MAZUNGUMZO NA WAANDISHI WA HABARI BAADA YA MHADHARA WA HISTORIA YA UHURU WA TANGANYIKA MUSLIM UNIVERSITY MOROGORO

Mshume Kiyate na Nyerere Baada ya Maasi
ya Wanajeshi 1964

Waliosimama wa pili kulia ni Mzee Mshume Kiyate

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. ''

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

Kulia: Ilyas Abdulwahid Sykes, Daisy Abdulwahid Sykes, Mwandishi 

akiwa ameshikilia Medali ya Mwenge wa Uhuru ya Abdulwahid Sykes,

Misky Abdulwahid Sykes na Kleist Abdulwahid Sykes

Kulia Bi Titi Mohamed, Clement Mtamila, Sheikh Suleiman Takadir,

Nyuma kulia John Rupia, Rajab Diwani Mama Maria Nyerere

Kulia kabisa ni Sheikh Issa Nasir wa Bagamoyo mjumbe wa Baraza la Wazee wa TANU toka lililipoasisiwa 1954 hadi lilipovunjwa na Mwalimu Nyerere 1963. Sheikh Issa Nasir alikuwa bingwa katika ilm ya majini. Yeye alibobea katika ilm hii. Nyuma yake ni Oscar Kambona. Mbele yake ni Bi Nyang'ombe Mugaya mama yake Mwalimu Nyerere. Aliyembeba Baba wa Taifa kulia pale chini yake ni Rajab Diwani. Hapo alipo Sheikh Issa Nasir alikuwa na kazi maalum katika ulinzi wa Baba wa Taifa lakini jeshi lake hulioni kwa macho ya kawaida. Hawa watu walimpenda Nyerere kiasi ambacho mimi wakati mwingine siwezi kuandika yote ninayoyajua. Ukiangalia kwenye picha hii ya Baraza la Wazee wa TANU chini utamuona Sheikh Issa Nasir katika ya Nyerere John Rupia. Sheikh Issa Nasir alikuwa hakai mbali na Nyerere.

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ALI MOHAMMED SAID (OKTOBA 17, 1942 - JUNE 2, 1918)

1. 

   KirangaJF-Expert Member

   #5

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   nyabhingi said: ↑

   mzee mohamed,mujahidina wa jf ana ngozi ya kimatumbi
   huyu ana uarabu flani,nafikiri ni watu tofauti

   Kweli.
   Mohammed Said wa JF kaweka picha zake nyingi hapa. Tofauti kabisa na huyo marehemu.
   

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   “Hoc vero regnum est, et ferri nullo pacto protest - Cicero, Letters to Atticus, ii. 12.1
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   narumukJF-Expert Member

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   Kiranga said: ↑

   Kweli.
   
   Mohammed Said wa JF kaweka picha zake nyingi hapa. Tofauti kabisa na huyo marehemu.

   Kumbe! Nilikuwa nimesituka sana
   

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4. 

   Mohamed SaidVerified User ✅

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   Kiranga said: ↑

   Kweli.
   
   Mohammed Said wa JF kaweka picha zake nyingi hapa. Tofauti kabisa na huyo marehemu.

   Ndugu zangu,
   Ali Mohammed Said tukifahamiana vyema sana na tukiishi sote Masaki
   kabla ya yeye kurudi kwao Zanzibar.
   
   Nakumbuka katika miaka ya 1980 Ahmed Rajab alikuja Dar es Salaam
   akitokeaLondon na ilikuwa mwezi Mtukufu wa Ramadhani kama huu.
   
   Rafiki yangu na jirani yangu Ahmed Maulid Mwana Diplomasia na ''linguist,''
   Mzanzibari akanialika futari nyumbani kwake na hiyo ndiyo ikawa mara yangu
   ya kwanza kufahamiana na Ahmed Rajab nyumbani kwa Ahmed Maulid na
   udugu wetu umedumu hadi leo.
   
   Mimi na Ahmed Rajab kwa kifo cha Ali Mohammed Said sote tumepoteza
   rafiki na ndugu kipenzi.
   
   Tunamuomba Allah amsamehe ndugu yetu madhambi yake na amtie peponi.

   Amin.
   

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TAARABU NA UHURU WA TANGANYIKA NA ABDALLAH TAMBAZA

Shajara ya Mwana Mzizima:

TAARABU NA UHURU WA TANGANYIKA

Na Alhaji Abdallah Tambaza

Abdallah Tambaza

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.

Mpiga 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).

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!

atambaza@yahoo.com

Simu: 0715808864    

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RAMADHANI IN DAR ES SALAAM THROUGHOUT THE YEARS

Ramadhani in Dar es Salaam, Throughout the Years

By Mohamed Said

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.

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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

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