Ass kicking. Bold. Courageous. Daring. Eloquent. Fearless. Got guts.

 

Those are just a few traits of how some describe them while others sneer and feel they are mere ‘keyboard warriors’. But one thing is for sure, the impression you get while going through their twitter timelines will definitely be: Wow! Ouch! OMG! Damn! Nailed it! Tell em Sis!

These two women are similar in so many ways but yet so different. Both are critical, educated, come from political lineage and, mind you, from the ruling party – Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) – in Tanzania. But whether you agree with them or not, it’s difficult, if not almost impossible, to end your day without having a glance at their twitter pages.
They are termed by most as the ‘Mashangazi wa Taifa’. Shangazi is a Swahili word, which means Aunt, particularly from the father’s side. Taifa is also a Swahili word, which means the nation or national. In other words, aunties of the nation or national aunties.

In 2018 a major crisis on cashew nut emerged in Tanzania, whereby the government gave out promises, which eventually didn’t materialise and disappointed, not only the farmers, but also the Members of Parliament (MPs) representing the southern regions. In a quite bizarre turn, President Magufuli threatened to have dealt with whoever were planning to start any disturbance, invoking the term Shangazi:

 

Nilimwambia Waziri Mkuu, kwamba nataka wafanye fujo, na nitaanzia kwenye jimbo lake, mumuulize yuko hapa, Kama kuna shangazi zake ndio ningeanza kwenda kupiga hao. Ah, nasema ukweli wala sifichi (I told the Prime Minister that I was waiting for them to start a commotion; and I would start in his constituency; ask him, he is right here. If his aunts were there, I would have started by beating them up first. Ah, I am being frank, I am not hiding anything).

 

You may have expected a harsh reaction towards the President, but instead some women in Tanzania decided to own it. Along the way it gained so much popularity that one of these two women was dubbed Shangazi wa Taifa (Aunt of the Nation). Ironically, Shangazi is now applied to any Tanzanian woman who seems to be vocal on social media.

 

Maria Sarungi @MariaSTsehai and Fatma Karume @fatma_karume are household names in this digital era nationally and internationally. Both are very outspoken on social, political and legal matters. They have a way of enticing you with their arguments that may compel one to sit back and wonder. Their tantalizing arguments may also make you argue back openly or, out of fear, secretly. Either way, the fact remains that these are women you can hardly dare ignore.

 

Maria is a daughter of Prof. Philemon Sarungi, a retired medical doctor who also held a number of ministerial positions in the Tanzanian government, including the Ministry of Health. However Maria, is a communication expert and media personality who, in her own right, has become a brand. But what gave Maria more prominence is her role on social media, particularly twitter, which she joined in 2009. Her creativity of coming up with the hashtag #ChangeTanzania, aiming to influence Tanzanians to participate in bringing positives changes, has attracted more than 600K followers.

The Change Tanzania movement’s “successes include its 2013 SIM-card petition, which successfully channelled popular anger about the TZS 1,000-per-month SIM-card tax proposed by the government.” Even though the tax was approved, the movement did not give up. After continued pressure, the then president of Tanzania reversed the tax.

 

Fatma Karume, born and raised in a presidential palace, is a granddaughter of the first Zanzibar revolutionary president, the late Abeid Amani Karume. But on top of that, her own father, Amani Abeid Karume, also became president of the islands from 2000-2010. So, it’s fair to say that Fatma knows what royalty is all about. She is well-versed in laws relating to banking and finance as well as tax disputes and labor disputes. She was also once the President of the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS). According to her twitter account, Fatma joined just two years ago and managed to add spice on her timeline that so far got herself more than 300K followers.

 

 

To argue with the two Shangazi is not as easy as you may think. You need to have the passion for fighting injustice, the energy, intellect and facts at the tip of your fingers or else you’ll expose yourself to a lot of mud. Just to alert you, they won’t stop till you drop.

 

 

It’s very rare to witness Maria and Fatma disagreeing. But it can be very entertaining when they do so. It always ends up with utmost maturity.

Just in case you are not familiar with Swahili, it doesn’t mean you cannot engage with these Shangazi who say it as it is. They cater for English speakers as well. After all, the majority of their twitter followers are conversant in both languages.

 

Despite both using a very simple communication style, their demeanour are quite different. Maria is subtle in her approach. I wouldn’t say cautious, but straightforward and more diplomatic. She goes to great lengths to post parts of an article or law just to spread awareness, which eases the pressure on a few of us who are too lazy to do the hard job. She can also be very persistent in her campaigns. The minute you start relaxing, thinking she is done, Maria might just be giving you a break. Trust me, she will always be back.

As a communication expert, Maria is conversant in various topics and articulate in both languages. She has been a trailblazer for a number of hashtags. Maria also catalyses topics she feels necessary to be heard to a larger audience. Currently, both Fatma and Maria have been campaigning to wear anything white, promoting peace and calling for free and fair elections. This #77Nyeupe campaign was officially launched on the 7th of July 2020, a day known as Saba Saba in Tanzania. This initiative was introduced by an outspoken Bishop, Dr. Benson Bagonza. Now it has been reenergised by the two Shangazi.

 

Among other hashtags, are #Justice4Azory, a campaign by Tanzanians demanding justice for Azory Gwanda, the Tanzanian journalist who has been missing since November 2017; and #ArudiShule, a campaign advocating that pregnant school girls should go back to school and should not be expelled.

Fatma is a combination of sophistication and sarcasm most of the time. Often her delivery on twitter has a unique Swahili touch, which can be explained as ‘mipasho’ (jibe) probably because of her coastal background/heritage. Apart from all the issues she fights for, you better think twice if you are contemplating arguing with her on matters involving social justice and the rule of law. Fatma is prompt and candid. She got all the terms, such as statutes and dates, that will pop up in no time.

 

In addition, Fatma always simplifies her arguments, especially when it comes to law so even a layman or laywoman like me can get the point. Her delivery at times can be so hilarious, but sharp and stinging. I’m sure the intended receiving end won’t be all smiles as her twitter fans will be. Fatma’s acknowledgment of writing broken Swahili, which has now improved tremendously, is also admirable.

 

Not that Tanzania has never had critical, outspoken and courageous women before. A number of women were at the forefront of nationalistic struggles for independence in Africa. In mainland Tanzania the leading voice that emerged in building the liberation movement through a political party known as the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) was Bibi Titi Mohamed. She mobilized both women and men to join the party that led to the independence of Tanganyika in the early 1960s. According to a recent article written by Dr. Chambi Chachage and Dr. Jacqueline Mgumia, Bibi Titi was arguably the second most popular politician during the final phase of the nationalist struggles for the independence of Tanganyika.

In this time and age, these two Shangazi, who are not politicians ‘yet’  are fearless and phenomenal activists. Their fearlessness is displayed at a time when even some of the most ‘courageous men’ won’t dare criticise the current regime openly. Fatma and Maria will throw there punches left, right and centre while still residing within the country.

 

Just as you start thinking they are untouchables due to their family political status, then you got it all wrong. Let me break it down a little bit for you. Both have and still are going through rough times with the government, which most believe is due to their stance and campaigns on social media.

On 20th September 2019, Fatma was indefinitely suspended from practicing law within the jurisdiction of mainland Tanzania by the High Court of Tanzania. She was representing Ado Shaibu, politician from the ACT-Wazalendo opposition party who was challenging President Magufuli’s appointment of Prof. Adelardus Kilangi as the Attorney General. Her suspension “was in response to allegations of misconduct following her written submissions”. In 2017, IMMMA House, a law firm which Fatma has been among its senior partners, was hit by an explosion. Till this date no one has been held accountable.

Maria hasn’t been having a jolly time either. Kwanza TV, an online television channel she owns, has been suspended for 11 months. The Tanzania Commission Regulatory Authority (TCRA) issued a letter on the 6th of July 2020 alleging that its Instagram page was unpatriotic and could negatively affect the security, unity, and economy of the country. The ‘crime’ they allegedly committed was to repost a link from the US embassy in Tanzania warning of the increase risk of COVID-19 in the country and the government not releasing aggregate numbers on cases or deaths since April 29, 2020.

As we say in Swahili, avumaye baharini papa, kumbe wengine wapo. That is, the one who makes wave in the sea is the shark, but then there are others. So, yes, these two shangazi are making waves, but they are not the only ones. The other Shangazi that you should keep an eye on as well are Vicensia Shule @vicensiashule, Mwanahamisi Singano @MSalimu, and Aikande Kwayu @aikande.

 

Love them or hate them, but the two Shangazi are not easy to be ignored. They may not be politicians as Bibi Titi, but definitely, as influencers, their zeal in fighting injustices, demanding fairness, and free and fair elections has its impact through this digital era. These are women to watch.

 

Viva Mashangazi!