Remembering Africanization: excerpt of reunion transcripts

1. Amani Hill Research Station, 23 April 2015

Participants

Professor Bukheti Swalehe Kilonzo, born 1949: joined Amani in 1968 as a Scientific Assistant. Studied microbiology and parasitology in London; PhD in plague epidemiology from Dar es Salaam in 1984. Left Amani in 1982 as Research Scientist and became professor at Sokoine University.

Dr William Kisinza, born 1966: current Director of Amani Research Centre (now at Muheza), reunion participant ex officio. Studied entomology at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; PhD in 2006.

Dr Edith O. Lyimo, born 1957: studied biology at the universities of Dar es Salaam and Jos, Nigeria; PhD in mosquito ecology in 1993. Entered Amani as Research Scientist III in 1982; retired as Research Scientist II from Ifakara Research Centre.

Mr Alban Machaga, born 1948: attended secondary school and joined Amani in 1973 as Laboratory Technician; retired in 2008 as Laboratory Technician.

Dr Stephen Magesa, born 1960: studied biology and ecology at Dar es Salaam and LSHTM; PhD on malaria in Copenhagen in 1999. Joined Amani in 1985 as Research Scientist III; Director of Amani Research Centre from 2005 to 2010.

Mr Lincoln Malle, born 1954: worked as Laboratory Technician at Amani from 1977 to 2004, when he moved to another National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) laboratory.

Mr Y. G. Matola Matola, born 1941: joined Amani in 1963 as Laboratory Technician. Studied immunology at Brunel University in 1977; became Research Officer I in 1978, Senior Research Scientist II in 1985 and Principal Research Scientist in 1991; Director of Amani from 1992 to 1995.

Mr John Mganga, born 1949: joined Amani after school certificate in 1971, probably as Field Assistant; worked until 2000, being trained on the job.

Mr Richard Mtoi, born 1940: trained as technician at Muhimbili National Hospital, Kampala and Paddington College, London. Joined Amani as Laboratory Technician in 1975; retired as Principal Laboratory Technician in 1995.

Dr Abraham Muro, born 1950: studied at the universities of Dar es Salaam and Tulane, then the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), specializing in parasitology. Entered Amani as Research Scientist Trainee in 1976; left as Principal Researcher in 2010.

Dr George L. Mwaiko, born 1945: studied chemistry at Matera University and in Prague; PhD in immunology and biochemistry at Dar es Salaam in 1992. Joined Amani as Research Officer Trainee in 1966; retired 2008 as Principal Research Scientist II.

Mrs Prisca Mwaiko: nurse midwife; wife of George Mwaiko; worked as a nurse at Amani from 1975 to 2011.

Figure 1.

Amani and its field stations – Muheza, Tanga and Gonja/Pare – in 1960. Source: East African Institute of Malaria and Vector-Borne Diseases (1960:2).

Excerpt from Amani transcript, 9–15

Kilonzo:

[…] I can start – I came in 1968. It was around June, immediately after my National Service training.² In fact, when I came, the Director, the then Director Dr Lelijveld,³ renamed me Major Kilonzo. [laughter] I walked in with my uniform, went to his office, I saluted him, [laughter] ‘So is this a major?’ he asked. So the name of Major actually stuck. I was known all around as ‘Meja Kilonzo’. And on my first day I was told to report to the board council; by then there was Dr Fletcher⁴ and Dr Mwaiko of course, [who] was Mr Mwaiko by then. […] And Dr Fletcher asked Mr Mwaiko to interview me. [laughter] […] So I was interviewed and the interview was very positive, of course; he recommended [me] very well, so I was recruited at that time as a lab assistant on temporary basis, waiting for the position of [permanent] scientific assistant to be advertised. Scientific assistant was equivalent to technician. So, […] I stayed on that basis or position for […] some months. In April 1969, I was called to Arusha to attend an interview that was very competitive, where there were applicants from Kenya, Uganda and me from Tanzania, applying for a single post of a lab technician or scientific assistant on permanent basis. […]So good enough, I passed [laughter] the interview, so I got the first letter...