I ARRIVED IN MTWARA

I WAS IN MTWARA, TANZANIA


Flight PW 401 left Dar es Salaam at 8h00 on Sunday, 5 December 2010 for Mtwara; we landed at 9h10 safely, thanks God.


It was a smooth and pleasant flight and I realised after we landed that we had two ministers in our midst, one of them, a minister in the office of the President. How I knew, is that I was very surprised as we were getting off to see a delegation in the tar mark clearly very happy. The first time I saw people accompanying or collecting a dignitary right at the steps of an aircraft was in Lagos, Nigeria. I seem to think it’s an African thing.


Mtwara, maybe, could be forgiven because even though it has a very long landing strip there is hardly a proper demarcation between the terminal building and the landing strip. By the time my friend’s luggage arrived there was still singing and ululation by a group of the political party of the ministers. Remember, Tanzania has just had yet another round of peaceful elections and the new ministers took office the previous week. So, the two were “coming home” for the first time after they had been sworn in as ministers even though both were on second term.


Precision Air is the only airline that goes to Mtwara. The same aircraft that took us in would be leaving in 20minutes time, back to Dar (as it is affectionately called). Even though our business was only 3hrs, maximum, I was to spend the whole day until I go back to Dar the following morning. Travelling in general can be stressful, continental travelling is painful.


Mtwara is a “forgotten” area in the South of Tanzania, at the border with Mozambique. Tanzania share its borders with 8 countries, I am told.


There is a lot beginning to happen in Mtwara. Gas fields have been found, another port is being planned, a fertiliser plant is being considered (there is something between gas and fertiliser) etc.


Amongst other reasons for coming to Mtwara, was to see a piece (big piece) of land the (Tanzanian) friend of mine has bought in what I must consider to be amongst the most beautiful coastlines. He is now the owner of a long beach area along a crispy blue Indian ocean. Call it virgin beauty.

The land was bought from a villager. I had the opportunity to meet the Chairman of the village who came to confirm the piece of land now owned by my friend. He also told him that there was another 3 hectares available for 1.5million Tanzania shillings (+/- $1000).

The chairman, who is a wonderful man, told us a lot of stories one of them was that the Minister we were with in the plane is an MP for the area, and that during her last period as an MP, she visited them around October 2005 and the next visit was in October 2010, just before the elections. The chairman said they, as the community, were looking forward to see her in 2015 again, you could not miss the sarcasm in his face.

The community is very poor. His village has about 768 people, and he is very particular about the count. He invited us to his place; a gesture I thought was of great honour to me. We met his family including some of his 8 children. His house is right next to the beach and has a stunning view of the ocean.

I wish many could see Mtwara. Mark my words, in the next few years, that giant will be awake. I am happy my friend has great plans about developing his place and do something for the community of the chairman.

I believe what he has is a jewel.

I am just not sure anybody reading this piece how many opportunities he/she will identify. All I could say now is VUKA AFFRICA.


Sango Ntsaluba