The greatest stimulus of mankind is freedom

There is an appetite for anybody who ascends to power to prevent, limit or constrict citizen’s freedom (of course at differing intensity depending on his/her degree of appetite to control those who surround him/her). That tends to happen to anyone. Unless one is prepared and groomed prior to taking the helm of leadership to commit, respect and believe in values of freedom. Short of that there is an insatiable desire to make their (leaders) freedom limitless, and if not governed by a strong Constitutional and legal system citizens can suffer. Development without freedom is not sustainable as also there in insatiable desire for humanity to be free. The more the leaders constrict freedom the more the people would resist maintaining it or if worse seizing it and this very struggle between the two might seriously impede development.

You can’t make a choice between development and freedom. Freedom comes first, colonialism could offer development but freedom offers a quality development the reason why nobody wants colonialism back and people are ready even to pay an ultimate price for freedom. We can’t ask ourselves to dispense with our freedom for development, that isn’t development it is slavery of some kind and I would rather be free to hassle and seek survival and meaning of my life. Democracy is freedom of choice and that is an inalienable right of humanity. Development can and will never be an alternative to freedom, it is inconceivable. My mind can’t take it!  It is inconceivable.

Why should we feel uncomfortable to be criticized? Why do we feel not respected when we are told of our mistakes? Why do we feel offended by someone simply expressing his/her divergent views from ours? We humans, ages and ages has proved we make mistakes, some are commissions and some are omissions. A too restrictive society lacks energy and innovation. In this era of pluralism we need all of us to operate at our maximum intellect and freedom. People need to take some risks and in the process they can err. Freedom allows triangulation hence we can tame errors timely and guarantee our progress.

When was America great? When did it become small if at all it did? Why?

Siasa za Marekani bwana! Kuna mgombea anasema anataka kufanya Marekani iwe kubwa Kwa mara nyingine, hivi ni lini iliwahi kuwa kubwa, Ni wakati gani imekuwa ndogo, Kwa nini? Tukumbuke uchumi wa Marekani Kwa sasa Kwa vipimo vya pato la taifa unaongoza duniani, ni dollar 18,558 ikifuatiwa na China Kwa mbali yaani dollar 11,383. Hapo bado hujalinganisha mambo mengine Kama nguvu za kijeshi na kadhalika. Siasa zina mambo. 
“we want to make this nation great AGAIN” – says one of the two bitterly contending US presidential Candidates, I got time this morning to think about a number of questions; when America was exactly great, when did it become small? Why? We all know the challenges of civil rights including the rights of women to vote America grappled with during her gloomy past. What about the cowardly act of dropping atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in WW2, could anyone consider that was greatness? If it was great at that time how could it be small now when her GDP is number one in the world (USD 18,558) and accounts for 24.5% of the global GDP followed by far by China (with a GDP of USD 11,383), when her current president is Barack Obama and has ruled America for two terms? When the most vicious enemy of US and leader of terrorism was taken out with no collateral damage under leadership of the current Commander in Chief, When for the first time America has a woman as the presidential candidate from a major political party? I would think there wasn’t greater time than this! You know what I mean!

GDP statistics source: Knoema: world GDP ranking 2016.

Kuwa chini ya sheria ni sawa na kuwa na simu “feki” ambayo kila wakati unahofu kuwa TCRA wataizima

Kuwa chini ya sheria ni sawa na kuwa na simu “feki” ambayo kila wakati unahofu kuwa TCRA wataizima. Kuishi katika neema ya Kristo ni sawa na kuwa na simu “original” hata siku ya kuzima simu feki wewe hutaona chochote katika simu yako. Utakuwa unaendelea ku-whatsapp kama kawaida!

Katika neno la Mungu Mtume Paulo kazungumza changamoto za kuishi maisha ya utii na kusema wazi kuwa tukimwamini Kristo hatuko chini ya sheria. Kuna watu huwa hawaelewi wanafikiria kutokuwa chini ya sheria basi ni kuvunja sheria na kutokuwa waangalifu wa kufuata taratibu iwe za kiroho (moral laws – Amri kumi za Mungu Kutoka 20:1-17 ambazo zimegawika sehemu mbili ya kwanza: Amri ya 1 – 4 Upendo kwa Mungu aliyetuumba na sehemu ya pili Amri ya 5 – 10 Upendo na mahusiano na binadamu wenzetu), kimwili kama sheria za afya (health principles) au sheria za nchi (civil laws). Dhamira ya hatia hutusumbua kwa sababu ya kuvunja sheria au kuishi kinyume na taratibu na kanuni. Kuondokana na hiyo ni bora kumwamini Yesu na kumtegemea maana yeye husamehe makosa na kuyafuta kisha hutuwezesha sasa kuishi ndani ya utii.

Leo nizumguzie sehemu ya sheria za afya. Wengi leo tuna madhira makubwa kimwili kwa sababu ya kutokuheshimu sheria za afya. Mfano ulaji (tule nini), Unywaji (tunywe nini), Hewa (tuvute hewa yanamna gani) na kadhalika. Kuna baadhi yetu tumegeuza miili yetu kuwa madampo. Tunapakiza kila aina ya uchungu ndani ya miili yetu. Katika kitabu cha Mambo ya Walawi sura ya 11, Mungu aliwapa wanadamu sheria za ulaji. Ujue binadamu wa mwanzo walikuwa hawali nyama. imekuja kuruhusiwa baada ya gharika. Hata hivyo Mungu aliweka utaratibu wanyama wapi wa kuliwa na wapi si wakuliwa. Tuache ubishi. Tena tukiweza tuache tu kula nyama maana haikuwa katika mpango wa Mungu Tangu alipotuumba.

Sigara, mirungi, madawa ya kulevya, bangi, pombe na jamii yake tutafakari na kufanyia mazoezi ya kuacha kutumi vitu hivyo vina madhara makubwa si katika afya zetu tu bali hata kwa afya ya familia na jamii kwa ujumla. Kuna ubishi mwingi na sarakasi kwenye haya lakini uchaguzi wa kuacha ni salama kwetu. Kuna kijitabu nilikisoma zamani, kinaitwa, “Watumwa Wangali hata Leo”. Kinasema utumwa si tu ule wa zamani au kikoloni. Kuwa mfungwa wa kutumia vitu (addiction) ni ka aina ka utumwa kabaya sana. Kuna watu wanahangaika kutoka kwenye utumwa huu, wana nia ya kuacha lakini imeshindikana. Niwape matumaini kuwa inawezekana. Mzee mmoja rafiki yangu ni raia wa nchi fulani ambapo uvutaji wa sigara umetamalaki kupita maelezo. Nikajaribu kumuuliza kama anajua madhara ya sigara, akasema anayajua na ilishamharibu koo akafanyiwa upasuaji. Lakini akaniambia ndiyo starehe ilyobaki hawezi kuacha mpaka kufa. Huyu ni tofauti na wengi wengine wetu. Wengi hawajui madhara ya sigareti. Tumeweka utaratibu katika matangazo ya sigara kwamba ina madhara kwa afya yako. Maandishi haya hayaeleweki maana yake nini hasa kwa watumiaji. Tataendelea kuweka msukumo kwa viwanda hivi hatari vifungwe kuokoa maisha ya watu wetu.

Ulaji wa mbovu: unaweza kuwa unakula kuzingatia kanuni za nini ule lakini hufuati utaratibu mzuri wa kula. Hii nayo ni hatari. Kuna watu wanakula ovyo ovyo. Akiona kitu hata barabarani udenda unamtoka. Kanywa chai, Kala mchana na hata usiku. Lakini anataka ale pia katikati, akiona tukaranga huyo, korosho hazimpiti, Vitumbua anavyo, maandazi ooohhhh!, Juice za Azam barabarani hazikatishi mbele yake. Mikia ya pweza yumo. Akiona mtu anapitisha tumhogo atataka hata kakipande kadogo tu. Keki hazipiti, sijui aiskrim, popcorn, tuvikombe twa kahawa barabarani na vingine vingi, havikatishi mbele ya macho yake. Hii ni hatari. Kwanza unaweza kula vitu ambavyo haviko katika usafi (ukaambukizwa magonjwa), pia tumbo linahitaji muda wa kusaga chakula ulichokula ama asubuhi au mchana au jioni. Tujiepushe na kula katikati ya milo. Tuna shida ya mila na desturi pia, mtu akija kwako akikwambia kashiba usimlazimishe eti akuachie baraka – yeye unamwachia laana. Tunywe maji ya kutosha (walau lita mbili) kwa siku. Kuna watu asubuhi hadi jioni hanywi maji halafu anajisifia ka zuzu, “mie naweza kwenda hata siku mbili bila kunywa maji”, ole wako. Kunywa maji nusu saa kabla au baada ya kula, usinywe maji huku unakula chakula unaharibu na kuchelewesha mfumo wa kusaga chakula.

Chakula kiwe kamili (balanced diet) vyakula vya kukinga mwili, kuleta joto na kujenga mwili. Usikoboe nafaka mfano mahindi. Yasage hivyo hivyo. Kwa nini uzidiwe akili na wadudu na panya? Wakila mahindi wao hula kiini cha hindi. Maganda yanayozunguka hindi ni ufagio tumboni mwako. Kula vyakula vyenye jamii ya mifagio mfano mboga za majani nyingi. Usione ufahari kukaa muda mrefu bila kwenda haja kubwa. Hiyo ni hatari!

Leo niishie hapa kwa afya: Tukitii kanuni za afya itakuwa sawa na kuwa na simu original wewe utayeya tu na mawasiliano. Ukiendekeza kuvunja kanuni za afya utakatwa kama yule jamaa yangu.

THE WORLD BELONGS TO ALL OF US: CONGRATS TO SADIQ KHAN; SERIOUS RESERVATIONS TO DONALD TRUMP

Sadiq Khan wins London Mayor. The first time London has elected a Muslim citizen as its Mayor. Yet some of us here praise Donald Trump for his divisive politics across racial and religious lines. The world belongs to  all us of be it Christians, Muslims, Confucius or without any faith following. We coexist, it is absurd to look down upon others just because they don’t worship as we do or they don’t look as brown as we are. If there is anything we can do to convince others that we really worship a true God is to show love and compassion, reaching them out and helping those who are less privileged than us, becoming a source of blessing to others and not a curse.

So it doesn’t matter whether Donald Trump wins the US presidency, his views and inclinations against Africans, Muslims, Latinos etc is not of our time. The apartheid in South Africa had what they thought was a fair view against blacks, it didn’t matter how fair was their sentiments provided they were racially motivated. We (Tanzanians and the rest of Africans) fought them hard. Mwalimu once said there are people whom we can socialize with, eat or drink with but they do not qualify for leadership. Americans can make Donald Trump their president it is their choice it is their country but he falls short of the principles we have stood for. Yes we are small but the principles we stand for are higher than any powerful human. They have withstood the test of time. Any society which violets these basic principles of human equality and dignity will not survive.

Congratulations Londoners! Congratulations Sadiq Khan!

Je, mitambo ya kusindika vyakula Tanzania inatumia “food grade lubricants”?

Jana nilikuwa na rafiki yangu anayehusika na mambo ya viwango tukazungumza mambo kadhaa kuhusu viwango vya bidhaa mbalimbali hapa nchini. Kuna wakati niliwahi kurusha kwenye mtandao mwingine juu ubora wa nondo tunazojengea hapa nchini baada ya kuzifanyia majaribio binafsi. Bahati mbaya kabisa viongozi wetu wa mashirika kama TBS au taasisi kwa ujumla ama hawako au hawashiriki kwa mitandao ya jamii. Nashauri wafanye hivyo ili tusaidiane na umma kuibua matatizo ya viwango.

Tanzania tuna viwanda vya kusindika vyakula na madawa kwa ajili ya matumizi ya wanadamu na mifugo ambayo wengi wetu huila pia au kutumia mazao yake kama maziwa nk. Tukiwa na mjadala na huyu ndg yangu nikaibua hoja ya vilainishi vya mitambo inayosindika vyakula. Katika mitambo hiyo Kuna sehemu tunaita nyeti (critical areas) ambapo chakula kinaweza kutana na vilainishi kiuhalisia kulinda afya ya binadamu nchi zilizoendelea zimeamua tu kwamba mtambo unaosindika vyakula wote ni critical. Hivyo ni lazima kutumia “food grade lubricants” mazao ya plastic zinazotumika kubeba chakula na maji ni lazima ziwe food grade pia.

Sasa swali: je,  viwanda vyetu vinavyozalisha chakula vinatumia food grade lubricants kuepusha uchafuzi wa chakula? Nani anahakikisha hilo linafanyika? Total food grade policy Inatokana na ukweli kwamba mafundi wanaweza kuchanganganya lubricants hivyo kuondoa huo uwezekano ni kutumia food grades kwa mitambo yote ya kusindika vyakula. Na watu wasitoe sababu, kwenye soko tuna hydraulic oil, transmission oil, greases za food grade.

Tujilinde wapendwa na wenye mandate hiyo ni TBS na TFDA.