Well today is the first day of the dala dala strike of Tanzania. The [drivers] of the commuter system (a bunch of small sized vans and carriers) have decided to strike as opposed to purchasing and installing speed governors at a cost of 700,000/- (about $1,200 US) each. I'm told that this is the first time that the drivers have ever passed the government's hardships placed on them on to the general public. They are hoping that the public's uproar of not being able to get to work on time will make the government give in. The government on the other hand has said no more giving in (they have postponed the date three times already). One thing that I can see is the abundance of new businessmen that this strike has created. Anyone who owns a pickup truck, land rover, or even dump truck has now found his extra space marketable. They are carrying people about half the distance of a normal route for 50 shillings more than the whole route's price. Yesterday I found myself and two friends standing in the back of one of these pickups (sorry Mom...I know...) on my way out to the shamba (literally "farm") of my friend Zenno's sister. Quite an adventure being one of 12 or so people standing up in a pickup holding onto a skinny little bar. Anyway it will be interesting to see how long each side holds up against the other. I have slowly seen a few dala dalas running, but there are an estimated 4,000, and as of Saturday (the day the law became effective) only 100 or so had purchased and installed [speed governors].
Just for y'all's information, guess what I smelled this morning as I woke up?.....RAIN! It sprinkled for about 5 minutes, but now as it has been for many, many weeks...nothing but the hot sun. Although my neighbor did say this morning to me (the kid--me--who's eyes were as huge as they would have been had he been in North Carolina seeing snow), "The weather is changing slowly, John." Thank God! --John
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First Online Edition: 22 July 1998
Last Revised: 18 May 2024