11 May 2010

Shamsi Vuai Nahodha.Huyu ni Waziri Kiongozi huko Zanzibar.Naomba kukiri hadharani kuwa kwa muda mrefu nimekuwa nikimuona mwanasiasa huyu kama 'yupo yupo' tu.Unajua kuwa mwanasiasa au kiongozi kunapaswa kuendana na mchango wa namna flani kifikra au kimatendo.Nyerere hakumbukwi kwa vile tu alikuwa mwanasiasa au kiongozi bali jitihada na mchango wake kwa umma,hata kama baadhi ya maeneo alikosea (hiyo ni makala nyingine: ALIPOKOSEA NYERERE).
Pasipo kutarajia,Nahodha kanipa 'surprise ya nguvu'.Ameongea maneno ya busara sana kuhusu fikra potofu zilizotawala akilini mwa viongozi wengi wa CCM kuwa chama hicho kitatawala milele.Japo si dhambi kwa chama kutawala milele (kama inawezekana na kama kinakidhi matakwa ya kinaowaongoza),ni uzembe wa tafakuri kuamini kuwa CCM itatawala daima hasa kutokana na uswahiba wake na ufisadi,kauli za kibabe hata kwenye mwaka wa uchaguzi na kupuuza watu waliokiweka chama hicho madarakani.Sasa,Waziri Kiongozi Nahodha amewatahadharisha wana-CCM wenzake kwamba KUNA SIKU CCM ITANG'OLEWA.Hebu msome hapa chini
Nahodha: Iko siku CCM itang'olewa


• AKUMBUSHA WAJIBU WA VIONGOZI KWA WANANCHI
na Mwandishi Maalum, Mererani
WAZIRI KIONGOZI wa Serikali ya Mapinduzi ya Zanzibar, Shamsi Vuai Nahodha amewataka wana CCM kuacha kujidanganya kwamba chama chao kitaendelea kutawala milele.
Nahodha, mmoja wa viongozi wa juu wa CCM na serikali alitoa kauli hiyo jana wakati akiwahutubia wananchi katika kituo cha kulelea watoto yatima cha Rafiki Child Care kilichoko Mererani wilayani Simanjiro mkoani Manyara.

Kiongozi huyo ambaye kimamlaka ni wa pili baada ya Rais Amani Karume katika SMZ aliwataka wana CCM kuachana na dhana kwamba chama chao hakiwezi kuondolewa madarakani na vyama vya upinzani.

“Ninatofautiana kimtazamo na watu wanaosema kwamba CCM itaendelea kutawala milele na milele, hapa kama hatutajipanga vizuri ipo siku chama chetu kitang’olewa madarakani…tusibweteke,” alisema Nahodha.

Waziri Kiongozi alitoa kauli hiyo muda mfupi baada ya Katibu wa CCM wilaya ya Simanjiro, aliyetajwa kwa jina moja la Mujungu kuhutubia na kutamka kuwa, CCM haiwezi kuondolewa madarakani na vyama vya upinzani.

“Wapo wana CCM ambao kimtazamo wanaona sisi ndiyo wenyewe, kumbe wenye chama ni wananchi wanaowatawala. Tuna kila sababu ya kuwa makini katika utelezaji wa majukumu yetu… jambo hili nawaambia si kweli,” alisema Nahodha.

Akitoa mfano, Nahodha aliwataka wana CCM kujifunza kutoka katika nchi jirani ambako baadhi ya vyama vilivyopigania uhuru kama ilivyo CCM vimeng’olewa madarakani.

Alikitaja chama cha Kenya African National Union (KANU) ambacho kilipigania uhuru wa Kenya kuwa mmoja wa vyama vilivyopata kung’olewa madarakani.

“Kumbukeni namna ambavyo KANU ilisambaratika kule Kenya… leo hii imesahaulika kabisa. Lakini si huko tu, kule Zambia (UNIP) na Malawi (MCP) vyama tawala vilibwagwa vibaya na sasa vimesahaulika masikioni mwa wananchi,” alionya Nahodha.

Akiendelea, alisema ni wazi ipo siku wananchi wanaweza kukichoka CCM na kukibwaga iwapo viongozi watashindwa kutimiza ndoto za wananchi za kuwaletea maendeleo.

“Kuna mwanafalsafa mmoja mmoja anasema, msitafute uzuri wetu kwa kuangalia jinsi tulivyo, bali kwa kuangalia yale mema tuliofanya,” alisisitiza Nahodha.

Alisema uwajibikaji wa baadhi ya viongozi wanatokana na CCM ndani ya CCM unatia shaka inayoweza kuwafanya wananchi kukichukia chama hicho.

Alisema jukumu kubwa la viongozi wanaotokana na CCM ni kutekeleza majukumu yao kwa Watanzania kwa kuyafanya maisha yao yawe bora zaidi.

“Yuko mwanafalsafa mmoja wa zamani, aliwahi kusema maneno haya: ‘Tutakapokufa msitutafute katika makaburi yetu yaliyotengenezwa vizuri kwa chokaa bali mtutafute katika nyoyo za watu tuliowasaidia’. Ninawashauri viongozi wenzangu wa serikali na chama tuitumie sana busara ya mwana falsafa huyo,” alionya Vuai.

Katika hatua nyingine, Nahodha alieleza kusikitishwa na kuibuka kwa malumbano ya kisiasa miongoni mwa viongozi katika mkoa wa Manyara akisema hali hiyo haina faida kwa wananchi wanaowaongoza.

Kauli hiyo ya Nahodha iliyoonekana kuzungumzia na kukerwa na malumbano yaliyoibuka wiki iliyopita kati ya Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Manyara, Henry Shekifu na Mbunge wa Simanjiro, Christopher ole Sendeka


Inaelekea habari kwamba raia mmoja wa India ameweza kuishi kimiujiza kwa kwa kutokula au kunywa chochote kwa miaka 70 sio fiksi bali ni kweli kabisa.Prahlad Jani ameimshangaza timu ya wanajeshi waliokuwa wakimchunguza kwa wiki 2 sasa kuthibitisha madai hayo.

Mtu huyo amekuwa chini ya uangalizi katika hospitali moja katika jimbo la Gujarat huku madaktari wakifuatilia kila jambo kwa kutumia kamera na CCTV.Kwa muda wote huo,hajawahi kula au kunywa chochote wala kwenda msalani.

"Bado hatufahamu ni namna gani anaweza kustahimili",anasema mtaalam wa mfumo wa fahamu Sudhir Shah alipoongea na waandishi wa habari baada ya uchunguzi huo."Bado ni muujiza usioweza kuelezeka kisayansi".

Prahlad,mwana-Yoga (Yogi) mwenye nywele ndefu na madevu aliwekwa hospitalini ili kuchunguzwa na taasisi ya utafiti na maendeleo ya ulinzi ya India (DRDO),ambapo ilitarajiwa kuwa matokeo ya uchunguzi huo yanaweza kusaidia kuwasaidia wanajeshi kumudu kuishi bila kula au kunywa chochote (kwa mfano wanapokuwa vitani),wanaanga na hata kuokoa maisha ya wengi yanapotokea majanga ya asili.

"Muda pekee Jani aligusa kimiminika ni wakati anasukutua na kuoga kwa vipindi maalum wakati wa uchunguzi huo",anasema G. Ilazavahagan,mkurugenzi wa taasisi ya ulinzi ya saikolojia na stadi shiriki (DIPAS).

Mtu huyo sasa amerejea kijijini kwake Ambaji,kaskazini mwa Gujarat,ambako ataendelea na taratibu zake za Yoga na uwazo (meditation).Anasema alipata karama alizonazo udogoni  kutoka kwa 'mungu wa kike' na tangu wakati huo amekuwa na uwezo wa ajabu.

Katika uchunguzi huo wa siku 15 uliohitimishwa Alhamisi iliyopita,madaktari walichukua vipimo (scans) vya viungo,ubongo na mishipa ya damu pamoja na vipimo (tests) vya moyo,mapafu na uwezo wake wa kufikiri.Matokeo zaidi ya uchunguzi wa vinasaba (DNA analysis),molekyuli za kibiolojia na vipimo vya homoni zake,enzymes na uzalishaji nishati mwilini (energy metabolism)  utatolewa hapo baadaye.

"Kama Jani hazalishi nishati ya mwili kutoka kwenye chakula na maji basi anapata nishati hiyo kutoka vyanzo vingine vinavyomzunguka kama vile mwanga wa jua",anaeleza Shah."Kama wataalam wa utabibu hatuwezi kufumbia macho uwezekano wa kuwepo vyanzo vingine vya nishati ya mwili zaidi ya kalori".

Habari hii imetafsiriwa kutoka AFP.

10 May 2010










Picha kwa Hisani ya Daily Mail

The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has made a brief statement that he will stand down as Labour leader,and urged his party to start a process of electing his replacement.That means if the Conservative-Liberal Democrats power discussions on a possibility of  sharing deal bear no fruits,and the Liberal Democrats then agrees with Labour to form a a coalition government,the next PM might not be Gordon Brown,or David Cameron,for that matter.

Jambo moja nililojifunza kutoka kwa hawa wenzetu wa nchi zilizoendelea ni kile kinachoelezeka vizuri kwa kimombo kama not settling for less.Yaani,kwa tafsiri isiyo rasmi,ni kutokubali kuridhishwa na pungufu ya matarajio kamili.Kama ni mwanasiasa na wananachi wanaona 'unawazingua' basi usitarajie kuwa wataendelea 'kukulea'.Kama ni kwenye soka,wenye timu hawatarajii pungufu ya ushindi.

Baada ya matokeo yasiyoridhisha kwenye uchaguzi mkuu uliofanyika Alhamisi iliyopita,tayari 'bundi' mbaya ameshaanza kukiandama chama cha Labour.Baadhi ya wanasiasa ndani ya chama hicho wamejitokeza hadharani kutaka Gordon Brown atoswe kwa madai kuwa yeye ndio hasa chanzo cha matokeo mabaya kwenye uchaguzi huo ambapo Labour iliambulia nafasi ya pili nyuma ya chama cha wahafidhina (Conservative Party).

Japo hadi sasa Brown hajatamka kama ataachia ngazi uongozi wa chama hicho lakini dalili ni kwamba presha ikiendelea kuongezeka hatokuwa na jinsi zaidi ya kujiuzulu.Hapa sizungumzii u-waziri mkuu bali hali ya mambo ndani ya chama cha Labour.

Kukurejesha nyuma kidogo,Labour imekuwa na makundi mawili 'yasiyoiva' kwa kitambo kirefu sasa.Kwa upande mmoja ni wale wanaofahamika kama Blairites,ambao wanamhusudu Waziri Mkuu wa zamani Tony Blair,na kwa upande mwingine ni Brownites,ambao wanamhusudu Gordon Brown.Inasemekana kuwepo kwa makundi hayo kumechangia kwa kiasi flani matokeo mabaya ya chama hicho katika uchaguzi uliopita.Inadaiwa kwamba mmoja ya watu wenye nguvu kubwa ndani ya Labour,Lord Mandelson,alitumia kampeni za Brown na Labour kumuimarisha David Miliband,'Waziri' wa Mambo ya Nje wa Uingereza na chaguo la Blairites kumrithi Brown.Inaelezwa kwamba wakati Labour wanazindua kampeni zao kwa ajili ya uchaguzi huo,Mandelson (maarufu kama Malaika wa Giza-Angel of Darkness-ndani ya Labour)alifanikisha safari ya Miliband kwenda Marekani kwa mazungumzo na Rais Obama,fursa ambayo wachambuzi wa siasa wanaamini ingemwezesha Brown kuonekana kama kiongozi mwenye nguvu katika siasa za kimataifa.

Inadaiwa pia kuwa kampeni ya Brown iligeuzwa na Mandelson kuwa 'makao makuu ya Miliband' kwa maana kuwa ilikuwa ikitumika kwa namna flani kumpromoti mwanasiasa huyo (Miliband) ambaye bado ana ukaribu mkubwa na Blair.Hata meya wa zamani wa jiji la London,Ken Livingstone ameligusia hilo katika makala yake aliyoandika kwenye gazeti moja la Daily Mail.

Kwa sasa,harakati zinazoendelea chini chini ndani ya Labour ni za kumrithi Brown.Yani imekuwa kama ndugu za mgonjwa wanapoanza kugombania urithi kabla mgonjwa huyo hajaaaga dunia.Alosema siasa ni mchezo mchafu hakukosea.Baadhi ya majina yanayohusishwa na mpambano huo ni pamoja na akina Miliband,yaani David na mdogo wake Ed,ambaye ni waziri wa mazingira,Ed Ball- 'waziri' wa elimu na 'waziri' wa mambo ya ndani Alan Johnson.

Na akina Miliband  wanazua mvutano ambao unavuka anga za siasa kwa vile wakati David (pichani kushoto) ni Blairite,mdogo wake (kulia) ni Brownite.Inaelezwa kuwa tayari Ed ameshamfahamisha mama yao kuwa anadhamiria kupambana na kaka yake kwenye kinyang'anyiro cha kuiongoza Labour.Hata hivyo,inaelezwa pia kuwa bado yuko njia panda kwa vile kwa upande mmoja Brownites wenzie wanamwona kama chaguo mwafaka kwa nafasi hiyo,lakini kwa upande mwingine 'damu ni nzito kuliko maji' na anatafakari kama pengine itakuwa jambo la busara kumsapoti kaka yake.

Tukiachana na mvutano huo wa kifamilia,'vita' kubwa inatarajiwa kuwa kati ya kaka yake (David) na (Ed) Balls.Wakati David anasifika kwa upeo na akili ya hali ya juu (ni Mwingireza mwenye asili ya Kiyahudi huyu) na ufahamu wake wa siasa za kimataifa hasa kutokana na wadhifa alionao sasa,Balls ana sapoti kubwa kwenye vyama vya wafanyakazi ambavyo kimsingi vina nguvu ya kutosha kwenye chama cha Labour.Kadhalika,wakati David anaonekana kama mtu wa 'tabaka la juu' Balls yuko karibu zaidi na wana-Labour wa ngazi za chini.

Tukiweka kando kidogo matatizo yaliyo ndani ya Labour kwa sasa,huko kwa wahafidhina nako mambo si shwari sana.Kuna wanaomuona mgombea wa chama hicho,David Cameron, kama amewaangushwa kwa kushindwa kwake kupata ushindi wa jumla (overall majority).Upinzani wa chini chini dhidi ya Camron haukuanza kwenye uchaguzi huu tu bali tangu alipoweka bayana dhamira yake ya kukibadilisha chama cha Conservative kutoka mwonekano wake kama 'chama kibaya' (nasty party) kwenda chama chenye kujumuisha makundi mbalimbali katika jamii.Kabla ya harakati za Cameron,chama hicho kimekuwa kikitafsiriwa kama 'cha Waingereza Weupe wa tabaka la juu' na kinachokumbatia zaidi mabwanyenye kuliko watu wa kawaida.

Cameron amefanikiwa kwa kiasi flani kubadili taswira hiyo japo si sana.Katika uchaguzi uliopita alihamasisha uteuzi wa baadhi ya wagombea kutoka makundi ambayo kimsingi 'hayamo kwenye akili za chama hicho' kwa mfano wagombea kutoka jamii ndogo za wasio weupe (ethnic minority),shoga na mabinti kadhaa.Japo baadhi ya wagombea hao wameshinda,wengi wao wamefanya vibaya na tayari baadhi ya wahafidhina wanamlaumu Cameron kwa uamuzi huo wa 'kuwapigia debe wageni wa tamaduni za chama hicho'.

Jingine linalomwandama Cameron ni mchango wa kundi dogo la washauri wake wanaofahamika kama 'wana-Eton wa zamani' (ex-Etonian),yaani marafiki zake wa karibu aliosoma nao katika shule ya Eton yenye hadhi ya juu kabisa na chaguo la 'wateule wachache' kwa hapa.Hao ni pamoja na Kansela ('waziri wa fedha') kivuli George Osborne na mwanamikakati anayesifika kwa akili nyingi Oliver Letwin (ambaye pia ni 'waziri' kivuli).Wengine wanaotuhumiwa 'kumshika akili' Cameron ni pamoja na kiongozi wa zamani wa Conservative,William Hague,na Mkurugenzi wa Mawasiliano,Andy Coulson (ambaye kabla ya kuchukua wadhifa huo alikuwa mhariri wa gazeti maarufu kwa udaku la News of The World).Coulson anafahamika kwa uwezo wake katika 'kutengeneza fitna,majungu na kummaliza mtu' (maeneo yanayolipa umaarufu News of the World).

Washauri hao wa Cameron wanatuhumiwa 'kumshauri vibaya' mgombea hasa katika wazo la 'jamii kubwa' (Big Society) ambalo inaelezwa kuwa liliasisiwa na Letwin.Wakosoaji wanadai kuwa wazo hilo halikueleweka kwa wapiga kura na wengine wanakwenda mbali zaidi na kulieleza kama 'wazo muflisi'.Vilevile,inaelezwa kuwa  Lord Ashcroft,'kibopa' aliyemwaga fedha nyingi kwa minajili ya Conservative kushinda uchaguzi huo,hajaridhishwa na matokeo ya uchaguzi huo,sambamba na 'kushindwa' kwa Cameron kusimama kidete kumtetea mhafidhina huyo tajiri (Ashcroft) alipoandamwa na skandali ya 'hadhi ya raia asiyelipa kodi kutokana na ukazi wake nje ya nchi' (non-domicile status).Lord Ashcroft anaamini kuwa suala hilo limechangia kupunguza kura za chama chao na anaamini kuwa Cameron angeweza kumtetea vizuri zaidi ya alivyofanya.Kadhalika,tajiri huyo anadaiwa kutopendezwa na wazo la Cameron kushiriki midahalo ya uchaguzi kwenye runinga,ambapo anaona kuwa ilisaidia kumuimarisha mgombea wa chama cha Waliberali (Liberal Democrats) Nick Clegg na hivyo 'kula' kura za Conservatives.

Nitaendelea kuwahabarisha kinachojiri kwenye anga za siasa za hapa kadri muda utavyoruhusu.

7 May 2010

Matokeo ya Uchaguzi Mkuu hapa Uingereza yametuacha baadhi yetu tukiwa na majonzi baada ya chama tawala cha Labour kuambulia nafasi ya pili (viti 258) huku chama cha wahafidhina (Conservatives) waikibuka mshindi kwa kupata viti 307 (japo ni pungufu ya viti 19 kwa viti 326 vinavyohitajika kuunda serikali ya peke yao).Chama cha kiliberali (Liberal Democrats) kimeshika nafasi ya tatu kwa kuambulia viti 57.

Kila mwenye majonzi kutokana na matokeo mabaya kwa Labour ana sababu zake binafsi.Zangu ni za kibinafsi zaidi (na mambo binafsi yanapaswa kubaki binafsi).Lililo bayana ni kwamba Labour haikushindwa kwa vile ni chama kibaya au kimeboronga wakati wa utawala wake.Hapana.Tofauti kati ya hawa wenzetu na akina sie na CCM yetu ni kwamba haitoshi kuwa umefanya vizuri tu bali watu wanataka vizuri zaidi kama sio vizuri kabisa.Bahati mbaya kwa Labour ni mtikisiko wa uchumi wa dunia ambao kama ulivyoathiri sehemu nyingine ulimwenguni,umepelekea idadi kubwa tu ya Waingereza wakiwa hawana ajira sambamba na ugumu wa wastani wa hali ya maisha.Kwa lugha nyingine,hali hiyo ya uchumi (ambayo kimsingi haikusababishwa na Labour) imechangia chama hicho kuangushwa na wahafidhina.

Hadi dakika hii haijafahamika nani atakuwa Waziri Mkuu kutokana na kanuni na taratibu za uchaguzi za hapa.Tofauti na huko nyumbani ambapo wingi wa kura unatafsiri ushindi wa moja kwa moja kwa chama husika,kwa hapa ili chama kiweze kuunda serikali kinapaswa kushinda viti 326.

Nitachambua zaidi baadaye kuhusu uchaguzi huu na namna Watanzania wanavyopaswa kujifunza kwa ajili ya uchaguzi wetu hapo Oktoba mwaka huu.Ila kuna habari ya 'kuliwaza' inayokihusu chama cha kibaguzi cha BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY (BNP) ambapo mwenyekiti wake Nick Griffin ameshindwa kumuangusha mgombea wa Labour,Margaret Hodge, katika eneo la Barking lililopo mashariki mwa jiji la London.

Habari njema zaidi ni kwamba BNP imepoteza viti vyote 12 ilivyokuwa inashikilia kwenye manispaa ya Barking and Dagenham jijini London.Pengine hili linaweza kutafsiriwa kama tamko la Waingereza dhidi ya siasa za kibaguzi.BNP ilitumia suala la uhamiaji kama ajenda yake kuu kwenye uchaguzi huo lakini ni dhahiri kuwa matokeo hayo yatafikisha ujumbe kwao kuwa watu wenye akili timamu hawaafikiani na ushenzi wa wabaguzi hao.

Mengi,baadaye.Kwa sasa tusubiri matokeo ya majadiliano ya simu katika ya mgombea wa wahafidhina,David Cameron na kiongozi wa waliberali Nick Clegg yanayotarajiwa baadaye leo kuangalia uwezekano wa ushirikianio kati ya vyama hivyo.Wakiafikiana,Cameron atafanikiwa kuwa Waziri Mkuu.Lakini kama Clegg ataamua kushirikiana na Labour basi Gordon Brown ataendelea kushikilia wadhifa wake.

6 May 2010

Leo ni siku ya uchaguzi mkuu hapa Uingereza.Vituo vya kupiga kura vilifunguliwa mapema asubuhi na inatarajiwa kuwa matokeo ya uchaguzi huo yatakuwa ya 'kukabana koo' kati ya vyama vikuu vya Labour,Conservative na Liberal Democrats.Hadi usiku wa jana,kura za maoni zilikuwa zikionyesha kwamba chama cha Conservative kingevuna viti vingi lakini visivyotosha kuunda serikali ZAIDI SOMA HAPA.

5 May 2010

Je una ndoto za kupata shahada ya juu?Basi jaribu shahada ya uzamifu (doctorate) ya ndoto,jambo linalotarajiwa kuwa halisi nchini Saudi Arabia. 

Yusuph al-Harthy,Msaudia mahiri katika kutafsiri ndoto,ana mpango wa kuanzisha taasisi ya kitaaluma itakayotoa shahada ya kwanza na ya uzalimi,na hata shahada ya uzamifu (PhD) katika ndoto na maono,kwa mujibu wa gazeti la Al-Hayat.

"Kutafsiri ndoto ni kwa asili yake ni njia ya kutoa ushauri nasaha,alisema Harthy ambaye anaendesha tovuti ya kufundisha namna ya kukokotoa maana ya ndoto.Taasisi anayotarajia kuanzisha kitashirikiana na chuo kikuu kimoja cha Uarabuni ambacho bado hakijatajwa.

Dini ya Kiislam ina historia ndefu ya kutafsiri ndoto,huku mwananzuoni wa aliyezaliwa karne ya 7,Muhammad Ibn Sirin,mwenyeji wa Basra katika Iraki ya leo,akitambulika kwa mchango wake wa kuhariri daftari (catalogue) za tafsiri za ndoto.

Harthy,ambaye hujadili ndoto kwenye vituo vya radio na shoo za runinga,haafikiani na mtizamo wa Wizara ya Saudia inayoshughulikia masuala ya Uislamu kwamba tafsiri ya ndoto sio sayansi inayoweza kufundishwa bali ni jambo linalotokana na hamasa (inspiration).

Imetafsiriwa kutoka tovuti ya Shirika la Habari la AFP


Latest voting intention 4th May

Tue, 04/05/2010 - 20:00
by Anthony Wells
Our latest daily polling figures for The Sun (fieldwork 3rd - 4th May; sample size 1,461) are:
Conservative 35%
Labour 30%
Liberal Democrat 24%
Others 11%

SOURCE: YouGov

Marc-Anotine Fortune, outjumps Steven Smith to head Celtic in front
Rangers' Maurice Edu is felled by Celtic's Andreas Hinkel


The airspace over Scotland and Ireland was closed last night because of an ash cloud in the atmosphere. Some ascribed that to the outpourings of a certain Icelandic volcano.




Those present in the east end of Glasgow on Tuesday night know better. It came from the dying embers of the Scottish season as they flared into life with the final Old Firm derby of the campaign.

This collision incorporated enough oddities for a lively quiz, although not Mastermind. The two goalkeepers who started did not finish, Allan McGregor departing the scene after only five minutes with a medial ligament injury and Artur Boruc leaving seven minutes after the break nursing two broken fingers.

David Weir, the Rangers captain, having won the first accolades of his career at the age of 40, capped an eventful passage by colliding with McGregor at the incident which saw the keeper stretchered off. After a lengthy stoppage, play resumed with a free kick awarded to Celtic for a foul committed by Kevin Thomson on Aiden McGeady.

The script called for Lee Naylor to test Neil Alexander with some form of direct effort from 25 yards, but the twist in the plot was that the Celtic full back kept his kick low and the Rangers defenders jumped, creating the gap through which the ball sped past McGregor's replacement, helped on by a deflection off the most unfortunate Weir.

Celtic Park erupted as it has rarely done in this dismal season for the club and the players responded by controlling proceedings with a passion and guile that has also been largely absent.
Neither Celtic nor Rangers, of course, can be sure who will be in charge of them when the new season opens, but the word on the pavement has been that Neil Lennon would emerge as prime contender to raise his status from caretaker manager if he could emerge from this fixture with the Parkhead side's first derby victory of the campaign.However, just when he was entitled to believe that his men would usher their narrow lead into the interval, the contest flipped.

In another peculiarity of the evening, each side fielded a makeshift centre back. Rangers had withdrawn Lee McCulloch from midfield to make up for the absences of Madjid Bougherra and Danny Wilson, the usual partners for Weir at the heart of the Ibrox back line. Celtic, meanwhile, had drafted Mark Wilson to cover for Josh Thompson, who made up the numbers on the bench.
It was Celtic's sticking plaster that peeled off first as Steven Whittaker made ground on the right to hang a cross into the box, where Kenny Miller beat Wilson to the jump for a glanced header between Boruc and his right hand post.

The Rangers forward then tempted fate and a caution – although he escaped censure from the referee – by making towards the Celtic support while kissing his badge – but it was the home support who savoured the last laugh within seconds as their team restored its lead with an identical strike.

In this case the overlapping full back was Naylor, the man on the end of the cross was Marc Antoine Fortune and the full back asked but unable to do a centre half's job was Steven Smith. Half time was enlivened by a repeated announcement declaring that an emergency had arisen within the stadium and instructing spectators to leave the stadium in an orderly fashion.

Having spent much of the season staying away from the place because of disdain at the fare on offer, the Celtic fans responded loudly that they had no intention of heading for the exits when their team had reached such a propitious juncture, thus providing proof that Bill Shankly might have been on the mark when he uttered his famous dictum about football and life and death.

The second half was almost inevitably an anti climax after what had gone before but there was still a slice of notoriety to be prised from the proceedings and it came when Lee McCulloch, who had been cautioned earlier, acquired another yellow card for a somewhat soft foul on McGeady. Off he went, on came members of the backroom staff on both sides to break up a mêlée.

Honour was eventually satisfied, the imbroglio calmed down and Celtic were able to celebrate their first triumph over Rangers in 15 months. Enough to earn Lennon the job? That's another tale for another time.


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