By Mboneko Munyaga
Some of our very good friends had given us not more than four months of publishing.
There was no way, they said, a hard, print copy, not backed by massive financial capital, could survive in the digital era.
But as they say, nothing beats determination, or rather that intangible quality of believing in one’s self.
Our friends were right though.
We did not blame them for being honest to us and for offering us candid advice.
In fact, we were also a bit skeptical.
We only had our track record as seasoned journalists to sell but nothing like vested business or sectarian interests to peddle.
Neither did we want to pander to patronising attitudes, which we believed was a sure way to compromise both our professionalism and image as a house of quality and independent journalism.
Another question we were constantly asked and had to prepare answers for concerned our name.
“Why The Arusha News?”
Didn’t we think that that limited both our reach and the scope of coverage?
Was it a strong enough base to support an English publication in a predominantly Kiswahili-speaking environment?
We chose Arusha for basically two reasons.
As East Africa’s both diplomatic and tourism capital, Arusha is uniquely placed to both project and promote not only Tanzania but also the whole of East Africa as a governance, business, and strategic hub in the global setting of things.
Indeed, apart from the administrative and business capitals of the region’s member states, there is perhaps no other city where an English publication is more appropriate than in Arusha.
Thus, our slogan, “Connecting the Community” is as straightforward simple as it is also metaphorical.
Which community?
The digital era has turned our world into one big village.
The entire world is now one community.
However, for us, Arusha remains that cultural link and base.
The world converges in Arusha.
And, we believe, whoever comes to Arusha and goes back home, does so a changed individual with lasting and enduring memories of their visit.
We hope holding The Arusha News offers our readers that added value.
June 2024 Some travel agents who attended the International Tourism Summit in Arusha were seen perusing The Arusha News during the opening ceremony. (INSET) – The maiden issue of The Arusha News that hit the streets on March 7, 2024.
One year down the road has not been an easy journey.
Indeed, there were times when spirits nearly caved in but we stayed the course.
That we are here today, it is because of our readers to whom we are thankful and remain eternally grateful.
They are the ones who give Arusha the honour of placing on newsstands a copy that residents and visitors alike, can take home with them and proudly call it their own.
We remain dedicated to offering our readers and advertisers alike quality and independent journalism.
We can only do it with your generous support as we look ahead to another year of selfless service to our community.
Thank you all for supporting us this past year and may God bless us all.
Mboneko Munyaga
Mboneko Munyaga joined The Arusha News with over 50 years of journalism behind him.
He first joined the newsroom of The Standard in 1971, when the Managing Editor was the late Frene Ginwala, the first Speaker of Parliament of South Africa’s post-apartheid era.
In and out, he left the state-owned Daily/Sunday News (the nationalised The Standard) in 2008 as their Sub-Editor.
He had previously held other managerial positions as News Editor and Production Editor.
Munyaga was also the de facto in-house trainer and inspiration, with a number of now-famous journalists to his credit.
In the mid-1980s, he served as Reuters stringer in Dar es Salaam and was on the pioneer team of The EastAfrican’s Dar es Salaam Bureau.
He trained extensively at home and abroad, including in multimedia journalism in Cairo, Egypt under sponsorship of the Egyptian Ministry of Media and the African Union of Journalists.
He prides himself in having an eagle’s eye for letters.
His lifelong role model remains the late Gene Patterson, Editor of the Atlanta Constitution in the USA, with whom they had a digital friendship.
