In Tanzania, a tort is a civil wrong, meaning that one person causes harm to another and instead of going to jail, they may be required to pay compensation. While Tanzania does not have a single “Tort Act”, the principles are derived from various statutes and court decisions influenced by English common law. Think of…

There is this English proverb: Old is gold. And there is a Kiswahili proverb: Where there are elders, nothing goes wrong. I would like to base my reflection today on these two proverbs. In fact, these proverbs and all proverbs treasured by all tribes and nations, are born from the wisdom of our ancestors. This…

While visiting the UK for the first time in 1987, I bumped into Miriam Makeba at a Nigerian restaurant in Finsbury Park, North London. She was dining with her grandchild. Later, I wrote in the Sunday News that- close range- Makeba was so humble that she gave an impression of those modest, innocent rural African…

Can Tanzanians live to 100 and beyond? Science suggests the answer is yes—and the secret may already be on our plates. Studies of the world’s longest-living populations show a consistent pattern: people who live the longest consume predominantly plant-based diets, remain physically active and maintain strong social ties. Interestingly, they are not always strict vegetarians….

Tanzania’s Vision 2050 has set a number of ambitious targets that will enable the country to attain upper-middle-income status. With this economic standing, Tanzania will become a markedly different society from what it is today. Most urban residents will live in planned estates rather than informal settlements. Cities will have functional transport systems that are…

In his book, Los Cuatro Acuerdos (translated into English as The Four Agreements), Don Miguel Ruiz highlights simple and yet profound truths that if followed would liberate us as individuals. So simple are the Four Agreements, that when you read the book (and you should if you haven’t already done so), you’ll tell yourself, ‘but…

Some years ago, in the early 1980s, a young man at a secondary school in Arusha fell in love with a fellow student. Initially, they began studying together and slowly got to know each other. This closeness led to a gradual love affair, with kissing and in due course, physical consummation for the two lovebirds….

Marijuana is often viewed as a harmless or “natural” substance, particularly among young people. However, research suggests that its use may be associated with certain mental health risks, including psychosis—a condition that affects how a person thinks, feels and perceives reality. Psychosis is not a disease in itself, but rather a group of symptoms. It…

More than half a century ago, a European dictatorship collapsed not through reform but under the weight of unjust wars in Africa. On 25 April 1974, a military coup overthrew Marcelo Caetano amid rising resentment of Portugal’s conflicts in Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and its other colonies. The Carnation Revolution brought sweeping change, shaped far from…