Theme: "Who killed Zinjanthropus?"

“Who Killed Zinjanthropus?” With Tanzania approaching its 50 years jubilee of independence, we are using Zinjanthropus – a fossil of early man discovered in Tanzania – as a metaphor for revered history and evolution as we attempt to navigate the clung-to and forsaken past as well as the future we appear to be striving for.

We invite you to help us unravel this great mystery, of both the science and the fiction, that demarks our 50 years of independence. In this unmasking of the gained and the given up, the nostalgia and the shame, we hope to birth creative engagement that will move us forward in finding innovative solutions to the challenges in these exciting times.

National Museum
Shabban Robert Road
Dar-es-salaam
Tanzania

Susan Mashibe

Susan Mashibe is a FAA certified commercial pilot and an aircraft maintenance engineer, the first female with both qualifications in Tanzania. At present she runs and owns Tanzanite Jet Centre Ltd., a successful Fixed Base Operation company, she founded in 2003. Tanzanite Jet Centre is unique in Tanzania, specializing in logistical support to business aviation in the region. Her company has catered to Heads of State, monarchs, Fortune 500 executives, and military flights. Additionally, Susan is a Director of Kilimanjaro Aviation Logistic Center, which processes clearances for private jets throughout Africa. Ms. Mashibe is now a recognized leader in business aviation in Tanzania and East Africa. She is a 2011 WEF Young Global Leader and she was an Archbishop Tutu Fellow in 2009. Currently, Susan is establishing aircraft maintenance and repair services at Kilimanjaro International Airport which will measure up to international standards for general and corporate aviation. Susan strives to promote math and science, paying special attention to female pupils, in primary and secondary schools in Tanzania.

Erasto Mpemba

In 1963, Tanzanian Erasto B. Mpemba discovered a phenomenon that questions principles of established Newtonian physics – this phenomenon became (internationally) known as the “Mpemba effect.” The Mpemba effect is the observation that under certain circumstances, warm water freezes faster than cold water. Mr. Mpemba made this discovery while in form 3 at Magamba Secondary School, and later collaborated with University of Dar es Salaam Professor Denis Osborne to publish the Mpemba effect in a 1969 paper “Cool?” Although earlier allusions of the Mpemba effect were made by the likes of Aristotle, Francis Bacon, and Descartes, Mpemba’s resolve to question conventional physics – with unadulterated curiosity – illuminated a phenomenon overlooked in popular physics. After his groundbreaking work Mr. Mpemba went on to get a diploma from the College of African Wildlife Management in Moshi, completing further study in Natural Resource Management at the Canberra College of Advanced Education (now University of Canberra) in Australia, and a masters degree from Alpine, Texas, USA. He went on to become the Principal Game Officer in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in the Wildlife Division. He is now retired.

John Stephen Akhwari

John Stephen Akhwari was a Tanzanian marathon runner. He popularly represented Tanzania in the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City where he finished the marathon despite falling and severely injuring his knee. In last place, having no chance of winning the race, he crossed the finish line more than 1 hour after the first place finisher. When asked why he didn’t forfeit the race and tend to his ailing knee, Mr. Akhwari responded: “my country did not send me to Mexico city to start the race. They sent me to finish.” After Mexico, Mr. Akhwari continued to passionately represent Tanzania in international competition, finishing 5th in the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland. He retired from active competition in 1976, and started to train young Tanzanian runners; he was a team manager for Tanzania in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. He retired from active engagement in sports in 1993. In 2008 he was a goodwill ambassador and torch bearer at the 2008 Olympics Games in Beijing. He now resides in his tranquil hometown of Mbulu, Manyara.

Evans Rubara

Evans is a Theologian cum Investigative Journalist. He works with the Civil Society in Tanzania, Africa and the World on Policy Engagement, Knowledge Management and Communications towards equitable society. A Strong believer in change that comes from the citizenry, Evans promotes evidence-based advocacy without which he believes efforts for change are baseless. Evans is actively involved in the struggles common to all human rights activists in Tanzania but with primary focus on the Mining sector in Tanzania with bias on the extractive Industry. In his work he takes a journalistic approach to media advocacy training, awareness creation, sensitisation and social mobilisation.

Msafiri Zawose

Msafiri is the son of the late Dr. Hukwe Zawose – an iconic figure in traditional Tanzanian music. He has forged his own musical identity by strongly adhering to the Gogo traditions of his people, while incorporating new styles and instruments. He has continued in his father’s footsteps as a Tanzanian cultural ambassador, playing in a wide variety of venues throughout the word. He is passionate about the preservation of his roots and the continuation of the rich musical heritage of Tanzania.

Leila Sheikh

Leila is a Tanzanian activist with an educational background in Journalism and Media Production, a B.A. in Politics and Government, and a Masters in African Studies. With this footing, Leila has worked on many projects as an advocate for issues such as gender-based violence, sexual abuse, and HIV/AIDS. While she has worked extensively through research and media to build awareness, Leila has also actively engaged in initiatives to bring about change. This work includes the design of the Crisis Center program which gives legal aid and counseling to victims of gender-based violence – or her coordination of a training program that established a protocol for law enforcement to deal with gender based violence cases. (This protocol has been incorporated in the curricula of police training colleges in the Tanzania.) Leila has also been a producer and writer of radio and television programs and documentaries, anchoring a series of special television programs on the Beijing International Women’s Conference for Independent Television, amongst a litany of programming she has been involved in. She has also written scripts for local theatre, has edited books and magazines, and has penned special newspaper columns shedding light on rights issues in society. She is the current owner of Studio Calabash Limited, a consultancy firm, and continues to push for the empowerment and rights of women, children, and men in Tanzania.

Roland Valckenborg

Roland Valckenborg is founder and managing director of the Tanzanian start-up company Windpower Serengeti Ltd. since January 2011. One year earlier (march 2010) he started the Dutch NGO ‘I Love Windpower – Tanzania’ which has a mission to reduce poverty by creating job opportunities in the manufacturing and installation of locally produced wind turbines. Moreover, these turbines are used to bring electricity to health centers and schools in the very remote, rural areas of Tanzania. Capacity building is done by giving a master class to local people (fundis and engineers) in which the participants build these turbines completely themselves. Technological sustainability is guaranteed in this way, because operation & maintenance can be performed efficiently by themselves. Most recently Roland gave training to students of Yombo Vocational Training Centre who had physical disability. The result of this training is a fully functional wind turbine powering the security system of the CCBRT-hospital in Msasani, Dar Es Salaam. Roland has a masters degree in Applied Physics and a PhD in the field of ‘Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of technological porous materials’, including seven articles as first author in international, scientific journals.

Bobb Muchiri

Growing up in the small town of Narok, along the Rift Valley in Kenya, Bobb developed an interest in comics and storytelling from an early age. As his childhood progressed, animation became a particular area of interest. Using every spare moment, whilst working in a shoe factory, Bobb used the internet to teach himself various bits of design software. Quickly his services were in demand from friends wanting small animations for music videos and advertisements. It was in 2007 when he got his big break, working with BBC animator Andy Walker on the animated children’s show “The Know Zone”. As Bobb’s experience grew, so did his recognition and portfolio within Kenyan creative industries, with his work including campaigns for Safaricom, Kenya Power and Lighting, as well as The XYM Show to name a few. In 2011, Bobb decided that Kenya needed a new type of production house which truly combined creativity and collaboration. Studio Ang was born. It was there that Bobb’s directorial debut ‘Kichwateli’ – a music video for Kenyan-German collaboration BLNRB, produced in conjunction with the Goethe Institute and working with long-term friends/collaborators Just A Band – created critical acclaim and demonstrated Bobb’s pivotal role in the development of the Kenyan creative industries. Bobb’s long-term ambition is to continue to celebrate African storytelling in innovative and groundbreaking ways.

Bi Kidude

Bi Kidude was born Fatuma Binti Baraka in the early years of the 20th century. At age thirteen, she fled a forced marriage and embarked on a journey that found her under the tutorship of Siti Binti Saad, the first woman singer in Zanzibar. With her musical career beginning in the 1920s, Bi Kidude has since lived a vibrant life as an accomplished drummer, singer, henna artist and a natural healer. She, the diva of Zanzibar Taarab, is now arguably the greatest living musical legend in Tanzania (in actual fact: East Africa). She has performed in Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East; and recorded her first solo album recently while in her mid-90s. In 1999 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to the Arts given by the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF). She is also the subject of a 2006 documentary titled: “As Old As My Tongue: the Myth and Life of Bi Kidude.” The iconic songstress now resides in her homeland Zanzibar, and continues to knock down barriers for young girls and women through her music.

January Makamba

Mr. January Makamba is a Member of Parliament for Bumbuli Constituency in Tanga. He also holds the Chairmanship of the influential Parliamentary Committee on Energy and Minerals. After completing high school, January went on to work in the Burundi refugee camps in Kasulu, Kigoma. He did undergraduate and graduate studies in on conflict and diplomacy the United States. He has worked at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Center (Carter Center) in Atlanta, then came back home to join the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he teamed up with then Foreign Minister Jakaya Kikwete, whom he worked closely with in the Ministry. After the latter ran for president in 2005, Mr. Makamba quit Foreign Service to work in his campaign. When candidate Kikwete was elected President, January joined him at State House as one of his appointed senior aides and speechwriter. As aide to the President, January traveled with the President and covered all his meetings and also attended Cabinet meetings where he gained experience and insights on the policy and decision-making processes in the government. January also holds the position of Party (CCM) Secretary for Political Affairs and International Relations, and therefore membership to the Central Committee and National Executive Committee. He has in recent years been an influential voice on energy policy matters, and was profiled in The Economist magazine issue of October 28th, 2010.

Sanaa Sana Band

The group was created in early 2009 and at the time consisted of 7 talented members performing African drums and dancing. The group has been well received gaining applause from international crowds who delighted in their energetic rhythms and frenetic dance. Sanaa Sana already has impressive credentials having performed at many festivals including Ethno Sounds and the Pop Jazz college festival in Finland as well as performing as far afield as Ethiopia. Sanaa Sana is now an astonishing fusion of members coming from well respected bands with fans all over East Africa. This impressive list of groups includes Akudo Impact, Diamond Sound, Diamond Muzika, Zemkala, Sisi Tambala, Simba Theatre Group and many others. This union of professional artists, in varied styles, creates an original and unexpected ensemble! The words imitation and copy are not found in the Sanaa Sana vocabulary! They succeed in creating their own kind of music. Sanaa Sana invites you to a breathtaking journey to the rich musical culture in the heart of Africa. They put you under their spell with their fresh voices and bewitching melodies, you feel yourself starting to move and before you know it you are dancing to the rhythm of their tumbas. Inspiration is found in joy, love, Africa and simple daily life! Everyone is free to compose and each member gets inspiration from one another. This is the Sanaa Sana’s spirit! The band’s most pressing objective is to have the opportunity to show the public, the fruits of its work and to be able to share with them, their different vision of music!

Richard Mabala

Richard Mabala was born British and after graduating as a teacher went to Tanzania as a volunteer and fell in love with the country. He became a Tanzanian citizen and has taught in secondary schools, teacher colleges and the university of Dar es Salaam. Finally he decided he was more activist than academic and was founder member of several of Tanzania’s most influential NGOs (for gender and education). After an 8 year stint with UNICEF where he worked to develop and prioritise adolescent programmes, he decided he wanted to go back to working directly with adolescents and young people. He left UNICEF and joined together with two young people to set up TAMASHA, a youth participatory development centre based in Arusha Tanzania which works with young people to develop their capacity and advocate for their rights in societies where there is often little acceptance, even now, of the potential of young people once they are given the chance. Mabala is also a writer of children’s books, training manuals in life skills, gender and youth development and satirical columns in the newspapers.