Blogging has become easier for me, I have just discovered

One problem for which I have been seeking a solution is how to post information daily on my blog during my next Kilimanjaro climb, from September 20 - 27. I just found out I have been walking with the solution for at least two years. It is so simple, it is laughable.

I bought a Windows Smart Phone more than two years ago that has the basic features for posting to a blog through an email address provided by Blogger: go@blogger.com. That handset has been with



me to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro twice. What this means is that now, when I reach the summit in September, I can post the news to my blog within a few minutes of reaching Uhuru peak. I used to report on my past Kilimanjaro climbs after returning home, days after the climb.

There are two challenges (and maybe a third one if dense cloud cover prevents Vodacom’s network from reaching the peak): first, managing in the sub-zero temperatures to remove my gloves, take a shot with the mobile phone and sending both text and image to my blog before the cold becomes unbearable.

The second is that Issa Muhidin Michuzi, journalist and renowned blogger, has also confirmed he will join the September climb. The race between us will be who will be the first to transmit the news from the summit to our respective blogs.

The Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb 2010 (post 9 of 12)

This is the ninth of twelve posts on the December 2010 Mt. Kilimanjaro climb.

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Friday 10 December 2010

We woke to sad news. As we were having breakfast Yahoo, as usual, came to ask how we were doing. Then, apparently content that we felt fine, told us his mother had died. He said he had to turn back towards Moshi.

Yahoo explained he had nominated two of the crew – Solomon and Ludovick – to lead us for the remainder of the climb.

It was tragic. I imagined how Yahoo would cope. He said his mother had not been ill and was in her fifties. I later learnt she is from Songea, in southern Tanzania.

Later, I worried how we would cope with his replacement, Solomon. But surprisingly, with Jaffar’s profound ability to engage anyone in endless conversation, the rapport with Solomon turned out to be excellent. On our trek to Barranco camp, we walked continuously under the rain, which I found extremely inconvenient. The bonus was, because it was cloudy and foggy, we did not see far ahead of our steep climb towards Lava Tower, the most testing section of today’s trek. I have learnt from experience that what you don’t see during a climb does not intimidate you.

At a certain point after a brief clearing of the fog, I saw the distinct silhouette of Lava Tower, only a short climb away from a stream where Jaffar had asked to take a break. After he said he felt dizzy I suggested he was not drinking enough water and could have been suffering from dehydration. It turned out I was right because in the next days he drank more water and did not experience any dizziness.

I notice a big difference between Jaffar on the ascent and one on a descent.* The former speaks little; the latter has endless stories to tell. Characteristically, I am left behind on descents; my forte, I have discovered, is during climbs.

*Climbing most mountains, particularly while heading towards the summit, involves both climbs and descents across valleys and ridges.

Next: The breakfast climb

Posts related to this one:
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/05/mwalimu-nyereremt-kilimanjaro-charity.html
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/06/mwalimu-nyereremt-kilimanjaro-charity.html

The Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb 2010 (post 8 of 12)

This is the eighth of twelve posts on the December 2010 Mt. Kilimanjaro climb.

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Thursday 9 December 2010
Jaffar is in good spirits which, without argument, is the best tool for conquering Kilimanjaro.

When I got out of my tent, I caught a glimpse of Kibo peak, our destination. Kibo has an unusually large quantity of snow cover. I estimated the snow cover, in some sections, was as low as 4,000m. If there is a bonus for climbing during the rainy season, the extra snow cover (also seen on Kilimanjaro’s other peak, Mawenzi, on December 6) has to be it.

As with the past climbs, our group remains the slowest; we maintain a slow but steady pace. The other important principle of climbing Kilimanjaro is taking matters as slowly as possible to conserve much-needed energy for the difficult sections, advice that is especially important for novice climbers.

There is little to write about today except that it is Tanzania’s 49^th independence anniversary commemorations. On TBC radio, the public broadcaster, a primary school student was interviewed and asked what he remembered of Tanzania’s history.

“Vita vya Kagera.” [The Kagera War – the 1978-79 war between Tanzania and Uganda]

 “Vilikuwa mwaka gani?” [When was the war fought?]

“Sikumbuki…” [I don’t remember]

“Vilikuwa mwaka ‘78 na ’79. Unakumbuka chanzo cha vita hivyo?” [They were in ’78 and ’79. Do you remember the cause of the war?]

“Idi Amin alikuwa mkolofi. Sasa Nyelele alikuwa hapendi ukolofi, ndiyo ikabidi wapigane.” [Idi Amin was a troublesome person. Nyerere did not like trouble, so they had to fight].
 



In my tent, after the hike from Shira 1 to Shira 2 camp where I tuned in to the radio broadcast on Tanzania's 49th commemorations of its independence.

Ever since Jaffar’s first visit to Tanzania, I have consistently avoided dwelling on the past and attempted to focus on the future, but history has a habit of cropping up unexpectedly, even on a Kilimanjaro climb with Jaffar Amin!

Also on the radio today was a rebroadcast of Lt. Alex Nyirenda’s live broadcast from Uhuru Peak on the eve of Independence, 49 years ago.

Next: Tragic news from Moshi.

Posts related to this one:
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/03/mwalimu-nyereremt-kilimanjaro-charity.html
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/05/mwalimu-nyereremt-kilimanjaro-charity_31.html 

The Third Julius Nyerere Intellectual Festival Week April 12 - 15, 2011

UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM MWALIMU NYERERE CHAIR IN PAN-AFRICAN STUDIES THIRD JULIUS NYERERE INTELLECTUAL FESTIVAL WEEK APRIL 12-15, 2011

TUESDAY 12TH APRIL 2011

PAN-AFRICAN DAY I

MORNING SESSION

9.00 – 9.30

Guests to be seated in Nkrumah Hall by 9.30 Chair: Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rwekaza Mukandala MC: Prof. Amandina Lihamba

9.30 - 9.40

Arrival of the procession of Nyerere Lecturer Procession accompanied and led by ‘ngoma ya mdundiko’

9.40 – 9.50

Sisi ni Watoto wa Africa - Marlaw + secondary school students

9.50 – 10.10

Welcome address by the VC, Prof. Rwekaza Mukandala

10.10 – 10.25

Citation of the Distinguished Nyerere Lecturer - Prof. Issa Shivji

10.25-10.35

Installation of the Distinguished Nyerere Lecturer, 2011

10.35– 11.30

BEREKET SELASSIE: BEYOND COLONIAL BORDERS TO PAN-AFRICAN AFRICAN UNITY LECTURE I: POST-COLONIAL PAN-AFRICANISM: A HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL TESTAMENT

11.30 – 12.30

Audience Participation: questions, comments and answers

12.30 - 12.40

Host: Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) invites participants to the Health Break

12.40 – 2.30

HEALTH BREAK

Invited Guests to VC’s residence Host: The Pan-African Start Secretariat (PASS)

AFTERNOON SESSION

2.30 – 2.45

Arrival and seating of guests in Nkrumah Hall MC: Dr Tulia Ackson

2.45 – 3.00

Special song on Ukombozi - Karola Kinasha

3.00 – 3.15

Welcome of the panel and introduction of the topic – Chief interlocutor: Prof. Issa Shivji, Mwl. Nyerere Professor of Pan-African Studies

3.15 – 4.15

INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE - THINKING WITH MWALIMU: AFRICA AT 50 IN PAN-AFRICANISM

Chief Interlocutor: Prof. Issa Shivji.

Participants: Mzee Martin Shikuku, First Generation Kenyan Nationalist Mzee Hashim Mbita, Former Head of OAU Liberation Committee Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, Former OAU Secretary General Prof. Adebayo Olukoshi, Director, UN African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) Prof. Severin Rugumamu, University of Dar es Salaam Dr. Vicensia Shule, University of Dar es Salaam

4.15 – 5.15

Audience participation: questions, comments and answers

5.15 – 5.30

Winding up - Chief Interlocutor

6.00 – 9.00

VC’s Cocktail for invited guests

13TH APRIL 2011

PAN-AFRICAN DAY II

MORNING SESSION

9.00 – 9.15

Guests to be seated in Nkrumah Hall Chair: Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rwekaza Mukandala MC: Prof. Saida Yahya-Othman

9.15 – 9.45

Performance Fid Q & Prof. J.

9.45 – 10.30

BEREKET SELASSIE: BEYOND COLONIAL BORDERS TO PANAFRICAN AFRICAN UNITY LECTURE II: PAN-AFRICANISM AND PROBLEMS OF AFRICAN NATION STATES: CHALLENGES IN THE ERA OF GLOBALIZATION

10.30 – 10.40

Host: UDSM-Computing Centre (UCC) invites guests to Health Break

10.40 – 11.30

HEALTH BREAK

11.30 - 12.30

Audience Participation: questions, comments and answers

12.30 – 12.50

Vote of Thanks to Prof. Bereket Selassie Dr. Khoti Kamanga

12.50 – 1.40

THREE YEARS OF KIGODA CHA MWALIMU

Guest of Honour: Dr. Ebrima Sall, Executive Secretary of CODESRIA

Chair: Prof. Issa Shivji

12.50 – 1.00

Shairi: Heko kwa kutimiza ahadi – Mwalimu Bashiru Ally

1.00 – 1.20

Taking Stock of Three Years – Issa Shivji

1.20 – 1.30

Ng’wanza Kamata: Introduces the Chair’s publications & invites the Guest of Honour to launch by presenting them to the first laureates of the course: Pan-African Thought and Practice I: The Roots of Pan-Africanism

1.30 – 1.40

Brief remarks by the Guest of Honour - Ebrima Sall

1.40 – 3.00

LUNCH BREAK Invited Guests to VC’s residence Host: Tanzania Gender Network Programme [TGNP]

AFTERNOON SESSION

SYMPOSIUM: WOMEN FREEDOM FIGHTERS

(Organised in collaboration with TGNP – Tanzania Gender Network Programme)

Chair: Ms. Mary Rusimbi, Chairperson – TGNP

3.00 – 3.30

Kwa nini? Theatre performance by Makanjanja group

3.30 – 3.40

Welcome remarks – Ms. Mary Rusimbi

3.40 – 4.40

Interactive Dialogue - Silences on Women Freedom Fighters: The Case of East African Women

Chief Interlocutor: Ms. Demere Kitunga, Publisher and Former TGNP Board Member Participants: Prof. Sylvia Tamale, Makerere University Ms. Ananilea Nkya, Executive Director – TAMWA Prof. Godwin Murunga, Kenyatta University Ms. Salma Maoulid, Gender Activist

4.40 – 5.20

Audience participation: questions, comments and answers

5.20 – 5.35

Launching of Popular Feminist Life Herstory Publications – Prof. Alice Nkhoma Wamunza, University of Dar es Salaam

5.35 – 6.00

Summing up Demere Kitunga & Mary Rusimbi

PAN-AFRICAN DAY II SPECIAL NIGHT SESSION:

LEARNING TO STRUGGLE

VENUE: REVOLUTIONARY SQUARE

Sponsor: Legal & Human Rights Centre (LHRC)

7.30 – 8.00 pm

Arrival of guests and refreshments

8.00 – 08.10 pm

A word from facilitator/moderator Prof. Issa Shivji

08.10 – 08.40 pm

Reminiscences of the Ghanaian struggle – Special Guest: Yao Graham

08.40 – 10.00 pm

Discussion of experiences and reminiscences of student struggles UDSM Students of the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s

THURSDAY 14th APRIL 2011

CELEBRATING PAN-AFRICANISTS

[Sponsored by African Research and Resource Forum [ARRF]]

MORNING SESSION

9.00 – 9.20

Guests to be seated Chair: Prof. P. Anyang’ Nyong’o, Minister of Health Service, Kenya MC: Dr. George Omondi, Executive Secretary – ARRF

9.20 – 9.35

MC introduces books to be launched

9.35 – 9.50

Launching of the books and brief remarks by the Chairperson

9.50 – 10.30

A Panoramic View of the Books written by First Generation Nationalists by Jenerali Ulimwengu 10.30 – 10.55

Discussion

10.55 – 11.05

Host: Commission for Science & Technology (COSTECH) invites participants to Health Break 11.05 – 11.45

HEALTH BREAK

BUNGE LA VIJANA: THE YOUNGER GENERATION DEBATE ON NATIONALISM VS. PAN-AFRICANISM

Motion: This house believes that after 50 years of independence, it is time to consolidate nationalism in each of our countries rather than resurrect Pan-Africanism

11.45 – 11.50

Introduction of the topic by the Speaker, Ng’wanza Kamata

11. 50 – 12.50

Debate

12.50 – 01.30 Audience participation

01.30 – 01.40

Summing up – Speaker

1.40 – 02.40

LUNCH BREAK:

Invited guests to VC’s residence for lunch [Host ARRF]

AFTERNOON SESSION VICE-CHANCELLOR’S PALAVER:

50 YEARS OF GENERATING KNOWLEDGE AT THE HILL

3.15 – 3.30

Introduction of the topic: Vice Chancellor, Prof. R. Mukandala

REPOSITIONING UDSM AS A PAN-AFRICAN UNIVERSITY

3.30 – 4.30

Dialogue Participants: Amb. Juma Mwapachu, Secretary General, East African Community Prof. Fred Kaijage, University of Dar es Salaam Prof. Penina Mlama, CAMFED Tanzania Dr. Saleem Badat, VC, Rhodes University, South Africa Prof. Akosua Ampofo, Director, Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana

4.30 – 4.50 Audience participation

4.50 – 5.00

Winding up Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rwekaza Mukandala

5.00 – 5.20

Special Thanks by Prof. Issa Shivji

8.00 – 12.00

PAN-AFRICAN DINNER AND DANCE

MC: Vicensia Shule KAROLA KINASHA BAND Hosts: UDASA & Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF)

FRIDAY 15TH APRIL 2011

ACADEMIC REFLECTIONS DAY

50 YEAR STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS & CONSTITUTIONALISM SCHOOL OF LAW IN COLLABORATION WITH LEGAL & HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRE (LHRC)

SESSION SESSION I:

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Chair: Dean, Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi

MC: Ms. Asina Omari

9.00 - 9.30

Arrival and seating of guests

9.30 – 9.40

Welcoming remarks Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi

9.40 – 10.00

Citation of the Keynote Speaker Prof. G. Mgongo Fimbo

10.00 – 10.45

Keynote address Human Rights and Constitutionalism in East Africa: A Panoramic View - Prof. Yash Ghai

10.45 – 11.15

Audience participation

11.15 – 11.25

Thanks and summing up - Chairperson

11.25 – 11.30

Co-host [LHRC] welcomes participants to the health break

11.30 – 12.00

HEALTH BREAK

SESSION II: PAPER PRESENTATIONS

Chairperson: Prof. L. X. Mbunda

12.00 – 12.45

Paper presentations: 1. G. M. Fimbo: Fifty Years of Teaching and Researching Law in East Africa 2. M.K.B. Wambali: The Participation and Contribution of the Faculty of Law, University of Dar es Salaam to the Struggles for Constitutional Change, Democracy and Human Rights in Tanzania 3. P. J. Kabudi: The Future Perspectives of the University of Dar es Salaam School of Law (Formerly Faculty of Law)

12.45 – 1.30

Audience participation

1.30 – 1.45

Responses from presenters

1.45 – 2.00

Summing up - Chairperson

2.00 – 3.00

LUNCH BREAK

Invited guests to VC’s residence for lunch [Co-Host: LHRC]

AFTERNOON SESSION SESSION III:

BOOK LAUNCH

Guest of Honour: Hon. Justice Joseph Sinde Warioba

Chairperson: Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi

3.00 – 3.15

Arrival of guests and performance by Marlaw

BOOK LAUNCH: RULE OF LAW versus RULERS OF LAW: JUDGE BARNABAS ALBERT SAMATTA’S ROAD TO JUSTICE Compiled and edited by Issa Shivji & Hamudi Majamba

3.15 – 3.30

Editors’ introduction

3.30 – 3.40

Launch of the book - Guest of Honour

3.40 – 3.50

Brief remarks - Guest of Honour

3.50 – 4.00

Brief remarks and thanks - Justice Barnabas Samatta 4.00 – 4.15

Performance – Marlaw

SESSION IV: MOCK TRIAL: A SNIPPET FROM HISTORY

[This trial was organised by the then Faculty of Law sometime in 1981/2.]

4.15 – 5.15

Re-enacting the mock trial [Based on the case of Republic vs Agnes Doris Liundi [1980] T.L.R 38.] Prof. Penina Mlama in the role of the Accused

5.15 – 5.30

Official closing of the Festival by the VC

Post related to this one:

http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2010/04/second-julius-nyerere-intellectual.html

The Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb 2010 (post 7 of 12)

This is the seventh of twelve posts on the December 2010 Mt. Kilimanjaro climb.

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Wednesday 8 December 2010
The second day on the Lemosho route includes a prolonged climb, particularly at a section called the Seven Hills. Before the descent to Shira 1 Camp, I began to worry that, perhaps, this will be the day that I would regret not having adequately prepared myself for this year's climb.



Jaffar Amin, left, takes a break with Yahoo our mountain guide during the Seven Hills climb

Last year Yahoo, our mountain guide, had suggested that I buy a mountain bike to ride prior to climbs for strengthening my leg and thigh muscles. I bought the bike promptly, but I rode it only for several days then resorted to my normal ill-exercised self and this is how I am facing Mt. Kilimanjaro this year.

Jaffar, always adept at engaging any stranger in conversation, kept talking to three climbers, one of whom was a Canadian and another, an American. They were climbing with a Tusker team. At a certain point, one of them asked:

"So you are climbing for a charity?"
"Yes," Jaffar responded.
"Which charity?"

I explained that it was not for a particular charity, that we were raising money for a school, and a group of disabled persons.

Jaffar added: "We are also doing a reconciliation of the past, our fathers were the former leaders of Uganda..."
"Who is your father?"
"Mine, Idi Amin; his, Julius Nyerere."

To which the American replied, "That's a good one." And they walked past us as we continued with our short rest.

I had the impression that the other climber did not believe Jaffar's last response. I found out later that I was right.

Next: Snowfall on Kilimanjaro.

Posts related to this one:
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/01/mwalimu-nyereremt-kilimanjaro-charity_31.html
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2011/05/mwalimu-nyereremt-kilimanjaro-charity.html