A tribute to Late Rtn. Manubhai Devani

BUSINESS He joined the family business known as Keshavji Anandji & Company Limited in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, as a cashier and was appointed as in internal accountant the following year, in 1951. He was appointed Managing Directors in 1963. The company's business activities were the exports of produces, wholesale importation of hardware, building material and textiles. The business was established in 1890 by his grandfather. The business was principally Merchant Banking for some fifty years, accepting deposits, issuing overseas drafts and financing local business. He was also Managing Directors of General Merchandise (T) Ltd, which was established in 1956 until his retirement in 1996. In 1994 the Minister appointed him for Trade and Industry on the board of directors of the National Bicycle Corporation government owned company, which was managed by the Tata Company of India. He continued serving on the board until the company was privatised in 1997. He has a long involvement with the Dar Es Salaam Merchants' Chamber holding a number of key positions: Honorary Secretary from 1953 to 1958, Vice - President from 1959 to 1962, President from 1963 to 1993. The chamber holds its annual general meetings every year, when the president presents the previous years survey and during these deliberations all new office bearers are elected. The chambers membership comprises businessmen, traders, bankers, and industrialists. He has been an active member of the executive committee of the Tanganyika Association of Chamber of Commerce for over a decade and is also a founder member of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture. He served on its first council for two years. He is also a founder member of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation, which was founded in 1998. In 2000, in recognising his services, the Tanzania Chamber awarded him the TCCIA (Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture) certificate of distinguished service for the development of the private sector. GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICE He became a member of the Dar Es Salaam Municipal Council in 1956 and served as the chairman of the Parks and Open Spaces Committee in 1956, serving as the chairman of the Town Planning Committee in 1957. He also served as the chairman of the Town Planning Committee in 1957. He also served as chairman of the Highways and Works Committee in 1958. In 1959 he was elected Mayor of Dar es Salaam and served as chairman of full council. He was re-elected to the City Council as Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) sponsored candidate and was appointed as chairman of the Finance Committee in 1960 and 1961. He was appointed by then Prime Minister, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere, to serve on the Tanganyika Salaries Commission in 1961. The Commission had to review, revise and recommend a new salaries scale for the Civil Service of the newly independent country. The recommended scales were accepted and approved by parliament at the end of 1961. Prime Minister, Nyerere then appointed him to serve on the newly constituted bodies of the Civil Service Commission. He served on the Civil Service Commission for the implementation of the Tanganyika Salaries Commission's reports in 1962 and 1967. The main task of this body was to appoint, promote and Africanise the civil service. He also served on the Judicial Service Commission and Police Service Commission undertaking similar work. The then President of the Unite Republic of Tanzania, Al-Haj Ali Hassan Mwinyi appointed him to serve on the Presidential Banking Commission, under the chairmanship of the Governor of the Central Bank, The Bank of Tanzania. The task was to examine the country's financial institutions including the commercial banks and The Bank of Tanzania, and to recommend reforms to suit the changing economic situation within and outside the country. He chaired a committee within the Commission, dealing with commercial banks, including The Central Bank. It was the commission that recommended inviting back private commercial banks and liberalising financial institutions. He was appointed a member of the Board of the Tanganyika Broadcasting Corporation in 1962 and served until 1965 when the responsibility for broadcasting was handed over to a ministry. He was appointed on the Income Tax Appeals Committee in 1954. Becoming its chairman in 1966 and continued to serve until 1974 when Committee ceased to function as a result of the introduction of the new tax laws. COMMUNITY SERVICE In 1954 he was elected to the executive committee of the Asian Association, a political organisation of the Asian community in Tanganyika. He continued serving on the executive committee, being re-elected every year, and playing an active role. Apart from making representations to the mandated government on Asian political matters, this institution formulated a policy of supporting the movement for Independence by the Tanganyika African Union (TANU) and shared their political aspirations. The Asian Association formed a firm policy of not demanding any minority rights, considering the Asians to be an integral parts of the country's population, generations having made the country their home. As the time for independence drew closer, and as the association had similar political policies as TANU, which has already opened doors to the individual membership, it was decided to disband in the year 1960. At that time he was the Vice President of the Association. He was appointed a trustee of the Tanganyika Education Trust Fund in 1960 and continues to play an active part to this day. In 1961 he was inducted as a member of the Rotary Club of Dar Es Salaam and was elected Treasurer of the club in 1963-1964. Elected Director of Community Service in 1964-1965 and Senior Vice President in 1966-1967. He was elected the President of the club in 1967-1968, and continues being an active member of the club. He was elected chairman of the Lohana Youth League in 1954, continued working for the Youth League until it was turned into the Welfare Section under Shri Lohana Mahajan in 1962. He served management committee every year and continued being elected on to the committee annually until he was elected chairman of the Mahajan in 1982 and 1983. He served the Mahajan in the capacity of a Trustee for fifteen years until 1987. He played a part in reviewing the constitution and revising the Mahajan constitution twice in the course of twenty years. He has served the Lohana community in various capacities throughout his life. He was elected as a member of the management committee of the Hindu Mandal in 1953 and 1954. He was elected the Honorary Secretary of the Hindu Benevolent Society in 1954 and serves as a Trustee of the Hindu Mandal for three years from 1985. He was honorary secretary of the Tanganyika Swimming Club in 1954 and became its President 1955. He was also the chairman of Tusker Sports Club from 1966 to 1971. He has serves as chairman of the Dar es Salaam TANU District Building Fund Raising Committee to raise funds for its district headquarters in 1965. He has also served on many various community, fund raising and ad-hoc ministerial committees.