM basi ni akina hao hao ukisahau kuwa muda nao umesonga na mambo yamebadilika sana.

Unajisifu siasa za vyama vingi umezileta wewe…lakini la ajabu umeshindwa kukubali kuwa maadamu vyama vyengine vipo basi tabaan vina haki na nafasi ya kushika madaraka. Sio wewe tu ndio mwenye uwezo, la.

Sasa na hivi leo tumekuwa na hiari kubwa. Hiari ya kupenda na hilo likiambatana na kuchaguwa. Kupenda ni chama mtu akipendacho na wananchi wote wawe na haki ya usawa ya kuchagua chama kinachomkuna roho yake.

Hiari kubwa ya kukipigia kura chama akipendacho na kukitakia uwezo wa kuingia madarakani…na kuwa madaraka sio tu suala la kupishana bali ni matokeo ya matakwa ya umma.

Kuwa kuchagua kwa leo si kutumia nguvu. Si kuwafanya polisi na majeshi waunge mkono kwa lazima chama tawala, si kuipinda mkono Tume ya Uchaguzi na wala si kuwa na vikosi vya vijana wasioambilika.

CCM ijue usimamizi wa nchi ni wa wananchi. Weusi wana haki na weupe wana haki. Wa Magharibi wana haki na wa Kusini wana haki. Sivyo kama tuonavyo.

Maadam leo unasherehekea siku yako ya kuzaliwa ujue na ujikumbushe kuwa pia kuna mauti. Si vizuri kutakabar maana kifo kinaweza kuwa ni kibaya sana.
Lakini bora nisiiharibu siku kwa kutishana kwa vifo maana kwa nikuonavyo naona wewe CCM huamini kabisa kama utakufa. Unaona kuwa umeumbwa uishi milele, maana usingefanya uyafanyayo kama ni vyenginevyo.

Ya kufa yako mbali, maana ni majaaliwa na siri ya Mungu lakini naona siku ya kuukosa huu ulwa ulonao tu basi unaweza ukafa kihoro, audhbillahi mindhalika.

Hongera CCM kutimia miaka 30!!!

Wetu ni Uwanja wa Ndege wa Kimataifa au wa kiunga?

Na Ally Saleh


Nilikuwa pale Uwanja wa Ndege wa Kimataifa wa Zanzibar wakati moja ya makundi yaliokuwa yanakwenda Makka yalipokua yakiondoka na nikaona hali ya vurugu ilivyo. Niliumia sana. Niliumia ndani ya roho.

Sikuamini hali inaweza kuwa mbaya kiasi hicho. Moyoni nilisema, laiti wakubwa wa nchi hii wangeliona…lakini kasha nikasema kwani hawaoni…sio wao wamepewa macho manne ikilinganishwa na yetu mawili?

Ilikuwa ni usiku, basi na mambo ndivyo yalivyozidi. Humjui aondokae wala humjui asindikizae. Palikuwa zahma-l-karadis. Hapana mipaka wala hapana pa kutoka na kuingilia, hapana pa kukalia wala pa kuvutia pumzi. Ilikuwa ni kitahanani kitupu.

Kwa sisi ambao hatujawahi kwenda Makka, ila tunaoona picha zake basi tukawa tunatania kwamba vurugu iliyokuwepo pale ni sawa na pale Waislamu wanapokuwa Saffa na Marwa au kumtupia jiwe shetani.

Maana kwa kweli ndivyo ilivyokuwa. Ila pale palikuwa njia haionekani na shetani wenyewe hakuwepo.

Sikutaka kabisa kufikiria wale mahujaji walikuwaje tukitilia maanani wengi ni watu wazima na hata hao vijana walikuwa na safari ndefu na bila ya shaka watakuwa wamechoshwa mambo ndio bado yaanze.

Ilibidi wenye nguvu zao wasukumane na watu na wabebe mizigo yao juu ya vichwa, na dhaifu kama mie ikawa ni kushikwa mkono kuongozwa kwa sababu kwa wao wenyewe tu, wasingeweza kufika kule mbele. Wangefikaje?

Najua sana vurugu hiyo ilichangiwa pia na waandaaji wa safari hizo za Hija kwa mipango yao isiokuwa minyoofu. Ila hilo kwa kweli si la leo, iko siku yake maalum ambapo tutalizungumzia.

Enhe, nilisema kwamba ilikuwa ni usiku basi tabaan palihitajika kuwepo mwanga. Wallahi, naapa kuwa hapakuwa na mbalamwezi wala taa ya umeme. Palikuwa hapana ulinzi na kwa hivyo ni pisha pisha na mwenye nguvu mpishe.

Hamu ya kuandika ikanijia pale pale, lakini nikasema na moyo wangu, " Punguza munkar," na hivyo ndivyo nilivyofanya. Nikasema, wacha litokee jengine basi hapo ndipo uandike maana utakuwa umefanya mambo mawili.

Kwanza lile la kuupa moyo subira, lakini la pili utapo pata jambo jengine utakuwa unaandika mambo yenye upana zaidi, maana hapo halitakuwa jambo moja lilokugharibisha kuandika juu ya Uwanja wa Kiamtaifa wa Zanzibar.

Naam, jina kubwa na kwa kweli linabeba sura nzima ya Zanzibar. Pale ndio ingilio au mlango wetu mkuu na ndipo wageni wanapoanza kutuona jinsi tulivyo. Ama itakuwa kujenga taswira nzuri au kujenga taswira mbaya. Hapana shaka sisi tungelipendelea hiyo ya tangulizi.

Haijachukua muda kupata kishawishi au isbabi ya kuandika kuhusu huo Uwanja wa Ndege wa Kimataifa wa Zanzibar, uwanja wetu wenyewe lakini ambao kwa dalili na ushahidi haupewi hadhi na haki inayostahiki.

Kwa maneno au matamshi ya kisiasa mtu aweza akatishika kuwa Uwanja huo unapata kila haja unayotaka lakini ziara za upelelezi za mara mbili tatu tu zitaweza kumfanya mtu yoyote agundue mambo kibao.

Mambo gani hayo kibao? Ni mambo ambayo mtu yoyote tu wa kawaida angeweza kufikiri au kuuwazia uwanja huo kama lingepatikana hili basi pale pangekuwa pazuri zaidi au huduma ingekuwa ni bora kuliko ilivyo hivi sasa.

Hatukatai kuwa uwanja wetu umejengwa katika mazingira ya kizamani, na kwa hivyo kwa sasa inaonekana vigumu kuongeza majengo na kwa hivyo nafasi ya kutenda kazi kwa nafasi zaidi.

Lakini hilo lazima lifanywe. Inabidi tutumie akili yoyote ile lakini nafasi ipatikane maana ukweli ni kuwa palivyo hivi sasa hapatoshi. Na kila uchao tukisema na kutaraji kupata wageni zaidi, kwa mfano watalii 150,000 kwa mwaka ina maana harakati nyingi zaidi pale uwanjani.

Hii ni mbali ya wasafiri wa ndani, ambao kwa sababu ya kuongezeka kipato na pia kukua kwa uchumi wa nchi, basi nao wasafiri wa ndani wameongeza sana.

Basi siku moja nikawa pale uwanjani siku ndege moja ya watalii ilipokuwa inakuja na nyengine ikiwa inaondoka, zote hizo ikawa ni kukutana hapa uwanjani petu. Na hapo ndipo utapoifaidi hali ya uwanja huo.

Hiyo ni mbali ya safari za kawaida za ndege zetu za hapa ndani ambazo kuruka na kutua kwake ni mashaka hayo ambayo nitayazungumzia, lakini ndio wao wafanye nini na fedha wanazoingiza katika mfuko wa Serikali pengine ni ndogo.

Lakini si chache hivyo maana safari hizo ni nyingi na wasafiri ni wengi na bila ya shaka haba na haba yao ya kodi ya kiwanja haikosi kuwa ni mamilioni, ambayo mtu angetegemea yangeelekezwa kiasi chake fulani kurudi ili kuimarisha kiwanja.

Kule kwenye madege hayo makubwa ya nje na ambayo wapandaji wake ndio tunaotaka kuwajengea taswira njema ndio usiseme. Midege hiyo mikubwa na mizito mpaka inachimba barabara ya kutulia na wageni wanatoa madola, mapauni na maeuro.

Mapesa yote wanayoyamwaga ndani ya nchi hii basi tunashindwa angalau kuwaweka katika kivuli wanapoondoka au kuwanusuru na mvua wakijipanga kuingia ndegeni.

Wengi wao naamini huwa wanauma meno na kujuta. Wakitaka kuja tena wanafikiri na adha ile ya uwanjani.

Mie sio katika wanaoamini kuwa hakuna la kufanya kuhusu uwanja wetu na kuwa tuinue mikono na kushukuru Walladhalina, Amina. Hapana yako mengi ya kufanya na yote ni ndani ya uwezo wetu, yaani uwezo wa serikali.

Kwanza kabisa ni kumpa uwezo wa kifedha meneja wa uwanja huo. Si rahisi kwa sisi wa tu wa nje, bila ya msaada wa takwimu kujua fedha zinazoingia uwanjani hapo kwa siku, kwa wiki na kwa mwezi.

Lakini tunaweza kufanya makisio kuwa si chini ya wenyeji 100 wanasafiri kwa siku na si chini ya wageni wastani wa 50 wanasafiri kwa kila siku ya Mwenyenzi Mungu. Mtu aweza kushangaa mbona idadi ya wenyeji na wageni yafanana au inakurubiana?

Hii naona ni kwa sababu idadi ya wageni wanaokuja nchini tumeambiwa mwaka uliopita ilipita 125,000 na bado inaongezeka na ukweli kuwa wengi wa wageni wa humu nchini ni wale amao wanaoingia kupitia uwanani hapo.

Haina haja ya kuzunguka na kujizonga isipokuwa kusema mamilioni yanayopatikana hapo yasiingie " katika mikoba ya ukili ya wafanyakazi tu" chembilecho Waziri Kiongozi, Shamsi Nahodha, bali asilimia 10 zirudi uwanjani ziweze kufanyiwa kazi.

Nasikia kilio hiki kimeliliwa sana . Kelele zimepigwa, lakini wapi. Na mie naamini hilo linatokea kwa mamlaka ya uwanja wa ndege, maana kuna mtu wa Mamlaka ya Mpato ya Zanzibar (ZRB) ameninong'oneza kuwa hata wao hawaipati asilimia 10 ya kile wanachokikusanya.

Kwa hivyo uwanja wa ndege ZRB na wengine kama hao hata iwapo wanakusanya malukuki lakini wakitaka matumizi huwalazimu waende kupiga hodi, kuomba na saa nyengine kupiga magoti.

Ndio maana taasisi hizi za serikali tunaziona nyonge nyonge na kwamba hazina ubunifu. Kumbe ukweli ni kuwa zina fikra mbali mbali lakini hazipati mapana ya utendaji kwa vile zina ukosefu mkubwa wa mtiririko wa fedha.

Kwa mfano naamini mamlaka ya uwanja wa ndege inaumia wasafiri wanapopigwa na jua au mvua wakisubiri kuondoka au hata wanapoingia. Hili linawakera ukiwatizama nyusoni mwao unaliona.

Wanaumia pia kuona uwanja wa ndege hakuna taa. Kukiwa na wasafiri wengi wa usiku kama nilivyoshuhudia kwa mahujaji basi ni tafrani tupu, na hili wasingependa liwepo, unajua ndani ya nyoyo zao.

Kwamba ipo haja ya kuweza kutenganisha wasafiri wa ndani na nje iwapo upo uwezekano, hilo pia wanalitaka. Wanajua ikiwezekana kuongeza jengo upande ule baada ya Mamlaka ya Hali ya Hewa, vurumai itapunguzwa sana upande huu. Lakini wafanye nini.

Tizama pale kwenye mapokezi wanavyobanana, tizama ofis za ndege za kukodi zinavyobanana, tizama eneo la kuwekea mizigo lilivyo dogo hivi sasa.

Fikiria sasa zimeingia ndege mbili za nje hali inakuwaje. Naambiwa inaweza kuchukua saa nzima tokea mgeni kufika mpaka kuondoka iwapo ndege mbili za nje zitaingia au kutua karibu karibu.

Najua kabisa kuwa mamlaka ya uwanja wa ndege inataka eneo liliopo mbele ya uwanja penye kiji mkahawa liwe sehemu ya uwanja ili pengine eneo la kuweka magari lisogezewe huko ili nafasi kubwa zaidi ipatikane.

Walivyo wabunifu wakiwa pesa unawaona hasa eneo la sasa la magari litaporomoshwa jengo au akili itatumiwa ili liweze kufaa kwa kazi mbili na sio kama ilivyo hivi sasa, kuwa ni kuegeshea magari, lakini pia halitoshi. Ndio yale ya mkia wa mbuzi.

Lakini fedha za uwanjani hapo si mkia wa mbuzi maana walioneemeka nazo, alhamdullilahi.

Nionavyo ni kuwa hata huduma za ndani ya uwanja hazilingani na hadhi ya uwanja huo.
S tunaingia bwana na kuona? Mbanano huwepo pale mpaka viyoyozi vyote vinazidiwa nguvu…wazungu tena hupata fursa za kukaa matumbo wazi.

Tunataka na hasa tunatamani tumnyonge meneja wa uwanja wa kushindwa kazi. Lakini tusimnyonge meneja au mamlaka ya uwanja kabla ya kutenda haki na haki ni kupewa asilimia 10, naam 10 tu ya wanayozalisha.

Uongozi upewe fursa zote halafu na sisi tuwe tuna haki ya kudai huduma bora na kamilifu. Au siyo bwana?

Iwapo watapewa ziada, hakuna ziada inayogomba. Hata hili pia lishindikane? Ndio pale wengine wakaona ipo haja ya kubinafsisha au kutoa mamlaka ya kishirika kwa mamlaka hayo ya uwanja wa ndege.

Siamini, siamini kuwa haiwezekani.