Kiwango Kipya!

Attending R.I.O.T.-FEST to mark the launch of R.I.O.T. Foundation (www.riotfoundation.org), I was amazed at the level of creativity and workmanship that was invested into putting together the first East and Southern African youth concert. I am the type of person that scans the book, CD and T-shirt stands at concerts so for an event as electrifying as this, I definitely wanted to leave with a few memorabilia. I bought some CDS (Bupe's album being the highlight of my listening experience since then) and then, I saw it; there were several but this one blew my mind! The R.I.O.T. Kiwango Kipya t-shirt! The message was powerful. It resonated with me straight away - that is what I stand for, that is what the Professional Approach Group was all about! I received renewed energy and sense of purpose as I read the message:

"Kiwango Kipya.

When the people of the world are sitting, I am standing. When the world stands, I will stand out. When the world stands out, I will be outstanding. When the enemy dares the world to be outstanding I will be the standard!"

Whoa! This message is it! I have since bought a t-shirt for each member of family and all colleagues. This is it! Lazima tuwe tunaishi kwa viwango vijana wakitanzania! Hatuwezi kuishi tu, bila kusudi wala mwelekeo. Haitoshi kuvuta pumzi tu, bali lazima tujue tunachotaka na kusimamia kiwango cha hali ya juu mpaka kitimie.


Kilichonifurahisha zaidi na ujumbe wa ile t-shirt ni kwamba huyo kijana wakitanzania, hata baada ya kujiwekea kiwango cha kujitofautisha, hakusita na kusimama hapo. Huyu kijana anaonekana kwamba ni mtu wa ushindani; ni mtu asiyeridhika kwasababu amefanikiwa kiasi fulani, ama  yuko mbele kwahiyo ametosheka.

Huyu kijana ni mtu anayependa maendeleo endelevu, ni kijana anayejitofautisha, siyo mara moja tu, nah man! Huyu kijana ana ubunifu na usongo wa hali ya juu! Huyu kijana ananjaa! kwahiyo kila wakati wengine wanapojaribu kumuiga ama kumfikia, yeye anapanda kwenda kwenye kiwango kipya! Hata wajaribu vipi, huyu kijana anaongoza, siyo tu kwa kufanya wanachofanya wengine, lakini tofauti kidogo, hapana! Huyu kijana wakitanzania ameamua siyo tu kupanda kiwango kipya; mwishoni wa ujumbe wa ile t-shirt tunaona kwamba huyu kijana wakitanzania ni tofauti sana; huyu kijana anajiamini, anajithamini, ni mtu wakufanya utafiti kuona pengo analoweza kuziba, huyu kijana hakati tamaa! Wakati wengine wanajitahidi kumfikia, yeye anachapa kazi mara kumi zaidi; kwenye kila ngazi, kila kiwango kipya, pale ambapo wengine wanavutana kumfikia kwenye kiwango kipya, yeye anakua mfano tena, siyo tu kwa kupanda ngazi, lakini huyu kijana wakitanzania tofauti kuliko wote anaaamua, siyo tu kukifikia, bali anaamua kuwa hiko kiwango kipya!

Hiki ndiyo kizazi tunachotafuta Tanzania! Vijana wasiotafuta visingizio vya kutokusimama imara na kung'ara kwasababu "maisha ni magumu". Yeye ndiyo anaamua maisha yatakuaje, kwasababu anasimamia kanuni za ujuzi, uadilifu, uzalendo, ueledi, ujasiri na ujasiriamali! Hasiti, hachoki, haridhiki!

Tanzania itasimama kama uchumi unaoongoza Afrika Mashariki na Kati na ni vijana wakitanzania watakaokuza uchumi wetu. Je, wewe utakuamiongoni mwao?

Tanzanian young men and women, be the standard!