Kilema

Wild Arabica Coffee was introduced in Tanzania by Christian missionaries from the Island of Re-union (Bourbon) between 1980s [sic] and 1890s, and was first grown at Kilema Mission on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Coffee spread slowly to other regions of Tanzania and later to Kenya, thus crowning Tanzania as the `Mother' of Coffee culture.

For years, Coffee has been Tanzania's primary forex earner, providing the country with between 26 and 35 per cent of its foreign income

"This is my bible," said Mzee Tony adding that he has been with the book since 1966. It was given to him by one George Dove of George Dove Safaris, a company, which had employed him as a clerk and barman first at Kimba Lodge in Ngorongoro and later at Ndutu Safari Lodge between 1966 and 1969.

Following that stint Tony resigned and came back to Arusha town where two years later in 1971 New Arusha Hotels Ltd employed him. Mzee Tony, who was born in Kilema on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and reached 54 years on 2 October this year, is married (for the last 22 years) to Veneranda Lyimo with whom they have six children.

The recent earthquake whose epicenter was near Mt Oldonyo Lengai in Arusha had a devastating effect in the quiet ward of Kilema, Moshi rural district of Kilimanjaro Region.

The Old Heritage Building, built by Catholic Missionaries from the Alsace Lorraine between 1890 and 1895 was damaged extensively. The building which had been used as an educational centre since its inception suffered structural damage, necessitating it to be evacuated.

The structure was built by hand cut stones and mud and later painted with cement. The structure has neither steel columns nor beams which made it susceptible to cracks which appeared from top to bottom.

The over one hundred years old stone beams have given way and seem to be coming off the walls, which could lead to a collapse, come another tremor.

When this writer visited the structure he found a worried Ward Educational Officer in the empty building contemplating his next move. District officials have advised that the building be evacuated. Pupils will now use an alternative location awaiting the demolition of the old structure and construction of a new building in its place.

The pupils have consequently moved to an old dilapidated wooden and concrete structure, which is clearly in need of massive rehabilitation. Whether the parents will manage this on their own is an issue that needs attention while the authorities ponder how to assist in this calamity that happened a couple of hundred of kilometers from the earthquake epicenter which shook the Mountain of God (Oldonyo le Ngai) on 18 th July this year.

Already there are other moves to request UNESCO to declare the old structures in Kilema World Heritage Buildings, an adoption which could attract financial support for rehabilitation. The structures could still be saved if a swift decision is made, observed one villager.