Dkt. Slaa aanika hadharani mazungumzo na mipango ya CHADEMA na Samuel Sitta (Mb)

Iringa -- Siku moja baada ya Waziri wa Afrika Mashariki na Mbunge wa jimbo la Urambo Mashariki, Samuel Sitta kumrushia kombora mwenyekiti wa Taifa wa Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) Freeman Mbowe, katibu mkuu wa CHADEMA Dkt. Willbroad Slaa amemtuhumu Sitta na kumwita msaliti.

Dkt. Slaa amedai kuwa Sitta ndiye alikuwa katika makubaliano ya kuja kugombea Uspika kupitia CHADEMA ila alisaliti pamoja na kukubaliana vizuri kuwa angekihama chama chake CCM.

Dkt. Slaa alitoa tuhuma hizo leo (Ijumaa, Agosti 31, 2012) mjini Iringa alipozungumza na waandishi wa habari katika hoteli ya M.R alisema ilikuwa Mei mwaka 2010, Sitta alikutana na viongozi wa CHADEMA na kuonesha dhamira ya kujitoa CCM na kujiunga na chama chao.

Dkt. Slaa alisema Sitta ni mmoja wa waanzilishi wa chama cha CCJ katika nchi hii wakiwa na Waziri wa Uchukuzi wa sasa, Dkt. Harrison Mwakyembe kwa lengo la kuhama CCM na kwamba waliandika katiba inayofanana na ya CHADEMA wakiwa na dhamira ya kujaribu upinzani huku wakisema wakishindwa watajiunga na CHADEMA.

Alisema kuwa katika mazungumzo hayo yaliyoendelea kufanywa katika kipindi chote cha bunge la bajeti lililokuwa la mwisho kabla ya Uchaguzi Mkuu wa mwaka 2010, katika masharti yake ya kujiunga na CHADEMA, Sitta ambaye kwa wakati huo alikuwa Spika, alitaka apewe nafasi ya kuwania urais kupitia chama hicho na vikao vilikuwa vikifanyika ofisini kwake Dodoma.

Alisema ameamua kutoa siri hiyo baada ya Sitta kunukuliwa na baadhi ya vyombo vya habari juzi akidai kwamba Dkt. Slaa ndiye mtu pekee ndani ya CHADEMA ambaye ni tishio kwa Urais katika uchaguzi ujao, huku akimponda Mwenyekiti wa chama hicho, Freeman Mbowe kwamba ni mchezesha disco.

Alidai kushangazwa na Sitta kuanza kuzungumzia mambo ya watu badala yakujibu hoja. Dkt. Slaa akasema CHADEMA haipendi kuzungumza habari za watu bali maendeleo, "Kwa muda mrefu tumemhifadhi Sitta, lakini baada ya kupeleka mashambulizi sehemu isiyohusika sasa tunampiga ngumi za tumbo na uso" alisema Dkt. Slaa.

Dkt. Slaa akaendelea kusema kuwa, wakati akitaka aandaliwe mazingira ya kujiunga na CHADEMA na kupewa nafasi ya kuwania urais, Sitta alidai ana kundi la wabunge zaidi ya 55 waadilifu kutoka katika chama hicho ambao angetoka nao CCM na kuhamia CHADEMA kabla ya Bunge kuvunjwa.

Slaa akasema, kwa kuwa CHADEMA haina ubinafsi, ilihadi kuyafanyia kazi maombi yake ya kuwania Urais kwa uzito mkubwa, hata hivyo katika mazingira ya kushangaza, Sitta aliwatelekeza.

Dkt. Slaa alisema Sitta ambaye uzoefu wake katika siasa na umakini wake katika kushughulikia maendeleo ya nchi umeanza kuwatia shaka Watanzania, alisahau jinsi alivyowatelekeza kabla ya Uchaguzi Mkuu na baada ya uchaguzi huo akaja na hoja mpya kitaka CHADEMA wampe nafasi ya kuwania Uspika kwa kile alichodai kuwepo kwa mizengwe ndani ya CCM.

Dkt. Slaa akadai kuwa CCM walipobadili utaratibu na kumtaka mgombea Mwanamke yeye (Sitta) alichukizwa na suala hilo.

Lakini badala ya kufikia uamuzi wake wa kuhamia CHADEMA kama dhamira yake ilivyomtuma, Sitta aliwatelekeza tena akidai kwamba hatajiunga na chama hicho mpaka pale atakapokwenda jimboni kwake Urambo na kutangaza rasmi kujiondoa CCM.

Alisema Sitta aliyekuwa akitaka msaada wa viongozi wa CHADEMA ili afanikiwe kujiunga na chama hicho na hatimaye kupewa nafasi ya kuwania nyadhifa alizokuwa akitaka, ameanza kuwatusi hadharani viongozi hao akiwemo Menyekiti wake Mbowe.

Kwamba Mbowe ni mchezesha disco, Dkt. Slaa alisema kauli inayotolewa na Sitta inadhihirisha jinsi asivyo makini jambo linalowafanya waanze kuitilia shaka elimu na uzoefu alionao katika kuendesha shughuli za Serikali, “Sita anataka kutuambia kwamba watu wanaocheza disco wakiwemo Mawaziri wengi tu wanaokutwa kwenye kumbi za burudani wanatenda dhambi na ni uhalifu kufanya hivyo?” alihoji na kuendeleea, "...kama biashara ya Mbowe inafanywa kinyume na sheria za nchi, serikali inasubiri nini kufuta leseni yake?"

Kuhusu uongozi na namna ya kupata viongozi ndani ya chama hicho, Dkt. Slaa alisema sio kazi ya Sitta akuwapangia utaratibu,
“Sitta hajui kwamba duniani hakuna chuo cha kusomea Uwaziri, Ukatibu Mkuu na hajui kwamba Mwalimu Julius Nyerere hakuwa na uzoefu wakati akipewa madaraka ya kuongoza taifa hili na kwamba hata wasaidizi wake nao walipata uzoefu baada ya kupata madaraka,” alisema.

Alisema Sitta ni kiongozi mnafiki na atakumbukwa zaidi alipokuwa Spika wa Bunge la Jamuhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania kwa sababu kuna hoja mbalimbali zilizowasilishwa na Wabunge wa upinzani kuhusu ufisadi alizizima. Alitolea mfano wa Sitta kuzuia muswada uliopelekwa Bungeni na Mh. Zito Kabwe (Mb, Kigoma Kaskazini - CHADEMA) unaohusu Ufisadi katika Makampuni ya umma, wakamfukuza Mh. Zitto kutoka Bungeni kwa kipindi cha miezi sita na kisha kumrudisha kimyakimya.

Alisema kuzimwa kwa hoja hizo ikiwemo ya Mkataba uliogubikwa na utata wa Kampuni za Meremeta, Buzwagi, unadhihirisha jinsi naye alivyotumia madaraka yake vibaya kwa kujenga ofisi ndogo ya Spika ambayo yeye aliita ya mbunge jimbo kwake Urambo.

Alisema wakati Serikali imeridhia Ofisi za Wabunge zijengwe kwa kiasi cha fedha kisichozidi Shilingi Milioni 40 kwa kuzingatia upatikanaji wa fedha, ofisi hiyo ya Urambo ilijengwa kwa Shilingi Milioni 350, “Kauli zinazotolewa na Sitta kuhusu chama chetu zinadhihirisha jinsi alivyomnafiki na asivyofaa jambo lililosababisha hata CCM wamemnyima nafasi ya kuwania kugombea kwa mara nyingine tena nafasi ya Uspika,” alisema.
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Picha na sehemu kubwa ya taarifa via Francis Godwin, FrancisGodwin blog.

Mufindi Community Bank - MuCoBa- Mwaliko Wa Mkutano

Mufindi Community Bank - MuCoBa- Mwaliko Wa Mkutano

 

Mwenyekiti wa Bodi ya Wakurugenzi ya Benki ya Wananchi Mufindi (MuCoBa) ndugu Attilio Mohele, anayofuraha kukualika kwenye mkutano unaohusu

“Kuimarisha uchumi wa wilaya ya Mufindi na maeneo jirani kupiti a MuCoBa ikiwa ni pamoja na uwekezezaji kwa kununua hisa” utakaofanyika siku ya:

Jumapili tarehe 02 Septemba 2012,

katika ukumb iwa Holland, Msimbazi Center, 

saa 9:30 jioni

Wotemnakaribishwa!

Kwa mawasiliano zaidi:

 AttilioMohele, MwenyekitiwaBodi, MuCoBa - 0754 558824

 Danny Mpogole, MenejaMkuu, MuCoBa - 0753 368343

 Ben Mahenge, MenejawaFedha, MuCoBa - 0754 484234

 DeogratiusModaha, MenejawaMikopo,MuCoBa – 0752 244662

*********************************

Benki ya Wananchi Mufindi (Mufindi Community Bank - MuCoBa)

TAKWIMU ZA MAENDELEO YA BENKI MWAKA 2008 HADI 2011

Na. Maelezo 2008 2009 2010 2011

1 IdadiyawawekajiwaAkiba/Number of Savers/Depositors 14,500, 159,95 1,910.0 23,500

2 JumlayaAkibazawateja /Total value of Deposits/Savings (Mil. Tshs) 2,960 3,656 4,963 6,000

3 IdadiyaWakopaji/Number of existing Borrowers 5,215 3,168 3,912 4,500

4 ThamaniyaMikopoiliyotolewa/Value of Disbursed Loans (Mil. Tshs) 2,619 3,985 5,856 7,445

5 ThamaniyaMikopoiliyopo/Value of Outstanding Loans (Mil. Tshs) 2,510 2,643 3,906 4,900

6 Jumla ya Rasilimali zabenki / Total Assets (Mil. Tshs) 4,296 4,844 6,771 7,708

7 Faida Kabla ya Kodi/Profit Before Tax (Mil. Tshs) 187 174 178 228

8 Mtaji uliolipiwa na Wanahisa /Paid Up Share Capital (Mil. Tshs) 201 284 367 443

9 Jumla ya Mtaji /Total Capital (Mil. Tshs 655 778 888 954

10 Jumla ya Gawio lililolipwa/Total Dividend paid (Mil. Tshs) 22 28 40 44

11 Sehemu ya Gawiokwa Hisa/Dividend Per Share* 40 55 55 50

NB: Beiya Hisa mojani TShs. 500/-

Magazeti Leo Ijumaa

Magazeti Leo Ijumaa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiketi Precision kwa M-Pesa

Patricia Kimelemeta KAMPUNI ya Ndege ya Precision air imeingia ubia na Kampuni ya Vodacom ili kuwawezesha abiria kuanza kununua tiketi za ndege za shirika hilo kwa kutumia M-Pesa. Akizungumza na waandisi wa habari jijini Dar es Salaam jana, Mkuu wa Kitengo cha Huduma za Kifedha cha Vodacom Tanzania, Innocent Ephraim, alisema kuwa ushirikiano huo ni mwendelezo wa uboreshaji wa huduma kwa wateja wao, jambo ambalo linaweza kuwasaidia kupata wateja zaidi. “Mteja atakayekata tiketi kwa kutumia njia ya M-Pesa, fedha zake zitakuwa salama, kwa sababu mteja ataweza kuweka na kutoa fedha zake bila ya matatizo yoyote, jambo ambalo litaweza kurahisisha shughuli zake,” alisema Ephraem. Aliongeza ushirikiano huo utaweza kutoa njia mbadala ya malipo ya tiketi kwa muda mfupi na haraka,  lengo ni kuleta mapinduzi katika huduma mbalimbali za kifedha tangu kuanzishwa kwake miaka minne iliyopita. Naye Mkurugenzi wa Kitengo cha Biashara cha Precision Air, Patrick Ndekana alisema kuwa makubaliano hayo ni sehemu ya mkakati wa kuboresha huduma za usafiri kwa wananchi. Alisema kutokana na hali hiyo wateja wa Vodacom kupitia huduma ya M-Pesa watawasiliana na kitengo cha huduma kwa wateja cha kampuni ya Precision Air ili waweze kununua tiketi hizo bila ya kufika kwenye ofisi zao, jambo ambalo linaweza kuwarahisishia upatikanaji wa tiketi hizo. “Tumeingia ubia na Vodacom kwa ajili ya kununua tiketi za ndege kwenye mtandao wao, jambo ambalo tunaamini linaweza kurahisisha huduma za mawasiliano na kwamba wateja wenye haraka wataweza kupatiwa namba za tiketi zao kupitia simu zao za mikononi,” alisema Ndekana. Aliongeza kutokana na hali hiyo anaamini kuwa, wateja wenye haraka ambao wanahitaji kusafiri huku wakiwa na muda mfupi watapata tiketi zao hata kama wanaishi kwenye maeneo ya mbali. Alisema mpaka sasa kampuni hiyo ina wateja zaidi ya 900,000 ndani na nje ya nchi, hii inatokana na huduma bora ambazo zimesaidia wananchi wengi kutumia usafiri wa anga wa kampuni yao. Alisema mkakati uliopo ni kuhakikisha kuwa, wanawafikia wateja wengi zaidi kwa kipindi kifupi ili waweze kuboresha utendaji wa shughuli zao, jambo ambalo litawasaidia kuongeza mapato.

UEFA Champions League 2012 - 2013 groups and  Iniesta is the best player in Europe

UEFA revealed this year's full Champions League group stage with Group D emerging as the clear Group of Death in the road to Wembley Stadium for the 2013 UEFA Champions League final. Here are the groups per the UEFA.com  website:

 

 

 

Source: http://www.wavuti.com/#ixzz255xkmTqX

Andrés Iniesta: Winner of 2011/12 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award

UEFA.com  --  The FC Barcelona and Spain midfielder who helped Spain defend their UEFA European Championship title this summer, finished ahead of club-mate Lionel Messi, last year's inaugural winner, and Real Madrid CF's Cristiano Ronaldo in a poll of sports journalists representing each of UEFA's member national associations.

Iniesta collected his prize following the UEFA Champions League group stage draw at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

The 28-year-old was in inspired form for Spain at UEFA EURO 2012: he was named Best Player of the Tournament after starting all six games on the left of a front three and was also included in the Team of the Tournament. Iniesta also broke Emilio Butragueño's record of 50 Liga matches without defeat last term. He finally ended up on the losing side in game 56 when Real Madrid CF triumphed 1-0 at the Camp Nou in April.

How the journalists voted:

1  Andrés Iniesta (ESP) – FC Barcelona (19 votes)
2  Lionel Messi (ARG) – FC Barcelona (17 votes)
    Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) – Real Madrid CF (17 votes)

The UEFA Best Player in Europe Award was born out of an initiative by UEFA President Michel Platini and has the intention of reviving the spirit of the old European Footballer of the Year award. For the vote, players were judged by their performances during the 2011/12 campaign in all competitions, both domestic and international, and at club and national team levels.

Andrés Iniesta (photo: UEFA.com)

BENKI YA CRDB YAFUNGUA TAWI JIPYA TABATA

BENKI YA CRDB YAFUNGUA TAWI JIPYA TABATA

 

 Tawi jipya la Benki ya CRDB Tabata jijini Dar es Salaam

 

 

Meneja wa tawi la CRDB Tabata, Hawa Sasya akiwa Ofisini 

Meneja wa Biashara za Kibenki, Burtony Mbogella 

 

 Ofisa wa Benki ya CRDB tawi la Tabata, Angel Kissanga akimuhudumia mteja

 

 Meneja wa tawi la CRDB Tabata (wa tatu kushoto) akitoa maelekezo ya huduma  mbalimbali za kibenki kwa baadhi ya wateja waliofika katika tawi hilo

 

 

 Baadhi ya wateja wakipata huduma katika tawi la benki ya CRDB Tabata

 

 

 

Ofisa wa Benki ya CRDB tawi la Tabata, Angel Kissanga akiwa kazini 

  

Na Mwandishi Wetu 

BENKI ya CRDB, imeamua kuwafikia Wakazi wa Tabata kwa kufungua tawi jipya eneo la Tabata Megengeni jijini Dar es Salaam ambapo takribani wateja 300 hupata huduma kutoka katika tawi hilo kwa siku. 

  Tawi hilo limeshaanza kufanyakazi tangu Julai 2 mwaka huu, ambapo limeonekana kuwa ni msaada mkubwa kwa wakazi wa Tabata na maeneo ya jirani. 

 Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari jijini Dar es Salaam, Meneja wa tawi hilo, Hawa Sasya amesema kuwa wateja wa Tabata na maeneo ya jirani sasa wanaweza kupata huduma za kibenki katika tawi hilo. 

 Alifafanua kwamba, tangu kuanzishwa kwake tawi limekuwa ni mkombozi kwa wateja mbalimbali wakiwemo wafanyabiashara wakubwa na wadogo na Makanisa, Misikiti na watu mbalimbali. 

  “Tawi lipo karibu na Kanisa la Kristo Mfalme, Tabata Magengeni, ambapo linatoa huduma mbalimbali zikiwemo za; Mashine ya kutoa na kuweka fedha (ATM) ambayo hufanyakazi kwa muda wa saa 24”alisema 

  Alitaja huduma zingine kuwa ni pamoja na TemboCardVisa, Akaunti ya Hundi na ya watoto inayojulikana kama Junior Account pamoja na Akaunti ya Akiba. 

  Hata hivyo aliongeza kuwa, tawi hilo litakuwa likitoa Akaunti ya Tanzanite, na huduma za mikopo mbalimbali na huduma za bima. 

  Alisema kuwa tangu kuanzishwa kwake tawi limekuwa likitoa huduma ya kibenki kwa kutumia Simu ya mkononi (SimBanking), pamoja na Akaunti ya Wanafunzi ambayo inafahamika kama Scholar Account. 

  Meneja huyo aliwataka Wananchi na wateja wapya kutumia tawi hilo pekee katika eneo la Tabata ili kupata huduma za kibenki badala ya kutembea umbali mrefu kufuata huduma hizo kwenye matawi yaliyombali.

Real Madrid 2 Barcelona 1

Real Madrid secured their first Spanish Super Cup since 2008 on away goals after a narrow victory over arch rivals Barcelona in Wednesday's second leg at the Bernabeu.

The hosts had failed to win in their last seven home meetings with Barca but went about ending that record early on with goals in the first 20 minutes from Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Trophy hunters: Pepe (L) and Cristiano Ronaldo

Super kings: Real Madrid celebrate

Real deal: Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates victory

The visitors were then reduced to 10 men as Adriano was shown a straight red card for denying Ronaldo a clear goalscoring opportunity, but they regained their composure and were brought back into the game by a stunning free-kick from Lionel Messi just before half-time.

Chances continued to come at both ends after the break but Real failed to make their man advantage count and were nearly made to pay as Messi shot just inches wide deep into stoppage time.

Real had failed to win any of their previous three games this season but they did not seem like a side lacking in confidence as they stormed out of the traps early on.

Sharp shooter: Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain scores the opening goal

Higuain should have opened the scoring on seven minutes when his low effort across Victor Valdes was well blocked by the keeper, but the Argentinian was gifted his goal only two minutes later by compatriot Javier Mascherano as the Barca defender misjudged a long ball forward from Pepe and allowed Higuain to run through and this time finish low beyond Valdes.

And it was two just nine minutes later as Ronaldo pounced on an error this time by Gerard Pique. The Portuguese brilliantly back-flicked the ball into his path and, despite a poor second touch, his powerful shot rebounded in off Valdes' body.

The chances continued to come for Real as Valdes again denied Higuain from a narrow angle before Pepe had a header controversially ruled out for a push on Mascherano.

Hit man: Cristiano Ronaldo scores Real's second goal

Part of Barca's disorganisation at the back could possibly be put down to a late change in the starting line-up as the injured Dani Alves had to be replaced by Jordi Alba with Adriano moving to right-back, and the Brazilian's torrid evening only lasted 27 minutes as he hauled down Ronaldo when he seemed set to break free on Valdes once more.

After another unsettling five-minute period for the Catalans, new coach Tito Vilanova eventually introduced Martin Montoya for Alexis Sanchez and a return to four at the back seemed to offer the visitors some comfort as they began to make an impression on the game.

Montoya was inches away from converting a vicious low cross from Andres Iniesta before Messi did eventually halve the deficit moments before the interval with an incredible swerving free-kick from 30 yards.

Ronaldo nearly responded with a long-range effort himself that flew just past and Angel Di Maria also shot narrowly wide as Madrid ended the half threatening a third.

Who else? Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores with a freekick

However, at the start of the second period, it was Barca's tiki-taka that began to dictate play as the pace of the game dropped markedly.

Pedro very nearly scored a carbon copy of his goal in the first leg as Mascherano's perfectly weighted pass saw him through on goal but his prodded finish did not have enough power to get through Iker Casillas' legs and the Spain captain collected at the second attempt.

Sami Khedira then nearly restored Real's two-goal cushion but was denied by another fine Valdes save at the end of a brilliant run.

Hand off: Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho and Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova

Barca remained dangerous, though, and another brilliant piece of play from Messi released Alba through on goal, but he just over-ran the ball as he rounded Casillas and was eventually crowded out.

Higuain should have given Real breathing space with 11 minutes remaining but he hit the outside of the post with only Valdes to beat and that miss nearly cost his side as Barca came desperately close to equalising in stoppage time.

Firstly, Montoya was denied by a solid save from Casillas before Messi seemed destined to hand Barca the cup as he found space on his favoured left side just outside the area but the ball slipped just wide and Real clung on for their first Super Cup title in four years.

London 2012 welcomes the Paralympics back home:

Just before 11pm last night and after a long, damp (and very cold) wait, Team GB's 300 paralympians finally marched (and rolled, in Union Jack wheelchairs) out into the Olympic Stadium to David Bowie's Heroes.

Almost every one of the 62,000-strong audience was on their feet. Boris Johnson was clapping like a maniac. Half the Royal Box was up clapping and beaming and jigging about. 

Princess Anne may or may not have been weeping behind a pair of very strange sunglasses. Tickertape was raining down and eyes were brimming and hearts swelling painfully - even in the press seats.

Bringing the house down: A kaleidoscope of colour lights up the night sky at the climax of a stunning Paralympics Opening Ceremony at the Olympic stadium

Flames to mark the Games: As it did to such effect during the Olympics Opening Ceremony, the cauldron's petals rise up to form the Paralympic flame

Show-stopper: David Toole, who taught himself to dance on his hands after losing both his legs when he was 18 months old, performs a graceful display on a zip wire

Peter (the 'Quadfather') Norfolk is our flag bearer. Peter, 52, is a wheelchair tennis champion who was left a paraplegic after a motorbike accident aged 19 and, since his right shoulder gave up the ghost too, 20 years later, has been classed as a quadriplegic. He competes with a tennis racket taped to his hand and has world records coming out of his ears.

He can't stop smiling. Neither can any of the rest of Team GB.

Even before Peter and co finally strode out for their lap of honour, last night was already an evening overflowing with tears, emotions, smashed records - and apples.

Fantastic finale: Spotlights fill the stadium as a large scale reproduction of Marc Quinn's celebrated sculpture of pregnant disabled woman Alison Lapper takes centre stage (left) while the cauldron burns bright (right)

Extraordinary: The night of celebration and a journey through science ended with all 3,250 volunteer performers together for the grand finale where singers Beverley Knight, Lizzie Emeh and Caroline Parker belted out I Am What I Am

Incredible: Artistic director Bradley Hemmings said the ceremony was 'extremely spectacular and like nothing you have seen in previous ceremonies'

DURY'S BANNED SONG REBORN

It is a song the BBC once deemed too offensive to play on the radio or television.

But last night disabled punk rocker Ian Dury’s most controversial song, Spasticus Autisticus, took centre stage at the Paralympic opening ceremony – and was heard by an estimated worldwide TV audience of more than one billion.

Written in 1981 for the International Year of the Disabled, the song was a cross between a battle cry and an appeal for understanding for those with disabilities.

Its title was deliberately provocative – the word Spastic, a name for sufferers of cerebral palsy, was becoming taboo in Britain because of its use as a derogatory term.

The song contains the line: ‘Hello to you out there in normal land. You may not comprehend my tale or understand.’ At the time the BBC deemed the song to be offensive and denied it airplay.

Dury, a London bus driver’s son who died in 2000, was himself disabled from polio.

Also performing at the ceremony was Beverley Knight, who sang the iconic number I Am What I Am from the musical La Cage Aux Folles.

A billion people from all around the world had tuned in. 

A record 4,200 paralympians from 166 nations were taking part. More than 2.4 million tickets had been already been sold. 

A 430-strong deaf choir had sung God Save the Queen.

And it was surely the first time an Olympic audience had been coached not only in the basics of sign language so we could all join in with Beverley Knight's 'I am what I am' finale, but also how to take part in 'the world's biggest ever apple crunch' - 62,000 people biting into 62,000 Royal Gala apples simultaneously to tie in with an extraordinary sequence involving Sir Isaac Newton's law of gravity, dozens of wheelbarrows and a sea of giant inflatable apples that would naughtily defy gravity and float up through the stadium.

The Paralympics Opening Ceremony was never going to be run of the mill. 

Last night, the Olympic stadium had been transformed for the third time in just over a month.

Gone was Danny Boyle's green and pleasant land, Glastonbury Tor, the dizzying smokestacks of the industrial revolution, the sheep, geese, Captain Hook, JK Rowling and the luminescent hospital beds.

In their place is a giant umbrella covering a pile of giant books, four smaller umbrellas hanging from the sky, a 'moon' stage with dominated by a huge, glowing ball of light, a web of cables and riggings overhead and row upon row of blue plastic chairs and an awful lot of apples.

But yet again, Shakespeare's The Tempest was woven though the narrative, this time with Sir Ian McKellan popping up as Prospero, a disabled actress called Nicola Miles-Wildin playing Miranda and Professor Stephen Hawking (billed as 'the most famous disabled person alive') encouraging Miranda to 'be curious'.

Once again, the Queen is here, in gold and silver brocade splendour. Sadly she didn't parachute in, skirts fluttering in the breeze, with James Bond at her side. 

But she's here nonetheless (albeit with a face like thunder), ready to put Prince Philip's recent illness and Prince Harry's strip billiards nudity behind her to enjoy another late, damp and very chilly night in Stratford.

Hot stuff: Ziya Azazi dances among flames during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympics

Hotting up: With huge demand for tickets, the Paralympics are, like the Olympics, expected to be one of the most successful Games ever

World's greatest scientist: Stephen Hawking takes centre stage at the launch of the Olympics Opening Ceremony in the Olympic stadium in front of a billion viewers

Stunning: Hundreds of performers holding umbrellas form a ring around the middle of the Olympic Stadium as the ceremony gets into full swing

Crunch time: A wheelchair-bound artist rides atop a giant apple, which became a central theme of the show in reference to the moment Sir Isaac Newton formulated the theory of gravity after an apple fell on his head

Fitting props: Performers fly in with umbrellas at the start of the opening ceremony on what turned out to be a rather damp day in London

This time it's all a bit more dignified. She simply walked in, accompanied by the President of the International Paralympic Committee, Sir Philip Craven and a wonderfully gentle Benjamin Britten arrangement of the national anthem sung by the deaf choir.

Festivities kick off with a flyby by Dave Rawling, a disabled pilot taught by Aerobility (a British charity that trains disabled people to become pilots) whose plane is a Health & Safety officer's nightmare of spitting fireworks and bright blue LED lights.

Suddenly everything goes quiet and there's Professor Stephen Hawking, sitting in his wheelchair on the Moon Stage saying something we can't quite hear followed by a 'big bang' as a glowing celestial sphere descends into the huge umbrella and ignites thousands of fireworks and jump-starts 600 umbrella-toting dancers (including some in wheelchairs) and a brilliant aerial dance by dancers suspended from giant umbrellas. Umbrellas are a recurring theme tonight - no bad thing given how damp it is.

But the biggest difference is the theme. While the opening ceremony for the Olympics was all about Britain and what makes us so great - the Industrial Revolution, the NHS, but nothing pre-Victorian - this is quite the opposite.

Last night it was all about the Age of Enlightenment - the extraordinary period of intellectual revolution that took place between 1550 and 1720.

Tremendous pride: The Queen praised the 'uplifting spirit' of the Paralympic Games tonight as she officially declared the Games open

Royal approval: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge look on as they take their positions for the start of the opening ceremony

Majestic audience: The Queen is greeted with a round of applause as she arrives in the stadium, flanked by Prince Edward, for the event

A right royal knees-up: Members of the Royal family are joined by Prime Minister David Cameron (centre), London Mayor Boris Johnson (second right) and London 2012 chief Lord Coe (fourth left)

Enjoying the atmosphere: This picture of David Cameron and wife Samantha was posted on Number 10's Twitter feed during the ceremony

WAS IT A LITTLE BIT TOO LOUD HER MAJESTY? 

After a jam-packed summer of noisy concerts and celebrations, it’s little wonder she needs them. 

Although she gamely braved the damp conditions and crowds last night, the Queen was careful to dim the volume – and protect her hearing – by wearing earplugs during the opening ceremony.

The conspicuous bright pink foam  protectors remained fitted snugly into Her Majesty’s ears throughout the ear-splitting show.

The earplugs are one of the tactics the 86-year-old monarch uses to cope with loud public events. 

She also wore them during  the deafening Jubilee celebration concert featuring Sir Elton John, Kylie Minogue and Jessie J.

So in comes Newton's apple, a pulsating ball of energy supposed to represent the Higgs particle and a giant revolving book containing The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all seemingly powered by wheelchairs. 

They are welcomed by an army in black carrying what looks like huge feathery discs over their right shoulders and men waving about on the top of four-metre bendy poles.

As executive producer Stephen Daldrey insisted earlier, this show is 'Not about England. This is not about Britain. This about challenging perceptions. 

There is no nationalistic brief to this show.' There is though plenty of thumping music. 

And flashing lights. And an awful lot of bright blue LED headbands bobbing about on dancing volunteers.

The budget for tonight's ceremony is a fraction of the £27 million Danny Boyle had for the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

In yesterday's final pre-show press conference, nobody was keen to say exactly quite how little. 

Though co-artistic director Jenny Sealey (who is deaf herself) referred to it as a 'very prudent budget - you always want more, but we've don't a good job with what we've got'.

There may be more than 3,000 adult volunteers, 100 child volunteers, and 100 professionals, (including 73 deaf and disabled professional artists and 68 volunteers) who have spent about 85 hours each rehearsing at 106 rehearsals, but it's not a patch on Boyle's epic Isles of Wonder when it comes to epic entertainment. How could it be? It is though fun and jolly (if very cold) and then just as things are revving up, it's time for the Parade of the Athletes.

Torch of class: Paralympian Margaret Maughan lights The Paralympic Cauldron, which is made up of more than 200 petals, 166 of which bear the names of the competing nations

Legend: Margaret Maughan, who won an archery gold at the first Paralympics in 1960, lights the cauldron

Head for heights: Former Royal Marine Joe Townsend, whose legs were blown off by an IED in Afghanistan, carried the Paralympic Flame into the stadium on a zip wire from the top of the neighbouring 377ft (115m) high ArcelorMittal Orbit tower

We salute you: Mr Townsend is lowered through the air carrying the Olympic flame before passing it on to five-a-side footballer David Clarke, who helped teach David Beckham how to play blind football

'Icon of an inclusive city': A 43ft-tall remake of Marc Quinn's famous marble portrait of disabled artist Alison Lapper while she was heavily pregnant was also unveiled. The sculpture graced Trafalgar Square's fourth plinth in London in 2005

Tribute to Newton: More than 40 inflatable apples float around the stadium as the audience were asked to bite down on 62,046 apples which had been handed out to them as they entered the stadium

Not at the end of the celebrations, as is traditional for Olympic opening ceremonies so that TV audiences around the world can nip off to bed and not miss much other than the lighting of the flame, but right near the beginning - so the athletes can pull up a blue plastic chair pew on the running track and watch in awe.

Which on paper sounded frustrating and daft - why on earth carve up the show like this? But as we chunter on about timings and deadlines and how everyone will lose interest during the 90 minutes plus it takes to get all the athletes on stage, it starts. 

And everything changes. Because what a parade it is - the wheelchairs, the prosthetic legs, the walking sticks, the grimacing in pain, the missing limbs, the party hats, the dancing, the burning pride, the grinning ear to ear and the amazing dresses worn by each team's very glamorous umbrella carrier.

Poignant: Blind soprano Denise Leigh sings the tribute song 'Spirit in Motion' as several Paralympians took flight in an elegant aerial display 

World in union: A giant umbrella featuring a map of the globe opens at as performers take to the stage for a literary-themed segment of the show

Lighting up the world: Fireworks explode into the night sky above the Olympic Stadium at the mid-point of the ceremony

Hope for so many: The Paralympics was born at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire thanks to the work of neurosurgeon Sir Ludwig Guttmann, who started the first competitions between disabled patients

It's a far jollier and happier parade than at the Olympic ceremony - though funnily enough everyone around me suddenly seems to be in tears. 

And no one's remotely bothered that we'll have to wait an hour and a half until Lord Coe can make his millionth triumphant speech of the 2012 Games, and the show proper can (finally) continue with the arrival of the golden wheelchairs, a giant whale whose skin is created by LED lights and the biggest apple crunch in the world.

Mexico wins my prize for most colourful outfit - a vision of staggering bright ponchos and huge floppy sombreros. Germany comes last - with men and women in nasty nylon-looking outfits of baby blue and sicky pink respectively.

On and on (and on) it goes until we're all completely drained.

What we've all been waiting for: Paralympic GB, led by wheelchair tennis player Peter Norfolk, whip the crowds into a frenzy as they are the last team to join the parade

Can they do it? Great Britain have high hopes for a record medal haul this year just as Team GB accomplished two weeks earlier

The eyes of the world watch on: Spectators catch the action on a giant screen in London's Trafalgar Square

Up for it: Wheelchair Rugby player Garrett Hickling carries the flag for Canada as the teams parade into the stadium

Taking it all in: Members of the Chinese team, who will hoping for another strong showing in this year's Games, savour the moment as they enter the stadium

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It's a long wait until Team GB, but nothing can prepare you for the raw emotion of seeing so many extraordinary heroes and heroines looking so very happy.

But finally they're in and seated, blind soprano Denise Leigh calms us all down with the athlete tribute song, 'Spirit in Motion', Lord Coe gives his speech (translated on the big screens with a sign language expert) and the Queen officially opens the games.

Next, after an amazing aerial dance of paralymics in golden wheelchairs, a 'navigation' segment with the giant whale, a beautiful ballad sung by a 16-year-old singer song writer called Birdy, a breathtaking aerial ballet led by double amputee dancer David Toole.

Star of show: After an amazing aerial dance of paralymics in golden wheelchairs, a 'navigation' segment with the giant whale, a beautiful ballad sung by a 16-year-old singer song writer called Birdy, a breathtaking aerial ballet was led by double amputee dancer David Toole

High-flyer: Six paralympians and former competitors, including the legendary Tanni Grey-Thompson (pictured) were flown into the stadium in gold wheelchairs

Vibrant colours: A pile of giant books, umbrellas hanging from the sky, a 'moon' stage, a web of cables and row upon row of blue plastic chairs featured in the show

Great expectations: The rising interest in the Games has been reflected in ticket sales, a record 2.4 million of the available 2.5 million have been sold so far

Biggest ever: The Games will host the highest number of athletes since their official birth in 1960 at the Rome Games, with 4,280 athletes representing over 160 nations compared to 400 participants from 23 countries in the Italian capital

Reaching for the stars: Disabled actress Nicola Miles-Wildin swapped village hall audiences for the world last night when the 34-year-old made a spectacular appearance at the opening ceremony, performing to millions as Miranda from The Tempest

A very British institution: Umbrellas made a regular appearance in the show and, fittingly, it had rained for most of the day in London

Fun and games: Performers donned an array of colourful outfits to help light up the stadium

Global event: A sphere descends into the stadium past the floodlights as the celebrations get into full flow

Moneywise: The budget for the ceremony was a fraction of the £27million Danny Boyle had for the Olympics opening ceremony, but it was not revealed how much

Celebrating brilliance: A host of deaf and disabled artists, local children and performers, all newly trained in circus skills, featured in the show

No rain on this parade: A giant umbrella hovers over a giant dome as hundreds of performers are lit up below

Followed by a visit to Sir Isaac Newton's garden, which is awash with wheelbarrows, big apples, little apples, giant inflatable apples, and finally, the world's biggest simulataneous apple crunch.

'Ladies and gentlemen, please get your apples ready - three, two, one and ... bite!' 

There's a massive crunch and very tasty they are, even at 11.40pm. Royal Galas and British too, we were assured earlier today, though no one on the organising committee could remember quite where they came from, other than Sainsbury's.

Suddenly the apples have gone and we're off to the 21st century to visit the Large Hadron Collider and the Higgs particle.

Lighting up the Games: Professor Hawking leads the spectators on a voyage through the universe as he proves the star turn at the opening ceremony

Voyage of discovery: The exploits of man's adventures to the moon featured in the opening ceremony as the audience were guided through the wonders of the cosmos by Stephen Hawking

Blaze of glory: An aircraft trails fireworks to herald the start the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympics

Neither of which seem immediately relevant from where I'm sitting, but I'm assured it's all about 'colliding ideas and transforming perceptions'.

By far the best bits are the sections featuring disabled performers. The aerial ballet on a 35-metre-high rig is brilliant. Some performers have one leg, some none - many are soldiers retrained in high-wire skills. A double amputee in an ornate headdress is balancing on the top of a four-metre bendy pole.

An Empowerment segment sees lots of people jumping about in 'celebratory anarchy' to Ian Dury's Spasticus Autisticus around a huge version of Marc Quinn's Alison Lapper pregnant.

Sneak preview: A glimpse inside the Olympic Stadium as preparations are made for the opening ceremony in front of more than a billion viewers across the globe

Buzz of anticipation: Spectators fill the Olympic Stadium in readiness for the spectacular opening ceremony to the London Paralympic Games

Ready to party: Spectators make their way into the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the London Paralympic Games 2012

Spectacular: The opening ceremony, signalling the start of 11 days of competition by nearly 4,300 athletes from 166 countries, will be opened with a flypast by Aerobility, a charity that trains disabled people to become pilots

Expectation: Spectators, including physiotherapists from the National Spinal Injuries Centre prepare to enter the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony

Finally, the the cauldron is lit by Margaret Maughan (winner of a gold medal in Rome 1960 and Beverley Knight belts out 'I am what I am' accompanied by a firework extravaganza, a wildly dancing Sir Ian McKellan and 62,000 people spelling out 'I am somebody, I am what I am' (or something vaguely similar) in sign language.

But funnily enough, none of that seems to matter so much. 

Because while the show is enthusiastic and original and full of joy, particularly on a teeny budget, let's face it, tonight is all about the athletes and volunteers - not special effects, fancy costumes and celebrities.

The paralympics is all about seeing the ability, not the disability. Just five minutes watching the parade of athletes will get you started on that.

Suddenly I'm desperate to get on with the next 11 days, so that 'murder ball', 'sitting volleyball' and 'boccia' (a bit like boules) will become part of our day-to-day vocabulary, and athletes such as Jon-Allan Butterworth, Ellie Simmonds, Tom Aggar, Jonnie Peacock and Peter 'the Quadfather' Norfolk will become household names.