May Lenna Balisidya Matteru (Ndyanao Balisidya) was a Tanzanian Kiswahili author, scholar and social activist. She attended primary and secondary school in Dodoma and received a BA from the University of East Africa at Dar es Salaam in 1970. In 1971, she was elected to the Swahili National Council of Tanzania were she served two terms as vice-chairperson. In 1973 she became a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam. In 1978 she received her MA in oral literature at the same University. In November 1987, a month before she died, she obtained her PhD in African literature from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. May was among the foremost promoters and renowned scholars of Tanzanian and African Oral Literature, a stern developer of Kiswahili language, and an excellent teacher who challenged her students and not even once treating them as Paulo Freire’s empty pots but making them formulate freely and give their opinions openly about the numerous literary topics which she dealt with in and outside the classroom. As a writer, her works left a lasting effect both in content and form. She was among the first to appraise Tanzania’s blueprint for the country’s development strategy - the Arusha Declaration. She was an Advocate for equality among all people as she shows in her novel - Shida, the plight of the people of the lower classes where, she cautions, the economic rift between the leaders and those they lead is getting bigger and bigger. (FEMK Senkoro) May was a firm, hard-working and charming teacher. Despite her terminal illness, which she was aware that would soon end her life, she continued to work and study undeterred, vowing not to be intimidated by death. In a letter she wrote to the head of her department during her time of sickness she said... “If death comes in a month or more, let it come. Dying is inevitable for every human being. I will not live in fear that death will come at any time, for I have no control over it. I will live a life unfettered by the fear of death. Therefore, I will continue with my academic work as usual until my time comes. I will continue with my studies until I complete.” Her works include Shida, Mihati, Akusamehe shambi zako, a jointly authored play Harakati za Ukombozi, a children storybook, Ayubu and a novel, published posthumously - Ushindi wa Majeruhi.