Mzee Mwanakijiji
Platinum Member
- Mar 10, 2006
- 33,746
- 40,899
* This Letter was sent to the US Ambassador and also appears in Kiswahili in Tanzania Daima in a condensed form).
Mr. Ambassador,
In just few hours, the President of the United States Mr. George Walker Bush will be making his first and probably only visit to Tanzania as a sitting US President. As we eagerly wait for this visit I find myself overwhelmed by the sense of urgency and trepidation. In a way, I hope that my letter would make the voice of Tanzanians at home and abroad be heard during this visit. Of course, you would hear a lot too from our leaders.
Recent political events you have witnessed in the country Mr. Ambassador, the events that led to the resignation of the Prime Minister Edward Lowassa and the dissolution of the Cabinet are a clear sign that Tanzania is facing challenges that threaten its trajectory to political, social, and economic stability and prosperity and indeed if unchecked cast an unwanted shadow to development of its people.
Mr. Ambassador, Tanzania is on the threshold of prosperity and its people are standing at the gates of success. However, their dream to live in a country that enjoys economic wealth, political stability, and individual prosperity is in a constant threat that makes it not only difficult but unnecessarily hard to be realized.
The now famous Richmond Scandal is a classic example of the challenges that Tanzania as a nation face. A US company from Houston Texas mercilessly took advantage of the energy crisis that faced the country in 1999 by presenting itself as a rescuer. We now know from the report by the Parliamentary Select Committee that it was the biggest scam carried against our nation.
Of course on the other hand, our leaders whom we trusted that would act in the interests of the nation when exercising their duties have let us down. They have betrayed that trust, they have taken "we the people" for granted, and with the help of an American company have squandered millions of US dollars that could have been used for myriad of development projects in Tanzania.
I don't know how much your government assisted our Parliamentary Select Committee that was chaired by Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe. Its report indicated that the Select Committee did in fact ask for assistance from your government. However, it did not say whether it received any.
If the Committee did not receive useful help from your government, then the visit by President Bush should be a catalyst for that assistance. You have the Foreign Anti-Bribery and Corrupt Practices Act of 1998 that can be used to investigate Richmond Development, its officials and its dealing with the Tanzania public officials named in the report. .
Mr. Ambassador, before the company was awarded the Tanesco (Tanzania National Electricity Supply Company) contract it was given a project to construct an oil pipeline running from Dar-es-Salaam to Mwanza. The feasibility study to construct the pipeline was done by a Tanzanian company by the name of Africommerce International Limited. However, according to the parliamentary report it was by "the order from the Statehouse" (then under President Mkapa) that the project was awarded to Richmond Development.
A year after, the company failed to start any observable or meaningful steps toward the construction of the pipeline as per contract. The Ministry of Energy and Minerals according to this report decided to write a letter to RDC informing them that they have failed to meet their contractual obligations and hence were no longer enjoying the exclusive rights to the project as they had been awarded.
However, to the amazement and disbelief of many a month later after these exclusive rights were terminated the same company was awarded another multimillion dollar project during the energy emergency that the country faced in 2006. How was that possible?
Mr. Ambassador, I know you have a passion to help Tanzanians as they deal with the scourge of HIV/AIDS and other social ills. It is rather disheartening to see a poor nation such as ours afford to lose all this money through a world class business scam. I hope you applauded (even in your prayers) the changes that took place in the past few days.
It is a known fact that you are no stranger to East Africa. You have been around this region in the seventies and during other visits to the area later. You have seen the strides we have made so far but you have also seen how our leaders have let us down. The bloodshed in Kenya following the general elections late last year might have touched you in a very different way as you remember your stay in Kenya in the seventies.
The six months or so that you have been in Tanzania you have probably seen the disparity of our people. I'm quite sure as you drive from Dar to Arusha or within the boundaries of Dar-es-Salaam you have seen two extremes that is Tanzania. On one hand, you have the super wealth mostly people who are in higher positions in government or the ruling party or who have some kind of connection to the government. These are the people who enjoy life that would be enviable by some Americans. These people not only do they live in luxury, but luxury is their middle name.
On the other hand, you have seen the extreme poverty of Tanzanians; you probably have wondered how could there be such a bipolarity of opportunity and access to wealth in Tanzania. You might have wondered why is there such a disparity of lifestyle and opportunity to succeed in such an economically poor but resourcefully wealth nation? Sir, the recent financial scandals that have emerged and many more that are yet to unfold will give you a clue to the nature of the problem. I bet you have noticed that too.
Mr. Ambassador, according to your profile, you "played a leading role in crafting the Millennium Challenge Act, (which is) America's historic commitment to invest in developing nations that are pursuing political and economic reforms." And also that you "played an important role in crafting the Global Access to HIV/AIDS Prevention, Awareness and Treatment Act of 2001, and the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act." Through both initiatives I have to infer that you have a genuine interest to help the people of the developing world and in this case, the people of Tanzania.
Corrupt public officials are the major problem that Tanzania as a young nation faces. Of course, I know even the mighty US have its own shares of corruption scandals (right now in Detroit there is one involving the Mayor of that city). However, you have a way and more than one way to deal with corruption in your government whether it is in the Federal government, State, or local. You have not hesitated to put unscrupulous senators, representatives, or other public officials in jail for corruption!
You might have noticed last week the celebrations in the streets of Dar-es-Salaam as people celebrated the resignation of Prime Minister and later the dissolution of the Cabinet. You might have heard the honking, ululation, and people partying all night! Sir, that sense of joy and a feeling of being worthy of ones own government that engulfed our people in the last few days is not an exclusive right of the Americans or a privilege of the Europeans! Our people want that and indeed demand that too. They demand that their public officials be true and genuine servants of their people.
The Bank of Tanzania and the Richmond Scandals (both have a US connection) are examples of where we need your help. The other scandals like the Military Radar purchase, the Kiwira Scandal etc all cry loud for one thing, that is responsible leadership.
It is my understanding that during this visit President Bush and our President Mr. Kikwete will sign several agreements that will result for you're the US government to pour more money in these "broken cisterns" of ours. The question however is that, how long will the US and other donors keep pouring more money and demand so little to manage it? Why can't the donor community assist us first, in creating processes and procedure to ensure that public money that we already have is used properly, and secondly improve our legal framework to manage that money transparently?
Mr. Ambassador, pouring more money into Tanzania where the mechanisms and procedure to manage it are weak doesn't solve our problems; it just compounds them. As you may well know, in the past 30 years over 2 Billion USD have been poured into Tanzania by donors. On the other hand, in the past ten years alone one institution (Bank of Tanzania) squandered over a billion dollars due to mismanagement, embezzlement, and other corrupt practices. The 133 Million USD Scandal in EPA is nothing but just a tip of the iceberg.
Let me put forward the following requests for your consideration and I hope I represent the thoughts of other Tanzanians as well. First of all the US government (and the donor community at large) should not be accomplices of our corrupt officials or be blind of our plight as nation. If President Bush were tol sign these agreements as expected, the agreements that pour more money (like through your MAC) without calling for setting up of proper mechanisms (especially at the BoT) and the highest standard of accountability and transparency some of us will see that as a clear and irrefutable proof of US's endorsement of corruption in Tanzania.
Secondly, before you disburse the said funds, you should demand that the Tanzanian government should make major changes in its public procurement laws, its anti-corruption laws and strategy, and improve other areas that would help us to fight corruption in "higher places". It is a known fact that the United States has enough experience in these areas.
Third, the US Government through its Justice Department should initiate an investigation of Richmond Development Company (A Houston based firm) to find out if the firm has broken any US laws especially the Foreign Anti-Bribery and Corruption Practices Act of 1998.
What this company did to Tanzania could have caused political instability in the country. Thank Heavens that Tanzanians have always been very patience people. But the actions of this company have caused enough anxiety in Tanzania in light of what is going on in Kenya. Mr. Ambassador, this corporation should be investigated fully and brought to the mighty and full hands of judicial process.
Fourth, can you help us find where Governor Balali is somewhere in the US and bring him back to Tanzania? I mean, even if Mr. Kikwete and the Attorney General don't want him to. He has a number of questions that he needs to answer.
Mr. Ambassador, Your country has enjoyed life of prosperity and success for most of your citizens for quite sometime now. You have in fact set the standard for most part of the world to the point that most of our children and adults as well would like to move there. America was not made in heaven or brought down like that Biblical "Jerusalem" that is adorned with gold and other jewels like a heavenly bride America was made and built by men and women who gave so much to their country. What your children enjoy today in US are a product of labor and toil of those who have gone before them.
Yes, America stands today as an Idea and an experiment, an idea that continue to be realized every day, and an experiment that is ever continuing. To the world, America represent that human accomplishment that is unmatched by any other in history. It stands alone as a symbol and evidence of what humans can achieve in a world where misery and suffering rule supreme. Those values that Americans enjoy, the values of equality of all and for all, liberty, freedom, innovation, right to free speech etc are the values that most people in the world dream of.
Sir, We in Tanzania deserve the same too. We would like to live in a country where prosperity and success are not domains of the few but are the rights of every single Tanzanian. We would like to have and enjoy clean and running water, reliable electricity, dependable and affordable healthcare, good and paved roads, quality and accessible education, and yes sir, good, accountable and transparent government. We would like to know at the end of the day that we have done every thing possible to build a nation for us, our children and the children of their children and to posterity, a nation that is freer, stable, and economically prosperous. A nation that each and every Tanzania finds in it equal opportunity to succeed.
Mr. Ambassador, your nation has crossed the gates of success and its people are enjoying the "land of opportunity" that is United States. You have showed the world what a people can achieve if given a chance and the means to do that. You have given to the world a possibility, a possibility that a government of "the people, by the people and for the people" can succeed to bring wealth and prosperity while ensuring individual liberties and freedoms to its people. Yes sir you have.
Some might not like that for they are threatened by your power and feel anxious by your success. Sometimes you give such people a reason (or more) to be fearful and anxious of the US. I fully understand that sometimes a nation has to take every single step to ensure its citizens live in a free and secure world and ensure its own existence. But in doing so, a nation should not cause unnecessary pain and suffering to others.
On January 1, 1968 a reception for foreign dignitaries was held at the Statehouse, our founding father Mwalimu Nyerere said these prophetic words that could be the words of Tanzanians today to their friends in the US "It is impossible for one people to free another people, or even to defend the freedom of another people. Freedom won for a people by outsiders is lost to those outsiders, however good their intentions, or however much the outsiders had desired to free their oppressed brothers. That is the nature of freedom; it has to be won, and protected by those who desire it"
He continued by saying eloquently, "Of course others can help a people who are struggling for freedom; they can give refuge, facilities for action, and they can give moral and diplomatic support to an oppressed people. But no group or nation –however powerful- can make another group or another nation free". We pray that the US will find this to be true in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As America stands as that "shining city on the hill", we in Tanzania would like to be that "other shining city on the hill". When we go to bed, when we wake up, when we go to our daily activities we dream of that possibility. We dream of a country that has finally "made it". We dream of a day that we will not beg for budgetary support or ask somebody else to build our toilets and dig our tunnels. We would like to see that we give the best education to our children and provide fully to their welfare. We dream of being a success story to the rest of Africa. We have faired a lot better than most part of our continent since independence. But we could do a whole lot better if you take into account what have transpired here in the past few weeks.
As President Bush makes his visit to this beautiful land of Kilimanjaro and the Spicy Islands of Zanzibar, as his plane touches down on the soil that is the cradle of humanity, may our two nations be brought together in more than one way. US as the big brother should hold our hands and lead us to cross this threshold of prosperity. The US should assist us to create an atmosphere where Tanzanians would enjoy their lives to the fullest. We are ready sir.
I pray for a safe and memorable visit to the President and Mrs. Bush and their delegation. May they find in Tanzania a reason to have America more committed to the people of Africa at this time of our history. May God Bless the United States and its friendly people, and may God, Bless Tanzania and its loving and lovely people.
Towards prosperity,
M. M. Mwanakijiji
mwanakijiji@klhnews.com
Mr. Ambassador,
In just few hours, the President of the United States Mr. George Walker Bush will be making his first and probably only visit to Tanzania as a sitting US President. As we eagerly wait for this visit I find myself overwhelmed by the sense of urgency and trepidation. In a way, I hope that my letter would make the voice of Tanzanians at home and abroad be heard during this visit. Of course, you would hear a lot too from our leaders.
Recent political events you have witnessed in the country Mr. Ambassador, the events that led to the resignation of the Prime Minister Edward Lowassa and the dissolution of the Cabinet are a clear sign that Tanzania is facing challenges that threaten its trajectory to political, social, and economic stability and prosperity and indeed if unchecked cast an unwanted shadow to development of its people.
Mr. Ambassador, Tanzania is on the threshold of prosperity and its people are standing at the gates of success. However, their dream to live in a country that enjoys economic wealth, political stability, and individual prosperity is in a constant threat that makes it not only difficult but unnecessarily hard to be realized.
The now famous Richmond Scandal is a classic example of the challenges that Tanzania as a nation face. A US company from Houston Texas mercilessly took advantage of the energy crisis that faced the country in 1999 by presenting itself as a rescuer. We now know from the report by the Parliamentary Select Committee that it was the biggest scam carried against our nation.
Of course on the other hand, our leaders whom we trusted that would act in the interests of the nation when exercising their duties have let us down. They have betrayed that trust, they have taken "we the people" for granted, and with the help of an American company have squandered millions of US dollars that could have been used for myriad of development projects in Tanzania.
I don't know how much your government assisted our Parliamentary Select Committee that was chaired by Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe. Its report indicated that the Select Committee did in fact ask for assistance from your government. However, it did not say whether it received any.
If the Committee did not receive useful help from your government, then the visit by President Bush should be a catalyst for that assistance. You have the Foreign Anti-Bribery and Corrupt Practices Act of 1998 that can be used to investigate Richmond Development, its officials and its dealing with the Tanzania public officials named in the report. .
Mr. Ambassador, before the company was awarded the Tanesco (Tanzania National Electricity Supply Company) contract it was given a project to construct an oil pipeline running from Dar-es-Salaam to Mwanza. The feasibility study to construct the pipeline was done by a Tanzanian company by the name of Africommerce International Limited. However, according to the parliamentary report it was by "the order from the Statehouse" (then under President Mkapa) that the project was awarded to Richmond Development.
A year after, the company failed to start any observable or meaningful steps toward the construction of the pipeline as per contract. The Ministry of Energy and Minerals according to this report decided to write a letter to RDC informing them that they have failed to meet their contractual obligations and hence were no longer enjoying the exclusive rights to the project as they had been awarded.
However, to the amazement and disbelief of many a month later after these exclusive rights were terminated the same company was awarded another multimillion dollar project during the energy emergency that the country faced in 2006. How was that possible?
Mr. Ambassador, I know you have a passion to help Tanzanians as they deal with the scourge of HIV/AIDS and other social ills. It is rather disheartening to see a poor nation such as ours afford to lose all this money through a world class business scam. I hope you applauded (even in your prayers) the changes that took place in the past few days.
It is a known fact that you are no stranger to East Africa. You have been around this region in the seventies and during other visits to the area later. You have seen the strides we have made so far but you have also seen how our leaders have let us down. The bloodshed in Kenya following the general elections late last year might have touched you in a very different way as you remember your stay in Kenya in the seventies.
The six months or so that you have been in Tanzania you have probably seen the disparity of our people. I'm quite sure as you drive from Dar to Arusha or within the boundaries of Dar-es-Salaam you have seen two extremes that is Tanzania. On one hand, you have the super wealth mostly people who are in higher positions in government or the ruling party or who have some kind of connection to the government. These are the people who enjoy life that would be enviable by some Americans. These people not only do they live in luxury, but luxury is their middle name.
On the other hand, you have seen the extreme poverty of Tanzanians; you probably have wondered how could there be such a bipolarity of opportunity and access to wealth in Tanzania. You might have wondered why is there such a disparity of lifestyle and opportunity to succeed in such an economically poor but resourcefully wealth nation? Sir, the recent financial scandals that have emerged and many more that are yet to unfold will give you a clue to the nature of the problem. I bet you have noticed that too.
Mr. Ambassador, according to your profile, you "played a leading role in crafting the Millennium Challenge Act, (which is) America's historic commitment to invest in developing nations that are pursuing political and economic reforms." And also that you "played an important role in crafting the Global Access to HIV/AIDS Prevention, Awareness and Treatment Act of 2001, and the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act." Through both initiatives I have to infer that you have a genuine interest to help the people of the developing world and in this case, the people of Tanzania.
Corrupt public officials are the major problem that Tanzania as a young nation faces. Of course, I know even the mighty US have its own shares of corruption scandals (right now in Detroit there is one involving the Mayor of that city). However, you have a way and more than one way to deal with corruption in your government whether it is in the Federal government, State, or local. You have not hesitated to put unscrupulous senators, representatives, or other public officials in jail for corruption!
You might have noticed last week the celebrations in the streets of Dar-es-Salaam as people celebrated the resignation of Prime Minister and later the dissolution of the Cabinet. You might have heard the honking, ululation, and people partying all night! Sir, that sense of joy and a feeling of being worthy of ones own government that engulfed our people in the last few days is not an exclusive right of the Americans or a privilege of the Europeans! Our people want that and indeed demand that too. They demand that their public officials be true and genuine servants of their people.
The Bank of Tanzania and the Richmond Scandals (both have a US connection) are examples of where we need your help. The other scandals like the Military Radar purchase, the Kiwira Scandal etc all cry loud for one thing, that is responsible leadership.
It is my understanding that during this visit President Bush and our President Mr. Kikwete will sign several agreements that will result for you're the US government to pour more money in these "broken cisterns" of ours. The question however is that, how long will the US and other donors keep pouring more money and demand so little to manage it? Why can't the donor community assist us first, in creating processes and procedure to ensure that public money that we already have is used properly, and secondly improve our legal framework to manage that money transparently?
Mr. Ambassador, pouring more money into Tanzania where the mechanisms and procedure to manage it are weak doesn't solve our problems; it just compounds them. As you may well know, in the past 30 years over 2 Billion USD have been poured into Tanzania by donors. On the other hand, in the past ten years alone one institution (Bank of Tanzania) squandered over a billion dollars due to mismanagement, embezzlement, and other corrupt practices. The 133 Million USD Scandal in EPA is nothing but just a tip of the iceberg.
Let me put forward the following requests for your consideration and I hope I represent the thoughts of other Tanzanians as well. First of all the US government (and the donor community at large) should not be accomplices of our corrupt officials or be blind of our plight as nation. If President Bush were tol sign these agreements as expected, the agreements that pour more money (like through your MAC) without calling for setting up of proper mechanisms (especially at the BoT) and the highest standard of accountability and transparency some of us will see that as a clear and irrefutable proof of US's endorsement of corruption in Tanzania.
Secondly, before you disburse the said funds, you should demand that the Tanzanian government should make major changes in its public procurement laws, its anti-corruption laws and strategy, and improve other areas that would help us to fight corruption in "higher places". It is a known fact that the United States has enough experience in these areas.
Third, the US Government through its Justice Department should initiate an investigation of Richmond Development Company (A Houston based firm) to find out if the firm has broken any US laws especially the Foreign Anti-Bribery and Corruption Practices Act of 1998.
What this company did to Tanzania could have caused political instability in the country. Thank Heavens that Tanzanians have always been very patience people. But the actions of this company have caused enough anxiety in Tanzania in light of what is going on in Kenya. Mr. Ambassador, this corporation should be investigated fully and brought to the mighty and full hands of judicial process.
Fourth, can you help us find where Governor Balali is somewhere in the US and bring him back to Tanzania? I mean, even if Mr. Kikwete and the Attorney General don't want him to. He has a number of questions that he needs to answer.
Mr. Ambassador, Your country has enjoyed life of prosperity and success for most of your citizens for quite sometime now. You have in fact set the standard for most part of the world to the point that most of our children and adults as well would like to move there. America was not made in heaven or brought down like that Biblical "Jerusalem" that is adorned with gold and other jewels like a heavenly bride America was made and built by men and women who gave so much to their country. What your children enjoy today in US are a product of labor and toil of those who have gone before them.
Yes, America stands today as an Idea and an experiment, an idea that continue to be realized every day, and an experiment that is ever continuing. To the world, America represent that human accomplishment that is unmatched by any other in history. It stands alone as a symbol and evidence of what humans can achieve in a world where misery and suffering rule supreme. Those values that Americans enjoy, the values of equality of all and for all, liberty, freedom, innovation, right to free speech etc are the values that most people in the world dream of.
Sir, We in Tanzania deserve the same too. We would like to live in a country where prosperity and success are not domains of the few but are the rights of every single Tanzanian. We would like to have and enjoy clean and running water, reliable electricity, dependable and affordable healthcare, good and paved roads, quality and accessible education, and yes sir, good, accountable and transparent government. We would like to know at the end of the day that we have done every thing possible to build a nation for us, our children and the children of their children and to posterity, a nation that is freer, stable, and economically prosperous. A nation that each and every Tanzania finds in it equal opportunity to succeed.
Mr. Ambassador, your nation has crossed the gates of success and its people are enjoying the "land of opportunity" that is United States. You have showed the world what a people can achieve if given a chance and the means to do that. You have given to the world a possibility, a possibility that a government of "the people, by the people and for the people" can succeed to bring wealth and prosperity while ensuring individual liberties and freedoms to its people. Yes sir you have.
Some might not like that for they are threatened by your power and feel anxious by your success. Sometimes you give such people a reason (or more) to be fearful and anxious of the US. I fully understand that sometimes a nation has to take every single step to ensure its citizens live in a free and secure world and ensure its own existence. But in doing so, a nation should not cause unnecessary pain and suffering to others.
On January 1, 1968 a reception for foreign dignitaries was held at the Statehouse, our founding father Mwalimu Nyerere said these prophetic words that could be the words of Tanzanians today to their friends in the US "It is impossible for one people to free another people, or even to defend the freedom of another people. Freedom won for a people by outsiders is lost to those outsiders, however good their intentions, or however much the outsiders had desired to free their oppressed brothers. That is the nature of freedom; it has to be won, and protected by those who desire it"
He continued by saying eloquently, "Of course others can help a people who are struggling for freedom; they can give refuge, facilities for action, and they can give moral and diplomatic support to an oppressed people. But no group or nation –however powerful- can make another group or another nation free". We pray that the US will find this to be true in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As America stands as that "shining city on the hill", we in Tanzania would like to be that "other shining city on the hill". When we go to bed, when we wake up, when we go to our daily activities we dream of that possibility. We dream of a country that has finally "made it". We dream of a day that we will not beg for budgetary support or ask somebody else to build our toilets and dig our tunnels. We would like to see that we give the best education to our children and provide fully to their welfare. We dream of being a success story to the rest of Africa. We have faired a lot better than most part of our continent since independence. But we could do a whole lot better if you take into account what have transpired here in the past few weeks.
As President Bush makes his visit to this beautiful land of Kilimanjaro and the Spicy Islands of Zanzibar, as his plane touches down on the soil that is the cradle of humanity, may our two nations be brought together in more than one way. US as the big brother should hold our hands and lead us to cross this threshold of prosperity. The US should assist us to create an atmosphere where Tanzanians would enjoy their lives to the fullest. We are ready sir.
I pray for a safe and memorable visit to the President and Mrs. Bush and their delegation. May they find in Tanzania a reason to have America more committed to the people of Africa at this time of our history. May God Bless the United States and its friendly people, and may God, Bless Tanzania and its loving and lovely people.
Towards prosperity,
M. M. Mwanakijiji
mwanakijiji@klhnews.com
