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Rethinking Women, Peace And Security In Southern Africa: Patriarchy, Policies, And Perspectives, Kgomotso Komane

The Journal of Social Encounters

Southern Africa is a relatively peaceful region, however, it has witnessed a range of diverse, multiple and ongoing conflicts that have prompted various peace interventions from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), neighbouring countries and international actors. An astounding pattern is revealed when observing the involvements of all the actors in the peace interventions. What is revealed is that, till present day, women remain marginalised in peace processes despite existing structures and policies that reaffirm their rightful participation in these processes. Rethinking women’s role in peace and security is necessary because existing approaches to peace are shaped by patriarchal norms. …

The Moderating Effects Of Adc On Quality Service: Analysis Of The Performance Of Islamic And Conventional Banks In Tanzania, Mustafa Omar Mohammed, Mohamed Cherif El Amri, Yussuf Charles Yussuf

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic Economics

The study has examined how alternative delivery channels (ADCs) moderate service quality and increase customer satisfaction with the services of Islamic banks in comparison to conventional banks in Tanzania. It has adopted a quantitative survey method using a five-point Likert question to collect data from 680 customers of Islamic and conventional banks. The data were analysed using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) supported by the Amos software package for data analysis. The main findings reveal that nearly all the six service quality dimensions selected for the study have positive statistical significance on the relationships between customer satistaction and the services …

Front Matter Volume 2 No. 2, Editors Note

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

This is yet another issue of the Zamani journal which takes on varied debates and discussions of historical importance through the contributions to the issue. As we embark on volume three of the new journal’s series, this volume carries six articles, varied in scope but interesting in terms of contribution and relevance to historical synthesis. As editors, we hope that the articles contained here will be of interest to a wider audience of not only historians but also of allied disciplines, practitioners and the general readership. As we publish this volume, we also note the advantage of expanding the scope …

Crises In The Nigerian Defence Sector In The Post-Civil War Period, Hussaini Jibrin

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

History has it that post-war period in any country in the world appeared to be with many challenges of re-planning the defence system. It involves the reconstruction of pre-war institutions that are destroyed during the war for onward growth and development. Contrary to this tradition, this article explores that, in 1970 while Nigerians were celebrating about the end of the Nigerian civil war, fresh crises emerged in the country’s defence sector. Thus, General Yakubu Gowon’s government redirected its focus on addressing the crises. The crises are numerous, however, this article dwells on four only. These are demobilization exercise in the …

Performance Of Buffer Zones In Tanzania: A Case Of Maswa Game Reserve, 1950s-2010s, James Benedict Kuboja

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

National parks as core protected areas are universally regarded as the most important wildlife conservancies as they are protecting pristine nature or untouched wilderness. For this reason, global conservationists, with the assistance of colonial governments, introduced buffer zones in a bid to protect important protected areas from poaching and habitat destruction. Despite the promulgation of these buffer zones from the 1950s, scholars have not exhaustively evaluated their effectiveness in the conservation of wildlife resources within core protected areas and wildlife ecosystems at large. Using the case of Maswa Game Reserve in the Serengeti Mara Ecosystem, this article argues that internal …

Historicising Nyerere’S Presidency In The Nyakyusa Mythical Narratives, Ignas Fedeo

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

Julius K Nyerere, the founding President of Tanzania, held office from 1962 to 1985. Much has been written about Nyerere's presidency, with the literature generally falling into two categories: strong advocacy for his decisions, actions, and ideas, and pointed criticism against him. Using narrative and new historicism theories, this article examines the recreation of the history of Nyerere’s presidency in local narratives, specifically Nyakyusa myths. The myths were collected using the oral history interviews from Kyela and Busokelo districts in Tanzania. The Nyakyusa believe that Nyerere was endowed with immense mystical powers, some of which embedded in his stick and …

Śaṅkha-Dvīpa And The Swahili Littoral: Reconstructing India–East Africa Contacts Before The Common Era, Narendra Vijayasimha

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

This article is the first focused attempt to explore India–East Africa relationships in the Bronze Age and early Iron Age, approximately two to three millennia before the Common Era (3000–300 BCE) from a puranic perspective. While extensive scholarship exists on medieval and later Indo–African exchanges, the pre-Common Era period has remained underexplored. Drawing on Purāṇic cosmographies, Greco-Roman geographical accounts, African archaeology, and Indian Ocean trade studies, this research reconstructs possible networks of contact facilitated by monsoon navigation and long-distance exchange. Methodologically, the article integrates textual exegesis, comparative cosmography, and archaeological correlation. The findings suggest that Indian conceptions of Śaṅkha-dvīpa reflect …

Labour Migrancy And Ethnic Stereotypes: Experiences From Mufindi Tea Plantation, Ca. 1920s To 2000s, Hezron R. Kangalawe

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

While tea plantations brought good fortunes to some parts of Southern Highlands in Tanzania such as Mufindi and Rungwe during the British mandate, its production sites became centres of ethnic contestations in relation to work discipline. The colonial and post-colonial enterprises labelled some ethnic groups as “reliable labourers” and others “unreliable”. This article, uses the tea plantations in Mufindi district, Iringa, to debate the labour question and ethnic identity in tea plantations between 1920s and 2000s. It argues that tea plantations were practical point of colonial stereotyping whose architects were anthropologists. Interviews in Mufindi tea plantations and factories, archival and …

Collaboration In The Spread Of Missionary Christianity In Africa: The Case Of The Apostolic Church Of Nigeria, Caleb Abiodun Adeleye, Oluwasegun Peter Aluko

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

This article explores the significance of collaboration in the spread of missionary Christianity in Africa through a historical study of The Apostolic Church of Nigeria (TACN). It examines how the partnership between British missionaries and Nigerian leaders produced a hybrid mission model that combined Western ecclesiastical structure with African spirituality. Drawing on historical records, church documents, and existing scholarship, the article adopts a narrative–analytical method to trace how figures such as Pastors George Perfect, Idris J Vaughan and DO Odubanjo negotiated issues of theology, finance and cultural identity. The study finds that collaboration initially fostered institutional growth and doctrinal development …

Resilience In Place Names: German-Hehe War Memories And Cultural Identity In Iringa Toponyms, Claudio G. Kisake, Sophilini M. Yisega, Spemba E. Spemba

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Toponyms, or place names, act as vital markers of historical memory, cultural identity and resilience. In Iringa, Tanzania, toponymy offers valuable insights into the enduring impacts associated with the German-Hehe War (1890–1898), and colonial encounters on indigenous communities. This study explores how place names—such as Kitanzini (‘a place with a noose for hanging people’), Ilundamatwe or Lundamatwe (‘a collection of slaughtered heads’), and Gangilonga (‘the speaking stone’)—convey narratives of Hehe war superiority, resistance, and survival. Using a qualitative approach, the research incorporates archival sources, oral histories, and linguistic analysis to investigate the stories behind naming and renaming, the role of …

Hunting, Craftsmanship, And Migration: The Ethnobiology Of The Raute Nomads Of Nepal, Ramesh Prasad Adhikary

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study explores the ethnobiology of the Raute nomads in Nepal, a dwindling hunter-gatherer group facing threats from modernisation, deforestation, and sedentarisation policies. Despite growing ethnobiological research on indigenous knowledge, there remains a scholarly gap in integrated analyses of how nomadic practices like hunting, craftsmanship, and migration interlink to promote sustainability, particularly in South Asian contexts. Drawing on six weeks of ethnographic fieldwork with a single Raute community (n=15 key informants via purposive sampling for interviews; 3 focus groups of 6-8 participants via convenience sampling), this research employs participant observation, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions to address this gap. …

The Numeral System Of The Bena Language: Structure And Socio-Cultural Functions, Faraja Mwendamseke

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Numeral systems in Bantu languages reflect both linguistic structure and socio cultural functions. This paper explores the structure and socio-cultural functions of the Bena numeral system. The research employed a qualitative approach whereby the data were gathered through elicitation, and non-participant observation. The study was guided by the cognitive linguistics theory, which reveals how language shapes numerical cognition; testing linguistic relativity by showing how structural features like bases and classifiers influence thinking, memory, and arithmetic acquisition across cultures. The results show that numerals in Bena depict agreements with the noun class system, and follow additive structures in compound forms. The …

Say It In Kiswahili: The Impact Of English As The Medium Of Instruction On Students' Comprehension And Expression In Tertiary Education, Tamasha Kitalima

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The challenge of using and understanding English Language by Kiswahili L1 speaking learners is dominant in Tanzania. Having English as a foreign language (i.e. not largely spoken at social contexts) make it not accessible to many. Moreover, in Tanzania research shows that English being the medium of instructions to all subjects (except Kiswahili, Chinese, French, Arabic, and Historia ya Tanzania) from secondary schools to universities limit these learners from understanding academic content, expressing themselves in written and spoken forms, and succeeding in exams. The present study aimed to explore how the use of English as the language of instruction affects …

African Women's Struggle Against Patriarchy: Challenging The 'Un-African' Narrative Of Feminism, Olufunso Temitope Olubanjo-Olufowobi

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper critically examines the assertion that feminism is a Western import and incompatible with African cultures by demonstrating that African women have participated in activism and liberation struggles prior to the emergence of the term ‘feminism’. Although the term ‘feminism’ did not originate within African societies, it was subsequently adopted to describe these longstanding struggles. Through historical analysis and a review of existing literature, this study highlights that pre colonial African societies often afforded women considerable autonomy and leadership, which were later diminished by colonial and post-colonial patriarchal systems. The marginalisation of African women across the political, legal, and …

Resilience In Place Names: German-Hehe War Memories And Cultural Identity In Iringa Toponyms, Claudio G. Kisake, Sophilini M. Yisega, Spemba E. Spemba

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Toponyms, or place names, act as vital markers of historical memory, cultural identity and resilience. In Iringa, Tanzania, toponymy offers valuable insights into the enduring impacts associated with the German-Hehe War (1890–1898), and colonial encounters on indigenous communities. This study explores how place names—such as Kitanzini (‘a place with a noose for hanging people’), Ilundamatwe or Lundamatwe (‘a collection of slaughtered heads’), and Gangilonga (‘the speaking stone’)—convey narratives of Hehe war superiority, resistance, and survival. Using a qualitative approach, the research incorporates archival sources, oral histories, and linguistic analysis to investigate the stories behind naming and renaming, the role of …

The “Commoning“ Of Critical Labour Knowledge In Indonesia; Digital Mediation And Its Contradictions, Diatyka Widya Permata Yasih, Inaya Rakhmani

Wacana, Journal of the Humanities of Indonesia

This article explores “the commoning of critical labour knowledge“ – the co-sharing of resources to produce, circulate, and practice forms of knowledge generated with, by, and for workers, in opposition to dominant managerial and/or state technocratic frameworks – including through the use of digital media. Drawing on an auto-ethnographic reflection of a collaborative praxis between a university-based research centre and a labour knowledge hub, both based in Indonesia, we argue that this practice is imbued with internal contradictions. The praxis does open possibilities for solidarity, redistribution, and collective critical knowledge-making. However, it is constrained by capitalist logics of algorithmic surveillance, …

The Local Outsider: Sleeping Sickness Drug Trials, Social Exclusion, And Responses Of Women In The Uyui District Of Tanzania, 1964-2005, Hamisi M. Machangu

Journal of International Women's Studies

Unethical practices in sleeping sickness drug trials conducted in the Uyui District of Tanzania from 1964 to 2005 resulted in physical and psychological disabilities among participants and contributed to the social exclusion of its women participants. Although these practices are understood to have caused disabilities, existing studies have overlooked their contribution to the social exclusion of women. Drawing from both primary and secondary sources, this article treats the impact of such practices as a window to examine the nature and dimensions of social exclusion of women with disabilities and how these women responded to social exclusion at the grassroots level. …

Silent Struggles: The Hidden Burden Of Depression Among Black Single Mothers In Ghana, Sonja Brown

Doctor of Ministry

Reflections Through the Single Mothers of the Bible examines depression among Black single mothers in Ghana as an overlooked yet urgent mental, physical, economic, social, and Spiritual concern, highlighting the need for integrated Faith-based and community-centered responses. While global attention to maternal mental health has increased, the lived experiences of Black single mothers, particularly within faith-shaped, patriarchal, and economically constrained Ghanaian contexts, remain underrepresented in scholarly research, theological discourse, and public policy. This gap presents a problem and an opportunity to develop holistic, culturally responsive, and faith-informed approaches to care and advocacy.

This dissertation argues that depression among Black single …

Women's Empowerment, Female Genital Mutilation And Domestic Violence In Tanzania: Evidence From The Tanzania Demographic And Health Survey 2022, Monica Sebastian Kauky, Hinju Gabriel

Tanzanian Economic Review

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) remains an important public health and human rights issue in Tanzania. This study uses data from the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) and applies logit and Tobit models to investigate the relationships between women’s empowerment, FGM/C, and domestic violence. The results indicate that approximately 3 percent of women had undergone FGM/C, while 44 percent had experienced domestic violence. Women’s educational attainment and control over land are also important factors associated with the prevalence of FGM/C. The findings further show a strong relationship between women’s autonomy and their exposure to domestic violence, particularly in relation …

Documenting Death: Maternal Mortality And The Ethics Of Care In Tanzania (Adrienne E. Strong 2020), Luluk Oktavia, Megawati Sukarno

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

In recent decades, global efforts to reduce maternal mortality have become a primary focus in health development agendas. However, challenges in providing quality healthcare remain complex, especially in resource-limited countries. Adrienne E. Strong’s book, Documenting Death: Maternal Mortality and the Ethics of Care in Tanzania, offers an ethnographic perspective on the relationship between bureaucratic structures, resource constraints, and healthcare practices in Tanzania. This review examines Strong’s key concepts, such as good enough care, documented care, and fierce care, which highlight the ethical dilemmas faced by healthcare workers in delivering care under administrative pressures and limited facilities. The critique of the …

The Interplay Of Morphology, Syntax, And Semantics In Kuria Verb Extensions Within The Mara Region, Mary Charwi

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Verb extension morphological affixes that significantly alter verb meaning are a defining characteristic of Bantu languages. This paper investigates the morphosyntactic behaviour, semantic implications, and functional roles of extensions within Kuria, a Bantu language of Tanzania. The study adopts Hyman’s morphocentric approach, specifically the CARP template (Causative-Applicative-Reciprocal-Passive), as its foundational framework to test whether Kuria adheres to this pan-Bantu default ordering. The data were collected in Tarime District (2014-2015) using a mixed methods approach, comprising questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and video stimuli with 13 rural and urban speakers, and text analysis (the Kuria Bible). Through rigorous morphosyntactic parsing, the analysis reveals …

The Syntax And Semantics Of Reciprocal Constructions In Chibarwe: A Lexical Mapping Account, Tendai Chirimaunga

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Bantu languages have a robust structure, which is usually stated to be agglutinative, accommodates affixations of a wide range of morphemes both as prefixes (to the left of the root), as well suffixes (to the right of the root) before placing the terminal vowel. In their verbal morphology, the reciprocal is one of the many derivational affixes that have, however, not gained similar prominence as the study of the applicative and the causative construction. The thrust of this study is to investigate the syntax and semantics of reciprocal constructions in ChiBarwe, a marginalised cross-border language spoken in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. …

Ethnobotanical Surveys And Morphological Analysis Of Medicinal Plant Names In Lɔ́Mɔngo (Lomongo) C60 At The Elandisha Mavaolo Protected Area In Northeastern Democratic Republic Of Congo, Jean-Baptiste Grodya Musafiri, Jean-Bosco Njango Ngonda, Reddy Shutcha Ehata, Charles Kumbatulu Sita, Chrispina Alphonce, Helene B. Mavar Manga Sodila

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The aim of this research is to contribute to the documentation of Lomongo, a Bantu language spoken in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In this study, we focused on two morphological aspects of medicinal plant names in Lomongo: nominal morphology and morpho-syntax. To collect data, we engaged with two categories of informants: primary informants (traditional healers) and secondary informants (native Lomongo speakers). Ethnobotanical and ethnolinguistic surveys were conducted in the “Elandisha” Mavaolo area through participant observation, semi-structured interview guides, audio recordings, and photographs. The plants identified were documented in situ with the assistance of botanists from "Matiti-Lisanga," an interdisciplinary …

Decoding Omens From Animal Calls And Sightings: An Ethnozoolinguistic Study Among The Iraqw Of Tanzania, Chrispina Alphonce

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Understanding the interplay between cultural beliefs, language, and environmental signals is crucial for comprehending how communities engage with their natural surroundings. Despite existing research on cultural interpretations of natural phenomena, little is known about how animal calls and sightings specifically predict omens within the Iraqw community in Tanzania. This study examines the Iraqw ethnozoolinguistics of omens, focusing on their role in forecasting social events, both positive and negative, and on how these signals reflect the community’s cultural understanding. A qualitative research design was employed, with data collected through introspection, focus group discussions, and semi-structured interviews, grounded in ecosemiotic, ecolinguistic, and …

Morphological And Semantic Analysis Of Plant Names Attested In Hehe Language In Tanzania, Onesmo Simon Nyinondi

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper examines the morphological structure of plant names in Hehe, a Bantu language spoken in the Iringa Region of Tanzania, specifically in the rural areas of Mufindi and Kilolo districts, involving 169 participants. Data were collected through free listings, field interviews (also known as walk-in-the-woods interviews), focus group discussions, and the analysis of written texts containing Hehe plant names. The study shows that Hehe plant names consist of a noun class prefix and a noun stem, with most falling into the 3/4 and 5/6 pairs. Some plant names are also categorised in the 7/8, mainly small plants, and 9/10 …

Investigating The Plant Folk Taxonomy In The Bena Language Of Tanzania, Adriano Utenga

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper surveys plant identification and categorisation among the Bena. Each society’s cultural uniqueness and peculiarity in categorising the local biodiversity informed the study. The researcher conducted the study in Lupembe Ward, Njombe District Council, where Bena is the predominant language. Five elderly speakers of Bena, knowledgeable about plants, were selected through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Jungle-walk-and-identify and focus group interviews were the key methods for data collection. Using the Perceptual-Taxonomic Theory as a guide, I analysed the data thematically. The study found that the Bena cannot identify the unique beginner “plant” (the all-inclusive word for the notion plant). …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Mozambican Languages And Their Role In Indigenous Ecological Knowledge Preservation: The Case Of Medicinal Plants In Anyungwe Community, Crisófia Langa Da Câmara, Amani Lusekelo

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Since language is accredited for the preservation and transference of indigenous ecological knowledge (IEK) across generations, this paper presents the findings about the correlation between languages and indigenous knowledge system of the Anyungwe community. Specifically, the paper presents the outcome of the investigation of medicinal plants used by the Anyungwe in Tete Province in Mozambique. The data comes from the Marara area in the Cinyungwe speaking village in Tete Province. Images of medicinal plants were photographed in Tete Province by a research assistant, and their uses were explained by three elders living in Kachembe. Our findings illustrate that IEK studies …

Combatting Road Accidents And Fatalities : The Colonial State, Voluntary Organisations, And Road Safety In Northern Rhodesia, 1940s-1964, Mbozi Santebe

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) experienced an increase in the use of motor vehicles from the late 1920s. Consequently, there was a rapid increase in the occurrence of road accidents from the 1940s onwards. The rise in cases of accidents attracted attention of the colonial state and other stakeholders that embarked on measures to improve road safety. Using a corpus of archival sources, this article examines the measures that the colonial state and voluntary organisations undertook to improve road safety in Northern Rhodesia from the 1940s to 1964. It contributes to scholarly works on the use of motor vehicles in Africa …

Dynamics Of Infanticides Among The Ngoni Of Tanzania, 1850s-1916, Andrew S. Kasambala, Oswald J. Masebo

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

Infanticide is one of the key factors in explaining changes in human populations since the antiquity. This paper examines dynamics of infanticide practices among the Ngoni of Tanzania from the late pre- colonial to the end of German colonial rule in 1916. Relying on primary and secondary sources, it argues that while infanticide remained a critical problem in Songea from the 19th century to the end of German colonialism in 1916, the context in which it was practiced and the interventions devised to alleviate it changed over time. While it was primarily practiced in Songea by pre-Ngoni communal based clans …