October 14, 2014

* Julius Kambarage Nyerere also referred to as Baba wa Taifa (Father of the Nation) was Tanzania’s first president. He died on 14 October 1999, aged 77. Today Tanzanians commemorate 15 years since the death of the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. I have decided to honour this day through a letter.   14 October 2014…

October 5, 2014

World Children’s Poetry Day (WoChiPoDa) maiden celebration was on Saturday, 4 October 2014. Together with the Tanzanian poet and founder of Arusha Poetry Club (APC), Mr. George Kyomushula, we organised an event for children in Arusha, Tanzania. I could not make it to Arusha and therefore an audio salutation–in my mother tongue Swahili–to the children…

August 15, 2014

Idea is born A photo by Paulo Coelho from one of his Saturday walks had a caption “Nature teaches more than philosophical books”. That is what exactly happened during a walk I took in the Fairy Tale Forest of Altenberg, Germany. It was Sunday, 25 May 2014. As we disappeared into the thick enchanting forest,…

August 8, 2014

Njiwa upelekaye salamu subira leo imeniisha. Kabla hujaleta jibu namfuata mpokea salamu. Si barua wala ujumbe hoja yangu nimtie machoni. Muhibu huyu ameninata kama asali changa ya Singida. Sura yake imenipagaza maruhani wapigwa butwaa. Kaka huyu ananipa shauku madaha ya Tanga yameniisha. Mwendo wake maridadi bingwa wa utanashati. Nazaa ya kike imeniisha utawa leo kwangu…

August 1, 2014

I am not an expert on politics, neither do I intend to be. I avoid discussing it. My acquaintance with it is through the media. I no longer watch the TV news. Most news is sad. It makes me teary and helpless. Every fighting side has a reality that is possibly greyed with truth and…

July 14, 2014

Authors in Africa (AiA) created a forum on a very important subject that all authors are a part of – PUBLISHING. I was asked to participate in the discussion as it is a crucial issue, especially in Africa. But does traditional publishing still have a special place in this field? Is an author that is…

June 15, 2014

Usimeze maneno yako, kaka mtanashati, Ruhusa nakupa, siku ya rehema Jumapili, Leo nitafurahi, kusikia ya mtima wako, Nakubali wito wako, nitamkie hisia zako. Sogea karibu nami, nipe busu la mkono, Haya isikukweze, nieleze yako mahaba, Siri haina nafasi, leo miye kipenzi chako, Nakubali wito wako, nitamkie hisia zako. Karibu usiogope, fichua ya moyoni mwako, Moyo…

May 29, 2014

I got acquainted to this phenomenal woman during my hard times. I recall listening to her poem “Still I Rise”. I felt large, so large that my hardships immediately became minuscule. Then one day I sat down to write what was stealing away my joy. And that was the beginning of my relationship, with a…

May 16, 2014

Saturday, 17 May is International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia (IDAHOT). This is the day that the UN observes ending this discrimination. It’s also the day that the World Health Organisation omitted homosexuality as a mental illness in 1990. The campaign for IDAHOT 2014 is “Freedom of Expression”. See more at IDAHOT 2014 website. There…

April 22, 2014

Today’s prompt challenges to write a poem for children. This could be in the style of a nursery rhyme, or take a cue from Edward Lear or Shel Silverstein. It could rhyme — or not. It could be short — or not. I am elated that this poem was featured on Day 23, described as:…