Tanzia - Mama Betisheba Ketangenyi

Bettisheba Pole Ketang'enyi enzi ya uhai wake

Tunasikitika kutangaza kifo cha mama Betisheba Ketangenyi, mama yake Yvonne Matinyi, Felicia Simms, Fredderek Ketangenyi pia ni Dada yake na Rossie Musika, Neema Musika, Daudi Musika, Sijaona Musika kilichotekea 9/30/15 katika hospitali ya NIH Maryland mipango ya kusafiri mwili wa marehemu inaendelea kwa mdogo wa marehemu Daudi Musika

3819 Gateway terrace Burtonsville MD 20866

Unaweza kuwasiliana

Frederick Ketangenyi 267 809 5124B;Felicia Simms 240 608 8686

Rossie Musika 240 408 2693

Neema Musika 571 991 9819

Specioser Musika 571332 2215

Sijaona Musika 202 487 8412

Jaji Mkuu Amjulia Hali Rais Kikwete Marekani

 Picha na habari kutoka Ikulu.

 

  Rais Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete akiongea na Jaji Mkuu wa Tanzania Mhe
Mohamed Chande Othman aliyemtembelea na kumjulia hali Jumapili Novemba
16, 2014 katika hoteli maalumu jirani na Hospitali ya Johns Hopkins
jijini Baltimore, Maryland, Marekani anakoishi baada kutoka katika
hospitali hiyo alikofanyiwa upasuaji wa tezi dume. Kushoto ni mke wa
Rais Mama Salma Kikwete. Jaji Mkuu yuko Marekani kwa ziara ya kikazi
ambapo pamoja na mambo mengine yeye na ujumbe wake watahudhuria
mkutano maalumu wa kimataifa wa Mabadiliko ya Sheria ya Ushahidi
jijini Washington na pia kukutana na taasisi mbalimbali za fedha na
marafiki wa maendeleo katika ili  kupata wabia  wa ujenzi wa maendeleo
ya mahakama.

Rais Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete akiongea na Jaji Mkuu wa
Tanzania Mhe Mohamed Chande Othman pamoja na ujumbe wake
waliopomtembelea na kumjulia hali Jumapili Novemba 16, 2014 katika
hoteli maalumu jirani na Hospitali ya Johns Hopkins jijini Baltimore,
Maryland, Marekani anakoishi baada kutoka katika hospitali hiyo
alikofanyiwa upasuaji wa tezi dume.  Jaji Mkuu na ujumbe wake wako
Marekani kwa ziara ya kikazi ambapo pamoja na mambo mengine yeye na
ujumbe wake watahudhuria mkutano maalumu wa kimataifa wa Mabadiliko ya
Sheria ya Ushahidi jijini Washington  na pia kukutana na taasisi
mbalimbali za fedha na marafiki wa maendeleo katika ili  kupata wabia
wa ujenzi wa maendeleo ya mahakama. Wengine kutoka kushoto ni Balozi
wa Tanzania nchini Marekani Mhe Liberata Mulamula, Jaji wa Mahakama ya
rufani Mhe Ibrahim Juma, Msajili wa Mahakama Kuu Mhe Ignass Kitusi,
daktari wa Rais Profesa Mohamed Janabi na Mtendaji Mkuu wa Mahakama
Mhe Hussein Katanga.

Rais Kikwete Afanyiwa Upasuaji Marekani!

Tumwombee uzima Rais wetu Mpendwa, Mh. Dkt. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete. Amen, Amin.

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Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania,Mheshimiwa Dkt. Jakaya
Mrisho Kikwete akizungumza na  Dkt.Edward Shaeffer wa hospitali ya
Johns Hopkins na Daktari wa Rais Profesa Mohamed Janabi(kulia) baada
ya kuwasili katika Hospitali ya Johns Hopkins iliyopo Baltimore,
Maryland,  Marekani kwa upasuaji Jumamosi asubuhi. Upasuaji huo
uliochukua muda wa saa moja na nusu ulifanyika salama.

Rais Dkt.Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete akizungumza na daktari Bingwa
Mpasuaji Edward Shaeffer muda mfupi kabla ya kuingia kwenye chumba cha
upasuaji uliofanyika katika Hospitali ya Johns Hopkins iliyopo
Baltimore Maryland Marekani Jumamosi asubuhi.Upasuaji huo uliochukua
muda wa saa moja na nusu ulifanyika salama.

 Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania, Mheshimiwa Jakaya Mrisho
Kikwete alfajiri ya jana, Jumamosi, Novemba 8, 2014, alifanyiwa
upasuaji wa tezi dume (prostrate) katika Hospitali ya Johns Hopkins
iliyoko Baltimore, Jimbo la Maryland, Marekani.

Rais Kikwete amefanyiwa upasuaji huo baada ya madaktari waliomfanyia
uchunguzi wa afya yake kujiridhisha kuwa Rais alikuwa anahitaji
matibabu ya aina hiyo.

Upasuaji huo uliofanyika alfajiri na kuchukua kiasi cha saa moja
unusu, umefanyika salama na kwa mafanikio makubwa. Hali ya Mheshimiwa
Rais Kikwete inaendelea vizuri, bado yuko wodini akiendelea kuwa chini
ya uangalizi wa madaktari na kupatiwa tiba.

Wananchi wataendelea kupewa taarifa sahihi kuhusu hali ya Rais Kikwete
kwa kadri zitakavyokuwa zinapatikana.

Imetolewa na

KURUGENZI YA MAWASILIANO YA RAIS, IKULU
DAR ES SALAAM,
NOVEMBA 9, 2014

Mwache Mzee Balali Apumzike Kwa Amani!

Jamani, nimeshangaa tangu wiki iliyopita  kuna mzozo kuwa Marehemu Daudi Balali aliyekuwa Gavana wa Benki Kuu yu au la.  Mzee Balali amefariki! Ni marehemu!  Rest in Peace Mzee Daudi Balali (1942-2008)!

Kama hamwamini basi tumeni maombi ya death certificate huko alipokufa, Maryland, USA. Kama cheti haitoshi basi mlipe hela kwenda mahakamani kuomba kaburi lake lifukuliwe na mfanye testi kwenye mabaki mtakayokuta. Inaweza kuwagharamia dola $65,000!

Kuna mtu ana Twitter akaunti ya Utani! Kuna watu wameapa eti ni Marehemu Mzee Balali anayeandika!

Kaburi la Mzee Balali huko Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

Kutoka Gazeti la Mwananchi:

Mkazi wa Kijiji la Luganga, Wilaya ya Mufindi, Iringa, alikozaliwa Gavana wa zamani wa Benki Kuu ya Tanzania (BoT), Daudi Ballali analazimika kutumia saa 32 kufika katika kaburi la kiongozi huyo lililopo eneo la Silver Spring, Maryland nchini Marekani.

Ndugu wa Ballali wanaweza kutaka kwenda kuona kaburi la ndugu yao, kutokana na ukweli kwamba wengi wao hawakuwahi kupata fursa ya kumzika Gavana huyo ambaye alikuwa kiongozi wa juu kabisa wa taasisi kubwa inayosimamia masuala ya fedha na uchumi wa nchi.

Mwandishi wa gazeti hili alisafiri kwa saa 24 kutoka Dar es Salaam hadi Washington, Marekani ambako alithibitisha pasi na shaka kwamba Ballali alizikwa Mei 21, 2008 katika makaburi ya Gate of Heaven, baada ya kufariki dunia akiwa nyumbani kwake Maryland, Mei 16, mwaka huo.

Safari hiyo ya siku kumi, ilianza Alhamisi Juni 26, 2014 hadi Jumapili, Julai 6. Mwandishi wa habari hizi aliligundua kaburi hilo baada ya kwenda makaburi ya Gate of Heaven kwa siku tatu mfululizo.

Siku ya kwanza, mwenyeji wa mwandishi ambaye jina lake tunalihifadhi kwa sasa alimfikisha katika makaburi hayo, lakini kaburi la Ballali halikuonekana na hata mwandishi alipokwenda siku ya pili peke yake, kaburi hilo pia halikuonekana kwa kutokana na ukubwa wa eneo hilo.

Siku ya tatu, Mwandishi wa Mwananchi alilazimika kuomba msaada wa Ofisi ya Makaburi ya Gate of Heaven, ambayo ilimsadia kuonyesha eneo lilipo kaburi hilo, hivyo kuwezesha kupata picha zake.

Kaburi lake liko katika msitari wa mwisho kabisa na Ukanda wa Kijani wa miti iliyozunguka makaburi ya Gate of Heaven, likiwa limeandikwa jina la kiongozi huyo, pamoja na maneno ya Kiingereza yanayosomeka “When the heart weep for what it has lost, the soul rejoices for what it has found”.

Maana ya maneno hayo ni kwamba “wakati moyo ukiomboleza kwa kile kilichopotea, roho hufurahi kwa kile kilichopatikana”. Kaburi hili limezungukwa na makaburi mengine kadhaa ambayo si ya Watanzania, kwani kwa haraka kutokana na mazingira yalivyokuwa, Mwandishi wa Mwananchi hakuweza kuona kaburi jingine lenye majina yenye asili au kuwa na mwelekeo wa asili ya Tanzania.

Uthibitisho huu ni tofauti na hekaya za miaka nenda rudi zilizogubika kifo cha kiongozi huyo, ambaye tangu alipoondoka nchini kwenda Marekani Agosti 2007, hakuwahi kurejea na badala yake zilisikika taarifa za kuugua kwake, kifo chake na baadaye mazishi yake yaliyokuwa ya siri kubwa yakiwahusisha ndugu wa karibu pekee.

Kutokana na mazingira hayo, kumekuwapo na uvumi kwamba Ballali hakufa na pengine amefichwa kusikojulikana, madai yanayochagizwa na mtu aliyejitokeza katika mitandao wa kijamii ya Twitter na facebook, akidai kwamba yeye ni Ballali na kwamba hajafa, huku akisisitiza kuwa wakati ukiwadia ukweli utafahamika.

Mtu huyo asiyefahamika hadi sasa alianza kujitokeza Twitter, Oktoba Mosi, 2012 pale aliposema “Nitakutana na Rais Kikwete (Jakaya) na ujumbe wake wiki hii hapa Marekani”. Mtu huyo alidai kwamba alikuja nchini Tanzania na kukaa karibu na Hoteli ya Hyatt Kempinski Kilimanjaro na baadaye kuondoka ghafla kwa kile alichokiita sababu za kiusalama.

Novemba 13 mwaka huo alituma ujumbe akisema:“In Dar es Salaam, Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam, The Kempinski Kilimanjaro Hotel. Feels good to be close to my former office, BoT,” akimaanisha kwamba niko Hoteli ya Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam, najisikia vizuri kuwa karibu na ofisi yangu ya zamani BoT.

Mtu huyo ambaye sasa tunaweza kuthibitisha kuwa ni feki amekuwa akiendelea kutuma ujumbe akijitambulisha kwa jina hilo la Ballali.

Ballali alifariki dunia kama ilivyotagazwa, lakini ilikuwaje akaenda safarini Washington, ugonjwa wake na hata kifo chake kilikuwaje? Je ndugu zake wanasemaje, safari ya kwenda Marekani ilikuwaje? Fuatilia mfululizo wa habari hii itakapoendelea kesho.


Source: Mwananchi

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MBongo Ahukumiwa Miaka Mitano Gerezani USA Shauri ya Utapeli

Walijiona wajanja, kumbe... usicheze na Uncle Sam (Serikali ya Marekani). Hatimaye utakamatwa! Wabongo walipata Mortgage kwa kutumia jina la mtu mwingine, halafu walisema wameweka wapangaji wa Section 8 (maskini)! Kumbe wanagawana hela!  Moja wao Mokorya Cosmas Wambura (41) kahukumiwa kifungo cha miaka mitano gerezani leo.  Makubwa!  Na Range Rover yake imekamatwa!  Na itabidi Wambura alipe fidia dola laki nne. $400,000.  Awali walikamata watu sita.  Kusoma kesi ya awali ya kutoka 2012 BOFYA HAPA:

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Kuoka: http://www.gazette.net/article/20140617/NEWS/140619253/takoma-park-man-going-to-prison-for-mortgage-fraud-conviction&template=gazette

A Takoma Park man has been sentenced to five years in prison for what authorities said were two mortgage fraud schemes.

Mokorya Cosmas Wambura, 41, also was ordered to pay restitution of more than $400,000.
The U.S. attorney’s office said in a news release that in one case, Wambura and others conspired from March 2007 to November 2008 to unlawfully use another person’s identity to buy residential property. For a home that was purchased in Hyattsville in June 2008, the conspirators “inflated the sales price by creating false documents for repairs and renovations that were never made,” the news release said.

In the second fraud scheme, Wambura and Mrisho Mavuruma Mzese conspired to sell Mzese’s Silver Spring residence to Wambura’s friend and roommate, but without the friend’s involvement, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

In the second fraud scheme, Wambura and Mrisho Mavuruma Mzese conspired to sell Mzese’s Silver Spring residence to Wambura’s friend and roommate, but without the friend’s involvement, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

The friend’s identity had been stolen, allowing Wambura to secure a mortgage, obtain the property and become a Section 8 landlord to get federally subsidized money. Authorities said Wambura received a portion of the monthly rent and $29,186 in housing assistance checks.
Chief U.S. District Judge Deborah J. Chasanow sentenced Wambura on Monday in federal court in Greenbelt.

Wambura will be on five years of supervised released after he serves his prison time.
Mzese, 39, of Clarksburg, was convicted at trial on May 1 on 11 counts, including conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft, for his part in the second fraud scheme with Wambura. Mzese is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 7.

The U.S. attorney’s office said another person who was involved — Edgar Tibakweitira, 37, of Severn — previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and identity theft and agreed to forfeit a Range Rover vehicle. Tibakweitira is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 3.

The investigation and prosecution are part of President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which was created in 2009, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

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Historia ya Kesi:

Kutoka: 

 http://mortgagefraudblog.com/man-admits-using-id-theft-and-false-documents-to-induce-lenders-to-provide-mortgages/

Mokorya Cosmas Wambura, 45, Takoma Park, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft arising from two separate residential mortgage fraud schemes.
According to his plea agreement, statement of facts, and the indictment, from March 2007 to November 2008, Wambura conspired with real estate agent Edgar Tibakweitira and others to use the identity of another individual without lawful authority to buy residential property. For example, in June 2008, Wambura used the stolen identity of another person, along with false income statements and credit information, to buy a residence in 4308 East West Highway, Hyattsville, Maryland. The conspirators inflated the value of the property by creating false documents for repairs and renovations that were never made. After the settlement, the conspirators divided up the cash received for the purported repairs.
During the second fraud scheme from July 2007 to May 2009, a conspirator sold his residence in 13202 Black Walnut Court, Silver Spring, Maryland to Wambura, and attempted to conceal the scheme by using the identity of Wambura‘s friend and roommate, without lawful authority, as the purported buyer. Wambura again made false statements about the buyer’s assets and income.
For example, Wambura listed a joint credit union account held by Wambura and his friend as an asset, which Wambura created without his friend’s knowledge. After securing the mortgage and obtaining possession of the residence, Wambura continued to use his friend’s stolen identity to become a Section 8 landlord for federally subsidized funds. Wambura received portions of the monthly rent paid by the tenant. Wambura and his conspirator also caused $29,186 in government housing program assistance checks, payable to Wambura‘s friend, to be mailed to Wambura.
As a result of the two conspiracies, Wambura caused between $400,000 and $1 million in losses to federally-insured financial institutions.
Wambura faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine on each of two wire fraud conspiracy counts, and a mandatory minimum of two years for aggravated identity theft consecutive to any other sentence. Chief U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2014 at 11:30 a.m.
Edgar Tibakweitira, a/k/a “Edgar Julian,” “Charles Edgar Tibakweitira,” and “Edgar Gaudious Tibakweitira,” 37, Severn, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and to aggravated identity theft, and has agreed to forfeit a Range Rover vehicle. Tibakweitira is scheduled to be sentenced on May 6, 2014, at 1:00 p.m.
Wambura and Tibakweitira are both detained pending their sentencings.

The plea agreement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Cary A. Rubenstein of the Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General – Office of Investigations; Acting Inspector General Michael P. Stephens of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge Kathy Michalko of the United States Secret Service – Washington Field Office; John L. Phillips, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, U.S. Department of the Treasury – Office of Inspector General; and Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised HUD-OIG, FHFA-OIG, Treasury OIG, U.S. Secret Service and Baltimore HSI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristi N. O’Malley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin DiGregory, Investigative Counsel for the Federal Housing Finance Agency Inspector General, who are prosecuting the case.

Waziri Membe Akutana na Gavana wa Maryland

Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa, Mhe. Bernard K. Membe (Mb.) akisalimiana na Gavana wa Jimbo la Maryland la nchini Marekani, Mhe. Martin O'Malley walipokutana jijini Washington D.C kwa mazungumzo kuhusu namna ya kuimarisha ushirikiano kati ya Jimbo hilo na Tanzania katika masuala ya uchumi, jamii na siasa. Mhe. Membe alipata fursa ya kukutana na Gavana huyo alipokuwa mjini humo kwa ajili ya kumwakilisha Mhe. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania kwenye upokeaji Tuzo ya Kiongozi mwenye Mchango Mkubwa zaidi katika Maendeleo ya Bara la Afrika kwa Mwaka 2013.

Mhe. Gavana O'Malley akisalimiana na Balozi wa Tanzania nchini Marekani, Mhe. Liberata Mulamula

Mhe. Waziri Membe akitoa salamu maalum kwa wajumbe kabla ya mkutano kuanza. Pembeni ni Mhe. Gavana O'Malley.

Mhe. Membe akizungumza huku Gavana O'Malley akimsikiliza.

Mhe. Membe akiendelea na mazungumzo huku Mhe. Gavana O'Malley na wajumbe wengine wakimsikiliza.

Mhe. Gavana O'Malley akizungumza.

Balozi Mulamula akiwa na wajumbe wengine wakimsikiliza Gavana O'Malley (hayupo pichani)

Mkurugenzi wa Mawasiliano Ikulu, Bw. Salvatory Rweyemamu akimsikiliza Gavana O'Malley (hayupo pichani). Wengine ni Balozi wa Nigeria nchini Marekani Prof. Adebowele Adufye pamoja na Bi. Mindi Kasiga, Mkuu wa Kitengo cha Mawasiliano ya Serikali, Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa.

Wajumbe wengine wakati wa mkutano kati ya Mhe. Membe na Gavana O'Malley (hawapo pichani). Kushoto ni Bw. Thobias Makoba, Katibu wa Waziri Membe na Bi. Redemptor Tibaigana, Afisa Mambo ya Nje.

Wajumbe wengine

Mhe. Membe akimweleza jambo Mhe. Gavana O'Malley mara baada ya mazungumzo yao.

Mhe. Membe akisalimiana na Bw. John Kennedy Opara, Katibu Mtendaji wa Tume ya Mahujaji Wakiristo wa Nigeria ambaye pia ni Mshauri wa Rais Goodluck Jonathan wa nchi hiyo kuhusu Uhusiano wa Kidini nchini Nigeria. Bw. Opara pia alipokea Tuzo ya Heshima siku hiyo.

Mhe. Gavana O'Malley katika picha ya pamoja na Bal. Mulamula

Mhe. Gavana O'Malley katika picha ya pamoja na Bi. Kasiga.

Mhe. Membe na Mhe. Gavana O'Malley katika picha ya pamoja na wajumbe wengine.

Dr. Aleck Che-Mponda Katika Mapambano Dhidi ya Ubaguzi Marekani 1961

Wadau, leo hii mtu wa rangi yeyote akija Marekani, anaweza kula sehemu yoyote, kwenda shopping sehemu yoyote na kuishi sehemu yoyote anayotaka bila kujali rangi.  Ni hela yako tu.  Lakini si miaka mingi uliyopita maisha hayakuwa hivyo kwa watu weusi. Weusi walibaguliwa Marekani kutokana na historia ya Utumwa. Ingawa utumwa ulifutwa mwaka 1865, ubaguzi dhidi ya weusi uliendelea. Ulipungua baada ya Civil Rights Acts (14th Amendment) ya mwaka 1964.

Miaka ya 1950's mwishoni  na 1960's nchi za Afrika zilianza kupata Uhuru.  Nchi hizo zilikuwa zinaleta Mabolozi kuwakilisha nchi zao.  Mabalozi na wafanyakazi wa ubalozi hizo walikuwa wanaleta familia zao. Walipohamia Marekani walishangaa ubaguzi uliokuwepo.  Kulikuwa hakuna kujali kuwa wewe ni balozi. Ukiwa ni mweusi, hivyo mtu wa chini tu. Ubaguzi huo ulisbabisha Waziri Mkuu wa Urusi wa wakati huo , Nikita Khrushchev, kuomba Umoja wa Mataifa uhamishwe nje ya Marekani!  Ilibidi Rais John F. Kennedy aingilie. Ubaguzi katika restaurant na mahoteli ulipigwa maarufuku katika sehemu kadhaa Washington, D.C. na Maryland. Fikiria ubaguzi ulikuwa ni shida kiasi kwamba Rais Kennedy alisema kuwa waafrika wapande ndege wakiwa wanasafiri kutoka New York hadi D.C. ili waepuke matatizo ya kibaguzi.

Ubaguzi ulivyokithiri na wazungu walivyoona ni haki yao kubagua, weusi mwenye Mgahawa moja alisema, "Mwache Rais Kennedy awalishe hao WaAfrika! Mimi sitaki kupoteza biashara yangu!"

Mambo ya Ubaguzi dhidhi ya waafrika ulifika kilele, mwaka 1961, Balozi Malick Sow wa Chad alipoenda kula katika restaurant iitwao Bonnie Rae Diner. Alinyimwa huduma na kupigwa na mhudumu kutokana na rangi yake. Balozi Sow alikasirika na kulalamika hadi White House. Yule mhudumu aliyemnyima huduma alipohojiwa na LIFE magazine alisema, "Mimi sikujua ni Balozi. Nilidhani ni mwesui (n-word) wa kawaida!"

Habari ya Baolzi Sow, ulikuwa ni habari ya kimataifa. LIFE magazine ambayo kipindi kile kilikuwa kama CNN ya leo, iliandika habari hizo. Weusi waliporuhusiwa kula mezani pale sawa na mzungu, LIFE magazine walikuwepo.  Baba yangu, Dr. Aleck Che-Mponda, ambaye wakati ule alikuwa katika uongozi wa Chama cha Wanafunzi wa Afrika wanaosoma Marekani na Bayo Adekayo wa Nigeria walikuwa wa kwanza kuhudumiwa.

Mnaweza kusoma habari kamili katika toleo ya LIFE MAGAZINE ya tarehe 8 Desemba, 1961 kwa KUBOFYA HAPA:

BOFYA picha ukitaka kuona picha kubwa zaidi.

Cover of LIFE Magazine December 8, 1961

Balozi wa Chad nchi Marekani 1961, Mh. Malick Sow

Huyo Mama alikata kuhumdumia Balozi wa Chad. Alisema kuwa alidhani yeye ni n-word wa kawaida!



Baba yangu mzazi mwaka 1961. Wakati huo alikuwa ni mwanafunzi katika Chuo Kikuu cha Howard Washington, D.C.



Soma hii Kutoka:  http://www.umbc.edu/che/tahlessons/pdf/Civil_Rights_and_Cold_Warriors(PrinterFriendly).pdf

While protests in the early 1950s had achieved legal segregation of most public modations in Washington D.C., “informal segregation remained a serious problem.”  African diplomats that moved their families to the nation’s capital often faced discrimination in housing, restaurants, businesses as well as hostile harassment. The “mistreatment” of these African diplomats “not only damaged relations with the host nation but might also affect the power balance in the United Nations; Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev was quietly trying to line up African nations behind a proposal to have the United Nations moved out of the United States because of persistent racial discrimination.”
 
One particular account involving William Fitzjohn of Sierra Leone served as a  mechanism for the desegregation of the route African dignitaries used to travel from New York to Washington. Fitzjohn was denied service at a Howard Johnson’s restaurant in Hagerstown, Maryland in March of 1961.  President Kennedy, moved by the notion that the African press might view this episode as a “catalyst for antiAmerican feelings,” met personally with the diplomat to apologize for the incident.

Subsequent incidents involving dozens of African diplomats, including the new ambassador from Chad, Adam Malik Sow, forced Kennedy to reconsider the “Washington first” strategy (i.e. promoting civil rights gains made by the federal government abroad, while downplaying civil rights struggles and abuses at home).


While Kennedy’s first suggestion to these diplomats was to fly from New York to Washington instead of driving, he would eventually use the State Department’s Office of Protocol to pressure the Maryland legislature to pass a law outlawing segregated public facilities along Route 40.  “Thus began a campaign led by officials of the federal government to undermine segregation in Maryland.” Following a period of sitins and threats of freedom rides by the Congress of Racial Equality, as well as a two year campaign from the Office of Protocol, the Maryland General Assembly finally passed a law that banned racial discrimination in restaurants and hotels in the areas surrounding Route 40 during a March session in 1963.