Oldoinyo Lengai, the mountain of God

I have plans to climb Oldoinyo Lengai, but which have been on hold for the past several years. It took me close to a decade between the time I decide to climb until I eventually climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2008. So, Oldoinyo Lengai might have to wait for a while.

It is an active volcano and the last eruption was in 2010 - the first in 1883 - and the eruption is still described as "on going." Which provides me an excuse for postponing my climb. The temperature of its lava is said to be only 520 degrees Centigrade. I interpret this to mean there are for more hotter volcanoes on this planet.

The highest point on Oldoinyo Lengai is only 2,980m above sea level; Kilimanjaro's summit is 5,895m above sea level. And yet I have heard from those who have been on this volcano that its steep slopes create a formidable challenge to the climber. Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro involves continuous instances of going up and down, particularly during the initial few days on the Lemosho route. I am told Oldoinyo Lengai constitutes a continuous upward movement, all the way to the top.

Some of the information in this post accessed from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ol_Doinyo_Lengai.

Moshi's Kilimanjaro Coffee Lounge

Nowadays I take every opportunity that places me within striking distance of tasty cakes and a good cup of coffee.

The last time I was in Moshi I walked into the Kilimanjaro Coffee Lounge on Chagga Street (facing the main market) and ordered a sizable cup of coffee with Chocolate cake.

The place has a piano and the owners permit those who want to show how well they play the piano to go ahead and enjoy themselves. As I waited for my order, and being the only client at the time, I sat in front of the piano and played one of a handful of songs that I learnt more than 30 years ago.

The Kilimanjaro Coffee Lounge also offers 'traditional light meals,' grilled chicken, grilled beef steaks, Schnitzels, and a variety of other dishes that I have not had the opportunity to taste.

The coffee was perfect; the Chocolate cake too sweet for my liking.

Post related to this one:
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/08/tasty-cakes-poor-service.html

Here's a question: where do you get the best view of Mt. Kilimanjaro? Kenya or Tanzania?

Someone at Jamii Forums recently raised a question: where is the best view of Mt. Kilimanjaro; is it from the Kenyan or the Tanzanian side? This commentator suspects there is a conspiracy by Kenyans to lure tourists to Kenya and thus the reason why such a question has surfaced.

This question should not be asked. The view of Mt. Kilimanjaro from the Kenyan side is slightly different from the view from Tanzania. From Tanzania Kibo peak is on the left side while Mawenzi peak is on the right side. From Kenya the two peaks take opposite positions, Kibo on the right and Mawenzi on the left. If anyone prefers the Kenyan view it is outrageous to claim that Tanzania offers the better view.

Kibo peak, seen from Karanga camp on the Lemosho route.

I repeat, again, that this Tanzanian pastime of accusing the Kenyans of getting more out of Mt. Kilimanjaro than Tanzanians while Tanzanians do little more than complain provides no improvement whatsoever to our prosperity.

I believe that the visitor who has traveled from abroad for the purpose of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro cares little whether this World Heritage site is in Kenya, Tanzania, or on Jupiter. The visitor is interested in the mountain and not so much on where Kenya ends and Tanzania begins.

I have climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro a number of times and the truth is that comparatively few Tanzanians climb this mountain compared to foreigners. On Mt. Kilimanjaro Tanzanians are the visitors while the foreigners can claim to be the hosts because of their large numbers. Recently on the Marangu route I even met a large group of Kenyans heading to the summit.

I would be extremely pleased to see some of these complainants don some mountain gear and join me on the next climb. Afterwards they can speak with authority and conviction on Mt. Kilimanjaro instead of complaining and asking awkward questions.

One thing they will learn is that the best views of Mt. Kilimanjaro are right on the mountain itself. But that is only my opinion.

Posts related to this one:
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-exotic-flowers-of-mt-kilimanjaro.html
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2012/06/oscar-nominee-dirdre-lorenz-is-in-moshi.html

Political party CCJ has resurfaced as CCK

Remember the short-lived political party, Chama cha Jamii (CCJ)? Well, they are back in politics, now re-named Chama cha Kijamii (CCK).

A press report last week reported changes in CCK's leadership. Among the changes, the former secretary general, Renatus Gregory Muabhi, will be re-assigned other duties. He was the founding secretary general in CCJ, together with the then chairperson Richard Kiyabo, who abandoned CCJ after it became apparent that the party would not meet the registration requirements before the 2010 general elections.

As part of their launch campaign with CCJ, Kiyabo and Muabhi traveled around the country to drum up support for their party and promised mass defections from the ruling party Chama cha Mapinduzi's parliamentarians. They traveled as far as Butiama. When the count was concluded, only one MP defected.



During a visit to Butiama in March 2010, Renatus Muabhi (L), and Richard Kiyabo (R) lay a wreath at the grave of Tanzania's founding president, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere

Maybe this time Tanzanians might have the opportunity to assess the policies of another political party in the next general elections in 2015.

Posts related to this one:
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2010/03/visitors-to-butiama-leaders-of-new.html
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2010/09/richard-kiyabo-from-ccm-to-ccm.html
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/09/march-18-2010-at-end-of-january-2010.html

The road to Musoma is excellent

The Chinese construction firm that has completed the construction of the Nyabange to Kiabakari section of the Musoma to Mwanza highway has done an excellent job.

The video clip fails to capture how well this road has been paved.

The government certainly deserves credit. The ruling party, Chama cha Mapinduzi, should not take credit. I believe that it is the least that any government should do.