Africa's Leaders of Tomorrow School (ALTS)

By BK

Everyday I read stories about the economic growth of China. I read about Germany's solutions, clean energy in particular, aimed at solving global challenges. I read about a student in a Tanzanian village who uses an oil lamp with a small floating wick, and that 60% of African population is living without electricity. I read that while two out of five Africans lack clean water supplies and Africa's economy is greatly reliant on international aid, the African population will double by 2030.

Some challenges are old. Some are new. I ask myself many questions. Some are: For countries to reaclh or maintain global leadership, should they focus on global solutions? Because global solutions are always also local while local solutions cannot always be global. If the correct answer is yes, then, is it the likeliest situation that an African country will never become a super power?

Obviously, we are living at a time when all agents of development, across all age ranges and professions, must work together to solve these challenges. Since life is only a choice that must have a purpose to be lived well; for Africa, I would propose a leadership school, Africa's Leaders of Tomorrow School (ALTS) that would involve young African students at the earliest time possible in solving African challenges.

ALTS would be a social business, and would place education at the service of the society. Interested mid-school students who are top in their classes, and who have demonstrated great leadership and risk taking skills in their communities would be admitted. They would be brought together and shown the greatest challenges that the continent faces in preparation for tomorrow's leadership. I am mindful that we learn best from the people who surround us. That's why guest speakers who are themselves entrepreneurs, policy makers, government leaders and infuential people would be invited to talk with the students.


The core subject, 'Africa and the World' would guide students through the history of Africa after independence, the challenges it faces and its e orts to solve them. An emphasis would be on why the continent is the poorest despite the great natural endowment it possesses. It would encourage debates and discussions, to emphasize on the development of leadership skills, entrepreneurial skills and global citizenship. It would be discussed on how leaders can play a greater role to improve the life of an African. The students will be required to write a project on a topic of their own choice but related to Africa and the World. An example of such a topic would be 'Africa, what is the missing link? a look at African governance.'

Not until we are aware of the challenges our small communities face, can we dream of solutions to national, continental or global problems. ALTS students would have to complete a minimum number of hours of community service in preparation for leading an interesting life in which serving others is the greatest character.

The major feature of ALTS curriculum would be to train young great minds to understand how every discipline has and can be used to solve the challenges humankind faces. I see this being met through talks by guest speakers and mandatory class discussions with course instructors.

I see graduates from the school become CEO's, politicians, activists, scientists, policy makers and economists of tomorrow, to mention but a few examples. ALTS students would become global citizens. They would not be fatalistics but able to embark on meaningful and unprecedented projects that would change the way Africa and the world operates. They would be able to integrate into the ever changing world in terms of technology, culture, science and politics while devising methods to integrate with solutions that aim at making Africa a bigger economy. With an emphasis on creativity, they would gain problem solving skills rather than mere knowledge accumulation. They would therefore be equipped with an ability to apply knowledge obtained in class to nd answers to the the problems of the society.

I would envision a family of such schools all over Africa under the social business concept that would prepare students to become leaders of tomorrow who would change Africa and the world at large.


BK, a guest columnist, is a senior at Jacobs University Bremen (in Germany) pursuing a B.Sc degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He hails from Mwanza, Tanzania.

Watanzania na Ujio wa Brazil

Kipyenga cha mwisho kimelia, huku Brazil wakishinda mpambano dhidi ya Taifa Stars kwa magoli matano kwa moja. Mazungumzo na mabishano juu ya mechi hii iliyokuwa ikisubiriwa kwa hamu na Watanzania wengi itabaki kuwa gumzo la jiji kama sio nchi, kwa wiki kadhaa zijazo. Watanzania tutaelekeza nguvu zetu kwenye kupiga domo juu ya mechi hii huko vijiweni kabla ya hali halisi ya maisha yetu duni kutuzindua kwenye starehe hii iliyo dumu kwa dakika 90.

Ujio wa Brazil umepokelewa kwa hisia tofauti, wengi wakishabikia kuwa hatimaye watamwona mchezaji mahiri wa Brazil, KaKa kwa macho yao wenyewe. Kuna kundi dogo la watu waliotaka Watanzania tususie mechi kwani haina manufaa yoyote katika kuendeleza uchumi wa nchi yetu. Zogo hili la ujio wa Brazil lilianza kupaa kwa kasi pale Bw Paulo Kamau wa Kenya alipobeza uamuzi huu wa Tanzania kuwalipa fedha nyingi vijana hao wa Samba.

Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) wamekuwa kimya kuzungumzia kiwango halisi walichowapa Brazil, wakati mwazoni walidai kuwa Serikali iliwatengea fungu la dola za Kimarekani milioni sita. Tovuti ya BBC wamedai kuwa TFF iliwalipa dola milioni mbili na nusu. Kiasi taslimu cha fedha walicholipwa Brazil bado kinabaki kuwa tata, huku Raisi wa TFF ndugu Leodegar Tenga akidai kuwa, "It's definitely that the coming of top players in the world will be a big boost to local football as well as the tourism sector,".

TFF imejitetea kuwa, ujio wa Brazil utachochea maendeleo katika soka na kwenye sekta ya utalii. Hizi ndizo sababu kuu mbili zakutetea matumizi makubwa ya fedha ya kuwalipa Brazil kuja kucheza na Taifa Stars, sasa swali ni hili, Je Tenga na TFF wana hoja ya msingi?

Mimi binafsi sidhani kama hoja hiyo ina nguvu ya kutosha kuhalalisha matumizi ya hivyo vijisenti walivyowalipa Brazil, na hoja zangu ni kama ifuatavyo. Soka la Tanzania limekuwa kichwa cha mwendawazimu kwa miaka mingi, na mimi nina uhakika wengi tunajua ni nini kinatakiwa kufanyika ili kuinua soka la Tanzania. Tatizo la kwanza, tunapenda kukimbia kabla hatujajua kutembea, na hoja hii aliizungumzia kocha wa Taifa Stars wa sasa ndugu Marcio Maximo alipotoa ushauri wake juu ya soka la Bongo. Mimi sio mtaalamu saana wa soka wala sijawahi kuwa kwenye kamati ya ufundi wa tunguli, lakini hoja ya Maximo itaungwa mkono na wengi wenye uwerevu. Watanzania inatubidi tuanze kujenga utamaduni wa kusikiliza wataalamu na sio wanasiasa wasio jua lolote.

Sasa tukija kwenye sababu ya pili, ya kuwa ujio wa Brazil utasaidia soko la utalii, nadhani kuna mambo kadhaa ya kuangalia kwa utaratibu. Jambo la kwanza, tuna uhakika gani ujio wao utaongeza ujio wa watalii? Najua moja ya jibu la swali hili litakuwa, kwasababu mechi inaonyeshwa moja moja katika nchi zisizopungua mia 160. Hii inaweza saidia; lakini wasiwasi wangu ni kuwa, kuna utafiti mdogo umefanywa katika kuhakikisha kuwa hii ndio njia bora ya kutangaza nchi yetu. Katika mpango huo, je tuliangalia njia mbadala ambazo zingetugharimu fedha kidogo zaidi na ambazo tungekuwa na uhakika zaidi kuwa zitazaa matunda?

Waziri wa Mali asili na Utalii, Mh. Shamsa Selengai Mwangunga (MB) alipotoa makadirio ya Wizara yake Bungeni, aliongelea mipango kadhaa ya Wizara yake. Moja ya mipango hiyo ilikuwa ni kuongeza utalii wa ndani, kwa kuwapunguzia Watanzania viingilio katika mbuga za wanyama na sehemu nyingine za kitalii. Mkakati huo ni mzuri, lakini bado tunategemea zaidi watalii wa nje. Lakini kidogo kimefanyika kuhamasisha watalii wa nje kuja nchini. Tanzania bado inatajwa kama nchi yenye viwango vikubwa (fees) kwa watalii, ukilinganisha na Kenya na Uganda. Kenya na Uganda walipunguza viwango vyao baada ya uchumi wa dunia kuyumba, lakini Tanzania bado tumeacha viwango vikiwa juu. Sasa hapo ndio kuna mgongano wa mawazo -- huku tunatumia mamilioni kadhaa kutangaza nchi, lakini hatupunguzi viwango. Hao watalii wataishia kwenda Kenya na Uganda na kukwepa Tanzania, hivyo mwisho wa siku tunajaza maji kwenye pekecha.

Ripoti ya Repoa iliyokuwa inazungumzia The Role of Tourism in Poverty Alleviation in Tanzania ni ripoti inayotoa mapendekezo yakinifu. Pamoja na ripoti hiyo iliyotoka miaka saba iliyopita, lakini mapendekezo yake bado yana umuhimu, sasa sijui mapendekezo mangapi ya ripoti hiyo yalifanyiwa kazi na Serikali kupitia Wizara yake husika. Mimi nakubali sekta ya utalii inaumuhimu mkubwa, hasa katika kuchangia kupunguza umasikini. Lakini je, tumeboresha sekta hiyo kwa kiasi gani? Tanzania leo tunaweza kusema huduma zetu za utalii zinaweza kushindana na nchi nyingine za Afrika au bado huduma zetu ni duni. Miundombinu bado ni tatizo kubwa, lakini tumeng’ang’ania kutangaza nchi. Jamani, akili ya namna hii haina tofauti na akili ya mtu anayekaribisha wageni kabla ya kufagia nyumba na kuhakikisha kila kitu kiko sawa.

Timu ya Brazil nd’o hiyo imekuja na kuondoka, sasa ningependa kuona kama malengo ya mpango huo yatafikiwa; soka ya bongo kuhamasika na hao watalii kuongezeka. Mimi kwa kiasi fulani ninakubaliana na baadhi ya watu waliotaka Watanzania tususie mechi hiyo na pia ninakubaliana kwa kiasi fulani na mawazo ya Kamau. Tanzania ni nchi masikini kutumbua fedha zote hizo kwenye kitu ambacho hatuna uhakika kitalipa. Tanzania tukiwa kama nchi moja masikini sana duniani, lazima tuwekeze fedha za walalahoi kwenye mambo ya msingi zaidi, sio kwenye starehe za dakika mbili tatu. Majuzi tu, tulikuwa wenyeji wa mkutano wa uchumi wa dunia. Ukiniuliza mimi hiyo ilikuwa nafasi nzuri kutangaza nchi. Je, tulifanya hivyo ipasavyo, au tulishangalia tu wageni waliokuja?

Aliyesema ng’ombe wa masikini hazai, hakukosea. Na msemo huu ni kweli kwani, ni watu masikini ambao mara nyingi hufanya maamuzi ya papara bila kufikiria kuwa kuna kesho. Tuendelee kuzungumzia ni jinsi gani Brazil walivyopigwa chenga na Taifa Stars, lakini wao haoooo wanaelekea kwenye Kombe la Dunia, Sisi je? Kamau alivyozungumzia “character” yetu Watanzania hakukosea sana. Pamoja simuungi mkono na kejeli zake, lakini alikuwa na hoja. Hivi kweli watu wazima tunaweza kusema,” tumefungwa lakini tuliwapiga chenga”. Hilo ni jambo la kushabikia kweli? Tukiendelea na akili hizo sisi kila siku tutanyonywa na kukandamizwa kwani tumekuwa watu wa kufurahia mafanikio madogo, tena ya kijinga, badala ya kusimama na kupigania maendeleo makubwa yenye maana. Tumezidi kuwa wa ndio mzee, badala ya kuuliza maswali, kupigania haki zetu na kupigani uwajibishwaji wa viongozi wabovu wenye kunuka ufisadi. Watanzania, hivi ndio tumekubali kuwa umasikini ni utamaduni wetu?

Watanzania wenzangu waliojitutumua na kulipa viwango vikubwa kuwaona Brazil, je, ulifikiria mechi hiyo kama ina manufaa kwa nchi yetu. Hivi ni wewe huyo huyo unayelalamika kuwa barabara zimechakaa na msongamano wa magari umekithiri. Wewe ulilipa kwenda kumwangalia KaKa, je nyumbani kwako haupatagi matatizo ya kukatiwa maji na umeme mara kwa mara au unajenerata na bwana la maji nyumbani? Leo hii ukalipe fedha zote hizo kuwaona Brazil, alafu kesho unafanya kila uwezalo kukwepa kulipa kodi na kupokea rushwa. Watanzania tunazungumzia sana kuhusu tulivyo masikini, lakini hapo hapo tunataka starehe zinazotushinda uwezo. Naona tunataka kulazimisha maji yachanganyike na mafuta; kweli Tanzania tuna akili zinazotutosha sisi wenyewe.

Ushauri wangu ni huu, kama tulivyopigania tiketi za kumwona KaKa, basi moyo huo huo wa kupigana usiishie hapo. Moyo huo uendelee katika kupigania maendeleo, kupinga viongozi wabovu, tuwe na kiu ya maendeleo na ari ya kuchapa kazi kama tulivyoshangilia magoli ya Brazil kwa nguvu zetu zote. Tuache kuendeshwa na hisia bali tuendeshwe na fikra, kwani ujio wa timu ya Brazil hauwiani na msemo wa ‘mgeni njoo wenyeji tupone’, bali ni ‘mgeni njoo wenyeji tuzidi kuumia’. Mimi ninawatakia kila la kheri Brazil kwenye kombe la dunia na sisi kama kawaida yetu tutaishia kulishangalia kwenye runinga, kama utamaduni wetu, kwani sisi ni nambali moja kwa kushangalia maendeleo ya wengine na kuiga mambo yasiyo na manufaa.

Picha kwa hisani ya cartoonist Gado

Leadership = knowing what, how, and why

Kufundisha Viongozi

Msomaji, nadhani wewe ni mmoja wa watu ambao wamebahatika kupata elimu. Je, unadhani unaitumia elimu yako na ujuzi wako ipasavyo? Matatizo unayoyaona kwenye jamii inayokuzunguka yanakugusa kwa namna moja au nyingine?

Mwezi uliopita niliandika makala kuhusu viongozi ambayo ilikuwa imeegemea kwenye siasa zaidi. Lakini leo ninakuomba uangalie video ifuatayo ya Patrick Awuah, kutoka Ghana, kuhusu viongozi kwenye nyanja nyingine muhimu kwenye jamii. Patrick anazungumzia fikra na mawazo yetu; umuhimu wa kuwa na fikra za majukumu ya kijana kwenye jamii. Kama wahenga wetu walivyosema 'samaki mkunje angali mbichi', Patrick anaongelea jinsi ya kuandaa watu kuwa Viongozi -- kuwafundisha na kuwafinyanya ili fikra zao ziweze kuwa na mawazo ya kutatua matatizo mbalimbali kwenye jamii.

Tafadhali, ukipata muda msikilize Bw. Awuah kwa makini:

Nitoke vipi?

Siku ya Ijumaa ina utamu wake jamani, we acha tu. Hasa ukiwa umeridhika na kazi nzito na murua ya wiki nzima. Unaweza ukajikuta unaingia kwenye mawazo ambayo sio ya kawaida. Mimi hapa nilipo nasubiri mvua ipungue ili nianze safari ya kwenda nyumbani...ghafla, nakiangalia kitasa cha mlango wa ofisini. Nakiangalia kwa makini na naanza kujiuliza, hivi nani aligundua kitasa (cha mlango)? Mtu au watu waliogundua vitasa na funguo walikuwa wanafikiria nini? Kitasa ni kitu kidogo tu lakini nadhani kina historia kubwa kuliko ukoo wangu.

Baada ya kuzoea 'msisimuko' wa mwanzo wa weekend, akili inatulia kidogo na naanza kutafakari mwelekeo wa maisha yangu - kama kijana wa kawaida. Nini kitafuata baada ya kumaliza hiki kinachokula ubongo wangu kila siku?

Napitia forum ya Wanabidii, ambayo ina mijadala mizuri, na mawazo ya kuingia kwenye Siasa naona yananinyemelea baada ya kusoma kwamba Wabunge wa Tanzania wanategemea kupata kiinua mgongo cha shilingi za Kitanzania 15.3/= bn. Sijachapia - bilioni 15.3! Sidhani kama nitaelewa kusema ukweli. Na nitashukuru sana kamati husika za Serikali zikitoa takwimu kama hizi, zitoe maelezo au sababu za viinua migongo kwa wananchi pia.

Nitoke vipi kwenye Siasa na mimi nithaminiwe zaidi kuliko kitasa cha mlango tu?

Naona mvua imepungua na safari ya kwenda nyumbani itaanza punde. Wakati huo huo ubinadamu au mawazo yangu ya kawaida yanarudi baada ya kukumbuka matokeo ya kidato cha sita yaliyopita. Labda hizi bilioni 15.3 zipelekwe kwenye sekta ya elimu?

Ngoja niache kufikiria mawazo ya Siasa ili nisitibue weekend yangu. Weekend njema Vijana!

The 2010 Outlook: The Year of Africa?

It is quite amazing how time flies, we are already in mid-February of 2010 and so much has already happened throughout the world. The devastation in Haiti has been the most covered story in the news, President Barack Obama’s attempt to reassert his authority within Washington and the country has been the topic of choice in the United States, on a broader geostrategic note China has flexed its muscles diplomatically and economically against a weakened US, and Iran is slowly but surely reaching the breakpoint of becoming a nuclear power. A lot is going on in the greater realm of international politics, but many pundits have simply overlooked Africa…no real surprise there. 2010 is the year of the tiger for the Chinese, I believe 2010 is the year of Africa. There is no doubt that this year, Africa will be under a large microscope and whatever happens this year will have direct political and economic consequences for the new decade. If we start on the right path this year, we may have a promising decade.

For better or for worse, everything will be measured on how well South Africa hosts the World Cup set to begin in June. Africa will have a “good” year if the World Cup is a success and perhaps if an African team makes it to the quarter or semi finals. Pretty superficial measurements if you ask me but that’s how it’s going to be. If anything goes wrong in South Africa, we will hear loud and clear that Africa is not ready to host such extravagant events and if South Africa cant do it, no one in Africa can. We will see, I do hope everything goes well and all the banter leading up to the event is just trash talk, just like we saw during the lead up to the Chinese Olympics.

On a more personal level, 2010 is Tanzania’s election year. Now, unfortunately, elections and African countries are not viewed in a great light. A history of violence, ethnic strife, and constant rigging has plagued elections in Africa throughout even for the more peaceful country of Tanzania. Despite this, I believe Tanzania is at a crossroads right now especially politically. There have been attempts for political reconciliation between the mainland and Zanzibar, perhaps one of the thorniest issues of our parents generation and more than unlikely our generation. President Jakaya Kikwete has made promises of making a more solidified union and he is widely expected to win the elections in December despite some diminishing support and divisions within his own political party. The question is what will happen in Zanzibar and that is what my posts will try to focus.

We live in an increasingly changing world that requires new ideas and visions to keep up with the changing dynamics of the international system. The only way we can keep up is if governments and politicians invest in the youth, but it is not a one-way street. The youth need to invest highly in politics because at the end of the day, it wont be our parents’ Tanzania but our Tanzania. We have been lucky so far to have a relatively stable country and growing economy, now is not the time to disengage. A dormant political youth is a recipe for economic, political and social stagnation.

It is extremely difficult for me to shy away from politics but I also want to focus on the youth and their role in the election season as well as the political landscape of Tanzania. The youth of Tanzania has so much promise and I believe the political elites have recognized that, they just have to act on it. I will do my best to capture the feeling of the youth but I will have to show discrepancy from the beginning as I am writing this post from New York instead of Dar es Salaam, which puts me in a limited position. Despite that I do hope to start a dialogue, which I believe is the main mantra for Vijana FM. VIjana FM has attempted to revamp the role of the youth in Tanzania and this is only the beginning.

The UN has coined 2010 as the International Year of Youth, I have NO CLUE how they come up with these yearly labels. Who decides all this? Anyway, if this is the international year of youth then I hope it resonates back home.

Changing the World with Your Vision

At some point in our lives, we all go through a phase where we want to “change the world.” It could be anything small, big, in between. No matter what it is, for many of us, that is exactly what keeps us going. Given the ever rising population of youth, there are all kinds of youth movements taking place in the world. Youth who are trying to make their dreams of changing the world a reality.

Do you have an idea for a project that works toward your vision of change?

The International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC) just opened their Young Visionaries contest, which aims to celebrate, acknowledge and support the exceptional and ongoing work of young people. The contest encourages youth to share their visions for young people and for the future.

Until March 25, 2010 youth between the ages of 18 and 30 can share their visions for a just and healthy life, and get a chance to win a $1000 grant from the IWHC to fund a project that works toward this vision. If you have an idea for a sustainable project for instance, something that can help people and improve their quality of life, get involved. If you are actively engaged in shaping a world where women and young people are free from discrimination, sexual coercion, and violence; where they make free and informed choices about sexuality and reproduction; or where health information and services are available to help them lead safer and healthier lives….this contest is right for you.

For more information, visit the IWHC website by clicking here.

Read more:

Contest Rules

Meet some young visionaries

IWHC and Young People

Tanzania to host Young Global Leaders summit in May 2010

Young Global Leaders (YGL) - a branch of the World Economic Forum - will hold is seventh annual summit in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania from May 2-7, 2010.

The summit promises to engage youth in sustainable projects that directly relate to the economic and social progress of people.

An extract from the summit notice webpage:

"This event promises to be the largest gathering of YGLs where they will have an opportunity to interact with local and international organizations working in the YGL “Global Redesign” areas of activity: health, environment and sustainability, education and youth, entrepreneurship, values and governance. The YGL Annual Summit will be an occasion to connect local experiences with global issues and to understand the underlying development environment."

Read more:
World Economic Forum homepage
YGL homepage
YGL summit notice webpage