Amid “Mabomu ya Gongo La Mboto” Tanzania public was taken by a storm of a mysterious preacher cum healer in the middle of nowhere, in Loliondo, where Babu Mwasapile instant fame of supposedly curing any ailment, diverted the country’s attention from the tragic incident in Gongo La Mboto. All over a sudden everything became Loliondo
A famed social activist Mr. Maggid Mjengwa in his article “Ya Loliondo Na Umma Ulio gizani”, tactfully applied a philosophical description of a confused society. Mr. Mujengwa depicted Tanzania as a nation that was using a flashlight in a broad day light with a notion that, perhaps, the flashlight could the country see better
Figuratively or philosophically speaking, Socrates the philosopher used this metaphor to describe a hopeless and a confused society. One question Mr. Mujengwa failed to address was the root cause of this confusion. How could Tanzanians be so convinced that, flashlight was brighter than the sun? Is it because of ignorance, confusion or desperation?
Plato, one of the greatest philosophers to have ever lived strongly advocated in favor of an examined life. An examination of one's life addresses fundamental questions such as, who am I, what do I want to do with my life, how will I know whether I have achieved my goals, what matters to me; wisdom; a feeling of accomplishment; wealth, power; social change or pleasure and how will I balance them.
If you haven't asked yourself these questions, then life becomes meaningless. You become more like a boat in turbulent high seas without compass direction, going along with the tides and currents of the ocean. A boat that is destined for a clear tragic end of capsizing, Tanzania that is.
Tanzanians are not in control of their lives. Instead, they are controlled by the events of the day, and ignorantly perceiving flashlight to be more powerful than the sun based on Socrates account on ignorance. As a nation, Tanzania has not asked itself these basic questions, because social-economic, hopelessness and despair amongst her people speak for itself. A sea of humanity that flooded Loliondo was a confirmation of the country’s broken healthcare system.
Her sick hopping from their hospital beds, carried in stretchers; just to have a sip of the wonder concoction was very troubling. It signified a dying or non-existing healthcare system. Tanzania didn’t know where it was headed; it was and perhaps still a lost vessel sailing in the turbulent high seas without compass direction and only waiting to capsize
I also differed with Mr. Mujengwa, based on my strong conviction, that, Babu Mwasapile’s patients were not uninformed, but rather hopeless, desperate, CONFUSED and poverty burdened men and women from all walks of life. Loliondo list of visitors was made up of the mighty and the powerful, the rich, the poor, scientists and herdsmen; famous and the little known peasants.
Babu received people who made made their way by selling their few worldly possessions, as well as the flamboyant tycoons that arrived in style and opulence; in their private aircrafts, all with one goal of drinking the magical mixture with hopes of ridding themselves of their excruciating pain and illnesses. This was a national embarrassment, and depiction of Tanzania as a primitive and backward country in the eyes of the world.
We were not talking about dumb, stupid, or simple-minded people; we were talking of brilliant and well educated individuals serving in the government, International, private and public agencies. We were talking of people who had been humbled by illnesses, and like anybody else, heeded the need to find treatment by standing in a long queue in the middle of nowhere; away from their posh homes, and comfort of their beds to find cure from the miraculous drink. We were talking of a hopeless and a desperate society on edge.
Babu brought to our attention how desperation has no class, social status or identity. Babu exposed how desperation has no color or creed. It affects PhD holders and the illiterate alike. Desperate and hopeless men do not value life; they have no shame or fear. Tell a man, who has exhausted all options to get rid of cancer, that his urine is the only cure for his excruciating illness. Even a King who desperately wants to live will heed the advice.
These are the type people that visited Babu Mwasapile’s compound. John Mashaka’s skepticism was met with stiff resistance and threats from those that truly believed Babu was a God sent servant. Some questioned Mashaka’s faith and described him as an atheist simply because he questioned the effectiveness of the wonder cup!
Babu of Loliondo could not have emerged at a perfect time for the hopeless, when divine intervention was direly needed to save their souls. Babu exposed our desperation, vulnerability and weakness as a society. He exposed how useless education can be in the face of human despair.
Babu placed into a collision course faith and science. He exposed how far Tanzanian society is lost in the turbulent high seas, and only going with the tide and flow. Just like DECI which was a product of greed, ignorance and despair, Babu Liliondo’s purported magic cup was nothing but a tragic health and economic scum.
After more than two years, maybe it is time for us to assess on how many people were truly healed. How much did we improve our health system and what lessons did Tanzania learn from the wondrous concoction
MUNGU IBARIKI TANZANIA
John Mashaka
Many contributors could have been expected if the topic was in Kiswahili, unless it is intended for non Tanzanians.
ReplyDeleteWe never learn from any thing Mashaka!
ReplyDeleteHongera kwa maelezo yako mazuri. I wish maelezo hayo yangetafsiriwa kiswahili na kusambwazwa kwa vingi ili hiyo critical analysis isaidie vijana in future.
ReplyDeletei share the same sentiments tatizo langu ni kukosa art of putting it down on the paper
congrats
True story, bado tuko nyuma sana. Now we are told Obama is not coming because of our oil and uranium. Not even my 90 year grandmother in the village can believe that. Wake up wabongo!!
ReplyDeletebabu tapeli....lol
ReplyDeletenabii yohana mashaka ungeandika kwa kiswahili. hii ni philosophia zaidi ya uchumi. eniwei, kiingereza not richebo ningechangia. ngoja niwaachie wataalamu wa lugha na wajuzi
ReplyDeleteSwahili please!
ReplyDeleteTapeli Number one tanzania
ReplyDeleteBabu wa Loliondo ametufundisha kwamba ujinga umeletwa Afrika kwa kutumia nyumba za ibada. Ukikemea ujinga huu unaitwa mdini.
ReplyDeletehichi kingereza umemuandikia nani,mtanzania wakijijini au mmarekani na muingereza.tumia kiswahili uwezi acha.nilitamani kujua lakini kuna kingereza sijasoma chochote.
ReplyDeleteBongo imeoza hiyo, angalia mikutano ya CCM, Chadema, CUF etc, do we really need those gatherings. I still do not believe if it is optional to attend them. They are just too many and I cannot stand them. The amount of resources being wasted, no one knows.
ReplyDeleteKWANZA KABISA MIMI NI MMOJAWAPO WA WAHANGA WALIOPONEA CHUPU CHUPU KUONDOKA DUNIANI NIKIWA LOLIONDO KWENYE FOLENI YA KUNYWA KIKOMBE NA NILIPORUDI BAADA YAKUNYWA KIKOMBE FEKI CHA BABU HUYU NILIISHIA KULAZWA HINDU MANDAL KWA WIKI MBILI NIKWA MAHUTUTI.
ReplyDeleteHUYU MZEE ALISABABISHA VIFO VYA WATU WENGI AMBAO NILISHUHUDIA WALIKUFA WAKIWA KWENYE FOLENI YA KWENDA KUNYWA KIKOMBE
MIMI NILIKUWA NA MAGONJWA M,AKUBWA MAWILI VVU NA KISUKARI NA SIKUWA NA HALI YA KUTISHA WAKATI NAKWENDA ILA ILE FOLENI NA SAFARI YA DRIVERS WENYE TAMAA YA HELA TULIENDESHWA KAMA MIZIGO, LAKINI MUNGU AKANILINDA NA KUHIFADHI MAISHA YANGU MPAKA LEO NINAISHI BADO.
KIKOMBE CHA HUYU MZEE KILIKUWA CHAKISHETANI TU MAANA WEWE FIKIRIA UMATI WOTE ULE DAWA ILETWE KUTOKA PORINI NA WACHEMSHIWE UMATI ULE AMBAO MAISHA YANGU SIJAWAHI ONA KISHA UNAPEWA KIKOMBE ETI UPONE VVU?
MIMI NAMUOMBA HUYU MZEE KAMA ALIKUWA MCHUNGAJI AFUNGE NA KUOMBA MUNGU ATUBU DHAMBI ZAKE KWA KUDANGANYA UMATI WA WATU NA KUWASABABISHIA VIFO NA MADHARA KA SISI TULIOPTA
HAYA NDOI MAWAZO YANGU
ASANTE
Ngoja siku ile utakayoambiwa una gonjwa ambalo hamna tiba ni kusubiri kifo kama hautakula hata mavi yako ukiambiwa ndio dawa pekee. usitukane wakunga..., haujafa...... haya bwana Mashaka sisi tupo.
ReplyDeleteThe worst part of all was when the government was hesitant to make a statement to tell its people the truth. The question was simple 'Je kikombe cha babu kinatibu magonjwa yote?' The Health Ministry and the distinguished doctors on government payroll were dragging their feet, while patients dying!. This to me was the lowest of the low!
ReplyDeletebw. mashaka john, hatuna swali kwamba wewe ni genious, lakini haya ni kwa manufaa ya nani? hii serikali haisikii kitu. na hapa hakuna somo walilojifunza. bora ukafungue madarasa ya kiingereza kwa wabunge wetu kama wakina viki catch
ReplyDeleteBrother Mashaka faith or Religion is what made people visit Loliondo, and that has nothing to do with Phd or being a Government official whatsover. Faith is based on what cannot be seen,that sounds stupid to People who don't believe but everyone has the right to believe or not to. The Government didnt announce that people should visit Loliondo,all what the government did was to respect people's beliefs. If we should take your take practically it means the givernment should prohibit people from congregating in Mosques and Churches.
ReplyDeletejohn, tunajua unachokitaka ni uwaziri. Hauwezi kukipata bila kujiunga na chama dume CCM. Ukiwa CCM JK atakupa uwaziri tena bura kabisa
ReplyDeleteI believe what you are saying and also strongly believe that there were people like you including myself who did not believe about "KIKOMBE CHA BABU" Because the issue is deeply primarily embeded into an individual consciousness, it was not easy to educate vulnerable individuals/people,WITHOUT the government to play a big role.I asked my self "kikombe kina ubia na serikali?" To be fair to BABU,he stepped,I would say, only one step further than the so called "makanisa ya sasa" yanaponya.kama miujiza hii ipo,kwa nini ubia huu usitumike kuhamisha watu kwa AMANI kwenda mahali au mikoa palipotengwa kwa ajili ya makao mapya TUSIJAZANE MIJINI HASA DAR? I believe that people like Tanzanian as pointed by mashaka, like a floating boat,take it in a positive way, they are people who most likely to develop quickly, IF, they are led/assisted by good people;viongozi pamoja na media.do not get me wrong,we have some good people,but the rest they tend to forget that when we die, we DO NOT GO with e.g 4x4 vehicle.my point is this if Babu managed to convince that number of people,with ubia with serikali and media,they could make quik money and at the same time deploy doctor through Babu's back doors and administer the appropriate treatments while using the donations to fund the treatment even building hospitals.the so called makanisa ya sasa! convince them regorously to develop the society by eg building schools,hospitals,nyumba nafuu kwa waumini,sio wahubiri! they don't agree,Tax them with high% of tax eg 60% or 70%.You are providing them with security, I know they help you to lead citizens(wapole)Media nazo zipigie debe mgongoni kwa serikali. Mdau,Ugaibuni.
ReplyDeleteJAMANI MIMI NI MTANZANIA HALISI,KUHUSU HABARI YA BABU WALIONDO SIKUELEWA KITU MAANA KINGEREZA SIJUI KABISA,NA NI MPENZI SANA WA BLOGU HII.NAPENDA SANA KUJUA MAWAZO YA WANZANIA WENZANGU MAANA MIMI BABA YANGU ALIFIA KWA BABU.NAOMBA SANA,HABARI MUHIMU KAMA HII IANDIKWE KWA LUGHA YA TAIFA KISWAHILI ILI KILA MTU AWE NA UHURU WA KUTOA MAWAZO YAKE.ASANTENI WADAU.
ReplyDeletehakuna kitu kama mashaka, hii ni janja ya ankal, kupaisha blog yake.
ReplyDeleteBabu ni janga la taifa. sijui kwa nini hajafungwa jela. Ila kwa sababu tanzania majambazi na vibaka ndio mashujaa, babu naye ni shujaa....John Mashaka, tafadhali endelea kutumia kipaji chaku kuielemisha umma wa kitanzania. pengine kuna siku viongozi wetu watayasoma haya maandiko yako mazito. Baada ya nyerere kututoka, Tanzania imebaki na uwazi wa uongozi, kila mtu anakuja kujichota anachokitaka. Afadhali babu amewatapeli watanzania na kujiwekea nchini. kwa hiyo ni mzalendo kuliko mafisadi
ReplyDeleteHongera babu kwa kuwa fisadi anayewekeza ndani ya nchi kuliko yale mafisadi yanayopeleka hela usiwisi....lol
ReplyDeleteNI MCHANGANYIKO YA UTAPELI NA SISI KUTOKUWA NA UPEO WA KUFIKIRI (UJINGA), Maana baada ya huyu waliibuka wengi wenye kutoa vikombe.
ReplyDeleteafunguliwe mashtaka huyu Mzee mwizi
ReplyDeletemashaka anamuonea babu wivu kwa sababu wote ni manabii wa uongo. Wote ni watu maarufu mnaotumia umaarufu wenu vibaya
ReplyDeletealiyoyasema bwana mashaka ni kweli kabisa. tanzania ni nchi ya ajabu sana. watu kama babu kuachiwa kuivurga nchi. asante sana bwana mashaka kwa haya makala mazuri yenye busara za ajabu....
ReplyDeleteI trully agree witht he author. Kudos john mashaka for such a magnificient piece you have written to educate us. good job
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing like hope when death is staring at you in your face. This old man gave the people that hope and because there was no evidence to suggest it will not work, people had to go and give it try as they had nothing to loose for trying. Imagine if you came face to face with lion, would you turn back and try to run or just wait to be eaten. Most of us will go for option 1 as there is a chance that the lion may be belly full and not bother to chase you. This is what happen to those affected. They had to try to rescue themselves despite all the worldly education some of these people had. RIP those who did not make it
ReplyDeletewoooow. this is an awesome piece of information. god bless you John
ReplyDeletemr. john, you are a brilliant mind. i advise you to start a movement that will identify with the people especially using swahili language. you seem to be very much in command of kiswahili. how about kiswahili....
ReplyDeletekama kawaida makala za ndugu yetu mashaka john zinavutia sana hisia za watu. hii makala ingefikisha comments 300 kama ingeandikwa kwa kiswahili, kwa sababu ni kiingereza sidhani itafikisha 30. unless ni kwa sababu ya jina la mashaka siyo kwa sababu ya contents kwa maana wachangiaji wengi hawaelewi hiki kiingereza kigumu
ReplyDeleteANDIKA KISWAHILI PLEASE.TUMEKOSA MAONI YA WADAU WENGI SANA HAPA.
ReplyDeleteMashaka: mtu unapokuwa mgonjwa unajaribu chochote, hata huko uliko watu wanasafiri kwenda India kujichovya mto Ganjesi, unaipata hiyo? Wote waliokwenda kwa Babu walikuwa wameanzia hospitali tayari. So those who went to see Babu they were very desparet, they had no where to run to. But wait for your turn youg man.
ReplyDeleteKweli unaandika kama hukuzaliwa developing country.
Hamna lolote huyu Mashaka wenu badala ya kuandika articles zake kwenye magazeti ya kizungu ashuashuliwe analeta article zake kwenye blog ambazo anajua wasomaji wengi wanapendelea zaidi lugha ya kiswahili. Unajua hata lugha ya Butiama ina maana zaidi kuliko English. Pia hana adabu kutumia insha yake na kudai kuwa waTanzania si smart kichwani. Kwanza yeye kama smart asingekuwa mtumwa huko aliko. Pamoja na kukariri kwake bado ni mtumwa. Asanteni. Kuhusu babu hamna jipya alilotuambia na hiyo analysis yake imepitwa na wakati na mazingira.
ReplyDeleteMi naona huyu Mashaka ana aina fulani ya mental disorder. Wanaodhani ni genius wajiulize kwa nini anaandika kifaransa kwa watu wanaozungumza kijerumani. Ana kasumba za mkoloni na bado anatawaliwa kihisia na kimtizamo. Kalaghabao. Watanzania ni watu makini, usitumie kisa cha babu kutukana watu na utashi wa nchi. Si adabu na si utamaduni wetu. Hivyo tafuta tiba huko uliko ongea na neurologist au psychiatrist akusaidie ukome hiyo tabia kwa ni haifai katika jamii yetu na kaa huko tu endelea kuvunwa.
ReplyDeleteKwa maana fupi huyu mtoto ana madharau na ni mgonjwa wa akili pia.Kingereza mahala si pake ni kasumba. Kama una point za kuongea andika lugha zote sita unazozijua, we si mtaalam. Kwa nini kiswahili au lugha ya babako inakushinda.
ReplyDelete