What is happening to the Nyumba ya Sanaa, also known as Mwalimu Nyerere Cultural Centre, is tragic as the photo above indicates. The quote below on Mwalimu Nyerere’s rationale for its establishment makes this demolition much more unbearable! Save Nyumba ya Sanaa – this is it?
“To ensure sustainability of the arts, Nyerere created opportunities for artists to produce and survive on their own. Despite the fact that there was no clear policy, his speeches were mostly translated as policy directives. From his speeches one could sense his ideas, creativity and passion for art. He established Nyumba ya Sanaa (a house for artists) in 1974, positioning it in the middle of Dar es Salaam. He believed that if it could be efficiently utilised, it would reduce the syndrome of artists needing to beg to donors and the state, which enslaves them” – Vicensia Shule on ‘Mwalimu Nyerere: The Artist’ in ‘Africa’s Liberation: The Legacy of Nyerere’
