I live in Falls Church, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, DC. Falls Church is a part of the metropolitan DMV area, meaning the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.
The DMV has no fewer than 700 immigrants from Tanzania. I know a lot of my fellow Tanzanians in the Washington area, and it’s really wonderful to be able to speak Swahili once in a while with people coming from the same country. We meet on different occasions, we talk, we laugh, and we keep reminding ourselves where we come from.
When you meet Tanzanians for the first time in the United States, things always look normal and perfect. You get excited to meet people with whom you share the same background, culture, and sometimes beliefs. Let’s be honest: being away from home can be tough and lonely at times, as much as you have friends from all over the world in the Washington area. You still need to be close to people who understand your language, your culture, and share a lot in common with you. However, when you come to know a lot of Tanzanians here and their mentality, then you start to realize that there is a big problem. This is a problem that common sense won’t be able to fix, because it’s an unknown problem, and you can’t fix an unknown problem. Your only solution is to pray and hope things will get better with time.
Tanzanians back home are improving, looking for solutions, and moving forward. This doesn’t mean that they have no problems – they do, they have a lot of issues facing them. But I believe that somehow they expect those of us who live abroad in a place like Washington, DC to do better in terms of our understanding and thinking. They don’t underestimate the exposure that comes from living in the first world. In a place like DC, which has a very high population of educated people from all over the world, it’s unbelievable that we are still stuck in our own zone. This is a dark zone of conflicts, misunderstanding, and chaos. It’s sad, because how we got to this point no one knows or understands.
We have Tanzanian doctors, we have Tanzanian engineers, we have Tanzanian nurses, and we have Tanzanian professors, among other professionals. Yes, we have educated people here with a lot of expertise. The issue is that when you put these people in one room to solve the problems that we face here, you end up with a lot of arguing and no solutions.
Tanzanians used to have gatherings where Tanzanians from all over the United States would come together for food and music and to connect with each other. The problems with these gatherings were poor organization and lack of respect for time, because everyone would show up very late. If you went, then you would most likely leave the gathering with the sense that there was no purpose to it. To drive from Washington, DC to Columbus, Ohio to face these kinds of issues makes you not even want to try the next time they announce another gathering.
Another issue with these gatherings is that there is no structured way in which people can find out what other people do here in the United States, for purposes of supporting each other professionally. We have Tanzanians who run companies here, and maybe they have a chance to hire someone new. Or maybe you could end up meeting that graphic designer who you have been looking for. But how can you know that if the gathering is just about dancing to loud music, and you can’t even talk to anyone unless you raise your voice? These gatherings seem to be designed for teenagers and young people, and they’re not community gatherings anymore. You go to have “nyama choma” in the park, and it’s the same issue, unless you struggle to introduce yourself to everyone and fight to get to know people. There is no system in place where people can at least put their business cards somewhere, so that you connect with them on a professional level.
I have also seen how people get into fights just to get into power to run the Tanzanian DMV community association. This is what makes people back home think we are not serious, and you can’t argue with that. During the campaign, every candidate gave us their views and told us what they can do to improve the Tanzanian community here. One thing which stuck in my mind is how everyone kept insisting that they will unite Tanzanians in the DMV area. What all of them didn’t say is how? What will they do to unite people? What are their strategies? The election is over now and still there is a fight going on. I heard that there is even a court case. We are a total joke, aren’t we?
I saw a speech from the President of Tanzania, and he made a valid point that we are always writing on social media and online forums, but we have no organized way of speaking about our issues. He was right; we have no place where we meet and have continuous dialogue and discussions about our problems both here and back home. I was expecting to see at least a place where we can meet regularly and discuss important issues like the writing of the new constitution back home, dual citizenship, etc. Here everything is connected to personal politics within the community; that’s how bad this situation is. Some Tanzanians even laugh when they see someone doesn’t have a job, and they love to see people struggling. This is because we are in constant competition among ourselves. And if you ask what we are competing for, no one has any answers.
This situation has caused some people – those who can push us forward – to decide to stay away from any Tanzanian gatherings or events here. I cannot blame them, because getting involved with the never-ending drama doesn’t get you far. Fighting on social media, saying bad things about other people: this is something we love to do, and we do it best. Some people who have started businesses here cannot even get their fellow Tanzanians to be their customers, because other Tanzanians see them as competitors and they don’t want to see the businesses succeed. That’s how we do it here.
Omar Kaseko
Kali TV Founder/Producer
Well said!!! The in-fighting is pathetic.
ReplyDelete1000000000000% broo, true when you want trouble be associate whith TANZANIAN
ReplyDeleteI commend your article and your eagerness of togetherness amongst Tanzanians living in the so called DMV. You seem to have a wonderful vision and your heavyweight criticism is relevantly acceptable. However, your article seemed to be an opening statement rather than a closing argument. The different between you and those whom you have strongly criticized is very negligible. Despite of having good vision, you fell short to have deployed both detailed mechanics and specificity on how your goals could be achieved. As for a solution in my part, in order to change our people's perception, mindset, and MO, we have to convince them to get educated. Without education, a few of us who are supposedly educated will continue to be big fishes in a small pond.
ReplyDeleteThanks wadau.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you all and the writer. We can not hide the truth! We as DMV community of Tanzanians (Diasporas) we really need to learn it seems that we don't look to move forward. once we know each other it comes the time one to learn what, where, when and so many of Kafanya nini, kapata lipi? A very good example is the DMV election which seems to be kichekesho!! Let us build something really.
Boy, you nailed it! You challenged and opened a debate for how best to improve our community. It's well written and quite provocative; which is what you intended to achieve and have done so brilliantly! The guy above criticized you for not coming up with detailed plan on how we can achieve your vision; but I think you never intended to do that by writing this article. You intended to provoke a debate among tanzanians and the community in general to take a critical look at themselves and see what we can do as one and move forward as one people. Let's email each other. I like you. Cheggy2013@gmail.com.
ReplyDeleteGreat criticism, great thoughts. Now what! Tanzanians have come and gone, and some have stayed in this region of the US for many years. YOur lamentations have echoed through the community time and time again whenever someone of your caliber cares to write. Where would you like the DMV community to go in its mission? I believe you have a vision of your own where you would want to see the DMV of tomorrow. If you are in the Fairfax county and have been able to observe the less than satisfactory character of the DMV community, could it be that you did not take any initiative to be an integral part of it? Did you join the Association as a full member and participate in any of its valuable activities albeit few and far apart? Or did you choose to watch from the sidelines and just hoped that someone else as smart as you are will spur the association to some palpable success?
ReplyDeleteYou seem like the right guy with ideas who could build on our virtues of enduring peace and common language and culture as a nation, the virtues which were embraced by the founders of the nation and inculcated in daily lives of Tanzanians. It seems you are looking for a change in the character of the DMV Tanzania community and rightly so. BUt for that to happen we need actors who would come forward to lead and test their ideas or theories of how we could congeal as a mutually supportive community in a widely diverse society of the US. THere have always been actors who have taken leadership positions, and what we got was the best they could offer. Blaming them for not meeting the bar of expectations is not proactive enough the status quo. And by your account if you have better ideas, you need to buy in on the table of leadership. THat way you can lay down your ideas and even try them out. It is better to try a buy in and try out an idea that is on your mind and see it through using the institution of the Association, than to stop at talking about it.
Being an outsider full of ideas which can not be laid down on the table of deliberations can only extend your lamentations without making a difference which could potentially change the apparent absence of solidarity in the attitudes of the DMV community.
So come forth and take a move today by building foundations of unity among DMV/ATC members, with specific act of solidarity in a specific mutually supportive purpose.
I look forward to your courage move and play your part in bringing solidarity to the DMV community.
mimi ni mgeni napita tu baada ya mwaka mmoja, sawa kwa mtazamo wako bwana said,lakini kuna sababu kweli kukabili tena wakati ametoa wazo ambalo kimsingi ni aibu kwenu nyie mliotangulia, kumbuka UMOJA NI NGUVU UTENGANO NI UDHAIFU. ubinafsi ndio unaotumaliza na uliotufikisha hapa mnachotakiwa kukifanya:-
ReplyDelete1.kuwa na mawazo ya UTAIFA MBELE kama ukirudi Tanzania sasa ndio wakati wa kuvaa UANASIASA WAKO
2. Kama umoja huo ni wa kihuni mnapaswa muanzishe mpya wa wasomi na wafanya biashara ambao mnaweza hata kuanzisha miradi yenu ya MAENDELEO popote pale kwenye fursa na hasa nchini kwenu ambako baadhi ya WANASIASA NA VIONGOZI wengine wanakuoneni ni MZIGO NA WAHUNI, hivyo ni jukumu lenu kuwahakikishia sio hivyo wanavyojuwa wao.
3. LAZIMA MJUE nyie ndio hasa mnapaswa kutuambukiza MAENDELEO kwa kuwa mnaishi nchi iliyo ENDELEA KWA KILA KITU, badala yake mnaiga ya nyumbani SIASA NYINGI mpaka kufikia KUGOMBANIA UONGOZI,mnatutia mashaka, KWELI NI UONGOZI WA KUJITOLEA au MNATUGEUZA MISUKULE WATANZANIA wa nyumbani kwamba mnajumuia kusaidia maendeleo ya NCHI kumbe mnajisaidia wenyewe na kuendeleza MIGOGORO UGENINI
4. MIGOGORO NA MATATIZO YA KIJAMII kama hii ndiyo wenzetu WAZUNGU wanatumia kama VIGEZO vya kupimia UELEWA NA KIWANGO CHA MAENDELEO YA JUMUIYA au NCHI HUSIKA
5. TATUENI MATATIZO YENU ILI MUWEZE AMINIKA NA KUTUTANGAZA VIZURI WATANZANIA WENZENU.
6. KINACHOTAKIWA MJIFAHAMU,KINACHOTAKIWA NI KITU GANI, NA MTAKIFIKIAJE hata nci zilizoendelea zilipitia hatua hii walijifahamu wakachukua HATUA STAHIKI
7. HATA MBUYU ULIANZA KAMA MCHICHA>>>>>>CHUKUENI HATUA ZA KIMAENDELEO. haya na mambo mengine ndio yametufikisha WATANZANIA kutoaminika kwenye tunaposafiri sehemu mbali mbali DUNIANI.
mimi ni mwanadamu NAOMBA MSAMAHA penye MAKOSA>>>>>>asanteni.
I think what is happening is historic in the sense that the reactions you see now are symptomatic to bigger issues that have been going on for a long time in this community. Kudos to supporters of Team Libe for bringing out these issues into the light. I am unclear as to why the article criticizes instead of praising Tanzanians in the DMV for trying to assert their rights in a democratic country. Perhaps it's the way they are doing is the problem to many, as it may go against our cultural values and beliefs. For example to protest is not a foreign thing in fact it is legal here, however many TZ have viewed Team Libe's supporter's recent actions as negative, have condemned them and now even trying to label them as outcasts. My response pertains in particular to these election issues and supposed corruption in the community. The writer may need more clarification and perhaps may need to research the deep underlying issues and origins of the problems before making broad general statements. With all due respect to the gentleman who wrote this article, I want to challenge him to come up with real proof to back up his claims otherwise it appears he is making big generalizations without really coming up with solutions.
ReplyDeleteP.S Nigerians and Ethiopians may have even bigger problems than we do, just you may or may not hear of them.
An old saying states that " As you go through life two rules will never bend, never whittle toward yourself or pee against the wind.
ReplyDeleteMr writer, you just talked the talk and never walk the walk. Your essay is okay but you have not offered any solutions to the dmv community's demise and rather is same old blame game with open ended questions which doesn't exclude you from this failures.
One thing I can certainly say is that people need to get education, most of our own people came to this country not through educational qualifications but came here for other purposes and failed to take advantage of this great nation by going to school. Even if you came here and didn't have school certificates to be admitted in colleges or universities there is a way to get General Educational Development(G.E.D) and attend college.
The funny thing about Tanzanians even those whose have got Makaratasi they still don't go to school and when you advise them to do so is like you are teaching an old dog new tricks.
Umejitahidi bwana omar angalau hujawa mnafiki kuna bwana mmoja hapa juzi kati aliandika article utadhani ni wa standard 7 tena anatetea wauza unga. Aibu
ReplyDelete