By Adonis Byemelwa
There is a moment, quiet, almost secret, that arrives when we finally reach for a book we’ve long ignored. It doesn’t announce itself or demand an audience. It simply sits there, waiting for us to slow down, to step out of the rush of screens and endless noise.
Opening it feels like an act of rebellion in a world addicted to speed. Yet within its pages lies a force that has shaped people and nations. It was evident as Tanzania closed the 32nd International Book Reading Exhibition, held from November 21 to 26 this year. The event became less about stalls and more about witnessing how books transform lives, communities, and futures.
When Dr. Mboni Ruzegea, the Director General of the Tanzania Library Services Board, officially brought the exhibition to an end, her tone carried both pride and urgency. To her, the strong participation from writers, publishers, educators, and readers was not just encouraging; it was proof that Tanzanians have not lost their appetite for stories, knowledge, and ideas.
What made this year’s exhibition feel different was the sense that it wasn’t merely showcasing books; it was capturing a turning point. The Director General reminded the audience that the book sector sits at the heart of cultural preservation, and this year’s displays illustrated that heritage with striking clarity.
From children huddled around picture books to university students digging deep into research titles, the event showed how reading cuts across generations. She highlighted something many observers forget: exhibitions like this one sustain the fragile bridge between public and private institutions responsible for protecting Tanzania’s intellectual inheritance. In an era when attention spans are shrinking, seeing this commitment felt like witnessing a collective decision to push back, to choose depth over distraction.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, represented through the Director General’s read statement, brought a renewed seriousness to that commitment. Stakeholders were assured that their concerns, from funding gaps to policy inconsistencies, had not only been heard but would be acted upon. The ministerial message emphasized efforts to modernise Tanzania’s national book policy, a move many in the industry have long awaited.
The government openly acknowledged shortcomings in the existing TLSB framework, especially in areas affecting the national reading culture. Hearing that admission spoken aloud felt significant. Policies rarely shift unless someone first admits what isn’t working, and this moment made it clear that change is both necessary and underway.
Still, policy alone doesn’t ignite readers; people do. And the exhibition celebrated those efforts in ways that warmed the halls. The Director General expressed deep gratitude to authors from Tanzania and beyond, people who pour their imagination and intellect into pages, knowing that not every book finds instant applause.
She thanked readers, too, the everyday champions whose quiet enthusiasm gives the industry its heartbeat. One could feel that appreciation in the energy of the closing day: school groups posing excitedly for photos, publishers exchanging final business cards, and writers chatting passionately with young readers who looked at them as if meeting superheroes.
Inclusivity stood out as another clear theme. The guest of honour praised publishers such as Mkuki na Nyota for embracing audiobooks designed for visually impaired readers and people with other disabilities.
This wasn’t just a technological innovation; it felt like a recognition of humanity itself. In a world where knowledge often hides behind barriers, ensuring access became one of the exhibition’s most meaningful victories.
UWAVITA claimed the Inclusivity Award, with EMD as the runner-up, while Tanzania Education Publishers received special honours for patriotic education books, a reminder that literature also plays a role in shaping national identity.
But perhaps the emotional peak of the afternoon came when celebrated author Richard Mabala stepped forward to acknowledge individuals whose behind-the-scenes work keeps the industry alive. His tribute to Hermes Damian, whom he affectionately called “Superman,” was met with laughter and applause.
The comparison was playful, yet the sentiment behind it was sincere. In the daily world, he looks ordinary, Mabala said, but in the realm of books, publishing, and empowering creators, Damian becomes something much larger. This slice of human warmth captured what made the exhibition feel more like a family reunion than a formal event: the sense that everyone present was part of a shared mission to give books a longer, louder life.
What lingered underneath the ceremony, however, was the deeper truth about why books matter. They move us not by force but by invitation. A single sentence can steady the mind in moments of grief or spark the courage to chase a difficult dream. Stories remind us, as Maya Angelou said, that we may face defeats without becoming defeated. Books mentor us in quiet ways, shaping how we think and how we lead.
This isn’t abstract philosophy; it’s reflected in the lives of people like Benjamin Franklin, Oprah Winfrey, Ben Carson, and Tony Robbins, who credit books for sharpening their ability to navigate struggle, reinvention, and leadership. Their journeys echo what unfolds every day in Tanzanian households where books quietly shift the trajectory of a child’s future.
Sacred texts amplify this influence even more. The Qur’an began as spoken revelation, its recitation stirring hearts long before it appeared on a page. The Bible’s timeless call to seek understanding rises from the same well of wisdom.
Both traditions insist that leadership grows from integrity, justice, and service, values shaped through reading and reflection. Ramadan or Sunday service may remind believers of these truths, but returning to the written words throughout the year allows them to sink deeper, to become lived rather than recited. As many Tanzanians know well, these texts offer companionship in life’s turning points, quietly guiding decisions and nurturing resilience.
This connection between reading and national development sits at the centre of Tanzania’s story. Mwalimu Julius Nyerere understood profoundly that ideas precede infrastructure. His belief that reading shapes citizens long before institutions do remain a guiding principle.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni once wrote, “From ideas discussed in the library, I found the seed of a revolution.” That statement carries weight across East Africa, but it resonates strongly in Tanzania, where libraries have long served as incubators of thought and imagination.
And Tanzanian-born scholar Prof. Joseph Mbele often reminds readers that books are “the lifeblood of civilization,” arguing that societies that invest in reading invest in their own future stability and creativity.
His point echoed softly through the hall, and it deepened even further when recalling the words of Prof. Mugyabuso Mulokozi, the emeritus University of Dar es Salaam scholar who has spent decades urging Tanzanians to read not just for school, but to truly understand their country.
He has often said that even the Constitution remains misunderstood by many simply because people rarely take time to read it with intention. As the exhibition ended, the awards, applause, and photographs were more than ceremonial. They reflected an industry determined not just to survive, but to lead.
Watching authors exchange smiles, publishers seal their final boxes, and readers hold tightly to newly bought books, one could sense something quietly profound: the recognition that books still have the power to reshape Tanzania’s tomorrow. And in a world overflowing with noise, that quiet power might be the nation’s most underestimated strength.
