ChescoMatunda
JF-Expert Member
- Jan 7, 2009
- 1,232
- 442
Naomba niweke maona ya ya mtoa hoja kama nilivyoyapata.
TANZANIA: A COUNTRY ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER
BIASHARA DENISS PERSPECTIVE
One of the reasons why on 1st of August I caught a flight from Lusaka where am currently plying my trade to Dar es salaam, was to have a feel of the place after nearly 5 years of Jakaya Kikwetes MAISHA BORA: the Swahili word for better life. Upon my arrival at the airport I met my wife who was visibly euphoric in the company of my two little kids. Denilson and Raphael and scores of others whose faces suggested the people in Bongo land are perhaps the most dispirited and demotivated on the planet.
I soon realised I was back home to my country I love the most. A country that has been a victim of both past and present at the hands of short-sighted leaders throughout the post colonial decades of uninterrupted poverty.
In all fairness, Nyerere inherited a country that unlike the neibouring Kenya had never been a favoured British colony and London paid little attention to its development. But Nyereres blue print for socialism and Ujamaa experiment made things worse to say the least. He should have picked another place for his experiment. In the foreign capitals they called Nyerere the conscience of black Africa Moscow and Washington used to analyse his every word; scholars from both East and West sought his advice. His gospel though, was: work hard, forget about personal gain and Tanzania for all will fall in its place. Like other Bongo politicians who came afterwards, Nyerere never always practiced what he preached. A mild criticism of him would guarantee a stretch in prison. Until 1979. Nyerere held more political prisoners than South Africa. He would complain about the WEST using its foreign aid as a lever for influence but he accepted more of it than any president in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite aid injection, he left the country on the edge of a cliff when he found his exist.
Nyerere designed a scenario for disaster and the leaders we have today seem to be doing their best to fulfil it. Then men like Ali Hassan Mwinyi were left to rule. Mwinyis RUKSA Style of leadership caused more harm than benefits to the country whose economy was limping and government treasury already in the red. Benjamin Mkapa who found himself at the helm at the expense of John Malecela and the likes was more of a bully than a leader with vision. Nearly half a decade ago, J.k who is currently demanding his traditional share of 5 years more came with a style of his own: pledging Maisha Bora.
Sadly, Tanganyikans who have a knack of being forgetful believed him. Even political scientists like professor Mkandala threw their weight behind arguably the most handsome president in sub-Saharan Africa. But looks can be deceptive. J.Ks honeymoon though, couldnt have lasted long. Today all but a bunch of die- hard romantics agree that J.K and his CCM colleagues have failed and his promises are just easy to preach and difficult to practice. His job creation campaign in 2005 triggered the rural Exodus with youths invading the city hoping to secure salaried jobs. Most of them had no employable skills and turned to prostitution more for economic than sexual reasons.
Consequently farmlands are as empty as prisons are crowded. J.Ks lips are never short of statistics that have no more relevance to the people than a glass of sea water has to a thirsty man. The local currency (TSH) is as worthless as yesterdays UHURU paper. Public transportation is overwhelmed with people squeezing themselves in DalaDala Like sticks in a match box, hospital beds are shared by two or three patients, electrical blackouts are unfortunately the rule rather than the exception. Although Agriculture has maintained its lion share of the GDP, farming still remains a hoe and sickle enterprise, In a country such as this where personal gains and greed outstrip national interest efficient delivery of services remains an alien concept. Corruption which is at its most extreme and ugly form is spreading like bush fires.
J.ks inability to identify and pick efficient and effective members of his government has always been his undoing. He had to reshuffle his cabinet on two separate occasions. The constitution requires every presidential candidate from the mainland to pick their running mates from Zanzibar. But J.ks choosing of DR Bilal leaves a lot to be desired. In my opinion DR Bilal wasnt the best option. Remembers it was Bilal who wrote and signed the infamous BILAL BMAY DAY letter in 1993 which effectively suspended the government sponsorship for some 28 SUA students including my self
How could Bilal sign a letter on May Day Which was a public holiday? Im not saying this as a way of settling an old score because his letter had little effect to me as I bounced back with my plan B but I dont expect people who make such school boy mistakes to be effective leaders. Lets pray we are not going to see another LOWASA.
CCMs weakness notwithstanding, theres little hope from the opposition either, what the opposition are doing right now can best be described as insanity. Insanity means making the same mistake over and over and still except different results. It is mystifying that 7 candidates are vying for the highest office, I doubt whether all candidates have all the credentials for the job.
CHADEMA decided to bring on board CCM rejects and those considered surplus to requirement by CCM in what was dubbed survival of the richest.. The very CCM outcasts who a couple of days days ago were waving CCM flags have now donned CHADEMA colours having abandoned their traditional green for political survival. I dont believe in such tactics with politicians jumping ships. When l look ahead, a very frightening scenario is imminent.
As election campaign heats up an eye watering spectacle is looming on the horizon. Soon we are going to see these politicians who never mean what they say and never say what they mean as if lying in their DNA, in the most primitive villages for the first time in nearly half a decade with people pouring out of their mud walled and straw roofed homes wearing dresses embroidered with politicians portraits ready to listen to slogans they barely understand.
It is a sad spectacle to watch thousands of Tanganyikans waving banners and flags as they applaud these short sighted politicians whose prime concern is to keep themselves in a thin elite class established largely through corruption. And when elections are over and nothing else has changed, the poor Tanganyikans normally turn to Albinos. It is just a matter of wait and see who is going to be the next victim now that we have realised Albinos and their body parts can never change the GDP, per capital income or the sky- rocketing inflation.
But one thing is for sure, with these leaders in Office, the MAISHA BORA promises will remain an elusive dream.
By Biashara Denis
Lusaka
TANZANIA: A COUNTRY ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER
BIASHARA DENISS PERSPECTIVE
One of the reasons why on 1st of August I caught a flight from Lusaka where am currently plying my trade to Dar es salaam, was to have a feel of the place after nearly 5 years of Jakaya Kikwetes MAISHA BORA: the Swahili word for better life. Upon my arrival at the airport I met my wife who was visibly euphoric in the company of my two little kids. Denilson and Raphael and scores of others whose faces suggested the people in Bongo land are perhaps the most dispirited and demotivated on the planet.
I soon realised I was back home to my country I love the most. A country that has been a victim of both past and present at the hands of short-sighted leaders throughout the post colonial decades of uninterrupted poverty.
In all fairness, Nyerere inherited a country that unlike the neibouring Kenya had never been a favoured British colony and London paid little attention to its development. But Nyereres blue print for socialism and Ujamaa experiment made things worse to say the least. He should have picked another place for his experiment. In the foreign capitals they called Nyerere the conscience of black Africa Moscow and Washington used to analyse his every word; scholars from both East and West sought his advice. His gospel though, was: work hard, forget about personal gain and Tanzania for all will fall in its place. Like other Bongo politicians who came afterwards, Nyerere never always practiced what he preached. A mild criticism of him would guarantee a stretch in prison. Until 1979. Nyerere held more political prisoners than South Africa. He would complain about the WEST using its foreign aid as a lever for influence but he accepted more of it than any president in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite aid injection, he left the country on the edge of a cliff when he found his exist.
Nyerere designed a scenario for disaster and the leaders we have today seem to be doing their best to fulfil it. Then men like Ali Hassan Mwinyi were left to rule. Mwinyis RUKSA Style of leadership caused more harm than benefits to the country whose economy was limping and government treasury already in the red. Benjamin Mkapa who found himself at the helm at the expense of John Malecela and the likes was more of a bully than a leader with vision. Nearly half a decade ago, J.k who is currently demanding his traditional share of 5 years more came with a style of his own: pledging Maisha Bora.
Sadly, Tanganyikans who have a knack of being forgetful believed him. Even political scientists like professor Mkandala threw their weight behind arguably the most handsome president in sub-Saharan Africa. But looks can be deceptive. J.Ks honeymoon though, couldnt have lasted long. Today all but a bunch of die- hard romantics agree that J.K and his CCM colleagues have failed and his promises are just easy to preach and difficult to practice. His job creation campaign in 2005 triggered the rural Exodus with youths invading the city hoping to secure salaried jobs. Most of them had no employable skills and turned to prostitution more for economic than sexual reasons.
Consequently farmlands are as empty as prisons are crowded. J.Ks lips are never short of statistics that have no more relevance to the people than a glass of sea water has to a thirsty man. The local currency (TSH) is as worthless as yesterdays UHURU paper. Public transportation is overwhelmed with people squeezing themselves in DalaDala Like sticks in a match box, hospital beds are shared by two or three patients, electrical blackouts are unfortunately the rule rather than the exception. Although Agriculture has maintained its lion share of the GDP, farming still remains a hoe and sickle enterprise, In a country such as this where personal gains and greed outstrip national interest efficient delivery of services remains an alien concept. Corruption which is at its most extreme and ugly form is spreading like bush fires.
J.ks inability to identify and pick efficient and effective members of his government has always been his undoing. He had to reshuffle his cabinet on two separate occasions. The constitution requires every presidential candidate from the mainland to pick their running mates from Zanzibar. But J.ks choosing of DR Bilal leaves a lot to be desired. In my opinion DR Bilal wasnt the best option. Remembers it was Bilal who wrote and signed the infamous BILAL BMAY DAY letter in 1993 which effectively suspended the government sponsorship for some 28 SUA students including my self
How could Bilal sign a letter on May Day Which was a public holiday? Im not saying this as a way of settling an old score because his letter had little effect to me as I bounced back with my plan B but I dont expect people who make such school boy mistakes to be effective leaders. Lets pray we are not going to see another LOWASA.
CCMs weakness notwithstanding, theres little hope from the opposition either, what the opposition are doing right now can best be described as insanity. Insanity means making the same mistake over and over and still except different results. It is mystifying that 7 candidates are vying for the highest office, I doubt whether all candidates have all the credentials for the job.
CHADEMA decided to bring on board CCM rejects and those considered surplus to requirement by CCM in what was dubbed survival of the richest.. The very CCM outcasts who a couple of days days ago were waving CCM flags have now donned CHADEMA colours having abandoned their traditional green for political survival. I dont believe in such tactics with politicians jumping ships. When l look ahead, a very frightening scenario is imminent.
As election campaign heats up an eye watering spectacle is looming on the horizon. Soon we are going to see these politicians who never mean what they say and never say what they mean as if lying in their DNA, in the most primitive villages for the first time in nearly half a decade with people pouring out of their mud walled and straw roofed homes wearing dresses embroidered with politicians portraits ready to listen to slogans they barely understand.
It is a sad spectacle to watch thousands of Tanganyikans waving banners and flags as they applaud these short sighted politicians whose prime concern is to keep themselves in a thin elite class established largely through corruption. And when elections are over and nothing else has changed, the poor Tanganyikans normally turn to Albinos. It is just a matter of wait and see who is going to be the next victim now that we have realised Albinos and their body parts can never change the GDP, per capital income or the sky- rocketing inflation.
But one thing is for sure, with these leaders in Office, the MAISHA BORA promises will remain an elusive dream.
By Biashara Denis
Lusaka
