  |
Peter Colmore, Muthaiga, Nairobi 1995 Peter Colmore and Ally Sykes Paris 1963 |
Kweli.
Mohammed Said wa JF kaweka picha zake nyingi hapa. Tofauti kabisa na huyo marehemu.
Thursday, 28 August 2025
THE BUSINESS GENIUS OF PETER DASHWOOD MURRAY COLMORE AND ALLY KLEIST SYKES
Friday, 8 June 2018
MAZUNGUMZO NA WAANDISHI WA HABARI BAADA YA MHADHARA WA HISTORIA YA UHURU WA TANGANYIKA MUSLIM UNIVERSITY MOROGORO
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| Mshume Kiyate na Nyerere Baada ya Maasi ya Wanajeshi 1964 |
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| Waliosimama wa pili kulia ni Mzee Mshume Kiyate |
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| Kulia Mshume Kiyate, Julius Nyerere, Max Mbwana na Mwinjuma Mwinyikambi, 1962 |
''Kuna picha mashuhuri ya Mzee Mshume na Baba wa Taifa iliyopigwa Novemba 1962 wakati wa Uchaguzi Mkuu.
Picha hiyo inamuonesha Mzee Mshume akiwa amevaa koti, kanzu na kofia amemshika Baba wa Taifa mkono akimsindikiza kupiga kura.
Karika utawala wa Baba wa Taifa, magazeti ya ''Uhuru'' na ''Daily News,'' yamekuwa yakiitumia picha hii kila baada ya miaka mitano katika uchaguzi wa rais kama njia ya kuwahamasisha watu kupiga kura na kumchagua Baba wa Taifa. ''
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| Mtaa huu wa Tandamiti ulipewa jina la Mzee Mshume Kiyate kwa ajili ya kutambua mchango wake kwa Baba wa Taifa Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere na kwa TANU na juhudi zake katika kupigania uhuru wa Tanganyika miongo miwili imepita kibao hakijabadilishwa 
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Wednesday, 6 June 2018
Tuesday, 5 June 2018
TAARABU NA UHURU WA TANGANYIKA NA ABDALLAH TAMBAZA
Shajara ya Mwana Mzizima:
TAARABU NA UHURU WA TANGANYIKA
Na Alhaji Abdallah Tambaza
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| Abdallah Tambaza |
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| Mwalimu Subeti Salum Subeti (1903 - 1974) mmoja katika wapiga fidla (violin) maarufu wa Egyptian katika miaka ya 1940 |
KUPATIKANA
kwa Uhuru wa Tanganyika mnamo mwaka 1961, kwa kiasi kikubwa kumechangiwa na
uhodari, umoja na mshikamano miongoni mwa wananchi na umahiri wa viongozi wa
vyama vya siasa wakati huo; hasa chama cha TANU kilichoongozwa na hayati Baba
wa Taifa, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere.
Lakini, kwa
upande mwengine, harakati za kudai uhuru zilinogeshwa (spiced) na uwepo wa
vikundi mbalimbali vya burudani na sanaa vilivyokuwa vikihamasisha na kuwatia
hamasa wananchi kila palipokuwa pakifanyika mikutano— hususan ile ya hadhara—
kwa kutoa burudani mbalimbali zilizoleta shamrashamra, nderemo, vifijo na hoihoi.
Kwenye
mikutano ile ya wazi hapa Dar es Salaam, kabla ya kuhutubiwa na wale viongozi
waandamizi wa TANU—Sheikh Suleiman Takadir, Bibi Titi na Nyerere—kulitanguliwa
na usomaji wa mashairi pamoja na tenzi zilizobeba ujumbe mzito kwa
waliohudhuria.
Pia, nyimbo
za kwaya zenye kusisimua zilizoimbwa kwa madaha na weledi mkubwa na bingwa wa
kwaya siku hizo, hayati Mzee Makongoro; zilibeba ujumbe mzito: Uhuru! Uhuru!
Uhuru na Umoja.
Kwa upande wa
ngoma alikuwapo Mzee Morris Nyunyusa (alikuwa haoni kabisa), ambaye pia alikuwa
akipata nafasi ya kupiga kwa ustadi mkubwa zile ngoma zake kumi kwa wakati
mmoja. Mmoja wa nyimbo zake ni ule mashuhuri unaopigwa kwenye Radio Tanzania
mpaka leo kuashiria kwamba ni wakati mwengine tena wa kusomewa taarifa ya
habari.
Mzee Ramadhani Mwinamila wa Unyanyembe Tabora,
pia alikuwa akihanikiza na kikundi chake cha ngoma ya kiasili ya Kinyamwezi
kilichojulikana kama ‘’Hiyari ya Moyo,’’ huku akiwa amejiviringisha na joka
kubwa ambalo hurandaranda nalo mgongoni akienda huku na kule kwa midundo ya
kiasili ya Kinyamwezi ya ‘igembe nsabo’ na ‘mipanga lolo’.
Mwamko ule;
hamasa ile; na vuguvugu lile lililosababisha maelfu kwa maelfu ya Wananchi
kufurika kwenye mikutano, ulimtisha na
kumshitua Gavana wa Kiingereza, Lord Twinning. Hakukuwa na namna nyingine bali TANU
kuipenda tu!
Kutokana na
watu wengi mno kupokea na kuelewa ujumbe, sasa ikawa ni lazima mikutano ile ifanyike
viwanjani Jangwani, kwani Mnazi Mmoja pakawa hapatoshi tena kubeba mzigo ule
mkubwa.
Nyerere wakati
fulani, alipigwa marufuku kuhutubia mikutano ya hadhara, hali iliyosababisha
harakati za ukombozi kudorora.
Wananchi wa
Dar es Salaam, walisononeka sana kukatishwa kwa uhondo ule wa kumsikiliza
kijana mdogo wa Kizanaki, msomi kutoka Butiama, akiwaliwaza na maneno yake
mazuri yaliyojaa lafudhi ya Kikurya, lakini yaliyobeba ujumbe mzito wenye
mazingatio na matumaini makubwa.
Mmoja wa watu
walioathirika kwa kusitishwa na kutokuwapo kwa mikutano ile, ni mama yangu
mlezi nyumbani kwetu, hayati Bi. Fatuma Kigwe, ambaye daima alikuwa akituchukua
sisi tukiwa bado vijana wadogo siku hizo— iwe Mnazi Mmoja au Jangwani— kwenda
kumsikiliza Nyerere na Titi na yale waliokuja nayo.
Mama, alikuwa
na kipaji kikubwa sana cha kuigiza sauti za watu (personification). Sasa, jioni
baada ya mikutano ile, wakati tumekusanyika kwenye mduara wa chakula cha usiku,
alikuwa akitoa burudani upya kwa kumwigiza ‘Nyerere wa Butiama’ na namna
alivyokuwa akizungumza mkutanoni.
“Nisikilizeni
… ‘babe zangu’ na ‘mame zangu’, Mkoloni Mwingereza huyu anatapatapa tu,
anatapatapa tu …ataondoka, ataondoka tu
…ataondoka atuachie nchi yetu, ndiyo…ndiyo, ni mtu mbaya sana …hana
huruma huyu hata kidogo!” Mama alikuwa akimpatia kweli kweli Mwalimu, hasa pale
alipokuwa akirudiarudia neno moja mara mbili. Hapo tulikuwa tukipata burudani
upya kumsikiliza ‘Nyerere wa Butiama’ akikonga nyoyo za Watanganyika wenzake
waliokuwa wamechoshwa na kutawaliwa.
Sasa, pamoja
na mambo mengine mengi, mbinu mpya ikabuniwa ya kumpiku Gavana Twinning na amri
yake ya kukataza mikutano: Watu wa kawaida tu, wakawa wanaandaa shughuli
majumbani mwao; hasa zile za harusi, ambapo kwa zamani, kwa mila ya watu wa Mrima,
ni kawaida Bwana na Bibi Harusi watolewe uwanjani kuonyeshwa kwa ndugu na jamaa
huku muziki wa taarabu ukitumbuiza.
Sasa, ikawa inapotokea
mtaani kuna harusi, viongozi wa chama wa eneo husika humwendea mwenye shughuli
kumtaka kutumia shughuli yake kwa kumwalika Nyerere kuja kuwa mmoja wa wageni ili
baadaye apate nafasi ya kuhutubia hafla ile. Halikuwa jambo gumu lile
kutekelezeka, kwa sababu wakati huo Nyerere alikuwa ni raia wa kawaida tu,
ambaye kuhudhuria kwake kwenye shughuli yoyote halikuwa jambo lililowahusu watu wa usalama ama
wakoloni wenyewe.
Mbinu ile, ikawa na mafanikio makubwa sana,
kwani kila fursa ilipopatikana, ilizungumzwa siasa tupu na maendeleo ya
harakati za chini kwa chini za kudai nchi yetu kutoka kwa Wazungu wale
wababaishaji kutoka Ulaya Ingereza. Vinanda na nyimbo za hamasa za taarabu pia
huchukua nafasi hiyo kuimba nyimbo za siasa tu, badala ya ‘kimasomaso mwanangu
usimwone’. Kadi mpya ziliuzwa hapo pia.
Egyptian
Musical Club, ni moja ya vikundi vikongwe vya muziki wa taarabu hapa nchini ambayo ilisheni
waimbaji wazuri na wenye vipaji haswa, pamoja na wapigaji ala mahiri sana kwa
ukanda huu wa Afrika Mashariki. Wao ndio waliofanya kazi hiyo kwa kiwango cha
juu sana. Maskani ya bendi hiyo, kwa muda mrefu yalikuwa palepale New Street
(sasa Lumumba) jijini Dar es Salaam, ikiwa ni mita chache tu—mkabala— na mahala
lilipokuwepo jengo la Makao Makuu ya Chama cha TANU.
Muziki wa
Taarabu asilia, asili yake ni mchanganyiko wa muziki wa Kiswahili na ule wa
Afrika Kaskazini (kwenye nchi kama Egypt, Tunisia na Morocco) uliosheheni ala
mbalimbali mithili ya Ochestra ya bendi za Muziki ya Kizungu ama kihindi
inayohusisha zaidi vinanda na ala nyingine kama vile accordion, magitaa ya bass
na rythim, udi, ghanoon, tumba na violin.
Vifaa
vyengine ni saxophone, organ, tarumbeta, piano na marimba. Ukiacha mpigaji wa
gitaa la bass na mwimbaji, wapigaji wengine wote huwa wamekaa kwenye viti vyao
wakivurumisha vinanda kwa mpangilio na uongozaji wa kiongozi wa bendi (band
master).
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| Mpiga violin |
Egyptian
Musical Club, ni bendi iliyoanzishwa miaka mingi nyuma mnamo karne ya 18 hivi,
jijini Dar es Salaam ikiwa moja ya uendelezaji wa utamaduni wa Mswahili wa
Mrima uliochanganyika na ujio wa walowezi wa Kiarabu kutoka nchi za Kaskazini
mwa Afrika.
Mara zote
nyimbo zake, pamoja na kubeba ujumbe, hutungwa kwa kuzingatia maadili na
utamaduni wa Mswahili wa Mwambao na lugha yake adhimu ya Kiswahili ndiyo
iliyotumika, ingawa mara chache nyimbo
hizo hupigwa kwa mahadhi ya Kihindi na Kiarabu. Ni aghlabu sana taarabu
kuimbwa kwa Kingereza ingawa wasanii wajanja wa kileo wamefanikiwa kufanya
hivyo.
Ukiacha bendi
hii ya Egyptian, bendi nyengine zilizokuwepo wakati huo jijini Dar es Salaam ni
Alwatan Musical Club na Bombay Musical Club (baadaye ikajiita Jamhuri pale uhuru
ulipopatikana). Tofauti na sasa, muziki huu siku za nyuma ulikuwa ukipigwa kwa
ajili ya kuburudisha watu na si kwa ajili ya kujipatia chochote kwa wasanii
husika kama ambavyo sasa imezoeleka.
Kule Tanga
nako kulikuwa na bendi kadhaa za muziki huu, ikiwamo Lucky Star ya mwimbaji
maarufu hayati Bi Shakila, aliyejizolea sifa kemkem hapa nyumbani na Afrika
Mashariki yote kwa sauti yake nyororo na maudhui yenye mafunzo. Habari zinasema
mbinu hii iliyokuwa ikitumika hapa Dar es Salaam kutumia taarabu kisiasa
ilifanikiwa pia kule Tanga na kwengineko.
Kule
Zanzibar, ingawa hakukuwa na marufuku yoyote kukataza wanasiasa kufanya kazi za
ukombozi, lakini pia nako taarabu ilitumika kwa kutunga nyimbo zenye maudhui ya
kudai kujitawala wenyewe miongoni mwa jamii ya Waafrika.
Mara zote
wakati wa Sikukuu za Pasaka, Wazanzibari wakati ule walishuhudia kumwona
Nyerere akihutubia kwenye kukaribisha wageni wa ‘Sports’ kulikokuwa kukifanywa
na vilabu vya mpira vya Sunderland (sasa Simba) na Yanga.
Wimbo kama,
Abeid nenda, Oya! Oya!; Tunakutuma, Oya! Oya! Ulitungwa mahsusi na Bendi ya
Culture ya Unguja kumhamasisha Abeid Karume katika safari yake ya kule kwenye
Mkutano wa Lancaster House, mjini London uliojadili mustakabali wa Zanzibar
mpya baada ya kujitawala.
Kwa muktadha
huu basi, hapana budi kwa wale wasomi watakaokuja kuandika historia sahihi ya
mapambano ya uhuru wa nchi yetu kutilia maanani jambo hili la kuwakumbuka
wapigaji vinanda wale wa Bendi ya Egyptian Musical Club. Ni ukweli ulio wazi
kabisa kwamba kwa kiasi kikubwa tu katika kipindi kile kigumu, kwa kushirikiana
na wazalendo wa kawaida tu, waliweza kupeleka mbele harakati zile.
Mara chache
hupata watu wakaitaja klabu ya Yanga ya Dar es Salaam kwamba ilikuwa na mchango
mkubwa katika ukombozi wa taifa hili. Kwa kiasi fulani ni kweli maana wengi wa
wanachama wake walikuwa ni watu weusi, hivyo wakawa pia na kadi za TANU, lakini
vyovyote vile iwavyo, Yanga hawakuwa na mchango unaoikaribia au kuipiku bendi
ya Egyptian Musical Club; kwani wao walipiga na kutumbuiza kwenye shughuli
nyingi ambazo ‘Mheshimiwa’ Julius Nyerere alipata fursa ya kupenyeza maneno
yake, wanawake wakapiga vigelegele na wanaume kushangilia kwa makofi
kuchangamsha harusi na harakati za ukombozi kuzipa nguvu.
Bendi ya
Egyptian ya miaka hiyo ya 1950 na 60s, ilikuwa na wazee kama Mzee Bom Ambaroni
aliyeshirikiana na Mzee Salum Mboga na Mwalimu Subeti Salum katika upigaji wa ‘violin’. Maalim Abubakar
Mzinga yeye ghanoon na kuimba nyimbo pia.
Shamas bin
Abubakar, Hamis George, Abbas Mzee,
Saleh Mtumwa na Muhiddin Kingaru, hawa wao walikuwa waimbaji wa zile nyimbo
maarufu zilizotokea kupendwa kwa muda mrefu za: ‘’Kharusi Jambo la Kheri;’’ ‘’Kila
Mwenye Uwezo Asaidie Yatima;’’ na ‘’Umaridadi si Kufua Nguo, Bali Usafishe Wako
Moyo.’’ Nuru bint Suud na Mtumwa Rajab wao walikuwa miongoni mwa waimbaji
wanawake.
Bendi
nyengine iliyoundwa baada ya uhuru kupatikana kwa msaada mkubwa wa mwanasiasa
nguli kutoka hapa Mzizima hayati Kitwana Kondo, ilikuwa ni New Extra Musical
Club. Ikiwa na makao yake pale Mtaa wa Mafia na Livingstone jijini Dar es
Salaam, New Extra ilitumika sana katika kuhamasisha wananchi kutilia maanani suala
la kilimo kwa kutunga wimbo maarufu wa ‘Shambani Mazao Bora Shambani’. Khamis
Juma Mzinga ndiye aliyeuimba wimbo huo ambao mpaka leo unatumika na kupigwa na
Radio Tanzania linapokuja suala la Kilimo Kwanza.
Ni bahati
mbaya sana muziki huu wa Taarabu Asilia umetoweka katika medani ya muziki hapa
kwetu Tanzania Bara, kule Zanzibar ndio kwanza ‘mkoko unaalika maua’, kwani
huwaambi kitu katika kumuenzi na kumtukuza hayati Bi Kidude na Siti bint Saad
aliyekufa miongo kadhaa nyuma kabla uhuru kupatikana.
Ni sehemu
muhimu sana ya utamaduni wa Mtanzania ukiangalia kule nyuma tulikotoka. Ilikuwa
ni muziki huu wa taarabu asilia, serikali ya awamu ya kwanza ya hayati Baba wa
Taifa, iliyoutumia kwa kuwastarehesha wageni wote wakubwa wa siserikali
walioitembelea nchi yetu siku za nyuma, kwenye dhifa za chakula cha usiku
(state banquets), pale Ikulu na kwenye holi la Diamond Jubilee, Upanga.
Wageni wakubwa
wa kukumbukwa ambao walipigiwa taarabu ni
pamoja na Rais Gamal Abdel Nasser wa Misri, Kwame Nkurumah wa Ghana, Kenneth
Kaunda wa Zambia, Huophet Boigny wa Corte de Voire na Chou en Lai wa Jamhuri ya
Watu wa China.
Wengine ni
Rais Tubman wa Liberia, Modibo Keita wa Mali, Ahmed Sekou Toure wa Guinea,
Houari Boumedienne wa Algeria na Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa wa Nigeria pamoja
na wengine wengi.
Taarabu
Asilia, ilikuwa kwenye programu zote za mikutano mikuu ya Chama cha TANU na
baadaye CCM, kwa kuwaburudisha wajumbe baada ya mchoko wa mikutano.
Hivyo, kama
ulivyopotea muziki wa dansi wa kina Mbaraka Mwinshehe, Juma Kilaza, Michael
Enock – huu wa kina TX Moshi William na Muhiddin Gurumo nao unaelekea huko
huko— taarabu asilia nayo imekwenda na maji mbele ya macho yetu! Ni msiba
mkubwa.
Alamsiki!
Simu:
0715808864
Tuesday, 29 May 2018
RAMADHANI IN DAR ES SALAAM THROUGHOUT THE YEARS
Ramadhani in Dar es Salaam, Throughout
the Years
By
Mohamed Said
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| Eid Fitr Mnazi Mmoja 2006 |
Observation of the holy
month of Ramadhan in actual fact begins when the moon is sighted at the end of
Shaaban. Soon after Magrib prayers all eyes will be in the sky searching for the
moon, the ‘’hilal,’’ to reveal itself in the sky. People would rush outside
mosques all eyes up in the blue sky. And when the moon is sighted you will hear
people shouting, ‘’It is Ramadhani, it is Ramadhani.’’ After Isha prayers,
tarweh prayers will begin. But in actual fact the countdown for Ramadhani
begins in the Month of Rajab through Shaaban. As a young boy growing up in Dar
es Salaam of 1960s I have fond memories of the Holy Month of Ramadhan. I
remember Ramadhani as a child of about six years and I would tell my parents
that I too would like to fast and they would encourage me fully knowing that
half way I will ask for something to eat and my mother would have it ready in
the kitchen. Mostly it would be the leftovers of the previous day ‘’futari,’’
which is what we call in Kiswahili the food eaten for breaking the fast (saum).
Most kids were like me would attempt to fast and break the fast half way.
Looking back I see that was for most of us was a dress rehearsal for the coming
years when we would observe Ramadhani as young Muslims.
During Ramadhan mosques would usually hold ‘’darsa,’’
after every Salat Dhuhr and L’Asr, but it is the L’Asr ‘’darsa,’’ which is well
attended and patronised. The reason being that most of the people are at home
from work and most important this is the ‘’darsa,’’ when the ‘’tafsir,’’
(translation) of the Qur’an is held. It is a very sombre occasion. A ‘’Kari,’’
(a reciter) will recite few lines from the book in ‘tajwid,’’ and after that
the sheikh will take the ‘’darsa,’’ through the ‘’tafsir.’’ This ‘’darsa,’’
will continue throughout Ramadhan until the end of the month when it is
concluded by ‘’khitma,’’ and usually a prominent ‘’ulamaa,’’ is invited to
close the ‘’darsa.’’ The invited sheikh would hold court that day and close the
‘’darsa,’’ In Shaallah until next Ramadhan.
This usually is a time
when you would see old people bending down their heads in sadness that
Ramadhani had come and gone too quickly and going with all its ‘’rehma,’’ and
all its good traits. They would also think and wonder whether they will be
around next year to witness another Month of Ramadhan. The ‘’darsa,’’ will go up
to few minutes before sunset when it it will be wind up with a ‘’dua,’’ and
wait for the sun to set which is the time to break the fast.
Soon after L’Asr and
‘’darsa,’’ activities will shift towards the food stalls outside the mosque.
There will be all kind of foodstuffs displayed on stalls around the mosque
mainly delicacies from fresh fruits, dates and cooked foods such as vitumbua
(rice cake), maandazi, kababs, mishkak (barbecue), sambusas, juices, sharbat
etc. To an uninitiated one would think it is a food festival. When the
‘’adhan,’’ is called from the minarets of the mosques to break the fast the
mosque grounds bursts with activity. Ramadhan is the month of generosity,
Muslims others sitting inside the mosque and others outside will offer each
other dates and drinks of different flavours
to break the fast. Muslims wanting to reap from the hadith of the
Prophet (SAW) which says whoever gives food to a fasting man will get same
‘’thawab,’’ (reward) as the one who is fasting without anything reduced from
his reward.
Much as the Holy Month
of Ramadhani is a month of prayers and reflections, Muslims doing their utmost
to be much closer to Allah through prayers, recitations of the Qur’an, giving
to charity and what have you, Ramadhan in this part of the world and I believe
in many Muslim countries comes with a festive mood and the mood can be felt the
whole day through. But this mood reaches fever pitch particularly few hours
before sunset when Muslims are about to break the fast. This festive mood
actually begins in the morning and can be seen in the markets which in my
language Kiswahili we call ‘’soko,’’ borrowed from the Arabic word, ‘’suk,’’
meaning ‘’market.’’ The stalls will display a variety of foodstuffs for in my
country there are particular dishes which are solely eaten for ‘’iftar.’’ For
example rice is not among the dishes favoured during Ramadhan to break the
fast. Going to the market during Ramadhan is fun in itself as the markets are
flooded with people buying and at times haggling for prices with the merchants.
A merchant ‘’tasbih,’’ in hand will call upon Allah and His Prophet (SAW) that the
dates he is selling are from Madina Munawar and hence the high price he is
charging is justified. Another merchant
will argue that the chicken he brought to the market are of the special breed
and its meat is tender fit to be eaten during Ramadhan for ‘’iftar,’’ as well
as for ‘’suhur,’’ which in my language we call, ‘’daku.’’
As one is walking back
home from Maghrib prayer he would pass rows and rows of mats outside houses
with plates of food on them covered by colourful handmade covers waiting to be
devoured. During Ramadhan people do not take the ‘iftar,’’ in doors, people eat
outside in the open air and they do this in order to make it easier for any
passerby Muslim who is far from his house to join in and eat. It will not go
down well when a Muslim hurrying to his house for ‘’iftar,’’ to refuse an
invitation to sit and break the fast with fellow Muslims on his way home.
Usually one will sit down and politely accept the invitation and will take a
sip of tea or porridge or ‘’shurba,’’ which is a kind of porridge made with
meat and spices, a popular dish during Ramadhan. After eating a little the
stranger will rise up and be off on his way home to have a proper meal among
his family members. But this was a long time ago. In recent times this
close-knit Muslim community has been affected by immigration of people from
their traditional areas to new ones because of multiple of factors.
Encroachment of new buildings built by developers over areas previously owned
by the indigenous Muslims has ruptured the bond which had existed for many
years.
The new generation has
absorbed new values of nucleus family and this has eroded further the bond
which had existed during the time of their parents where the community was seen
as one huge family. In short the new system in existence can no longer support
that easy going culture of the forefathers. The new generation do not walk to
the mosque. They drive to the mosque with their children in air conditioned
cars, windows pulled down with food for breaking the fast packed. The old
mosques are still there but that festive mood which was part of Ramadhan of
yester years is not gone but to say the least is a far cry from what it used to
be. The vacuum created by this new life style has been replaced with a complete
new way of life. The children after Salat Taraweh would gather at different
flood lit playgrounds to play basket ball. Driving back home the father would
reminisce of his child hood days going to the mosque praying in a dimly lit
mosque using kerosene lamps for lighting which spewed black smoke. The mosques
had no electricity and loud speakers. Those days have long passed particularly
in mosques situated in urban centres through they are common in rural areas.
Salat Tarweh is the
heart of Ramadhan. After ‘’iftar,’’ Muslims would rest for a short while and
then go to the mosque for ‘Isha,’’ and after ‘’Isha’’ will stand for
‘’tarweh,’’ In Salat Tarweh many mosque the imam would recite in the prayer a
‘’juzuu,’’ (chapter) for each day of Ramadhan completing the whole ‘’mashaf,’’
at the end of the month. Not all mosques recite whole, ‘’juzuu,’’ each night of
Ramadhan. There mosques which are specifically known for these long recitations
and there are those which recite short suras randomly. After Salat Tarweh
people would go back home and there will be some fun either talking or play
cards before going to bed to wake up for ‘’suhur,’’ during the third part of
the night.
Beginning past midnight
there are groups of people going around the streets singing beautiful
‘’kassida,’’ (Muslim hyms) beating ‘’duf’’ which is a small drum light in
weight stopping at every house to wake up the neighbourhood for ‘’daku.’’ This
is called in Kiswahili, ‘’kigoma cha daku’’ roughly translating as ‘’wake up
call for daku,’’ In appreciation for their work they will be given money. This
adds flavour to Ramadhan adding into it a festive atmosphere. Soon after these
town criers have gone, ‘’daku’’ will be served and some will go back to sleep
and others will stand for ‘’kiam layl,’’ the night supplication and this to
grownups is the pinnacle of the Holy Month of Ramadhan.
After the end of Ramadhani it is Eid...Muslim bid farewell to the Holy Month with sadness and nostalgia.
Monday, 28 May 2018
Historia ya Viwanja vya Mnazi Mmoja Dar-es Salaam - Sehemu ya Pili Na Alhaji Abdallah Tambaza
Shajara ya Mwana Mzizima:
Historia ya Viwanja vya Mnazi Mmoja Dar-es Salaam
Sehemu ya Pili
Na Alhaji Abdallah Tambaza
JUMA lililopita
katika safu hii, tulielezea historia ndefu ya eneo la Mnazi Mmoja la hapa
jijini Dar es Salaam na matukio au mambo makubwa ya kukumbukwa yaliyokuwa, ama
yakifanyika hapo kila wakati; kwa vipindi maalumu, au pale linapotokea tukio
muhimu linalohitaji mjumuiko mkubwa wa watu viwanjani.
Kwa muktadha
huo basi, tulielezea ile mikutano mikubwa iliyofanyika hapo kabla ya kupatikana
uhuru wetu na baada yake; ambayo ilihutubiwa kwenye viwanja vya Mnazi Mmoja na
hayati Baba wa Taifa Mwalimu Julius Nyerere na viongozi wenzake wa mwanzo wa
TAA na TANU, aliokuwa nao katika mapambano ya kuikomboa nchi yetu hii adhimu ya
Tanganyika kutoka kwa wakoloni Waingereza.
Tulipokea
simu kadhaa za pongezi kutoka kwa wasomaji wetu ambao walitoa maombi maalumu ya
kuendeleza simulizi za mahala pale kwa mara ya pili, kwani bado walikuwa
hawajakatika kiu zao; sababu maeneo mengi ama tuliyaruka au kuyaacha kutokana
na uhaba wa nafasi gazetini, ambayo haimpi mwandishi uwanda mpana kucheza nao.
Mwisho wa
makala ile tulielezea kwa kifupi namna Mwalimu na wenzake serikalini
walivyokusudia kuifanya Mnazi Mmoja iwe ndiyo katikati ya Jiji la Dar es Salaam
(kwa maana ya City Center pale ulipopatikana uhuru), kwa kuzileta ofisi kuu na
muhimu za Serikali kutoka kule mjini na kuzijenga upya kwenye eneo hilo.
Mpango ule
ulishindikana kutekelezwa kutokana na wakazi wengi wa eneo lile kutoridhika kuhamishiwa
maeneo mengine, pamoja na kuwapo kwa ushawishi na kampeni iliyofanywa na
Mwalimu Nyerere mwenyewe.
Mwanahistoria
maarufu na mchambuzi wa masuala ya kisiasa nchini, Sheikh Mohammed Said,
alipozungumza nami hivi karibuni alinihadithia kwamba katika kutilia mkazo
jambo lile, kuna watu ilibidi Mwalimu awaandikie barua yeye binafsi kutokana na
kuwaheshimu na uzito wao katika jamii.
Mmoja kati ya
hao ni Bi Mruguru bint Mussa wa Mtaa wa Kipata, Gerezani, ambaye ni mama wa
wanasiasa mashuhuri wa harakati za kudai uhuru, akina Abbas, Ali na Abdulwahid
Sykes. Mohammed anasema:
“…Nimehadithiwa na Balozi Abbas Sykes kwamba katika kadhia ile, Mwalimu
alimwandikia mama yao barua binafsi kumtafadhalisha aridhie nyumba yake
kuvunjwa na kupewa mbadala ili nchi ipige hatua kimaendeleo kwa kulijenga upya
jiji letu… Bwana Abbas alisema: ‘unajua Nyerere akimuheshimu sana mama kwani
alimchukulia kama ni mamake mzazi vile.’
“Bi Mluguru
kutokana na mapenzi yake kwa Mwalimu, yeye alikubali kuvunjwa kwa nyumba yake.
Sasa
tunapoliangalia eneo hilo leo, takriban miaka karibu 60 kupita, ingawa hakuna
majumba ya kiserekali mahala hapo, lakini majengo yake si yale tena yalikuwapo
kwenye miaka ile ya 1960s; kwani sasa nyumba zote karibu ni za ghorofa tupu
zilizojengwa na wafanyabiashara; ama kwa kuzinunua za zamani au kwa kufanya
‘ubia’ na wenye mali.
Jirani na ile
Hospitali ya Mnazi Mmoja, ambayo kwa sasa imeboreshwa kwa kuwa na wodi mpaka za
wazazi kujifungulia, huduma za macho na meno, wakiwamo pia hata na Madaktari Bingwa
(zamani ni Mabwana Mganga tu wa kufunga vidonda na kutoa dawa za kikohozi na
mafua); kunapatikanwa jengo mashuhuri la Arnautoglo.
Likijulikana
kama Holi la Arnautoglo, mahala hapo palikuwa sehemu muhimu sana iliyokuwa
ikitumika kwa kufanyia mikutano ya ndani ya kila aina, ikiwamo ile ya siasa na
ya kijamii, vikao muhimu na mambo ya namna hiyo.
Holi hilo pia
lilitumika kwa shughuli za harusi, michezo ya kuigiza, michezo ya masumbwi
(boxing), na miziki ya dansi kila wakati ikishirikisha bendi mashuhuri za
wakati huo za Kilwa Jazz (Dar es Salaam), Moro Jazz (Morogoro), Kiko Kids
(Tabora) na Dar Jazz (Dar es Salaam).
Vikundi vya
Muziki wa Taarab asilia, ambayo hupigiwa watu wakiwa wamekaa kwenye viti; na si
kuruka na kucheza na chupa ya bia mkononi, pia vilikuwa vikiutumia ukumbi huo
kwa shughuli zake. Wakati huo vikundi mashuhuri kabisa vilikuwa ni Egyptian
Musical Club, Alwatan Musical Club na ile ya Bombay Musical Club, iliyokuwa
maeneo ya Kisutu karibu na Makaburi ya Kisutu kabla hakujavunjwa na kujengwa
vile vyuo vya Biashara na kile cha Ufundi.
Kwa siku za
Jumamosi na Jumapili, vijana wadogo wengi waliokuwa wakisoma shule za sekondari
kwenye miaka ile ya mwanzo ya uhuru (1960s), ilikuwa ni zamu yao kuja kucheza ‘’Buggie’’
muziki wa Kizungu, hasa ule wa Kimarekani uliojulikana kama Soul, Jazz na Blues.
Wakati huo bendi za vijana wadogo zikipiga nyimbo za kina James Brown, Ottis
Redding, Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge, Ray Charles na Babu BB King.
 |
| Mzee Mustafa Songamebele alivyo hivi sasa |
Hali hii
haikumfurahisha hata kidogo aliyekuwa Mkuu wa Wilaya ya Dar es Salaam wakati
huo, Mzee Mustapha Songambele. Haraka haraka, Mzee Songambele akatoa tamko kwa
Vyombo vya Habari kwamba Serikali ya Tanganyika imepiga marufuku muziki wa Soul
kupigwa kwenye kumbi za starehe na redioni. Tangazo lile lilishitua sana, kwani
muziki na uja uzito ni vitu viwili tofauti; na kwamba ule muziki ilikuwa ni
sehemu ya utamadauni (culture) wa Wamerekani.
Bila shaka
yeyote, kuitangazia Dunia kwamba Tanganyika imepiga marufuku nchini mwake
kupigwa muziki wa Kimarekani, lilikuwa ni tukio baya kidiplomasia, hasa kwa
nchi changa kama yetu wakati ule. Haikupita hata wiki moja, likatoka tangazo
jengine kwamba ‘ni ruhsa’ sasa kupiga muziki ule nchini bila matatizo. Vijana
wakashangilia kwelikweli, kwani ndio waliokuwa wapenzi wakubwa wa muziki huo
kama ambavyo labda leo ukataze muziki wa kizazi kipya wa kina Diamond, Ali
Kiba, Dully Sykes, sijui Q-Chief na labda Lady JD—utachokoza nyuki wakuume
bure!
Kwa wakati
ule wa ukoloni, mtu mweusi hakuwa na sehemu nyingine ya kwenda kufanya starehe
zaidi ya hapo Arnautoglo na Ukumbi wa Amana pale Ilala, wakati huo ukijulikana
kama ‘Kwa Ramadhani Minshehe’. Huyu Ramadhani Minshehe ndiye aliyekuwa baba
mzazi wa mwanasiasa mashuhuri na kada wa Chama Cha Mapinduzi hapa nchini hayati
Ditopile Mzuzuri.
Katika wakati
huo mgumu, Mzee Minshehe alikuwa ni mmoja wa wazalendo waliokuwa na uwezo
mkubwa wa kifedha hapa jijini, kwani pamoja na jumba hilo, pia alimiliki
mashamba na majumba mengi kule maeneo ya Ilala yaliyokuwa yakimwingizia kipato
si haba.
Sehemu
nyingine za burudani kwenye mahoteli yale kule mjini, mtu mweusi hakuruhusiwa
kuingia humo na kuchanganyika na mabwana wakubwa. Iwe kwenye vilabu vya starehe
au mahotelini, utakaribishwa na maandishi mazito milangoni yanayosomeka, tena
kwa Kingereza, ‘Members Only’ au ‘Management Reserves the Right of Admission’.
Hayo yalifanyika hapa; na huo ndio ukoloni maana yake.
Ni ubaguzi;
ubaguzi mtupu kila mahala na kutuona mtu mweusi ni kinyaa! Sasa sijui wale ndugu
zangu wanaojiita wao ni Liverpool; sisi Manchester, Arsenal, Chelsea…
watasemaje Wazungu wale wakikasirika kunasibishwa na wewe pia kwenye club yao! Ingeeleweka
kama pengine mtu angesema anapenda tu namna Manchester inavyocheza, lakini
anadiriki kusema “sisi (Chelsea si wa kuchezea) tuna mtoto mpya huyo balaa,
lazima tukufungeni tu!” Duh! Tafadhalini tupunguze hiyo. ‘Mazungu yale ni
mabaguzi’ wala hayashituki kupendwa na sisi.
Jumba la Arnautoglo
pia limekuwa ndio mahala kwa kina mama wakati huo wa zamani za kale kwenda
kujifunza kazi za mikono kama ushonaji nguo, ufumaji vitambaa na kazi za
nyumbani kama mapishi (wenyewe wakiita domestiki).
Masomo ya
Watu Wazima pia yalikuwa yakitolewa hapo kwa wale walioikosa elimu hiyo
utotoni, na hivyo ikawa mkombozi mkubwa kwa wale waliotaka kuondoka kwenye
ujinga kwa kujua kusoma na kuandika. Kwa sasa, jengo la Arnautoglo limesheheni
ofisi mbalimbali za Halmashauri ya Wilaya na Jiji la Dar es Salaam.
Jamiatul
Islamiya ni madrassa kubwa yenye jengo la gorofa moja iliyojengwa kwa nguvu za wakazi wa jijini hapa
chini ya uongozi wa hayati Mzee Kliest Sykes. Taasisi hiyo kongwe ambayo haipo
tena sasa, ilianzishwa baada ya Waafrika chini ya Mzee Sykes tena, kuanzisha
African Association ili kuja kuziba mapengo makubwa yalikuwamo katika
upatikanaji wa elimu miongoni mwa wazalendo wa Kiafrika.
Wakoloni
waliwaachia Wamissionari jukumu kubwa la kutoa elimu na hivyo watu wengi wa
dini ya Kiislamu wakawa na woga kwamba watoto wao wangebatizwa na kubadilishwa
dini kirahisi.
Jamiatul
Islamiya, iliyohamiya mjengoni hapo mwaka 1935, ilifanya kazi kubwa kusomesha
vijana wa kike na wa kiume elimu zote mbili, kwa maana ya Sekula na ya Kiislamu, ni mahala ambapo
watoto wengi jijini walipitia kupata manufaa yake. Ilikuwa ni mahala hapo
ambapo watu mashuhuri walisoma kama vile akina Abdulwahid Sykes na nduguze,
baba mzazi wa mwandishi huyu hayat Mzee Mohammed Tambaza, Imam Mkuu wa Masjid
Mwinyikheri Sheikh Ahmed Haidar Mwinyimvua na nduguze, hayati Mzee Zubeir
Mtemvu na nduguze pamoja na wazee wengi ambao tayari wameshatangulia mbele ya
haki.
 |
| Al Jamiatul Islamiyya fi Tanganyika Muslim School |
Jengo lile,
ni kielelezo tosha kwamba watu wanapoungana na kuazimia kufanya lao basi Mungu
hubariki jambo hilo na bila shaka mafanikio hupatikana. Linaweza likaonekana ni
la kimasikini kwa dunia ya leo, lakini ukichukulia mazingira ya ukoloni na hali
dhalili za watu wake wa Kiafrika haikuwa kazi ndogo kusimamisha mjengo pale.
“Wazazi wa
Kiislamu waliombwa wachange fedha ili jengo la kudumu lijengwe … Aljamiatul
Islamiya ilienda nyumba kwa nyumba ikikusanya michango kutoka kwa Waislamu …
“Kwa bahati
nzuri mnamo mwaka 1936 Aga Khan alitembelea Tanganyika na akafahamishwa kuhusu
ujenzi wa shule ile. Alitoa fedha na shule ikajengwa jirani kabisa na mahala
ilipokuwa African Association kwenye Barabara ya New Street (sasa Lumumba).
“Hii ni moja
ya shule za mwanzo kabisa kujengwa na Waislamu wa Tanganyika wakati huo wa …ni
moja ya mifano hai ya kuonyesha juhudi za Waislamu wa Tanganyika katika
kujiletea maendeleo wenyewe…,”anaandika Mohammed Said katika kitabu chake cha
Maisha na Nyakati za Abdul Wahid Sykes, ukurasa 45.
Balozi Abbas
Sykes, ni mmoja katika wale mashujaa wa mwanzo kabisa walioitoa TAA ilipo na
kuifanya iwe TANU mwaka 1954, kwa kuipa meno kuja kupambana na Mwingereza kudai
nchi yetu. Ndiye mtu aliyeshika wadhifa wa kuwa Mkuu wa Jimbo la Pwani (PC siku
hizo) ikiwamo na mji wa Dar es Salaam na Mzizima yake, akichukua madaraka
kutoka kwa PC (Provincial Commissioner) Mzungu.
 |
| Abbas Sykes katika miaka ya 1950/60 |
Wakati huo
Balozi Sykes akiwa PC, alifanikiwa kumwoa mmoja wa wanawake warembo kabisa
(celebrity) jijini na mtangazaji maarufu na mahiri wa redio; mwenye sauti
nyororo na ya kuvutia wa Idhaa ya Kiingereza ya Sauti ya Tanganyika, Tahia
Abdulwahaab.
Akiwa bado
kijana mdogo na mbichi kama alivyo Mheshimiwa Makonda sasa hivi, utawala wake jimboni
ulivuma kweli kweli Pwani nzima; kwani alikuwa mtu asiyetaka masikhara hata
kidogo kwa raia na watendaji.
Spidi yake
ilikuwa kali kwelikweli, na hivyo Kamishna Sykes hakudumu sana katika wadhifa
ule, kwani alibadilishiwa kazi na kupelekwa kuwa balozi kwenye nchi kadhaa duniani.
Miongoni mwa
nchi hizo alikopita kwenye safari yake ndefu, ni pamoja na Paris, Ufaransa,
Montreal Canada, United Nations, New York na Khartoum, Sudan. Akiwa kule
Ufaransa aliwakilisha nchi pia kwenye Shirika la UNESCO (Shirika la Umoja wa
Mataifa la Sayansi na Utamaduni), kama Mwakilishi Mkazi.
Balozi Sykes,
amestaafu kazi miaka mingi na sasa amepumzika tu nyumbani kwake pale Sea View. Alamsiki!
Tukutane juma lijalo InshaAllah.
Simu: 0715
808 864
atambaza@yahoo.com
