“Ujamaa!”

“Ujamaa!”(Acts 4:32-37).
Ujamaa is a Swahili word meaning “extended family”, brothethood.” Ujamaa asserts that a person becomes a person through the people or community. It has the seeds of “Ubuntu” “I am because you are, and since you are, therefore I am.” In pidgin English we say, “Man live by man,” which in Mungaka we say, “Mun ni mun!”
Ujamaa became “a socialist ideology and formed the basis of President Julius Nyere’s social and economic development policies in Tanzania after it gained independence from Britain in 1961.”
Ujamaa revolutionized Tanzania’s agricultural system. Ujamaa failed not because it brought stagnation, but because we all bought the propaganda that it was Communism, which we were all brainwashed to condemn.
That notwithstanding, before its demise, Ujamaa had the following success story in Tanzania:
1.It created a high literacy rate. 2. It halved infant mortality through access to medical facilities and education. 3. It united Tanzanians accross ethnic lines. 4. It left Tanzania ‘untouched’ by the ‘tribal’ and political tensions that affected the rest of the continent.
Nyere claimed that he learned communal spirit from his father. However, as a devout Catholic we wonder how much impact the fellowship of the early Church conditioned his worldview.
“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had…There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.”
To be one in heart and mind does not mean differences do not arise. What it means is that despite our differences, we have genuine concern for one another.
It is comforting when amongst us there are no needy persons because we have developed the spirit of Ujamaa. “From each according to his means, and to each according to his needs.”
When we live-the fellowship with love, much grace will be upon us all as we continue to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are not going to be saved alone. We are going to be saved alongside others. The blessings we have received from God is meant for sharing with the less fortunate.
While we discourage laziness, we all can also bear witness that there are people who toil as hard and even more than us, yet have little or nothing to show for their labours.
Jesus told a rich young man, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me…” We are told the young man went away sad(Mt.19:16-22).
He found it difficult to part with his possessions. But just think of what happens when death knocks! There’s no time to think of your possessions.
Bottomline my dear friend: Put a smile on somebody’s face today so that much grace may be upon us all!
Sunday prayer: Lord Jesus Christ help me to give according to my means so that others can receive according to their needs. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.