“Kuishi kwingi ni kuona mengi.” (To live long is to see much) - Swahili proverb
Tanzanian born writer and musician Freddy Macha (pronounced “Matcha”) was reporter for the national Swahili daily paper Uhuru and popular weekly columnist for Sunday News until 1984. In 1981 he received a “BBC Poetry Prize” and was short-listed for a “Commonwealth Short story” award in 1996. His first collection of Swahili stories were published in 1984 and immediately reprinted due to a great demand. After a European tour with Sayari the Tanzanian music-poetry band in 1984, he lived in Germany & went to Brazil where he played with Os Galas band in Rio until 1992. Between 1998 to 2001 Freddy promoted World Music Nights in London where he is resident since 1996.
He still writes regularly in the media, while leading workshops, performing solo or with his Kitoto Band. Freddy’s CD Constipation, was described as “spot-on, funny, passionate, bizarre…”by London’s N16 magazine and “ a different kettle of fish” by Sable Lit-Magazine, Winter 2002.
Photo: 16 year old Freddy, playing guitar with singers Rashid "Mado" Othman (centre) and the late, Mike Kiwelu, at Ilboru School, Arusha, 1972.