Revisiting Tanzania’s 60th ‘uhuru’ anniversary bash

Thursday last week saw Tanzania in London. You might not have heard it on the BBC or Azam TV, but Jesus, Mary and Allah, it happened.

It was 60 years of Tanzania’s uhuru. Sixty years is a long time. And. Whaat? This event a few metres from our High Commission (Oriental Club) was also 50 years since the assassination of Abeid Amani Karume on April 7, 1972. Karume Day. And also. Also! The 100th birthday of Mwalimu, who was born on April 13, 1922. Dates are important, but this occasion was not just about dates, hallmarks and April. It was a unifying gesture. While planes, gunshots and wailing victims continue in Ukraine, here were two nations, united in history organising these three significant tarehes – dates.

The British-Tanzania Society (seasoned in keeping us citizens here friendly and united) side by side with our envoy on Bond Street in West London.

“Tanzania is on the rise, ladies and gentlemen,” declared Her Excellency Dr Asha-Rose Migiro, addressing the gathering in her usual succinct, self-confident, brief, profound style. Without wasting time, our London envoy reminded of Mwalimu Nyerere’s original leadership, then paid homage to how each of the five different phases of CCM (awamus in Kiswahili) have engineered Tanzania’s progress; touched on the union with Zanzibar, plus the recent industrial surge. “Our country has grown from being predominantly agrarian to embrace industrialisation, strategic infrastructure development...to groundbreaking expansion in mining and natural resources, exploration and construction...”

In approximately, ten minutes, the esteemed High Commissioner managed to sum, and detail what makes Tanzania tick in 2022.

Dr Migiro did not just stick to politics and economics.

Kiswahili, one of our biggest exports, had to be in the mix.

And how do you start that theme?

Do you speak about Shaaban Robert, who died a year after uhuru in June 1962? Do you cite Mwalimu Nyerere’s translation of William Shakespeare’s two remarkable works into Kiswahili (Julius Caesar and Merchants of Venice)?

Here it is.

Before the High Commissioner had been introduced by Mr Paul Harrison of BTS, there had been a small habari gani from none other than Bongo Zozo, (Fujo Isiyoumiza). Bongo Zozo, whose real name is Nick Reynolds, has become a media darling, thanks to the fact he speaks Kiswahili fluently, and promotes the Tanzanian brand despite his being white. He is charming and was born in Zimbabwe, and is married to a Tanzanian (Carolina Materu).

Now listen to the best part. Bongo Zozo wipes out all the stereotypes. How can an African be white? Of course, there are Africans who are white. They might not look like you and me (brown or black), but they were born here, and they are proud of the continent and cry for it. There is one Bongo Zozo Instagram post (47,087 views) where he is in Kiev. This is before the war. He speaks to a Ukrainian lady. She is happy. And then he says a few weeks after the bombing, this woman lost her house and car and her mother broke her legs, etc.

Bongo Zozo campaigns for Tanzanians to help. And of course many do. And the lady is grateful.

There is a lot, as some of you readers might know. But the bottom line is how Bongo Zozo is a living example of Kiswahili’s growth.

During this April 7 encounter last week, among those present was Dr Farouk Topan, who we have featured here several times. He was elated to see his former Kiswahili student. Yes, just like the High Commissioner, acknowledged, SOAS, the London School of Oriental African Studies has hatched ardent international Kiswahili speakers, among them Bongo Zozo.

Speaking soon after the High Commissioner, Lord Wailney (John Woodcock), member of House of Lords since 2020, and once an MP (nine years up to 2019), appreciated Tanzania. He was one of those appointed by Boris Johnson’s government (2021), to boost British business overseas as a trade envoy to Bongoland.

The audience had its mixed grill participants, for example , Yannick Ndoinyo, proudly Maasai, proudly clad in his Maasai lubega. Or the Kenyan Elizabeth Macharia, hanging out with London old-timer Michael Semuguruka. Or BTS’s digital editor, Catherine O’Farell. Or Janet Chapman, ever present, ever articulating Tanzania-British friendship through various events. We have featured Ms Chapman through the FGM (female genital mutilation) and her work through Tanzania Trade Development has assisted rural-based citizens. Or the various High Commission’s dignified members of staff, ever present and aware.

Or the duo digital publishers of Kiswahili books Hermes Salla and Anita B Masika who run Lantern E-Books and Elite Book store simultneously. Aiming to reach a new generation of readers worldwide as Kiswahili grows and flies. Like High Commissioner Migiro said, “Tanzania on the rise.”