July 5, 2010
I traveled to Mugumu in Serengeti District to pay my respects at the grave of a friend, Moses Machege, who died on 19th June 2010. A day before he died I called him from Dubai to inquire about a business proposition he had mooted to me sometime in 2009 and for which I found interested parties in Dubai.
He asked me to explore the possibilities with the interested parties and asked me to call him back the next day. I tried unsuccessfully to call him throughout my Dubai visit and later learnt that the day I was to call him he was struck by a runaway truck as he sat on the roadside in a suburb of Arusha and died on the spot.
On my way to Mugumu I captured this image of Mt. Chamuriyo near Mariwanda village. I have climbed this mountain, the highest in Mara region, twice.
At the top of the mountain are located the ruins of a German Imperial communications post. Tanganyika, now Tanzania, was a German colony until Germany lost its East African territories after the First World War in 1918.
Residents of the surrounding villages believe the ruins contain hidden treasures and are suspicious of anyone climbing up the mountain, particularly if accompanied by foreigners.
The road to Mugumu cuts through wildlife country and one can see herds of wild animals along the way including Zebra...
and Wildebeest.
On the way back at a corner, this giraffe stood in front of the car and then calmly walked to the roadside. I stopped and Suman Som, the university student who accompanied me, said he wanted to step out in front of the car and my camera so that I could snap a photograph that he would use in his social network page.
I argued against it because I told him as soon as he stepped out the giraffe would run away. Besides, I said, this was wildlife country and it was not a good idea to get out of the car. He pleaded and I relented, but told him to leave his door open lest he had to run back from something. As I had predicted, as soon as he approached my side of the car the giraffe bolted and ran away, but I managed to take a few photographs.
Later, I felt I should not have allowed him out of the car. If he had ended up a lion's lunch I would have been in extremely big trouble. Lions are easily camouflaged by the dry grass and I recall seeing lions around this area before.
July 8, 2010
Archbishop Valentino Mokiwa of the Anglican Church of Tanzania, en route to Mwanza after a visit to Tarime with fellow clergy, paid a visit to Butiama and signed the guest book at the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Library.
July 16, 2010
I discovered a compass on my camera stand and wondered whether it will ever become necessary to be absolutely certain that I am pointing my camera in a south south westerly direction.
July 20, 2011
I was visited in my room by what appeared to me to be a marsupial. A tour guide who has seen this small animal, measuring about 5-6 cm from head to tail says it is a mouse species. With a fluffy tail? It does not make sense to me.
July 21, 2010
It is yet another beautiful sunset at Butiama.
July 28, 2010
Suman Som, an undergraduate student from the University of Chicago, and Amani Millanga, a PhD student studying Mass Communications from Leicester University sat down to discuss various topics on Tanzania, including its history and politics.
July 30, 2010
Politician Mabere Marando addressed a short meeting organized by CHADEMA, the opposition political party, held at Musoma to introduce residents of Musoma to CHADEMA's presidential candidate for October's general elections, Dr. Wilbrod Slaa.
And so did William Rwakatare...
and Freeman Mbowe, the CHADEMA chairman.
Finally, Dr. Wilbrod Slaa, stood up and addressed the crowd.
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