Obama's Victory: Reactions From Tanzania

Barack Obama's historic victory in the US Presidential election dominated almost every Swahili blog. Dira Yangu in Fungua Jicho blog announced Obama's victory with an advice to African leaders:

Seneta Obama hatimaye ameshinda urais wa Marekani na anakuwa rais wa Kwanza Mweusi kwa historia. John Mc Cain amekuwa wa kwanza kukiri kuwa ameshindwa kiungwana na kumpongeza mwenzake Obama. Hili limekuwa funzo lingine kwa wagombea wetu wa kiafrika na kitanzania wanaposhindwa si kukimbilia mahakamani bali ni kukubali.

At last Senator Obama has won the presidential election and he will be the first Black President in history, John McCain was the first to acknowledge that he lost and went on to congratulate his fellow Obama. This must be another lesson for African and Tanzanian candidates that when they lose they should not run to the courts but they should concede.

Chemi Che Mponda at Swahili Time settled for Barack Obama Wins Election 2008 as the headline. She adds:

Barack Obama ni Rais Mteule wa Marekani!!!! Senator wa Delaware Joe Biden, atakuwa makamu wa rais. Mungu yu mwema! Waafrika na hasa sisi kutoka Afrika Mashariki Tujivunie!
OBAMA UBARIKIWE!

Barack obama is the US president elect!!! Delaware Senator Joe Biden will be the vice president. God is kind! Africans, and especially us from East Africa have to be proud!
OBAMA BE BLESSED!

Issa Michuzi just posted a collage of front pages of newspapers all decorated with Obama's victory headlines while Charahani posted photographs of president elect Obama and his family waving to the crowds and of people in tears after the historic win.

In a post titled Obama katoka mbali ati (Obama has come a long way), Issa Michuzi posted a number of Obama's photos. And, as if in a photo essay, Mwaipopo also posted Obama's photos from childhood to the great day. He also observed:

Obama! Obama!
Kila mtaa hapa bongo watu wote ni Obama, Obama kufuatia ushindi wake wa kishindo huko Marekani. Kila baada ya sentensi mbili inayofuatia ina neno ‘Obama’. Pegine wakati wafuasi wake wali0tapakaa ulimwenguni wakishangilia, yeye anatafakari ni kwa namna gani ataitoa Marekani (na sehemu zingene za dunia) hapo zilipo na kuzipeleka pengine palipo bora zaidi. Blogu hii inamtakia kila la heri katika kazi yake hiyo aliyoiomba kwa juhudi zote.

Obama! Obama!
In every street here in Bongo (a slang for Tanzania) everybody talks about Obama following his emphatic win in the US. After every sentence the second one must have the word ‘Obama’. It is possible that while his supporters celebrate world over, he is thinking about a strategy to steer America (and other parts of the world) from the present state to a far better place. This blog wishes all the best in the job that he's asked for.

Nkwazi Nkuzi Muhango in Mpayukaji blog, Dira Yangu in Fungua Jicho, and Nukta77 all had the Obama's acceptance speech.

Nukta77 also posts an email from one of her reader's on what Obama should do in relation to Africa:

Obama angehutubia AU na awatake viongozi wa Afrika walifanye bara hili kuwa business patner na sio dampo la majaribio ya sera za mataifa makubwa na misaada”.

Kwa wale wanaotegemea misaada kutoka kwa Obama, ninamshauri Obama asitoe misaada kwani katika kusoma kwangu sijawahi kusikia taifa lolote lile ulimwenguni ambalo limetajirika kwa misaada. Maendeleo hayaletwi kwa wingi wa pesa bali kwa ubunifu, maarifa na kazi. Fedha na misaada ni nyenzo na sio mhimili wa kuleta maendeleo.

Nasikitika kuona kuwa vijana wasomi wetu hawaonyeshi kujifunza kutokana na ushindi wa Obama. Wale vijana wa Vyuoni wamebaki kucheza ‘twist’ wakati muziki unaopigwa ni ‘bongo flava'!

Obama should have addressed the African Union and urge African leaders to turn the continent into a business partner and not a big power's experimental aid and policy damp.  

For those waiting for aid from Obama, I advise him not to grant any because from what I have read, I have not yet come across any nation in the world that became wealthy from aid. Development can not be brought about by money but by creativity, knowledge and hard work. Money and aid are just tools and can not pillars for development.

I am saddened to see that our young educated people have never learnt a thing about Obama's victory. Young people in colleges are still dancing to ‘twist’ while the music that's being played is ‘bongo flava’ (Swahili hip hop)!

To acknowledge this historic event Chemi wants Obama's sculpture to be added at Mt. Rushmore. A reader though, calls for caution:

Pamoja na kuwa shabiki wa Obama lakini ni bado mapema sana kwake kuwa mmoja wa marais mashuhuri Marekani.Dada Chemi inabidi athibitishe katika mandate period na ikiisha ndio tuzungumzie hilo.Hao waliopo kwenye Mt Rushmore waliwekwa pale baada ya kumaliza uatwala wao.

Even though I support Obama, I think it is too early for him to be included in the list of great US presidents. My sister Chemi he needs to prove himself during his term and then we can talk about that. Those at Mt. Rushmore were sculpted after their terms.

In Dar Es Salaam, Issa Michuzi took some photos of people wearing Obama's T-shirts. But the extent of Obamamania started even before he was elected when Tshirts designed by a local artist Mayunga and a Swahili book on Obama written by a Swahili blogger, Mjengwa were often sold out as recorded by CNN in this video found at Nukta77 blog:

 

 

 

2 comments

  • Sarah

    A time will come when, the whole world will toe the footsteps of America’s 2008 election. It is the Americans that i congratulate, for Obama is now an American first before an African. will our African leader take cue from this event ?

  • Elijah

    Americans, Africans, we’re all one Sarah baby! I’m a whiteboy in highschool in the US, but I’ve been to Africa and I feel as much a part of Africans as i do Americans. And I’m so happy to see Obama president. Let’s learn together and love together!!

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