Topic: No half Revolutions: Resignation or dissolution is not enough; The parliament should go too

By. M. M. Mwanakijiji

What if there were half revolutions? Well, in a nutshell there would be no revolutions! Our country is going through a critical point in its young history; a point of which the choices before our people are becoming more clearer and more contrasted. These choices – political in nature – are leading our people to consider serious and considerable changes in the way we are being ruled, governed and led. The changes that our people are longing for a no longer cosmetic or aesthetic; they want substantial and consequential changes. Meaning, they want changes that are observable and positive resulting into improvement of the way things are done in the country.


For this reason, the changes cannot be mere removal, transfer or recycling of incapable leadership. We are not – if I may represent similar minded persons - .looking for changes of faces. I know some would argue that such removals is the ‘first step’ toward more accountability but for me I believe we have passed the ‘first steps’ and I can even say the ‘second’ and ‘third’ steps all have been exhausted. We are in the final step – a step from which no other ordinary steps are needed except for a bloody revolution!

If the Prime Minister is removed – probably rightly so – then the parliament must be dissolved and the ruling party should return to the people for a new mandate in snap general elections. I’m convinced that it is not enough to demand resignations of the Prime Minister or a number of ministers for by doing that we are presuming that the named individuals are the sole culprits of a corrupt government. After reading the CAG’s report and listening to the debate in the National Assembly on a number of reports by Permanent Committees I’m absolutely convinced that the fundamental problem in the country is beyond the personalities, it is beyond individuals – it is a problem of a failed political party. It is a failure of its policies, the failure of the laws that it has passed, and it is a failure of the structures and infrastructures of governance that the ruling party has established over the years. It is not a problem of who the Prime Minister is or what personalities hold what ministerial position.

Let me put it differently. All that has been described vividly and graphically – sometimes with colorful language - in the parliament is nothing new. We have been here before. In 1996 Prof. Simon Mbilinyi the then Finance Minister resigned following a tax scandal as it was investigated by Parliamentary Select Committee. The Economist in its November 1996 issue described what happened this way, “A parliamentary committee investigated these and urged Mr. Mkapa to call his minister to account. Sack him say many people though that would not be easy just as Mr. Mbilinyi is completing delicate negotiations with the IMF. Not that he did anything unheard-of: his predecessors handed out exemptions with such abandon that few big local businessmen pay tax at all.” Today, like in 1996 the issue of tax exemptions is still there; unchecked and the amount those exemptions in fact offensive!


We have been here before. The report by Judge J. S. Warioba on corruption in the country implicated some high level officials one of them a Minister in Mkapa’s cabinet Mr. Juma Ngasongwa. Yes, we have been here before; Mr. Idi Simba resigned in 2001. The late Michael Okema wrote at that time on the reaction of the opposition after a proposal that the government should carry its own investigation. He quoted Dr. Slaa as wondering “The saga has been going on since April but the government has been silent. Why should it want to investigate now?” I mean the same government under the same political party, facing the same kind of issues. I said we have been here before. When Idi Simba resigned on November 6^th, 1996 he said he did so to save his government from facing a vote of ‘no confidence’ in the parliament. If you don’t remember Idi Simba was the Minister of Industry and Commerce.


Did I say we have been here before? Yes we have. In 2008 following the report by the Parliamentary Select Committee several ministers resigned. Nazir Karamagi the then Minister of Mining and Energy as well as Ibrahim Msabaha the then immediate former Minister of the same ministry resigned. Few hours later the Prime Minister Edward Lowassa resigned forcing the dissolution of the cabinet. It all happened right in front of our eyes. We saw it, we believed it. For those who remember I had written few days before calling for the resignation of Lowassa; I said “it is enough” he had to go. Well, a new cabinet was sworn in under new Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, new ministers and of course a new hope was born.


Then the General Elections of 2010 came and with it a new hope for the country. When results were finalized the ruling party was overwhelmingly rejected, its policies denounced, and its leadership scolded. The Tanzanian people spoke as if with one voice – ‘we want change’. For some of us the message was clear, the ruling party should change or else! But two years in into the second term of President Kikwete we are here again; the same party, the same issues, the same kind of solutions – resignations! We have to say no this time. Resignations are not enough! Dissolution of the cabinet is not enough (we have done this during Mzee Mwinyi’s administration too), the speeches on “ni ya dhati” and “tumesikiliza wananchi” or “tunajipanga madhubuti” are not enough anymore. We need true change, not halfway changes or cosmetic changes we have had had in the past. A true democratic revolution is needed and it shouldn’t be half a revolution!


There is only one way to satisfy this new line that we should demand. As soon as the parliament agrees on accepting Zitto’s notice to call for a “no confidence vote” of the government (the Prime Minister) the parliament should call for a special session after the 14 constitutionally mandated days are over and regardless of the outcome of the vote the President should dissolve the parliament and a snap election within 90 days should be called.


I believe CCM has lost a mandate to rule, and the political thermometer of the country is very clear – change is necessary. We have seen the ruling party being rejected resoundingly in Arumeru Mashariki and the echo of this rejection is still being heard from the rock plated towns and villages of the Lake zone to the salty aired streets of the coast of the Indian Ocean; from the valleys and chilly towns of the Southern Highlands to the magnificent and glorious lands of the Northern Circuit and everything between our beautiful land the ruling party is being challenged, rejected and indeed scolded!


I believe that the parliament itself is an integral part of the problem of governance in the country. For years, we have begged them, cried, wrote and argued in a myriad of channels that things are not right our voices went to deaf ears. The parliament of Tanzania did not just wake up today and discovered that the government is corrupt! The MPs are the people responsible for enacting all laws in the country; they are responsible in allocating funds to the various government entities. When CAG says a certain agency has misused some funds, it is the parliament that is required to question and hold the people involved accountable. So, it is extremely troubling that the MPs are acting as if they were not part of the same system that created and indeed sustained the problems we are witnessing now. If the Prime Minister goes – as he should because people have lost confidence with their government – the parliament which is overwhelmingly full of CCM members should also go! No half revolutions!


The president should be given a new chance to work with his party in in writing a new election manifesto and return to the people and get a new mandate. Not only that if he is reelected then he should get a new pool of potential cabinet ministers from the current pool which so far is not as impressive as the nation would have expected.


In short, if the only changes that will come out of the current impasse in the parliament are the removal of some ministers and reappointment of others from the same failed party then we should be ready for the same outcome. Doing the same things, the same way, with the same people expecting different result is a classical definition of insanity. It is even more insane for people to expect changes from the unchanged party!


We should not be satisfied with the resignations of ministers; it is no longer enough just to resign or taking accused people to court, we need more than mere individual replacement; we need to hold the ruling political party accountable! Not just the individuals. I hope the opposition will NOT be satisfied unless, I mean unless they have hope that CCM policies are good for the country and that the problem are just few individuals and that once the ‘bad elements” are removed then the country will be better off. In that case, they should continue to help CCM to be good rulers and they should not let the Tanzanian people that CCM has failed and the country need to give it a new mandate. If the opposition believes that there are some “very good policies” from the ruling party then they should work diligently to help the ruling party for the fallacious “national interests” first argument.


To some of us the national interest is for CCM to be forced out of power by an election or its power dramatically reduced by the voters. Nothing less, nothing more. If the ministers go (the PM or others) and the parliament remain I promise you - I can guarantee it - we will be back in the same junction within few years. Remember, we have been here before.

By Shaabukda

Ooops....whose blood? or I am missing the point!

kwenye mapinduzi ni damu ya nani inamwagika? soma vizuri basi...

Napenda hasa kuwaambia vijana kuwa bila kufanya maamuzi magumu tutaishi maisha magumu sana!

By Mzee Mwanakijiji

thats is exactly what I'm trying people to change.. how many "one steps" are you going to take. Unajuatumeshachukua hizi "hatua moja" mara ngapi tangu 1990? Tukianzia na wakati wa Mwinyi hadi hivi sasa tumepigishwa hili kwata na hatujui tunapiga kwata!

Kwanza Mzee Mwanakijiji ukitaka kujua kwamba hoja yako haikubaliki ni jinsi inavyododa kuchangiwa na kejeli za watu kwa lugha uliyotumia.

Kuhusu kubadili mfumo watu ni lazima wajue kwamba matatizo yao hayadondoki toka juu bali yanatokana na kile kinachotengenezwa na mfumo uliopo. Kama leo Kanisa Katoliki litabadili mfumo wake Mapadre kutokuoa na Watawa kutokuolewa, basi kesho haitakuwa ajabu kuona Mapadre na watawa wa kike wakioana. Na mfumo ni Katiba na si utashi wa waliopo madarakani.

Nimeishi kwenye Kambi ya Polisi kwa zaidi ya miaka 10 kabla na baada ya Rushwa kuwa ni kitu cha kawaida kwa Matrafiki.
Polisi wa Trafiki wana mfumo wao (Syndicate) kuanzia kwa Mkubwa wao kabisa hadi kwa Trafiki wa kawaida. Natolea mfano kwa trafiki wa Dar es salaam wanaoishi kwenye Kota za pale Sokoind Drive na kufanya kazi chini ya RTO mwenyewe.

Trafiki wa kawaida humpa Meja wa Kambi ili apangwe kwenye kituo chenye maslahi, Meja wa Kambi ni lazima ampe OCS mgao ili na yeye aendelee kuwa Meja wa Kambi, OCS naye anampa RTO kitu kidogo ili naye ajue kwamba "anafanya kazi" na RTO anampa Mkuu wa Kikosi cha Trafiki Taifa fedha kama shukrani ya kumweka Dar.

Siku moja mmoja wa IGP aliwahi kuagiza Trafiki aliyekuwa Ubungo ampelekee trip sita za Kokoto kwenye "site" yake bila hata kumpa senti tano tena kwa kutumia redio za Polisi ambazo zinasikiwa na watu wengi. Kwa hiyo hapa ili kuuvunja huu uozo ni kuivunjilia mbali hii Idara ya Usalama Barabarani!! Hivyo hivyo kwa CCM bila kuiondoa hakuna kitu.

By Kigarama

Mwanakijiji sisi wengine tukisema nchi hii imejaa wanasiasa wababaishaji tunasakamwa kama tumefanya nini sijui!!Naamini hata hao unaotarajia wasimamie hayo Mapinduzi wanayahofia hayo mapinduzi. Wengi wetu ni rahisi sana kulaumu lakini hatuko katika kutoa utatuzi kwa yale tunayoamini kwamba ni makosa yanayofanywa na walioko madarakani.

Kwa Mfano mimi naamini kufeli kwetu kunatokana na kila jambo katika nchi hii kufanywa kutoka serikali kuu, ufumbuzi mmoja ni kutumika kwa mfumo wa kimajimbo ambayo ni sera ya CHADEMA tangu 1995.Lakini mpaka leo hao CHADEMA hawajawahi kutuambia kama ni majimbo basi yatakuwa mangapi na yataendeshwaje na nafasi ya serikali kuu itakuwaje. Serikali za mitaa nazo haziko mikononi mwa wananchi ingawa lengo la kuwepo kwake lilikuwa ni wananchi wamiliki serikali zao wenyewe, Hapo pia tunahitaji mabadiliko makubwa.

Tunahitaji kuufumua na kuweka mfumo mzuri wa kukusanya na kugawana Kodi. Watanzania wengi sana hawalipi kodi kutokana na kutokuwepo kwa mfumo mzuri wa kukusanya kodi na mfumo dhalimu wa kugawanya kodi inayokusanywa. Sehemu kubwa ya kodi inayokusanywa Tanzania ni ile kodi ya uficho (indirect Taxes) lakini watanzania wengi hawalipi kodi nyingi sana kwa sababu mifumo ya kukusanya ni dhaifu mno na walaji wa kodi hiyo ni wengi sana na hakuna anayejali badala yake tunashindana kuingia tupate na siye pande letu.

Mapinduzi ya kweli yatataka wagombea ubunge waweke wazi matumizi ya fedha zao kwenye Kampeni jambo ambalo haliwezekani kwa hawa waliopo bungeni. Pamoja na hali ya watanzania wengi kutaka mabadiliko wabunge wengi sana wanajua kuanza tena mchakato wa kuomba kugombea kupitia chama chao hautakuwa mchakato rahisi tena kwani huko "nje" wataka ubunge wamekuwa wengi.

Mapinduzi ya kweli yatatoka kwetu sisi wananchi wa kawaida kwani ndivyo ilivyokuwa Ufaransa na hata Zanzibar!!

Mapinduzi yanakuja naturally.
Hakuna chama kitacholeta mapinduzi Tanzania. Kwa sababu watu hawajali ni chama gani unatokea kwani vyote vina wezi na wabadhirifu wa fedha.
You can write books, conduct seminars and travel all over Tanzania. But change comes from the hearts of people, not from Politicians. Once politicians (especially career politicans) get involved, the revolt will loose its meaning.
I still don't believe CDM is the right Party, and I will keep telling my people that.

By kobello

Mapinduzi yanakuja naturally.
Hakuna chama kitacholeta mapinduzi Tanzania. Kwa sababu watu hawajali ni chama gani unatokea kwani vyote vina wezi na wabadhirifu wa fedha.
You can write books, conduct seminars and travel all over Tanzania. But change comes from the hearts of people, not from Politicians. Once politicians (especially career politicans) get involved, the revolt will loose its meaning.
I still don't believe CDM is the right Party, and I will keep telling my people that.

Na mimi naamini katika mapinduzi yanayotokana na watu na siyo vyama vya wanasiasa. Ufaransa na Zanzibar wanasiasa hawakuhusika ingawa mwishoni walijinasibisha na mapinduzi hayo!!

Mwambieni Zitto! Anadhani mapinduzi yataletwa kwa msaada wa CCM.

By Awo

Mwambieni Zitto! Anadhani mapinduzi yataletwa kwa msaada wa CCM.

Anajidanganya sana. Lakini tatizo la Zitto hataki kuonekana na "marafiki" zake kwamba ni adui yao!! hivi unadhani Zitto anaweza kusimamia mchakato wa kumtoa Kikwete madarakani!!??

Maajabu, but seem like wazo zuri, if a man want fire then give him a fire but if a man wants peace give him peace, kujiuzuru kwa serikali ni peacefully meanz lakini kama hawataki then what next, Hii inawezekana kwa Nguvu ya umma. Do we all accept kwamba huu ni upepo unapita? if not why should be consider mapendekezo hayo

By Kigarama

Kwanza Mzee Mwanakijiji ukitaka kujua kwamba hoja yako haikubaliki ni jinsi inavyododa kuchangiwa na kejeli za watu kwa lugha uliyotumia.

Kuhusu kubadili mfumo watu ni lazima wajue kwamba matatizo yao hayadondoki toka juu bali yanatokana na kile kinachotengenezwa na mfumo uliopo. Kama leo Kanisa Katoliki litabadili mfumo wake Mapadre kutokuoa na Watawa kutokuolewa, basi kesho haitakuwa ajabu kuona Mapadre na watawa wa kike wakioana. Na mfumo ni Katiba na si utashi wa waliopo madarakani.

Nimeishi kwenye Kambi ya Polisi kwa zaidi ya miaka 10 kabla na baada ya Rushwa kuwa ni kitu cha kawaida kwa Matrafiki.
Polisi wa Trafiki wana mfumo wao (Syndicate) kuanzia kwa Mkubwa wao kabisa hadi kwa Trafiki wa kawaida. Natolea mfano kwa trafiki wa Dar es salaam wanaoishi kwenye Kota za pale Sokoind Drive na kufanya kazi chini ya RTO mwenyewe.

Trafiki wa kawaida humpa Meja wa Kambi ili apangwe kwenye kituo chenye maslahi, Meja wa Kambi ni lazima ampe OCS mgao ili na yeye aendelee kuwa Meja wa Kambi, OCS naye anampa RTO kitu kidogo ili naye ajue kwamba "anafanya kazi" na RTO anampa Mkuu wa Kikosi cha Trafiki Taifa fedha kama shukrani ya kumweka Dar.

Siku moja mmoja wa IGP aliwahi kuagiza Trafiki aliyekuwa Ubungo ampelekee trip sita za Kokoto kwenye "site" yake bila hata kumpa senti tano tena kwa kutumia redio za Polisi ambazo zinasikiwa na watu wengi. Kwa hiyo hapa ili kuuvunja huu uozo ni kuivunjilia mbali hii Idara ya Usalama Barabarani!! Hivyo hivyo kwa CCM bila kuiondoa hakuna kitu.

hapo umenena mkuu.

... Zitto Kabwe, 'a full-length revolution in overhauling the CCM corrupt regime' is the correct version of the phrase that we are all pushing for here TODAY and NOW!!

By Mzee Mwanakijiji

kwenye mapinduzi ni damu ya nani inamwagika? soma vizuri basi...

By Kigarama

Anajidanganya sana. Lakini tatizo la Zitto hataki kuonekana na "marafiki" zake kwamba ni adui yao!! hivi unadhani Zitto anaweza kusimamia mchakato wa kumtoa Kikwete madarakani!!??

He never mentioned the president who, according to our outdated constitution can discipline an irresponsible minister in a heartbeat!!
The flimsy reason behind him not mentioning the prez, is the majority needed and the unwillingness of the Majority camp MPs. This is just dumb because, PM cannot constitutionally oust a minister.
Another group of government leaders that always get away with things is Principal Secretaries, no one is talking about them as if they are saints.
It's the "People" that will bring about change.... the rest is just bullshit!

I 100% support that, everything gotta go now, lets go back to election, because by not doing so we'll be just playing in the same pool always!!!!!!

We have a long way to go! Most of Tanzanian have fear! a fear that if we get rid of CCM what will happen. That is fear for change planted in mind of Tzs for CCM's advantage. I strongly beliave a day is coming where CCM will be kicked out of power. Like a chines proverbs " a thousand mile journey begin with the fist step"

As long as we have realize that CCM is wicked politicaly and individually things will never be the same again. Changes will come and we shall them. Lets keep up a good fight and make sure we don fall in the same pit.

By Mr. Teacher

I 100% support that, everything gotta go now, lets go back to election, because by not doing so we'll be just playing in the same pool always!!!!!!

Why dont we change the system of electing our Ministers so that the president could have a wide range of picking people to the position.

By Pasco

Lets not demand too much!.

Pasco.

Don't settle for less
Don't settle for less than your best
don't settle for less than you deserve
I'll not settle for less
I can see your fear,you have your very own interest Pasco,Your boss(EL) is not ready for the race now .
Get another boss choose the right side brother
OR ask the guy to confess ,say that Richmond was not his and reveal the real owner..I'm tell me he will be the next our President as far as I know Tanzanian....I hope that is his next move I can see he already started sending his boys to CDM..what are you waiting for Pasco.

Tumefikia hatua ya kuonewa huruma, wananchi hatuko tofauti na wabunge wetu, mawaziri na rais. wote tunalalamika na tumeshazoena sasa tunarubiria tu nani ataanza kulalamika. Safari ndefu.

By Kigarama

Why dont we change the system of electing our Ministers so that the president could have a wide range of picking people to the position.

you are still looking at the president as one look at a king... our president is not a king...

By Pasco

Ukipewa shubira, usichukue pima!. Moja shika sii kumi nenda rudi!. Mtaka yote kwa pupa hukosa yote!.

Mkuu Mzee Mwanakijiji, acha kwanza tuanze na madogo ndipo twende kwenye makubwa, haya unayoshauri wewe ni makubwa kuliko kukosa yote, afadhali tukishike hiki kimoja cha leo kuliko ahadi ya kushika kumi siku inayoitwa "kesho" kwa vile haipo!.

Safari ni hatua, kwa vile hii move ya Zitto ni mwanzo wa hatua, tukubaliane ni dalili njema ya kiashiria cha mwanzo mwema wa safari ya ukombozi wa kweli wa Mtanzania!.

Lets not demand too much!.

Pasco.

binadamu anayeishi kwa ajili ya leo hana mipango ya kesho wala keshokutwa, akipata kipande cha mkate leo, anatafuta pa kulala! je watoto wake pia watakuwa kama yeye kwa makosa yao au ya kwake yeye mzazi wa leo ambaye anangngania mkate wa leo tu?

Oh Lord, from these exchanges I realize we have a very long way to go.We are being hit left, right and center but some of us do not understand who is it that is hitting us! It is a shame really.

By MANI

Lakini mkuu si ameshasema kuwa tulishafikishwa mahala kama hapa na tukabadili mawaziri na leo hii tupo kwenye tatizo hilo hilo?

Mkuu MANI, Msamehe Pasco, yawezekana hivyo vipengele ameviruka ingawa sina hakika kama ameviruka kwa makusudi.