Mzee Mwanakijiji
Platinum Member
- Mar 10, 2006
- 33,475
- 39,991
Godfrey Mwakikagile plagiarized Mozambican author
By Fernando Veloso
Maputo (Canalmoz) – Tanzanian writer Godfrey Mwakikagile, author of a biography of Tanzania's first president entitled, «Nyerere and Africa: end of an era», has plagiarized large chunks of João Cabrita's book, «Mozambique – The Tortuous Road to Democracy». The chapter of Godfrey Mwakikagile's work dealing with the founding of Frelimo is filled with
passages extracted from Cabrita's book, though the Mozambican author is neither quoted nor his study acknowledged.
Godfrey Mwakikagile began his career as a journalist with Tanzania's Daily News. Subsequently, Mwakikagile worked as an information officer with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in Julius Nyerere's government.
According to Wikipedia, as a journalist Godfrey Mwakikagile toured Frelimo-controlled areas and had close links with Joaquim Chissano during the struggle for Mozambique's independence. Wikipedia says the Tanzanian author is frequently invited for interviews by the BBC and the Voice of America, and that his book has been widely quoted by academics and political figures, including former South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
The founding of Udenamo and MANU
The first occurrence of Godfrey Mwakikagile's plagiarism of Cabrita's work is when he refers to the merger of the various organizations, which resulted in the formation of Frelimo. On page 211 of the Tanzanian author's book it is stated that: "It is interesting that although FRELIMO was formed in Dar es Salaam, its formation was announced for the first time in Accra, Ghana, on May 29, 1962 by UDENAMO and MANU leaders." Relying on Udenamo vice-president Fanuel Mahluza as the key source for his account of Mozambique's independence movement, Cabrita states on page 5 of his book: "The formation of Frelimo was announced for the first time in Accra on 29 May 1962 by the União Democrática Nacional de Moçambique (Udenamo), and the
Mozambique African National Union (MANU)."
Cabrita then adds: "Formed in Rhodesia in November 1960, Udenamo was the first of the three Mozambican independence movements to advocate violence to bring about independence." Mwakikagile rephrases what Cabrita stated:
"The first organization to advocate armed struggle as the only viable means to end Portuguese rule was UDENAMO, formed in Southern Rhodesia in November 1960." Godfrey Mwakikagile goes on to say that "The nationalist struggle in Southern Rhodesia had a major impact on UDENAMO whose members had a working relationship with the National Democratic Party led by Joshua Nkomo…" (p 211) According to Cabrita's book, "Udenamo was influenced by Zimbabwean
politics, and its members had a history of involvement with Joshua Nkomo's National Democratic Party." (p 5)
Discussing the founding of MANU, Cabrita gives the following account on page 8: "In January 1961, the MAA branches in Dar es Salaam, Mombasa and Zanzibar, led respectively by Matthew Mmole, Samuly Diankali and Ali Madebe, merged as MANU. The presidency and vice-presidency of the new party were given to Mmole and Lawrence Malinga Millinga, both born in Tanzania.
The similarities between MANU and TANU were not only in the name. Some in MANU aimed at the unification of Cabo Delgado with Tanzania for a greater Makonde homeland."
Mwakikagile's plagiarized account appears on page 214 of his book: "In January 1961, the Makonde African Association (MAA) branches in Dar es Salaam (Tanganyika), Mombasa (Kenya) and Zanzibar merged to form MANU. The Tanganyikan branch was led by Matthew Mmole; the Kenyan and Zanzibari branches by Samuly Diankali and Ali Madebe, respectively. Matthew Mmole became MANU's president, and Lawrence Malinga Millinga its vice-president. Both were born in Tanganyika. Many MANU members, if not the majority, also wanted to united Cabo Delgado Province with Tanganyika in order to establish a Greater Makonde homeland."
Entitled, ‘A Marriage of Convenience', the first chapter of Cabrita's book says the merger of the Mozambique nationalist organizations (Udenamo, MANU and Unami) "was more a marriage of convenience" (p 5). Taking this lead, Mwakikagile states that "the compromise [the three organizations] reached to establish FRELIMO was more a marriage of convenience". (p 211)
Mondlane
Relying on interviews with Fanuel Mahluza in Nairobi in 1982 and 1988, Cabrita states that Mahluza had got in touch with Eduardo Mondlane once Udenamo set foot in Dar es Salaam. According to Cabrita's book, "In April 1961, Udenamo's vice-president, Fanuel Mahluza, wrote to Eduardo Mondlane, an U.S. educated Mozambican anthropologist working for the UN Trusteeship Council in New York, inviting him to join the organization." (p 5) Mwakikagile repeats this verbatim: "In April 1961, Udenamo's vice-president, Fanuel Mahluza, wrote to Eduardo Mondlane in New York where he worked for the UN Trusteeship Council and invited him to join the organization." (p 212)
Marcelino dos Santos
In his book, Cabrita contends that Udenamo leader Adelino "Gwambe's decision to appoint Marcelino dos Santos [at the Casablanca conference] as Udenamo's deputy secretary general, undoubtedly provided the organization with its most capable intellectual and organizer…"( p 7) Copying from Cabrita's book once more the author of «Nyerere and Africa: end of an era»
tells his readers that "Gwambe made a momentous decision and appointed Marcelino dos Santos as Udenamo's secretary general when Dos Santos invited him to attend the Casablanca conference, providing the organization with its most capable and articulate intellectual and organizer." (p 213)
Still on the role of Dos Santos, Cabrita states that "it was Marcelino dos Santos who drafted Udenamo's constitution, structuring it under the principles of «democratic centralism»." (p 7) Godfrey Mwakikagile says precisely the same: "It was Marcelino dos Santos who drafted Udenamo's constitution based on democratic centralism." (p 213)
Godfrey Mwakikagile's biography of Julius Nyerere is now in the 4th edition, having been published by several houses, including New Africa Press (Dar es Salam e Pretoria) and Black Academic Press (United States).
The first edition was published in 2003. João M. Cabrita's book was published by Palgrave (London) and St. Martin's Press (New York) in 2000. (Canalmoz)
By Fernando Veloso
Maputo (Canalmoz) – Tanzanian writer Godfrey Mwakikagile, author of a biography of Tanzania's first president entitled, «Nyerere and Africa: end of an era», has plagiarized large chunks of João Cabrita's book, «Mozambique – The Tortuous Road to Democracy». The chapter of Godfrey Mwakikagile's work dealing with the founding of Frelimo is filled with
passages extracted from Cabrita's book, though the Mozambican author is neither quoted nor his study acknowledged.
Godfrey Mwakikagile began his career as a journalist with Tanzania's Daily News. Subsequently, Mwakikagile worked as an information officer with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in Julius Nyerere's government.
According to Wikipedia, as a journalist Godfrey Mwakikagile toured Frelimo-controlled areas and had close links with Joaquim Chissano during the struggle for Mozambique's independence. Wikipedia says the Tanzanian author is frequently invited for interviews by the BBC and the Voice of America, and that his book has been widely quoted by academics and political figures, including former South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
The founding of Udenamo and MANU
The first occurrence of Godfrey Mwakikagile's plagiarism of Cabrita's work is when he refers to the merger of the various organizations, which resulted in the formation of Frelimo. On page 211 of the Tanzanian author's book it is stated that: "It is interesting that although FRELIMO was formed in Dar es Salaam, its formation was announced for the first time in Accra, Ghana, on May 29, 1962 by UDENAMO and MANU leaders." Relying on Udenamo vice-president Fanuel Mahluza as the key source for his account of Mozambique's independence movement, Cabrita states on page 5 of his book: "The formation of Frelimo was announced for the first time in Accra on 29 May 1962 by the União Democrática Nacional de Moçambique (Udenamo), and the
Mozambique African National Union (MANU)."
Cabrita then adds: "Formed in Rhodesia in November 1960, Udenamo was the first of the three Mozambican independence movements to advocate violence to bring about independence." Mwakikagile rephrases what Cabrita stated:
"The first organization to advocate armed struggle as the only viable means to end Portuguese rule was UDENAMO, formed in Southern Rhodesia in November 1960." Godfrey Mwakikagile goes on to say that "The nationalist struggle in Southern Rhodesia had a major impact on UDENAMO whose members had a working relationship with the National Democratic Party led by Joshua Nkomo…" (p 211) According to Cabrita's book, "Udenamo was influenced by Zimbabwean
politics, and its members had a history of involvement with Joshua Nkomo's National Democratic Party." (p 5)
Discussing the founding of MANU, Cabrita gives the following account on page 8: "In January 1961, the MAA branches in Dar es Salaam, Mombasa and Zanzibar, led respectively by Matthew Mmole, Samuly Diankali and Ali Madebe, merged as MANU. The presidency and vice-presidency of the new party were given to Mmole and Lawrence Malinga Millinga, both born in Tanzania.
The similarities between MANU and TANU were not only in the name. Some in MANU aimed at the unification of Cabo Delgado with Tanzania for a greater Makonde homeland."
Mwakikagile's plagiarized account appears on page 214 of his book: "In January 1961, the Makonde African Association (MAA) branches in Dar es Salaam (Tanganyika), Mombasa (Kenya) and Zanzibar merged to form MANU. The Tanganyikan branch was led by Matthew Mmole; the Kenyan and Zanzibari branches by Samuly Diankali and Ali Madebe, respectively. Matthew Mmole became MANU's president, and Lawrence Malinga Millinga its vice-president. Both were born in Tanganyika. Many MANU members, if not the majority, also wanted to united Cabo Delgado Province with Tanganyika in order to establish a Greater Makonde homeland."
Entitled, ‘A Marriage of Convenience', the first chapter of Cabrita's book says the merger of the Mozambique nationalist organizations (Udenamo, MANU and Unami) "was more a marriage of convenience" (p 5). Taking this lead, Mwakikagile states that "the compromise [the three organizations] reached to establish FRELIMO was more a marriage of convenience". (p 211)
Mondlane
Relying on interviews with Fanuel Mahluza in Nairobi in 1982 and 1988, Cabrita states that Mahluza had got in touch with Eduardo Mondlane once Udenamo set foot in Dar es Salaam. According to Cabrita's book, "In April 1961, Udenamo's vice-president, Fanuel Mahluza, wrote to Eduardo Mondlane, an U.S. educated Mozambican anthropologist working for the UN Trusteeship Council in New York, inviting him to join the organization." (p 5) Mwakikagile repeats this verbatim: "In April 1961, Udenamo's vice-president, Fanuel Mahluza, wrote to Eduardo Mondlane in New York where he worked for the UN Trusteeship Council and invited him to join the organization." (p 212)
Marcelino dos Santos
In his book, Cabrita contends that Udenamo leader Adelino "Gwambe's decision to appoint Marcelino dos Santos [at the Casablanca conference] as Udenamo's deputy secretary general, undoubtedly provided the organization with its most capable intellectual and organizer…"( p 7) Copying from Cabrita's book once more the author of «Nyerere and Africa: end of an era»
tells his readers that "Gwambe made a momentous decision and appointed Marcelino dos Santos as Udenamo's secretary general when Dos Santos invited him to attend the Casablanca conference, providing the organization with its most capable and articulate intellectual and organizer." (p 213)
Still on the role of Dos Santos, Cabrita states that "it was Marcelino dos Santos who drafted Udenamo's constitution, structuring it under the principles of «democratic centralism»." (p 7) Godfrey Mwakikagile says precisely the same: "It was Marcelino dos Santos who drafted Udenamo's constitution based on democratic centralism." (p 213)
Godfrey Mwakikagile's biography of Julius Nyerere is now in the 4th edition, having been published by several houses, including New Africa Press (Dar es Salam e Pretoria) and Black Academic Press (United States).
The first edition was published in 2003. João M. Cabrita's book was published by Palgrave (London) and St. Martin's Press (New York) in 2000. (Canalmoz)