Six months ago, Rosemary Odinga, the daughter of Raila Odinga (Kenya prominent Politician,former PM and the leader of Kenya leading opposition party ) gave a misleading presentation at United Nations headquarters in New york city, claiming Olduvai Gorge archaeological site is located in Kenya. This presentation was troubling at best and disgraceful at worst.
Miss Rosemary’s misleading presentation has simply intensified the anger of many of us (Tanzanians) over this issue and further reinforces what is well known that Kenya is ripping off our tourist industry with its unfair tourism trade practices, mainly by misrepresenting the geographical facts of Tanzania’s tourist’s attraction sites.
For a long time, Kenya have consistently been advertising deceptive information that Kilimanjaro Mountain and other Tanzanian’s tourist’s attraction sites belong to Kenya. The impact of Kenya’s unfair trade on Tanzanian people’s life is real. Millions of Tanzanians suffered from poverty and currency devaluation resulting from the poor economy which handily depended on tourism (and I don’t blame Kenya for all Tanzania’s economic problems).
I remember back in 1998, I met a doctor who was travelling with his family to Kenya on summer vacation to tour Serengeti, Ngorongoro crater, and mount Kilimanjaro. I asked him why he was flying to Kenya instead of flying straight to Tanzania where these sites are actually located. Apparently he was misled by Kenyan tourist agent that Mount Kilimanjaro is in Kenya.
That was in 1998, when smart phones were not around, internet was luxury item, I mean the era of Macintosh and Google was barely known.
In today’s world of abundance of smart phones, social media and Google search and the existence of Google map; for Miss Rosemary to think she would get away with these old dirty business deceptions is appalling, and frankly, she should be ashamed of herself.
To be fair to Miss Rosemary, we still don’t know her intent to mislead the world on the geographical facts; she might have had a bad Geography teacher in College.
Miss Rosemary has eventually apologized, a step in the right direction. I hope this incident will lay the ground work for a fair business practice between two countries. Let us all move forward and work together as neighbors to strengthen our mutual interest of advancing our precious tourism industry.
THE END 3/3/16
MOHAMED MATOPE IS AN OPINION WRITER FOR VAROUS AFRICAN’S BLOGS.
Years back I was involved in an argument with a mzungu who was travelling to Kenya on an expedition to visit a game park and climb mount Kilimanjaro.I tried hard to give him a short lesson in geography but he was unrepentant.In his arrogance he asked me: where in Africa were you born if you dont know where Kilimanjaro is, my answer: MOSHI He was still unmoved.
ReplyDeleteGrow up Tanzania and stop being a nagging neighbor. Rosemary has expressed her regrets at her misstatement; accept it and move on.
ReplyDeleteYou know what, unlike you guys the truth is Kenya invested a lot in its tourism industry, let alone the breadth of its business sector. At the same time u folks were busy building ujamaa and state enterprises, such as a tourism promoting company that pretended to be doing business. So face it, u are no much to Kenya. Fair enough socialism was not too bad, it gave u a united country but also saw you left behind in entrepreneurship. So as u play a catching up game calm your tempers.
Rosemary is not your enemy, she is a youth overwhelmed with naivety. However she seems more mature than some reactions Tanzanians have exhibited. The entire state machinery has taken up against her. Claiming Olduwai by a student was unfortunate, imagine what it could have been if the claim had been made by a Kenyan government official. You would have started war!
By the way is the internet in Tanzania so slow? Eight months after Rosemary's misstatement the browser was still downloading the YouTube clip? Move on Tanzania
Rosemary Odinga, Take back your disrespectful Instagram apology that is long overdue, seven months after your distortion, misrepresentation speech.Please go back to the same podium you used to lie to the world or a better one, at least, call the press conference and apologize if you are truly sincere, I'm sure you can afford that!!! If it is your political plot for popularity and Instagram followers then I gotta hand it down to you for a well-planned approach that included lying to UN delegates!
ReplyDeleteI for one did not surprise about this lie or many others that originating from next door jirani, ignorant is on the march lately i'm sorry to say,but we should not be offended since we know the problem lies with their education system because someone must have taught her this as a fact.
ReplyDeleteAmin Iddi.
Tanzania has made Rosemary a hero! Frankly, I envy her and wish I were in her shoes! Instant celebrity, eight months after her stupidity! No the Internet in Tanzania is 4G but our bureaucracy are of a different era; Maimuna!
ReplyDeleteHivi hatuna mambo ya maana tunakiongelea hiki kibinti tu?
ReplyDeleteSio hatuna mambo ya maana. No hatuna wanasheria? If this was an issue why is our legal fraternity silent? The problem is sisi Tutaongea sana kama wanasiasa wetu. Magufuli is different. We need more like him. Pangekuwa na tatizo na Kenya ama huyo msichana wao mbona hatuchukui hatua za kisheria ama hata kupata ushauri? Badala yake tumejaa jazba zisizo kuwa na ushauri wa kisheria. Maneno mengi kama wanasiasa wetu wengi kisha tunageuka na kuwalaumu hao wanasiasa sote hivyo hivo. Thank God for Magufuli na Majaliwa wanaonekana tofauti na kundi la maneno mengi vitendo vichache.
ReplyDeleteKwa kujadili ujinga wake huyu binti tumempatia umaarufu asiostahili kama Donald Trump! Tukomeshe upuuzi huu.
ReplyDelete