Two poems for Haroub Othman

Professor Issa Shivji pays tribute in verse – in English and in Kiswahili – to the late Haroub Othman, former professor of Development Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam.

My dear friend and comrade, Ho:

I shan’t write a letter,
I can’t.
I shan’t sing a song,
Or recite a poem.
‘Cause I don’t have the talents.
I shall say what I feel,
Deep down in me.

Those were the days,
Of the Vietnam war.
Ho Chinh Minh was your uncle,
My uncle, our uncle.
Demos, sit-ins and boycotts,
Petitions, pictures and panels,
Unclothing war criminals.
People’s courts sentenced, public opinion enforced.

Those were the days,
Of Bertrand Russell and Stokely Carmichael,
Sitting in Stockholm,
Hearing napalmed men, women and children.
The public gallery wept, students shouted,
‘Down with uncle Sam,
Long live Uncle Ho.’

Your kinship was unmistakeable,
Your Cause was clear.
You stood on the side,
Of the oppressed,
humiliated and exploited.
You proudly signed your name,
with a big ‘H’ and a small ‘o’, Ho.

Moderate in language,
Measured in tone.
Civil in demeanour,
Generous in kindness.
Gentle in argument,
Steadfast in disagreement.
That was our Ho.

In Lebanon and Palestine,
In Vietnam and Indonesia.
In Chile and Cuba,
In Iraq and Afghanistan.
In Mozambique, Angola and Guinea Bissau.
Wherever there was oppression and injustice,
Our Ho knew his side.

Imperialism he condemned,
Human rights he upheld.
On union, he stood his ground,
Often stoutly,
Seldom silently.
Unity he applauded,
Secession he feared.

More I say, more I want to say.
But a little more I’ll say.
Jenerali wrote:
‘Poor Saida!
She wanted to retire.
Now she’ll have to unretire,
To lead us from where Haroub left off.’

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Ndugu yangu, rafiki yangu, kamaradi Harubu:

Sitaomboleza kifo chako;
Sitatowa salamu za rambirambi.
Tumelia ya kutosha,
Tumehuzunika ya kutosha.

Tumesononeka, tumelalamika:
Ewe Muumba,
Kwa nini unatupora watu wetu wema?
Kwa nini?
Eti ulimpenda zaidi ya sisi,
Kwani upendo wetu una kikomo?

Sasa basi:
Mamia tumekutana Nkrumah,
Maelfu wametega masikio,
Moshi, Miatu na Mbezi.
Sio kuomboleza, wala kulia, wala kulalamika.
Bali kusherekea.
Kusherekea maisha yako,
Fikra zako,
Msimamo wako.

Kusherekea maisha yako, Harubu,
Mwana wa Miraji,
Mwana wa Zanzibar na Tanzania,
Mwana wa Afrika.

Tunasherekea fikra zako,
Tunatamani kuchota kutoka busara zako,
Hekima yako,
Mtazamo wako.

Fikra zako za uungwana,
Fikra zako za ukombozi,
Ukombozi wa wanyonge,
Ukombozi wa mwana wa Adamu.

Fikra zako zisizotingisika,
Kupinga dhuluma na ufisadi na ubeberu.
Fikra zako za kutetea,
Haki za wanyonge.

Harubu, umetoweka bila kutuaga.
Hatulalamiki, hatukulaumu.
Kwani, kila pumzi la uhai wako,
Ulikuwa na ujumbe na nasaha.

Enyi makamaradi, wana wa harakati.
Katika medani ya mapambano,
Hakuna kuaga wala kuagana.
Hakuna muda,
Hakuna anasa
Ya porojo za kuaga na kuagana.

La kesho, tendeni leo.
La siku, tekelezeni kwa saa.
Mapambano sio lelemama.
Ukombozi sio usanii.

Buriani ndugu yangu,
Rafiki yangu,
Kamaradi Ho.
Kwaheri za kuonana.