TAAZIA YA PROF. ALI MAZRUI 1933 - 2014

Prof. Ali Mazrui

Ndugu msomaji wangu,

Awali ya yote ningependa kwanza kabisa kukutahadharisha kuwa watu walibarikiwa kipaji kama alichokuwanacho Prof. Ali Mazrui hawazaliwi kila siku. Kwa utangulizi huu mfupi nia yangu ni kukufahamisha kuwa Prof. Mazrui hakuwa msomi wa kawaida unaekutananae kila siku katika majarida ya kisomi na katika vitabu vilivyoandikwa. Ni kwa ajili hii basi ndiyo maana sikuona hata haja ya kutanguliza kumueleza Prof. Mazrui ni nani. Nimefanya hivi kwa makusudi nikiamini kuwa ikiwa wewe msomaji wangu humjui Prof. Mazrui basi hata hii makala haina maana yoyote kwako ingawa ikiwa utaisoma utatoka ukiwa umeongeza kitu katika ubongo wako.

Nimebahatika kuwa karibu na watu wawili ambao walipata kuwa karibu sana na Prof. Mazrui.Mtu wa kwanza ni Salim Abdallah ukipenda unaweza kumwita Shariff  Salim Abdallah Salim ingawa umaarufu wake ni kwa jina la Sal Davis. Mtu wa pili ni Dr. Harith Ghassany. Wakati Sal Davis ana udugu wa damu na Prof. Mazrui, Dr. Ghassany alifahamiana na Prof. Mazrui wakati Dr. Ghassany alipokuwa mwanafunzi Chuo Kikuu Cha Michigan, Marekani chuo ambacho Prof. Mazrui alikuwa akihadhir. Tuanze na Sal Davis.

Sal Davis

Dr. Harith Ghassany na Mwandishi

Kwa kipindi kirefu nimekuwa nikiandika kitabu kuhusu maisha ya Sal Davis ambae jina lake halisi ni Salim Abdallah au Sal Davis kama anavyofahamika na wengi. Katika mazungumzo yetu wakati wa kuandika kitabu chake alinifahamisha kuwa alikuwa na uhusiano wa kindugu na  Prof. Ali Mazrui. Prof. Mazrui alikuwa mtu maarufu kwangu na katika mbio zangu za kutafuta elimu wakati wa ujana wangu sikuwa napitwa na maandishi yake katika gazeti la Nation lililokuwa likichapwa Nairobi. Sal Davis aliponambia kuwa alipokelewa na Ali Mazrui Uingereza mwaka 1957 wakati huo yeye Sal Davis akiwa kijana mdogo wa miaka 16 nilimsimamisha hapo kutaka kujua mengi kuhusu uhusiano wake na Prof.  Mazrui.  Nakunyambulia kidogo siku za ujana wa Prof. Mazrui akiwa Manchester pamoja na mdogo wake Sal Davis:

 ‘’In 1957 my father decided to send me to England to be educated.  Finally, the big day arrived. The whole neighbourhood and members of my family including my sisters, aunts, uncles and just everybody turned up at Mombasa Railway Station to see me off. I took the train to Nairobi from where I flew to London. I had an address given by my father to go to in London where I will get in touch with Ali Mazrui now Pofessor Ali Mazrui. Mazrui was not there and was given an address and directed to go to Manchester. I took a train from London to Manchester and there finally I met Ali Mazrui he was with two other people from Mombasa, Abdallah Bujra (now Professor Bujra currently working with the African Union in Addis Ababa) and Mohamed Abdulrahman known back in Mombasa by his nickname ‘Panya’ which in Kiswahili means ‘rat.’ He was given this name because of his small built. All of them together with Ali Mazrui were undergraduates at Manchester University. Mazrui and I grew together in the same house at Makadara. This house belonged to my father.  Both Ali and I come from a very strong Muslim background. Ali’s father Sheikh Al Amein Mazrui was the Chief Kadhi of Kenya.

Ali Mazrui was surprised to see how big I have become. ‘Salim you have grown this much I had bought some clothes but they won’t fit you.’ Ali Mazrui remarked. When he left for England, I was a little boy and now he was seeing me a teenager and in my full winter clothes, I must have looked much older than my age. I stayed with Ali Mazrui for two months before I went to boarding school at Watford. I slept in the same room with Mazrui and what I recall about him in those two months was that he used to read the whole night through. Both Mazrui and Bujra were to marry white girls.  I too came to follow their footsteps. While in Manchester, I entered a talent competition at the Manchester Dancing Hall. This was a very popular place in Manchester. Prominent musicians like Ted Heath and Ray Ellington played there. These were leading bandleaders in Britain at that time. Ray Ellington was black his father an Afro American and his mother a Russian Jew but strange they used to refer to him as originating from Ghana. Therefore, I went to this talent competition and I put up my name. I was with Ali Mazrui. I remember going up the stage ‘Yes kid you want to sing?’ I was asked. I said ‘Yes I would like to sing.' ‘What are you going to sing?’ I said, ‘Island in the Sun.’ Then he asked me, ‘You know the key? I said, ‘No.’ ‘How does it go?’ I began to sing...’This is my island in the sun…’ 

Those were professional musicians – The Ray Ellington Quartet once I opened my mouth to sing the first note they got my key, I was required to name the tempo I wanted them to play, and I said ‘Calypso.’ This was a Harry Belafonte song. I sang the song and I won the competition. The song was from the movie ‘Island in the Sun’ starring Harry Belafonte. This movie was released in 1957 and very popular at that time and hence the song. As fate would have it, I would meet Belafonte in 1963 in Nairobi during Kenya’s independence celebrations and would become friends. However, this is another story we would come to it later. It was Belafonte’s song, which set me in my singing carrier. The prize was cash, which I took and bought big port for cooking. In the house where I was staying with Ali Mazrui we used to cook curry to last us a week. I therefore thought a bigger pot would serve us better...'  At that time Ali Mazrui was an undergraduate student at Manchester University.  My father wanted me to stay with Ali Mazrui for two months to acclimatize before I began school. As fate would have it, I began my singing career while in the custody of Ali Mazrui. But, the iron of it all were Ali Mazrui would rise to be an intellectual of high repute in academic circles, I would excel in quite an opposite direction, that of show business...’

(Kutoka mswada wa kitabu kuhusu maisha ya Sal Davis)

Sal Davis Wakati wa Ujana Wake Akipiga Muziki Ulaya Katika
Miaka ya 1960

Katika hali kama hii nikamwambia Sal Davis kuwa itapendenza sana kama kitabu chake utangulizi ukaandikwa na kaka yake Prof. Mazrui. Sal Davis alifurahia sana wazo langu hili. Bahati mbaya hili halitakuwa kwa kuwa Prof. Mazrui katangulia mbele ya haki kabla ya sisi kukamilisha kabisa kitabu chetu.

Sasa turudi kwa Dr. Harith Ghassany.

Kila nilipokuwa nikizungumza na Dr. Ghassany kuhusu Prof. Mazrui, yeye anapomtaja Prof. Mazrui alimwita, ‘Mega Profesa.’

Ilikuwa Dr. Ghassany kwa hakika ndiye aliyenitambulisha rasmi na hili likapelekea mimi kuonana na Prof. Mazrui uso kwa uso mwaka wa 2003 mjini Kampala, pale Nile Hilton ambako sote tulifikia baada ya kualikwa kwenye mkutano ambao Prof. Ali Mazrui alitoa ‘key note address.’  Dr. Ghassany wakati ule alikuwa yuko katika pilikapilika za kusimamisha taasisi ya Afrabia na alitaka sana mimi nikutane na Prof. Mazrui. Sasa Dr. Ghassany akanipa salamu makhsusi nimfikishie Prof. Mazrui tutakapokutana pale mkutanoni Kampala. Mie nikawa na woga wa kumkabili Prof. Mazrui khasa kwa lile jina lake kubwa. Dr. Ghassany akawa ananitia moyo kwa kunambia kuwa nisiwe na hofu na Prof. Mazrui kwani ni muungwana sana na mtu mwepesi kuingilika. Basi ikatokea mimi nimekaa pale hotelini kwenye, ‘lobby,’ napumzika. Ghafla natazama namuona Prof. Mazrui huyo anakuja. Basi kwa haraka mie nikasimama nikamwendea na kumtolea salamu. Alinijibu na kunipa mkono. Tukawa sote tumesimama tunaangaliana na sura yangu ilikuwa imejaa bashasha na yeye halikadhalika. Prof. Mazrui akaniuliza, ‘Tunajuana?’ Mimi nikamjibu kuwa hatufahamiani lakini tuna rafiki ambaye sote kwetu ni mwandani. Nilipomtaja Dr. Ghassany Prof. Mazrui akazidi kuchangamka na hapo ndipo nilipomfahamisha kuwa nina salamu zake kutoka kwa Dr. Harith Ghassany. Alinichukua pembeni tukazungumza.

Sasa ngoja nikurudishe nyuma hadi mwaka wa 1998 kilipotoka kitabu changu, ‘The Life and Times of Abdulwahid Sykes (1924 – 1968) The Untold Story of the Muslim Struggle Against British Colonialism in Tanganyika.’ Kitabu hiki nilimpelekea Mazrui kupita mmoja wa marafiki zangu wakubwa na yeye alikifikisha Marekani kitabu changu na kumpa kwa mkono wake Prof. Mazrui. Ndani ya kitabu hiki nilikuwa nimeandika maeno haya: ‘To Prof. Ali Mazrui from your distant student,’ nikaweka sahihi yangu. Prof. Mazrui baada ya kupokea kitabu changu aliniandikia barua pepe ya kunishukuru na kunipongeza. Basi nilipomweleza haya Prof. akazidi kupamba moto. Tulizungumza mengi pale na baada ya jamaa kutoka Tanzania kuona barza yangu na Prof. imestawi wakajongea na gumzo likanoga sana. Hapo alikuwapo Prof. Hamza Njozi, Dr. Tigiti Sengo, Faraj Tamim, Hashim Saiboko na jamaa wengine. Kama alivyonieleza Dr. Ghassany kwa kweli Prof. Mazrui kama kawaida ya watu wa pwani alikuwa mtu wa kuingilika sana juu ya umaarufu wake. Tulizungumzanae kama watu tuliojuana miaka mingi sana. Nilimshangaza sana Prof. Mazrui nilipomwambia kuwa mimi nimefika hadi kwenye asili ya akina Mazrui pale Takaungu, Mombasa na nimeona msikiti wao unaokaribia umri wa miaka 400 pamoja na kisima kilichochimbwa pembeni ya msikiti. Nilifika Takaungu mwaka 1995 nikitokea Mtondia kijiji karibu na Takaungu ambako nilikuwa nimekweda likizo na rafiki yangu sasa marehemu Said Baamumin. Huyu rafiki yangu Said Bamumin ndiye aliyenidokeza kuhusu ardhi hii ya akina Mazrui. Ukoo wake na wengine wengi walikuwa wanaishi katika ardhi ya akina Mazrui, ardhi ambayo ukoo wa Mazrui walipewa na Waingereza kwa ajili ya utumishi wao kwao kama askari. Historia inaonyesha kuwa ardhi hii walipewa Mazrui baada ya sheria maalum  (Mazrui Land Trust Act ya 1914) kupitishwa na Bunge la Kikoloni. Haya tuyaache kwa sasa.

Kutoka Kushoto Kwenda Kulia: Prof. Hamza Njozi, Anaemfuata sina jina lake
Prof. Tigiti Sengo, Mwndishi na Tamim Faraj, Kampala 2003

Kulia kwa Prof. Ali Mazrui Tamim Faraj na Kushoto Kwake ni Mwandishi

 Baada ya kupata taarifa ya kifo cha Prof. Mazrui hapo hapo nilimpigia simu Tamim Faraj wa Chuo Kikuu Cha Kiislam Morogoro (MUM) kumtaarifu na yeye alinisaidia kwa kunikumbusha kisa cha Prof. Mazrui na Prince Badru Kakungulu kama alivyotuhadithia mwenyewe Prof. Mazrui tulipokuwa pamoja Kampala. Mazrui anasema alipokuwa akisomesha Makerere katika miaka ya 1960 hadi 1970 Badru Kakungulu alikuwa akimwalika nyumbani kwake. Badru Kakungulu alikuwa ndiyo kiongozi mkuu wa Waislam wa Uganda na alikuwa mmoja wa viongozi wa iliyokuwa East African Muslim Welfare Society (EAMWS). Badru Kakungulu alikuwa mtu mzima sana na Ali Mazrui wakati ule alikuwa kijana mdogo.  Ilikuwa wakati wa sala ukifika Badru Kakungulu atamwita Ali Mazrui na kumwambia atoe adhana na ikama ili waswali. Badru Kakungulu alikuwa akwajulisha wageni wake kwa kijana Mazrui kwa maneno haya, ‘Huyu Ali ni motto wa Mufti Al Amein Mazrui mufti wa Kenya ngojeni atupigie adhana tuswali.’ Prof. Ali Mazrui akasema kuwa baada ya miaka mingi kupita yeye alikuja kutanabai kuwa Badru Kakungulu alikuwa akifanya yale kwa makusudi kumzindua yeye asije akasahau kuwa yeye ni Muislam. 

Aliyevaa Suti ni Kabaka Edwarrd Mutesa na Pembeni yake ni Badru Kakungulu
Picha Hii Ilipigwa Mwaka wa 1955

Tukiwa katika mkutano ule tulialikwa chakula cha jioni nyumbani kwa mmoja wa wajukuu wa Badru Kakungulu na Prof. Ali Mazrui alipoombwa kuzungumza alieleza uhusiano wake na viongozi wa Uganda na khasa ukoo wa Kabaka ambao ni mmoja na akina Kakungulu. Alisema kuwa kmtoto mdogo akikuwa pale Mombasa, Kabaka Mutesa alitembelea Mombasa na katika hadhira moja Kabaka alizungumza na watu wa Mombasa. Kabaka alitoa hotuba yake kwa Kiingereza na mkalimani wake alikuwa Ali Mazrui. Prof. Mazrui akaieleza hadhira ile kuwa Kabaka Mutesa alikuwa akizungumza Kiingereza kwa lafidhi ya Kizungu khasa kiasi ambacho ikiwa humuoni utadhani anaezungumza ni Muingereza mwenyewe. Sasa katika mazungumzo na kijana mdogo Ali Mazrui Kabaka alishangazwa sana na umahiri wa Ali Mazrui katika kusema Kiingereza. Huu ukawa ndiyo mwanzo wake wa kufahamiana na Kabaka Mutesa na Prince Badru Kakungulu alipokuja Uganda kusomesha Makerere.

Prof. Mazrui Kivutio Cha Wengi

Kitu kingine ambacho Tamim alinikumbusha ni kuwa katika mazungumzo yake katika mkutano ule wa Kampala Prof. Mazrui alitabiri mapema sana kuwa tatizo la ugaidi litawaelemea sana Waislam. Hii ilitokana na yeye mwenyewe kuzuiwa kuingia Marekani akitokea Jamaica kwa sababu tu akiwa Jamaica alikutana na mmoja wa viongozi wakuu wa Waislam wa kisiwa hicho.

Tamim Faraj Akiwa Amepumzika Nile Hilton, Kampala

Kwa hakika Prof. Ali Mazrui ni bahari kubwa sana na hatuwezi sisi tukammaliza hapa na tutosheke tu kwa kumkumbuka kwa uwezo wake mkubwa wa kuchambua mambo na kuandika. Mada alizoandika Prof. Mazrui na kuzitoa katika vyuo vikuu ulimwenguni hazihesabiki. Itutoshe tu kuwa aliandika vitabu zaidi ya 30.

Katika vitabu hivi vyake kimoja ‘The Trial of Christopher Akigbo,’ alimpa Tamim Faraj tukiwa Kampala na kina sahihi yake. Ningependa hapa kueleza namna Tamim alivyomchokoza Prof. Mazrui na Prof. bila ya kujijua akaingia katika mtego aliotegewa na Tamim na kwa kuonyesha furaha yake kwa msomi wa Kitanzania Prof. Mazrui alifungua mkoba wake akamtunuku kitabu hicho. Tukipiga soga kuhusu wasomi wa Afrika. Tamim akakitaja kitabu hicho. Sasa Prof. bila shaka alitaka kujua kama Tamim kakisoma kitabu chake au alikuwa akibabaisha tu . Prof. Mazrui akarusha ndoana yake. Tamim hakumchelewesha Prof. Mazrui. Akapita katika sura ambayo yeye Tamim ilimpendeza akasema, ‘’They come at Midnight…’ Ah Prof. alifurahi sana. Hapo ndipo ulipo utamu wa kitabu kwa kuwa mle ndani ya sura ile Prof. alikuwa kawaweka jamvini viongozi dhalim wa Afrika.

Hakuna awezae kumkamilisha Prof. Ali Mazrui.
Nashukuru kuwa nilikutana na Prof. Mazrui kwa muda mchache na nikapata bahati ya kumsikia uso kwa macho.

Allah amghufirie dhambi zake na amweke mahali pema peponi.

Amin.                                                                                                                

Mpenzi Msomaji Wangu,
Msikilize Sal Davis akihojiwa kuhusu Prof. Mazrui na Jeff Koinange wa K24:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=5pwo8jFLMxk