INTR.oOUCfION TO UTAFITI VOL. IV NO. I
The1fiain theme of lllis issue is transfer of technology. The subject of transfer oC
technology has recently been raised within the context of the New International
Economic Order as one of the aspects of development policy where the repl&;ement
of the present world economic' system is required. The significance of the theme.,oj
transfer of technology can be seen from the fact that it has received ,conside~hle
attention at a number of recent £:Qnferences ~e.g. tJNCtAD IV, ljNCfAD'V.
the ,Pugwash Conference).
     , Thc~le     byS. Wanpeltarta byreviewinlthcuuijoriswes riftn.nlfor orteclmo-
logy    in recent discussions. The Author then proceeds to dillCusssome issues andl
polities that may be necessary to build lip a strong technological base in developing
countries. The article places special emphasis on the-role of the engineering sector
in creating the technological base.
       The artiele by Professor Msangi and Dr. ChagulacriticaUy analyses some f1{
the problems-of developing science and technology iQTanza'irIL',Jnearticle tackles
problems of the development and ulitization of scientific manpo'Wer,in T-anzanili
bringing out the need to give indigenous prpfessionals the opportunity to prnctice
their trade' and develop through tackling challenging problems. The autbors"~ on
to argue that useful and applicable results of scientific researcha-nd tech~ogical
development should be applied to solve development problems. The authors in(iictlte
the problem oflack of coordination between research institutions in their programmes
and suggest that research be streamlined and coordinated:
       ~munge's article looks into the problems of science and techno\ogyin the: ,
 Construction industry in Tanzania. The question of research in tlie development of
 building materials for Tanzania is discussed and the author points out the ioade-
 :J.uat~system of disseminating research findings to the users, particularly to,the,rural
 are~.
       Ngila Mwase's article discusses tbe Japanese report on construction of th~,.
 prdposed Arusha -- Musoma railway line. Tbe author argues that tbe report largely
 falls short of providing an adequate basis tor decisions and brings out some of
 the important issues that are omitted in the report.
       In the next article Dr. Mensah traces the process and mechanics of monetary
 decolonization from the time when many African countries became politicall)
 independent up to 1977. It is indicated that although the monetary zones were frag-
 mented with no links with one another they were all linked directly with the metro-
1>olitanheadquarters. The author argues that the establishment of central banks
 initiated a modification of the monetary relations between the ex-colonies and ihe
metropoles. It is, how~ver, noted that the imperial powers have devised other means
of siphoning financihl resources from the ex-colonies. In fact the author observes
that the task of transformation is not complete as there is still a proliferation of
foreign monetary zones in Africa a situation made more complex by the emergence
{)fmany national monetary systems.


~UcnoN
     The next article discusses the politics of confrontation and indifference between
the USA and .Africa. In volume II No.2 ofthis iournal Prof. A. J. Temu, in hi!>
iethnic conSQio~snesswhich had deve10peG iJ1 Niaeria ",ell befQre the colo:ni~l era
represents the interests of a doiminant class and its foreIgn policy must facilitate
and be consistent with the fundamental need for investment and trade by US corpora-
tions. It was contended that the US is determined to facilitate investments in Africa
 and profits out of Africa. In the present issue Dr. Asante takes up these issues. and
argues that since the early 1940's American policy has been that of consistent in4i-
fference to major problems and aspirations of Africa consequently American poiicy
and prestige in Africa are drifting steadily downward. The author demonstrates
conflicts between the US and Afi::icaon issues of major interest to the latter and
that it is on the Southern African problem that current confrontation between the
 US and Africa is centred. It is contended by the author that the imoortance of racial
and cultural linkages as one of the determinants, o( ,US            attitudes ~s towards
the Southern African problem cannot be easily ignored.
     Dr. Ogunbadejo raises issues of conflict in Nigeria during 1960..66 a period
in which, acCording to the author, large sections of the country were virtually ex-
cluded from participation in the process of gover!1.ment. The author argues that
ethinic consciousness which had develped in Nigeria well before the colonial era
was accentuated by British Colonial policy and by the political system that grew
out of it. And that it is this sharpcningl3-nd institutionalization of ethnicity that
made the drift to instability and chaos much easier. All along the author demonstrates
th~interaction bet\Wen cploni~li8m, ethnicity and corruption in Nigerian politics.
     Wangwe in his book review of Stewart's Technology and underdevelo.ment
indicates thaphe book provides a clear and systematic presentation of the impact
of technology on the development patterns of developing countries. The book
brings out the close link between inco1ne levels, income distribution, th.eproduct-mix
and technological issues..
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