Ngisibara
JF-Expert Member
- Jan 2, 2009
- 3,303
- 2,079
Fuel adulteration: Action delayed is remedy denied
Saturday, 26 June 2010 12:46
By Karl Lyimo
One of the zillion things Tanzania's becoming infamous for is the long-cultivated habit of relevant authorities being unready, unwilling or unable to nip troubles in the bud before they grow, bloom and bear the fruits of disaster. This, in my view, is the biggest hurdle to good governance and best democratic processes in Tanzania.
That's how and why Tanzania is still stinking in terms of governance and best practices a generation after the founder of Tanzanian nationalism, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere (1922-99) decried it. Mwalimu the first supreme ruler and Teflon-coated socio-political icon of his people (1961-85) never minced words about the corruption that had already reached inimical proportion in his time.
Mwalimu said more than once the ruling party CCM his very own political baby was drenched through and through in corruption. ('CCM inanuka rushwa...': and, 'Serikali inanuka rushwa - the very government itself stinks of corruption)
All that notwithstanding, grand corruption ufisadi, white-collar crime in high public positions of power (political) and influence ('vijisenti), etc hasn't only flourished... It's also remained unchecked, unpunished. It is a highly malignant cancer that is as likely as not going to wipe the nation's integrity and its raison dêtre the very essence of, and justification for being off the map of the Comity of Nations!
Time and again have I asked for anyone in authority to publicly cite a case of a top-level politician or public official being sharply brought to account for 'official' sins. I'm yet to receive any response let alone a convincing one!
Could it be true that, for all of 50 years of independence under homegrown rulers, not a single Tanzanian leader worth the epithet has ever committed a culpable criminal offence directly/personally or even by association, connivance, condoning, felony misprision, aiding and/or abetting...? Sheesh!
Not even the best of angels in high heaven were that perfect... According to Genesis, Chapter 6, angels left their heavenly abode, coming to earth where they committed fornication with humans!
That's why and how the world became full of super-giants, genii, goblins, hobgoblins, gremlins, fairies, ghouls, ghosts, small-time devils, demons and other evil spirits! But, that's another story...
Never mind such cosmetic cases as when the odd sacrificial scapegoat of an official may be 'convicted and jailed' for a couple of summers for 'abusing' (his) public position but is discharged from the offence of causing material loss to his employer in particular, and the nation at large!
I'm still working out in 'My Book of Things' the logicality and sophistry employed to so distinctly separate 'abusing public trust/office' (misfeasance) and causing criminal loss (malfeasance)... But, I won't be particularly surprised if such 'verdicts' are turned upside down on appeal albeit on technicalities...
Remember? Even the angels so graphically 'charged with an open-and-shut case' in Genesis 6 were never brought to account by 'Anyone.'
They were instead divinely hauled back and gently kicked upstairs where they continue to Praise the Lord even as they reminisce about the Good Times they had on Planet Earth with human 'vidosho'!
So, who are we mere mortal men (and women) in prominent public positions to be the first to cast the stone on criminally inclined colleagues in public office? Who are we, indeed? I ask you!
This brings me to my Story of Today: adulteration of petroleum products. This isn't a new problem. What's surprising is that, instead of taking remedial action immediately, the relevant officials kept sweeping it under the carpet... until the shit hit the fan and the stench hit the nation's political solar plexus: the State House.
I'll explain... sorry I've run out of editorial space here...Cheers!
[ israellyimo@yahoo.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ].
Saturday, 26 June 2010 12:46
By Karl Lyimo
One of the zillion things Tanzania's becoming infamous for is the long-cultivated habit of relevant authorities being unready, unwilling or unable to nip troubles in the bud before they grow, bloom and bear the fruits of disaster. This, in my view, is the biggest hurdle to good governance and best democratic processes in Tanzania.
That's how and why Tanzania is still stinking in terms of governance and best practices a generation after the founder of Tanzanian nationalism, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere (1922-99) decried it. Mwalimu the first supreme ruler and Teflon-coated socio-political icon of his people (1961-85) never minced words about the corruption that had already reached inimical proportion in his time.
Mwalimu said more than once the ruling party CCM his very own political baby was drenched through and through in corruption. ('CCM inanuka rushwa...': and, 'Serikali inanuka rushwa - the very government itself stinks of corruption)
All that notwithstanding, grand corruption ufisadi, white-collar crime in high public positions of power (political) and influence ('vijisenti), etc hasn't only flourished... It's also remained unchecked, unpunished. It is a highly malignant cancer that is as likely as not going to wipe the nation's integrity and its raison dêtre the very essence of, and justification for being off the map of the Comity of Nations!
Time and again have I asked for anyone in authority to publicly cite a case of a top-level politician or public official being sharply brought to account for 'official' sins. I'm yet to receive any response let alone a convincing one!
Could it be true that, for all of 50 years of independence under homegrown rulers, not a single Tanzanian leader worth the epithet has ever committed a culpable criminal offence directly/personally or even by association, connivance, condoning, felony misprision, aiding and/or abetting...? Sheesh!
Not even the best of angels in high heaven were that perfect... According to Genesis, Chapter 6, angels left their heavenly abode, coming to earth where they committed fornication with humans!
That's why and how the world became full of super-giants, genii, goblins, hobgoblins, gremlins, fairies, ghouls, ghosts, small-time devils, demons and other evil spirits! But, that's another story...
Never mind such cosmetic cases as when the odd sacrificial scapegoat of an official may be 'convicted and jailed' for a couple of summers for 'abusing' (his) public position but is discharged from the offence of causing material loss to his employer in particular, and the nation at large!
I'm still working out in 'My Book of Things' the logicality and sophistry employed to so distinctly separate 'abusing public trust/office' (misfeasance) and causing criminal loss (malfeasance)... But, I won't be particularly surprised if such 'verdicts' are turned upside down on appeal albeit on technicalities...
Remember? Even the angels so graphically 'charged with an open-and-shut case' in Genesis 6 were never brought to account by 'Anyone.'
They were instead divinely hauled back and gently kicked upstairs where they continue to Praise the Lord even as they reminisce about the Good Times they had on Planet Earth with human 'vidosho'!
So, who are we mere mortal men (and women) in prominent public positions to be the first to cast the stone on criminally inclined colleagues in public office? Who are we, indeed? I ask you!
This brings me to my Story of Today: adulteration of petroleum products. This isn't a new problem. What's surprising is that, instead of taking remedial action immediately, the relevant officials kept sweeping it under the carpet... until the shit hit the fan and the stench hit the nation's political solar plexus: the State House.
I'll explain... sorry I've run out of editorial space here...Cheers!
[ israellyimo@yahoo.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ].
