The First Sound You Heard Today

Adeladius Makwega – Bunda, Mara, Tanzania

 

“When you woke up this morning, what was the very first sound you heard?”

 

Mjomba Mwanakwetu asked this question to a number of Tanzanians.

 

“I heard the sound of a chicken—my rooster crowing ‘cock-a-doodle-doo.’”
— This was the response from Leonard Lameck.

“Today, I didn’t hear any sound at all.”

— This was the response from Issa Mbombwe.

 

“I heard the sound of birds, which actually woke me up, then I heard chickens and cows.”
— This was the response from Rebecca Mdodo.

 

“I heard the sound of a cow, and then I heard a motorcycle (bodaboda).”
— This was the response from Prisca Blaise.

 

My reader, these are some of the responses that resulted from a question Mwanakwetu asked five Tanzanians he met on Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Mara Region.

 

Looking at these responses, it is clear that most of those interviewed mentioned sounds of animals such as chickens, goats, and cows—animals that are widely kept in Mara Region.

 

I am certain that even you, my reader, if asked this same question today—when you woke up this morning, what was the first sound you heard?

 

Without a doubt, you have an answer—take a moment to reflect on it.

If out of five people, four say they heard the sounds of birds, chickens, goats, or cows, it indicates that they live close to livestock.

 

This is the reality of life in rural areas and even in some urban neighborhoods, where livestock have become part of everyday human life.

 

This raises an important question:

 

“Within public offices, are there efforts that reflect the reality of communities living close to livestock?”

 

Indeed, in Mara Region, various efforts are being undertaken—including livestock vaccination, improved pasture availability, and better systems for livestock trade.

 

“Currently, we are registering stakeholders in the meat and dairy sectors, such as butcheries, so that they can obtain business licenses. A butchery license costs 70,000 Tanzanian shillings (about 28 US dollars) for first-time registration, and 50,000 shillings (about 20 US dollars) for renewal.”

 

These are remarks from Mathias Lusheleja, the Regional Livestock Officer for Mara, regarding government activities in the livestock business sector.

 

“We also register livestock markets and slaughterhouses in every district. This registration is carried out through executive directors, who oversee these facilities in many areas. The cost for new registration is 120,000 shillings (about 48 US dollars), and renewal costs 100,000 shillings (about 40 US dollars).”

 

Furthermore, Mr. Lusheleja added that traders who purchase livestock within a single district must obtain a permit costing 60,000 shillings (about 24 US dollars per year). Those who operate across more than one district pay 300,000 shillings (about 120 US dollars per year).

 

Mwanakwetu then asked: what benefits does this registration bring to the community?

 

In response, Mr. Lusheleja explained that the registration helps increase national revenue for development activities, ensures consumer safety, reduces inconvenience for stakeholders, and fulfills legal requirements.

 

What does Mwanakwetu say today?

 

It turns out that livestock registration and licensing fees also contribute to human well-being by improving lives through other development projects—especially by generating financial resources used to enhance education, healthcare, infrastructure, and more. Indeed, livestock are closer to human life than we might think.

 

My reader, remember this response:

 

“Today, I didn’t hear any sound at all.”

 

Mwanakwetu believes that even Issa Mbombwe—the respondent who said these words—continues, day by day, to “hear” the presence of livestock through sectors such as education, healthcare, and roads, even when riding bodabodas on roads built using revenues generated from livestock.

 

Mwanakwetu, are you there? Remember:

 

“The First Sound You Heard Today.”

 

Have a nice day.

makwadeladius@gmail.com
0717649257