Lusekelo anakata tawi alilokalia?

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Is this the Daily News?

Adam Lusekelo

Daily News;
Sunday,October 14, 2007

I was there when the late Mwalimu Nyerere ‘nationalised’ the ‘Standard’ newspaper. He called it what we now know - the Daily News. I will quote heavily on his maiden piece.

“In the future there can be no suspicion that this English language newspaper is serving the interests of foreign private owners…” Mwalimu intoned.

“As a nationally owned newspaper, the first aim of the ‘Standard’ will be to serve the interests of the people of Tanzania.” Mzee wrote.

But has it? Has the Daily News lived up to Mzee’s dream? Much water has passes under the bridge. The paper which was to help build socialism is now devoid of any ideology. It is busy being the custodian of government secrets, nay, government officials. According to the Daily News, Buzwagi never happened.

Richmond has never existed. It is a figment of imagination of all those enemies of Tanzania and agents of imperialism. Rulers are busy on the front pages in the press trying to impress the rest of us that they are busy.

The Daily News is expected to operate without government subsidy, but its purpose will be service , not making of profit. Or so Mzee thought. But it has been receiving subsidies until recently when a guy called Seth Kamuhanda came in and turned it around. It is now making money.

Ages ago I suggested to the then minister for information, the late Ahmed Diria that he should sell half the shares to us writers and the government keep the rest. He looked at me as if I was a dangerous capitalist agent. But we became great friends until our maker took him.

Now the Daily News is busy living on government ads. It is busy disintegrating into a government public relations department. Editors are now summoned for a finger-wagging session by rulers (Not Jack Mrisho) to be warned to publish and write the ‘right’ things. But you cannot do that in a liberalised,demiocratic place. It is comical – playing the ostrich, by burying you head in the sand!

Mwalimu said that the Daily News will be guided by the principle that free debate is an essential element of socialism, and will serve to encourage and maintain a high standard of socialist discussion.

“The new standard will be free to criticise any particular acts of individual Tanu or government leaders, and to publicise any failures in the community, by whomever they are committed. It will be free to criticise the implementation of agreed policies , either on it’s own initiative or following upon complaints or suggestions from its readers.” Mwalimu wrote.

All has come to nought. I frankly think we have been reduced to a bunch of praise singers. The one party mindset is still intact. Politicians call editors and tell them what to write.

What the pompous politicians should know is that the average reader wants to read what is news. The whole idea of producing a paper is to be read. This is not a fashion show whereby we photograph politicians in different attire every day. Leave the fashion show to that to David and Victoria Bekham.

Usually Mwalimu spoke occasionally. But then, he usually said something. Now guys have nothing to say. They then bore us senseless with the ‘peace and tranquillity’ thing.

Mwalimu meant well, I believe. But there are some ridiculous people who think that the press is about kowtowing to them! It is not. Just leave us alone. I know there are some clowns who have, and are still using the media to become politicians. But most of us journos are just that. And we resent politicians trying to teach us our jobs.

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

That's what's up!! Super big up to Lusekelo. I really like him. He is never the one to pull any punches or mince words. He just calls it as he sees it. And if those quatations of Mwalimu are accurate, then I say wow!!!

 

[Kitila Mkumbo]

Ahaa, huyu kama ni kukata mti alishaukata siku nyingi, sema anaweza kukaa kwenye matawi bila matatizo. Sio mchezo, Kudos mzee Lusekelo, keep up the good job!

 

[Steve Dii]

Have one's cake and eat it too?!........... sijui!!

Nasema hongera Dailynews, kwani mimi naona maneno ya mwisho kwenye nakala hiyo ya Ndg. Lusekelo yanakamilisha makusudio yote.

Mimi pia ni msomaji na mpenzi wa nakala za Lusekelo, na nimesha re-post nakala zake hapa mara kadhaa. He calls a 'spade a spade' na maandishi yake mara zote yanaonesha jinsi yeye mwenyewe alivyo 'karata turufu'. Basi nilichokiona kwenye huu ujumbe hapo juu, ni jinsi mamlaka ya Dailynews yanavyoanza kuashiria kujitoa kwenye mashinikizo ya serikali na baadhi ya viongozi wake wachache. Ambao kama jinsi Lusekelo anavyoandika, wamezoea kuwawekea wahariri wa magazeti yetu mashinikizo yasiyo na misingi ili kutetea maslahi yao binafsi. Na kimbelembele chao na kujipendekeza huko kunapigwa STOP mchana kweupe kabisaa kwenye nakala hiyo.

Kwenye hili pamoja na kuwa hiyo ni style ya Lusekelo, mimi naona basi Dailynews na huyo mwekezaji wameamua kikwelikweli kuanza kubadili chombo hiki cha mawasiliano, katika kuonyesha 'freedom of press', dailynews ina epitomise hilo through Lusekelo. Hata hivyo yote yanayo uzunguka ujumbe huu ni jambo la kusifiwa na la kuimarisha maendeleo ya nchi yetu na vyombo vya habari kwa ujumla.

Mwisho naisifu Dailynews na 'dhana' yake kabambe 'Lusekelo', since i believe thatYOU CAN'T EAT YOUR CAKE AND HAVE IT TOO!! Indeed, if this turns out to be 'proxy reporting' as my guts are telling me, then it's manifesting itself in a very positive way.

SteveD.

 

[The Invincible]

Big up Lusekelo. Huyu mwandishi ni kati ya wachache sana ambao naweza kuwaita elightened journos.

Lusekelo column ndiyo pekee inayonifanya nitumie muda wangu katika website ya Dailynews.

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Yeah.. Lusekelo nimemsoma siku nyingi sana... ninachofurahia zaidi ni kuwa yeye ana uwezo wa kusema anachosema kwa maneno machache sana bila kuzungusha maneno. Nataka nijifunze hilo maana wakati mwingine badala ya kusema kitu kwa kurasa mbili unajikuta unasema kwa kurasa sita.. kudos nyingi kwake...

 

[Mwanamalundi]

message sent!! Excellent work lusekelo.

 

[Mpaka Kieleweke]

Anko Luse, keep it up .

Its a good job, na je?Rostam anasoma mambo haya ?

 

[Killuminati]

Lusekelo is the man!! huwa nacheki daily news kwenye column and for sure i ain't reading nobody's column other than Lusekelo's, Sir Mwanakiji nakubaliana na wewe kuwa amekata tawi alilokalia lakini at the end of the day this is the kind of a person who can talk to me about trust and i can give a shot on that, Much respect to you brother Lusekelo, you aint got nothing to loose!!!

 

[princejafari]

indeed adam lusekelo ni mvinyo adimu ( vintage wine) katika nyanja ya uandishi wa habari tanzania. Nuff Respects sir!

 

[Mafuchila]

Lusekelo,
Mchango ni mkubwa na wengi tunaelimika kwa makala zako na kujua nini kinachoeendelea humo ndani. Kubwa zaidi nafarijika jinsi unavyowabwatia kutokea 'barazani'na sio barabarani kama tulivyozoea kwa wengine.

 

[Dua]

Bravo Adam, there is nothing to add. We've come a long way, lets say what needs to be said.

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

Hivi Lusekelo anaijua jamboforums? labda anaweza akaja humu akachota mawazo ya topic na kuandika makala...

 

[Kalamu]

Lusekelo is the man. Many of us buy and read that paper because of him.

The new members of the board TSN: Did I see the name of Salva Rweyemamu; the Director of Communications ... you know where? That doesn't look encouraging for what is being advocated by our friend Lusekelo.

 

[FairPlayer]

Binafsi nimewahi kumwandikia huyu jamaa na kumpongeza! sio siri hata mimi nikinunua Daily news ni kwasababu yake!

 

[Chakaza]

Hivi Lusekelo anaijua jamboforums? labda anaweza akaja humu akachota mawazo ya topic na kuandika makala...

Napata hisia kuwa huwa anatembelea humu. Sasa hivi hapa Bongo JF iko midomoni mwa wengi kama kitovu cha habari na mijadala hivyo si rahisi Lusekelo hilo limpite.

 

[Masanja]

Message sent and DELIVERED!
Tatizo kubwa la waandishi wengi wa hapa kwetu ninaloliona ni kwamba hawajiamini, hawajui technic ya kutokubaliana na mtu na bado mkabaki marafiki! Lusekelo is good at that! to agree to disagree, na remember these watawalas are just like me and you so they can never take advantage of you unless you allow to be taken advantage of! Na wengi wao ni kwa sababu ya udhaifu wa njaa kali!

 

[Mtanganyika]

This what we call globalization effect. Tell them to keep babysitting the government, because at least government people will have a newspaper to read. You know government like a peace of mind,and that is why we have puppets like Daily News.

 

[BroJay4]

Huyu Lusekelo makala zake zina busara,no spinning,yupo wazi na haogopi kutoa dukuduku lake,tunahitaji watu kama hawa katika kuleta changes.

 

[Mtanzania]

Mwanakijiji,

Sasa mbona wewe mkuu unawaogopa hawa watawala kwamba watakukolimba? Lusekelo yuko pale pale tena anaandika kwenye gazeti la serikali.

Tanzania hatuna freedom of press kama baadhi ya nchi za West lakini pia hali sio mbaya sana kama baadhi ya watu wanavyotaka tuamini. Huenda woga wetu na rushwa vinatuponza zaidi kuliko hata
watawala kutuandama.

Tuwaunge mkono waandishi wazuri ili waendeleze mapambano ya fikra. Mwanakijiji, usiache mapambano na PM, tunataka makala kama ile ya Kasungura ka Lowassa.

Hongera Lusekelo kwa kubaki na msimamo wako miaka na miaka bila kuyumba.