PROGRAMME FOR THE 7TH MWALIMU NYERERE INTELLECTUAL FESTIVAL, UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM, NKRUMAH HALL, 13TH-17TH APRIL 2015
Introduction
Welcome to the 7th Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Intellectual Festival.
As we, once again, gather to honour Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and reflect on his exemplary contribution to human development, our attention is drawn to challenges that seem to increasingly divert the development direction of our countries away from the people-centered development ideals to which Mwalimu Nyerere and like minded African leaders devoted their lives.
Africa is quoted as having witnessed significant economic growth in recent years, recording a growth of 5.8% in 2014 as compared to the global 3%, with many of its countries recording an 8% annual GDP growth. This economic growth is, to a large extent, attributed to the adoption of liberal and free market economic opportunities and interventions plus the intensification of private sector control of the means of economic production.
This economic success, however, has not necessarily translated into tangible improvement of the living conditions of the majority of the continent’s citizenry. Poverty rates in Sub Sahara Africa are still high, standing at 46.8% for people living under 1.25$ a day (2011).
In Tanzania, for example, the recently launched Tanzania Human Development Report 2014 states that “ Unfortunately,in recent decades Tanzania did not develop in a way desired by the nation’s father. Contrary to the strong desire set soon after independence to build a nation with high levels of human development, the state of human development in Tanzania to date is still low” (ESRF/UNDP/URT: 2015).
This observation is backed by an alarming increase in media reports on conflicts over land grabbing by foreign and local investors, land evictions of peasant communities, conflicts over mining rights between small scale and large scale miners, conflicts between rural communities and government over land reserves or conflicts over land between agricultural and pastoralist communities.
Such conflicts are a manifestation that something is going amiss and violating the economic, social and human rights of the ordinary citizenry, particularly rural grassroots communities who seem to bear the brunt of the forces of rapid and deep entrenchment of capitalism Africa is going through.
The capitalist character of free market, cut throat competition, maximization of profit, exploitation for profit, individual drive for quick wealth have ushered in a rise in human rights violations and social injustices against those unable to protect themselves against the economically powerful. For many grassroots communities in Africa, the social cost of capitalism far outweighs the widely publicized economic benefits. Economic exploitation, unemployment, lack of access to basic needs and services and poverty in general are intensifying.
While recognizing that scholars have widely engaged in an analysis of these developments, the 7th Mwalimu Nyerere Festival has selected the theme of “ Privatization and Social Justice for Grassroots Communities” in order to further interrogate this situation. Furthermore, we have opted to give a voice to grassroots communities to talk about their experiences relating to privatization and social justice for their communities. Representatives from grassroots communities from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa will speak on cases of conflicts over land and mining rights and highlight what strategies they are adopting to deal with the challenges posed.
It is hoped that the voices from these grassroots communities will provide a people’s perspective of the magnitude of development challenges on the ground and feed into the analysis and debate on what action is required to mitigate the social injustices to the continent’s citizenry arising out of privatization processes.
We wish you a very fruitful and enriching intellectual and social engagement during the festival and thank you for coming.
Professor Penina Mlama
Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Professorial Chair in Pan African Studies
University of Dar es Salaam.
DAY 1 – MONDAY 13th April 2014
SESSION I – 9.00am – 11:00am
Opening Ceremony - 9.00 am – 9. 50am
Procession from Council Chamber- 9.00am - 9.10 am
Performance- Nyota Group- Majeleko, Dodoma – 9.10am- 9.20am
Installation of “Distinguished Nyerere Voices from the Grassroots - 9.20 am – 9. 30am
Opening Remarks – Mwalimu Nyerere Professorial Chair- Prof Penina Mlama – 9.30pm – 9. 40am
Welcome Remarks- Vice Chancellor, University of Dar es Salaam, Prof Rwekaza Mukandala – 9.40- 9.50am.
Presentations 9.50 am – 11.00am
Grassroots Experiences on Privatization and Land- “Distinguished Nyerere Voices from the Grassroots” -
Loliondo Land case- – Mama Kooya Timan- Ololosokwan, Loliondo,Tanzania
Mubende land case – Mr Peter Kayiira – Mubende, Uganda
Garissa land case - Mr Abdul Sugaal – Garissa, Kenya
Health Break- 11.00am - 11.30 am
SESSION 2 – 11.30 am- 1.00pm
Goodwill Messages - 11.30am – 11.40 am
Ambassador- Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Open Society Foundations (tbc)
National Cultural Heritage Council– South Africa
Presentations – 11.40 am- 1.00pm
Grassroots Communities Experiences on Privatization and Social Justice – Onesmo Olengurumwa – Human and Legal Rights Centre –Tanzania
Neo Liberalism Privatization and Social Justice- Mwandawiro Mghanga- Kenya.
What do Human Rights Standards Tell Us about Privatization and How to Use Human Rights Tools and Mechanisms – Experiences from Kenya, Uganda, Ghana and other Countries- Sylvain Aubry, Researcher, Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Kenya.
Lunch Break – 1.00 pm - 2.30 pm
SESSION 3 - 2.30pm – 4.30 pm
Poem – Mwalimu Nyerere Ideals Forum - Makongo Secondary School Dar esSalaam -2.30- 2.40pm
Presentations 1- 2.40pm- 4.30pm
Privatization and Social Services Provision
The Market Goes to School- Prof Willy Komba- University of Dodoma, Tanzania.
An Overview of Changes in the Financing and Governance of Education in Africa over the Last Twenty Years-Prof Joel Samoff – Stanford University, USA.
The Politics of Privatized and Marketized Secondary School Curriculum and Official Knowledge in Tanzania – 1990s- 2012 - Moshi Mislay, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Strategies for action/Legal Aid Clinic for grassroots communities - 4.30- 5. 30pm (tbc)
DAY 2 – TUESDAY 14TH APRIL 2015
SESSION 1 – 9.00 am- 10.30 am
Music - 9.00 am- 9.10 am
Vitali Maembe
Recap of Day 1 – 9.10-9-20 am
Rapporteurs
Presentations - 9.20 am- 10.30 am.
Grassroots Experiences on Privatization and Mining-
“Distinguished Nyerere Voices from the Grassroots”.
Geita Mining Case – Pius Lugendo, “Darfur”, Geita,Tanzania
Karamoja Mining Case - Deborah Iyebu – Moroto, Uganda
New Rural Struggles on the Platinum Belt: A case of the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela, North West Province, South Africa- Dr Sonwabile Mnwana- Researcher- Society, Work and Development Institute (SWOP) University of Witwatersrand, South Africa.
Health Break – 10.30 am - 11. 00am
SESSION 2- 11.00 am -1.00pm
Presentation – Information on Akiba Uhaki Foundation- 11.00am- 11.10am
Panel Discussion - 11.10am- 11.45 am
Privatization and Social Justice for Grassroots Communities - Experiences from Poland
-Prof Andrzej Tymowski- Independent Consultant, Poland/USA
-Slawomir Sierawoski – Krytyka Polityczna (Political Organization)
Poland
Presentations - 11.45 am -1.00pm
Privatization and Social Service Provision 2
Kenyan Experience with Water Services Privatization- Peter Kanyi, Akiba Uhaki Foundation, Kenya.
Privatization, Private Universities in Tanzania: Access, Equity and QualityConcerns - Simon Peter, University of Dar es Salaam – Tanzania
Public-Private Partnership in Education: The Private Pursuit of the Public Purse – Prof Josephat Rugemalira – University of Dar es Salaam - Tanzania
Lunch Break – 1.00pm – 2.30 pm
SESSION 3 – 2.30pm- 4.30pm
Music- 2.30-2.40pm
Vitali Maembe
Book Launch – Ujamaa: The Hidden Story of Tanzania’s Socialist Villages by Ralph Ibbot- SOMA - 2.40pm- 3.00pm.
Panel Discussion - 3.00pm- 4.30 pm
Privatization and Social justice for Grassroots Communities: Perspectives from the Private Sector.
- Speakers from The Private Sector Foundation – Tanzania (tbc)
Strategies for Action for grassroots communities/Legal Aid clinic – 4.30 pm -5.30 pm (tbc)
DAY 3 – WEDNESDAY 15TH APRIL 2015
SESSION 1 - 9.00 am – 10.30 am
Music – Robert Emmanuel - 9.00am- 9.10 am
Recap of Day 2- 9.10am – 9.20 am
Rapporteur
Presentations - 9.20 am- 10.30 am.
Grassroots Experiences on Privatization and Land-
“Distinguished Voices from the Grassroots”-
Kilosa land case - Abdala Niuyai ( Pastoralists community) Kilosa, Tanzania
- Ailu Mustafa (Farmers community) Kilosa, Tanzania
Mbarali land case – Feint Mwashikumbulu- Kapunga, Mbarali ,Tanzania
- Sekalaga Sandube- Kapunga, Mbarali- Tanzania
Health Break – 10.30 – 11.00am
SESSION 2 – 11.00am – 1.00pm
Brainstorming Session – (By invitation)11.00am -1.00pm
Research Programme on Privatization and Social Justice for Grassroots
Communities.
Presentations
2015 Votes to End Injustices on Resources - Alphonce Stima- University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Schooling in Pseudo Capitalist Tanzania- The Clash Between Education for Egalitarianism and Education for Elitism and Entrepreneurship- Prof Kitila Mkumbo- University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Eurocentric Privatization and Social Justice in African Economic Welfare: An Afro-centric Critique of Neo Classical Economics for Sustainable Development in East Africa- Dr Cammilius Kassala, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Lunch Break – 1.00pm – 2.30 pm
SESSION 3- 2.30 pm – 4.30 pm
Video show -Pan Africanism- Prof Kahlil Fantazzil , Berkley- 2.30 pm- 2.40pm
Palaver with the Audience – 2.40 pm – 4.00pm
Strategies for Action to Mitigate the Effect of Privatization on Social Justice for Grassroots Communities
Way Forward – 4.00pm – 4.30pm
Summary of Issues raised and Way forward
Closing - 4. 30pm - 5.00pm
Note: Exhibitions by various publishing companies and organizations will be open throughout the festival.
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