WHY I WISH TO BE A KID...PART 1..

I have only lived for two decades till now..hoping and praying to live more decades..but sometimes i really wish i was a kid again..i love kids and i surely loved the moments..i will take my time to explain to
you why i really wish i had a time machine that would take me back to kid atleast for a week.

being a kid i can play football bare feet and without being shy that girls would laugh at me.

i can be John Cena at anytime i want,fighting other kids and becoming famous they would all call me a champ..

i can drive an imaginary fancy car without been caught by a traffic police..can drive the imaginary car at any speed that my lungs will let me...

being dirty is a fashion ,would walk with dirty hands and cloth all the way ,waiting for mama to wash me in the evening...

i can be Rambo ,holding atoy gun and imagining i am Rambo ..shooting every kid that comes across but will refuse if am shot...

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Lloyd Cele - Cover / PR Shoot

LLOYD CELE

       Lloyd Cele the runner up to Idols 2011 and SAMA award winning musician from South Africa..

Styling by Rozanne Whyte.

Shot on Location at MODA (Maboneng District, Johannesburg)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

c.saunders

 

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MOVIE REVIEW: DREDD 3D

Thinking back on Judge Dredd, starring Sylvester Stallone, I remember getting a pretty good kick out of the film. No one can pull off the kind of dramatic campiness that Stallone can and since I don’t know a thing about the comic book on which it is based, Stallone’s film is my only baseline for Dredd 3D, starring Karl Urban and Olivia Thirlby. Like its predecessor, Dredd 3D has an extremely limited story. In fact, screenwriter Alex Garland’s basic plotline for Dredd could fit on a postage stamp – drug overlord, who rules violently over a neighborhood, goes to battle with the hardcore law and blood pours. Regardless, because Garland manages to give us full, rich characters, director Pete Travis offers end on end, incredible and visually stunning action sequences and the cast offers perfect characterizations, we get a tight film riddled with excitement, thrills, action and bullets.
Based in the future, the majority of Dredd 3D’s action takes place inside a futuristic high rise neighborhood community called Peach Trees, ruled over by an angry ex-whore, Ma Ma (Lena Heady), who uses extreme violence to keep her henchmen and the community at bay.  Outside Peach Trees life is hardly better, but the law, whose officers play police, judge and jury, attempts to keep control in desperate times.  After Ma Ma makes an example of three men, by tossing their skinned bodies out a window (the torturous death made worse by the drug, which seemingly slows the passage of time), Dredd (Urban) and rookie Anderson (Thirlby) go in to bring her down.
For Anderson, who is also a physic, it is a test of her mettle, and for Dredd, who doesn’t care for Anderson, it is the job and his duty to rid the city (and in this case Peach Trees) of crime. Thrilby and Urban, who I met in a round table interview, play well together, like mentor and mentee or older brother and sister. Garland takes pride in creating two characters who don’t have to have a romantic connection, but one that is indeed vital and interesting. Except for random citizens and a ridiculous number of henchmen, Dredd 3Ds cast is small, but even smaller (almost claustrophobic in feel) is the set in which they do battle.
The dark dingy halls, dim cramped elevators and other small spaces of the locked –down Peach Trees tower make bullet play and battle scenes all the more intense and bloody. And astonishing, in-your-face imagery assaults the audience like Dredd does his criminals. Incredible weaponry, phenomenal slow motion scenes (when Ma Ma’s impressive drug is ingested), and tense pursuits keep the pace exhilarating and extreme. Urban, with nothing more than the tip of his nose and his mouth exposed manages to offer a perfect futuristic enforcer, intensely serious and equally compassionate. Thirbly, too, fills Anderson’s shoes with ease. On the darker, sinister side Heady gives all other creepy comic book villains a run for their money. And I loved it!
Rightly rated R for an obscene amount of violence and blood-letting, Dredd 3D is quite simply a crowd pleaser! I, luckily, saw it at the plus Violet Crown theatre, but recommend it wholeheartedly on any big screen. It is ostentatiously bloody and insanely violent, but with this cast and crew it works. I am placing an A- in my grade book. We could do with a bit more meat (not literally) – I mean in the story.

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MIGEBUKA...A TASTY FISH FROM KIGOMA..

There things i consider to be highly private affairs , i hate it when am at a perfect restaurant trying to speak a food language and somebody stares at me.Eating is among my private affair thing..
Am well known of loving fish ,as i am on tour in a small town called Kigoma which happens to be my hometown too ,i was introduced to a fish called Mgebuka..
I had to go down to the lake and get my own Migebuka yesterday ,trying to prepare this tasty fish might be a hard task but would definitely say worth the preparations..
Let me set the scene for you. After downing a few pints and a few inappropriate amorous jokes with Mama Juma the fish seller she finally prepares the fish and she asked me if i wanted it choma or fried ...i decided to try choma..so mama Juma starts preparing it while my salivary glands over work.

I tell you after applying a little lemon on my well prepared Migebuka ,i could barely talk to any one that tried to start a conversation.Mama juma stared at me and i could tell her face expression ,she was wondering if i even prayed ,but sorry enough she didn't know praying is also one of my private matter.
Migebuka is a blessed fish with soft bones and tasty ,it has been among a major source of income in Kigoma,every time you visit Kigoma never hesitate to ask for this Fish..

Kigoma people have a say that,"Kula migebuka umeguke".

More about Kigoma Coming soon..

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COCKTAIL CONVERSATION..

I am not a huge fan of talking and drinking at the same time. This is because the talking distracts me from the drinking. Forgive me for assuming a cocktail party is a celebration of drinking. I cannot be held responsible for this fallacy seeing as a “cocktail” by definition is a mixture of multiple drinks to create a “super drink” which can only be enjoyed once in a while. Cocktail parties are more about the drinks than they are about the people and yet we STILL find ways of ruining this great gift with endless chatter. Anyway, since conversation at these parties is unavoidable and those who try to avoid it are deemed “rude guests” it would be wise to learn a few clever tips on how to survive cocktail conversations.

I learned this trick from my brother. He taught me to look to the skies for a solution. Yes, “God is with us all” but I am talking about the weather. Is it raining? Is it a clear night where you can see the stars? Or is it a chilly night? All of these can be used well by the clever conversationalist eager to give people a few witty lines so that they ponder on them while he enjoys his drink (not that I do that). For example, if it is raining, channel your inner poet and in your most “Shakespearean” voice, say to someone, “Dreadful weather we are having tonight, just dreadful”. At this point you have their attention. They are thinking, “Who is this and what are they talking about?” Time to whip out the myths and legends with one of these; “You know according to Luo mythology, when it rains like this it is a sign that God is happy”.

It doesn’t matter if you are making things up because you’re just making photo opportunity conversation. If you are successful by this point they should be asking, “Don’t you mean sad?” and you should respond “No, on the contrary, these are tears of joy, the thunder is laughter”. If they smile or laugh then you have an audience. Introduce yourself and ask them about any of their traditional beliefs about rain. If they look confused then they are not very clever and you should say, “Looks like tonight will be a good night, nice talking to you!” and move on. Don’t waste time when your drinking opportunities are at stake. The sooner people see you interact with at least four people the faster you can get back to the bar.

The point of the interaction is to make sure everyone sees you make some friends so that you don’t look like a freeloader. In addition, if you are witty enough then your name will spread around the room i.e. “That guy was telling me something funny about rain in their tradition”. Hopefully, no “know it all” tribesman in the room will call you out on your little deception (So I suggest you NOT be Luo). It is important for a few people in the room to know and be talking about you because then you can drink in peace knowing that people don’t think you are rude.

 

A.ONYANGO

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Recreational heaven at Kenyan safari resort

If you are the kind who only visits the nice places around Nairobi and thus conclude that Kenya has very nice places for holiday, you need to travel to the outskirts of this East African country. You will be left agape with the various exquisite places.

Nanyuki, found in the central part of Kenya is one of such places. Located approximately 250 kilometres from Nairobi city, most of the journey will reveal a number of scanty forests and large fruit plantations ranging from pineapples to mangoes.

However, besides that green, there is not much to see and for most of the journey, it is very clear that you are entering a remote area. But on arrival to Nanyuki Town, you see some kind of urban livelihood. However, as you branch off the main road, towards the remote parts of Nanyuki, you are engulfed into the similar atmosphere you met along the way. All green bushes.

But approximately 2.5 kilometres off the main road is Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club. There are two gates that see you through this Safari Club. However, while entering the first one, there is a sign post in big white letters reading, “Foot traffic is not allowed along this route.” Another one cautions that the driver keeps a speed limit of 25kph because there are animals crossing.

It is true that there are animals crossing along that route because from the bus we can see various wild animals walking around the bushes. Since we arrived at the club around midday, we were able to see a few wild animals like warthogs, antelopes and cobs.

However, on arrival at the second gate, we are allowed to get out of the bus and walk. Everywhere you turn, the best you can say is wow. Seated on 100 acres of land, Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club also known as Nanyuki resort hotel, is covered in green.

A clean environ with manicured hedges and lawns, an art gallery plus an animal orphanage welcomes you when you enter this gate. As you continue towards the club reception,there are children play areas, bicycles you can hire for cycling and a craft centre. While the eye catching artistic hedges, made in the shape of elephants and ancient sheds cannot be ignored, it is at the reception that you get a clear view as to why the resort is at the top of Kenya’s nine best luxurious hotels and a popular tourist attraction in Central Kenya.

With a magnificent view of Mount Kenya, boasts of 120 luxuriously appointed hotel rooms. Set in landscaped gardens, water falls, man-made rivers found amongst trees, the club resort offers a unique blend of comfort, relaxation and adventure.

It was originally the retreat of movie star and Club founder, William Holden and some of the Club’s illustrious former members have included Winston Churchill and Bing Crosby. Photos mostly of these pioneer members are pinned all over the balcony walls.

At the club, there is a lot to look at like the peacocks as they display their beautiful feathers and the Colobus monkeys. While I was still trying to sink in how beautiful the peacocks looked, I was told that the spot I was standing at was the pathway of the equator.

I was also told that because the resort has the lowest level of the equator at latitude 00.00. It is a popular tourist site where visitors from across the world come to have their pictures taken while they cross the line of the equator as they dance with traditional Kenyan dancers.
It is also at this resort that I had my first experience with a wash room furnished with a sofa set, two high stools plus a full set of makeup and a dressing mirror.

Besides the new kind of experience, there were many recreational activities available like horseback riding, golf, cricket, bowling on grass, table tennis, swimming, a beauty spa, a walk through the maze, game drives, basketball and much more.

  You do not need a whole week at the Safari club to know that you are at a five star club. But the moment you set foot at the reception, it is obvious. The class of the hotel goes beyond the beauty of the place to the cuisine. Given that they have visitors from across the world, they prepare cuisines from across the globe.

However, the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari club is not the only eye catching place in Central Kenya. A few kilometers out of Nanyuki Town is the Trout Tree Restaurant, the first tree restaurant I have ever visited.

Built in and around a huge Mugumo (Sacred Fig) tree, the Trout-Tree Restaurant serves fresh grilled trout got from the trout ponds that are visible below the restaurant, he restaurant also boosts of Colobus monkeys that are considered to be residents at the farm.

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Butchering your child in the name of punishment

It’s a staple food for most news bulletins in our country and the cruelty that’s meted out to these children that make up these bulletins is such a shock to many of us.

News bulletins on either ITV or TBC cannot be complete without a news segment of a child having been abused by a parent or relative.

 The child has either been canned to deformity, burnt by candle wax, locked up in the chicken house for weeks or simply abandoned by the mother who run away and locked the poor soul in the house.

You see Africans’ appetite for cruelty is legendary. So, as an African, I’m not 100 per cent surprised by the cruelty meted out to these children. It’s in our DNA to have such mean streaks.

However, what baffles me is the level of cruelty and lack of empathy in many of the parents that do these kinds of things.

 Recently, was it on ITV or TBC, I’m not sure. There was a news segment on a father in Ikungi who caned his young daughter and in the process managed to break the girl’s legs to the extent that she was crawling, just to get herself around.
 The sister meanwhile hadn’t escaped the father’s madness either; she too had been caned to the verge of deformity.

   Reason for such anger, something along the lines of the girls eating food that wasn’t “meant to be eaten by them!” Yes, those are the reasons that these mad people offer for their slavery.

“The child never listens when I tell him to leave the porridge alone!” They will say. Then there is this one: “He stole Shs500 from me so I had to discipline him to send a message!”

Why would a savage of a parent cane their child for stealing Shs500? Who needs the so-called discipline; the parent or child? Don’t today’s parents especially the ones in the villages need some kind of sensitisation about some basics like, understanding the value of a human being?

If you can lock your own child in a chicken house for weeks, then there must be something cuckoo about you!

 This brings me to the fines and penalties leveled on these fellows. People are hankering for more punishment to these lumpen. I disagree. What these fools need is serious counseling and sensitisation. Folks in villages are crazy. These people don’t value life. These people’s understanding about life is so warped up that a village “doctor” can successfully frustrate a government programmer of immunization courtesy of a weird tale.

 Such people don’t deserve 15 years in jail. They deserve a re-education of sorts. You see imprisonment doesn’t change a mind-set. The problem here is the mind-set. So how do we deal with a flawed mindset? We don’t imprison it, do we?

We need to find a way to penetrate the mindset of our friends. In the meantime, can we say a little prayer for those children out there whose suffering hasn’t yet been discovered.

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The Gorilla: Man’s closest cousin, who is on the verge of extinction

 

Amazing gorilla facts
1. Gorillas are the largest living primates - the family of animals that includes monkeys, apes and humans. A mature male gorilla can be over 6 feet tall and weigh 300 to 500 pounds (136Kgs - 226Kgs). He can spread his arms eight feet across and is as strong as four to eight strong men. Adult female gorillas are about half the size of the males.

2. Like humans, gorillas have two legs and two arms, 10 fingers and 10 toes, small ears on the side of the head, forward-looking eyes and 32 teeth. Unlike us, their arms are longer and more muscular than their legs, and their big toes look like thumbs. Their bodies are covered by thick dark hair, except on the face, chest, underarms, palms of the hands and soles of the feet. An adult male gorillas becomes a “silverback” at about age 15 when he is full grown and the hair on his back turns silvery-gray.

3. Gorillas normally walk by putting their feet flat and walking on the knuckles of their hands. They can stand upright, but they don’t do it very often. When they do, it is often to “chest slap.” Gorillas do not beat their chests with their fists but with open cupped hands, making the familiar loud sound which can indicate aggression or excitement.

4. Gorillas can live more than 50 years. Newborn gorillas are very small, weighing only about 4 1/2 pounds (two kgs). They are helpless at birth and depend on their mothers for at least three years, and they usually stay in their family group as they grow up. Females mature at 10 to 12 years and males at 11 to 13 years. Young gorillas must learn from their group how to find food, make nests, take care of babies and get along with other gorillas.

5. Gorillas communicate with each other by using gestures, body postures, facial expressions, vocal sounds, chest slaps, drumming and odors. Although they cannot make the sounds of human speech, gorillas are capable of understanding spoken languages and they can learn to communicate in sign language.

6. Gorillas are very intelligent, and they share with us a full range of emotions: love, hate, fear, grief, joy, greed, generosity, pride, shame, empathy, and jealousy. They laugh when they are tickled and cry when they are sad or hurt. Gorillas cry with sounds, not tears.

8. Gorillas sleep about 13 hours each night and rest for several hours at midday. They build new sleeping nests every night by bending nearby plants into a springy platform, usually on the ground or in low trees. When not resting they spend most of their time looking for food and eating it. They eat mostly plant foods: leaves, shoots, fruits, bulbs, bark, vines and nettles. They also eat ants, termites, grubs, worms and insect larvae.

9. There are three types of gorillas: Western Lowland, Eastern Lowland and Mountain gorillas. The names refer to the different areas of Africa where they live. Mountain gorillas are the most critically endangered, with conservative estimates of only 400 to 600 living at this time.

Threats
 
Habitat Loss
Gorillas live in one of the most densely populated regions of Africa. Conversion of land for agriculture and competition for limited natural resources such as firewood lead to varying degrees of deforestation.

Disease
Since gorillas are our cousins and we share DNA, they can get some of our diseases that can be devastating to their population. A cold can kill a gorilla.

Poaching
Poaching continues to jeopardise the gorillas’ survival. Gorillas can get caught in snares, which are set to catch other wildlife but occasionally kill or injure gorillas. Recent events have shown that hunting of mountain gorillas in order to capture babies remains a very real threat.

Armed conflict
The region’s ongoing conflict and civil unrest are an ever-present risk. Illegal mining in DRC has had a devastating effect on wildlife.

Oil and gas exploration
European oil and gas companies have been granted exploration concession in Virunga National Park, where some of DRC’s mountain gorilla population lives. While the habitat does not currently fall within an oil concession, development in the park could negatively affect the animals’ security.

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Stop jumping the queue

My friend and church-mate, Daniel, hates queues. I am sure we all do. Standing in a line of many people that is long and being attended to rather slowly is no one’s favourite pastime. So what Daniel does is go early in the morning to wherever it may be, the bank, clinic or wherever else. He is one of the first attended to and he is done with what he wants in a matter of minutes.

I wish everyone who hated queues so much did as Daniel did. But they don’t. Instead they decide to jump the queue. There you are in a bank, standing in a long line. You count and find you are the 25th person in the line. You keep counting every 10 minutes in the hope that five people decide not to wait any longer and leave, or that three empty tills suddenly have tellers and the line is moving faster. But you realise after 20 minutes, you are now just person 24. You sigh, irritated, wondering how much longer your toes can take the heat in your shoes, wondering why in the world you chose to put on that pair that day. As you shift the balance from one foot to another, a woman trying to look distinguished and “VIP” slowly but surely makes her way past all of you to the top of the line. Suddenly all eyes are on her, wondering why she is ahead. When everyone realises she is trying to jump the queue, there is murmuring and grunting and suddenly we are swept into a silent frenzy of making sure she does not get space.

You forget that the man in the front elbowed you and did not apologise and that the woman behind you stinks of something weird. You all gang up and stand close to each other to ensure this woman does not jump the queue. Unfortunately, someone ahead is either not vigilant enough to edge her away or decides to help her out. Oh, the “annoyingness” of it all! You become person 25. Again.

People who jump the queue are the most annoying lot and rank high up there among the top 10 people who need a spanking – on my list. What makes them think we want to wait any longer? Do they think they are busier than we are? Do they think we want to wait in the traffic jam for two hours and do not mind getting home three hours after we left work? Do they think when we are at a wedding celebrating matrimony, we are too excited and are not as hungry (have you noticed that most people who jump the line during such functions are gatecrashers?)? Do they think they are sicker than us at the clinic? Do they think we find pleasure in standing for hours on end while we wait? Do they think they are better or more superior than us in one way or the other?

If you find a queue, respect it. If you do not want to wait, then go for excel banking or gold status in the clinics and leave us to wait in order and peace.

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Kakakuona.......... The Foretell the future

Its believed that "Kakakuona" also known as Pangolin, fall down to the earth from the Sky. Unfortunately for us, Pangolins are largely nocturnal, snuffling about under cover of darkness, and as a result, little seen. Such elusiveness, and such an extraordinary appearance have given the pangolin a long history in African and Asian folklore and witchcraft. Burning the scales is said to help keep lions away, while burying one outside your lover’s door is believed to entice him to you. Our favourite story is from Tanzania, where the Kakakuona (brother who sees) is said to foretell the future. If you are lucky enough to find a pangolin, it can be placed on the ground and surrounded by four bowls, containing water, grain, a gun, and a knife. The bowl the pangolin chooses indicate the future for the next year, respectively symbolising good rains, an excellent harvest, war with another country, and civil war.

 Here Kakakuona trying to make a prediction where by select one the things shown,

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Where too see Nature 1n 2012

The Serengeti: Tanzania

The Serengeti, Tanzania's pride and joy and most notably the grand stage for the Wildebeest migration, considered by many to be the greatest free show on earth! For those visiting the Serengeti, the neighbouring Ngorongoro Crater is also a popular add on safari as is Lake Manyara, Tarangire and Selous reserves as well as various other habitats which only complement the outstanding beauty of Tanzania. The Wildebeest migration is the crown jewels of a safari in Tanzania, and to see these magnificent creatures cross the Mara River into Kenya you will have to travel between September & October.

Madagascar

Madagascar is certainly an island like no other, its entire nature having evolved in isolation not only from the rest of the world but also from the rest of Africa. A highlight on this magnificent island is to combine the unique flora and fauna which includes the iconic much adored lemur with the Crusoe islands, gorgeous beaches and of course the unspoilt coral reefs. Madagascar is really able to draw in a vast amount of tourism through its population of Lemurs endemic to the island and, it's estimated to host 21% of all primate genera and 36% of all primate families making it hands down the single most important place for 'primate conservation'.

Sossusvlei: Namibia

The dunes surrounding the salt flats of Soussusvlei are said to be amongst the highest in the world making this region of the country one of the highlights of a visit to Namibia. Soussusvlei is located in the Namib Naukluft Park, the largest conservation area in Africa and the fourth largest in the world. Tours in Soussusvlei are especially amazing around sunrise and sunset when the surrounding dunes all change colour from a very bright orange to a deep shade of red. Midday here is usually extremely hot and is best spent in the shade, but all in all Soussusvlei is only one reason to visit this magnificent country.

Victoria Falls: Zambia

Victoria Falls is one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the world hence its world wide appeal to travellers. The Falls are just a part of the experience, as the outstanding beauty is complemented by micro light & helicopter safaris, white water rafting, bungee jumping and canyon swinging. To top it all off why not spend the afternoon in 'Devils Pool' on the edge of the falls surrounded by hippos and Livingstone Island (the spot where David Livingstone discovered the Falls) and then named it in honour of his Queen, Queen Victoria.

The Masai Mara: Kenya

Kenya is one of Africa's most popular destinations with tourists all over the world, especially those looking for safari packages combining the Masai Mara with beach holidays up and down the Kenyan coastline. The Masai Mara is the continent’s most famous wildlife reserve, home to the Wildebeest migration in the months of September & October and home to the Big 5 including one of the highest lion densities in Africa. One of the parks biggest draws is a chance to 'meet the Masai' in their traditional villages and whilst a lot of the experiences with the Masai are highly unauthentic; there are still plenty of authentic experiences to be had if you look in the right places.

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A Pangani View

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Mwadui: The Diamond Town

  Situated south of the city Mwanza, is Mwadui, a humble little town accommodating the workers of Mwadui mine, also known as the Williamson Diamond Mine - the first significant diamond mine in Africa outside of South Africa. The mine has been established in 1940 by Dr. John Williamson, a Canadian geologist.



                          Statue of Dr J.T. Williamson



    Evidence of local people digging for diamonds in the vicinity of Mwadui

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Nataka Wali Marage

 

This dish is based on typical East African flavors, but can easily be adapted to use the produce where you live. For instance, carrots are not typical of this dish in Tanzania, but make a regular appearance on our dinner table.
Tanzanian meals are quite seasonal and based on the vegetables found in the markets each day. Peppers, onions, chilli peppers, greens, and sweet potatoes are common. Beans and lentils are staples. Rice dishes are influenced by the large Indian population settled there. It can be flavored with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, cumin seeds, cloves, etc.

Rice

You can serve this meal with plain rice of any kind. It is more traditional, and more interesting, to use basmati with a few extras.
1. Measure out your rice per person and rinse in a sieve or bowl with cold water.
2. Boil your kettle.
3. Toast your spices in a dry saucepan for a few minutes, until you can smell them, but not so long that they burn. Stir frequently. Choose any combination of the following: 3-4 cloves, 3-4 cardamon pods, medium chunk of cinnamon bark, 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds. I usually use two spices based on my mood for the day.
4. Add the rice and the boiled water. Cook your rice according to the package instructions.
5. If you are feeding this rice to children, remove the spices before serving.

For the Beans

You will need:
onion, chopped
carrot, sliced
sweet/bell pepper, sliced in long strips
optional chilli pepper
Can of beans (any kind-we love pinto), drained
Small can of chopped tomatoes, or 2-3 fresh ones
1/2 can coconut milk

You can add more vegetables if you like. Mushrooms and green beans work well with this dish.
1. Chop the onion and fry in a large frying pan with a little bit of oil. When it is soft, add the carrots, peppers, and any other vegetables. Fry for 3-5 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
2. Add the beans and the small can of tomatoes with their juice. Continue to cook over medium heat for ten minutes.
3. Add about half a can of coconut milk and simmer for a further 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, just to heat through.
4. The vegetables and beans should be both hot and tender. Serve with rice. You can also serve this with cooked meat or fish.

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The Richest People In Tanzania

Who are the richest people in Tanzania? Or who are the wealthiest people in the republic of Tanzania? Are some of the many questions asked by the people of Tanzania who want to know the kind of wealth, amount of money and other resources their countrymen and women own.
There are indeed a lot of wealthy people in Tanzania and this article is all about putting into perspective and knowing them. Below is a listing of some of the richest people in Tanzania and what they own.

1. Said salim
Who is Said Salim?
Said Salim Awadh is the founder and chairman of the Bakhresa group f companies in Tanzania. He is an industrialist, philanthropist and entrepreneur who has created a successful business empire consisting of several companies in only three decades.
How wealthy is Said Salim?
Said Salim is undoubtedly one of the richest people in Tanzania. His business empire is vast and has operations in Tanzania, Mozambique, Uganda and Malawi. Some of said Salim’s wealth include

• Azam grain milling
• He has also invested in passenger sea transportation
• Sale and marketing of plastic packaging materials
• He also has vast interest in the food and drinks industry.

2. Aziz Abood
Who is Aziz Abood?
Aziz Abood is also one of the richest men in Tanzania. The Tanzanian tycoon has invested in many sectors of the economy like passenger transportation, information and communication (owns tv and radio station), food factories and truck manufacturing company.

3. Nasoro
Nasoro is also a rich Tanzanian who has made massive investments. The economy of Tanzania is incomplete without the mention of Nasoro’s businesses. Some of the businesses Nasoro owns include;

• Real estate properties
• Passenger transportation (superstar buses, royal buses)
• Logistics (doll trailers)
• Also owns a considerable number of shares in Mtibwa sugar company.

4. Mohamed Dewji
Mohamed Dewji is yet another rich person in the republic of Tanzania. Dewji has a size able number of investments and businesses ranging from factories, commercial and residential properties and shares in many of the leading companies in Tanzania.

5. Reginald Mengi
Reginald Abraham Mengi is a well known Tanzanian industrialist, entrepreneur and media mogul. Mengi is the founder of IPP Group which is one of the region’s biggest privately owned companies. The company has its base in the city of Dar es Salaam. Other than the IPP Group, Mengi also has interests in;

• IPP consulting company
• Coca-cola franchise holder (Bonite bottlers and Kilimanjaro spring water)
• IPP Media which comprises of the Guardian, Alasiri, Nipashe, independent, kasheshe, ITV, EATV, sky fm and the east Africa radio.

6. Michael Ngaleko
Michael Ngaleko is also among the richest people in Tanzania. He is believed to own a considerable number of shares in some of the biggest companies in east Africa. He also has an interest in Precision air which is a regional airline that specializes in passenger and cargo transportation in the east African region.

7. Fida Hussein
Fida Hussein is yet another of the richest people in Tanzania. Some of the businesses associated with this business personality include;

• Africarriers,
• Commercial and residential properties including raha and Zahra towers.

8. Yussuf Manji
Yussuf Manji is another of the top richest people in Tanzania. He owns substantial interest in some of the largest companies in the region and is believed to be worth hundreds of millions of Tanzanian shillings. He has invested in properties (both residential and commercial), the auto industry and he is also the founder of the Quality Group.

9. Nazir Mustafa
Rounding up of our top richest people in Tanzania is Nazir Mustafa Karamagi. He is a successful businessman believed to be worth hundreds of millions of shillings. He is the owner of the famous Tanzania international container.

Apart from the above mention people, honorable mention also goes to the following individuals who are also believed to be among the richest in tanzania

• Edward Ngoyayi Lowassa
• Mohamed Aboud
• Tarimba Abass
• Philemon Ndesamburo

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Top five ways to use a life properly

The thriving, robust economy is to blame for all the new buildings that are reaching for the sky. With high-rising buildings come lifts. At least most times. A friend of mine told me she was off to a meeting on the ninth floor of a building without a lift. I haven’t heard from her since then (that was a week ago) so she’s either still climbing the stairs or she set-up camp halfway to the top and is waiting for sunset to continue the journey. For those of you who go to buildings with functional lifts, here is lift etiquette picked from a website about lift etiquette.

Umm, not too close
If you walk into a lift with one person in it, resist the urge to walk and stand so close to them that they can tell what you had for supper three nights ago.

Phone
It is generally acceptable to beam a courteous ‘Hello’ to whoever’s in the lift then whip out your phone and make like you are searching for Batman’s number to report a broken pipe on a leading highway that poses a risk to global security since it can be used by Joker or one of his cronies to pummel an unsuspecting policeman to pulp. Or you could just play snake (for you with the shabby phone) or angry birds(for you with the smart phone).

Singing
It is considered treason if you break out into song and sing one that is not by a local musician. Support local artistes my friend; you don’t pay to go to their concerts, at least sing their songs in the lift. This holds only for lifts that don’t play music…which is all lifts basically.

Your thoughts
It is generally frowned-upon to start voicing your thoughts when there are others in a lift. This especially holds for thoughts like:
“Oh damn, I shouldn’t have worn the lime green pair with polka dots. Now I’m all itchy”
“I should have worn a diaper today...several meetings today; would hate to get up and leave”

Mirror
We all know you cast sideways glances at yourself in the lift’s mirror surfaces. Do not walk into a full lift and shove people aside to check yourself out in those mirror surfaces.

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LIVING AND LOVING IT: You get what you ask for

Good customer service is almost non existent in this country. I know that is an old song but fresh experiences just keep making me wonder when the tide will change. A few weekends ago, I was helping out at a wedding, being in charge of the bride and her entourage and all that.

We were at the salon and an hour before we could head to church, we decided to get snacks for our rather large team. There was a restaurant downstairs, so we went to get some chapatti and soda. The restaurant looked like one of those that is about to fall apart. But we ignored that and asked if they could give us what we wanted.
Yes, they said, but we would have to wait for about 15 minutes for the chapatti to get ready. They would cost Shs1,000 each and the soda Shs1,500 each. I frowned at this but the rest thought we could go ahead and make the orders. We did and decided to go wait from the salon.

45 minutes later, I went to check and the chapattis were not ready. What ticked me off was the laxity and nonchalance with which they dealt with us. They kept walking around us and going on with their business, as if we were not there. I went back to the salon to check on the girls and came back a second time. They were still not ready.

Fed up, I went to another food joint. I asked for chapattis and the woman was quick to help. They had many ready and she was very nice to me, packed them swiftly, and charged Shs800 for each. And I am sure they were bigger too. Happy, I went back to the salon and saw a place I could buy sodas. I got them for Shs1,000 each. I had managed to save quite a bit.

About 30 minutes later, the man from the first restaurant came to tell us the chapatti was finally ready. I was incensed. So now they were ready? Why hadn’t they worked faster on our order? Couldn’t they have been smart enough to say, bring the first batch and the second later? Couldn’t they have given us the sodas first to placate us when we were growing impatient? No. And because of that they lost out.

The problem with many of us is that we think we automatically deserve many things. As long as a customer walks into your premises, you treat them like you deserve their money and you do not prove to them that they are better off spending their money on you. At work, we think because we have been at the institution for five years, we deserve to be promoted. We do not think about if we actually deserve to be promoted, if we are giving it our best shot, plus some. In our relationships and marriages, we feel we deserve to be treated as kings and queens. We do not reflect and think about if we are treating our spouses and partners the way we want to be treated or if we are giving them reason to treat us so nicely.
Yup, many times, we get what we ask for.

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10 Year Old Boy exchages letters with Obama

 If there is any head of State many Ugandans would wish to meet, that would be US President Barack Obama. Ten-year-old Christopher Kule, a primary four pupil at Rwentutu Christian Primary school in Kasese District has the same dream and while he has not yet met the President, you could say he is a step ahead of the rest. This is because Kule received a letter from White House, after having written to the American President.

The soft-spoken pupil believes that after exchanging letters with the US president, there is hope that the two will meet one day. It all started when Kule wrote a letter during a class exercise when they were tasked to write a letter to anyone seeking help on community issues.

Kule’s letter caught the eye of the American student teacher doing internship at his school in Rwentutu, who claimed his grandmother was a friend to a White House aide and promised to send the letter to the President. “I just decided to write to the President of America because I thought he would solve Uganda’s problems,” Kule explains. He said his letter requested America to support Uganda in curbing insurgency and promoting peace. His teacher, Mr Dasiel Rau promised that he would post his letter to the White House in Washington. A few days later, he reported that the letter had been received and sent to the President’s office.

Obama replied, and in his response, a letter dated July 10, this year accompanied with a signed portrait, the US president Obama addressed issues of human rights and conflicts in Africa and the Mideast. In the letter, Obama said: “I am committed to reinvigorating America’s leadership on a range of international human rights issues because the US opposes the use of violence and repression against men and women.”

Obama said the violence that has led to rape, murder and torture of innocent people in Sudan, Syria and Democratic Republic of Congo has become a stain on the collective conscience. He told Kule that there is no nation that should be silent in the fight against human rights violation. The jovial Kule says he looks forward to meeting Obama.
  “I am very happy to have received a reply from Obama and I have kept everything properly because my hope is to meet him one day. If he comes to Uganda, I need to meet him and if he wants me to go and live with him in America, I am ready,” Kule said.

The boy, who wants to be a medical doctor in future, says there is need for a pupil to have a peaceful environment in order to study well. He reasons that since America is a superpower, it can influence issues of security in Uganda. For now, he is sticking close to the treasured items. His father Mr Semu Kahulho says his son does not want to spend any moment away from his letter and the portrait.

“He has sometimes gone with them to church and even sleeps with them. He treats the materials as his treasure since he believes nobody else in the district has ever exchanged letters with the US President,” Mr Kahulhu said.

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Food For Thought

 Things are getting harder in my country, with the current account deficit jumping to $4.13 billion from $2.46 billion in the year ago period.

Politicians are yip yapping nonsense, trying to blind the people.  Both the opposition and the ruling party make no sense at all. They pretend to argue in the parliament, yet later they meet in a pub and drink to their own success.

Imperialist on the door waiting to tap our newly discovered potential in oil and gas, they now claim we are strategically important. I guess they are now willing to give us their carefully revised loans, which will be impossible to pay back.

We the commoners continue to suffer, everyday we keep asking if the term freedom really exists. The state i am in right now, am sure i will welcome back "ujamaa" with arms wide open.

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Africa Photo Essay

1. A Fruit Seller



2. Lakeside Kids



3. Sands of time



4. Spice Island



5. Bandit Highway

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It's ok to make mistakes

An old man was seated with his favorite grandson under a mango tree chatting. He shared tales of travelling hundreds of miles with cattle looking for water.

He talked of covering the same hundreds of miles to trade in salt, paraffin and other merchandise.

Being a great story teller, he transfixed the young man who now forgot about going out to play his old soccer ball made out of banana fibres. Noticing the level of attention, the old man decided to drop in a lesson.

Tapping him on the shoulder with his rough hands, he started to illuminate: “Grandson, in all this, can you guess what my greatest lesson was?”

“Of course, I don’t know grand pa. I was not there when you were going through all this. Can I run and ask my dad?”

“Not at all, just sit down, I will tell you,” the old man said while giving him a grandfatherly tap on the shoulder again.

“You see, when I was starting out, I kicked off with rearing and selling goats. But I didn’t realize that there were too many people doing the same. So, I struggled to make a good profit.”

“So your lesson was that other people reared goats?”

“Why don’t you listen first? Just like your father, aren’t you?”

“I’m sorry grand pa.”

“For me, it was a realization that cows would do better because very few people were trading in cows. It was also a realization that merchandise would work because of the same reasons. One would take it that I had spent three wasted years. But not me; I invested three years to figure out what was not working and what could possibly work.”

“And at the end of my learning, I noted that it’s ok to make mistakes. It was my biggest lesson.”

“You are talking about mistakes being good. How come my dad always beats me when I commit a mistake?”

“I doubt whether he does that because I taught him the same lesson.”

“But he does.”

“Let me guess, the first time, you make the mistake, he warns you about it. When you repeat the same mistake, he punishes you, isn’t it?”

“Aaahhhh…you are very right…the second time I delayed at the well while playing soccer, he really punished me.”

“Mistakes are only dangerous when you don’t learn from them. Either someone punishes you or life does it. So, never fear to take action worrying about potential mistakes. Take action.

“Make the mistakes as early as possible. Learn as fast as you can from your successes and mistakes. That’s how you grow faster.”

                                                                                   ethan mussolini

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"Made in China"

The term 'Made in China' has become synonymous with fake products over the years. But this is a prejudice that needs to change.

 This myth dates back to the time when Europe and other markets were overrun by the first wave of consumer electronics from China that started in the early 90’s—very cheap devices in plain plastic bodies that very often had famous brand names on them.

You should always draw a line between Chinese products manufactured by major international companies like Sony and Apple that guarantee quality, and the tiny Chinese cottage industry, which manufactures anything from four-sim card phones to radio watches. Both are Chinese and will have Made in China on their products but the quality will differ significantly.

They copy the designs and brand names. For instance, you shall come across things like Sumsung for Samsung or Nckia for Nokia. Some are bold enough to print Nokia on the phone, using a different font. This has now changed and you shall see generic logos. It might look like a Sony Ericsson, or Apple’s latest, but turn it on and you will hear a strange Chinese techno ringtone. Turn on the 8-Megapixel phone camera, take a photo, and see something of a 0.5-Megapixel quality. Then scroll through the operating system and you shall shockingly find English grammar and spelling mistakes and the worst case scenario is some parts of the operating system being in Chinese.

 The biggest selling point for most of these fake phones is the price in contrast to the intended use. There prices are more often than not way lower than the real thing that they are a compelling choice for many buyers who just want to make a phone call. It is significantly important that awareness of fake phones be raised, as it can be very difficult for buyers to tell the difference between a fake and genuine product.

 The quality of fakes has reached the point where many buyers will assume they have the real thing. They sometimes look, feel and behave like the real thing right down to start up sequences and graphics.

 That said, keep in mind that the Made in China stamp does not necessarily mean it is of any less quality than that made from elsewhere.

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Hot Spots in Mombasa

1. Casaurina

This European-owned nightclub is about 20km north of Mombasa City in Mtwapa, a small, expat-infested community obsessed with partying and drinking beers at all hours of the day. Casaurina is just as packed on a Tuesday night as a Saturday.
Get a table in the raised section on the left side of the club. Here the tables are tall enough that you won’t knock them with your knees — and spill everyone’s drinks — whenever you sit down, and you have a great view of the dance floor.
This is one of the biggest ‘pick-up’ clubs for old Europeans and young Kenyans. Be prepared to see white, wrinkly hands groping the butt cheeks of sexy, seemingly under-aged young ladies.
Before 11pm, the DJ plays tacky 80′s music. But when the night starts hotting up, he plays a fun mixture of local Kenyan tunes, dance music from other parts of Africa, and tons of Rihanna.
Drunken locals (of both sexes) will try and seduce you on the dance floor. You have two options: turn your back and dance closer to your friends, or join in by playing a light-hearted game of cat and mouse on the dance floor. You are the mouse.

Location: In Mtwapa. Heading north on the Mombasa-Malindi road, it is on the right side of the road just after the Mtwapa Bridge.

2. Bango at Naiz

On Wednesday nights, the legendary Mzee Ngala and his band play bango at Naiz, also in Mtwapa. Bango was created by Ngala himself, and has become a local anthem for the coastal people. At first, the music sounds a little disjointed, and it’s hard to make out a smooth melody. But give it a couple minutes and you will begin to feel the trumpets, saxophone, bongos, keyboard, and male voices all come together.

Bango comes with a very specific dance style. It’s easy.

Bango comes with a very specific dance style. It’s easy. Take a step to your right and then pop your right butt cheek to the back slightly. Do not pop it out to the side and don’t bend your torso forward. Then take a step to the left and pop back your left butt cheek. Step and pop, step and pop, step and pop.
The music is quite slow so you should be able to keep the beat. You can mix it up a little by stepping backwards or forwards or slowly turning around. You can hang your arms to the side or bend them at the waist. But all the movement should be in the hips and the butt. You dance alone, not touching anyone, but you can dance beside or across from your partner.
The songs all sound pretty similar to me, so it’s hard to know when one song ends and the next begins. I tend to steer clear of asking anyone to dance, so I can avoid the awkwardness of trying to figure out when the song ends and it’s appropriate to go sit down.
If the step and pop isn’t working out, don’t worry. The band does take long breaks throughout the evening to down a few beers. In the meantime, the in-house DJ plays the hottest tunes and, of course, lots of Rihanna.
 
Location: Across from Casaurina in Mtwapa, along the Mombasa-Malindi Road.

3. Bob’s

Your taxi driver picks you up at the hotel. You tell him you want to go to Bob’s. He knows exactly where you mean. As you enter the gates of the small parking lot for that mall you were at earlier in the day, you remind the driver that you want to go to Bob’s, not shopping again. “Madam,” he says, looking confused, “This is Bob’s.”
The small parking lot has turned into a cozy, sophisticated-seeming club. Warm lights bounce off the brown canvas tents sheltering the round bar tables beneath. Middle class Kenyans are drinking cocktails and wine and discussing the latest in technology, business, travel, and politics. If you’re lucky, a group might ask you to join their table.
The warm-up act is a local band, serenading the crowd on the sidewalk with some laid-back soft rock. Around midnight the DJ takes over and the transition from retail parking lot to dance floor is complete. Dance under the stars to local mega hits like Kigeugeu, or Nigeria’s notorious Ashawo. Don’t worry — the DJ will play Top 40 hits too, including Kenya’s beloved Rihanna.
Bob’s is also home to Mombasa’s first ice bar. This may sound appealing in Mombasa’s barely breathable heat, but the only thing icy about it is the air-conditioning. The drinks are just as cold outside in the parking lot as they are inside the ice bar.

Location: In the shopping complex on Links road across the street from Nakumatt City mall.

4. Big Tree

Bring a buddy to this beachside disco, preferably one of the opposite sex. Like Casaurina, Big Tree is one of Mombasa’s biggest ‘pick-up’ clubs, and the scantily clad young ladies can be aggressive in their pursuit of a white man to be their sugar daddy. If eye contact and winking don’t work, expect an opener along the lines of, “You look a little lonely over there, big guy, shall I join you?” And if that doesn’t get your attention, the next stage is full-on booty insertion and body-grinding in your personal space.

There are plenty of young beach boys with Bob Marley dread locks just waiting to make you feel like the most precious gem along the Indian Ocean.

Ladies don’t escape without pursuit, either. There are plenty of young beach boys with Bob Marley dread locks just waiting to make you feel like the most precious gem along the Indian Ocean. That’s why it’s necessary to have a friend, preferably one that will give off the impression you are taken.
Big Tree’s large beachfront patio sticks out onto Pirates beach, the most popular public beach in Mombasa. Sunday is beach day for the locals who skip church, and after a day in the sun, the crowd moves into Big Tree and creates a booming Sunday night. The dance floor is packed with hyper, barefooted Kenyans getting their groove on to the latest hits in the country and worldwide.
Sitting right on the beach is beautiful, but the service is terrible. The closer you sit to the bar or the kitchen, the faster you will be served. We sometimes order three rounds of drinks at the same time so we don’t have to keep summoning the waiter over.

Location: Head north on the Mombasa-Malindi road. Soon after the Bamburi Cement factory, you will see a Big Tree sign on the left side of the road. Turn right and follow the dirt road. Big tree is located at the very end of the road.

5. Il Covo

Il Covo is like a flashback to a high school house party. The downstairs is a lovely family restaurant with some of my favorite Italian food in Mombasa. The disco upstairs resembles a large living room, with framed photos of all things Italian covering the walls, arched ceilings guiding you to the bathrooms and lounge areas, and old fashioned curtains covering the windows. The bar is a small counter in the corner with a couple of beer fridges, and the DJ plays on a small table right beside the bartender. Balloons and Christmas lights are strung across the ceiling for decoration.
The club attracts a variety of Mombasa cliques and is an especially big hit with the local Indian population. The upside of this is that there are fewer predators sharking the dance floor. The downside is that you will likely get a drink spilled down your back while being pushed around the overcrowded dance floor.
Almost every weekend, a new local or international DJ plays in the club. The music is bass-heavy and tends more towards techno than other clubs in Mombasa. But fear not, you are still sure to get a good dose of Rihanna.

Location: Bamburi Beach, Mombasa. Head north on the Mombasa-Malindi road and turn right at the Kahama Hotel. Drive down the dirt road, past Kenya Bay Beach Resort, and you will find the gates to Il Covo.

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Lake Manyara-"Emanyara......"

Lake Manyara is a shallow Lake in the Natron-Manyara-Balangida branch of the East African Rift Valley in Tanzania, it is also the home of a diverse set of landscapes and wildlife. The name Manyara comes from the Maasai word "emanyara", which is a euphorbia species of plant that is grown into a hedge around a family homestead. The name "is a Masai description not for the lake, but in general for a lake shore region".

Of the 127 square miles (329 km²) of Lake Manyara National Park, the lake's alkaline waters (with a pH near 9.5) cover approximately 89 square miles (231 km²), though the area and pH fluctuate widely with the seasons, and dry spells expose large areas of mud flatsapproximately 89 square miles (231 km²), though the area and pH fluctuate widely with the seasons, and dry spells expose large areas of mud flats.

While most known for Baboons, the Lake and its environs is also home to herbivores such as Hippos, Impalas, Elephants, Buffalo and Giraffes. 

Seen in the groundwater forest immediately around the park gates draw nourishment from the underground springs replenished continuously from crater highlands directly above the Manyara basin

Leading away from the forest to the fringes of Lake Manyara are the flood plains. To the south are visible the acacia woodlands. Leopards, although in abundance, are hard to get a glimpse of, just like the other elusive carnivores - the lions - of this park.
Lake Manyara provides opportunities for ornithologists keen on viewing and observing over 300 migratory birds, including Flamingo, Long crested eagle and Grey headed kingfisher.

With an entrance gate that doubles as an exit, the trail of Lake Manyara National Park is effectively a loop that can be traversed by jeep within a couple of hours that may be stretched to a few more at best, if driving slowly, to watch, observe and enjoy the diversity of Flora and Fauna. The Rift Valley escarpment forms a noteworthy landmark and provides a spectacular backdrop to Lake Manyara.
To the east of Lake Manyara lies the Kwakuchinja wildlife corridor. The corridor allows wildlife to migrate between dispersal areas and parks that include Tarangire National Park to the southeast, Lake Manyara to the west and the rift valley, Ngorongoro highlands and the Serengeti National Park to the north. Within the Kwakuchinja corridor are several villages that include Ol Tukai Village and Esilalei along the lakeshore.
Further from the lake and outside of village lands, lies the 44000 acre Manyara Ranch, of which 35000 acres comprise the Manyara Ranch Conservancy. This is a pioneering conservation and tourism project supported by the African Wildlife Foundation, the Tanzania Land Conservation Trust and the Manyara Ranch Conservancy. While not a park, the conservancy is frequented by resident and migrating wildlife including elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and the more common plains game. Rarely seen in the parks but a common resident on the Conservancy is the Lesser Kudu.

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