Hakuna Matata lounge

[Geza Ulole]

14th September 12
Early great migration into the Serengeti set to unfold
The Guardian Reporter
The renowned Serengeti Great Migration consisting of nearly two million ungulates, among them 1.5 million wildebeest, is in the process of returning to Tanzania from Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Park.

A huge and long movement of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles could be seen dodging giant crocodiles as they crossed the large River Mara on their way back to Serengeti from the neighbouring country’s park.
“Strangely, this year the migration spent only three weeks in Kenya contrary to previous years’ circles when the animals would stay in Maasai Mara for two months before returning to Serengeti,” said Seth Joseph Mihayo, a tourism conservator with the Serengeti National Park.
Mihayo revealed that normally wildebeest, zebras and gazelles which form the astounding mass movement of herbivoures across the two parks should have been crossing into Tanzania from Kenya in each October.
“Maybe because this year the rains have come early in Serengeti,” explained the conservator. It has been pouring in many parts of the national park in the past few weeks.
The official stated that the migration, covering more than 1000 kilometres, takes place annually in a 12-month circle in which the ungulates spend 10 months in Tanzania (Serengeti and parts of Ngorongoro) and two months in Kenya’s Maasai-Mara National Park.
“Effective this year Tanzania will be conducting a special welcoming ceremony whenever the migration returns into the country from Kenya,” Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa) public relations manager Paschal Shelutete revealed.
Tour vehicles continue to dot locations along the Mara River as visitors crave to get a glimpse of the stampede of millions of the large mammals crossing the large water body which is infested with huge crocodiles and hippos.
Some visitors have also been camping near the river for over a week.
“I have no words to describe what we have just seen; it is unbelievable,” said Truby Wivbenga, who, together with her husband, Jan Wivbenga, have travelled all the way from Holland to witness the great Serengeti migration.
“We have been seeing it on television and reading about it from travel magazines, such as National Geographic, but none had prepared us for the real event, I think this is better seen live than being watched on TV,” added Wivbenga, who is among tourists who have been gazing at the migration for five days.
President Jakaya Kikwete was among the first people to witness the 2012 Serengeti migration recently when the ungulates were on their way to Maasai Mara as the head of state watched the whole travail from a police helicopter hovering over the country’s second largest national park.
The mass movement of the large herbivores from Maasai Mara head south into Serengeti National Park is expected to continue until early December.
THE GUARDIAN
http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/fun...le.php?l=45796

MY TAKE
Hii kitu lazma ipatie headache majamaa wa Kaskazi maana najua hii ni blessing in disguise kwetu! Sijui watakuja na consipiracy theories zipi this time maana mwanzo walidai tumechoma moto kuwazuia wasiende huko kwao!

[Geza Ulole]

Makazi ya Machel, Mugabe yalivyotelekezwa Nachingwea

Jengo ambalo alikuwa anaishi Samora Machel.

KWA UFUPI

NI KAMBI YA UKOMBOZI KUSINI MWA AFRIKA,
WANAKIJIJI WAANZISHA SHULE KUOKOA MAJENGO

KILOMETA zipatazo 34 kutoka makao makuu ya wilaya ya Nachingwea mkoani Lindi, lipo eneo maarufu linalojulika kama Farm 17.

Katika eneo hili hivi sasa kuna shule ya Sekondari iliyoazishwa na wananchi kama hatua ya kuyaokoa majengo ambayo yametelekezwa kwa muda mrefu, hivyo kugeuka kuwa makazi ya wanyama wadogowadogo na kuzongwa na vichaka.

Ni makazi ya waliokuwa wapigania uhuru katika nchi za Kusini mwa Afrika, zikiwamo Msumbiji, Angola na Afrika ya Kusini ambazo kwa miaka kadhaa zilihenyeshwa na Makaburu waliokuwa wakiendesha siasa za ubaguzi wa rangi, pia Zimbabwe ambayo ilikuwa chini ya utawala wa Waingereza hadi 1980 ilipopata uhuru wake.

Hapa ni mahali walipowahi kuishi wapiganaji wa vita ya ukombozi wakiwamo Rais wa sasa wa Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe na viongozi wawili wa Msumbiji ambao wote ni marehemu kwa sasa, Edward Modline na mrithi wake, Samora Machel.

Kwa maana hiyo, unapozungumzia harakati za uhuru au ukombozi Kusini mwa Afrika ambazo kwa kiasi kikubwa ziliongozwa na Tanzania chini ya Hayati Mwalimu Nyerere, huwezi kukosa kutaja wilaya ya Nachingwea, hususan eneo la Farm 17.

Hali ilivyo
Hata hivyo eneo hili licha ya kuwa sehemu ya historia hii muhimu ya Bara la Afrika, ni kama limetelekezwa na laiti kama siyo busara ya wakazi wa Nachingwea kuligeuza kuwa kitovu cha elimu kwa kuanzisha shule ya Sekondari, basi lingeweza kufutika.

“Naamini kama Samora na Nyerere wangekuwa hai eneo hili lisingeachwa hivi kwani wangelithamini na kulienzi,” anasema mmoja wa wananchi wanaoioshi pembezoni mwa Farm 17.

Kauli hiyo ni kati ya kauli nyingi zinazotolewa na watu ambao wanaonekana kukatishwa tama na hali ilivyo katika eneo la Farm 17, kutokana na kutoeziwa ipasavyo.

Wakazi hawa wa Lindi na hasa wale wa wilayani Nachingwea baadhi yao wanakumbuka walivyoishi kwa wasiwasi wa kushambuliwa na Makaburu, ambao wakati wote walikuwa wakiwasaka wapiganaji wa vita ya ukombozi.

Hivyo kutelelezwa kwa majengo yaliyokuwa makazi ya viongozi wakuu wa nchi, kuliwafanya wapate mawazo ya kuyatumia kwa ajili ya kuanzisha shule ya Sekondari kupitia uongozi wa Halmashauri ya wilaya ya Nachingwea.

Viogozi wanena
Mkuu wa shule ya Sekondari hiyo ya ya Farm 17, Longinus Nambole anasema eneo hilo kwa sasa linapata uhai kwa kuwa kuna shule.

Hata anasema baadhi ya viongozi wa nchi ambazo wakuu wake waliwahi kuishi hapo, wamekuwa wakifika na kutoa ahadi mbalimbali za kulifanyia marekebisho lakini ahadi hizo hazijatekelezwa hadi sasa.

“Hata Serikali yetu ya Tanzania haionyeshi kama hili ni eneo muhimu maana hakuna jitihada zozote zinazofanyika kutunza majengo haya,”alisema Nambole.

Nambole anasema Wizara ya Maliasili na Utalii, pia iliwahi kuaihidi kwamba ingeliendeleza eno hilo ili kulinda historia yake lakini ahadi hiyo haijatekelezwa hadi sasa.

Mkuu wa wilaya ya Nachingwea, Regina Chonjo yeye anasema hali ya majengo hasa lile alimokuwa akiishi Marehemu Machel ni mbaya kwani yemeanza kubomoka hasa barabara ya chini ya ardhi ambayo inahitaji kufanyiwa ukarabati mkubwa.

Chonjo anasema katika njia hiyo ya chini kwa chini, ukarabati unaopaswa kufanyika ni kuweka umeme na taa kuanzia kwenye nyumba hadi lilipo handaki ambako alikuwa akijificha Machel.

“Tunakiomba kitengo cha mambo ya kale kukarabati lile jengo na kusafisha pango na kuweka taa ili kuvuta watalii, kama tukipaendeleza tunaweza kupata watalii wengi ambao naamini wanapenda kuona sehemu hii,”anasema Chonjo.

Aidha mkuu huyo wa wilaya alisema kuwa kupitia halmashauri ameigiza kutenga kiasi cha fedha kwenye bajeti yake ili kutengeneza eneo hilo wakati wakisubiri wizara husika kuliendeleza.

Mkazi wa kijiji cha Farm 17 Judith Bathromeo alisema kuwa iwapo eneo hilo litaboreshwa, litazalisha ajira kwa wananchi wa kijiji hicho kwani lingevuta watalii kutoka maeneo mbalimbali Duniani na pia kuchangia pato la taifa.

“Tunashangaa watu kila siku tunalia ajira hakuna, ajira hakuna, maisha magumu kama hapa wangepatengeneza ingekuwa nafasi ya wengi wetu kujipatia ajira, lakini ndiyo hivyo kama unavyoona hakuna jitihada yeyote ya kulienzi eneo hili,”alisema Balthoromoe.

Alidai kuwa mabalozi na viongozi ambao waliwahi kutembelea eneo hilo na kuahidi kusaidia ukarabati wake ni Balozi wa Msumbiji nchini, Jose Rui Amaral wa Msumbiji, aliyekuwa Balozi wa Zimbabwe nchini, Chipo Zindoga, Waziri Mkuu wa Msumbiji Carlos Cassa na Mkuu wa Majeshi wa nchi hiyo, Josenio Henriques.

Hata hivyo Balthoromeo anasema ahadi hizo hazijawahi kutekelezwa.
Afisa mtendaji wa kijiji cha Farm 17 Juma Alli alisema kuwa serikali ya kijiji hicho imejiwekea mikakati ya kulinda na kuheshimu mipaka ya maeneo kwa kutofanya shughuli za zozote za kibinadamu.

Historia ya Farm 17
Eneo la Farm 17 lipo umbali kilometa zipatazo 34 nje kidogo ya makao makuu ya wilaya ya Nachingwea, barabara inayoelekea Kilimarondo, ikipakana na wilaya ya Masasi.

Wapigania uhuru wa nchi za Msumbiji, Zimbabwe, Angola na Afrika ya Kusini walipata mafunzo na mbinu za kupambana na wakoloni na makaburu hadi nchi zao zilipofanikiwa kupata uhuru.

Waliacha majengo mbalimbali ya kihistoria likiwemo jengo alilokuwa anaishi Rais wa Msumbiji Marehemu Machael ambalo lilikuwa na njia ya chini ya ardhi yenye urefu wa kilometa zipatazo kumi.

Njia hii inaazia kwenye jengo hilo hadi kwenye handaki ambalo linasemekana ndipo alipokuwa anaishi, kisha kuendelea hadi kwenye uwanja mdogo wa ndege ambao alikuwa anautumia pale alipokuwa akisafiri.

Historia ya Farm 17 inaanzia miaka ya 1947 baada ya Vita Kuu ya Pili ya Dunia, wakati Serikali ya wakoloni wa Uingereza iliamua kufuta baadhi ya ajira kwa waliokuwa askari wa vita hyo na kuamua kuwatafutia ajira mbadala.

Serikali hiyo ya wakoloni iliamua kuwatafutia ajira kwa kuwakopesha wapiganaji hao fedha na kuanzisha mashamba ya karanga katika maeneo ya Nachingwea kupitia kampuni ya John Molem.

Kupitia mpango huo mashamba 18 yalianzishwa yakipewa majina kuanzia mashamba kuanzia Farm one hadi Farm 18. Hata hivyo kutokana na sababu mbalimbali mashamba hayo hayakuendelea na Waingereza hao kuamua kuondoka na kwenda kuishi Afrika ya Kusini.

Baada ya Tanganyika kupata uhuru Desemba 9, 1961 Serikali iliamua kutumia eneo la Farm 17 kuwa kituo cha kufundishia wapigania uhuru wa nchi zilizo Kusini mwa Afrika.

Viongozi mbalimbali wapigania uhuru katika nchi hizo wakiwamo Komredi Mondlane, Komredi Machel na Komred Mugabe waliishi kwa kujificha na kupewa mbinu mbalimbali, hivyo walichana kumbukumbu ambazo ni muhimu kwa historia ya ukombozi wa Afrika.

Baada ya nchi hizo kufanikiwa kujipatia uhuru eneo hilo lilikabidhiwa kwa Jeshi la Wananchi wa Tanzania (JWTZ) Kikosi cha 41, baadaye wanajeshi hao waliondoka.

Hatua ya JWTZ kuondoka ilitoa mwanya wa majengo hayo kuhujumiwa kwani watu wasiofahamika walianza kuiba baadhi ya vifaa ikiwa ni pamoja na kung’oa mabati, huku eneo hilo likizungukwa na msitu mnene.