Mapenzi Bora

Kwa zaidi ya miaka kumi na tano, vitabu vya mwandishi maarufu kushinda wote katika jamii za Waswahili kote Afrika ya Mashariki na Kati, Marehemu Sheikh Shaaban Robert, havikupatikana Tanzania. Sababu ya kukosekana kwa vitabu hivyo ni kuwa kampuni ya kigeni iliyovichapisha iliamua kuacha kuvichapisha kwa sababu haikulipwa kwa fedha za kigeni, jambo lililosabishwa na hali mbaya ya uchumi.

Athari za kupotea kwa vitabu vya Sheikh Shaaban Robert katika miaka hiyo ni kwamba Watanzania wengi hasa wale wenye umri chini ya miaka thelathini, hawamjui mwandishi huyu maarufu na hawakulelewa katika mazingira ya utajiri wa maandishi yake abayo bila shaka yoyote ni mfano pekee wa utajiri wa urithi wa utamaduni wetu. Kwa kuvichapisha vitabu vya Marehemu Sheikh Shaaban Robert, tunawakaribisha tena Watanzania, hasa vijana, kuvisoma, kuburudishwa na kufunzwa na yale aliyoyaandika kwa sanaa na kipaji adimu.

Poems from Shaaban Robert with translated title Worthy Love.

About the Author
Shaaban Robert is to the Swahili language what Shakespeare was to English. Acclaimed as the national poet, his publications have always been the touchstone of beauty of language, purity of spirit, and deep wisdom informed by African and Swahili culture in particular, but imbued with respect for and understanding of other cultures. Most prominent of his work is Kusadikika (To be believed), an allegorical work of an imaginary country or state in which injustices are perpetrated against all notions of justice, law and humanity. Published at the height of colonial occupation in Tanzania.

Shaaban Robert kwa lugha ya Kiswahili ni sawa na Shakespeare kwa lugha ya Kiingereza. Akikubalika kama mshahiri wa taifa, vitabu vyake daima vimekuwa kipimo cha juu cha uhondo wa lugha, usafi wa nia na hekima, kutokana na utamaduni hususan wa Kiafrika na Waswahili lakini pia kwa jinsi alivyoelewa na kusheshimu tamaduni nyingine. Katika vitabu vyake, Kusadikika ndicho maarufu kushinda vyote. Hii ni hadithi ya kiistara juu ya nchi ambako dhuluma inatawala kinyume na haki, sheria na utu. Kitabu kilichapishwa wakati ukoloni umetanda nchini Tanzania.

International availability:
This book is internationally distributed by African Books Collective