watanzaniabelgium blog

He said: “A comrade is a man or woman with patriotic convictions, conscious of his or her self esteem and proud of the history, achievements and culture of the Mozambican people.” Tanzania had its own version of comrade, ndugu. Historically, the title ndugu and its widespread usage emerged after Tanzania adopted Socialism under the Arusha Declaration in 1967.

Most people became ndugu after 1967, from the president at State House to the villager at Butiama. However, ndugu did not only represent an ideological identity. It was and remains in common use in Swahili conversation referring to kin, or a sibling, but also means a relative or a close friend.

I believe it also has a deeper social meaning that reflects how Tanzanians co-operate in good and bad times. Urban Tanzania could be changing but in rural life, most Tanzanians can turn to their neighbours in times of need and ndugu defines these relations.

After Tanzania took off its socialist coat and round neck shirts for its free market jacket and western suits, the title ndugu in official circles was increasingly replaced by the title mheshimiwa, meaning ‘Honourable’ or ‘Excellency’. Senior government officials were referred to as ndugu only when junior officers made slip ups because of the old habit of using ndugu.

The title mheshimiwa became the preserve of only a select few senior officials in government, and members of the judiciary. Officials who decided that a president and a small-scale farmer could not share the title of ndugu may not have foreseen that, today, those two are sharing the title of mheshimiwa.

Today the use, or misuse, of mheshimiwa has reached epidemic proportions. I have on several occasions listened after mass to the chairperson of our lay parish community freely and without reservation apply that title to the priest, the nuns, and to the congregation before making some announcement. The perception created is that a person will not be entitled to respect unless a title is attached in front of his or her name.

I think that the president and a few senior government officials, as well as the prescribed members of the judiciary, should remain ‘Honourables’ and ‘Excellencies’ for particular official activity. The same also should apply to members of parliament.

However, in the spirit of the description given by President Guebuza in Maputo, and in view of the historical similarities that our ruling party Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) shares with FRELIMO as parties that formed the first governments after their countries’ independence, I see little justification for allowing the use of mheshimiwa in CCM’s party proceedings.

The government of FRELIMO no longer follows a Marxist policy which was identified by the use of the title ‘comrade’, but they continue to use that title because it remains an important identity of their history, achievements, and culture. Socialism is no longer the official policy in Tanzania, but I continue to see the spirit of collectively addressing some social issues in the village of Butiama and I believe that spirit prevails in most parts of Tanzania.

That aspect of ndugu which is non-ideological still exists. When socialism went out of fashion in Tanzania I heard someone who had been addressed as ndugu angrily retort, “I am not your ndugu!” We may not be ideological comrades anymore, but the spirit of ndugu in all its other aspects still remains among Tanzanians.

It is a strength that should be protected. But this onslaught of the use of mheshimiwa threatens our basic values that I believe existed even before the Arusha Declaration. Unfortunately, those members of society who have the greatest influence in the use of language are the very ones who are promoting the use of grand titles to the detriment of more basic addresses.

The ripple effect affects language usage all the way down the hierarchy. While driving one evening from Mwanza to Butiama, I was stopped by police at a road block at Magu. After a few routine questions, the policeman asked, “And you are the honourable…” prompting me to mention my name.

I told him I have never held public office in my life, that I have never even been a ten-cell leader. I was implying that I could not be entitled to such a title. It has occurred to me that I should have asked him: What kind of a mheshimiwa drives his own car?

madarakanyerere@yahoo.com madarakanyerere.blogspot.com

Source: G. Madaraka Nyerere
Daily News; Saturday,January 10, 2009 @20:03