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ZEYANA
SEIF AL-KHARUSY
- SWAHILI BROAD CASTER
Her
death robbed millionS OF Kiswahili listeners
of their outstanding and favourite broad caster
Coastweek
-- Popular
Zeyana Seif Al-Kharusy well known around the world as 'First Lady' on
BBC Kiswahili bulletin' - breathed her last on 29th December, 2008.
As
a broadcaster of international repute she was remarkably popular for
over half a century: as a news-reader, interviewer and producer of
cultural programmes.
Zeyana
entered into broad casting profession soon she left school in 1958 as
she joined 'Sauti ya Unguja' and immediately earned several thousand
fans for her dynamic news reading with her bright and attractive
voice.
Her
death robbed more than ten million listeners of Kiswahili service of
their outstanding and favourite broadcaster.
It
was the December 1964 Zanzibar Revolution that made her emigrate to
England and in 1965 she joined BBC - Kiswahili Service as the first
and the only then, woman voice reading news.
She
remained with the service for more than half a century - during which
time she was dubbed 'First lady' on BBC Kiswahili bulletin.
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Coastweek
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broadcaster
Zeyana Seif Al-Kharusy
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She
also had an impeccable command of English that made her an excellent
news translator from English into Kiswahili.
She
had obtained distinctions in English and English Literature in
Cambridge Secondary School Certificate -1957.
For
more than 50 years Zeyana established herself as a dedicated, devoted
and a highly talented broadcaster.
"She
built for herself an indestructible monument in the hearts of not only
the Tanzania faminine media voice but also for her regular Kiswahili
listeners the world over.
"She
was, indeed, the epitome of the feminine voice and broadcasting
practitioners who took her career as a crusading mission.
"She
became the mentor of the Kiswahili feminine voice fraternity."
This
writer was exceptionally privileged to have a rare opportunity of
being interviewed by Zeyana over the Sauti ya Unguja
Broadcasting Station in 1959 on my maiden cultural travelogue to
Zanzibar.
We,
at one of the slots, discussed on a dictum: 'Any dog could bark and
have its voice heard over a microphone.'
It
was an attempt to evaluate the appropriate qualities and
characteristics of a genuinely successful broadcaster; over and above
a good voice.
It
took this writer about fifty year later to meet Zeyana again, that was
in 1991 at Bush House, London where she took me around the studios and
arranged for me to be interviewed on my pet topics - Taarab Music and
Promotion of Kiswahili.
Both
over the Kiswahili Service and in Focus on Africa - English slot.
Actually
in Zanzibar I was the guest of her elder brother - Sheikh Ahmed Seif
Kharusy from whom I gratefully enjoyed exceptional hospitality for a
full good month.
Her
brother was a prominent Zanzibar journalist; owning his own press and
a fortnightly famous and articulate periodical - 'Mwongozi' -
actually a mouth piece of the political party - 'Hizbul Al-Watan to
which he was the general secretary.
Her
several colleagues have paid glowing tribute to Zeyana:
Tido
Muhando: 'I used to enjoy listening to Zeyana before
joining broadcasting at Dar-Eslaam and admire her dynamic good voice.
'Joining
BBC - Swahili Service - I came to meet Zeyana in person and to find
her to be a thorough lady, ever helpful, exceptionally generous, kind
hearted and good natured.'
Vicky
Intetema: 'I regard Zeyana not only as my reliable
colleague but my great and affectionate mentor, indeed, my faithful
friend to whom I could divulge my personal problems.
'Wherever
and whenever she could, she would go out of her way to help me solving
such problems.'
She
was both kind and charming, assisting whoever came to her for a
helping hand.
Aisha
Yahya, as the deputy head of the Swahili Service:
'Zeyana
had the noble characteristics of a pragmatic broadcasting practitioner
- loyal, obedient, reliable, exceptionally hard working, strictly
punctual and she passionately and affectionately loved career and her
colleagues.
'Her
sudden death has saddened us all, at Bush House and all in our
overseas bureaus.'
Sulma
Kassim: 'We are terribly sad to suddenly have lost not only
our great mentor but an affectionate, elder sister.
'It
is an irreparable loss.
'Zeyana
was a unique personality in many ways - a noble minded lady,
magnanimous, benevolent who was ever ready to offer a helping hand.
'She
was a woman of her word, promising, remarkably punctual in fulfilling
obligations.
'Zeyana
Seif Al-Kharusy will remain in our hearts as an unforgettable
personality and indeed an epitome of a feminine voice of broadcasting
institution."
Similar
remarks of tribute to Zeyana have also been expressed by several
hundreds of her colleagues who came to know her at a professional
proximity.
She
is survived with one son and two daughters.
May
Almighty Allah rest his soul in Paradise - Ameen.
Faraj
Dumila, Mombasa.
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