YEAR IN REVIEW: How terrorism became main concern in EA

It may appear to be the concern of Kenya alone but terrorism remained a major security threat in the East African region during 2014 with regional leaders repeatedly calling for a united front against the menace.

No regional meeting - not even the sessions within the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) - have skipped discussing the security concerns, especially following endless attacks by Somali-based Al Shabaab militants against Kenya.

 In his numerous visits to the region President Uhuru Kenyatta has emphasized the need for the security agencies in the bloc to tighten their cooperation as well as complement their capacity to respond firmly and quickly to the potential threats.

In his address to Eala here in March as the chair of the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State Summit, the Kenyan leader said modern terrorism knows no boundaries and that the EAC partner states were required to work together.

“Any approach to the problem that concentrates on keeping an individual country safe offers only the illusion of security,” he insisted, attributing  growing insecurity in the region to instability in Somalia, South Sudan and the Great Lakes region.

Hundreds of people have lost their lives in Kenya in attacks blamed on Al-Shabaab which escalated after Kenya sent its troops to Somalia in October 2011 to fight the Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents alongside soldiers from Uganda, Burundi and Ethiopia.

Uganda has also suffered from assaults by Al-Shabaab for sending its soldiers to Mogadishu. In July 2010, over 70 people were killed  after two popular entertainment centres in Kampala were bombed. The Somali militants claimed responsibility.

Fearing reprisals, Burundi has time and again said it was intensifying security but like Uganda and Kenya, Bujumbura has openly made its position clear that it has no immediate plans to pull out its troops from the troubled Horn of Africa country.

Instability in the countries bordering EAC and hence security threats blamed on elements originating from such countries e.g. Somalia, South Sudan and others has been a matter of concern for some years and there are reasons for that.

Somalia and South Sudan, for instance, have applied to join EAC and for the latter the initial stage for admission into the bloc was about to be finalized with the verification teams already sent to Juba to assess its readiness. Understandably Somalia’s application has not been worked out but during their extra-ordinary summit in Arusha in April, the EAC Heads of State said although Somalia was a regional neighbour, it has been eluded by law and order for two decades.

The on-going bloody conflict in South Sudan, a country which has nearly been given a green light to join the bloc given its growing links to EAC, also raised concerns for the leaders during the summit.

“The growing threat of terrorism means peace and security are critical for regional integration,” the summit resolved, insisting that the  magnitude of terrorist attacks the region has endured in recent times called for increased vigilance.

The leaders’ warnings apparently did little to stem the Al-Shabaab forays into Kenya or bring together the warring parties in the South Sudan conflict. Towards the end of the year, Kenya was subjected to a chain of attacks from the militants while South Sudan conflict remained unresolved.

The East African Law Society (EALS), the umbrella regional bar association with an observer status to the EAC, also warned during the year that the growing insecurity in Kenya could have disastrous reprercussions to the business sector in the region.

James Aggrey Mwamu, the President of the Society regretted that terrorism will inevitably increase the cost of doing business in East Africa and dim its appeal as a preferred destination for investors and tourists.

Already the Kenyan authorities have reported a major drop in the tourist arrivals this year with hotel occupancy falling as low as 20 per cent in the coastal regions of Mombasa and Malindi. Negative travel advisories by Western countries have worsened the situation.

Eala, on its part, insists that the much-hyped terrorism threats in the region cannot be well addressed without the  partner states Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda expediting the ratification and implementation of all regional peace and security-related protocols and commitment.

There had also been calls on  the EAC member countries to ratify the Protocol on Peace and Security in order to ensure its effective implementation. So far, only Rwanda and Uganda have ratified the Protocol.

Prosecute Chenge, Ngeleja over escrow saga: activists

Activists yesterday called for the arrest and prosecution of chairpersons of parliamentary committees who were implicated in the Public Accounts Committee report on the Tegeta Escrow Account scandal.

Under a coalition for human rights and good governance here in the Isles, the activists said Mr William Ngeleja, who chairs the Constitution, Legal Affairs and Governance committee; Mr Andrew Chenge, who chairs Budget Committee as well as Mr Victor Mwambalaswa, who chairs Energy and Minerals Committee should be charged over corruption.

The activists were drawn from the Zanzibar Legal Services (ZLS) and Zanzibar Institute of Research and public Policies (ZIRPP).

National Assembly Operations Director, Mr John Joel, told The Citizen over the phone that Speaker Anne Makinda would only take action after hearing from those implicated.

“As you know currently Parliament is in recess: only when it starts its business will the Speaker give members a chance to be heard before any actions are taken,” Mr Joel said. 

Recently, Attorney General (AG) Frederick Werema resigned and President Jakaya Kikwete fired the minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Prof Anna Tibaijuka, while Energy and Minerals Permanent Secretary Eliakim Maswi was sent home to pave the way for a probe over the matter.

Executive director for the ZIRPP, Mr Muhammed Yusuph Mshamba, said Mr Chenge and Ngeleja were supposed to face action, including being removed from their positions as chairmen of parliamentary committees over corruption.

“All members of Parliament who were mentioned to have benefited from the escrow account monies must face legal action according to the Constitution,” Mr Mashamba said. He said legal action should also be brought against judges who were implicated in the scandal because they violated principles of their profession. He said that such a move would serve as a lesson to others.

He noted that the trend of corruption has been increasing due to failure by government leaders to keep the legacy of the first President, Julius Nyerere, who used to hate the vice and took firm actions against culprits.  For his part, the president of the ZLS, Mr Awadhi Ali Said, argued that in the escrow account scam there were issues of crime and negligence that needed those mentioned to be sent to court.

He said the scandal caused a loss to Zanzibar which missed nearly Sh40 billion after donors declared they had suspended their budgetary support pending government action against those implicated. 

He wondered why the prime minister failed to resign when he had failed to handle the matter until Parliament intervened to uncover the corruption in the Tegeta escrow account.

Kificho's legacy: Will the Zanzibar rep. deliver a solid #Katiba team?

As Constituent Assembly members collect their second paycheck today, Tanzanians look to the seat of power in Dodoma to get a sense of the direction in which the 629-strong army currently cast in the thick of the Katiba-making process will be taking them.

Zanzibar House of Representatives Speaker, Mr Pandu Ameir Kificho who was elected interim chairman yesterday, is expected to preside over the creation of standing orders that will form the basis for the running of assembly business – and effectively determine how quickly 45 million Tanzanians will get their much-needed Katiba.

The Zanzibar House of Representatives Speaker received 393 votes, equivalent to 69.19 per cent of the 568 votes cast yesterday, beating out Prof Costa Rick Mahalu who managed a paltry 84 votes - about 14.79 per cent of total votes cast - and Ms Magdalena Rwebangira who received a similar number of votes.

For details on Kificho's grand plans for the Constituent Assembly, check the VIDEO link above [Kiswahili].

EDUCATION:Teachers in favour of 3-tier Union

If you thought the three-tier Union structure proposed in the Second Draft  Constitution reflected views of just a few Tanzanians or the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) alone, think again.

Teachers countrywide, under their umbrella body, Civic Education Teachers’ Association (CETA) are also pushing for it. Their sudden shift of opinion was revealed in a poll conducted during separate capacity building seminars when over 90 per cent of the participants voted for the three-tier Union structure.

CETA conducted the seminars in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).

During a poll conducted before one of the seminars held at the National Museum in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, for instances, 21 teachers voted for a single government, seven for the status quo, and 29 for the three-tier Union. The results significantly changed during the second poll conducted immediately after the seminar with barely three participants voting for single government, two for the status quo, and 48 for the three-tier Union proposal. The participants, who voted for the three-tier Union proposal ahead of the seminar, were equivalent to 52.6 per cent, but the number rose to 95 per cent after the fora.

Other polls conducted before and after similar seminar organised by Tanzania Development Initiative Programme (Tadip) and KAS early this month produced the same results.

A quick analysis of the results, however, revealed that a good number of the teachers were university graduates. Equipped with a background of political science, the teachers could easily decipher presentations on civic education compared to the ordinary citizenry.        

But the assistant programme officer with the Constitutional Reform Unit at the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), Mr William Kahale, said with dialogue it was possible to write a constitution of the people.

The CETA official, Mr Safari Minja, and his KAS counterpart, Mr Richard Shaba, argued nonetheless, saying a people’s constitution called for the citizens to confidently exercise their freedom of expression. Also present during the seminar, which saw three presentations shed light on the constitution, was the CRC commissioner, Mr Humphrey Polepole.

The structure of the 1964 Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar dominated discussions with immense powers the president is granted begging more questions than answers.

Fears shrouded in the entire process of writing a new constitution notwithstanding, Prof Chris Peter Maina assured Tanzanians that they would, for the first time in 50 years, get a people-centred Union constitution. He was responding to challenges facing the process which another CRC commissioner, Prof Mwesiga Baregu, raised in his presentation.

Mr Polepole explained that he and other CRC commissioners were, in the first place, lectured on the noble task before them, prompting them to surrender their parochial interests in favour of the wider ones for the sake of the nation. He urged Tanzanians to rally behind the introduction of the Bill of Human Rights and the Supreme Court in the second draft supreme law, saying it was a big achievement. 

Even though presentation of the CRC chairman, Judge Joseph Warioba, on the second draft constitution was impressive, Mr Onesmo Olengurumwa, said he was worried over the appointment of the Constituent Assembly members. “The appointment has sidelined non-stake actors,” the national coordinator of the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC) said. He cited the appointment of some CCM veteran cadres and former cabinet ministers such as Mr Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru, Mr Paul Kimiti, Mr Paul Makonda and Mr Abdallah Bulembo.

Ms Mary Jonathan, Ubungo Modern Secondary School teacher said teachers were important if civic education was to be effectively disseminated.

Her colleague, Mr Abinell Mananika, advised the Assembly members, in turn, to become keen in debates pertaining to natural resource exploitation and minerals, oil and gas, in particular, to avert the country from plunging into a resource curse.

You need to be more careful with your words

What do , Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, John F Kennedy, Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln have in common ? Not only were they powerful politicians of their time, they were also good leaders who understood the power of words.

Do you remember when someone’s words hurt you? Perhaps they called you “skinny,” “stupid,” or “ugly.” It probably felt like someone had slapped you.

How about when someone’s words made you feel great, such as “you are wonderful,” “that was an excellent job,” “I love you.”? I’ll bet you can remember the exact words and tone.

Words can comfort when you’re feeling sad, inspire you to take action, acknowledge others for a job well done, humiliate you, make you laugh, stimulate your thoughts, educate you, or incite violence.

Regardless of what language you speak, your ideas or thoughts manifest through the word. What you dream, what you feel, and what you really are, will all be manifested through words.

Words are not just sounds or written symbols; they are a force; they have power through which you can express and communicate, and think, and thereby create the events in your life.

We understand what it means to “give our word” and pledge on our honour (maybe our very souls) and to speak the truth.

Words convey love and build trust. They also shape character and soften hearts; certainly you know your words shape your children and if you are wise you choose them carefully.

Language is the most powerful tool you have as a human, it is the tool of magic. But like a sword with two edges, your word can create the most beautiful dream, or your word can destroy everything around you.

One edge is the misuse of words which creates a living hell.

The other edge is the impeccability of words, which will only create beauty, love and heaven on earth. Depending upon how they are used, words can set you free, or can enslave you even more than you know.

All the magic you possess is based on your words.

They are pure magic.

So how are you using your words? Are you aware of what you say to others? Or do they just fall out of your mouth?

WOMEN:Experts share tips on wellbeing

Managers and staff have a chance to make working places more productive and efficient if they are enabled to unlock their full potential both individually and collectively.

This is possible when both sides -- the employers and the employees -- strive to attain growth intellectually, physically, spiritually, emotionally as well as healthwise.

Experts in lifestyle coaching and mentoring posit that individuals are likely to increase their performance and undergo attitude shift, when they are conscious that for everything that happens in their lives, it emanates from the choices they make every moment of their lives.

Speaking at a breakfast session in Dar es Salaam last week, two inspirational speakers argued that hunger for success and a desire for health and longevity were the reasons why most people seek to live and lead consciously.

They, however, urged that sometimes people step into leadership positions and responsibilities unprepared thus end up facing difficulties all along the way. “Many leaders in Africa are thrust into key leadership positions for various understandable reasons including as rewards for good governance,” says Zuhura Muro -- managing director of Kazi Services Limited, a human resource advisory, training, coaching and management consultancy services firm.

Muro, however, says that far too often, leaders step into these positions with great trepidation because they believe they do not possess any specific training in becoming a successful leader. Even those who have been trained, she says, most have not had training in how to understand and manage their mind, body and spirit as a fundamental pre-requisite for enlightened leadership.

“The majority of them suffer from high levels of stress, hypertension and other related ailments leading to many lost productive hours,” she says.

According to her, the simplest way to observe the toll that leadership responsibilities exert on the human body, mind and spirit, is to watch the speed with which the colour of a true leader’s hair greys and how often they look visibly exhausted.

“The world leaders are a classic and most visible demonstration of this phenomenon,” she says.

There is good news, however, to all those suffering pressure due to leadership responsibilities, according to Muro.

She says that the phenomenon could positively be reversed if staff and the managers master the skills and competencies for striking the balance of the mind, body and spirit.

“Such a result will, in good time, even reduce the visits to the doctors and thus reduce employer expenditure on medical bills.”

Presenting a topic entitled: “Know Thyself: Mind, Body and Spirit” as a fundamental prerequisite for being able to live and lead oneself as well as lead others in one’s personal and public space-more consciously, happily and effectively, the chief executive office of Maadili Conscious Leadership and Healthy Lifestyles Coaching, Dr Scholastica Kimaryo, said everyone has a chance to lead a happy life.

According to her, knowledge, skills and competencies -- including skills for nonviolent communication — for embarking can lead to one’s freedom.

Dr Kimaryo, who is former UNDP Resident Representative and Coordinator of the United Nations System in Lesotho and South Africa, among other posts, says most people age because they do not find ways to reduce risks that are associated with the food they take.

“People age because they do not detoxicate…they have a lot of stress and do not eat well, you have to detoxicate your body,” she says.

She says leading a healthier life is all about knowing oneself and making sure they leave a standard life.

“Increased self-awareness and empowerment through ability to re-establish intimacy with oneself and interactive with higher emotional intelligence is important for our health. People have to also remember that meditation is very important. Despite what we have, there is one who has all the mighty, God,” Dr Kimaryo, who is currently based in South Africa posits.

Participants at the breakfast praised the presenters for raising their awareness on how to live happily.

Bertha Semu-Somi, for her par, says she has been living according to expert advice in a bid to lead a happy life. She says, often, working places can be very stressing, particularly when one does not seek to strike the balance in the wellbeing of his mind, body and spirit.

“Whenever I have problems with my juniors, I always tend to ask myself why one is this person doing whatever he or she is doing. If you try to understand their points of view, it becomes easier to handle different challenges,” says Semu-Somi, a retired diplomat.

She says it is equally important for the people to observe and respect the existence of a higher being, who is the source of goodness -- God.

For her part, Sophia Mruma is of the opinion that the human body has mechanisms which tend to change as one’s age advances. So, it is for this reason that it is important to find the best balance as one grows physically, spiritually, intellectually and emotionally.

“I try to manage what I eat and exercise even at this age…it is very important,” says Ms Mruma.

EDUCATION:A truly passionate and revolutionary teacher

Real revolutionaries are often not announced by trumpets. They do not beat their own drum but labour meticulously, often, for an obscure cause defending the marginalised. Mzee Lucas Shauri is one of these individuals.

It was in 1963 when Mzee Lucas Shauri and 27 other teachers from all over the country marked the beginning of the long road to becoming teachers for the visually impaired.

The 28 were selected to be part of the government’s then new initiative to open a programme in the Primary Education System for children with visual impairment.

“We were the first teachers to go through the three months training in Braille. Being the first to pave the way also meant the first to face the challenges” he says. “It was strange to regard children with visual impairment as able to learn in a formal environment, that was the perception among many, parents and teachers alike,”

That is why three years later when the government called out for a second course training in Braille and teaching techniques for children with special needs, this time in Shinyanga, only six participated.

Mzee Shauri was among them. However, the government didn’t have schools for visually impaired pupils yet. The only schools that were functioning at the time were owned by the church.

Six schools were opened after the training in Shinyanga. These are in Tanga, Lindi, Iringa, Bukoba, Kigoma and Shinyanga. Mzee Shauri was assigned to start the first school for visually impaired in Pongwe, Tanga.

“That is when the reality of my assignment hit home. Back in the 60s people were prejudiced towards the blind. Being blind was considered to be an omen. Even parents whose children were visually impaired would hide their children for days” he says.

“You are cursed! You will never succeed in life! You have an omen in your path! This is what people said to me in 1968. They said I was cursed” he says, shaking his head. The accusations didn’t stop there.

They became stronger with the unfolding of events. For the next ten years of his life, he was just a teacher for visually impaired. While his colleagues excelled in their careers, Mzee Shauri did not know what a promotion even looked like.

“The inspector didn’t understand my line of work. So, the children were playing football. So, the children were washing their own clothes. So, what? He didn’t consider all this to be an achievement. And hence I was never promoted, for ten years” he says.

If it wasn’t for his family that supported him through many challenges, his path would have been a very lonely one. His father, Mzee Sulemani Kihiyo Shauri, prayed for him the day he told him of his new assignment. “My father taught me not to measure success in terms of money or prestige. My passion is to see change in the lives of children. That is what my father taught me” he says.

Born in Kunga village, Korogwe in 1939 to a Minister of the Lutheran Church, Mzee Shauri was brought up in the Christian faith. He himself is now a Minister in his local church in Moshi. Mzee Shauri is the fourth born among seven. He went to Lutindi Primary School from 1949 to 1953; the school was run by the Lutheran Church. He later joined Mbuzii Middle School from 1954 to 1956. In 1958, he completed a one year course in teaching and received a certificate from Mpwapwa Teacher’s College. He got a job the following year at Kigombe Primary School in Tanga, a government school that had classes one to four. He was 20 years old when he started working as a teacher in 1959 and 24 when he married Agnes.

The task ahead of him was challenging. Starting the new school meant scouting for children. He faced parents who were ashamed of their children and antagonistic towards of him. “There weren’t enough funds. The Regional Education Officer gave a warrant so that I could travel with the children without paying. It was hard because sometimes, the bus owners would refuse, claiming that they still had pending bills.”

“I was on my own for three years, from 1968 to 1971. Later on, three teachers joined me. Some children didn’t have clothes and my family would give them clothes. We started with five children, the number increased to 15 children.” He recalls. Some pupils were particularly challenging, he remembers a boy whose parents never let him out of his room. Because of this, when he joined the school, he always relieved himself inside the dormitory. Hence, Mzee Shauri had to clean him up and teach him how to use a proper toilet. This was a great achievement for him.

Mzee Shauri thought that it would be good for people to understand the process of teaching visually impaired children, and the achievements that he had made. He organised a learning exhibition between 1970 and 1971 in Tanga to generate awareness on the work that he was doing. It was then that people started believing that indeed, blind children too could learn something at school. Blankets, beds and mattresses started coming in from donators.

“At the exhibition, we had typewriters and pecking brailles. People in the audience would ask for a child to write something, and the child would do so. The people would be amazed” he says.

Then things started changing in 1980 when he took a three months course in Bagamoyo. “I was going to train to become an Inspector” he says with a smile. On completing the course, he was transferred to the Central Zone as an Inspector of schools for children with visual impairment. The Central Zone comprised of ten schools. Later on he was transferred to the North Zone. He had to be away from home most of the time, but his family was very supportive of his job. They knew that his job was his calling. “I have seven children. The first born was born in 1959 and the last, in 1984. They missed me a lot when I was away.”

Retirement wasn’t the end of his journey for Mzee Shauri, in 1994 he started private lessons for primary school children. And in 2000 he applied for a teaching job with Mkombozi, a centre in Moshi that conducts research and shelters street involved children. The government still uses his skills in translating and marking National Exams at the primary and secondary level.

Mzee Shauri became a teacher because he was dedicated to seeing change in the lives of children. When his writing career came to an end, he knew that it was just the beginning. Nothing was going to stop the passion in his heart, not even the fact that he had to retire. “We do not just teach them how to read and write, we teach them life skills. When they come out of this home, they are changed boys. It is amazing to look at boys who have been here for a year, who knew not how to read and write and how, they can do that quite well” he says. He takes out exercise books of students at different learning levels and shows them to me excitedly. “I have 20 children in my class. I teach them English, Kiswahili, Maths, reading and writing skills” he says.

“I am currently working on opening my own learning centre. I have a one hectare plot that has two classrooms already. Some people helped me build it,” he says.

Uhuru’s wealth a stone in ICC prosecutor’s shoe

In a situation that exemplifies the strained relationship between Kenya and the International Criminal Court, the trial chamber in the Uhuru Kenyatta case is expected to make a formal ruling following an application by the prosecutor for a finding that Kenya has failed to cooperate with the court in relation to the cases facing the Kenyan president and his deputy William Ruto. Oral arguments were heard on Friday during a status conference before the trial court convened to hear the allegations of non-cooperation against Kenya.

Attorney-General Githu Muigai argued that co-operation with the court is subject to Kenyan law and that the Kenya government has no power to compel the production of financial records for Mr Kenyatta without an order issued by a competent Kenyan court.

The AG argued that it was his duty to keep a distance from both the defence and the prosecution in the Kenyatta case, and that for this reason he had not discussed with the President his position regarding the requested information.

 According to Mr Muigai, it was up to the ICC to make an application before the Kenyan national courts.

But the common legal representative for victims Fergal Gaynor strongly disagreed with the AG’s position on Kenyan law, arguing that Mr Muigai had a duty to assist the court, which he had neglected, and instead had chosen to defend the accused.

In the relevant filing, the prosecutor moved the court to make a formal finding that Kenya has failed to cooperate with the court and, therefore, refer the matter to the Assembly of States Parties.

Under the Rome Statute, one of the fundamental obligations of states that are parties to the ICC is to cooperate with the court in all aspects of the trial of cases before the court.

According to the prosecutor, Kenya has failed to comply with her April 2012 request to produce financial and other records of Mr Kenyatta that are relevant to critical issues in this case and may shed light on the scope of the accused’s conduct, including the allegation that he financed the crimes with which he is charged.

The prosecutor alleges that for 19 months, her “repeated requests have been met with obfuscation and intransigence” and seeks a finding that Kenya has failed to comply with the court.

NATIONAL: PRESIDENT KIKWETE FORGIVE 40000 PRISONERS ON JAMHURI DAY

President Jakaya Kikwete yesterday led thousands of Tanzanians in celebration of 49 years of the association held at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam and later forgive prisoners 4180.
 A large number of Tanzanians participated in that celebration which started at 2:30 am and adorned with the parade officially organized by the various forces of defense and security and kupendezeshwa a multitude of students 2695 from Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar who performs a wide range of marking the celebration of the union.
 Various officials, including retired from Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar took part in these celebrations as a mark of cherish and protect the union.
 These leaders include the President of Zanzibar, Dr Mohamed Shein, Vice President of Tanzania, Dr Mohamed Gharib Bilal, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, First Vice-President of Zanzibar, Maalim Seif Sharrif Hamad and second Vice-President of Zanzibar, Ambassador Seif Idd.
 Others who attended the celebration that is the retired President of Zanzibar Aman Abeid Karume, former President of the second phase, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, former President of the third phase of the United Republic of Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa and prime ministers retired, Edward Lowassa and Frederick Sumaye .
 After officials sit in their positions, the official parade passed practically a ten GAD and pay their respects in front of the President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
 Thereafter mass youth expressed different shapes to indicate the progress made in the 49 years since the nation of Tanzania established consisting official before Wanahalaiki organize and display different images to encourage singing coalition.
 However, some opposition leaders were not able to participate in this exhibition.
 The leaders include Chairman of NCCR-Reform Party, James J. Mbatia, Chairman of the Association for Democracy and Development (Chadema), Freeman Mbowe and Chairman of the Association of Citizens (CUF), Professor Ibrahim Lipumba.
 Speaking to journalists after the end of the activities of that celebration, a member of the Central Committee Chadema who is also a member of the Commission on the Reform of the Constitution, Professor Nesiga Baregu said that Tanzanians should be proud of the United fit because it has lasted for 49 years, pointing out that it is very rare to see a country in Africa or Europe to develop a coalition with such a large age of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, then they should cherish and protect the interest of peace at hand.
 Meanwhile, President Jakaya Kikwete has given amnesty to 4,180 prisoners who were serving their sentences in various prisons in the country in celebrating 49 years of integration.
 Prisoners were pardoned is serving imprisonment not exceeding five years, where until the day of forgiveness that is April 26, will have served a quarter of their sentences, prisoners suffering from AIDS, tuberculosis and cancer which are confirmed by a panel of doctors.
 
Also people aged seventy years or more, female inmates who enter prison pregnant, who came to exploit children and who do not suck, they are disabled.
 Presidential pardon for prisoners may also have physical and mental disabilities and prisoners who until the last day they had languished in prison for five years and have shown good behavior

STREET:Ex-street boys who are helping others reform

Dirty clothes, lack of proper meals, cold nights, street fights and lost hope for a definite future. This is what street life is all about.

No one knows this kind of life better than the founders of the Moshi-based ‘Hard Life Art Club’, Morgan Amani, 23, Rogers Stanley, 21, David Valerian, 22 and Joseph Emanuel, 21. Thanks to Mkombozi, a centre for street-involved children in Moshi municipality, the four friends have said goodbye to street life for good.

Once living at Mkombozi which is Swahili for saviour, the youngsters now have places to call home apart from earning a living through Hard Life Art Club. They formed the club while at Mkombozi.

The friends came to Mkombozi in search of food and a place to lay their heads at night. What they got instead was a life-time-opportunity. Something that anyone without a place to call home would dream of.

When Mkombozi gave them shelter, little did they know that it was going to be the end of their life on the streets and the beginning of a promising future.

Today the friends have become the sparkle of creativity that generates hope for a bright future to many youths and vulnerable children in Moshi.

Morgan and colleagues came to Mkombozi at different times. Of the four, Morgan was the first to arrive in 2001. Then followed Rogers in 2004 and David two years later. Joseph never lived at the centre but participated in various Mkombozi programmes that included children outside the centre.

“The Art Club gave me a sense of purpose in life, and now I can give the same to others,” says Morgan. To him, “Hard Life is a saviour. It is a platform for young people in Moshi to express themselves through art. That I am part of this means a lot to me because it gives me the opportunity to inspire children through art.” The group derives its name ‘Hard Life’ from the difficulties of life on the streets. “We called it Hard Life as a way to tell others that life on the streets is hard,” Morgan explains.

As a young boy, Morgan who comes from Marangu in Moshi moved from home to home after his father rejected him. He left home when he was eight in 2000. His mother was mentally ill and his grandmother was too poor to feed the family. Morgan had to leave home in search of a better life.

On joining Mkombozi, he was enrolled in the centre’s Complementary Ordinary Basic Education in Tanzania (COBET) system known by its Swahili acronym MEMKWA. He and all his partners in Hard Life have completed Form Four.

In search of better life

Rogers had lived on the streets of Moshi for three years before Mkombozi took him in. His initial plan was to go to Dar es Salaam but he had no money for bus fare. “Hard Life was my dream. I am so happy to see it fulfilled,” he says with a smile. Living a meaningful life had been his dream, and here he is, doing exactly that.

Joseph who also comes from Moshi found himself on the streets due to poverty. His single mother normally struggled to put food on the table.Although he lived with his family and went to school, Joseph would spend a lot of time doing menial jobs to help in the family’s upkeep. At times, he would beg on to the streets.

He started being associated with Mkombozi when he was in Form One, in 2008. Like the others, he eventually left home and lived at the centre. Joseph who admires Tinga Tinga paintings dreams of becoming a famous painter one day.

Today he conducts painting classes at the Hard Life Art Club. He also does his own painting on Mondays and Tuesdays and sketches a lot in his free time.

David heard about Mkombozi from Rogers. The two lived together on the streets in Arusha. Having run away from home, David had not gone to school for four years when he decided to try his luck at Mkombozi in 2006.

He and other street-involved children went to Mkombozi but were turned away at the gate because there wasn’t enough room for them. David didn’t leave, he was persistent. The centre’s officials finally took him in and his life took a turnaround.

Lady luck smiled on the boys in 2008 when a Dutch organisation paid Mkombozi a visit and did an Art programme called Creative Africa. The boys were all interested in Arts and after several learning sessions with artists from the Dutch organisation, they formed the group. Hard Life Art Club was born in May 2009.

Their first small gallery and studio was a chicken coop at their Mkombozi home. The boys sold their artwork to tourists and with the money replenished their supplies.

Interested children at Mkombozi watched the boys create their work and sometimes joined in and had a chance to create their own artwork. The boys realised that sharing and teaching the younger children was very rewarding. They now dream of a day when they would run their own Art Academy. “I really love teaching art. I believe that children are our future,” says Joseph.

Reward for a good job

In May 2011, Hard Life became independent and moved out from Mkombozi. Apart from the fact that they had gone past the age requirement to live at the children’s centre, they could now stand on their own feet. Mkombozi prepares street-involved children for this.

Today their art club is housed in a small rented building in Rau area in the municipality. The club has established weekly art classes where they teach interested children from the community and those from the streets.

They are currently working with over 100 children in the surrounding areas and continue to manage the group and the studio on their own.

Their passion is to work with children so that they do not end up in streets like they did. And for those living on the streets already, to give them skills so they can live a meaningful life. It gives them joy to see that the children they train quickly master the craft to the point that they too are able to train others.

After school hours, children go to the Hard Life studio to paint and create crafts like beaded and paper jewellery, postcards and cards for different occasions. The proceeds from the sales go towards purchasing more art supplies to support the whole group.

In 2013, Hard Life won the 2013 Street Child Champion Award worth 1,000 pounds (Sh 2.7m). The award was sponsored by the Consortium for Street Children (CSC), a UK based network that gives street-involved children a voice, promotes and improves their rights through advocacy and research.

It acknowledges the unsung heroes who are making real difference to street children’s lives. It also recognises children and youth (individuals or groups) who have made outstanding contributions to raising awareness and changing perceptions of street-connected children. Some are former street children, while others are still street-connected.

“We feel honoured and privileged to have won the award. We used the funds to expand our projects to reach more children in this area,” says Morgan.

Hard Life also teaches art in five schools in Moshi namely Kibo Secondary School, Obrien School for the Maasai, House of Learning, Magereza Nursery School and Watoto Rau Nursery School. Of these, it is only Kibo Secondary School that pays $ 125 (Sh 200,000) for four sessions a week.

The group’s only consistent source of income comes from selling their paintings and jewellery. If they sell anything made by their students, the child gets 80 per cent of the sales while Hard Life remains with 20 per cent. They save this and re-invest it in art materials. Hard Life also provides school supplies and fees for the members in need of assistance.

What your child needs to feel loved?

If Gertrude Joseph could go back in time and become a child again, the only thing she would wish for is that her guardian would spend more time with her.

“I know she loved me and she did her best to provide for me materially, but because we did not have much one-on-one time together, we did not form a close bond. I would have wanted for us to just sit down and bond and talk,” she says.

As a result Gertrude goes out of her way to give her children the love she would have wanted to get as a child.

“To make my children feel loved, I make sure I am there for them and that I listen to what they have to say. I give them attention, put their needs first, as well as spoil them with sweet treats once in a while.”

Quality time

Elizabeth Wambui, a 28 year-old mother of one also believes that giving a child quality time is one of the best ways to express your love.

“You may want to show them love by buying them expensive gifts and taking them on vacations, but what will leave an indelible mark on them is the time you spend seated on the carpet doing whatever they want with them,” says the mother of a six year-old daughter.

Agnes Rogo, a speaker on child development issues agrees that taking the time to form a close bond with a child is one of the most important things in creating a loving environment for children.

“What helps a child do well in life is having a healthy and secure bond with his primary caregiver. Without a loving environment, you may send your child to the best schools and provide for him materially, but he ends up rebelling and you wonder what went wrong.

“On the other hand, children who form a healthy bond feel safe to explore the environment and develop trust,” Rogo says.

According to Rogo, one way to form that secure bond and make your child feel loved is by being responsive to his needs. For instance, if your child wants his hand held and you do that, it registers in his mind that you love him.

Freedom with limits

“However, responding doesn’t mean giving them everything they want without limits. It means hearing them out and responding appropriately.

For instance if your child wants something but you can’t buy it at that time, get down to his level and explain why. When a child sees that you understand him, he will not throw a tantrum. However, avoid being the parent who is always refusing all requests because this will frustrate the child.”

Dr Stanley Mukolwe, a parenting coach and author of Raising Future Parents, adds that while a child may know what he wants, he may not know the danger associated with getting it. In such a case, denying a child what he wants would be the loving thing to do.

Also, a child may fail to perceive being disciplined as love. In that case Dr Mukolwe has some words of advice:

“You should talk to the child before and after discipline to make the child understand why he is being disciplined. One should also teach the rules ahead of time and for everything the child perceives as negative, do six positive things with the child,” advises Mukolwe.

This is important because if a child does not feel loved, they can fall into depression, become violent or have frequent anger outbursts.

Email: sound.living@thecitizen.co.tz