Monday, January 28, 2008

MAMBO YA UKRAINE


Mdau Ahmed mwenye red tshirt na Raiton kati Hashim Zaen wa kwanza kulia wakiwa ktk pozi ndani ya makao mapya...
Ni moja ya pozi ktk viwanja vya kujidai ndani ya Ukraine

“TUUKATAE UFISADI”-DR.SLAA



Jina la Dr.Willibrod Peter Slaa (pichani),Katibu Mkuu wa CHADEMA na Mbunge wa Karatu, hivi sasa linaweza kuwa jina ambalo linatajwa zaidi kushinda lingine lolote katika anga za kisiasa nchini Tanzania.Wananchi wengi wanamuongelea kama kiongozi shujaa,aliye tayari kudiriki kufanya au kusema chochote katika kutetea maslahi ya wananchi hususani wale wanaoitwa “wa kawaida” na wenye hali duni za kimaisha.Angekuwa anaishi katika nchi za magharibi,Dr.Slaa angeitwa “whistleblower” nambari wani jina ambalo hupewa mtu anayeamua kuwa mkakamavu na kukemea mienendo mibaya na isiyofaa ya watu walioko kwenye madaraka fulani nk, potelea mbali kinachoweza kumtokea kutokana na ujasiri huo.

Kwanini jina la Dr.Wilbrod Slaa liwe vinywani mwa watanzania wengi hivi sasa?Jibu ni rahisi;ni kutokana na mchango wake katika kufichua “ufisadi” uliokuwa unafanyika katika Benki Kuu ya Tanzania(BOT) na mambo mengi mengineyo ambayo anahisi yanakwenda visivyo.

Ingawa umaarufu wa Dr.Slaa haujaanzia na suala la BOT,ni wazi kwamba sakata hili ndilo limefanya jina lake liwe miongoni mwa majina maarufu sio tu kutoka kambi ya upinzani bali katika anga za wanasiasa kote nchini Tanzania.

Lakini Dr.Slaa ni nani?Anatokea wapi?Wangapi wanafahamu alikuwa akifanya nini kabla hajaingia kwenye siasa? Tangu ameingia kwenye siasa amepata mafanikio gani? Anasemaje kuhusu sakata zima la BOT?Ameridhika na maamuzi yaliyochukuliwa na Rais Kikwete?Ana ujumbe gani kwa wananchi?Ili kupata majibu ya maswali hayo na mengineyo, hivi karibuni tulipata fursa ya kufanya naye mahojiano rasmi.Fuatana nasi katika mahojiano yafuatayo;


BC: Dr.Slaa karibu sana ndani ya www.bongocelebrity.com. Ni heshima kwetu kupata nafasi hii ya kufanya nawe mahojiano.Jambo la kwanza kabisa ambalo tunaamini wasomaji wetu wangependa kujua ni kuhusu historia yako. Je, unaweza kutueleza ulizaliwa wapi,lini,ukasomea wapi mpaka kufikia hadhi ya udaktari wa falsafa?

WS:Historia fupi, nilizaliwa Kwermusl, Mbulu, Tanzania, tarehe 29.10.1948.Lakini ili kukidhi haja ya swali hili zima,labda tuambatanishe CV au BIODATA yangu kama ifuatavyo;

CURICULUM VITAE(BIODATA)

Full Name: Willibord Peter Slaa.

Date and Place of Birth: 29.10.1948,Kwermusl,Mbulu,Tanzania.

EDUCATION:

PRIMARY: 1958-1961 Kwermusl

1962-1965 Karatu Middle School.

SECONDARY: 1966-1969 Dunguyi Seminary

1970-1971 Itaga Seminary

PHILOSOPHY:

1972-1973 Kibosho Seminary

THEOLOGY:

1974-1977 Kipalapala Seminary

1974-1976 Makerere University,Diploma,Theology

HIGHER EDUCATION:

1979-1981 Pontifical Urba University,Rome,JCD(summa cum laude)

1980-1980 ADV.Diploma-Socio-Political Studies,Koln,Germany(KAF)

1981-1981 St.Thomas Aquinas University,Rome,AD.Diploma Rural Development

1985-1985 London COR.College, Principles and Practice of Management Certificate.

WORK EXPERIENCE:

2000-Todate Member of Parliament(MP),Karatu

1995-2000 Member of Parliament(MP),Karatu.

1991-1995 Executive Director,Tanzania Society for The Blind.

1986-1991 Secretary General,Tanzania Episcopal Conference(TEC)

1982-1986 Development Director,Diocese of Mbulu

1982-1986 Vicar General,Diocese of Mbulu

1977-1979 Development Director,Diocese of Mbulu (Catholic Priest 1977-1991)

MEMBERSHIP IN LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL BODIES

2006-Todate: Deputy Leader,Official Opposition, Parliament of Tanzania

2000- Todate: Vice President, Forum of African Parliamentarians on Education( FAPED)

2004-Todate: Secretary General,CHADEMA.

2001-Todate: Member,Special Education Committee,MOEC/SADC.

2000-Todate: Shadow Minister,Legal and Constitutional Affairs.

1998-2004 Vice Chairman,CHADEMA

1998-2003 Chairman, Inter-Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF)

1996-2000 Member,ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly

1994-Todate: Chairman,Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation Tanzania (CCBRT)

1992-1995 Secretart,National Prevention of Blindness Programs,MOH

1992-1995 Director,SLS General Trading Co.Ltd

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

Attended numerous national and international conferences and workshops,presented papers and facilitated in a number of them including,IPU,SADC-PF and CPA organized workshops and conferences.

Attended numerous short courses and seminars both within and outside the country.


BC: Wanasiasa wengi wanasema kwamba waliingia kwenye siasa baada ya kukerwa na mambo fulani fulani wanayokuwa wanahisi hayaendi sawa kijamii,kisiasa au kiuchumi.Kama maelezo hayo yanafanana na historia yako kwenye siasa,ni jambo au mambo gani yalikufanya uingie kwenye siasa?Na tangu umeingia umeweza kuleta mabadiliko gani mpaka hivi sasa?


WS: Niliingia kisisasa mwaka 1995, bila kuwa na nia kabisa ya kuingia kwenye uongozi hasa ubunge japo kwa nafasi mbalimbali nimeshiriki shughuli za Kisiasa huko nyuma. Nimekuwa Katibu wa TANU Youth League nikiwa Kipalapala Seminary, na kufungua matawi mengi ya TANU wakati huo. Nimekuwa Katibu wa Shina la CCM, Tawi la Mambo ya Nje, Rome wakati nasoma Rome, 1980-81.

Niliingia kugombea ubunge baada ya Wazee wa Karatu kunifuata Dar-Es-Salaam, wa vyama vyote vilivyokuwepo wakati ule-CCM, Chadema, NCCR-Mageuzi. Nikaombwa nichague chama ninachokipenda, na kama ilivyokuwa kwa kila mmoja wakati ule nikaingia kupitia CCM. Nikashinda kwenye Kura za Maoni ndani ya CCM, lakini jina liliondolewa kimizengwe, kwa msingi kuwa “mimi si mwenzao”. Leo ninaelewa kilichomaanishwa, ni kweli kwa hali hii ya ufisadi mimi sikuwa mwenzao”. Sijutii kabisa, kuwa baada ya hapo niliingia Ubunge kupitia Chadema, nafasi pekee iliyokuwa wazi wakati huo. Sikuijua Chadema, sikuwa namfahamu Mzee Mtei, wala Katiba ya Chadema. Nadhani ni Mungu aliongoza hivyo kwa sababu anazofahamu mwenyewe, kwa wale wanaomwamini Mungu.

Jambo kubwa pekee lililokuwa linawakera Wananchi wa Karatu na kuja kuniomba ni : Maji. Karatu ni wilaya isiyo na mto hata mmoja wala maziwa yanayoweza kutumika na binadamu, japo tuna Lake Manyara upande wa Mashariki -Kusini na Lake Eyasi upande wa Magharibi. Wamekuwa wakiomba wapate miradi ya maji kwa miaka 30 lakini licha ya kuchangishwa mara kadhaa miradi hiyo ilishindikana kabisa. Kulikuwa pia na suala la Elimu hasa ya Sekondari na pia matatizo ya Huduma za Afya. Haya ndiyo mambo ya msingi kabisa waliyoomba kwangu wananchi wa Karatu wakitaka niwatangulie na kuwa wako tayari kufanya kazi nami katika hali na mali.

a) Nilipoingia tu, japo sikuwa na diwani, na mwenyekiti mmoja tu wa Kijiji kwa Tiket ya Chadema, na sikuwa na kitongoji hata kimoja, nilifanikiwa kupata msaada mkubwa wa maji kwa ajili ya mji wa Karatu na vijiji vitano vinavyoizunguka vya Ayalabe, Gongali, Gyekurum Arusha, Gyekurum Lambo, na Tloma kupitia shirika la MISEREOR la ujerumani kupitia Diocese of Mbulu, (Katoliki) ambao kwa muda mrefu nimekuwa nikifanya nao kazi na kujenga kuaminiana sana.

Hiki kilikuwa kipindi kigumu sana, kwani mradi huo uliwekewa mizengwe ya kila aina, mbinu za kutaka kuukwamishwa kutumia Katibu Tarafa, Mtendaji wa Kata, watendaji wa Halmashauri.

Hata hivyo, baada ya mapambano makali, kwa kushirikiana na Wananchi na bila Serikali ( ya Wilaya) nilifanikiwa kukamilisha mradi huo mwaka 2000. Siku maji yalipotoka wananchi waliomba dua, walisherehekea, na kuamini kumbe inawezekana. Kuanzia siku hiyo nimeendelea na kutafuta mbinu mbalimbali kupata miradi ya maji kwa ajili ya Wilaya nzima, na hadi leo, vijiji 35 vimepata maji ya uhakika ya Bomba hadi ngazi ya Kitongoji. Kazi iliyobaki ni ya usambazaji hadi karibu na wananchi, kupeleka DP kwa ukaribu wa mita 400 au chini ya hapo kufuatana na sera ya maji ya nchi, na kuingiza maji ndani (Domestic). Pia tumefanya jitihada ya kujenga mabwawa kadhaa kwa ajili ya matumizi ya binadamu na mifugo.

b) Kutokana na maendeleo hayo ambayo yalionekana dhahiri, Wananchi wa Karatu waliichagua Chadema mwaka 2000 na kuifanya CCM kuwa chama cha Upinzani. Yaani Mwenyekiti wa Halmashauri na wenyeviti wa Kamati zote wanatoka Chadema, kutokana na uwingi wa Chadema. Pia katika uchaguzi uliofuata wa Serikali za mitaa 2004, Chadema sasa ina vijiji vingi na vitongoji vingi vinavyoongozwa na Chadema. Wazo hili la CCM kuwa chama cha Upinzani limekuwa gumu sana kueleweka na CCM na serikali yake, hivyo wameendelea kuhujumu Serikali ya mitaa inayoongozwa na Chadema, lakini kwa kuwa tumekuwa imara na tumeendelea kuwa karibuni na wananchi, majaribio hayo yote yameanguka kwenye mwamba wa jiwe.

c) Kwa upande wa Elimu, mwaka 2000 Wilaya ya Karatu ilikuwa na shule moja tu ya wananchi, yaani AWET Sekondari. Lakini kwa Ilani na sera nzuri ya Chadema, tunapoongea leo, Wilaya ya Karatu inayo shule za Sekondari 25, na 3 ziko kwenye hatua ya mbalimbali ya ujenzi. Wakati Sera ya CCM ni shule za Sekondari katika ngazi ya Kata, Sera na Ilani ya Chadema Karatu ni kuwa na Sekondari katika ngazi ya kijiji, kwa vile Kata nyingi bado ni kubwa na shule za kata ni za kutwa hivyo zinakuwa mateso kwa watoto wetu. Zaidi ya nusu ya vijiji tayari vina shule za vijiji za Sekondari. Chadema kwa hili imetoa changamoto kwa Serikali ya CCM. Isitoshe, mwaka huu, 2008 watoto wote wanaotakiwa kuingia Sekondari waliotimiza vigezo, wameingia Sekondari, na bado tuna nafasi tupu 800 yaani tuna madara 20 zaidi kuliko watoto. Kitaifa watoto waliofaulu ni asilimia 51 wakati Karatu waliofaulu ni 54. Tatizo la msingi ni kuwa Serikali kuu inasua sua katika kutekeleza majukumu yake, mathalan upatikanaji wa waalimu ni tatizo kubwa, vifaa vya elimu na hata vitabu.

d) Huduma za Afya nayo ni eneo moja ambapo Chadema tumeonyesha njia. Sera na Ilani ya Chadema ilikuwa kujenga zahanati kila kijiji. Hadi leo ni vijiji 5 tu bado havina zahanati, na vijiji vyote au vimekamilisha ujenzi au viko kwenye hatua ya kumalizia ujenzi. Kutokana na changamoto hiyo, Serikali ya CCM pia sasa imetangaza bila kuwa na sera hiyo ujenzi wa Zahanati katika ngazi ya Kijiji kwa nchi nzima. Tatizo hapa ni Madaktari na manesi ambao ni jukumu la Serikali Kuu na upatikanaji wa uhakika wa madawa.

e) Jambo ambalo mara nyingi linafanyiwa porojo ni kuondoa manyanyaso ambayo wananchi walikuwa wanayapata wakati wa mfumo wa chama kimoja. Chadema Karatu tulipiga vita unyanyasaji wa aina yeyote. Mathalan, michango mingi isiyo ya kisheria inakusanywa kwa mabavu na kuwaumiza wananchi wa chini. Chadema tulipiga marufuku hayo. Ndipo Serikali ya CCM bila kujiandaa ikafuta kabisa kilichoitwa kodi ya Maendeleo. Kwa bahati mbaya walikurupuka bila kuandaa na wala kufanya “alternatives”, na sasa Serikali za mitaa ziko kwenye hali ngumu kujiendesha, na pia kuanzisha dhana mpya ya watu kutolipa kodi ya aina yeyote kabisa.Chadema tulipopiga marufuku kodi za manyanyaso tulitafuta vianzio visivyo na athari kwa mwananchi wa kawaida, wala visivyo na athari kwa uchumi mpana.

f) Miundo mbinu na kilimo ni eneo muhimu ambalo tumeweka mkazo kwa lengo la kupiga vita umaskini kabisa miongoni mwa watu wetu. Mikakati yetu ya kilimo, na jitihada za kutafuta vianzio vyetu vya fedha nje ya vile vya Serikali Kuu imeongeza sana fanaka katika mipango yetu mbalimbali.


BC: Tukiwa hapo hapo kwenye suala la historia yako.Wengi tunatambua kwamba siku za nyuma kabla hujaingia kwenye siasa ulikuwa padre au ulisomea upadre. Unaweza kutueleza kwanini uliacha upadri na kuwa mwanasiasa? Ulifukuzwa au uliacha kwa hiari? Una mke na watoto. Je, kanisa lilikuruhusu kuoa?

WS: Ni kweli nimekuwa Padre wa Kanisa Katoliki. Nimekuwa kiongozi wa ngazi ya juu sana ndani ya Kanisa kuanzia Jimboni kwangu ambapo nimekuwa Makamu wa Askofu, na Mkurugenzi wa Maendeleo, lakini pia nimekuwa Katibu Mkuu wa Baraza la Maaskofu toka 1985 hadi 1991. Ni kweli hayo maswali yanaulizwa mara nyingi, kwa bahati mbaya si wengi wanaofahamu taratibu za kisheria ndani ya Kanisa Katoliki. Niliondoka mimi mwenyewe katika Upadre bila kushinikizwa na yeyote, wala kufukuzwa, wala hata kupewa onyo. Ni kweli kuna mambo ambayo mimi niliyakataa na kwa dhamira yangu nisingeliweza kuendelea, lakini nadhani hayo ni binafsi zaidi, na si mahali pake kuyaeleza. Nimetoka kwa kibali cha Kanisa, kwa utaratibu wa kisheria wa Kanisa Katoliki, ndiyo maana mimi sina tatizo wala ugomvi wa aina yeyote na Kanisa Katoliki na ninashiriki katika shughuli mbalimbali za Kanisa.

Nina Mke na watoto wawili, Emiliana Slaa na Linus Slaa, japo sijafunga ndoa kikanisa kwa utaratibu wa kawaida wa Kanisa Katoliki, pamoja na kuwa sina kipingamizi chochote kufanya hivyo kikanisa, ni uamuzi wangu na wa mke wangu na familia yetu.


BC: Baada ya mkutano wako wa hadhara pale MwembeYanga jijini Dar-es-salaam Septemba mwaka jana,vyombo vya habari karibuni vyote vilihofia kuandika ulichokisema na pia kuweka bayana orodha ya majina uliyoyataja.Unadhani kwanini vyombo vya habari viliogopa kufanya hivyo? Na wewe binafsi ulijisikia vipi kuona hali hiyo? Tukio lile lilimaanisha nini kwako kuhusiana na suala zima la uhuru wa vyombo vya habari nchini Tanzania?


WS: Nilijua kabisa kuwa vyombo vya Habari vinaogopa kuandika aina ya taarifa tuliyotoa na wenzangu pale Mwembe Yanga, hivyo sikushangaa. Nilifurahi sana nilipoona Gazeti dogo la Mwanahalisi, limethubutu, siyo tu kuandika majina na tuliyoeleza bali pia kuweka na picha yao. Tafsiri pekee ni kuwa vyombo vingi vilikosa ujasiri na uzalendo. Vilipenda kujilinda zaidi wasishitakiwe, wengine nao pia hawakuamini tuliyoyasema kama ni kweli na wala hawakwenda mbele zaidi kufanya utafiti wao kuthibitisha tulichosema. Hivyo, kuna mengi yanaweza kusemwa kuhusu vyombo vya habari na uhuru wa vyombo vya habari hapa Tanzania. Hali ni mbaya zaidi, unapokuta kuwa vyombo vingine vinamilikiwa na wanasiasa na hasa pale wamiliki wa vyombo hivyo wanapoguswa kwa namna moja au nyingine na tuhuma hizo.

Waandishi wa habari na vyombo vya habari ni muhimu sana katika ukombozi wa aina yeyote. Wanahitajiwa kuwa na ujasiri, kwani bila hivyo watakosa thubutu ya kwenda kwenye mstari wa mbele wa vita au mapambano kuripoti kinachojiri kama tulivyoona kwa waandishi wa CNN. Nampongeza sana Bwana Kubenea aliyejitosa, na kwa hakika ni shujaa wa kweli, na gazeti hilo dogo limeonyesha njia, naamini na mengine yatafuata njia.


BC: Baadhi ya wananchi,hususani kwenye kambi ya upinzani, wamekuwa wakihofia usalama wa maisha yako.Wengine wamekuwa wakitoa mapendekezo kwamba serikali haina budi kukupa ulinzi wa ziada. Je,wewe mwenyewe unahofia usalama wa maisha yako?Kama jibu ni hapana,kwanini?

WS: Ni kweli hisia hizo zipo na wengi wamenipa ushauri wa aina mbalimbali. Nawashukuru sana kwa kunipenda na kunijali. Hata hivyo, hatima ya yote, Usalama utatolewa tu na Mwenyezi Mungu. Tukumbuke kuwa John Kennedy ameuawa akiwa amezungukwa si tu na maaskari wa ulinzi bali pia na CIA na FBI. Wako waliokufa wamezungukwa na madaktari 30 au zaidi, lakini saa yao ilipofika waliondoka bila kuaga. Ninaacha Maisha yangu kwa Mwenyezi Mungu. Ninachukua tahadhari zote zinazoweza kuchukuliwa na binadamu, lakini kamwe sitaacha kufanya wajibu wangu, na kile ambacho dhamira yangu inataka nikifanye kwa kuhofia usalama na maisha yangu. Hatukuomba kuzaliwa na hatutaomba kuondoka humu duniani.

BC: Watu wengi wamejitokeza hadharani na kumpongeza Rais Kikwete kwa uamuzi wa kutengua ajira ya aliyekuwa Gavana wa Benki Kuu,Daudi Balali.Pamoja na hayo,kumeibuka maswali kadha wa kadha kuhusu maneno kama “utenguzi wa ajira” nk. Tungependa kukuuliza maswali mawili juu ya hili.Kwanza,kwa mtazamo wako,Raisi amefanya kile ambacho ulikitegemea?Pili nini hasa maana ya maneno haya (utenguzi wa ajira) kwa jinsi ulivyoelewa wewe na pia kisheria?

WS: Ni wazi kabisa, msimamo wangu unajulikana na umenukuliwa na magezeti kadhaa:

1) Sijaona kabisa sababu ya kupongeza hatua ya Rais.Kwanza muda uliochukuliwa ni mrefu sana. Jambo hili limejenga matabaka katika nchi yetu. Kwa sheria iliyoko leo, ukituhumiwa unakamatwa, unapelekwa polisi, unawekwa lock up-au unapata mdhamana ambao ni haki yako isipokuwa kwa makosa fulani fulani tu. Lakini kwa tuhuma ya uwizi mkubwa masharti yanajulikana, mathalan kuchukuliwa kwa Passport yako ili usiweze kutoroka, kuweka mdhamana wa mali isiyohamishika kwa kiwango kilichowekwa na sheria nakadhalika, na uchunguzi unafuata baadaye. Hii ndiyo sheria ilivyo leo ( Sheria inayoenda Bungeni inabadilisha kidogo hali hiyo, uchunguzi unatangulia kabla ya kukamatwa). Haya yote hayakufanyika kwa mtuhumiwa wa Mabilioni, tena yaliyothibitishwa na wakaguzi, lakini ameaachwa ana tamalaki tu. Hi si ishara nzuri na wala si utawala bora kutengeneza matabaka kati ya wananchi wake Rais.

2) Hatua ya “kutengua” maana yake Dr.Balali bado ni mfanyikazi wa Serikali, ila tu uteuzi wake au nafasi yake kama Gavana imeondolewa. Wala Rais hajasema kama amesimamishwa kazi au vipi. Angalau basi Balali alitakiwa kusimamishwa kazi Serikalini na wakati Tuhuma zake zinapelekwa mahakamani. Lakini hilo halikufanyika, na kwa msingi huo inawezekana kabisa Balali anaendelea kupokea mshahara kamili, kwa vile hajasimamishwa utumishi wake Serikalini. Isipokuwa kama tutaelezwa vinginevyo, kwa taarifa tuliyonayo Balali ni mtumishi wa Serikali kabla ya kuwa Gavana, na utumishi huo haujasimamishwa.

3) Sijaridhika kabisa na hatua ya Rais, kwa vile, Tuhuma dhidi ya Balali nilizotoa Mwembe Yanga zinaenda zaidi ya Kasma “Vote” moja ya EPA ndani ya BOT.Ziko votes nyingi na ubadhirifu umetapakaa kwingi, kwa mfano fedha zilizolipwa Alex Stewart aliyekuwa anapata 1.9% ya Royalty yetu -ambayo ni 3%. Huu ni mkataba wa ajabu na kama kweli ilifanyika kihalali basi hii ni biashara kichaa kwa maelezo yeyote yale. Suala la malipo kwa Kampuni ya Mwananchi Gold Co halijaelezwa na wala Rais hajalieleza Taifa hatua gani za ziada zinaendelea kuchukuliwa, suala DEEP Green Finance Co halijaelezwa popote ambapo fedha za Umma toka Hazina/BOT zaidi ya 20 Billioni zimepelekwa kusikojulikana, ila kuna ushahidi wa kimazingira kuwa zilipelekwa kwenye uchaguzi mkuu wa 2005 kuisaidia CCM. Na mengine mengi tuliyoyasema Hizi zote ni fedha za Umma, na Rais hana mamlaka ya kuamua kutoa au kutotoa Taarifa kwa Umma. Ndiyo maana ninaendelea kushinikiza kuwa Tuhuma za Ubadhirifu bado mbichi na hatua zilizochukuliwa hazikidhi kabisa kwa kiwango chochote. Kwa bahati mbaya Watanzania wengi hawaelewi na hivyo wanaridhika tu na kidogo alichokifanya Rais. Tutampongeza Rais atakaposafisha uozo huu wote.

4) Rais alitakiwa kuwasimamisha vile vile wale wote waliohusika na uozo huu. Nimesema mara nyingi kuwa Balali si peke yake katika ubadhirifu na ufisadi huu. Wale wote wanatakiwa kuchukuliwa hatua.Tunaendelea kudai hawa wote wachukuliwe hatua akiwemo Gray Mgonja, ambaye pamoja na yote tuliyosema, anaendelea kuwa Mjumbe wa Bodi ya BOT kwa kofia yake ya kuwa Katibu Mkuu, Hazina. Ni muhimu Rais amwondoe, ili Katibu Mkuu mwingine aingie na kusaidiana na Gavana mpya kusaifisha nyumba. Vinginevyo tunatwanga maji kwenye kinu. Rais ameagiza Bodi ya BOT iwachukulie hatua wahusika wote, ni kweli hafahamu kuwa Gray Mgonja, aliyesaini nyaraka nyingi tu hahusiki kweli, hata kwa uzembe tu? Kama hajui basi tunatatizo kubwa zaidi kuliko tunavyofahamu na tunavyotaka kujiaminisha. Kwa hali hiyo basi ni dhahiri kuwa alilofanya Rais silo nililotegemea wala silo lililotegemewa na Watanzania wengi waelewa wa mambo.

BC: Hivi karibuni umekuwa ukilalamikia suala la serikali kutoiweka hadharani ripoti ya EPA kama ilivyowasilishwa serikalini na kampuni ya Ernst & Young.Unadhani kuna umuhimu gani kwa serikali kuiweka ripoti hiyo hadharani?


WS: Kuweka au kutoweka hadharani kwa Ripoti hiyo siyo hisani ya Rais wala ya Serikali. Jambo lolote lililofanyika kwa Kodi ya Wananchi linapaswa kufikishwa kwa wananchi hasa kama linahusu Tuhuma.

Kwanza serikali yenyewe ilitoa ahadi Bungeni kuwa itawekwa hadharani, kwa wananchi na kwa Wabunge. Itakuwa ajabu kama hata Wabunge hawatapewa. Itakuwa Serikali ya ajabu ambayo haiheshimu ahadi na kauli zake. Waziri Meghji naye pia aliahidi mara nyingi kuwa Taarifa ya Ernst and Young itatolewa hadharani leo kulikoni? Hii hatua ya sasa inazua utata mkubwa, kuna nini kinafichwa?

Pili taarifa hiyo ni muhimu kwa umma wa Watanzania kuona hasa nini kimeandikwa na nani anahusika. Nina sababu nzito ya kuamini kuwa viongozi wa Serikali waliosemwa katika Taarifa hiyo wameachwa nje, na ndiyo maana Serikali inapata kigugumizi katika kuweka Taarifa nzima hadharani. Hili haiisaidii Serikali bali inazidi kuichafua.

Ningependa kuamini Serikali imepata fundisho kwa jinsi ilivyoshughulikia suala hili, na sasa itakuwa makini zaidi, lakini inaelekea wenzetu hawa fundisho bado halijawaingia hata kidogo, na bado wana mawazo ya zamani kuwa Serikali inaweza kufanya inavyotaka. Serikali inayowajibika kwa Wananchi, inapaswa kuwa wazi (Transparent and Accountable). Tuko mbali sana na mambo hayo mawili ambayo ni msingi mkubwa sana wa Good Governance.
BC: Tofauti na hapo zamani,siku hizi taarifa zinasambaa kwa haraka sana.Shukrani kwa maendeleo ya kisayansi na kitekinolojia.Unadhani nini kitatokea katika miaka kumi ijayo kama kasi ya kupeana habari na kuwasiliana itaendelea kukua kwa kasi hii.Wewe binafsi unadhani tekinolojia imekusaidia vipi katika kufanikisha shughuli zako za kisiasa mpaka hivi sasa?


WS: Ni kweli teknolojia imesaidia sana. Hata hili unalofanya wewe ni msingi mkubwa sana katika kupeleka Taarifa kwa watu wengi zaidi. Hili lisingeliwezekana miaka takriban 10 iliyopita. Ninafurahi sana kwa maendeleo haya. Bunge la Tanzania lilipitisha, kupitia Miscellaneous Ammendement sheria kutambua Taarifa zinazopatikana katika Internet, lakini hatimaye Spika wa Bunge akapinga. Nadhani kuna haja kubwa viongozi wetu au kusoma na kupitia maamuzi ya nyuma. Viongozi wengi wanakosa Consistency kwa kusahau waliyoaumua wenyewe, au kupindisha tu sheria makusudi. Kama tunahitaji kwenda mbele ni lazima tuwe jamii yenye principles zisizoyumba na kubadilika badilika kama kinyonga.

BC: Sasa tungependa kukuuliza kuhusu chama cha CHADEMA.Wewe ukiwa kama katibu mkuu wa CHADEMA,unaweza kutueleza chama chenu kina visheni gani kwa taifa? Kama CCM imeshindwa, CHADEMA kinaweza kuwa chama mbadala? Kwa vipi?


WS: Misimao ya Chadema inajulikana wazi katika maswali mbalimbali. Ni dhahiri kuwa CCM imeshindwa kabisa kupiga vita Rushwa, Taifa kwa dhahiri limekosa mwelekeo katika mambo mengi, na CCM na Serikali yake hawataki kusikia, ili kujipongeza tu na miradi kama MMEM na MMES, ambayo kimsingi wala si sera yao ( imetokana na maamuzi ya Kimataifa ya kama vile MMEM na MMES ambayo yalifanyika Jomtien, Thailand, mwaka 1990). Hata hivyo, hatujatekeleza maamuzi hayo kama yalivyokubaliwa yaani EFA. Lakini CCM na Serikali zake kila siku wamekuwa wakijisifu bila kueleza chimbuko halisi la maamuzi hayo. Ndiyo maana hata upatikanaji wa fedha umekuwa rahisi kwa kiasi kikubwa. Mimi nimekuwa Makamu Mwenyekiti wa Afrika wa Wabunge wanaojishughulisha na Elimu, hivyo ninayafahamu kwa undani masuala haya.

BC: Kumekuwepo na habari ambazo zimesambaa mtandaoni zikidai kwamba ndani ya CHADEMA pia kuna kashfa za ufisadi. Shutuma hizo zimekuwa zikielekezwa kwa Mwenyekiti wa CHADEMA na pia wewe mwenyewe.Unasemaje kuhusiana na shutuma hizi?


WS: Ni kweli kumekuwepo na taarifa kama hizo. Siwezi kumjibia Mhe. Mbowe, japo ninamfahamu Mwenyekiti wangu sasa kwa kiasi kikubwa. Na sijawahi kuona wala kushuhudia kinachosemwa. Hata hivyo:

Kwanza kusema au kutoa maoni ni haki ya watu wote. Tofauti ni kuwa hao wanaotoa maoni yao ni ya umbeya, au yanaushahidi kama sisi tunavyofanya? Mimi sina tatizo kama kuna tuhuma dhidi yangu ningelifurahi tu, zitolewe hadharani bila kificho na kwa ushahidi kamili.

Tuhuma zingine zinazoelekezwa Chadema kama za matumizi ya Helicopter, msingi wake tunaufahamu, na tusingelipenda kuwanufaisha watani zetu. Yatosha tu niseme hapa ni kweli, sisi tulikopa fedha kwa Mwenyekiti Mbowe kufanya kampeni zetu. Tuliweka taarifa zetu hadharani. Tukatoa changamoto kwa CCM watoe walipata wapi fedha zao hawajasema hadi leo. Swali la kujieleza, sisi tumekopa kwa Mwenyekiti wetu fedha za Helikopta, na tunamlipa kwa utaratibu uliokubalika kwa mujibu wa taratibu zetu.

Kwa ushahidi uliopo CCM kampeni wamefanya kwa fedha zetu, za Watanzania zilizochotwa BOT, Tangold, Meremeta kupitia DEEP GREEN, sasa nani bora? Nadhani mengine ni propaganda, na watu walidhani hatuna details ya tunayosema. Ninaendelea kui challenge CCM imepata wapi fedha za Kampeni na sources zao zilikuwa nini? Fedha zote zilizochotwa kupitia Deep Green Serikali na CCM lazima wazieleze zilienda wapi? Isitoshe, tulipoanza kutoa tuhuma, ni kwanini CCM walianza kuwakingia kifua watuhumiwa badala ya kuwaacha wajibu wao na au Serikali, lakini Katibu wa CCM anahusika vipi na tuhuma, kama dhamira yake haimsuti kuwa amegunduliwa na ndiyo taharuki ya kujibu hata yasiyomhusu na mwisho kuishia kwenye porojo na propaganda badala ya kujibu hoja?


BC: Ni kiongozi gani duniani anayekuvutia kutoka na jinsi anavyoongoza taifa au jamii yake?Kwanini?

WS: Kwa kuwa sijalifanyia utafiti naomba nisilijibu suali hili.

BC: Tukiachana kidogo na masuala ya siasa,unapokuwa mapumzikoni(tunaamini kwamba hufikia wakati ukahitaji mapumziko)huwa unapendelea kufanya nini?

WS: Nikiwa mapumzikoni mimi hupenda

1) Napenda sana kusoma vitabu mbalimbali vya Sheria, Siasa, maendeleo na hata Novels za kawaida.

2) Kujikumbusha lugha mbalimbali nilizojifunza nikiwa masomoni kama vile Kiitaliano, kijerumani, ili nisije nikazisahau.

3) Kutazama TV.

4) Kufanya shughuli za kawaida na kuzungumza na wapiga kura wangu jimboni.


BC: Mwisho una ujumbe gani kwa watanzania?


WS: Ningependa Watanzania watambue kuwa nchi ni yetu sote. Watanzania katika ujumla wetu ndio wenye nchi, Rasilimali zote za nchi ni zetu sote, na viongozi tumewapa tu dhamana ya kuzilinda kwa niaba yetu. Hivyo, tusiruhusu kabisa wakati sisi tunatumbukia kwenye lindi la umasikini wengine wananufaika kwenye migongo yetu. Kulinda mali zetu, ni jukumu la kila mmoja wetu pale alipo, kwa uwezo alionao na ufahamu wake. Ufisadi uko ngazi zote hadi vijijini tuukatae katakata popote pale. Rushwa tuikatae sote, na Mtanzania hata siku mmoja asikubali kununua haki yake iwe mahakamani, polisi, au hospitalini au popote pale ambapo huduma ni haki yake.


BC: Dr.Slaa,asante sana kwa muda wako.Tunakutakia kila la kheri katika shughuli zako.

WS: Shukrani sana,mimi pia nawatakieni kila la kheri.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Obama, Clinton tied in 2008 Democratic race

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Barack Obama has erased a once substantial deficit to climb into a virtual tie with Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential race, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

Among Republicans, John McCain charged to the front of a shifting presidential field, shooting past Mike Huckabee and a fading Rudy Giuliani as the opening contests of the 2008 White House campaign dramatically reshaped the races in both parties.

Heading into potentially crucial contests in Nevada, South Carolina and Florida, the campaign to choose candidates for the November election to succeed President George W. Bush has shown deep volatility.

Wins in Iowa by Obama, an Illinois senator, and Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, gave both candidates jolts of momentum in the race.

But the momentum was short-lived as New Hampshire comeback wins by Clinton, a New York senator, and McCain, an Arizona senator, five days later set up potentially lengthy Democratic and Republican nominating battles.

"This the definition of a hard-fought race," pollster John Zogby said.

The poll was taken on Thursday and Friday, before Tuesday's Michigan Republican primary, in which former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney beat McCain by 39 percent to 30 percent. Huckabee came in third with 16 percent.

Democrats also held a primary in Michigan but a dispute over the date of the vote led the national party to strip the state of its delegates to this summer's presidential nominating convention, making the contest meaningless.

The survey found only marginal support for a potential independent candidacy by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has flirted with the idea of a third-party run for the White House while officially denying any interest.

Clinton, a former first lady who would be the first woman U.S. president, held a 21-point edge over Obama in October. He cut that to 8 points by last month, and the new survey gave her a 39 percent to 38 percent edge.

Her 1-point lead was well within the poll's margin of error of 4.7 percentage points.

Obama, who would be the first black U.S. president, and Clinton were essentially deadlocked among a variety of groups, including men, women, Democrats and independents. Obama led substantially, 65 percent to 15 percent, among black voters.

Obama barely led among voters under age 24, a substantial drop in support from last month, but led Clinton among voters aged 55 to 69, normally one of her strengths.

'UNBELIEVABLY CLOSE'

"This is an unbelievably close race at almost every level," Zogby said.

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, the only other major Democratic contender still in the race, was a distant third at 9 percent in the national poll.

Among Republicans, McCain led Huckabee by 28 percent to 23 percent as the pair took advantage of their wins in the first two nominating contests.

It was a 16-point jump for McCain from last month and a one-point increase for Huckabee, who had already begun his climb by mid-December.

"Clearly this is a post-Iowa, post-New Hampshire bounce," Zogby said.

Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister whose rise has been fueled by support from religious conservatives, led 34 percent to 22 percent among those who described themselves as "born-agains."

McCain led among independents 45 percent to 13 percent and among moderates by 53 percent to 13 percent, while McCain and Huckabee tied among Republican voters.

In third place was former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson at 14 percent, with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at 13 percent.

All of them shot past Giuliani, the leader in national polls for much of the year. His support has been steadily dropping, from 29 percent in November to 23 percent last month and just 9 percent this month.

The slide has raised questions about Giuliani's strategy of bypassing the early voting states to concentrate on Florida's January 29 primary and the February 5 "Super Tuesday" round of 22 state contests.

"This is what happens in a sequential process when you don't win," Zogby said. "You have to win somewhere and he hasn't."

The national survey had Republican Rep. Ron Paul at 4 percent and California Rep. Duncan Hunter at less than 1 percent.

Asked about Bloomberg, about 60 percent said it was very unlikely they would support the New York mayor, with another 16 percent saying it was somewhat unlikely. Just 4 percent said it was very likely they would back him, with 15 percent saying it was somewhat likely.

The poll surveyed 459 likely Democratic primary voters and 427 likely Republican primary voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points for Democrats and 4.8 percentage points for Republicans.

(Editing by David Wiessler)

(For more about the U.S. political campaign, visit Reuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online at http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)

Bisexuality

Bisexuality is a sexual orientation which refers to the romantic and/or sexual attraction of individuals to others of both genders (socially) or sexes (biologically). Most bisexuals are not equally attracted to men and women and may even shift between states of finding either gender or sex exclusively attractive over the course of time.[1] However, some bisexuals are and remain fairly static in their level of attraction throughout their adult life.

In the mid-1940s, Alfred Kinsey devised the Kinsey scale in an attempt to measure sexual orientation and activity. The 7-point scale has a rating of 0 ("exclusively heterosexual") to 6 ("exclusively homosexual"). Bisexuals cover most of the scale's values (1–5), which range between "predominantly heterosexual, only incidentally homosexual" (1) to "predominantly homosexual, only incidentally heterosexual" (5). In the middle of the scale (3) is "equally heterosexual and homosexual".[1] Although Kinsey's methodology has come under criticism, the scale is still widely used in describing the phenomenon of bisexuality.
Bisexual people are not necessarily attracted equally to both sexes.[1] Because bisexuality is often an ambiguous position between homosexuality and heterosexuality, those who identify, or are identified, as bisexuals form a heterogeneous group.

Others view bisexuality as more ambiguous. Some people who might be classified by others as bisexual on the basis of their sexual behavior self-identify primarily as homosexual. Equally, otherwise heterosexual people who engage in occasional homosexual behavior could be considered bisexual, but may not identify as such. For some who believe that sexuality is a distinctly defined aspect of the character, this ambiguity is problematic. It is sometimes argued that the behavior of bisexuals may be explained by subconscious homophobia or peer pressure.[citation needed] On the other hand, some believe that the majority of people contain aspects of homosexuality and heterosexuality, but that the intensities of these can vary from person to person.[citation needed] Some people who engage in bisexual behavior may be supportive of homosexual people, but still self-identify as heterosexual; others may consider any labels irrelevant to their positions and situations. In 1995, Harvard Shakespeare professor Marjorie Garber made the academic case for bisexuality with her 600-page Vice Versa: Bisexuality and the Eroticism of Everyday Life in which she argued that most people would be bisexual if not for "repression, religion, repugnance, denial...premature specialization."[6]

Some bisexuals make a distinction between gender and sex. Gender is defined in these situations as social or psychological category, characterized by the common practices of men and women. For example, the fact that women wear skirts and dresses in Western society while men traditionally do not is a gender issue. Sex in this case is defined as the biological difference between males and females, prior to any social conditioning. Bisexuals in this sense may be attracted to more than one gender but only to one sex. For example, a male bisexual may be attracted to aspects of men and masculinity, but not to the male body.

Bisexuality is often misunderstood as a form of adultery or polyamory, and a popular misconception is that bisexuals must always be in relationships with men and women simultaneously. Rather, individuals attracted to both males and females, like people of any other orientation, may live a variety of sexual lifestyles. These include lifelong monogamy, serial monogamy, polyamory, polyfidelity, casual sexual activity with individual partners, casual group sex, and celibacy. For those with more than one sexual partner, these may or may not all be of the same gender.

The term bisexual was first used in the 19th century to refer to intersexed people. By 1914 it had begun to be used in the context of sexual orientation.[5] Some bisexuals and sex researchers are dissatisfied with the term and have developed a variety of alternative or supplementary terms to describe aspects and forms of bisexuality. Many are neologisms not widely recognized by the larger society.
Pansexual, omnisexual, anthrosexual, and pomosexual (postmodern sexuality) are substitute terms that, rather than referring to both or "bi" sex attraction, refer to all or "omni" sex attraction and are used mainly by those who wish to express acceptance of all sex possibilities, including transgender and intersex people, not just two. Pansexuality sometimes includes an attraction for less mainstream sexual activities, such as BDSM. Some people who might otherwise identify as pansexual or omnisexual choose to self-identify as bisexual because the term bisexual is more widely known, and because they see it as an important term in identity politics.
Bi-permissive describes someone who does not actively seek out sexual relations with a given sex, but is open to them. Such a person may self-identify as heterosexual or homosexual and engage predominantly in sexual acts with individuals of the corresponding sex, and might be rated 1 or 5 on Kinsey's scale. Near-synonyms include heteroflexible and homoflexible.
Ambisexual indicates a primarily indiscriminate attraction to either sex. A person who self-identifies as ambisexual might be attracted with equal intensity on physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual levels to partner(s) regardless of sex or gender presentation while upholding selectivity standards in other areas. Some might experience equally intense attractions that could be triggered by sex- or gender-specific traits in the given partner or partners. A person with this orientation might fall in the 3 category on Kinsey's scale, as would some who subscribe to the 2 or 4 rating (although some individuals in these latter categories consider themselves bi-permissive).
Bi-curious has several distinct and sometimes contradictory meanings. It is commonly found in personal ads from those who identify as heterosexual, but are interested in homosexual "experimentation." Such people are commonly suspected—not necessarily correctly—of being homosexuals or bisexuals in denial of their homosexuality. It can also be used to describe someone as being passively bi, bi-permissive, or open to indirect bisexual contact.
Trisexual (sometimes trysexual) is either an extension of, or a pun on bisexual. In its more serious usage, it indicates an interest in transgender persons in addition to cissexual men and women. In its more humorous usage, it refers to someone who will try any sexual experience. It is used in the song "La Vie Boheme" in the Broadway musical Rent. The term was coined by porn actress Robin Byrd.[7]
Biphobia describes a fear or condemnation of bisexuality, usually based in a belief that only heterosexuality and homosexuality are genuine orientations and appropriate lifestyles. Bisexual persons may also be the target of homophobia from those who consider only heterosexuality appropriate. The reverse can also apply in that bisexual persons may be targets of heterophobia or discrimination by some homosexuals.
Passively bi, aka open-minded is a non-sex specific term that describes a heterosexual/bi-curious person who is open to incidental or direct contact (typically in a group sex scenario) from a member of the same sex or a homosexual/bi-curious person who is open to contact with members of the opposite sex under the same scenario, which usually doesn't involve reciprocation.
Actively bi is a non-sex specific term that can describe a bi-curious person who initiates direct contact with the sex opposite his or her usual identity (either hetero- or homosexual); it can also refer to a bisexual person who engages in contact with members of both sexes on a fairly regular basis.



A 2002 survey in the United States by National Center for Health Statistics found that 1.8 percent of men ages 18–44 considered themselves bisexual, 2.3 percent homosexual, and 3.9 percent as "something else". The same study found that 2.8 percent of women ages 18–44 considered themselves bisexual, 1.3 percent homosexual, and 3.8 percent as "something else".[8] The Janus Report on Sexual Behavior, published in 1993, showed that 5 percent of men and 3 percent of women consider themselves bisexual and 4 percent of men and 2 percent of women considered themselves homosexual.[8] The 'Health' section of The New York Times has stated that "1.5 percent of American women identify themselves [as] bisexual."[9]

Sigmund Freud theorized that every person has the ability to become bisexual at some time in his or her life.[10][9] He based this on the idea that enjoyable experiences of sexuality with the same sex, whether sought or unsought, acting on it or being fantasized, become an attachment to his or her needs and desires in social upbringing. Prominent psychoanalyst Dr. Joseph Merlino, Senior Editor of the book, Freud at 150: 21st Century Essays on a Man of Genius stated in an interview:
“ Freud maintained that bisexuality was a normal part of development. That all of us went through a period of bisexuality and that, in the end, most of us came out heterosexual but that the bisexual phase we traversed remained on some unconscious level, and was dealt with in other ways....He did not consider it something that should be criminalized, or penalized.... Freud felt there were a number of homosexuals he encountered who did not have a variety of complex problems that homosexuality was a part of. He found people who were totally normal in every other regard except in terms of their sexual preference. In fact, he saw many of them as having higher intellects, higher aesthetic sensibilities, higher morals; those kinds of things. He did not see it as something to criminalize or penalize, or to keep from psychoanalytic training. A lot of the psychoanalytic institutes felt if you were homosexual you should not be accepted; that was not Freud's position. ”



Dr. Alfred Kinsey's 1948 work Sexual Behavior in the Human Male found that "46% of the male population had engaged in both heterosexual and homosexual activities, or "reacted to" persons of both sexes, in the course of their adult lives".[12] The Kinsey Institute has stated that "Kinsey said in both the Male and Female volumes that it was impossible to determine the number of persons who are "homosexual" or "heterosexual". It was only possible to determine behavior at any given time".[12] Kinsey's book, and its companion Sexual Behavior in the Human Female, have received vocal criticism for their findings and methodology.[13][14][15][16] The New York Times called his research "conscientious and comprehensive"[17] and Professor Martin Duberman called it "skillful" and "a monumental endeavor".[18]

Despite common misconceptions, bisexuality does not require that a person be attracted equally to both sexes. In fact, people who have a distinct but not exclusive preference for one sex over the other can and often do identify as bisexual.[citation needed] A recent study by researchers Gerulf Rieger, Meredith L. Chivers, and J. Michael Bailey,[19] which attracted media attention in 2005, purported to find that bisexuality is extremely rare, and perhaps nonexistent, in men. This was based on results of controversial penile plethysmograph testing when viewing pornographic material involving only men and pornography involving only women. Critics claim that this study works from the assumption that a person is only truly bisexual if he or she exhibits virtually equal arousal responses to both opposite-sex and same-sex stimuli, and have consequently dismissed the self-identification of people whose arousal patterns showed even a mild preference for one sex. Some researchers say that the technique used in the study to measure genital arousal is too crude to capture the richness (erotic sensations, affection, admiration) that constitutes sexual attraction.[9] The study, and The New York Times article which reported it, were subsequently criticized as flawed and biphobic.[20][21][22] Lynn Conway criticized the author of the study, J. Michael Bailey, citing his controversial history, and pointing out that the study has not been scientifically repeated and confirmed by any independent researchers.[23] FAIR also criticised the study [24].

Dr. Fritz Klein claimed social and emotional attraction are very important elements in bisexual attraction. For example, a bisexual might be attracted to both feminine women and feminine men, but have little interest in masculine individuals.[citation needed] This individual, while they might be highly attracted to certain members of both sexes, would be unlikely to be attracted to most males in modern western society (who tend to be masculine).[citation needed] As this study employed 2-minute clips of standard heterosexual and homosexual pornography, the study would be blind to the this type of bisexual.[citation needed] One third of the men in each group showed no significant arousal. The study did not claim them to be asexual, and Rieger claimed their lack of response did not change the overall findings.



Shudo (Japanese pederasty): a young male entertains an older male lover, covering his eyes while surreptitiously kissing a female servant.

In some cultures, historical and literary records from most literate societies indicate that male bisexuality was common and indeed expected.[citation needed] These relationships were generally age-structured (as in the practice of pederasty in the Mediterranean Basin of antiquity,[25] or the practice of shudo in pre-modern Japan)[citation needed] or gender-structured (as in the Two-Spirit North American tradition or the Central Asian bacchá practices).[citation needed] Male heterosexuality and homosexuality, while also documented, appear mostly as exceptions, unless we are examining cultures influenced by the Abrahamic religions, where heterosexuality was privileged, and bisexuality and homosexuality forcefully suppressed.[citation needed] In fact, most of the commonly cited examples of male "homosexuality" in previous cultures would more properly be categorized as bisexuality.[citation needed] Determining the history of female bisexuality is more problematic, in that women in most of the studied societies were under the domination of the males, and on one hand had less self-determination and freedom of movement and expression, and on the other were not the ones writing or keeping the literary record.[citation needed] Sappho, however, is a notable exception.

In 124 CE the bisexual Roman emperor Hadrian met Antinous, a 13- or 14-year-old boy from Bithynia, and they began their pederastic relationship. Antinous was deified by Hadrian when he died six years later. Many statues, busts, coins and reliefs display Hadrian's deep affections for him. Ancient Rome, Arab countries up to and including the present, China, and Japan, all exhibit patterns of analogous bisexual behavior.[citation needed] In Japan in particular, due to its practice of shudo and the extensive art and literature associated with it, the record of a primarily bisexual lifestyle is both detailed and quite recent, dating back as recently as the 19th century.[citation needed] Bisexual behavior was also common among Roman and Chinese emperors, the shoguns of Japan, and others.[citation needed]

Nevertheless, it should be noted that the terms heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual, and the concept of "sexual orientation" itself are all modern sociological constructs and may not be appropriate in historical contexts in which behavior might be considered homosexual but people were not labeled using such terms.[citation needed]

[

Two athletes about to have sex, while a man watches; Apulian red-figure vase by the Dinos painter, 420BCE

Ancient Greek religious texts, reflecting cultural practices, incorporated bisexual themes. The subtexts varied, from the mystical to the didactic.[26]

Ancestral law in ancient Sparta mandated same-sex relationships with youths who were coming of age for all adult men, so long as the men eventually took wives and produced children.[citation needed] The Spartans thought that love and erotic relationships between experienced and novice soldiers would solidify combat loyalty and encourage heroic tactics as men vied to impress their lovers. Once the younger soldiers reached maturity, the relationship was supposed to become non-sexual, but it is not clear how strictly this was followed. There was some stigma attached to young men who continued their relationships with their mentors into adulthood.[26] For example, Aristophanes calls them euryprôktoi, meaning "wide arses", and depicts them like women.[26]

In Ancient Greece it is believed that males generally went through a homosexual stage in adolescence, followed by a bisexual stage characterized by pederastic relationships in young adulthood, followed by a (mostly) heterosexual stage later in life, when they married and had children.[citation needed] Alexander the Great, the Macedonian king, is thought to have been bisexual, and to have had a male lover named Hephaestion.[27]


Social status of bisexuality

Historically, bisexuality has largely been free of the social stigma associated with homosexuality, prevalent even where bisexuality was the norm.[citation needed] In Ancient Greece pederasty was not problematic as long as the men involved eventually married and had children. In many world cultures, homosexual affairs have been quietly accepted among upper-class men of good social standing (particularly if married),[citation needed] and heterosexual marriage has often been used successfully as a defense against accusations of homosexuality.[citation needed] On the other hand, there are bisexuals who marry or live with a heterosexual partner because they prefer the complementarity of different sexes in cohabiting and co-parenting but have felt greatly enriched by homosexual relationships alongside the marriage in both monogamous and "open" relationships.

Since the 1970s, there have been waves of bisexual chic, in which celebrities and other persons of some notoriety have embraced and advocated bisexuality. This has led to more acceptance of bisexuals in some regards; however, some have latched onto bisexual chic for publicity's sake, with varying degrees of sincerity and permanency. Such celebrities as David Bowie, Dave Navarro, Anne Heche and others have claimed bisexuality only to later renounce the idea.

Some in the homosexual community accuse those who self-identify as bisexual of duplicity, believing they are really homosexuals who engage in heterosexual activity merely to remain socially acceptable. They may be accused of "not doing their part" in gaining acceptance of "true" homosexuality. Some homosexual people may also suspect that a self-described bisexual is merely a homosexual in the initial stage of questioning their presumed heterosexuality, and will eventually accept that they are homosexual; this is expressed by a glib saying in gay culture: "Bi now, gay later." These situations can and do take place, but do not appear to be true of the majority of self-described bisexuals. Nonetheless, bisexuals do sometimes experience lesser acceptance from homosexual people, because of their declared orientation. Bisexual experimentation is also common in adolescents of every sexual orientation.[citation needed]

Bisexuals are often associated with men who engage in same-sex activity while closeted or heterosexually married. The majority of such men—said to be living on the down-low—do not self-identify as bisexual.[28]

Because some bisexual people do not feel that they fit into either the homosexual or the heterosexual world, and because they have a tendency to be "invisible" in public, some bisexual persons are committed to forming their own communities, culture, and political movements. However, since "Bisexual orientation can fall anywhere between the two extremes of homosexuality and heterosexuality",[citation needed] some who identify as bisexual may merge themselves into either homosexual or heterosexual society. Still other bisexual people see this merging as enforced rather than voluntary; bisexual people can face exclusion from both homosexual and heterosexual society on coming out. Psychologist Beth Firestein states that bisexuals also tend to internalize social tensions related to their choice of partners.[29] Firestein suggests bisexuals may feel pressured to label themselves as homosexuals instead of occupying a difficult middle ground in a culture that has it that if bisexuals are attracted to people of both sexes, they must have more than one partner, thus defying society's value on monogamy.[29] These social tensions and pressure may and do affect bisexuals' mental health.[29][30] Specific therapy methods have been developed for bisexuals to address this concern.[29]

Relatively few supportive bisexual communities exist, therefore there is not as much support from people who have gone through similar experiences. This effectively can make it more difficult for bisexuals to "come out" as such.[citation needed]



A common symbol of bisexual identity is the bisexual pride flag, which has a deep pink stripe at the top for homosexuality, a blue one on the bottom for heterosexuality, and a purple one, blended from the pink and blue, in the middle to represent bisexuality.[31]

The overlapping triangles

Another symbol of bisexual identity that uses the color scheme of the bisexual pride flag is a pair of overlapping pink and blue triangles, the pink triangle being a well-known symbol for the homosexual community, forming purple where they intersect.[32]

Bisexual moon symbol

Many homosexual and bisexual individuals have a problem with the use of the pink triangle symbol as it was the symbol that Hitler's regime used to tag homosexuals (similar to the yellow Star of David that is constituted of two opposed, overlapping triangles). Because pink triangles were used in the persecution of homosexuals in the Nazi regime, a double moon symbol was devised specifically to avoid the use of triangles.[33] This bisexual symbol is a double moon that is formed when the sex-specific attributes of the astrological symbol of Mars & Venus (representing heterosexual union) are reduced to the two circles open on both ends, thus symbolizing that bisexuals are open to either-sex unions.[citation needed] The color of the bisexual double moon symbol varies. The symbol is most often displayed with rainbow colors,[citation needed] signifying that bisexuals belong to the gay community.[citation needed] It also may appear with the pink-purple-blue colors of the bisexual pride flag.[citation needed] The double moon symbol is common in Germany and surrounding countries.[33]

[edit]
Bisexuality in non-human animals

Please help improve this article by expanding this section.
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Main article: Animal sexuality

Many non-human animal species also exhibit bisexual behavior. This is, of course, common in hermaphroditic animals, but is also known in many other species. Examples of mammals include the bonobo (formerly known as the pygmy chimpanzee), orca, and bottlenose dolphin. Examples of avians include some species of gulls and Humboldt Penguins. Other examples occur among fish, flatworms, and crustaceans.[34]

Many species of animals are involved in the act of forming sexual and relationship bonds between the same sex; even when offered the opportunity to breed with members of the opposite sex, they picked the same sex. Some of these species are gazelles, antelope, bison, and sage grouse.[35]

In some cases animals will choose intercourse with different sexes at different times in their life, and sometimes will perform intercourse with different sexes at random. Homosexual intercourse can also be seasonal in some animals like male walruses, who often engage in homosexual intercourse with each other outside of the breeding season and will revert to heterosexual intercourse during breeding season.[35]

In some cases bisexuality is actually a form of fitness favored by evolution. For example, in the absence of male whiptail lizards (Cnemidophorus), females reproduce by pairing up with each other. During the breeding season females will take turns switching between "male" and "female" roles as their hormones fluctuate. Estrogen levels are high during ovulation ("female" role) and much lower after laying eggs ("male" role). While in the "male" role, a female lizard will mount another in the "female" role and go through the motions of sex to stimulate egg-laying. The hatchlings produced are all female. This all-female species has evolved from lizards with two sexes, but their eggs develop without fertilization (parthenogenesis). Female whiptail lizards can lay eggs without sex, but they lay far fewer eggs than if they engage in sexual stimulation by another female.[36]

Although observed in a variety of forms in human societies[2] and in the animal kingdom[3][4] throughout recorded history, the term bisexuality (like the terms hetero- and homosexuality) was only coined in the 19th century

OPEN NEW YEAR WITH THIS "SEEK HELP TO YOUR BOSS"

After 2 years of selfless service, a man realized that he has not been promoted, no transfer, no salary increase no commendation and that the Company is not doing any thing about it. So he decided to walk up to his Boss one morning and after exchanging greetings, he told his Boss his observation.The boss looked at him, laughed and asked him to sit down saying;

My friend, you have not worked here for even one day.
The man was surprised to hear this, but the Boss went on to explain.

Boss :- How many days are there in a year?
Man:- 365 days and some times 366

Boss :- how many hours make up a day?
Man:- 24 hours

Boss:- How long do you work in a day?
Man:- 8 am to 4 pm i.e. 8 hours a day.
Boss :- So, what fraction of the day do you work in hours ?
Man:- (He did some arithmetic and said 8/24 hours i.e. 1/3(one third)

Boss:- That is nice of you! What is one-third of 366 days?
Man:- 122 (1/3x366 = 122 in days)

Boss :- Do you come to work on weekends?
Man:- No sir

Boss:- How many days are there in a year that are weekends?
Man:- 52 Saturdays and 52 Sundays equals to 104 days

Boss :- Thanks for that. If you remove 104 days from 122 days, how many days do you now have?
Man:- 18 days.

Boss:- OK! I do give you 2 weeks sick leave every year. Now remove that 14 days from the 18 days left. How many days do you have remaining?

Man:- 4 days

Boss :- Do you work on New Year day?
Man:- No sir!

Boss :- Do you come to work on workers day? (MAY DAY)?
Man:- No sir!

Boss:- So how many days are left?
Man:- 2 days sir!

Boss:- Do you come to work on the (National holiday )?
Man:- No sir!

Boss :- So how many days are left?
Man:- 1 day sir!

Boss :- Do you work on Christmas day?
Man:- No sir!

Boss:- So how many days are left?
Man:- None sir!

Boss:- So, what are you claiming?
Man:- I have understood, Sir. I did not realise that I was stealing Company money all these days.

Sakata la BoT - Mramba ageuka bubu!

ALIYEKUWA Waziri wa Fedha wakati ukifanyika ubadhirifu wa mamilioni ya shilingi kupitia Akaunti ya Malipo ya Madeni ya Nje (EPA) ndani ya Benki Kuu ya Tanzania (BoT), Basil Mramba, amekataa kuzungumza lolote kuhusu sakata hilo.

Mramba ambaye hivi sasa ni Waziri wa Viwanda, Biashara na Masoko, alikataa kueleza lolote kuhusu suala hilo ambalo Jumatano ya wiki iliyopita lilisababisha aliyekuwa Gavana wa BoT, Daudi Ballali apoteze wadhifa wake huo.

“Tafadhili, naomba unisamehe. Sipo kwenye nafasi ya kuzungumzia suala hilo. Kama ni ile EPA ya Economic Partnership Agreement nitasema, lakini siyo hiyo,” alisema Mramba.

Wakati Mramba akipata kigugumizi kuzungumzia suala hilo, Waziri wa Fedha, Zakia Meghji, kwa upande wake amesema hana wasiwasi wowote kuhusu hatima yake katika suala hilo.

Akizungumza na Tanzania Daima kwa simu jana, Waziri Meghji alieleza kushangazwa na watu wanaomhusisha na tuhuma hizo, huku wakijua kuwa hausiki nazo kwa namna yoyote.

Waziri Meghji alisema anatambua vyema kwamba, uamuzi wake wa kuwanyima baadhi ya watu misamaha ya kodi, ikiwa ni pamoja na hatua nyingine za kiudhibiti alizozichukua, ni sehemu ya mambo iliyomjengea maadui ambao sasa wanataka kuitumia kashfa ya EPA kumtaka awajibike.

“Sina wasiwasi, niko imara kwa kuwa natambua kwamba sijatenda kosa lolote katika sakata hili zima… najua kuna watu ambao wanafanya mambo haya kwa sababu tu ya maamuzi niliyochukua ya kuwanyima exemptions (misamaha ya kodi),” alisema Meghji.

Barua za Wizara ya Fedha ambazo Tanzania Daima imeziona zinaonyesha kuwa, Septemba 15 mwaka 2006, Waziri Meghji aliandika barua kwenda kwa kampuni ya ukaguzi wa kimataifa iliyokuwa ikikagua mahesabu ya BoT ya Deloitte & Touche akitetea malipo ya dola za Marekani 30,732,658.82 kwenda kampuni ya Kagoda Agriculture ambayo sasa inahusishwa na ubadhirifu kupitia kashfa hiyo ya EPA.

Katika barua hiyo, Meghji amekaririwa akisema kwamba fedha hizo zilikuwa zimetolewa kwa matumizi maalum ya siri kwa idhini ya serikali na akawataka wakaguzi hao kutambua kuwa suala hilo lilifanywa kwa kuzingatia sheria za nchi.

Hata hivyo, barua nyingine inaonyesha kuwa, siku nne baada ya kuandika barua hiyo (yaani Septemba 19, 2006), Waziri Meghji alibadili uamuzi huo na akaiandikia kampuni hiyo ya ukaguzi barua nyingine ya kufuta barua yake ya awali.

Meghji katika barua yake hiyo ya pili anakaririwa akisema kwamba, barua yake ya kwanza ilikuwa imeandaliwa na aliyekuwa Gavana wa Benki Kuu, Daudi Ballali ambaye kimsingi ndiye aliyempa ushauri wa kuiandika ile ya kwanza.

Katika barua yake hiyo ya pili, Meghji aliandika kwamba, alikuwa amelazimika kuifuta barua yake ya awali baada ya kutambua kuwa, malipo hayo kwa Kagoda Agriculture hayakuwa sahihi kwa taratibu za kiserikali.

Meghji alieleza kushangazwa kwake na kuibuka kwa mjadala katika intaneti, ambao umekuwa ukimhusisha na sakata hilo la EPA ilhali ikijulikana bayana kwamba matukio yaliyobainisha kupotea kwa shilingi bilioni 133 yalitokea wakati yeye akiwa Waziri wa Maliasili na Utalii.

“Mimi nashangazwa sana na mjadala huu unaopinduliwa hivi sasa. Watu wanaijadili kashfa hii kama vile mimi ndiye nilikuwa Waziri wa Fedha mwaka 2005 wakati hayo yakitokea,” alisema Meghji kwa uchungu.

Waziri Meghji alisema pia kwamba, yeye ndiye aliyekuwa mtu wa kwanza kuamuru kufanyika kwa uchunguzi katika akaunti hiyo ya EPA, Desemba 4, 2006 miezi kadhaa kabla suala hilo halijafika kabisa bungeni.

Wakati sakata hilo likiendelea, imebainika kwamba, Bodi ya Wakurugenzi wa Benki Kuu ya Tanzania (BoT) iliyopo sasa hivi watamaliza muda wao Jumamosi ya wiki hii na hivyo kutoa fursa kwa bodi mpya kuanza kazi.

Taarifa ya BoT kwa vyombo vya habari iliyotolewa jana inaeleza kwamba, bodi hiyo mpya inayoanza kazi Jumatatu ya wiki ijayo baada ya kuzinduliwa na Waziri wa Fedha, chini ya uenyekiti wa Gavana mpya, Profesa Benno Ndulu, imeshajipanga kwa ajili ya kuanza kutekeleza kazi iliyopewa na Rais Jakaya Kikwete ya kukutana na kuwachukulia hatua za kinidhamu watumishi wote wa BoT walio chini ya mamlaka yake, ambao walihusika kwa namna moja au nyingine katika sakata la EPA.

Wakurugenzi wa bodi hiyo iliyoundwa Novemba 2007 ni, Profesa Ndulu ambaye ni Mwenyekiti na Gavana, Dk. Enos Bukuku, Juma Reli na Lila Mkila.

Wengine ni Profesa Haidari Amani, Ali Mufuruki, Dk. Natu Mwamba, na mwingine atakayetoka Zanzibar, ambaye bado hajateuliwa.

Wengine ni Katibu Mkuu wa Wizara ya Fedha kutoka Jamhuri ya Muungano na Katibu Mkuu Hazina kutoka Serikali ya Mapinduzi Zanzibar ambao wote wanaingia kwa nyadhifa zao.

Mjumbe wa mwisho wa bodi hiyo ni Bosco Kimela, ambaye ndiye anakuwa Kaimu Katibu wa Bodi.

Taarifa hiyo ya BoT imesema kwamba, mara baada ya bodi hiyo kuzinduliwa, Gavana Ndulu ataitisha mkutano mara moja na kuanza kuyafanyia kazi maelekezo ya rais kwa bodi hiyo kufuatilia kashfa ya EPA.

Tuhuma za ufisadi na ubadhirifu wa BoT zilitolewa hadharani kwa mara ya kwanza na Katibu Mkuu wa Chama cha Demokrasia (CHADEMA), Dk. Willibrod Slaa, alipokuwa akichangia hotuba ya bajeti ya serikali kwa mwaka 2007/08 na baadaye akapanga kuwasilisha hoja binafsi bungeni ya kutaka kuundwa kwa Kamati Teule ya Bunge kulichunguza suala hilo.

Katika tuhuma hizo, Dk. Slaa alinukuu taarifa kadhaa kutoka katika mtandao wa intaneti zilizokariri baadhi ya majina ya watu, akiwamo Ballali na akaorodhesha jinsi ambavyo wamekuwa wakihujumu fedha za umma kupitia BoT. Hata hivyo, kwa nyakati tofauti hoja hizo za Slaa zilionekana kutiliwa shaka na viongozi kadhaa wa juu serikalini.

Hata hivyo, siku chache baadaye, Waziri wa Fedha, Zakia Meghji na Waziri Mkuu, Edward Lowassa, kwa nyakati tofauti walikiri kuwa serikali ilikuwa na taarifa kuhusu tuhuma katika akaunti ya EPA na wakaahidi kuwa tayari serikali ilikuwa imemwagiza Mdhibiti na Mkaguzi Mkuu wa Serikali kuitafuta kampuni ya kimataifa ya ukaguzi kuzifanyia kazi.

Kwa upande wake, wakati kikao hicho cha bajeti kikiendelea, Lowassa, alikaririwa akisema kuwa tuhuma hizo zinashtua na kuwa serikali ilikuwa inazifanyia kazi kwa umakini.

Kana kwamba haitoshi, Septemba 15 mwaka jana, katika mkutano wa hadhara uliofanyika kwenye viwanja vya Mwembeyanga Temeke, Dar es Salaam, Dk. Slaa alitaja orodha ya majina 11 ya viongozi kadhaa wa serikali, akiwatuhumu kwa ufisadi likiwamo jina la Ballali.

Kuundwa kwa EPA kulitokana na upungufu wa fedha za kigeni serikalini kati ya miaka ya 1970 na 1990 hivyo, BoT ilipewa jukumu la kusimamia matumizi ya fedha za kigeni kwa niaba ya serikali.

Kabla ya jukumu hilo kukabidhiwa rasmi BoT, kazi za EPA zilifanywa na Benki ya Taifa ya Biashara (NBC). Lakini, Juni 1998 iliamuliwa kuwa zifanywe na BoT.

WHAT IS LESBIAN?

A LESBIAN is a woman who is romantically and sexually attracted only to other women.[1][2] Women who are attracted to both women and men are more often referred to as bisexual. An individual's self-identification might not correspond with her behavior, and may be expressed with either, both, or neither of these words.

The word lesbian dates back at least to 1732 and lesbianism appears in the 1870 Oxford English Dictionary meaning sexual orientation rather than a reference to Sappho and inhabitants of Lesbos. Lesbian as an adjective is in the 1890 Oxford English Dictionary and as a noun by 1925. Until the early twentieth century lesbian was interchangeable with Sapphist.[3]

Broadened meaning

Calling an historical figure a lesbian can be misleading. Women who have written about their affection for each other, along with spinsters who lived together for years, have often been viewed without much hint they had intimate relationships. With the coming of second wave feminism in the later 20th century a tendency to view all women in more or less heterosexual terms stirred a rebellion in which the definition of lesbian was challenged. Some groups widened the definition to mean any woman who didn't live a traditional heterosexual life.[4] In 1970 the Radicalesbians stated, "A lesbian is the rage of all women condensed to the point of explosion."[5] In 1980 feminist writer and poet Adrienne Rich proposed a continuum of lesbian relationships ranging from sexual to platonic. Rich wrote that instead of genital or sexual relationships between women, lesbian can mean any woman who skirts a conventional married life and resists male tyranny. Rich suggested lesbian relationships can happen between women who live or work together, even within the same family.[6]

An updated take on this wider definition has to do with the girl crush as written about by Stephanie Rosenbloom in The New York Times. Rosenbloom defines a girl crush as "that fervent infatuation that one heterosexual woman develops for another woman who may seem impossibly sophisticated, gifted, beautiful or accomplished." Such girl crushes may trigger the same kind of feelings involved in a romance and although not sexual in nature, these feelings may sway relationship dynamics if the object of the crush learns about them.[7] This broadening of the meaning for lesbian as any woman who bonds with another woman became known as woman identified woman. However, this usage has been criticized as desexualizing lesbians. Cheshire Calhoun wrote in 1995 "When feminist woman loving replaces lesbian genital sexuality, lesbian sexual identity disappears into feminist identity."[8]

History


Sappho as depicted through a 2nd century CE Roman copy of an ancient Greek bust.

The earliest known written references to same-sex love between women are attributed to Sappho (the eponym of sapphism), who lived on the island of Lesbos in ancient Greece from about 625 to 570 BCE and wrote poems which apparently expressed her sexual attraction to other females. Modern scholarship has suggested a parallel between ancient Greek pederasty and the friendships Sappho formed with her students.[9][10] Lesbian relationships were also common among the Lacedaemonians of ancient Sparta. Plutarch wrote "love was so esteemed among them that girls also became the erotic objects of noble women."[11]

Accounts of lesbian relationships are found in poetry and stories from ancient China. Research by anthropologist Liza Dalby, based mostly on erotic poems exchanged between women, has suggested lesbian relationships were commonplace and socially accepted in Japan during the Heian Period. In medieval Arabia there were reports of relations between harem residents, although these were sometimes suppressed. For example Caliph Musa al-Hadi ordered the beheading of two girls who were surprised during lovemaking.[12] During the twelfth-century Etienne de Fougères derided lesbians in his Livre des manières (about CE 1170), likening them to hens behaving as roosters and reflecting a general tendency among religious and secular authorities in Europe to reject any notion women could be properly sexual without men.[13]

Sexuality
See also: Lesbian sexual practices

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's 1893 painting In Bed

Sexual activity between women is as diverse as sex between heterosexuals or gay men. Some women in same-sex relationships do not identify as lesbian, but as bisexual, queer, or another label. As with any interpersonal activity, sexual expression depends on the context of the relationship.

Recent cultural changes in Western and a few other societies have enabled lesbians to express their sexuality more freely, which has resulted in new studies on the nature of female sexuality. Research undertaken by the U.S. Government's National Center for Health Research in 2002 was released in a 2005 report called Sexual Behavior and Selected Health Measures: Men and Women 15-44 Years of Age, United States, 2002. The results indicated that among women aged 15-44, 4.4 percent reported having had a sexual experience with another woman during the previous 12 months. When women aged 15–44 years of —age were asked, "Have you ever had any sexual experience of any kind with another female?" 11 percent answered "yes".

There is a growing body of research and writing on lesbian sexuality, which has brought some debate about the control women have over their sexual lives, the fluidity of woman-to-woman sexuality, the redefinition of female sexual pleasure and the debunking of negative sexual stereotypes. One example of the latter is lesbian bed death, a term invented by sex researcher Pepper Schwartz to describe the supposedly inevitable diminution of sexual passion in long term lesbian relationships; this notion is rejected by many lesbians, who point out that passion tends to diminish in almost any relationship and many lesbian couples report happy and satisfying sex lives.

Public policy
See also National Center for Lesbian Rights, Category:Lesbian politicians and National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.

Same-sex married couple at San Francisco Pride 2004.

In Western societies, explicit prohibitions on women's homosexual behavior have been markedly weaker than those on men's homosexual behavior. During the 1990s, dozens of chapters of Lesbian Avengers were formed to press for lesbian visibility and rights. Same-sex marriage has now been legalized in Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Canada, and South Africa but it is still not permitted by many countries. In 2004 Massachusetts became the first state in the US to legalize same-sex marriages.[14]

In the United Kingdom, lesbianism has never been illegal. In contrast, sexual activity between males was not made legal in England and Wales until 1967. It is said that lesbianism was left out of the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885 because Queen Victoria did not believe sex between women was possible, but this story may be apocryphal.[15] A 1921 proposal, put forward by Frederick Macquisten MP to criminalize lesbianism was rejected by the House of Lords; during the debate, Lord Birkenhead, the then Lord Chancellor argued that 999 women out of a thousand had "never even heard a whisper of these practices."[16] In 1928, the lesbian novel The Well of Loneliness was banned for obscenity in a highly publicized trial, not for any explicit sexual content but because it made an argument for acceptance.[17] Meanwhile other, less political novels with lesbian themes continued to circulate freely.[18]

Jewish religious teachings condemn male homosexual behavior but say little about lesbian behavior. However, the approach in the modern State of Israel, with its largely secular Jewish majority, does not outlaw or persecute gay sexual orientation; marriage between gay couples is not sanctioned but common law status and official adoption of a gay person's child by his or her partner have been approved in precedent court rulings (after numerous high court appeals). There is also an annual Gay parade, usually held in Tel-Aviv; in 2006, the "World Pride" parade was scheduled to be held in Jerusalem.

Western-style homosexuality is rarely tolerated elsewhere in the Muslim world, with the exception of Turkey where there are no laws or discriminative policies against lesbianism. It is punishable by imprisonment, lashings, or death in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Though the law against lesbianism in Iran has reportedly been revoked or eased, prohibition of male homosexuality remains.

Many lesbian couples seek to have children through adoption, but this is not legal in every country.

In some countries access to assisted birth technologies by lesbians has been the subject of debate. In Australia the High Court rejected a ban on access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments for lesbian and single women.[19][20] Immediately after this High Court decision, Prime Minister John Howard amended legislation in order to prevent access to IVF for these groups, effectively overruling the High Court decision and enforcing the Roman Catholic position, which raised indignation from the gay and lesbian community as well as groups representing the rights of single women.

Parthenogenesis
See also: Lesbian utopia

Parthenogenesis occurs naturally in some plant and insect species but not in mammals. However, scientists have created mice pups from two female mice. There is a possibility that with further research the same or similar procedure could allow two human females to be the genetic parents of the same child.[21] Additionally, parthenogenesis and cloning opens the prospect for any single individual, male or female to eventually be able to reproduce themselves.

Lesbian feminism
See also: Lesbian feminism and Feminism

Many lesbians have been involved in women's rights. Late in the 19th century, the term Boston marriage was used to describe romantic unions between women living together, often while contributing to the suffrage movement. Lesbian feminism gained renewed popularity in North America and Western Europe during the "second wave" of the 1970s and early 1980s. By the end of the 1970s lesbian feminism was accepted as a field of study within academic institutions, although mostly as a branch of feminist disciplines. More recently, lesbian feminism has emerged as an expression of dissatisfaction with the 1970s era second wave feminist and gay liberation movements.[22]

Lesbian feminist texts have examined the influence of institutions such as patriarchy, capitalism and colonialism on gender and sexuality with mixed success, sometimes describing lesbianism as a rational result of alienation and dissatisfaction with these institutions. In her 1980 essay Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence, Adrienne Rich characterized heterosexuality as a violent political institution making way for the "male right of physical, economical, and emotional access" to women. Other key thinkers and activists have included Rita Mae Brown, Audre Lorde, Marilyn Frye, Mary Daly and Sheila Jeffreys.

Culture
See also: Lesbian culture and Category:Lesbian musicians


Throughout history hundreds of lesbians have been well-known figures in the arts and culture.

Before the influence of European sexology emerged at the turn of the Twentieth Century, in cultural terms female homosexuality remained almost invisible as compared to male homosexuality, which was subject to the law and thus more regulated and reported by the press. However with the publication of works by sexologists like Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, Richard von Krafft-Ebing, Havelock Ellis, Edward Carpenter, and Magnus Hirschfeld, the concept of active female homosexuality became better known.

As female homosexuality became more visible it was described as a medical condition. In Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality (1905), Sigmund Freud referred to female homosexuality as inversion or inverts and characterised female inverts as possessing male characteristics. Freud drew on the "third sex" ideas popularized by Magnus Hirschfeld and others. While Freud admitted he had not personally studied any such "aberrant" patients he placed a strong emphasis on psychological rather than biological causes. Freud's writings did not become well-known in English-speaking countries until the late 1920s.

This combination of sexology and psychoanalysis eventually had a lasting impact on the general tone of most lesbian cultural productions. A notable example is the 1928 novel The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall, in which these sexologists are mentioned along with the term invert, which later fell out of favour in common usage. Freud's interpretation of lesbian behavior has since been rejected by most psychiatrists and scholars, although recent biological research has provided findings that may bolster a Hirschfeld-ian "third sex" interpretation of same-sex attraction.

Since the 1980s lesbians have been increasingly visible in mainstream cultural fields such as music (Melissa Etheridge, K.D. Lang and the Indigo Girls), television (Ellen DeGeneres, Rosie O'Donnell, and Portia de Rossi), sports (Martina Navrátilová, Amélie Mauresmo, Lisa Raymond and Billie Jean King) and in comic books (Alison Bechdel and Diane DiMassa). More recently lesbian eroticism has flowered in fine art photography and the writing of authors such as Pat Califia, Jeanette Winterson and Sarah Waters and Stella Duffy. There is an increasing body of lesbian films such as Desert Hearts, Go Fish, Loving Annabelle, Watermelon Woman, Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, Everything Relative, and Better than Chocolate (see List of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender-related films). Classic novels such as those by Jane Rule, Vin Packer, Ann Aldrich, and Ann Bannon have been reprinted. Moreover, prominent and controversial academic writers such as Camille Paglia and Germaine Greer also identify with lesbianism.

Media depictions

Lesbians often attract media attention, particularly in relation to feminism, love and sexual relationships, marriage and parenting. Some writers have asserted this trend can lead to exploitive and unjustified plot devices.[23]

Monday, January 14, 2008

Mapinduzi ya Zanzibar ndani ya Mapinduzi

VISIWA vya Zanzibar vilipata uhuru wa bendera Desemba 10, 1963 kutokana na Uchaguzi Mkuu uliofanyika Julai 8-15, 1963 pale muungano wa vyama vya Zanzibar Nationalist Party (ZNP) na Zanzibar and Pemba People`s Party (ZNPP)-ZNP/ZNPP ulipoibuka mshindi kwa viti 18 katika Bunge dhidi ya viti 13 vya chama cha Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP).

Kwa ushindi huo, Mohamed Shamte wa ZPPP aliteuliwa kuwa Waziri Mkuu wa kwanza wa Zanzibar na Sultan wa Zanzibar Jamshid bin Abdallah Khalfa Harubu alibakia kama Mkuu wa nchi, mwenye mamlaka ya kuteua mrithi (Gazeti la serikali 1963).

Kilichoshangaza ulimwengu ni jinsi Serikali ya Shamte ilivyopinduliwa hima, siku 34 tu toka uhuru wa bendera, yaani Januari 12, 1964 katika mabadiliko sawia ambayo wachambuzi wa mambo ya kisiasa wanayaeleza kuwa ni ya aina yake katika nchi za Kiafrika, Kusini mwa Jangwa la Sahara, ukiondoa Guinea ya enzi za Rais Sekou Toure. Nini na kina nani ‘waliochochea’ mapinduzi hayo?

Wakati kuna majibu ya kutosha juu ya sababu ya Mapinduzi hayo, bado ni kitendawili ni nani aliyaanzisha na kuyaongoza kiasi kwamba suala hili limepata simulizi na tafsiri mbalimbali zinazokinzana na kuacha umma gizani.

Katika makala haya kwa kutumia vyanzo mbalimbali tutaelezea matukio yaa kabla, wakati na baada ya Mapinduzi, kuwawezesha wasomaji kupata angalau picha ya nini kilichotokea ili kuweza kujibu swali “nini na nani alichochea au kuongoza Mapinduzi ya Januari 12, 1964 ambayo sherehe za miaka 44 ya kumbukumbu yake zinafanyika Jumamosi hii.

Harakati za uhuru Zanzibar kwa sehemu kubwa ziliendeshwa na vyama vikuu viwili –ZNP kilichoundwa Desemba 1955 na ASP kilichoanzishwa Februari 5, 1957.

Kati ya mwaka 1959 na 1963 kuelekea uchaguzi wa Julai 1963, mitafaruku ilizuka miongoni mwa wanaharakati wa vyama hivyo, Mohamed Shante akijiengua kutoka ASP na kuunda chama cha ZPPP ambapo Abdulrahman Mohamed Babu alijitoa ZNP na kuunda Umma Party (UP) chama cha mrengo wa kushoto.

Katika uchaguzi wa Julai 1961, ASP kilipata asilimia 49.9 ya kura zote, ZNP kilipata asilimia 35 na ZPPP asilimia 13.7. Hata hivyo, pamoja na ushindi wa kura ASP, kilishindwa kutamba katika viti vya bunge (LEGCO) kilipopata viti 10, ZNP 10 na ZPPP vitatu.

Uchaguzi huo ambao haukupata mshindi na ulifuatiwa na ghasia, zilizoacha watu 68 wakiuawa na wengine 400 wakiwa majeruhi. Watu 100 walikamatwa hivyo ilibidi urudiwe Julai, 1963, chini ya ulinzi mkali wa askari zaidi ya 100 waliwamo askari wa Kiingereza.



WAZIRI Mkuu Shamte na baraza lake la mawaziri lililopinduliwa.

Matokeo ya uchaguzi huo yalikuwa kama ifuatavyo muungano wa ZNP/ZPPP viti 18 na ASP viti 13 chama cha umma hakikugombea. Shamte alishauriwa aunde Serikali ya mseto kati ya ZNP/ZPPP na ASP ili kulinda umoja wa kimataifa, lakini alikataa kwa kiburi kwamba hawezi kukubali “kugawana mateka”

Sherehe za uhuru zilifanyika Desemba 9, 1961 zikihudhuriwa na watu mbalimbali mashuhuri kutoka nchi 70, akiwamo mwana wa Mfalme (Duke) wa Edinburgh pamoja na Aga Khan. Hakuna kiongozi yeyote wa Afrika aliyehudhuria.

Katika salamu zake za uhuru siku hiyo, Babu wa Umma Party aliwashangaza watu alipomaliza kwa kusema “umma wa Zanzibar na chama chao cha UMMA unasubiri kunyakua madaraka ya nchi saa itakapowadia”. Alikuwa na maana gani?

Serikali ya Shamte ilitoa haraka haraka madaraka makubwa kwa Wazanzibar katika Jeshi la Polisi, ambayo kabla ya hapo yalishikwa zaidi na Wamakonde kutoka Tanganyika na Msumbiji Kaskazini, ambao sasa waliachishwa kazi na kubakia Visiwani kwa uchungu bila kazi.

Mapema Januari 1964 (kabla ya Mapinduzi) Serikali ya Shamte ilikipiga marufuku chama cha UMMA na Babu akawa anasakwa kwa kosa la uhaini kwa kuhutubia mkutano wiki mbili kabla na kumshambulia Sultan na Serikali ya “kibaraka” Shamte. Kwa sababu hiyo alikimbilia Dar es Salaam kukwepa kukamatwa.

Tetesi za Mapinduzi zilianza asubuhi Jumamosi ya Januari 11,1964 ambapo Sultan Jamshid alidokezwa uvumi kwamba kungetokea machafuko siku hiyo usiku au kesho yake lakini kwa kuhakikishwa na waziri wa usalama kwamba huo ulikuwa ni uvumi usio namsingi aliamua kuupuuza.

Jioni ya siku hiyo askri wa kuzuia fujo Kambi ya Mtoni walipewa amri kwenda kuzuia fujo mjini Unguja umbali wa kilomita tatu wakabakia huko usiku huo. Ndipo vikundi vya wananchi viliposhambulia na kuteka Kituo cha Polisi cha Ziwani na kujipatia silaha na hatimaye kushambulia Kituo cha Mtoni kwa uraisi na kuteka silaha nyingi zaidi.

Hadi saa 11.00 alfajiri Vituo vya Ziwani na Mtoni vilikuwa vimesalimu amri, upinzani pekee ukibaki Kituo cha Malindi karibu na bandari ya Unguja.

Wakati huo huo Shamte aliendelea kutapatapa kuomba Uingereza ipeleke majeshi, lakini ombi hilo likakataliwa kwa sababu nchi hiyo haikuwa na mkataba wa ulinzi na Zanzibar. Alitumia ndege ndogo Pemba kuleta silaha lakini ilishindikana kurejea baada ya Uwanja wa Zanzibar kufungwa.

Saa 3.00 asubuhi Sultan Jamshind alitaarifiwa na watu wake kuwa majeshi ya Serikali yalikuwa yameshindwa na kwamba aondoke Zanzibar katika muda wa dakika 10.

Kwa kutumia ulinzi wa Kituo cha Malindi, Jamshid alitoroka jumba la kifalme akaingia kwenye boti iendayo kasi iliyoitwa Salama na kuingia kwenye meli “Seyyid Khalfa” kwenda Mombasa kutafuta hifadhi, lakini Serikali ya Kenya ikamkalia, akageuza njia kuelekea Dar es Salaam.

Siku hiyo ya Jumapili ambayo ndiyo ilikuwa siku kwanza ya Mapinduzi machafuko yaliendelea hadi mashambani kwa walalahoi kuwashambulia mamwinyi.

Siku ya kwanza; Jumapili Januari 12:

Asubuhi uvumi ulienea kwamba Mapinduzi yaliendeshwa na vyama vya UMMA na ASP, kwamba UMMA waliratibu oparesheni yote na ASP walitoa askari. Uvumi huo ulisema vijana wa Babu wanashirikiana na washauri kutoka Cuba.




"Field Marshal" John Okello na wanamapinduzi wenzake.

Jioni ya siku hiyo, mtu mmoja mwenye sauti nzito, alitangaza kwa Kiswahili kupitia Radio Zanzibar na kujitambulisha (bila kutaja jina) kama “Field Marshal” alisema “sasa Zanzibar ni Jamhuri, vyama vya ASP na UMMA vitaunda Serikali mpya, Rais atakuwa Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume”. Katika hali ya kukanganya aliita kwa sauti ya kuamrisha “Karume (popote ulipo) rudi haraka kuchukua nafasi yako”

Inasemekana Karume aliondoka Dar es salaam siku ya Jumamosi kabla ya Mapinduzi kuanza au kushika kasi kwa madai ya kwenda kumweleza Mwalimu Julius Nyerer jinsi Mapinduzi yanavyofanyika na kufuatiwa na Kassim Hanga siku ya Jumapili asubuhi kwa madai ya kwenda kupata bunduki zaidi.

Itakumbukwa kuwa kwamba Babu wa UMMA alikuwa Dar es Salaam tangu alipotoroka huko kukwepa kukamatwa sasa kama wote hawa hawakuweao Zanzibar nani aliongoza Mapinduzi?

Kitu kingine kinachoshangazaa wengi ni kuwa katika orodha ya wajumbe 30 wa Baraza la Mapinduzi iliyotolewa baadaye jina la Okello ni la kwanza lakini Karume halikuwapo hata miongoni mwa majina ya wajumbe 14 wa Kamati ya Mapinduzi (Gazeti la Serikali , Januari 25, 1964).

Usiku siku hiyo Mwalimu Nyerere alionana na Karume Ikulu na kumshauri arudi Zanzibar mara moja baada ya kuona hapakuwa na sababu ya yeye kuwa Dar es Salaam.

Siku ya pili; Jumatatu Januari 13:

Asubuhi “Field Marshal”alijitambulisha kama kawaida kupitia redioni kwa jina la John Okello kisha kwa sauti yenye mamlaka akaendelea kusema: “Sultan amefukuzwa mguu wake hautakanyaga tena ardhi yetu, jumba lake na mali yake itataifishwa” kisha akaiomba Serikali ya Tanganyika ipeleke ndege nzima ya dawa na kuwataka wauguzi wote warudi kazini.

Aliendelea kutamba: “Nitachukua hatua kali, kali mara 88 zaidi, hakuna ruhusa mtu kuacha mke wake atakayefanya hivyo atapata viboko 65; Sultan alikuwa shetani na kibaraka wa mabepari. Mtu atakayejaribu kuwa mnafiki atafungwa miaka 50, atakayeiba hata mche wa sabuni atafungwa miaka minane. Mimi ni Field Marshal naweza kutengeneza mabomu 800 kwa saa moja”

Siku hiyo mchana, Oscar Kambona, Waziri wa Ulinzi na Mambo ya Nje wa Tanganyika, alimpigia simu Rais Nyerere kutoka Nairobi kumjulisha kuwa Kenya na Uganda zimeitambua Serikali ya Mapinduzi na kumwomba aitambue pia bila kumeza maneno Nyerere alikataa kwa kuwa hakuwa na hakika kwamba Karume na ASP walikuwa wameshika hatamu na kwamba hakuyapendelea mauaji yaliyokuwa yakiendelea.

Kwa mujibu wa Okello baadaye alieleza kuwa watu 9,999 waliuwawa lakini kulikuwa na taarifa nyingine za kuwa walikuwa ni 200, japo taarifa za Mzungu mmoja Visiwani zilikadiria watu 6,000 kuwa waliuawa.

Vivyo hivyo katika simu hiyo Kambona alimjurisha Nyerere juu ya Sultan Jamshid kukataliwa kutia nanga Mombasa na kumshauri naye asimruhusu, hata hivyo, Nyerere alimjibu Kambona kuwa hakuwa na ugomvi na Sultan, kwa hiyo, hakuwa na sababu ya kutomruhusu nchini.



KARUME na John Okello

Karume na Hanga waliondoka Dar es salaam kutokea eneo la “Silver Sands” saa 8.00 alfajiri (saa 24 baada ya Mapinduzi kwanza) kuelekea Zanzibar kwa boti ya Fainzilber na kufika Zanzibar saa 6.30 baadaye eneo la Kizimkazi asubuhi ya Jumanne waliomba na kupata usafiri wa gari la mwalimu mmoja wa shule na kwenda moja kwa moja eneo la Raha Leo na kulakiwa na “Field Marshal” wakala chakula pamoja.

Siku ya tatu; Jumanne Januari 14:

“Field Marshal” John Okello alitangaza kupitia redio kwamba mawaziri wanne wa Serikali ya zamani watanyongwa, lakini Karume alipinga siku iliyofuata (Januari 15) kwamba hakutakuwepo kulipiza kisasi.

Siku hiyo Mwalimu Nyerere alikwenda Nairobi kuonana na Waziri Mkuu wa Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta, kuzungumzia uundwaji wa shirikisho la nchi za Afrika Mashariki. Ni katika ziara hiyo Mwalimu alipoanza kubaini kwamba Jomo Kenyatta hakuwa na shauku ya kuundwa kwa shirikisho hilo ambalo ndoto yake haijatokea kuwa ya kweli hadi leo.

Siku ya nne; Jumatano Januari 15:

Sultan Jamshid aliyekataliwa kutia nanga Mombasa na Serikali ya Kenya alitia nanga Dar es Salaam na kuruhusiwa na Mwalimu Nyerere kukaa nchini hadi alipokamilisha mipango yake ya kukimbilia uhamishoni Uingereza siku nne baadaye.

Siku ya tano Alhamisi Januari 16:

Huku “Field Mashal” Okello akiendelea kutoa matangazo mbalimbali kupitia radio, Karume, Babu na Hanga waliondoka kwa ndege kwenda kuonana na Nyerere kumwomba aitambue Serikali yao na kuomba askari wachache kuweza kurejesha amani na utulivu Visiwani. Siku mbili baadaye askari 300 waliwasili Zanzibar.

Okello pengine bila kufahamu juu ya safari ya Karume, Babu na Hanga, alitangaza redioni kulalamika kwamba alifanya makosa kumteua Karume kuwa Rais kwa sababu hakushiriki hata kidogo katika mapambano, hivyo siku hiyo, Okello alijipa mwenyewe cheo cha Rais na kumtangaza Karume kuwa makamu wake.

Mchana “Field Marshal” Okello alitembelea makao makuu yake yaliyokuwa kwenye Jumba la Manjano, Raha Leo ambako umati mkubwa wa watu ulikuwa ukimsubiri kumwona akiwa amevaa mavazi meusi ya kijeshi, mara alipojitokeza tu umati ulizizima kwa shangwe na kupiga kelele “Jamhuri! Jamhuri!.......”

Siku hiyo Okello alikaribisha wageni wa kimataifa na kwa msaada wa mkalimani alizungumza kwa kirefu habari za maisha yake na jinsi alivyopanga Mapinduzi ya Januari 12 bila kumwambia Karume wa sababu angeyazuia kutokana na ukweli kwamba bado alikuwa na matumaini ya kufika mwafaka na Shamte wa kuunda serikali ya mseto.

Huko nyuma Karume alimtumia Shamte ujumbe mara mbili kumbebeleza akubali lakini Shamte alikataa kata kata akitaka ASP kivunjwe.

Siku ya nane; Jumapili Januari 19:

Siku ya sita na ya saba, Okello aliendelea kutangazia umma juu ya Mapinduzi na matarajio yake kama kawaida lakini siku ya nane aliondoka kwenda Dar es Salaam kama mapumziko kidogo baada ya kazi kubwa. Usiku huo alionana na Mwalimu Nyerere Ikulu na alishauriwa kufanya kazi kwa imani na Rais Karume. Aliporejea Zanzibar siku moja baadaye aliambiwa anatakiwa Dar es Salaam. Nyerere alimkamata Uwanja wa Ndege wa Dar es salaam na kurejeshwa kwao Uganda.




John Okello akiwa chini ya ulinzi

Kwa hiyo wanaharakati hawakuyatambua matokeo ya uchaguzi wa 1961 na 1963 na kwamba ASP kilidai kupokonywa ushindi. Lakini swali juu ya nani aliongoza Mapinduzi ya Januari 12 halijapata jibu.

Tunaambiwa kuwa ni Mzee Karume aliyeongoza mapambano, lakini hoja hii imejaa ukingu baridi na maswali tele kwa nini alikimbilia Dar es Salaam kabla au mara Mapinduzi. Kama ilikuwa ni kumjulisha Mwalimu Nyerere juu ya Mapinduzi kama alivyodai kwa nini asingepiga simu?

Kwa nini Nyerere hakuyatambua Mapinduzi mapema na kwa haraka kama zilivyofanya Kenya na Uganda? Kwa nini alimhifadhi Sultan Jamshid kwa chukizo la Karume na wanamapinduzi? Kuundwa kwa serikali ya mseto kati ya ASP na Umma kunaonyesha nini juu ya Mapinduzi? Na kama tutakataa kwamba Okello ndiye aliyeongoza Mapinduzi kwa nini aliruhusiwa “kutamba” kwenye radio ya Serikali (mpya) kwa siku nane mfululizo?

Na kama tutakubali kuwa Okello ndiye aliyeongoza na hatimaye Karume (ASP) na Babu (Umma) wakaunda serikali ya mseto Karume akiwa rais na “Field Marshal “ John Okello akatupwa nje; je, tuseme hatua hiyo yalikuwa Mapinduzi ndani ya Mapinduzi?

Mambo ya Dathalama- chuna buzi kwa kwenda mbele!!

Siku ya leo nina tukio moja nililoshuhudia kwa macho yangu siku ya mwaka mpya,Unajua saa nyingine inabidi uwe mdadisi kweli,Nilitia miguu sehemu moja ili nione yanayoendelea duniani, haa kweli duniani kuna mambo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Niko kwenye kijibaa kimoja mitaa ya uswahilini na scene ninayoishuhudia mbele yangu ni kama ndoto vile. Yupo dada mmoja amejipiga mkorogo wa kueleweka na kwa kumtazama taratibu umbo lake na sura- mashalaah- si haba, amekaa peke yake anakunywa coke na kama meza mbili toka hapo alipokaa kuna jamaa mmoja hivi, kwa kumcheki chapchap kwa jinsi alivyovaa- anaonekana 'wakuja', huyu jamaa anapiga 'kili' baridi na haishi kumkodolea huyo dada aliye pembeni yake.
"Vipi kaka? mbona unaniangalia sana? umenipenda?" anauliza mwanadada bila haya kwa sauti kubwa tu huku jicho akilizungusha. Jamaa anaonekana wazi amepatwa na mshtuko, hakutarajia swali kama hili. "Aah, mtoto kama wewe kila mwanaume lazime akupende", jamaa anajibu huku akitoa tabasamu la mashaka. "Njoo basi tukae wote hapa mezani kwangu" na bila kusita, jamaa anahama na 'kili' yake na kuungana na mwanadada huyo.Kutokana na accent ya jamaa na intro yake kwa mwanadada niliyoiskia nagundua kuwa ni mfanya biashara wa mifugo toka mkoa fulani wa kanda ya ziwa.
'Waiter' mwanadada anaita kwa sauti na mmoja wa wahudumu bila kuchelewa anakuja kumsikiliza "Niletee chupa kubwa ya amarula" ,sikumsikia mshkaji akikaribisha kinywaji nikadhani labda atalipa mwenyewe, mind you mwanzoni alikua ana mwendo wa coke! Huku maongezi yakiendelea na mshikaji, namuona mdada akipokea simu na kumueleza mtu mwingine mahali alipo, baada ya kama dakika ishirini hivi anakuja dada mwingine na alipokaa tu kwenye kiti bila hata kukaribishwa, akaagiza kamzinga kadogo ka konyagi na bitter lemon.Dada mwenyeji sasa aliniacha hoi alipokuwa akitoa intro "Shemeji yako huyu" Jamaa huku akitabasamu akasema "Hee, yamekuwa hayo tena?" Akaulizwa "Unashangaa nini? kwani wapenzi si huwa wanakutana sehemu kama hizi pia?" Baada ya masaa kadhaa nashtushwa na sauti kubwa ya mdada wa kwanza, " Jikooooni", mtu wa jikoni alipofika akatoa order " Tuletee kuku mzima wa kuchoma na ndizi nne, naomba ufunge kwa kuwa tunaondoka muda si mrefu"
"Sasa mpenzi niambie umefika hoteli gani ili nikishaonana na mama nikutafute jioni? au utakuwa hapa hapa?" Mshkaji anaulizwa na yule dada wa kwanza, namsikia akitaja jina la guest moja ya Sinza ambayo mwanadada anaonekana kuifahamu lakini kabla hajaondoka anamwambia kuwa hana dola na anaomba mshkaji amuwekee dola tano ili mawasiliano yawe rahisi, jamaa akaingia king. Mzinga wa mwisho kabisa niliousikia ni "Sasa niachie kabisa basi hela ya taxi,si unajua daladala za Sinza zilivyo tabu jioni?" aflu kumi ikatoka shwaa!
Jamaa alipoletewa bill jicho lilimtoka kichizi, nilidhani angeanguka pale, nilimsikia tu akiongea kilugha mwenyewe baada ya kulipa lakini nahisi ilimbidi aguse mtaji kulipa hilo deni."Ndio mkome kuparamia mashankupe ya mjini" alisikika akisema mhudumu mmoja wa kike wa baa hiyo.
Sijui hata wewe ulishayashuhudia hayo.Ni sooo
Nakutakia kila la kheri mkuu wangu
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