Revisiting the images from the past, I came across an album of pictures taken when Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere (the Father of the Nation and the first President of independent Tanzania) was visiting Kiabakari on his personal pilgrimages to Divine Mercy Shrine in Kiabakari and when we - from Kiabakari - were visiting him in Butiama. Here are few of them in no particular chronological order. Enjoy!
Showing posts with label Mwalimu Nyerere. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mwalimu Nyerere. Show all posts
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Friday, January 17, 2014
Eighteen Years
Look carefully at this picture below:
It was taken right after the Divine Mercy Sunday Mass in 1996. Late President of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and myself were standing at the corner of the not-finished-yet shrine of Divine Mercy (it was dedicated on July 3, 1997) and we were talking about the situation of the education in Tanzania and in Mara region area in particular. Mwalimu was very adamant about the need of providing the quality education at grassroots levels, especially in our areas. He was giving me his moral support in the realization of this dream.
I was showing Mwalimu the future development of the parish, where the planned institution were going to be located and the picture caught the moment where I was talking about the future primary school in Kiabakari. We were looking in the direction where now there is in fact the not-finished-yet building of the primary school.
I am praying to Mwalimu now, believing strongly that he is in heaven, to pray for us, so that after eighteen long years since that day where we talked about the importance of education in Kiabakari, this dream comes true this year. Please, pray with me to Mwalimu!
It was taken right after the Divine Mercy Sunday Mass in 1996. Late President of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and myself were standing at the corner of the not-finished-yet shrine of Divine Mercy (it was dedicated on July 3, 1997) and we were talking about the situation of the education in Tanzania and in Mara region area in particular. Mwalimu was very adamant about the need of providing the quality education at grassroots levels, especially in our areas. He was giving me his moral support in the realization of this dream.
I was showing Mwalimu the future development of the parish, where the planned institution were going to be located and the picture caught the moment where I was talking about the future primary school in Kiabakari. We were looking in the direction where now there is in fact the not-finished-yet building of the primary school.
I am praying to Mwalimu now, believing strongly that he is in heaven, to pray for us, so that after eighteen long years since that day where we talked about the importance of education in Kiabakari, this dream comes true this year. Please, pray with me to Mwalimu!
Friday, October 14, 2011
Nyerere Day
Today is Nyerere Day, October 14th. The day Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the Father of the Nation, the first president of the independent Tanganyika, then United Republic of Tanzania, passed away. In a few minutes I will drive to Butiama to concelebrate a Holy Mass with Bishop Msonganzila and diocesan clergy for the commemoration of this day. Then, the national celebration at Butiama stadium with the president Kikwete and other top people in the country. It is drizzling, a miserable day indeed, but hopefully it clears soon. Here are links to my posts from last year Nyerere Day, please, visit them (here and here)...
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Ave Crux, Spes Unica!
Ave Crux, Spes Unica! Hail Cross, the Only Hope! The day we have been waiting and getting ready for for many days, have finally come. The Jubilee Cross visiting all parishes of Diocese of Musoma during the centenary year of Christianity in our diocese, has come to our parish in Kiabakari after a lovely handover Mass at Butiama parish...
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The Cage
Last late afternoon, wandering around the old house of the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the first president of the United Republic of Tanzania, I got sunshine in my stomach...
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Mwalimu
This post, being a sequel to the previous one, is all about images and voices of and about the one we commemorate today, on the day of his passing from this earthly part of our life to the eternal one. I wish to share some vintage pictures of Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, my personal ones, an interview with Fr. Andrzej Duda, a former parish priest of Butiama, the native village of Mwalimu and some of English speeches of Nyerere I came across while doing research on Mwalimu (teacher in swahili)...So, here they are...no words...just images and voices...
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Florian
Today was a calm and productive day. First full day of rest after landing in Dar es Salaam last night. The keyword to this day is Florian. Florian Ludovick Kaija, to be precise. My friend and partner in crime - working together on many artistic projects in Kiabakari, Musoma and also for our Foundation 'Kiabakari'. I went this morning to see him at home, then we came back to city center for lunch and business talk...
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Ground Zero
9/11 is remembered worldwide today, for different reasons, depending where one stays in war on terror trenches. For me today was all about work, work, work. Just a few days remaining before i set off for long holidays, which means hectic preparations of the mission to leave it safe and secure and take care of everything I can think of that may happen in the meantime. I dislike these last days, always stressful and frustrating...
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Julius Nyerere International Airport
A gateway to Tanzania. A gateway to the world. In comparison to other airports in the world, it's very small, with only one runway to use so far, though the expansion efforts are under way.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
A Drop of Life On Parched Lips
This morning we woke up to a nasty surprise. We ran out of water in our main retention tank at the side of the Divine Mercy Shrine. The tank which was the first thing I built in 1992 when I started to construct the headquarters of Kiabakari mission, has a capacity of 70 thousand liters. I laid a one kilometer pipeline connecting us with the main water line running from Lake Victoria to Butiama (the home village of the Servant of God, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere).
When Mwalimu Nyerere was alive, we had no major dramas with water supply, though they never pumped the water on daily basis. In the span of ten years I ran out of water completely on, maybe two or three occassions.
When Mwalimu went to God on October 14, 1999, so did the water supply too (not sure where exactly the water went, though). Since then we have permanent problems getting reliable supply of water. What we get reliably though is water bills every month, either you got a few drops of water during that month or not! I was paying flat rate charged the construction business rate as I was always building something around the Divine Mercy Hill.
A few years back, I decided to hand over our main pipeline to Water Authority of Mugango-Kiabakari-Butiama, so they could lay down more pipelines down below the Divine Mercy Hill, especially in Nyamisisye Village area, thus enhancing the quality of life of my people. They were very happy to get one kilometer pipeline for free. I requested only that they make sure we do not run out of water, as the new pipelines would be located below our level, so there was a danger we may not get the decent supply because of inadequate water pressure in the pipe leading up to our main tank. They promised to do so...
Then water meters came. They fixed water meters to main tank water pipeline, to the school under construction (John Paul II Center for Education and Formation), to our pastoral center (The House of Eight Beatitudes) and to the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Health Center.
They came with clever idea. Even if you have water meter, it does not mean that you will pay for whatever have passed through it - water or air! They told me, that on months my consumption of water is lower than the flat rate I was paying (which was very high in comparison to other consumers), I WILL pay the flat rate, not the actual reading! Just like the other month, when I consumed only 9 cubic meters for the whole month, and still they wanted to pay the flat rate which was three times the amount I was in fact due! No wonder, I protested vehemently and refused to do so, as no one does such a ridiculous thing. Power supply company, mobile networks, land line phones - you pay for what you actually consume. Not any flat rates! Geez!
So, the bumpy ride continues. In the last two months water supply has become so scarce, that actually we got some water only once, and as the last rains of rainy season have passed for good, we woke up today with a nasty reality check - no water in taps...ouch! We have some water left in a plastic 3 thousand liters tank (which I used for my cows, when I had them before I went to Musoma Cathedral), but with eight people in the house it will last maybe a few days, not longer.
And, ironically, I got water bills this morning, again with flat rates, and again claiming that I pay water bills for a meter that is locked tight since July last year (at the school construction site, where the works stopped since the lack of money to continue the construction). I guess someone is building another house and needs a helping hand in finishing the job...Along with a 'debt' for the flat rate I refused to pay (no water consumption, so I guess it is a free gift for them)...
I called the head office of Water Authority in Musoma. We'll see if they do anything to bring some normalcy into this water supply scheme. I guess, Water Authority in Mara Region is still deep down in old communist ways of thinking... Wake up, lads, it is the Third Millennium. You simply cannot demand to pay bills for something we do not get! That's for sure!
In the meantime I struggle for a couple of years now to secure funds enough to build a new main water retention tank at the side of Divine Mercy Shrine with the diameter of 8 meters and capacity of approx. 130 thousand liters which will collect water mainly from the church roof and also from that erratic pipeline. This would help us immensely with our needs for water in the parish, sisters' house, the health center and the school. But in this economy, to find some 20 thousand Euros to do this is a cry in a wilderness...
Till then, the single drop of water will always be a drop of life on my parched lips...
When Mwalimu went to God on October 14, 1999, so did the water supply too (not sure where exactly the water went, though). Since then we have permanent problems getting reliable supply of water. What we get reliably though is water bills every month, either you got a few drops of water during that month or not! I was paying flat rate charged the construction business rate as I was always building something around the Divine Mercy Hill.
A few years back, I decided to hand over our main pipeline to Water Authority of Mugango-Kiabakari-Butiama, so they could lay down more pipelines down below the Divine Mercy Hill, especially in Nyamisisye Village area, thus enhancing the quality of life of my people. They were very happy to get one kilometer pipeline for free. I requested only that they make sure we do not run out of water, as the new pipelines would be located below our level, so there was a danger we may not get the decent supply because of inadequate water pressure in the pipe leading up to our main tank. They promised to do so...
Then water meters came. They fixed water meters to main tank water pipeline, to the school under construction (John Paul II Center for Education and Formation), to our pastoral center (The House of Eight Beatitudes) and to the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Health Center.
They came with clever idea. Even if you have water meter, it does not mean that you will pay for whatever have passed through it - water or air! They told me, that on months my consumption of water is lower than the flat rate I was paying (which was very high in comparison to other consumers), I WILL pay the flat rate, not the actual reading! Just like the other month, when I consumed only 9 cubic meters for the whole month, and still they wanted to pay the flat rate which was three times the amount I was in fact due! No wonder, I protested vehemently and refused to do so, as no one does such a ridiculous thing. Power supply company, mobile networks, land line phones - you pay for what you actually consume. Not any flat rates! Geez!
So, the bumpy ride continues. In the last two months water supply has become so scarce, that actually we got some water only once, and as the last rains of rainy season have passed for good, we woke up today with a nasty reality check - no water in taps...ouch! We have some water left in a plastic 3 thousand liters tank (which I used for my cows, when I had them before I went to Musoma Cathedral), but with eight people in the house it will last maybe a few days, not longer.
And, ironically, I got water bills this morning, again with flat rates, and again claiming that I pay water bills for a meter that is locked tight since July last year (at the school construction site, where the works stopped since the lack of money to continue the construction). I guess someone is building another house and needs a helping hand in finishing the job...Along with a 'debt' for the flat rate I refused to pay (no water consumption, so I guess it is a free gift for them)...
I called the head office of Water Authority in Musoma. We'll see if they do anything to bring some normalcy into this water supply scheme. I guess, Water Authority in Mara Region is still deep down in old communist ways of thinking... Wake up, lads, it is the Third Millennium. You simply cannot demand to pay bills for something we do not get! That's for sure!
In the meantime I struggle for a couple of years now to secure funds enough to build a new main water retention tank at the side of Divine Mercy Shrine with the diameter of 8 meters and capacity of approx. 130 thousand liters which will collect water mainly from the church roof and also from that erratic pipeline. This would help us immensely with our needs for water in the parish, sisters' house, the health center and the school. But in this economy, to find some 20 thousand Euros to do this is a cry in a wilderness...
This is a four meter wood plank showing the radius of the future tank
which will be located near the shrine
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