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Spirit of the Panther Community Bus Service
by Arusha Times Correspondent
"It's amazing that after all these years, the Spirit of the Black Panther
Party is still alive and kickin' in the middle of an East African Village"
said Mzee Pete O'Neal, founder of the United African Alliance Community Center
UAACC, at the official inauguration of the SPIRIT OF THE PANTHER COMMUNITY BUS
SERVICE on August 14, 2004 in Imbaseni Village.
Mzee Pete recalled that "the strength of the Black Panther party was in its
community service programs and the positive examples of self determination
that these programs set. UAACC in collaboration with the KUJI Foundation,
strive to ensure the continuing active promotion of the idea that with
solidarity, focus and determination many obstacles in life can be overcome."
This free community service, made possible through the combined efforts of
UAACC, the KUJI Foundation (founded by Geronimo ji Jaga) and UAACC volunteers,
recalls the numerous survival programs initiated by the Black Panther Party
back in the 1960's -70's for the upliftment of poor and oppressed people in
the black communities of America.
Past Black Panther Party community service programs that continue to
inform the present day activities at UAACC included free programs like
breakfast for school children; community health clinics; child
development centers; optometry programs; sickle cell disease and
venereal disease testing; drug/alcohol abuse awareness programs; legal
referral services; pest control, plumbing and maintenance programs;
free shoes programs and of course the free busing to prisons programs!
The new SPIRIT OF THE PANTHER Community busing service will not take
relatives to visit incarcerated loved ones, but it will
provide much needed transport for women going to market who heretofore
had to walk at least four miles to the Moshi/Arusha main road, carrying
heavy loads on their heads.
The vehicle, which will take passengers everyday (except Sunday) several
times a day to the tarmac main road where they can catch the numerous
privately owned mini buses going to Arusha or Moshi town, will also
serve as a village ambulance, taking seriously ill persons to nearby
dispensaries and clinics.
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