Nyerere: The Man, The Myth and the Legend

[MAMA POROJO]

"SAINT" JULIUS KAMBARAGE NYERERE

In a world where politicians are usually cast as villains and sinners, Tanzania's founding father Julius Nyerere may yet turn out to be a saint.

Eight years after he died at the age of 77, the Roman Catholic Church in Tanzania is leading a call to beatify the statesman who in life earned worldwide respect for his pan-Africanist vision.

The act of being declared "blessed" by the Pope, for which one miracle has to be recognized by the Vatican, is the last step in the Church's long path before sainthood.

If it happened, his elevation would be a rare honor for Africa, which some say badly needs heroes to counter-balance a series of corrupt leaders and greedy despots who have tarnished the continent's post-colonial history.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Tanzania, Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, said the campaign to have Nyerere beatified was a message to leaders who had fallen by the moral wayside.

"When you speak of politicians -- they are known as liars, they are known for not keeping their word. When we say someone is involved in business -- it's like closing the doors to heaven," Pengo told Reuters.

"Our aim is mainly to encourage politicians, statesmen and businessmen to live a life that is capable of leading them to sainthood," he said in an interview at Dar es Salaam's St Joseph's Cathedral, overlooking the Indian Ocean waterfront.

Pengo said an appeal, known as a cause for beatification, was sent in 2005 to Rome. The appeal begins the process to determine whether Nyerere was worthy of beatification. It may take years if not decades for Rome to make a ruling.

A university professor who knew Nyerere said he always carried a copy of the Bible and the 1967 Arusha Declaration, which was meant to turn Tanzania into a model of self-reliance.

But critics say Nyerere's perceived saintliness was undone by his political legacy. His experiment with socialism left Tanzania poorer and hungrier than when he came to power.

Some recall with bitterness the economic hardship brought about by Nyerere's "Ujamaa" system of collective farming and sweeping nationalizations that laid claim to land, property, industries, businesses and even schools.

"My grandfather told me how much pain he still has from the suffering he underwent working in the nationalized plantations, and getting nothing in return," said Alfayo, a trader who did not wish to give his last name.

"For that, I don't think Nyerere deserves to be a saint."

"Ujamaa is not part of the Bible and he did not die for his beliefs. This push to make Nyerere a saint is all political

DICTATOR?

World leaders applauded Nyerere for his pan-Africanist vision and his work on peace efforts in Rwanda and Burundi.

His funeral drew a host of former revolutionaries who had plotted their campaigns from Dar es Salaam during the heady scramble for independence of the 1960s and 1970s.

But Nyerere's heralded statesmanship belies simmering resentment at home over his refusal to allow multiparty politics, which critics say set the stage for four decades of ruling party government.

"He wanted to preserve power. Maybe he did not kill people as other dictators, but by suppressing dissent he was not different to any other dictator.

If the Roman Catholic Church succeeds in beatifying Nyerere, it would eventually allow relics, prayers and images of him to be honored in places of worship, with the Vatican's permission.

But for some churchgoers leaving an evening Mass at Dar es Salaam's sunbleached Gothic cathedral, that's a step too far.

"The church should seek another title for Nyerere. True, he was a devout Catholic, but the title he already has as 'Father of the Nation' is enough,".

 

[JokaKuu]

sheria ya wahujumu uchumi ilipitishwa na Bunge wakati tayari wananchi wametiwa rumande kwa kuhujumu uchumi.

kulikuwa na hali na mazingira fulani ya KUMUABUDU Mwalimu, na KUFUATA bila kuuliza kila aliloliamua.

kitendo cha kusweka watu rumande kwa makosa ambayo hayapo kisheria ilikuwa ni ukiukwaji mkubwa wa mamlaka ya bunge, na utawala wa sheria, na demokrasia.

wananchi waliishi kwa hofu sana wakiwa hawajui kama watakuja "tembelewa" na Polisi usiku wa manane.

 

[Kana-Ka-Nsungu]

Mazuri aliyoyafanya Mwalimu ni mengi na tumekuwa tukiyasikia kila kukicha.Nafikiri Mwafrika aliileta hii mada hapa ili kupata 'upande mwingine' wa mwalimu ambao hadi leo hii kuuongelea inaonekana ni kama dhambi.Mwalimu hakuwa fisadi, hakuwa mla rushwa na wala hakuwahi kujilimbikizia mali kama viongozi wengine waliomfutia- siwezi kuendelea na na upande wa sifa kwa kuwa purpose ya thread hii sio kukusanya sifa zake bali maasi yake.

Dikteta? Mwafrika ana haki ya kutumia neno hili, japo nilikua mdogo sana lakini I had a feeling he was behaving as if he owned the whole country, alikua anaongoza kwa Orders, alikua kama Mungu mtu, what he says- stands, he couldnt stand anyone disliking or opposing his ideas- whether they were good or bad. Ingekuwa enzi za Mwalimu, I doubt kama hata hii JF ingekwepo hapa, magazeti kibao yaliyopo mtaani sasa yangekua yamepigwa marufuku na wahariri wake 'kupotezwa'.Akitembelea wilaya, siku hiyo watoto hawaendi shule( hapo kuna wiki kadhaa za maandalizi ya ngoma,kwaya na ngonjera!) na wafanyakazi hawaendi job.

Bado nina kumbukumbu za kupanga foleni kwenye jua kali kwa masaa zaidi ya mawili nikifukuzia share ya familia yangu ya kilo tatu za sukari, unga wa ngano na mafuta kwenye duka la ushirika na RTC. Buluga ( sijui kama wengi mnalikumbuka- kama ngano hivi) lililetwa Bongo na Reagan enzi zile za njaa, na wengi tulikua ni kuharisha mtindo mmoja baada ya kulila!

Hivi kweli kulikua na haja ya kusubiri hadi ang'atuka ndo tuweze kumiliki TV majumbani mwetu? Siwezi kukuambia umbali niliokuwa nikitembea ili tu nikaone World Cup in 1986. Mwaka 1990 wachache wenye hela zao ilikua inawalazimu kutoa TV zao nje na mitaa kufungwa ili kuepuka tu kero za watu kujazana majumbani mwao na madirishani.

Mwalimu alikua na fikira za kimaskini sana na huenda hili limechangia kwenye umaskini wa wengi wetu hadi leo hii. Alikua ni mtu aliekuwa akifurahia kuwaona wakulima wakitumia jembe la mkono au lile la kuburuzwa na ng'ombe badala ya tractors, mtu ambaye alikua radhi kuwaona watu wakiendelea kuchimba madini kwa sururu badala ya kutumia wataalamu na mashine za kisasa.Bado pia nakumbuka familia yangu ilipolazimishwa kulima mtama na pamba na kuachana na mazao tuliyokuwa tukilima kwa madhumuni ya kuongeza kipato chetu.

I think its too early to judge our current president- JK, lakini naweza nikasema Mkapa kwa sasa is the worst president ever kwenye historia ya nchi yetu. Na alietubebesha zigo hili si mwingine bali Mwalimu, kama angekua hai leo hii sijui angeuficha wapi uso wake kuhusiana na aibu ya hili, aliwaburuza wana CCM pamoja na wananchi kwa ujumla wakamuweka madarakani huyu bwana.

Hata baada ya kifo chake, ukatokea usxxxe mwingine wa kuwalazimisha watu wafunge biashara zao kwa mwezi mzima. Wenye bars na night clubs ndio walioathirika sana na hili. Where was the justification for this? Watu hiyo miradi ndio wanaitegemea kulisha familia zao, unategemea wangeishi vipi kwa muda wa mwezi mzima?

Mwisho, can somebody help me with this, nilikua mdogo sana sikumbuki vizuri, lakini kulikua na rumours kuwa kulikua na mkono wa Mwalimu kwenye mauaji...sorry ajali ya yule masai, alikua waziri wa nini vile?

 

[lawyer]

Wengine,
Mie naona kuna ukweli katik ahaya malalamishi ya Waislam.Ukisoma kitabu cha Dr. John Sivalo(Kanisa Katoliki na Siasa ya Tanzania) utaona huyu Padre mkatoliki anazungumzia hili tatizo waziwazi.Hata Dr. Hamza Njozi(Mwembechai Killings and Political Future of Tanzania) nae analalamika vitu hivi hivi.Mohamed Said nae analalamika vitu hivyo hivyo. Je hatuoni hapo kama kuna tatizo?"

hata mimi nshawahi kusikia haya malalamiko jamani wenye data kuhusu hili watumegee zaidi na ufafanuzi.

 

[Bin Maryam]

Nikiwa na miaka saba hivi, nilipanga foleni ya kununua unga wa YANGA. Chakula hiki kilikuwa cha msaada. Na msaada huo ulikuja kwa sababu wazalishaji wa chakula (wakulima wadogo wadogo) wamehamishiwa katika vijiji vya ujamaa.

Wakati narudi nyumbani nilijikwaa na kumwaga unga wote. Nikifikiria kuwa ilibidi tuzoe kilo mbili za unga hili tupate mlo wa siku kwa sababu mgao wetu ulishapita, naona kuna matatizo makubwa katika sera zake.

Watanzania tusiwe-cheap kiasi hiki. Unga, sukari, chumvi, kibiriti sio vitu vya kupangia foleni au kupewa misaada.

 

[DAR si LAMU]

Nikiwa na miaka saba hivi, nilipanga foleni ya kununua unga wa YANGA. Chakula hiki kilikuwa cha msaada. Na msaada huo ulikuja kwa sababu wazalishaji wa chakula (wakulima wadogo wadogo) wamehamishiwa katika vijiji vya ujamaa.

..kuhamishia watu vijiji vya ujamaa,ilikuwa baada ya vita ya kagera au kabla?

..maana,mambo ya ugawaji na maduka ya kaya,ilikuwa baada ya vita ya kagera!

Wakati narudi nyumbani nilijikwaa na kumwaga unga wote. Nikifikiria kuwa ilibidi tuzoe kilo mbili za unga hili tupate mlo wa siku kwa sababu mgao wetu ulishapita, naona kuna matatizo makubwa katika sera zake.

..matatizo yale yalichangiwa na usimamizi mbaya wa sera,si sera mbaya!

Watanzania tusiwe-cheap kiasi hiki. Unga, sukari, chumvi, kibiriti sio vitu vya kupangia foleni au kupewa misaada.

..hasa suala la kupewa misaada,maana sisi si masikini!umasikini uko vichwani mwetu!

 

[Bin Maryam]

..kuhamishia watu vijiji vya ujamaa,ilikuwa baada ya vita ya kagera au kabla?

..maana,mambo ya ugawaji na maduka ya kaya,ilikuwa baada ya vita ya kagera!



..matatizo yale yalichangiwa na usimamizi mbaya wa sera,si sera mbaya!



..hasa suala la kupewa misaada,maana sisi si masikini!umasikini uko vichwani mwetu!

Vijiji vilitokea kabla ya vita vya Kagera. Na kabla ya maduka ya kaya kulikuwa na Operasheni maduka ambayo ilitaka maduka yanayouza bidhaa kuwa maduka ya ushirika.

Kuhusu mambo ya sera kuwa mbaya. Sera zilikuwa mbaya na sio usimamizi. Maduka mengi ya kuuza bidhaa Tanzania ni mfumo wa familia, hivyo mishahara na gharama zingine hazipatikani.

Unapoanzisha duka la kijiji ni lazima mwuuza duka awepo na mshahara alipwe hata kama duka alijatoa faida. Kutakuwa na usimamizi gani mzuri iwapo mshahara wa muuza duka unazidi mapato ya duka lenyewe.

Sukari inalimwa Kagera na inabidi isafirishwe DSM kwenye makao ya shirika la sukari halafu tena irudi tena kwa mlaji aliyepo Kagera au Mwanza.

Ukiwa na sera ya kukata miti ya kujengea nyumba lakini ukatumia kiwembe kama zana ya kukata miti ni lazima utakuwa na matatizo ya kiakili.

Sera za nchi zimechangia kuturudisha nyuma.

 

[Pundit]

1. Hivi nani anakumbuka around mwaka 1979/80 nikiwa shule ya msingi kuna wakati mgambo, polisi na wanajeshi walikuwa wanapita Dar kukusanya nakala za gazeti la TIME(or was it Newsweek?) ambalo lilidaiwa kuwa limemsema vibaya Rais Nyerere, waliokutwa nalo wanajua kilichowapata... Hivi nini kilikuwa kimeandikwa mule?

Mwakilishi,

I was trying to Lexis-Nexis that article lakini mimi nilifikiri ilikuwa sixties, can someone establish the date tulimwage hapa maana kila kitu kipo mtandaoni.

Siyo hili la March 13 1964?

http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/1964/1101640313_400.jpg

 

[Jasusi]

Pia nawashauri msome kitabu cha Profesa Lawrence Mbogoni "The Cross Versus the Crescent." Yeye anaelezea vizuri zaidi uhusiano/mvutano baina ya Ukristo na Uislamu katika Tanganyika/Tanzania bila baggage ya emotionalism iliyokithiri katika maandishi ya Njozi na Said.

 

[Pundit]

Not meaning to get out of topic, I was skimming through the PDF. Impressive effort, ndiyo tunataka kuona kama kuna waislamu wanaolalamika wanaonewa wawe na vitu kama hivi ku demonstrate effort yao wenyewe.

On a different tip, just curious.

How does one maintain academic freedom and creativity in a religious University environment which is by definition rigid, that goes for Jesuits as well as Muslims.

I mean ma-Professor wa Biochemistry (kama kweli they are worth their weight in salt) wanawezaje ku reconcile creationism na evolution?

 

[DAR si LAMU]

Vijiji vilitokea kabla ya vita vya Kagera. Na kabla ya maduka ya kaya kulikuwa na Operasheni maduka ambayo ilitaka maduka yanayouza bidhaa kuwa maduka ya ushirika.

..sahihi!

Kuhusu mambo ya sera kuwa mbaya. Sera zilikuwa mbaya na sio usimamizi. Maduka mengi ya kuuza bidhaa Tanzania ni mfumo wa familia, hivyo mishahara na gharama zingine hazipatikani.

..ni mtazamo tu,ila ukweli unafahamika!.sera za sasa zikoje?kwa mtazamo wako?

Unapoanzisha duka la kijiji ni lazima mwuuza duka awepo na mshahara alipwe hata kama duka alijatoa faida. Kutakuwa na usimamizi gani mzuri iwapo mshahara wa muuza duka unazidi mapato ya duka lenyewe.

..hivi haya si yale yaliyokuwa yakitoa huduma na si kutafuta faida?

Sukari inalimwa Kagera na inabidi isafirishwe DSM kwenye makao ya shirika la sukari halafu tena irudi tena kwa mlaji aliyepo Kagera au Mwanza.

..huu utakuwa wenda wazimu!

Ukiwa na sera ya kukata miti ya kujengea nyumba lakini ukatumia kiwembe kama zana ya kukata miti ni lazima utakuwa na matatizo ya kiakili.

..au utakuwa unacheza makida!

Sera za nchi zimechangia kuturudisha nyuma.

..sisi wenyewe tumejirudisha nyuma kwa kutozitekeleza sera tulizozibuni wenyewe!na hata sasa bado tunafanya hivyo!wachawi ni sisi wenyewe na si sera!kwasababu,kama unatekeleza sera ili ilete mabadiliko,ukiona haizai matunda unairekebisha au kuiacha na kufuata nyingine!tulifanya au tunafanya hivyo leo hii?

 

[Nsololi]

Hongera mwanakijiji. Ni juu ya kila mtu kutenganisha pumba na mchele

 

[Bin Maryam]

..sahihi!



..ni mtazamo tu,ila ukweli unafahamika!.sera za sasa zikoje?kwa mtazamo wako?



..hivi haya si yale yaliyokuwa yakitoa huduma na si kutafuta faida?



..huu utakuwa wenda wazimu!



..au utakuwa unacheza makida!



..sisi wenyewe tumejirudisha nyuma kwa kutozitekeleza sera tulizozibuni wenyewe!na hata sasa bado tunafanya hivyo!wachawi ni sisi wenyewe na si sera!kwasababu,kama unatekeleza sera ili ilete mabadiliko,ukiona haizai matunda unairekebisha au kuiacha na kufuata nyingine!tulifanya au tunafanya hivyo leo hii?

Baada ya vita vya pili, nchi zilizoendelea zilianzisha taaluma za project management na system engineering. Walifanya hivyo, kwa sababu miraji ilianza kuwa so complex iliyochukua muda mwingi na gharama kubwa.

Kupanga sera sio kitu kikubwa sana. Mtu yoyote mwenye nia nzuri anaweza akatulia mezani na kuandika sera zake. Lakini kinachoonekana vizuri kwenye karatasi sio lazima kiwe na mafanikio kwenye reality.

Sera nyingi za enzi ya Nyerere zilikuwa nzuri kwenye paper tu. Sophistication yetu kwenye ku-execute vitu complex vyenye deadline and budget constraints bado primitive. Ndio maana miradi mingi ilianza kwa shwange na nderemo kubwa lakini ikaishia kwenye kuchimba msingi wa majengo tu.

 

[Makanyaga]

1. Those who make things happen
2. Those who complain when things happen
3. Those who watch things happen
Sijui watanzania wengi tunaangukia wapi?

Watanzania bado hatujaondoka kwenye siasa za kijamaa, viongozi wetu wanahubiri siasa nyingine, raia wengi bado wanaishi kijamaa.
Mwalimu alikuwa na mapungufu yake na alikosea kama kiongozi sasa imefikia wakati Watanzania tukayaweka yote nyuma na kusonga mbele kuendeleza Taifa, mambo ya kukaa na kusema tusingeenda vita ya Kagera or isingekuwa sera hizi na zile za Mwl tungekuwa mbali kimaendeleo.
Imeshapita miaka 22 tangu ang'atuke nadhani sasa itakuwa aibu kuendelea kulalamika wakati hatufanyi chochote kurekebisha makosa yake, muda umefika mimi, wewe na yule tupiganie taifa letu.

My guess is that over 75% of Tanzanians have no idea of what is happening. The remaining 25% are unevenly redistributed among the three parameters...

 

[DAR si LAMU]

Baada ya vita vya pili, nchi zilizoendelea zilianzisha taaluma za project management na system engineering. Walifanya hivyo, kwa sababu miraji ilianza kuwa so complex iliyochukua muda mwingi na gharama kubwa.

Kupanga sera sio kitu kikubwa sana. Mtu yoyote mwenye nia nzuri anaweza akatulia mezani na kuandika sera zake. Lakini kinachoonekana vizuri kwenye karatasi sio lazima kiwe na mafanikio kwenye reality.

Sera nyingi za enzi ya Nyerere zilikuwa nzuri kwenye paper tu. Sophistication yetu kwenye ku-execute vitu complex vyenye deadline and budget constraints bado primitive. Ndio maana miradi mingi ilianza kwa shwange na nderemo kubwa lakini ikaishia kwenye kuchimba msingi wa majengo tu.

..thx!

..hapa we are on the same page sasa.

 

[William J. Malecela]

Sophistication yetu kwenye ku-execute vitu complex vyenye deadline and budget constraints bado primitive. Ndio maana miradi mingi ilianza kwa shwange na nderemo kubwa lakini ikaishia kwenye kuchimba msingi wa majengo tu.

Saaafi sana!

 

[Alnadaby]

Nyerere alifanya mengi mabaya.Na traces za mambo hayo bado zipo.Inabidi Watanzania kubadilisha hali ya kisiasa hapa nchini na kuondokana na fikra duni za Mwenyekiti huyo wa zamani.CCM yenyewe ijiondoe kwenye ubabe na kuanzisha sera za uwazi.pili katiba ya sasa ibadilishwe ili kutoa nafasi a fair play ground.Na Watanzania wenyewe waamke na kujikomboa na kasumba ya Nyerere.Media pia inachangia kuwafanya raia wa nchi hii kuendelea kumuabudu mtu huyu.Sasa sijui kuna faida gani...

 

[Jasusi]

Alnadaby,
Kama Nyerere alifanya mengi mabaya inakuwaje Watanzania wanaendelea kukumbatia "fikra duni" za huyo Mwenyekiti miaka 22 baada ya kuachia madaraka na miaka 8 tangu afariki? Yaani Watanzania ni ma-mbumbumbu kiasi hicho? Pili, mbona hatujapata kiongozi anayefanya mema hata baada ya Nyerere kuwaachia mwanya wa kufanya vitu vyao?

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Jasusi, hii kwa namna moja inathibitisha ni jinsi gani Nyerere alikuwa na nguvu za kifikra kiasi kwamba miaka 22 baadaye wanashindwa kufikiri kwa kutumia vichwa yao wenyewe. Ukweli ni kuwa mbona Mwinyi aliweza kuliua azimio la arusha na Mwalimu mwenyewe alikuwa hai? Walipoanzisha mambo ya ubinafsishaji Nyerere si alikuwa hai na licha ya kupiga kelele waliendelea? Kama waliweza kufanya hayo wakati Mwalimu alikuwa hai ni nini kinawashinda leo kuweka maslahi ya Taifa mbele?

 

[William J. Malecela]

hii kwa namna moja inathibitisha ni jinsi gani Nyerere alikuwa na nguvu za kifikra kiasi kwamba miaka 22 baadaye wanashindwa kufikiri kwa kutumia vichwa yao wenyewe.

Very strong, na ndio ukweli wenyewe mkuu!