Makala ya "Kwanza Jamii" Yaendelea Kupeta

Niliwahi kuandika kuhusu makala yangu ya kwanza kuchapishwa katika gazeti la Kwanza Jamii, "Maendeleo ni Nini," ambayo hatimaye ilichapishwa huku Marekani, baada ya mimi kuombwa niitafsiri kwa ki-Ingereza. Soma hapa.

Wahenga walisema: dunia ni mduara, huzunguka kama pia. Bila kutegemea, tarehe 20 Oktoba nilipata barua pepe kutoka kwa mtu aliyejitambulisha kuwa ni mhariri mkuu wa jarida la Monday Developments. Ujumbe wa msingi wa barua yake ni huu:

We cover issues and trends in international development and humanitarian assistance, and are a publication of InterAction—an alliance of 200 U.S.-based international development organizations focused on the world’s poor and most vulnerable people.

One of our upcoming issues will be discussing the topic: Is development the new colonialism? While researching the subject, I came across your article “What is Development? Colonialism Deconstructed” and found it very refreshing. As a journal geared primarily toward global NGO staff, I thought your critique of the term and notion of development would be an interesting point of view to our readers—who often only see their side of the issue.

I wonder if you might consider adapting your article to run in our publication? Our readership includes NGOs, universities, the UN, World Bank, and offices of the U.S. government –exactly the audience who should be exposed to the points you raise.

Sikusita; nilikubali ombi la kuikarabati makala yangu na juzi nimeipeleka. Mhariri amejibu na kushukuru akisema, "You raise interesting points that our NGO readership should consider as they perform their work."

Makala hii, pamoja na zingine nilizochapisha katika Kwanza Jamii imo katika kitabu cha CHANGAMOTO, ambacho kinapatikana mtandaoni, kama inavyoonekana upande wa kulia wa ukurasa huu, na pia Dar es Salaam, simu namba 0754888647 au 0717413073. Nilikichapisha kitabu hiki ili kuwapa wa-Tanzania wengi iwezekanavyo fursa ya kuyafahamu mawazo yangu, kwa lugha ya ki-Swahili.

Nilifanya hivi ingawa najua kuwa vitabu havithaminiwi miongoni mwa wa-Tanzania. Nimejiepusha na lawama. Hatimaye nitapenda kukitafsiri kitabu hiki kwa ki-Ingereza, hasa baada ya kuona jinsi makala hii moja niliyoitafsiri inavyopokelewa na wale wasiojua ki-Swahili.

Naweka taarifa hii hapa iwe changamoto kwa watoto na vijana wetu. Wajizatiti na shule na elimu, kama nilivyofanya na ninavyoendelea kufanya maishani mwangu, bila kuyumbishwa na chochote. Manufaa yake huonekana baadaye.

Mteja Wangu wa Kwanza

Tarehe 8 Mei, 2010, mteja alinunua kitabu changu cha Changamoto, hapo mtandaoni kinapochapishwa. Niliguswa na kitu hicho, nikasema itabidi nikiongelee hapa kwenye blogu.

Nimechapisha vitabu kadhaa, na wateja ninao. Siri moja ya uchapishaji vitabu mtandaoni kama ninavyofanya ni kuwa ninaweza kufuatilia mauzo ya vitabu saa yoyote. Ndio maana niliweza kuona kuwa mteja wa kwanza wa Changamoto amepatikana.

Kitabu hiki ni cha pekee kwangu kwa sababu ni kitabu changu cha kwanza cha ki-Swahili. Mimi si mwandishi bora wa ki-Swahili, lakini naona nina haki ya kujipongeza kwa juhudi niliyofanya, hasa nikizingatia kuwa sisi wasomi ni wavivu katika kutumia ki-Swahili, na wengi tunaamini kuwa ki-Swahili hakina utajiri kama ki-Ingereza. Kwa vile nilisomea taaluma ya lugha na isimu ya lugha, ninaelewa kuwa dhana kama hii ni potofu. Hakuna lugha maskini.

Kama mimi, ambaye ni mwalimu wa ki-Ingereza, nimeweza kujibidisha hadi kuandika kitabu kwa ki-Swahili, sioni kwa nini wasomi wengine wasiweze kufanya hivyo hivyo.

Ninapomwazia huyu mteja wangu wa kwanza nijiuliza masuali. Sijui ni nini kilichomfanya akanunua kitabu cha ki-Swahili kilichoandikwa na mtu kama mimi. Au labda kasoma makala zangu katika gazeti la Kwanza Jamii? Au labda ni mteja wa maandishi yangu ya ki-Ingereza? Au labda ana dukuduku ya kujua nimeandika nini na ninaandika vipi? Kwa vyovyote, napenda kumshukuru na kumfahamisha kuwa ameweka historia kwa kuwa mteja wangu wa kwanza.