While Mugabe's Zimbabwe celebrates its independence!

Once upon a time, as an African, it would be strange not to be proud of Mugabe, a freedom fighter who fought for Zimbabwe.It is sad to see how things seem to keep going wrong for the one, once regarded as a great leader and once a prosperous country , the envy of many.

Following the history of the country and the continent , it is not difficult to see how complicated the politics of Zimbabwe is. But still , it is easy to see why by keeping Mugabe as a Zimbabwe's leader complicates things even more.I think Mugabe has become a dividing factor and one who easily divert the focus from the real issues. Of course Zimbabwe's leadership as a whole is one of the issue, but Mugabe reduces it into a one leader's problems.

I can not dispute what Mugabe was saying during the celebrations.

But...

I think whatever good intensions he has ,they have long lost their positive touch.
I think he has to find a person to succeed him. Yeltsin in Russia did.
Just like war, these african presidents need to have an exit strategy while entering the office. I find the majority of them find themselves stuck in the office fearing what the future brings.

I think it should be clear to the Mugabes and the Musevenis that, There is always going to be another person capable of leading the country. Staying long just makes you guys lose focus on what is good for the betterment of your countries.As respectable leaders it is just fine to step down as respectable people.

I can not help remembering Bob Marley's song and how much sparkles of hope it was providing. Listen..

A Tanzanian eye on the resurrection of Mandela chieftaincy

South Africa is no Tanzania, but one can not stop to wonder, what would have happened if chiefdoms were not abolished in Tanzania.Most predictable answer from a lot of people could be that, some tribes and areas would suffer disadvantages. Now, few decades after the abolishment of chiefdoms , all that is visible is the disparity that keeps growing. Dar es Salaam is no Mtwara, and for sure one can not compare tribes either.

Well, so might argue that Tanzania is better off the way it is now compared to a lot of countries in Africa, partly due to the removal of chiefs and uniting the people under one ruler. I agree with that, but I also think where we are going it would not be a big suprise to find the country back in square one. Right now the gap between the rich and poor is growing fast.

Would the resurrection of chiefdoms in Tanzania suprise you?
Well, in South Africa, Mandla Mandela becoming a chief with Nelson Mandela (who chose to be a lawyer and not a chief) was not that much suprising.

The case of Mt Kilimanjaro evaporating and not melting!

Photo by Yosemite

It was sad to know that it is still a fact that Mt Kilimanjaro is losing its glacier. Well, atleast now some scientist try to offer different dates for the grand occasion.

The language and the technicality of the processes that robs the mountain its glaciers is fascinating at many meetings , including the European Geosciences Union General Assembly meeting.It is just heartbreaking that knowing that it is actually precipitation and not temperature that contribute the most to the reduction of glacier does not help much if there is nothing that can be done reverse the situation.

The only relief for some, is the fact that the glacier never played bigger role as the source of water for the area.Well, that is if no other explanation from other scientists that might contradict the one popular now. Its tiring to hear all these different explanations about climate warming come up everyday. Atleast we now know that the Kilimanjaro glacier is evaporating and not melting.

It would be nice to know to what extent the climbers of Mt Kilimanjaro are drawn there by the icy top. Tourism would suffer if height and natural beauty minus the ice are not exerting enough pull.

I hope the ministry of environment and tourism are working out some workable plan to take care of the mountain and its legacy.