THIS world is full of strange happenings and it never ceases to amaze me. The media are awash with bizarre stories from different parts of the world. Though some of them are natural events, the bulk of people venture into these bizarre acts in order for them to beat the world record and have their names entered into The Guinness Book of Records.
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records (and in previous U.S editions as The Guinness Book of World Records), is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world.
On 4 May 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver, then the managing director of the Guinness Breweries, went on a shooting party in the North Slob, by the River Slaney in County Wexford, Ireland. He became involved in an argument over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, the koshin golden plover or the grouse. That evening at Castlebridge House he realised that it was impossible to confirm in reference books whether or not the golden plover was Europe's fastest game bird.
Beaver knew that there must be numerous other questions debated nightly in pubs in Britain and Ireland, but there was no book with which to settle arguments about records. He realised then that a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove popular.
Beaver’s idea became reality when Guinness employee Christopher Chataway recommended student twins Norris and Ross McWhirter, who had been running a fact-finding agency in London. The brothers were commissioned to compile what became The Guinness Book of Records in August 1954. One thousand copies were printed and given away.
After founding the Guinness Book of Records at 107 Fleet Street, the first 197-page edition was bound on 27 August 1955 and went to the top of the British bestseller lists by Christmas. "It was a marketing give away - it wasn't supposed to be a money maker," said Beaver. The following year it was launched in the US, and it sold 70,000 copies. This led to the present day Guinness Book of Records that has seen many people going out of their way to have their names and achievements included in the publication.
Many people have embarked in many strange adventures and one of them is a Chinese man, Gao Yang, 37, who claims he can sleep on a rope tied between two trees. He is hoping to get into the Guinness Books of Records.
Gao, of Anshan, northeastern China's Liaoning Province, says it took him nearly a quarter of a century to master the skill but he can now sleep on the rope for seven hours and he practices on a 10ft high rope in his local park every morning.
He said " I met a master when I was 12, and he taught me some tips. It took me nearly 24 years to acquire the skill. It's nearly impossible for ordinary people to do this. It needs the perfect coordination of body muscles and balancing skills. I am finally ready to contact Guinness in the coming days and am confident of being able to set a world record."
Such is life for some people but for a Kenyan man, he might have his name written in the Guinness Book of Records after doing what many people find extraordinary. What is interesting, however, is the fact that, he didn't do it with the aim of setting a world record, no, his aim was to save his marriage.
It is a norm throughout the world that different societies have different ways, norms and values when it comes to families. There are certain things a married man or woman is supposed to do or observe once they enter into a marriage.
Marriages and families have had unwritten rules or constitutions they follow, from time immemorial. Once a woman is married, she knows (through the help of aunties and other family members) the dos and don'ts of a marriage. How to treat her husband, what kind of food to prepare how to take care of children and the list is endless. And, this also applies to men.
There has never been a time in life when families are bound by a document none other than a marriage certificate. So this Kenyan man scored a first (by borrowing a leaf from his country where the president recently signed a new constitution) by writing a ten-paged family constitution.
According to him, he did it to save his marriage and family from collapsing as they always fought with his wife over certain issues. The first problem to rock their marriage was religion. The wife attended church on Saturday while the husband on Sunday and when the husband tried to convert his wife into a Sunday worshiper, all hell broke loose. The woman stated categorically that it was a non starter. This ruined their marriage and led to many other conflicts until the wife abandoned the family home and went back to her family.
It is during this period that the man sat down and started drafting a constitution, outlining everything, everyone within the family is supposed to do, conduct themselves and so on. He spent two months drafting the document and after he finished it, he went after his wife, who agreed to come back home.
He then introduced the document to the wife, who read it, put her inputs and views. On controversial statements, they discussed and reached a compromise. One of the amendments to the constitution was that the wife stated categorically that the man was not supposed to have any extramarital affair and worse still marry a second wife. The unmoved wife, upon being interviewed by journalists, said that she was trying to protect her interests by making sure that she doesn't share her husband with other women.
After ironing out their differences, they both signed the document and the man promised to take it to his lawyers for authentication. The couple claimed that after the signing of the document, they have been living happily and peacefully because each and everyone within the family knows his or her expectations.
Though this sounds strange, it has helped to save the couple's marriage. Can this be a solution to the institution of marriage that is under threat from extinction as divorces are unbelievably high. This cancer (divorce) has been ravaging many families in this country and children are always the ones to suffer the consequences. Can this, be a solution or it will exacerbate the problem? This, dear reader, I leave it to you to decide, but what is of concern is that, there is need for reduction when it comes to high number divorces to save marriages and save children from suffering due to a failed marriages. God bless you.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Of Dar bomb blasts and Mbagala lesson that never was
“Horrific,” may be the best word to describe the bomb blasts that rocked Gongo la Mboto, bringing Dar es Salaam to a stand still, last week. Confusion reigned supreme as each and everyone ran for dear life. I happened to be near the area where this occurred and what I saw there was not only disheartening, to say the least, but also heart-rending.
What I saw there quickly reminded me of some scenes in the film Hotel Rwanda that chronicled the 1994 Rwandan genocide where an estimated 850 000 people were massacred along tribal lines. Never had I imagined that I was going to witness such a scenario in a war free country. The situation depicted a battle ground where the general public will be running away from war zones.
The only difference was that no one was launching and throwing bombs on them but the free drama was there thanks to “accidental discharge” at one of the armories at TPDF camp in Gongo la Mboto. The other difference was that even the soldiers themselves were taken aback with the happenings as they were probably caught unawares and dashed for dear life.
Explosion after explosion was the order of the day, women could be heard screaming, children crying uncontrollably as the unusual had happened. Some people fainted in face of death and were at the mercy of others who pulled them to safety. Don't ask me how I survived dear reader because I also don't know the reason I am alive today. What I know is that it was only God who saved me from the jaws of death. To those who lost their lives, may their souls Rest In Peace.
It was a sorry state of affairs as some people could be seen running away bare-footed as they had missed the opportunity to look for either shoes or sandals to put on. Some women could be seen carrying small babies, without anything to cover them as they had also left their houses in a hurry. Some left doors to their houses open and within the confusion, thieves took advantage of the situation. In fact, they had a field day as they ransacked people's deserted houses looting what ever they could.
I never thought people might for a short period become refugees in their own peaceful country, but what I saw left me convinced that it was possible. To make matters worse, people had to desert their houses for many days despite assurances by the police that the area was now safe. They had suffered emotionally and as we speak, they continue living in fear and they know that a repeat of what happened will be disastrous for them.
And, I wondered as to why hardly two years after a similar event rocked this city when Mbagala residents went through the same experience, innocent lives are lost in something that could be prevented.
When the Mbagala bombs blasted the area, leaving a trail of destruction, people quickly rushed to point fingers at the government who in turn accepted responsibility and compensated the victims. But, what boggles one's mind is that once something bad occurs, people usually tend to draw lessons from it and try by all means to prevent it from happening again.
I know that these are mere accidents as there is no one in his right sense of mind could go and trigger the bombs. But, if we were in Iraq maybe it was going to be possible as we have a lot of suicide bombers claiming dozens of lives on a daily basis. Though every mwananchi understands that these are accidents, they are difficult to stomach as they not only leave a trail of destruction but claim innocent lives.
When the Mbagala blasts disturbed our peace in this city, I wondered why these army bases were located near residential areas. But upon visiting history, I discovered that most of these camps were located far away from residential areas, but, the expansion of the city, with the ever increasing demand for residential space, residential areas ended up “swallowing” these army camps.
Besides having residential areas expanding, the uses of these camps never changed as they continued to store these lethal weapons. And, I think this gave ammunition to the army to stand by their decision that they will not relocate these military camps.
When the horrific Mbagala bomb blasts caused untold suffering among innocent civilians, the powers that be promised us that they will make sure that the blasts were NEVER going to occur again. But, hardly the dust from the Mbagala blasts had settled as some people are still trying to reconstruct their houses while others are still being reminded by different deformities and scars on different limps of their bodies, a similar disaster strikes.
This has seen some people baying for their (the leaders) blood, calling upon them to tender their resignation letters or else they should be fired. We thought the Mbagala disaster was a lesson enough and measures had been taken to prevent history repeating itself. But, it seems that Mbagala was a lesson that never was as no one seems to have learnt something from it. The Gongo la Mboto disaster should note have occurred if the powers that be had taken heed of wananchi's contributions.
I even remember giving suggestions on this fora where a lot of suggestions were highlighted. Yes, everyone knows that relocating all camps that are near residential areas is costly so it won't be a problem if they remain where they are, but all explosives should be removed from such camps. Armories of such camps should be stocked with light weaponry and ammunition not ballistic missiles or artillery shells or any bombs of any sort.
We are sick and tired of innocent people losing their lives unnecessarily and as long as the powers that be continue turning a deaf ear on wananchi's concerns, such disasters will be here to stay and all those people living near army camps will undoubtedly have every reason to live in fear. This is so because Dar is generally hot and this, in most cases, ends up triggering some bombs into explosion. And, as long as these missiles and bombs continue being stored in camps surrounded by residential areas, then we should brace ourselves for more disasters.
If the people concerned failed to learn something from the Mbagala incident, I believe they have a lot to learn from the Gongo la Mboto disaster. Jamani take action before more disastrous blasts paralyse us. What will we lose from relocating those bombs to a camp situated far from residential areas?
To those who lost their lives, may their souls Rest In Peace and to those who are injured and are recovering from the incident we wish you a quick recovery. May God bless Tanzania and take care of us.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz/ 0657651300
What I saw there quickly reminded me of some scenes in the film Hotel Rwanda that chronicled the 1994 Rwandan genocide where an estimated 850 000 people were massacred along tribal lines. Never had I imagined that I was going to witness such a scenario in a war free country. The situation depicted a battle ground where the general public will be running away from war zones.
The only difference was that no one was launching and throwing bombs on them but the free drama was there thanks to “accidental discharge” at one of the armories at TPDF camp in Gongo la Mboto. The other difference was that even the soldiers themselves were taken aback with the happenings as they were probably caught unawares and dashed for dear life.
Explosion after explosion was the order of the day, women could be heard screaming, children crying uncontrollably as the unusual had happened. Some people fainted in face of death and were at the mercy of others who pulled them to safety. Don't ask me how I survived dear reader because I also don't know the reason I am alive today. What I know is that it was only God who saved me from the jaws of death. To those who lost their lives, may their souls Rest In Peace.
It was a sorry state of affairs as some people could be seen running away bare-footed as they had missed the opportunity to look for either shoes or sandals to put on. Some women could be seen carrying small babies, without anything to cover them as they had also left their houses in a hurry. Some left doors to their houses open and within the confusion, thieves took advantage of the situation. In fact, they had a field day as they ransacked people's deserted houses looting what ever they could.
I never thought people might for a short period become refugees in their own peaceful country, but what I saw left me convinced that it was possible. To make matters worse, people had to desert their houses for many days despite assurances by the police that the area was now safe. They had suffered emotionally and as we speak, they continue living in fear and they know that a repeat of what happened will be disastrous for them.
And, I wondered as to why hardly two years after a similar event rocked this city when Mbagala residents went through the same experience, innocent lives are lost in something that could be prevented.
When the Mbagala bombs blasted the area, leaving a trail of destruction, people quickly rushed to point fingers at the government who in turn accepted responsibility and compensated the victims. But, what boggles one's mind is that once something bad occurs, people usually tend to draw lessons from it and try by all means to prevent it from happening again.
I know that these are mere accidents as there is no one in his right sense of mind could go and trigger the bombs. But, if we were in Iraq maybe it was going to be possible as we have a lot of suicide bombers claiming dozens of lives on a daily basis. Though every mwananchi understands that these are accidents, they are difficult to stomach as they not only leave a trail of destruction but claim innocent lives.
When the Mbagala blasts disturbed our peace in this city, I wondered why these army bases were located near residential areas. But upon visiting history, I discovered that most of these camps were located far away from residential areas, but, the expansion of the city, with the ever increasing demand for residential space, residential areas ended up “swallowing” these army camps.
Besides having residential areas expanding, the uses of these camps never changed as they continued to store these lethal weapons. And, I think this gave ammunition to the army to stand by their decision that they will not relocate these military camps.
When the horrific Mbagala bomb blasts caused untold suffering among innocent civilians, the powers that be promised us that they will make sure that the blasts were NEVER going to occur again. But, hardly the dust from the Mbagala blasts had settled as some people are still trying to reconstruct their houses while others are still being reminded by different deformities and scars on different limps of their bodies, a similar disaster strikes.
This has seen some people baying for their (the leaders) blood, calling upon them to tender their resignation letters or else they should be fired. We thought the Mbagala disaster was a lesson enough and measures had been taken to prevent history repeating itself. But, it seems that Mbagala was a lesson that never was as no one seems to have learnt something from it. The Gongo la Mboto disaster should note have occurred if the powers that be had taken heed of wananchi's contributions.
I even remember giving suggestions on this fora where a lot of suggestions were highlighted. Yes, everyone knows that relocating all camps that are near residential areas is costly so it won't be a problem if they remain where they are, but all explosives should be removed from such camps. Armories of such camps should be stocked with light weaponry and ammunition not ballistic missiles or artillery shells or any bombs of any sort.
We are sick and tired of innocent people losing their lives unnecessarily and as long as the powers that be continue turning a deaf ear on wananchi's concerns, such disasters will be here to stay and all those people living near army camps will undoubtedly have every reason to live in fear. This is so because Dar is generally hot and this, in most cases, ends up triggering some bombs into explosion. And, as long as these missiles and bombs continue being stored in camps surrounded by residential areas, then we should brace ourselves for more disasters.
If the people concerned failed to learn something from the Mbagala incident, I believe they have a lot to learn from the Gongo la Mboto disaster. Jamani take action before more disastrous blasts paralyse us. What will we lose from relocating those bombs to a camp situated far from residential areas?
To those who lost their lives, may their souls Rest In Peace and to those who are injured and are recovering from the incident we wish you a quick recovery. May God bless Tanzania and take care of us.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz/ 0657651300
Gongo la Mboto blasts, Mwananyamala madness: Lest we forget
The revelation that there won't be any pecuniary compensation for the Gongo la Mboto bomb blast victims as houses are to be rebuilt by the National Service (JKT) is interesting to say the least. Though I can't be quick to judge the outcome of this exercise, I am left wondering at the quality the houses JKT will construct.
Will the houses be constructed according to owners' specifications or they are going to have one size fit all model? Are some of the questions that still remain unanswered. I hope and trust that this will be cleared in due course but I believe it was going to be better if people were given money and construct houses they want.
What I just wish for is that the government deals with the problem once and for all so that we forget (just as we did with other such cases) that this thing once happened. I have realised that in this country, we have a problem of forgetting too quickly. We have what we call short memory. I hadn't realised that we, as a nation, suffer from that problem until I came across a daladala plying the Mwembeyanga- Yombo-Kilakala route inscribed on its back window, “Tatizo mnajisahau.”
And, for those with eyes, our transport sector is rich when it comes to depicting our cultural values norms and beliefs. Different messages are written strategically on these vehicles so that other road users and the general public can see them. Though some of these messages act as a form of identity or trade mark, they carry important messages that usually provoke readers into thinking about a certain subject matter.
The only problem is that many people are allergic to reading; they simply don't want to read. These messages can bring change in people's lives. I remember coming across another interesting message, not o na daladala but on a guta, that read, “ Mimba utatoa, Ukimwi je?” The message was reminding people that they may have unprotected sex knowing that if they get pregnant they will abort but it posed a question as to what they will do when it comes to AIDS. Interesting isn't it? Let's all try to open our eyes, we deliberately closed, so that we can benefit from such messages. Just give yourself a day to check on these messages as you commute to and from your work place or home.
So, after coming across the message (the first one), I discovered that it rightly applies to us in this country who in most cases, because of our forgetfulness, we let history repeat itself. The major culprit when it comes to this forgetting game is the media. When an event occurs, they make a lot of noise but readers are shortchanged when no follow ups are made to that story. Most stories are not followed to their conclusions.
We have so many cases that have been left hanging because of one reason or the other. We have so many stories that took us by storm only to die natural deaths. The likes of the trawlers' case, the DECI saga and the EPA just but to mention these. The stories are now thinly covered or not covered at all. I know journalists will be quick to defend themselves in the name of news values but these are important stories people would like to know their progress or conclusions.
I believe that the failure to remind the army and the government about the Mbagala issue might have caused some people to sit on their laurels thinking that the problem had gone for good. I feel that we tend to relax and forget too soon about some problems that will be in need of solutions.
The problem of electricity we are facing today is a spillover not only from last year, but other (many) previous years. The issue is that whenever Tanesco comes up with temporary measures and power rationing becomes a thing of the past, we think that the problem is solved and no one bothers raising the need to invest in more permanent solutions, simply because we forget too soon.
When 10 infants were discovered in a shallow grave in Mwananyamala last month, everybody went crazy, demanding to know why such an abomination had happened in our land. The media were awash with pictures and stories of the incident.
Various sectors of the society condemned the incident branding the hospital as unethical and all sort of names. But, all wananchi's concerns fell on deaf ears as nothing tangible came out of it. Now, life is back to normal and everyone seems to have forgotten all about it.
The media did a good job by covering the incident; even columnists had a field day, blasting the powers that be left, right and centre. But, they were also found wanting, just as expected, they failed to follow the story to its logical conclusion. Up to now, the public don't know the outcome of the investigations. The last time I ever saw a story covering that event was when the bogus committee formed to investigate the issue, issued their findings and recommendations.
Just like I mentioned when the case broke out, I really don't know what the intention was of having such a composition in that committee. I wondered then and I still don't know whether the inclusion of doctors, especially those from Mwananyamala hospital was a good move or retrogressive. I debated over and over again over whether they were setting a thief to catch a thief or it was a case of asking a robber to fit new locks on the doors of a bank.
It is pretty obvious that we have forgotten about the Mwananyamala madness and we are waiting for a similar incident to occur again so that we can complain again. That is the problem we are facing and as long as we continue to have such an attitude, then history will always repeat itself.
Not even one journalist bothered to make a follow up on the progress of investigations. It won't be surprised if the culprits have not been brought to book up to now. No one has bothered to tell us what steps the hospital took to address the problem. Tuna kwenda wapi with such an attitude?
As long as we continue adopting an I don't care attitude, deliberately having short memories and failing to get to the bottom of the problems affecting us, then problems such as the Mwananyamala madness, the Mbagala bomb blasts, Gongo la Mboto blasts and DECI thievery will continue haunting us. History will always repeat itself and in most cases, wananchi are the most affected. God bless us.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz/ 0657651300
Will the houses be constructed according to owners' specifications or they are going to have one size fit all model? Are some of the questions that still remain unanswered. I hope and trust that this will be cleared in due course but I believe it was going to be better if people were given money and construct houses they want.
What I just wish for is that the government deals with the problem once and for all so that we forget (just as we did with other such cases) that this thing once happened. I have realised that in this country, we have a problem of forgetting too quickly. We have what we call short memory. I hadn't realised that we, as a nation, suffer from that problem until I came across a daladala plying the Mwembeyanga- Yombo-Kilakala route inscribed on its back window, “Tatizo mnajisahau.”
And, for those with eyes, our transport sector is rich when it comes to depicting our cultural values norms and beliefs. Different messages are written strategically on these vehicles so that other road users and the general public can see them. Though some of these messages act as a form of identity or trade mark, they carry important messages that usually provoke readers into thinking about a certain subject matter.
The only problem is that many people are allergic to reading; they simply don't want to read. These messages can bring change in people's lives. I remember coming across another interesting message, not o na daladala but on a guta, that read, “ Mimba utatoa, Ukimwi je?” The message was reminding people that they may have unprotected sex knowing that if they get pregnant they will abort but it posed a question as to what they will do when it comes to AIDS. Interesting isn't it? Let's all try to open our eyes, we deliberately closed, so that we can benefit from such messages. Just give yourself a day to check on these messages as you commute to and from your work place or home.
So, after coming across the message (the first one), I discovered that it rightly applies to us in this country who in most cases, because of our forgetfulness, we let history repeat itself. The major culprit when it comes to this forgetting game is the media. When an event occurs, they make a lot of noise but readers are shortchanged when no follow ups are made to that story. Most stories are not followed to their conclusions.
We have so many cases that have been left hanging because of one reason or the other. We have so many stories that took us by storm only to die natural deaths. The likes of the trawlers' case, the DECI saga and the EPA just but to mention these. The stories are now thinly covered or not covered at all. I know journalists will be quick to defend themselves in the name of news values but these are important stories people would like to know their progress or conclusions.
I believe that the failure to remind the army and the government about the Mbagala issue might have caused some people to sit on their laurels thinking that the problem had gone for good. I feel that we tend to relax and forget too soon about some problems that will be in need of solutions.
The problem of electricity we are facing today is a spillover not only from last year, but other (many) previous years. The issue is that whenever Tanesco comes up with temporary measures and power rationing becomes a thing of the past, we think that the problem is solved and no one bothers raising the need to invest in more permanent solutions, simply because we forget too soon.
When 10 infants were discovered in a shallow grave in Mwananyamala last month, everybody went crazy, demanding to know why such an abomination had happened in our land. The media were awash with pictures and stories of the incident.
Various sectors of the society condemned the incident branding the hospital as unethical and all sort of names. But, all wananchi's concerns fell on deaf ears as nothing tangible came out of it. Now, life is back to normal and everyone seems to have forgotten all about it.
The media did a good job by covering the incident; even columnists had a field day, blasting the powers that be left, right and centre. But, they were also found wanting, just as expected, they failed to follow the story to its logical conclusion. Up to now, the public don't know the outcome of the investigations. The last time I ever saw a story covering that event was when the bogus committee formed to investigate the issue, issued their findings and recommendations.
Just like I mentioned when the case broke out, I really don't know what the intention was of having such a composition in that committee. I wondered then and I still don't know whether the inclusion of doctors, especially those from Mwananyamala hospital was a good move or retrogressive. I debated over and over again over whether they were setting a thief to catch a thief or it was a case of asking a robber to fit new locks on the doors of a bank.
It is pretty obvious that we have forgotten about the Mwananyamala madness and we are waiting for a similar incident to occur again so that we can complain again. That is the problem we are facing and as long as we continue to have such an attitude, then history will always repeat itself.
Not even one journalist bothered to make a follow up on the progress of investigations. It won't be surprised if the culprits have not been brought to book up to now. No one has bothered to tell us what steps the hospital took to address the problem. Tuna kwenda wapi with such an attitude?
As long as we continue adopting an I don't care attitude, deliberately having short memories and failing to get to the bottom of the problems affecting us, then problems such as the Mwananyamala madness, the Mbagala bomb blasts, Gongo la Mboto blasts and DECI thievery will continue haunting us. History will always repeat itself and in most cases, wananchi are the most affected. God bless us.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz/ 0657651300
Loliondo saga: Desperate situations call for desperate measures
DESPERATE situations call for desperate measures is a pregnant statement that can rightly apply when it comes to the Loliondo drama. I call it drama because the way it is unfolding is far from real, it’s stranger than fiction story that is fit to be put in the Guinea's Book of Records.
With the medical profession and scientists having been rendered useless when it comes to finding lasting solutions (cure) for various diseases, most of them terminal, humanity has become so desperate to an extent that anything that they think can cure them is easily accepted without reasoning. Desperation is problematic in the sense that people tend to suspend their reasoning capacities as the drive to find a solution becomes too hard to resist, leading them to do silly things.
What boggles the mind is that even top government officials are sometimes duped into believing that a solution can be found where mere use of common sense will reveal otherwise. I remember that at the height of the economic meltdown in Zimbabwe, the country faced acute fuel shortages that almost crippled the whole economy.
And, from nowhere, a traditional healer duped everyone into believing that there was a sacred place where diesel could be taped from a rock. She drew the attention of the media whom she fooled into reporting her lies. Even respected ministers had to visit that area to see for themselves. They left the area convinced that there was a fountain oozing diesel, and to them it was a solution to the problem the country was facing.
It was only after a team of experts visited the area that the truth came out and the whole nation discovered that they had been duped. But, the government had already been swindled of a lot of money then. They were left without an option but to arrest, charge and jail the traditional healer. And, this all happened because of desperation.
On the same footing, Loliondo's magical formula seems to put us at a tight corner. We know that there is no cure for AIDS and the scientists have toiled all along for a cure in vain and yet at the same time we would like to believe that a Mugariga tree could be the missing link in the medical field. Yes, there is no reason not to believe it as a lot of people who claim to have been healed after visiting Liolondo have been forthcoming when it comes to giving testimonies of their miraculous healing.
Loliondo is undoubtedly the place to be for most Tanzanians right now as rays of hope seem to be filtering through. The availability of a possible cure for the dreaded diseases, most of them terminal such as cancer and HIV/AIDS has seen many people flocking the area which, in the past, has hit newspaper headlines for various reasons.
Loliondo never ceases to amaze me, early last year, President Jakaya Kikwete had to postpone handing over of two ambulances as there was a mix up when an official from Loliondo came to receive one of the ambulances meant for Longido.
“You are….. (as he was being introduced by the State House Comptroller), ahh, you are from Loliondo, this car is not yours, I won’t hand it over to you. It’s not yours. It’s for the people of Longido and not Loliondo,” the president said then. This was an embarrassing blunder that saw the media having a field day.
I also remember the barbaric eviction of the Maasai people from Loliondo. Eight Maasai Villages were unlawfully evicted and burnt out of their homes in Loliondo, Ngorongoro, in July 2009. The burnings and harassment continued into late August 2009. The evictions were carried out by the Police Paramilitary Unit (FFU) and employees of Ortello Business Company (OBC) during a harsh drought. As a result, some 3,000 people were left without any shelter, food or water.
The list of events is endless and one wondered whether something good could come out of such an area. The discovery of a magic cure by a former cleric, Mr Ambilikile Masapila, has put the area in the limelight once again. Thousands of people thronged that area in a short period of time in search of healing. One, however, is left wondering how the word spread so fast to the extent of triggering people to converge in their masses.
The situation was unbearable as it was fast going out of hand. A crisis was looming and the place was increasingly becoming a health time bomb. Ten people are said to have lost their lives while waiting for their turn to be healed. The government is to blame as it took too long to respond. In fact, some senior government officials, instead of bringing sanity to the situation, rushed to the area to get a share of this magic cure.
Some of them had to use their big muscles to jump the queue so that they could be served ahead of ordinary people. This invited a rejoinder from the medicine man who told them that they won't be healed if they are to use their powers and get preferential treatment.
I believe the government took too long to react and if they had done it earlier, sanity could have been prevailing in Loliondo. They would not have gone to the extent of ordering the man of the cloth cum medicine man to suspend offering his services. They were citing sanitation problems and lack of certification of the medicine administered. News has it that some of the medicine was taken for laboratory tests.
Though it might seem difficult for an ordinary mind to believe that a one size fit all cure have been found for most terminal diseases, I think it was high time the government gave the medicine man a chance. Miracles, as they were performed during Jesus' time, are mysterious and no human mind can comprehend them. In as much as mud could be used to open the eyes of a blind man, so can Mugariga be used to cure AIDS. I would like to bet my last cent that those laboratory tests will find the medicine useless, without any medicinal component but in the spiritual world, it the use of such “useless” things that usually provides the much needed answer.
The best way of testing the effectiveness of the medicine is to take volunteers who are suffering from various diseases and have them treated by the man of the cloth and then tested after wards. If they are cured of their diseases then there is no reason not to believe the guy. But, in the meantime, the people remain desperate to such an extent that, the suspension of services by the government is unjustified. They should relocate this “doctor” to a better place where there is sanitation and then limit the number of people visiting him.
As the government continues to deal with this sensitive issue, they should take into consideration the interests of wananchi first. You might never know, Tanzania might be the solution to the world's problems. But, only time will tell. God bless and guide us.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz
With the medical profession and scientists having been rendered useless when it comes to finding lasting solutions (cure) for various diseases, most of them terminal, humanity has become so desperate to an extent that anything that they think can cure them is easily accepted without reasoning. Desperation is problematic in the sense that people tend to suspend their reasoning capacities as the drive to find a solution becomes too hard to resist, leading them to do silly things.
What boggles the mind is that even top government officials are sometimes duped into believing that a solution can be found where mere use of common sense will reveal otherwise. I remember that at the height of the economic meltdown in Zimbabwe, the country faced acute fuel shortages that almost crippled the whole economy.
And, from nowhere, a traditional healer duped everyone into believing that there was a sacred place where diesel could be taped from a rock. She drew the attention of the media whom she fooled into reporting her lies. Even respected ministers had to visit that area to see for themselves. They left the area convinced that there was a fountain oozing diesel, and to them it was a solution to the problem the country was facing.
It was only after a team of experts visited the area that the truth came out and the whole nation discovered that they had been duped. But, the government had already been swindled of a lot of money then. They were left without an option but to arrest, charge and jail the traditional healer. And, this all happened because of desperation.
On the same footing, Loliondo's magical formula seems to put us at a tight corner. We know that there is no cure for AIDS and the scientists have toiled all along for a cure in vain and yet at the same time we would like to believe that a Mugariga tree could be the missing link in the medical field. Yes, there is no reason not to believe it as a lot of people who claim to have been healed after visiting Liolondo have been forthcoming when it comes to giving testimonies of their miraculous healing.
Loliondo is undoubtedly the place to be for most Tanzanians right now as rays of hope seem to be filtering through. The availability of a possible cure for the dreaded diseases, most of them terminal such as cancer and HIV/AIDS has seen many people flocking the area which, in the past, has hit newspaper headlines for various reasons.
Loliondo never ceases to amaze me, early last year, President Jakaya Kikwete had to postpone handing over of two ambulances as there was a mix up when an official from Loliondo came to receive one of the ambulances meant for Longido.
“You are….. (as he was being introduced by the State House Comptroller), ahh, you are from Loliondo, this car is not yours, I won’t hand it over to you. It’s not yours. It’s for the people of Longido and not Loliondo,” the president said then. This was an embarrassing blunder that saw the media having a field day.
I also remember the barbaric eviction of the Maasai people from Loliondo. Eight Maasai Villages were unlawfully evicted and burnt out of their homes in Loliondo, Ngorongoro, in July 2009. The burnings and harassment continued into late August 2009. The evictions were carried out by the Police Paramilitary Unit (FFU) and employees of Ortello Business Company (OBC) during a harsh drought. As a result, some 3,000 people were left without any shelter, food or water.
The list of events is endless and one wondered whether something good could come out of such an area. The discovery of a magic cure by a former cleric, Mr Ambilikile Masapila, has put the area in the limelight once again. Thousands of people thronged that area in a short period of time in search of healing. One, however, is left wondering how the word spread so fast to the extent of triggering people to converge in their masses.
The situation was unbearable as it was fast going out of hand. A crisis was looming and the place was increasingly becoming a health time bomb. Ten people are said to have lost their lives while waiting for their turn to be healed. The government is to blame as it took too long to respond. In fact, some senior government officials, instead of bringing sanity to the situation, rushed to the area to get a share of this magic cure.
Some of them had to use their big muscles to jump the queue so that they could be served ahead of ordinary people. This invited a rejoinder from the medicine man who told them that they won't be healed if they are to use their powers and get preferential treatment.
I believe the government took too long to react and if they had done it earlier, sanity could have been prevailing in Loliondo. They would not have gone to the extent of ordering the man of the cloth cum medicine man to suspend offering his services. They were citing sanitation problems and lack of certification of the medicine administered. News has it that some of the medicine was taken for laboratory tests.
Though it might seem difficult for an ordinary mind to believe that a one size fit all cure have been found for most terminal diseases, I think it was high time the government gave the medicine man a chance. Miracles, as they were performed during Jesus' time, are mysterious and no human mind can comprehend them. In as much as mud could be used to open the eyes of a blind man, so can Mugariga be used to cure AIDS. I would like to bet my last cent that those laboratory tests will find the medicine useless, without any medicinal component but in the spiritual world, it the use of such “useless” things that usually provides the much needed answer.
The best way of testing the effectiveness of the medicine is to take volunteers who are suffering from various diseases and have them treated by the man of the cloth and then tested after wards. If they are cured of their diseases then there is no reason not to believe the guy. But, in the meantime, the people remain desperate to such an extent that, the suspension of services by the government is unjustified. They should relocate this “doctor” to a better place where there is sanitation and then limit the number of people visiting him.
As the government continues to deal with this sensitive issue, they should take into consideration the interests of wananchi first. You might never know, Tanzania might be the solution to the world's problems. But, only time will tell. God bless and guide us.
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz
Of a dog going after its vomit, a sick nation in need of 'Loliondo cure'
The once little known former man of the cloth, Ambilikile Masapila, or Babu wa Loliondo as he is now affectionately known, continues to get free advertisement as the media continue being awash with stories of the goings on in that small and remote village. With a desperate nation seemingly having found a desperate solution to their problems, then everyone will be forgiven for being AWOL at work in the name of seeking treatment in Loliondo.
As I put pen to paper, thousands of people continue to flock to the little village which prior to this incident was unknown. But, what I know for sure is that not every patient has found his or her way there. Because of one reason or the other, thousands of people have failed or are just not interested to consult our Babu.
There is nothing Babu can do because we say ‘anayeugua ndiye anatafuta mganga.’ My heart bleeds for those who wanted to go and receive their miracle healing but don't have the means to do so. On the same footing, I just wished if our dear babu could heal our country from various ailments.
If he can have the powers to heal terminal diseases such as HIV/AIDS, whose cure has remained a nightmare for scientists and the medical profession for the past three decades, then I believe he could be in a position to heal the whole nation.
Whether the magical cure works or not is another issue, but I believe we are a sick nation in need of treatment. It is common knowledge that power rationing is now part and parcel of our everyday life. The economy is bleeding, with inflation taking its toll. Food prices are skyrocketing and very soon they will be beyond the reach of many.
Fuel prices in some places have hit the 2000/- per litre mark and with the look of the things, no hope is left for the ordinary citizen. The daladala fares were recently hiked and with fuel prices continuing to skyrocket, it won't be surprising to have another fare hike pretty soon.
The Dowans issue continues haunting us, and with the almost 100bn/- carrot dangling, the company's official will do anything to claim it or make sure that they put on sheep's clothings and try to court the government into either buying or entering into another contract. What can stop them from doing so, with the government's stance registered a seemingly intent to buy the generators.
The recent move by the government aimed at moving a bill proposing changes in the procurement law in the National Assembly is undoubtedly another way of trying to smuggle the Dowans saga and by the end of the day, end up buying the old generators. This is so in that the proposed bill, if passed, will enable the government to purchase used items where the move would be in the interest of the national economy.
The purchase of the Dowans generators qualifies in this category as it will be in the interest of the national economy that is bleeding from power shortages. No one will fault the government for acquiring the plant in these difficult times and I would bet my last shilling that wananchi will praise the government for saving them from the electricity nightmare.
The government should borrow a leaf from our fore fathers who coined the saying that ‘mbwa hali matapishi yake.’ As we speak, the Dowans' deal is like matapishi to the government as the parliament clearly declared the contract as null and void. There was a general outcry as there were allegations that the deal was mysterious and that there were people who wanted to benefit from the deal hence it was cancelled.
So, the act of buying the Dowans generators is tantamount to that of a dog that defies nature and goes after its vomit. No matter how desperate we might be, there is need for the government to come up with solid measures and a permanent solution to the power problem than trying to solve a problem by creating another problem. The pace by the powers that be to solve the Dowans issue is also suspect and it seems the sudden silence might be a deliberate move to drag the issue until a certain time when it will be conducive for the other part to buy the generators. With all this, who can doubt that the nation is sick and is in need of the Loliondo type of cure.
As if all the other problems were not enough, the recent purchase by the government of motorcycle ambulances is not only a cause for concern but also shows how desperate we have become as a nation. The motorcycle ambulances are meant to be used in rural areas where in most cases roads are nonexistent or where the gravel roads are muddy and impassable during rain seasons. After all, the ambulances are not all weather user friendly as it will be difficult to carry patients when it's raining or when it's too hot.
The motorcycles will instead become a danger to our pregnant women and mothers as it will be difficult to use them in places where 4x4 vehicles have failed. Ferrying patients in need of medical attention while they are being transported will be a nonstarter as the motorcycles don't have enough room for that. The fact that these bajaji's have been used successfully in other countries such as Malawi does not guarantee their success in this country.
When people fail to decently bury their own dead, then it's a sign of an ailing nation. The Mwananyamala saga that saw ten infants' bodies being discovered in one shallow pit, passed for a grave tells us a lot. Who can query that we have been bewitched by the dead. Crimes are on the increase, incidences of parents ill-treating or even killing their own children are also on the rise.
People's health not only in this country but the world over is at stake as terminal diseases continue wreaking havoc. It is common knowledge that there are some incurable diseases such as HIV/AIDS and cancer and humanity is tired of losing their relatives to these dreaded diseases.
Dressing trends are changing for the worst and with the rate at which some of the dresses, in the name of fashion, are becoming shorter by day then it won't be surprising if we have people walking stark naked on our streets. Deviance among children is increasing with many of them dropping out of school due to drug abuse or teen pregnancies. The situation is really desperate come in handy. And, with all these problems bedevilling us, it is not surprising that people flock in their numbers to seek relief from their suffering.
So, in case there are some people who are still wondering why normal minded people throng Loliondo for the magical cure when they know that there is no medicine for curing Aids, then it is important they understand that we are a sick nation in need of healing. Desperation has hit us hard and nothing serve for a miracle can heal us. God bless us
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz/0657651300
As I put pen to paper, thousands of people continue to flock to the little village which prior to this incident was unknown. But, what I know for sure is that not every patient has found his or her way there. Because of one reason or the other, thousands of people have failed or are just not interested to consult our Babu.
There is nothing Babu can do because we say ‘anayeugua ndiye anatafuta mganga.’ My heart bleeds for those who wanted to go and receive their miracle healing but don't have the means to do so. On the same footing, I just wished if our dear babu could heal our country from various ailments.
If he can have the powers to heal terminal diseases such as HIV/AIDS, whose cure has remained a nightmare for scientists and the medical profession for the past three decades, then I believe he could be in a position to heal the whole nation.
Whether the magical cure works or not is another issue, but I believe we are a sick nation in need of treatment. It is common knowledge that power rationing is now part and parcel of our everyday life. The economy is bleeding, with inflation taking its toll. Food prices are skyrocketing and very soon they will be beyond the reach of many.
Fuel prices in some places have hit the 2000/- per litre mark and with the look of the things, no hope is left for the ordinary citizen. The daladala fares were recently hiked and with fuel prices continuing to skyrocket, it won't be surprising to have another fare hike pretty soon.
The Dowans issue continues haunting us, and with the almost 100bn/- carrot dangling, the company's official will do anything to claim it or make sure that they put on sheep's clothings and try to court the government into either buying or entering into another contract. What can stop them from doing so, with the government's stance registered a seemingly intent to buy the generators.
The recent move by the government aimed at moving a bill proposing changes in the procurement law in the National Assembly is undoubtedly another way of trying to smuggle the Dowans saga and by the end of the day, end up buying the old generators. This is so in that the proposed bill, if passed, will enable the government to purchase used items where the move would be in the interest of the national economy.
The purchase of the Dowans generators qualifies in this category as it will be in the interest of the national economy that is bleeding from power shortages. No one will fault the government for acquiring the plant in these difficult times and I would bet my last shilling that wananchi will praise the government for saving them from the electricity nightmare.
The government should borrow a leaf from our fore fathers who coined the saying that ‘mbwa hali matapishi yake.’ As we speak, the Dowans' deal is like matapishi to the government as the parliament clearly declared the contract as null and void. There was a general outcry as there were allegations that the deal was mysterious and that there were people who wanted to benefit from the deal hence it was cancelled.
So, the act of buying the Dowans generators is tantamount to that of a dog that defies nature and goes after its vomit. No matter how desperate we might be, there is need for the government to come up with solid measures and a permanent solution to the power problem than trying to solve a problem by creating another problem. The pace by the powers that be to solve the Dowans issue is also suspect and it seems the sudden silence might be a deliberate move to drag the issue until a certain time when it will be conducive for the other part to buy the generators. With all this, who can doubt that the nation is sick and is in need of the Loliondo type of cure.
As if all the other problems were not enough, the recent purchase by the government of motorcycle ambulances is not only a cause for concern but also shows how desperate we have become as a nation. The motorcycle ambulances are meant to be used in rural areas where in most cases roads are nonexistent or where the gravel roads are muddy and impassable during rain seasons. After all, the ambulances are not all weather user friendly as it will be difficult to carry patients when it's raining or when it's too hot.
The motorcycles will instead become a danger to our pregnant women and mothers as it will be difficult to use them in places where 4x4 vehicles have failed. Ferrying patients in need of medical attention while they are being transported will be a nonstarter as the motorcycles don't have enough room for that. The fact that these bajaji's have been used successfully in other countries such as Malawi does not guarantee their success in this country.
When people fail to decently bury their own dead, then it's a sign of an ailing nation. The Mwananyamala saga that saw ten infants' bodies being discovered in one shallow pit, passed for a grave tells us a lot. Who can query that we have been bewitched by the dead. Crimes are on the increase, incidences of parents ill-treating or even killing their own children are also on the rise.
People's health not only in this country but the world over is at stake as terminal diseases continue wreaking havoc. It is common knowledge that there are some incurable diseases such as HIV/AIDS and cancer and humanity is tired of losing their relatives to these dreaded diseases.
Dressing trends are changing for the worst and with the rate at which some of the dresses, in the name of fashion, are becoming shorter by day then it won't be surprising if we have people walking stark naked on our streets. Deviance among children is increasing with many of them dropping out of school due to drug abuse or teen pregnancies. The situation is really desperate come in handy. And, with all these problems bedevilling us, it is not surprising that people flock in their numbers to seek relief from their suffering.
So, in case there are some people who are still wondering why normal minded people throng Loliondo for the magical cure when they know that there is no medicine for curing Aids, then it is important they understand that we are a sick nation in need of healing. Desperation has hit us hard and nothing serve for a miracle can heal us. God bless us
bongoblast@thisday.co.tz/0657651300
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