I believe it was in 1963, some 63 years ago, when I feigned fainting on our six-acre farm which we—my father, my mother and my two elder brothers—were cultivating during the farming season in Ubenaland, Njombe Region. You see, my father, now long deceased—God bless his soul—was a no-nonsense, strict disciplinarian and a hard-driving man…
Under Tanzanian law, divorce and separation are governed by the Law of Marriage Act, 1971. In simple terms, the law encourages couples to try to resolve their differences before rushing to court. It is not enough to seek divorce over minor issues such as a forgotten birthday or an occasional disagreement. Before granting a divorce,…
American billionaire Warren E. Buffett says: If you are looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence and energy. If the person you want to hire does not have the first quality, the other two will kill you. Let us presume that the person you want to hire is a very…
“May I ask something?”I approached the four young people casually chatting, excitedly outside the bus station. One of them was holding a large spliff size of a sausage and puffing out balls of smoke like a car with a damaged exhaust pipe.“Yeh” One of them eyed me, fearlessly, casually.The only female in the group, was…
In a world of modern medicine, we often think of advanced treatments, powerful medications and technology as the key to saving lives. However, one of the most effective ways to prevent disease is surprisingly simple: washing hands properly. Our hands come into contact with many surfaces throughout the day — door handles, money, phones, public…
History repeats itself. Initially, Britain and France never wanted the events that led to World War II to spill out of Central Europe. They had sought to “appease” Hitler’s ambitions to expand German territory in central Europe hoping to contain the conflict within the continent and avoid another major fighting after World War One, which…
The other day I recalled a compelling New Year’s resolution from veteran journalist Jenerali Ulimwengu, shared in his weekly column in The East African some 15 years ago. He advised that every literate Bongolander should cultivate the habit of reading at least one book a month. Such a habit, he argued, would amount to 12…
Albert Einstein was truly unique. As a child, he was a “late talker” compared to most children but he mastered differential and integral calculus by age 15! He disliked his school’s system of rote memorization and rigid discipline prevalent in Germany at the time. Because of his critical thinking and curiosity, he kept asking questions…
Adoption in Tanzania is not a casual “pick a child and go” affair—far from it. Under the Law of the Child Act, the process is as serious as a High Court matter because, well, it actually is one. Prospective parents must be at least 25 years old and at least 21 years older than the…
In our quest for better health, are we being led down an expensive and unnecessary path? As a doctor who has practised medicine in Tanzania for over two decades, I have observed a worrying trend. Our pharmacies and shops are flooded with bottles promising stronger bones, sharper vision, healthier skin and boundless energy for every…
