Imani ni nia ya kujua kisichoweza kujulikana na hupeleka watu kwenye ukweli. Kuamini hupotosha, na ni nia ya kudharau kinachoweza kujulikana.

Ukitaka kujua maana halisi ya maisha yako kuwa tayari kufanya vitu vikubwa vitakavyohitaji nguvu ya Mungu kuvikamilisha – na kudumu katika maisha hayo kwa kafara ya maombi.

Wanasayansi wanasema hakuna Mungu kwa sababu hawawezi kumwona wala kumgusa. Lakini nao hawana akili kwa sababu hawawezi kuiona wala kuigusa.

Usiingilie mambo ya mtu mwingine bila kibali kutoka kwa Mungu. Kuingilia mambo ya mtu mwingine bila kibali kutoka kwa Mungu ni dhambi. Dhambi hiyo itakuathiri. Hivyo, jali mambo yako – ya mwingine Mungu anayafanyia kazi – hadi utakapoitwa na Mungu kuingilia kati. Kuingilia kati mambo ya mtu mwingine kunaweza kuathiri mpango wa Mungu katika maisha yake. Hivyo, acha.

Wewe kuingilia mambo ya John ni sawa na kusema, ‘Mungu umeshindwa hebu ngoja na mimi nijaribu; ngoja niingilie kati kukusaidia juu ya maisha ya John Doe.’ Hiyo ni dhambi. Tena ni dhambi kubwa. Unajifananisha na Mungu; kwamba Mungu wa John Doe ameshindwa kwa hiyo mungu wewe ndiye utakayemtatulia matatizo yake. Amri kuu ya kwanza ya Mungu inasema, ‘Usiwe na miungu mingine ila mimi.’ Kuingilia mambo ya John tayari umevunja amri ya kwanza ya Mungu kwa kujifanya Mungu. Mungu ana mpango na maisha ya John, na anatumia matatizo yake kumfikisha kwenye takdiri aliyompangia. Hivyo, wewe si Mungu, acha Mungu afanye kazi yake. Mungu akikuruhusu kuingilia kati, yaani John akiamua kwa hiari yake mwenyewe kukuomba msaada wa mawazo au ushauri, maana yake ni kwamba Mungu amekuchagua wewe kuwa sehemu ya mafanikio ya John Doe.

Mungu ana uwezo wa kukuwekea ulinzi kulia na kushoto yaani anayekulinda naye ana mlinzi wake. Lakini wakati mwingine anaacha ufuate kile ambacho moyo wako unataka kwa sababu hataki kukulazimisha ijapokuwa uwezo huo anao. Mungu hakukuumba kuwa roboti. Alikuumba kuwa huru kuchagua mema au mabaya usije ukamlaumu baadaye kwamba ulimchagua yeye kwa sababu hukuwa na uhuru. Msikilize Roho wa Mungu, kabla na katika kila jambo unalofanya.

Mungu hatakubali kuwa na mtu katika ufalme wake ambaye hatakubali kutawaliwa naye. Usikubali kutawaliwa na Ibilisi, kubali kutawaliwa na Mungu. Ni jukumu letu kuanza kuishi sasa kama vile tutakavyoishi mbinguni. Shetani anataka uwe na hekima ya duniani ili akupumbaze. Lakini hofu ya Mungu ndiyo msingi wa hekima ya kweli. Ukitaka asikupumbaze, pokea Roho ya Mungu kwa kubatizwa. Ukiipokea Roho ya Mungu utajua mambo ya Mungu, ambayo dunia haiwezi kujua.

Mfalme Sulemani alikuwa mtu mwenye hekima kuliko wote ulimwenguni. Anatushauri, “Adui yako akiwa ana njaa, mpe chakula; Tena akiwa ana kiu, mpe maji ya kunywa; Maana utatia makaa ya moto kichwani pake; Na BWANA atakupa thawabu (Mithali 25:21-22). Yesu anasema jambo fulani linalofanana sana na hilo katika mafundisho Yake yaliyofuata (Mathayo 5:44-45). Kitendo cha kutukanwa, kupigwa, kushtakiwa au kulazimishwa kubeba mzigo mzito usio wa kwako kinaweza kusababisha mafutu mabaya kabisa katika asili ya binadamu. Yaani, chuki, hasira, ukatili na hata vurugu. Lakini pale wale waliobarikiwa kuwa na hekima wanapojikuta katika majaribu makubwa kama hayo tabia yao haitakiwi kuwa ya shari, inda au ya kulipiza kisasi. Bali inatakiwa kuwa ya kusaidia, kuwa na ridhaa ya kutenda mambo mema, na kuwa mwema kwa wengine siku zote.

Heshima hujengwa kwa hekima, haijengwi kwa misuli.

Kuamini (mbali na imani, ambayo ni nia ya kujua kisichoweza kujulikana) ni kwa ajili ya vitu usivyoweza kuvielezea. Unaamini kwamba siku moja dawa ya UKIMWI au saratani itapatikana mahali fulani, ilhali huwezi kufanya majaribio ya kisayansi kulithibitisha hilo. Unaweza kusubiri hata miaka mia, lakini kama bado dawa haijapatikana, unaweza kusubiri hata miaka mingine mia. Kuamini ni kujifanya kujua (na mara nyingi kujifanya kujua ni uongo) na kuamini hakuhitaji maarifa. Kujua kunahitaji maarifa na ni kuamini unakoweza kukuthibitisha. Ukiniuliza kama simu yangu ipo mfukoni nitakwambia ndiyo ipo, kwa sababu nitaingiza mkono mfukoni na kuitoa na kuiona. Siamini kama ipo mfukoni, najua.

Amri ya Kristo ilipima imani ya yule kipofu, ikiithibitisha na kuiimarisha. Bila kuchelewa au kusita, kipofu alitii amri ya Mungu: Alikwenda kuosha macho yake katika bwawa la Siloamu na aliona. Wengi wanaweza kuona ni kazi ya kipuuzi kwa mtu ambaye ni kipofu kufanya kazi ndogo kama hiyo ili aone. Lakini kwa vile alitii, kipofu alipona. Baraka huja kupitia utii. Kwa maana nyingine, kipofu alimtii Yesu bila kuona. Lakini matokeo yake, alipata kuona papohapo; ambapo baadaye, hatimaye, alipokea uponyaji halisi wa kiroho.

Secure tomorrow today by sowing good seeds today and by watering them with faith and love to others.

Vita ya Shetani na Mungu inatuathiri zaidi sisi wanadamu – na hapo baadaye itamuathiri Shetani pia. Vita hii haiwezi kuisha hadi siku ya mwisho, Yesu Kristo atakaporudi kuwachukua wateule wake. Pambana kwa njia ya maombi hadi siku ya mwisho kwa sababu adui tunayepambana naye hana muda wa kupumzika. Pambana kujiombea na kuwaombea wengine waliohai, na hata wale ambao bado hawajazaliwa, kabla mafuta ya dunia hii hayajalipuka. Usiishi kama adui wa msalaba wa Yesu Kristo, badala yake, ishi kama rafiki wa msalaba wa Yesu Kristo. Kuishi kama rafiki wa msalaba wa Yesu Kristo ni kupinga majivuno yote ya Shetani kwa upendo uliotukuka wa kujishusha au kujidharirisha, kutokutetereka hata kidogo na tamaa za ulimwengu huu kwa upendo mkubwa wa umaskini, na kutokuyumba wakati wa matatizo kwa sababu wakati wa amani ulijilimbikizia imani.

Pambana na Shetani kwa upanga wa imani ambao ni ukweli kwani ukweli ndiyo utakaokuweka huru.

Kumwamini Mwenyezi Mungu wakati wa raha ni rahisi kuliko kumwamini Mwenyezi Mungu wakati wa shida, na utahitaji imani kuendelea kumwamini wakati wa dhiki. Vipindi vigumu katika maisha yetu hutokea kwa kila mmoja wetu. Kuamini ya kwamba Mungu ana makusudi ya lazima kukuondolea vikwazo katika maisha yako ni vigumu sana wakati mwingine, lakini imani ndicho kitu cha muhimu zaidi unachotakiwa kuwa nacho katika kipindi hiki ambacho dunia imekata tamaa. Amani ya Mungu, ambayo huzidi hekima na maarifa yote ya kibinadamu, ni kuliamini neno la Mungu kwamba ni la kweli. Bila imani hutaweza kumfurahisha Mungu. Imani ni ufunguo wa nguvu, uwezo na neema ambavyo Mungu ametupangia. Kwa ufupi, Mungu ni mkubwa kuliko wewe na matatizo yako.

Kuna nguzo saba ambazo hazina budi kuzingatiwa kama unataka kuheshimiwa na kuwaheshimu wengine. Kwanza kabisa jitambue: wewe ni nani na unafanya nini hapa duniani. Halafu, kabla ya kusema jambo lolote kwa mtu yoyote fikiria kwanza maana au madhara ya hilo unalotaka kulisema. Kisha jifunze tamaduni mbalimbali na watendee wengine kama vile unavyotaka kutendewa au kama vile wanavyotaka kutendewa. Jifunze kusamehe na kusuluhisha migogoro katika jamii unamoishi huku ukidumisha heshima na utu kwa binadamu wenzako. Jijengee imani kwa watu, punguza upendeleo, fanya kazi kama timu kwani hakuna ‘mimi’ katika umoja ila kuna ‘sisi’, na jitahidi kwa kadiri ya uwezo wako WOTE kwa manufaa ya wote. Kuwa kiongozi katika kila jambo unalofanya na katika kila kitu unachofanya. Jitahidi kufanya jambo au kitu kwa usahihi kwa kadiri utakavyoweza.

Kilio kikuu cha Yesu, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabakthani?”, yaani, “Mungu wangu, Mungu wangu, mbona umeniacha?”, na “Imekwisha”, vilitabiriwa katika Zaburi 22 ili watu waliompinga Kristo waamini kama Yesu alikuwa Masihi. Zaburi 22 ulikuwa wimbo maarufu katika kipindi cha karne ya kwanza, kipindi ambacho Yesu alizaliwa na kufa, uliotungwa na mfalme Daudi, ulioitwa ‘zaburi ya mateso na matumaini ya mwadilifu’. Kwa hiyo Yesu aliposema maneno hayo yaliwaingia watu akilini, na kuanzia hapo imani hasa ya Ukristo ikachukua kasi hadi leo hii. Zaburi 22 inaanza na “Mungu wangu, Mungu wangu, mbona umeniacha?” na inaisha na “Imekwisha”, miongoni mwa maneno saba aliyoyasema Yesu pale msalabani Golgotha. Kwa hiyo, Zaburi 22 ni utabiri wa kifo cha Yesu.

Katika dunia ya leo ambapo mamilioni ya watu hutegemea utandawazi kupata pesa, kuwa na imani kwamba kupokea pesa kutoka kwa mtu usiyemjua au mtu mwenye nia mbaya na wewe ni kikwazo kikubwa cha maendeleo kwa sababu, karibu kila mtu unayekutana naye ni Shetani. Shetani ni mtu yoyote mwenye nia mbaya na wewe. Hivyo, kama uliwahi kuambiwa kwamba kupokea pesa kutoka kwa mtu usiyemjua ni kitu kibaya futa imani hiyo. Utaachaje kupokea pesa kutoka kwa mtu usiyemjua wakati kila siku unamwomba Mungu akusaidie, na Mungu hutenda kazi zake pale tunapojisahau? La sivyo hutapata pesa unayotamani kupata katika maisha yako, na kamwe hutawaamini watu. Zaka huondoa laana ya mapato. Toa zaka kununua pepo uliyopewa na Mungu.

Be nice to the environment. Be nice to animals. Be nice to people. If you do that, you will leave a mark on the world.

If a leader for the right reasons is blessed by God, even the people he leads will be blessed by God as well. But if the leader is cursed by God because of iniquity, even the people he leads will be cursed as well.

Write as much as you can. Read as much as you can. Use the library and the internet carefully for research and talk to people about things that matter. If you have an idea in your head talk it to people as a normal conversation, to get their natural opinions. And don’t forget to jot down discreetly any new ideas you get from people. God may use other people to convey messages to you, that may add more information to the ideas you already have.

Novelists and the literary world play an important part in shaping languages. The Swahili they write influence the readers and their languages. The literary obstacle in Tanzania is not that people do not read, but that they don’t read because there are no interesting writers.

Words are the bricks of our world and they have the power to change it.

I wanted to do something new. The world is becoming a global village and we have to understand these different cultures. There is a Danish culture, an Israeli culture and so on. So if you want to go to Denmark, then read the book.

My novels are set in a global space and pace. However, I have never visited most of the places. I wrote my first book in London but the story took the reader to places in Mexico, Denmark and Russia, and carefully avoided London. I access these global locations with my feet planted in front of my computer. I will use my internet connection to carefully enter the streets of a foreign city and find out how long it will take my main character to get from the airport to the city center – and if there are any shortcuts on the way. I wanted to do something new. The world is becoming a global village and we have to understand these different cultures. There is a Danish culture, an Israeli culture and so on. So if you want to go to Denmark, then read the book.

I have written all the 406 pages of my book in Swahili words. Even the countries are in Swahili. Instead of 'Nigeria', for example, I have written 'Nijeria'. That is how it is written in the Swahili dictionary. This can seem as a minor detail and that people may find my mission close to ridiculous! However, single letters and commas matter.

People speak broken Swahili on purpose. Business people for instance will speak Sheng – a mixture of Swahili and English – because that’s what people want to hear. And what is the government doing? They speak broken Swahili most of the time. Swahili is getting lost and I am really sorry for the future generations.

People think that other international languages are smarter and more business wise. But they have to understand that we have to preserve our culture.

Dictatorial government is more dangerous than lions!

An Indian child is brought up in England, and he will speak both English and Hindi very well. English in school and Hindi at home. But here it’s English both in schools and at home. Why can’t you speak Swahili with your child at home? If this continues we will turn into an English speaking country.

Live as you were created to live.

To be able to influence Tanzanian literature and African literature, and sell our books in Tanzania as well as in our continent, we need to be committed to what we do. And what we do is writing. Write as much as you can. Read as much as you can. Use the library and the internet carefully for research and talk to people, about things that matter. To make a living from writing, and make people read again in Tanzania and Africa; we must write very well, very good stories.

No matter how talented or skilled you are, you will never reach your full potential without expert guidance.

Read non-interesting books!

Develop your soul into independence!

If you are smart be simple. If you are powerful be generous. If you are rich be humble. If you want to be smart be simple. If you want to be powerful be generous. If you want to be rich be humble.

Sex to me is not luxury any more. It is necessity of reproduction.