Nduna Songea Mbano kiongozi shujaa wa wangoni anayestahili kukumbukwa daima

[Mh Mbunge]

HUWEZI kuilezea na kuikamilisha historia ya vita ya Majimaji na ukombozi wa nchi yetu bila kumtaja shujaa wa kabila la wangoni Nduna Songea Mbano ambaye jinalake lilipewa hadhi ya kuuita mji wa Songea kutoka kwenye jina la Ndonde mwaka 1906.

Kiongozi huyo alikuwa ni miongoni mwa wasaidizi ( Nduna) 12 wa Chifu wa kabila la wangoni (Nkosi) chifu Mputa bin Gwezerapasi Gama.

Ambapo wasaidizi wake wengine walikuwa ni Mgendera Mawaso Gama, Kohongo Magagura, Mputa Mkuzo Gama, Magodi Mbamba Mbano, Mtekateka Muyamuya Tawete, Fratela Fusi Gama.

Manduna wengiwe ni Maji ya kuhanga Komba, Zimanimoto Gama, Mpambalyoto Soko Msalawani, Mtepa Hawaya Gama na Nduna Mkomanile ambaye alikuwa ni mwanamke pekee kuwa nduna.

Nduna Songea Mbano alikuwa ni maarufu kuliko manduna wenzake na hata chifu Mputa Gama alikuwa anamtegemea sanakatika kuwaongoza Manduna wenzake na wapiganaji wa vita ya Majimaji kiujumla.

Mhifadhi kiongozi wa Makumbusho ya Taifa Maji maji Songea Philipo Maligissu akizungumzia maisha ya Nduna Songea Mbano katika viwanja vya Makumbusho hayo,alisema kuwa Songea Mbano akiwa miongoni mwa manduna alitokea kuwa maarufu sana ukilinganisha na wenzake 11 ambapo sifa kubwa iliyo mpa umaarufu ili kuwa ni ueledi na ushadi wake wa kuandaa mikakati ya kivita, na maamuzi mazito yasiyoteteleka na kuyasimamia maamuzi hayo kikamilifu.

Kwa umakini mkubwa Nduna Songea Mbano aliweza kufanya kile alichokuwa akikiamini na uthibitisho wa jambo hilo ulianza kujitokeza julai 12, mwaka 1897 katika viwanja vya Bomani kwa mkuu wa Wilaya wa wajerumani luteni Engelhardt.

Maligissu anasema kuwa kwa rekodi zilizopo zinaonyesha kuwa tarehe hiyo Nduna Songea Mbano alionekana kuwa ni mtu wa kipekee katika idadi ya Manduna 11 ambao walikuwa wasaidizi wa chifu Mputa Gama kwa kitendo chake cha kubisha wazi wazi tamko la utawala mpya wa wajerumani la kutaka wangoni wakomeshe biashara ya utumwa.

Siku hiyo ilikuwa ni siku rasmi ambayo utawala wa kikoloni ulikuwa unaanzishwa katika mji wa Songea wakati huo ulikuwa unaitwa Ndonde na Mkoa wa Ruvumakiujumla chini ya Luteni Engelhardt wa Jeshi la Kijerumani ambaye alikuwa ndiye Mkuu wa Jeshi kwa kanda ya Kusini.

Wajerumani walipofika kuanzisha makoloni yao katika maeneo ya ukanda wa kusini walikutana na msuguano mkubwa kutoka kwenye tawala za kiafrika hususani tawala za wangoni.

Maligissu anasema kuwa wangoni walikuwa na tabia ya kwenda mikoa ya Lindi na Mtwara kuvamia na kuchukua mateka na kuwaleta Songea kuwafanyisha shughuli mbalimbali katika maeneo yao ya utawala.

Tabia hiyo ya wangoni iliwachukiza sanawajerumani kwani wajerumani walikuwa wanaheshimu sana makubaliano yaliyofikiwa kutoka kwenye mkutano waBerlin wa mwaka 1884 hadi 1885.

Katika mkutano huo moja ya makubaliano yaliyofikiwa ni pamoja na kila nchi yenye koloni barani Afrika ni lazima ikomeshe biashara ya utumwa na kwa kuwa wajerumani walikuwa wamejiimarishasana katika mikoa ya Lindi na Mtwara.

Hivyo walipokuja Ruvuma wakatoa tamko kwa wangoni kuwa hairuhusiwi na haitaruhusiwa tena kwenda Lindi,Mtwara na maeneo mengine kuchukua mateka na kwamba mateka wote waliochukuliwa na wangoni waachiwe huru.

Baada ya wajerumani kutoa tamko hilondipo Nduna Songea Mbano alipojitokeza waziwazi na kusimama kujibu hoja iliyotolewa na wajerumani kuhusiana na tamko hilo.

Nduna Songea Mbano alisema kuwa utawala wa kabila la wangoni hauwezi kutekeleza tamko hilo na kwamba msimamo wao ni kutoutambua utawala mpya wa kijerumani na tamko lao.

Aliendelea kusema kuwa ujio wa utawala wa wajerumani na kutoa tamko hilo kwa wangoni una lengo la kudhoofisha utawala wa Machifu na Manduna katika maeneo yao kwa kufuata kanuni zao za kimila na kitamaduni.

Kuanzia hapo wajerumani walimuona Nduna Songea Mbano kuwa ni mtu hatarisana katika utawala wao mpya na walimuweka alama maalumu na kuanza kumfuatilia nyendo zake.

Kwa sababu alionekana kuwa kiongozi shupavu na mwenye misimamo mikali na anayezingatia heshima na utu wa kabilalake bila kuyumbishwa.

Alionekana kuwa ni mtu wa pekee mwenye uwezo mkubwa wa kufanya kazi katika mazingira yoyote kwa kushirikiana na wananchi wake ambao walikuwa wana mheshimu sana na kumsikiliza.

Maligissu anaeleza kuwa Nduna Songea Mbano alikuwa na uwezo mkubwa wa kuwaunganisha wananchi wake na kuwa na umoja, upendo na mshikamano na kwamba alikuwa akiwaelekeza jambo wanalifanya kwa umakini na kwa ukamilifu.

Anaendelea kusema kuwa kuanzia hapo Nduna Songea Mbano aliendelea kujizolea umaarufu mkubwa na wajerumani baada ya kuona hivyo na kitendo cha nduna Songea kutamka kuwa yupo tayari kwa lolote lile na hawezi kukubali kuona tawala za kiafrka zinadharauliwa na wakoloni kwa namna yeyote ile.

Waliamua kuwaalika Machifu na Manduna wote Julai 13 mwaka 1897 Bomani kwa mkuu wa Wilaya wa kwanza katika nchi ya ungoni ambaye pia mkuu wa jeshi la wajerumani katika nchi ya ungoni Luteni Engelhardt na kuwaambia kuwa mtu yoyote katika eneo lake atakaye kaidi amri yeyote kutoka kwa uongozi mpya wa wajerumani basi atapigwa risasi, kunyongwa hadi kufa au kufungwa maisha .

Siku hiyohiyo Machifu na Manduna walichukuliwa hadi juu ya mlima wa shabaha wa chandamari uliopo katikati ya mji wa Songea na kuwaonyesha nguvu ya risasi inavyoweza kufanya kazi katika mwili wa binadamu na kwamba silaha za kijadi na kimila za wangoni haziwezi kufua dafu mbele ya silaha hizo.

Licha ya wajerumani kutoa mkwara na vitisho vingi Nduna Songea Mbano aliendelea kushikilia msimamo wake wa awali wa kuchukia utawala wa wajerumani na kuutetea utawala wa kiafrika mpaka vilipo kuja kutokea vita vya Majimaji.

Nduna Songea Mbano alitoa ushindani mkubwa sana katika vita hivyo na alionyesha ustadi mkubwa kwenye mapigano na katika sehemu zote ambazo wajerumani walipigana wameandika kuwa hawakupata ushindi mkubwa kama waliopata katika Mkoa wa Ruvuma zamani nchi ya ungoni.

Ambapo viongozi wao hawa kuwa wanafiki kwani walijitoa kikwe likweli kusaka ukombozi wa kweli na hadhi ya tamaduni zao mpaka dakika ya mwisho, ndio maana idadi ya watu walionyongwa katika historia ya nchi yetu walitoka katika himaya ya Nduna Songea Mbano na ushahidi upo wazi kuwa watu 67 walihukumiwa kunyongwa hadi kufa akiwemo Nduna Songea Mbano.

Katika kuonyesha kuwa Nduna Songea Mbano alikuwa na uwezo wa kufanya mambo kwa uweledi mkubwa bila kusaliti dhamira yake kuanzia mwaka 1897 alianza kuandaa jeshi lake la kupambana na utawala wa wajerumani.

Akaanza kuchukua watu wake na kuwapeleka juu ya mlima wa chandamari, kufanya nao mkutano na kutoa mafunzo ya kivita na kuwaelekeza kwa nini wanawachukia wajerumani.

Katika mlima huo ndipo alipoeleza kwa kina madhara ya kuukubali utawala wa wajerumani na kutoa ahadi kwa wananchi wake ya kuwaondoa wajerumani kwa lazima na kwamba alisema kuwa eneo hilo ni lao na wamekuwa wakiishi siku zote chini ya utawala wao sasa inakuwaje waletewe utawala mpya wakati hawahuitaji.

Chokochoko hizo zilizaa vita vya Majimaji na wakati mapigano yakiendelea wajerumani walianza kumtafuta Nduna Songea Mbano ili wamkamate na kufanya nae mazungumzo ya maridhiano.

Kumbe Songea Mbano alikuwa amejificha kwenye pango kubwa lililopo kwenye mlima wa chandamari na usiku hukutana na askari wake nje ya pango hilo na kuwapa mafunzo zaidi ya kivita.

Maligissu anaeleza kuwa Nduna Songea Mbano alikuwa anaishi na Ndugu zake katika eneo la Mateka lililopo katika eneo la Manispaa ya Songea na wakati wa vita ndipo Songea Mbano alikuwa anajifisha katika pango hilo ili wasimkamate mpaka atakapotimiza malengo yake.

Wajerumani walipoona wanaendelea kupata madhara makubwa kutokana na vita hivyo waliamua kuwakamata ndugu na familia yake, chifu Mputa Gama na Manduna wengine na kuwafunga gerezani kwa lengo la kumdhoofisha Nduna Songea Mbano.

Baada ya wajerumani kumdhoofisha Nduna Songea Mbano alipata taarifa zote na akaamua kutoka kwenye pango hilo na kwenda kwa wajerumani na kutaka watu wake waachiwe ili mapigano yaendelee.

Ndipo naye alipokamatwa na kuwekwa gerezani na kwamba utawala wa wajerumani waliamua kuwa hukumu wafugwa hao kunyogwa hadi kufa akiwemo chifu wa kabila la Wangoni.

Wafungwa hao waliamuliwa kuchimba shimo kubwa bila kujua kuwa shimo hilondilo litakalotumika kuwa kaburi lao na ilipofika siku ya kunyongwa walinyongwa kwa zamu siku mbili na maiti zao kwenda kuwekwa kwenye kaburi hilo hadi walipofikia 66 ndipo walizikwa kwa pamoja kwenye kaburi hilo.

Nduna Songea Mbano walimuacha ili aweze kuwasaidia kufikisha malengo yao kwa wananchi kwani waliamini kuwa yeye ni kiongozi jasiri na anayependwa na watu wake na kusikilizwa vizuri.

Toka siku hiyo walipomuacha bila kumnyonga Nduna Songea Mbano aliwasumbua sana wajerumani na kutaka naye anyongwe kama ndugu zake kwani haoni sababu ya yeye kuishi wakati ndugu zake wamekufa na kusema kama hawataki kumnyonga basi hataki kula wala kunywa chochote mpaka afe.

Ndipo wajerumani walipoamua kumnyonga na kumzika katika kaburi la pekee yake wakiamini kuwa ni mtu wa pekee mwenye ushujaa na maamuzi mazito na misimamo isiyoyumba na walimuenzi kwa kubadilisha jina la mji wa Ndonde na kuubatiza jina la Songea ambapo mpaka sasa linatumika kuuita mji huo wenye hazina kubwa ya historia na utalii wa kitamaduni

Kila mmoja wetu hana budi kujiuliza ni mafundisho yepi anaweza kuyapata katika historia ya nchi yetu na mchango mkubwa alioutoa Nduna Songea Mbano na je kizazi kilichopo tunao ule moyo wa ushujaa , uzalendo heshima na usawa kama ilivyo kuwa kwa mababu zetu basi inatupasa tutimize wajibu wetu kikamilifu ili vizazi vijavyo viweze kunufaika na uwepo wetu duniani.

[HASHTAG]#FacebookPage[/HASHTAG]...BongoExposure
[HASHTAG]#Insta[/HASHTAG] ......... @reallybyser

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[Deo Corleone]

Our chief, Comamder

 

[sepaline]

Sasa hivi sidhani Kama kuna viongozi Kama bwana Nduna Songea Mbano

Motorola Verizon Droid X8

 

[Mohamed Said]

Ndugu zangu jina lake halisi ni Abdulrauf Songea Mbano hilo Abdulrauf ndilo jina alilopewa na wazazi wake lakini walioandika historia kwa hofu ya jina hilo wakalikwepa.

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[chuwaalbert]

Ambapo wasaidizi wake wengine walikuwa ni Mgendera Mawaso Gama, Kohongo Magagura, Mputa Mkuzo Gama, Magodi Mbamba Mbano, Mtekateka Muyamuya Tawete, Fratela Fusi Gama.

Huyu Mbamba ndiye jinale lilitumika kuiita Mbamba Bay?

 

[Azarel]

Ndugu zangu jina lake halisi ni Abdulrauf Songea Mbano hilo Abdulrauf ndilo jina alilopewa na wazazi wake lakini walioandika historia kwa hofu ya jina hilo wakalikwepa.

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Kwanini wakalikwepa?

 

[Azarel]

Source ya habari yako?

 

[cacacuona]

Kumbe alikufa kwa sababu ya kijinga hivi.pumbavu zake.sasa yey aliona fahar gani kuchukua mateka waafrika wenzake.kama angekuwa Na ubavu angeenda ulaya kuchukua watumwa.

 

[Mohamed Said]

Kwanini wakalikwepa?

Azarel,
Nakuwekea hapa niliyoandika hapa JF kuhusu Chief Abdulrauf Songea Mbano:

Wanamajlis,

Naona ukumbi umepoa.
Yuko aliyesema ana maswali kuhusu Nyerere anataka kuniuliza.

Kapotea sijamsikia.

Yuko aliyekuja na mpya kuwa Waislam sio walioanza harakati dhidi
ya ukoloni akataja Maji Maji.

Nikaweka jibu.

Hakuridhika akadai kuwa majibu nimejinukuu mwenyewe kwa hiyo
ni ajua.

Chief Songea Mbano

Nikaja na jibu kutola nyaraka za Wajerumani wenyewe waliopigana
na Chief Abdul Rauf bin Songea.

Najua kapata mshtuko kwa kuwa hajapatapo kumsikia Chief Abdul
Rauf bin Songea katika Vita Vya Maji Maji ingawa inawezekana kuwa
kasikia Chief Songea Mbano.

Najua ametatazika kama wengi wanavyotatazika hivi sasa wakinisoma.
Hawa ni watu wawili au ni mtu mmoja?

Abdul Rauf bin Songea ndiyo huyu Songea Mbano?
Kuchakachua historia kuna hatari zake na hii ni mojawapo.

Hakuwa anajua kuwa Vita Vya Maji Maji Waislam walisimama dhidi ya
Wajerumani.

Majemadari 60 Waislam walinyongwa na kuzikwa kaburi moja Mahenge,
Songea na kumbukumbu ya iko hapo kwenye kumbukumbu ya Maji Maji
Songea.

Katika kaburi la peke yake amezikwa Songea Mbano.
Je huyu ndiye yule Abdul Rauf bin Songea?

Kuna mahali Abdul Rauf bin Songea anaitwa kwa jina la ''Chief Songea
Luwafu Mbano.''

Soma hapo chini:
One of these is Chief Songea Luwafu Mbano, from whom the town takes its name. As the most famous of the Ngoni resistance leaders, the Germans honoured ...

Hii ''Lwafu,'' ndiyo Rauf?
Huyo hapo juu kwenye picha ndiye Chief Abdul Rauf Songea Mbano
Jemadari Muislam wa Vita Vya Maji Maji.

Angalia hapo chini ghafla majina ya hawa Waislam hayaonekani badala
yake kuna majina mengine lakini ni ya wale wale Waislam walionyongwa:

Nani huyu anaepotosha haya majina mazuri ya Waislam katika historia
ya Maji Maji?

Sasa soma hapo chini:
''Islam has always been the ideology of resistance against colonial rule or any other authority which tried to subjugate Muslims. Consequently, no government in power either indigenous or foreign has ever been kind or supportive to Islam, and likewise Muslims have always been engaged in a continuous struggle to preserve their faith and fight for their rights. Christianity was resisted by Muslims right from the beginning. In any uprising against the colonial government, Muslims took the opportunity to attack missionaries and Christian establishments. Muslim perceived both missionaries and the colonial government as fellow collaborators and therefore enemies to Islam. Islamic radicalism has therefore a long history in the struggle against colonial rule and Christianity. Christianity became a reactionary force siding with the colonial authority. One needs only to read the letter written by the Chief Songea bin Ruuf at the time when he was mobilising his people for war while at the same time trying to cement alliances with other chiefs in Southern Tanganyika and across the River Ruvuma in Mozambique. This letter written to Sheikh and Sultan Mataka bin Hamin Massaninga reads:


''Sultan Songea bin Ruuf writes: To the Shaykh and Sultan Mataka bin Hamis Massaninga. Greetings, etc. I am sending you a letter through Kazembe. We have received an order from God that the Europeans must leave the country. We are in the process of fighting them here. I believe that we have long since been reconciled,[so] send me your children, so that we may make an alliance. I had wanted to send you some cattle as a gift, but am not able to do so, as the war which God desired is continuing. Send me a hundred riflemen, and support me in storming the Boma (Songea).

I am also sending you a flask of the Prophet Muhammad, which contains the means for conquering the Europeans. Have no doubt about it, it possessed great power. And when we have taken the Boma (Songea), we shall go on the stations on the Nyasa together, you and I. Now, let us forget our old quarrels.

This bottle, with a da’wa, has been sent by Chinyalanyala himself, the war leader. He also sends the container (kombe), and sends you many greetings.

If your men will come, then Chinyalanyala himself will come and will give you many of the holy things.

Hassan bin Isma’il greets you.

Many salutations,
Sultan Songea bin Ruuf.” [1]

A point to note here is that this letter, beautiful as it is, it is being doubted by Becker, who maintains that the origins of the letter are dubious.[2] This is the stand which many Christian researchers have taken when faced with the realities of Islam in Tanganyika.

[1] C.H. Becker, ‘Material for the Understanding Islam in German East Africa’, Tanzania Notes and Records, No. 68, February, 1968, p.58.
[2] Ibid.

Angalia jina la Kazembe no. 51 na Hassan bin Ismail no, 53 majina ambayo Chief Abdul
Rauf bin Songea kayataja katika barua yake.

Angalia neno ''bin'' katika baadhi ya majina kisha jiulize na wapi likawekwa neno ''bin,'' kwa
asiyekuwa Muislam.

Kaburi la Chief Abdul Rauf Songea Mbano katika Maonyesho ya Taifa ya Maji Maji
Mahenge, Songea ambae kazikwa kwa jina la Songea Mbano.

Kutoka: Mohamed Said, "The Life and Times of Abdulwahid Sykes (1924 - 1968) The Untold Story of The Muslim Struggle Against British Colonialism in Tangnayika, Minerva Press, London 1998."

Sultan Songea bin Ruuf huyu hapo juu ndiyo huyu anayoelezwa tena hapa chini kama Chief
Songea Mbano?:

"Anasema hali hiyo ilitokea kwa sababu Chifu Songea Mbano alikuwa ndiyo Jemedari Mkuu wa Jeshi la Wangoni na alikuwa ni hodari sana asiyeogopa lolote kwa hiyo Wajerumani walitaka abakie ili wamtumie kwa malengo yao.

"Yeye Chifu Songea alidai na yeye anyongwe kama walivyonyongwa ndugu zake, basi alinyongwa na Wajerumani ambao waliondoka na kichwa chake wakiwa wamekiweka ndani ya kasha kwenda Ujerumani ambako hakijarudi hadi leo na kiwiliwili chake kuzikwa katika kaburi la peke yake."
(Kutoka:Historia Ya Vita Vya majimaji.)

Wanajamvi,
Naamini mnaiona tofauti iliyopo.

Au hawa ni machifu wawili tofauti?
Nani anahusika na uchakachuaji huu wa majina haya ya Kiislam katika historia ya Vita Vya Maji Maji?

 

[Mohamed Said]

Source ya habari yako?

Azarel,
Nimekuwekea chanzo cha taarifa zangu.

 

[Nanren]

Kumekucha

 

[Mohamed Said]

Kumekucha

Nanren,
Kweupeeee!
Hiyo, ''kumekucha,'' kilikuwa kibwagizo cha TANU wakati wa kudai uhuru.

Kwanza iko gramaphone imewekwa santuri nyimbo ya Frank Humplink
inaimba nyimbo inasema, ''Tanganyika ikijanjaruka, Kenya na Uganda
zitaumana...''

Frank Humplink

Wako Mnazi Mmoja mbele ya sasa Elimu ya Watu Wazima (SUKITA),
watu wanakuja kusikiliza mkutano Nyerere anahutubia.

Muda ukifika Sheikh Suleiman Takadir anakwea jukwaa anaanza kwa
dua kisha anapiga ukelele, ''Kwaaaaachaaaaa!''

Watu wanaitika, ''Kweupeeee!''

Anamtambulisha Nyerere kwa watu na Nyerere anapanda jukwaani
kuhutubia.

Kulia: Bi. Titi Mohamed, Clement Mtamila, Sheikh Suleiman Takadir, Julius Nyerere,
Nyuma kulia John Rupia, Rajab Diwani, Mama Maria Nyerere, 1955.

 

[Freesociety]

Azarel,
Nakuwekea hapa niliyoandika hapa JF kuhusu Chief Abdulrauf Songea Mbano:

Wanamajlis,

Naona ukumbi umepoa.
Yuko aliyesema ana maswali kuhusu Nyerere anataka kuniuliza.

Kapotea sijamsikia.

Yuko aliyekuja na mpya kuwa Waislam sio walioanza harakati dhidi
ya ukoloni akataja Maji Maji.

Nikaweka jibu.

Hakuridhika akadai kuwa majibu nimejinukuu mwenyewe kwa hiyo
ni ajua.

Chief Songea Mbano

Nikaja na jibu kutola nyaraka za Wajerumani wenyewe waliopigana
na Chief Abdul Rauf bin Songea.

Najua kapata mshtuko kwa kuwa hajapatapo kumsikia Chief Abdul
Rauf bin Songea katika Vita Vya Maji Maji ingawa inawezekana kuwa
kasikia Chief Songea Mbano.

Najua ametatazika kama wengi wanavyotatazika hivi sasa wakinisoma.
Hawa ni watu wawili au ni mtu mmoja?

Abdul Rauf bin Songea ndiyo huyu Songea Mbano?
Kuchakachua historia kuna hatari zake na hii ni mojawapo.

Hakuwa anajua kuwa Vita Vya Maji Maji Waislam walisimama dhidi ya
Wajerumani.

Majemadari 60 Waislam walinyongwa na kuzikwa kaburi moja Mahenge,
Songea na kumbukumbu ya iko hapo kwenye kumbukumbu ya Maji Maji
Songea.

Katika kaburi la peke yake amezikwa Songea Mbano.
Je huyu ndiye yule Abdul Rauf bin Songea?

Kuna mahali Abdul Rauf bin Songea anaitwa kwa jina la ''Chief Songea
Luwafu Mbano.''

Soma hapo chini:
One of these is Chief Songea Luwafu Mbano, from whom the town takes its name. As the most famous of the Ngoni resistance leaders, the Germans honoured ...

Hii ''Lwafu,'' ndiyo Rauf?
Huyo hapo juu kwenye picha ndiye Chief Abdul Rauf Songea Mbano
Jemadari Muislam wa Vita Vya Maji Maji.

Angalia hapo chini ghafla majina ya hawa Waislam hayaonekani badala
yake kuna majina mengine lakini ni ya wale wale Waislam walionyongwa:

Nani huyu anaepotosha haya majina mazuri ya Waislam katika historia
ya Maji Maji?

Sasa soma hapo chini:
''Islam has always been the ideology of resistance against colonial rule or any other authority which tried to subjugate Muslims. Consequently, no government in power either indigenous or foreign has ever been kind or supportive to Islam, and likewise Muslims have always been engaged in a continuous struggle to preserve their faith and fight for their rights. Christianity was resisted by Muslims right from the beginning. In any uprising against the colonial government, Muslims took the opportunity to attack missionaries and Christian establishments. Muslim perceived both missionaries and the colonial government as fellow collaborators and therefore enemies to Islam. Islamic radicalism has therefore a long history in the struggle against colonial rule and Christianity. Christianity became a reactionary force siding with the colonial authority. One needs only to read the letter written by the Chief Songea bin Ruuf at the time when he was mobilising his people for war while at the same time trying to cement alliances with other chiefs in Southern Tanganyika and across the River Ruvuma in Mozambique. This letter written to Sheikh and Sultan Mataka bin Hamin Massaninga reads:


''Sultan Songea bin Ruuf writes: To the Shaykh and Sultan Mataka bin Hamis Massaninga. Greetings, etc. I am sending you a letter through Kazembe. We have received an order from God that the Europeans must leave the country. We are in the process of fighting them here. I believe that we have long since been reconciled,[so] send me your children, so that we may make an alliance. I had wanted to send you some cattle as a gift, but am not able to do so, as the war which God desired is continuing. Send me a hundred riflemen, and support me in storming the Boma (Songea).

I am also sending you a flask of the Prophet Muhammad, which contains the means for conquering the Europeans. Have no doubt about it, it possessed great power. And when we have taken the Boma (Songea), we shall go on the stations on the Nyasa together, you and I. Now, let us forget our old quarrels.

This bottle, with a da’wa, has been sent by Chinyalanyala himself, the war leader. He also sends the container (kombe), and sends you many greetings.

If your men will come, then Chinyalanyala himself will come and will give you many of the holy things.

Hassan bin Isma’il greets you.

Many salutations,
Sultan Songea bin Ruuf.” [1]

A point to note here is that this letter, beautiful as it is, it is being doubted by Becker, who maintains that the origins of the letter are dubious.[2] This is the stand which many Christian researchers have taken when faced with the realities of Islam in Tanganyika.

[1] C.H. Becker, ‘Material for the Understanding Islam in German East Africa’, Tanzania Notes and Records, No. 68, February, 1968, p.58.
[2] Ibid.

Angalia jina la Kazembe no. 51 na Hassan bin Ismail no, 53 majina ambayo Chief Abdul
Rauf bin Songea kayataja katika barua yake.

Angalia neno ''bin'' katika baadhi ya majina kisha jiulize na wapi likawekwa neno ''bin,'' kwa
asiyekuwa Muislam.

Kaburi la Chief Abdul Rauf Songea Mbano katika Maonyesho ya Taifa ya Maji Maji
Mahenge, Songea ambae kazikwa kwa jina la Songea Mbano.

Kutoka: Mohamed Said, "The Life and Times of Abdulwahid Sykes (1924 - 1968) The Untold Story of The Muslim Struggle Against British Colonialism in Tangnayika, Minerva Press, London 1998."

Sultan Songea bin Ruuf huyu hapo juu ndiyo huyu anayoelezwa tena hapa chini kama Chief
Songea Mbano?:

"Anasema hali hiyo ilitokea kwa sababu Chifu Songea Mbano alikuwa ndiyo Jemedari Mkuu wa Jeshi la Wangoni na alikuwa ni hodari sana asiyeogopa lolote kwa hiyo Wajerumani walitaka abakie ili wamtumie kwa malengo yao.

"Yeye Chifu Songea alidai na yeye anyongwe kama walivyonyongwa ndugu zake, basi alinyongwa na Wajerumani ambao waliondoka na kichwa chake wakiwa wamekiweka ndani ya kasha kwenda Ujerumani ambako hakijarudi hadi leo na kiwiliwili chake kuzikwa katika kaburi la peke yake."
(Kutoka:Historia Ya Vita Vya majimaji.)

Wanajamvi,
Naamini mnaiona tofauti iliyopo.

Au hawa ni machifu wawili tofauti?
Nani anahusika na uchakachuaji huu wa majina haya ya Kiislam katika historia ya Vita Vya Maji Maji?

Nani kachakachua sasa, twambie na kwa nini achakachue? Kwa maslahi yepi? Nawasilisha.

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