Makwaia wa Kuhenga - A letter to JK and Calls for a Constitutional Reform

[Njimba Nsalilwe]

Wadau hebu tujadili hii barua ya Makwaia inapatikana hapa: Daily News | You need to rebuild your party, Mr President!

H.E. Mr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete,
President of the UR of Tanzania,
The State House,
Dar es Salaam.

Dear Mr President,
I WOULD like to take this opportunity to congratulate you, Mr President, for being re-elected president of this country for the second and, by the Constitution, last term.

But it has not been an easy vote. The spell of time prior and after the vote was a difficult one. It was marred with tension – considerable tension. For the first time as a citizen of this country I was a scared man. I feared for the worst, especially after the vote. Why?

It was obvious for every level headed person especially senior citizens of this country like me who have been privileged to be alive all the last elections after independence that there was a huge crack on the very wall of national foundation of peace and stability in this country.

For the first time in our life as a nation, religious groups were coming up with a political agenda in the run up to elections. For the first time because hitherto, mixing religion with politics was never in the political culture of our country nor was it entertained. So when these groups came up with an agenda presented ostensibly to impart “civic education” to their respective followers, some of us knew immediately that we were headed for big trouble in this country.

Now that the dust has settled, let no one come up and tell you that these classes of “civic education” in the houses of worship were about national patriotism or voter education. No! For what I know today, it was quite something else! Individual names were shouted now and again in some houses of worship as the “weapons” against perceived ills and injustices in our country, real or imaginary!

That the worst did not happen after the announcement of the outcome of the vote such as attacking each other’s houses of worship or jumping on each other’s throats is largely thanks to inborn maturity of Tanzanians; thanks to the firm foundation stone of national unity above tribal and religious divide firmly laid down by the Father of our Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.

You will recall, Ndugu President, that one of the last words of Mwalimu Nyerere, I would venture say his will to us, especially to leaders of this country, especially the top leader which is your good self - is to nurture on a permanent basis the good seed of national unity and cohesiveness above the religious and tribal divide.

Now that you have won the second term, please put this aspect of forging national unity, not sporadically like a bout of fever, but on a permanent continuous presidential agenda. For, you will agree, Ndugu President, that this country, even at 49 years independence, is still as fragile as any other. Just imagine older countries in terms of attainment of political independence such as Guinea (Conakry) are just now strife-stricken especially after elections compounded by tribalism.

There is another thing that I want to impress on you. You need to do a serious postmortem which should be joined not only by your top brass but by other members of your party from the rank and file. I hasten to alert you from the outset that if you will do the postmortem on the performance of your party confined only to the top brass of the leadership of your party, you will wind up no where. You see, Mwenyekiti - Chairman, some of us worsen in terms of intellectual mobility when old age catches up with us!

If you consult, us old people, we are bound to tell you: ‘There is nothing to worry… After all CCM is 5 million strong, so there is no problem…?’ Hahahahaha! If this is the argument, where did those guys in fatigues get all those hundreds and thousands of people, especially young people everywhere they staged a rally?

Clearly, there is a problem, Mwenyekiti! My reading of the huge crowds attending the rally by the men in fatigues is that there is clearly a vacuum, an ideological vacuum. This party has stopped to think. All it is thinking about is how to win the next election! Sorry for this brutal language, but please get ready for hard talk if you want to turn your party around! Please position yourself as if sitting in a dentist’s chair!

If it was a thinking party, it should have been able to read the moment of the hour. What are the aspirations of the people of this country? What do they see as having gone wrong? Is it a party still talking the language of workers and peasants of this country? Is it a party worried by the escalating gap between the haves and have-nots right now in this country? What about the leaders of this ruling party? Is simplicity and humility still its modus operandi?

You have seen that all along I have addressed you as ‘Ndugu President’ - very infrequently as ‘Your Excellency’ or Doctor! I believe that you yourself, Ndugu President, brought up in the ruling party and as a lieutenant of the Founding Father of this country, you feel uncomfortable to be addressed grandiosely as Dr Kikwete! But some of us have to justify our jobs by calling you grandiosely! Because simplicity is no longer the culture of our party, our officials in both the government and its ruling party prefer to don suits or top of the market blazers when facing impoverished peasants!

So you have a tall order before you, Ndugu President, not to forget the element of ethics and principles in governance and especially as a code of conduct of your party itself. Ethics and principles are clearly enshrined in the old leadership code of your party. All you need is to re-instate it with vigour. If this factor is forsaken, Mr President, future elections will be even harder to fight in the future!

Already, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda is talking and, very early, the language of putting the peasants of this country on the front seat of the development strides of this country. Please take him on board in the postmortem towards rebuilding your party.

Finally, allow me, Mr President to suggest on an initiative that I believe will be a good and sustainable legacy you will have left the country at the end of your tenure of office. Please take seriously calls for a constitutional reform. Please let no one come up and tell you that is not “the political manifesto of CCM but of the opposition”. Consider anyone telling you this thing as myopic at best.

Multi-partyism was not something that was on the agenda of CCM but it was Mwalimu Nyerere, distinguishing himself as a leader who pushed it on the agenda. You are our leader. You are the one to show the way! So to all intent and purposes, our Constitution as it is today, needs re-writing in the interest of the present and future generations of this country.

Those in the opposition are as Tanzanian and as patriotic as any other in the ruling party. So please take them seriously and consult them – please institute a National Consultative Dialogue on a new Constitution for our country.

I should end here, Ndugu President. I hope you will find this input useful.


MY Take:

I wonder if Ndugu President is going to take this letter seriously. My biggest problem is that where CCM has reached there is no way it can follow the pieces of advice in this letter.

What do you think?

 

[Kituko]

Huu nauita ni waraka na wala sio barua (Waraka wa Makwaia kwa JK),
Kifupi alichokiongea Makwaia humu kwenye waraka wake sio kitu kigeni ama kipya, Hivi vitu vimeongelewa sana na hata humu JF vimeongelewa sana, lakini kwa JK ni sawa na Kumpigia Mbuzi Gitaa tu, Mathalani Chukulia Hotuba yake ya jana pale Bungeni, mimi nilifikilia ataelezea jinsi muundo wa serikali yake mpya itakavyokuwa na utendaji wake wa kazi utakuwaje ili kutimiza ahadi zote alizotoa za kumkomboa Mtanzania katika lindi hili la Matatizo, lakini ilikuwa ni hotuba ya kampeni zaidi (Tutajenga machinga, tutajenga nyumba za walimu nk)

Kama kusikia JK ameshasikia sana na inaonekana JK ana Matatizo Binafsi ya Uelevu na ufahamu, nadhani anashindwa kujua priority ni nini na kipi kifuatie, Kiongozi smart huwezi kuwa mbele za watu wasomi na watunga sheria na kusema wewe ni mpenzi wa Africa Magic!, Hivi watanzania wangapi hata wanaijua hiyo Africa Magic?

 

[Who Cares?]

hawaambiliki haoooo....haya anayoyasema makwaia alishayasema hata mzee butiku na wengineo wengi tuuuuu...only time will tell hoow a clock tick...tukutane nao 2015 na sera na mawazo yao mgando hayo

 

[The Khoisan]

I wish he could understand this and do what is best for our country!!!

 

[Njimba Nsalilwe]

I wish he could understand this and do what is best for our country!!!

Nimeifanya Mioyo yao iwe migumu ili neno litimie (Somewhere in the Bible is written like this. However, I stand to be corrected)

Njimba

 

[Utingo]

hawaambiliki haoooo....haya anayoyasema makwaia alishayasema hata mzee butiku na wengineo wengi tuuuuu...only time will tell hoow a clock tick...tukutane nao 2015 na sera na mawazo yao mgando hayo

tatizo ni kuwa Makwaia mwenyewe ni m-dini wa kutupwa angekuwa na uwezo angewaua wakristo wote nchi hii. Msiomjua kwa ukaribu mtamwona wa maana. Alichokiandika hakiko moyoni mwake kabisa. NInamfahamu huyu mzee, ni mdini acha!!

 

[Jatropha]

jk kesha sikia ushauri wa makwaia na kwa kuanzia kamteua zakhia meghji kuwa mbunge ili ampatie uwaziri. na kamwagiza makinda ahakikshe sophia simba anaikwa ubunge wa sadc ili nagalau akwae mapia kwenda bondeni hata kama hajui kirefu ch sadc ni nini au ilianzishwa mwaka gani.

 

[The Dreamer]

A good letter, but does JK care? Kuhenga has plainly told him about his ageing politcal advisers and how they are misleading him. One wonders how can JK be advised by the 18th century makamba and Kingunge to bring about development to Tanzania in the 21st Century. Seriously, there is a problem and Kuhenga has suggested some of the solutions. Kuziba masikio kwa JK ni furaha yetu wapinzani.

 

[Edson]

alitakiwa aandikwe kwa kiswahili yule jamaa (jk) kingereza hajui vizuri

 

[Waberoya]

Asante, asante asante makwaia, naona unazidi kuwafungua wale waliokuwa wanaogopa kusema hili swla na kutujazia ma-nakala ya akina rostam usiku na mchana bila kusema tutaondokaje humo!

tunahitaji katiba mpya na tume huru ya uchaguzi!!! we should start here!

 

[kaburunye]

Mungu alipotaka kumshikisha adabu Farao aliufanya moyo wake kuwa mgumu na akawafuatilia waisrael hadi ndani ya bahari na majeshi yake yakaangamia humo baharini. Nadhani Mungu anataka kuisambaratisha CCM maana mambo yanavyofanyika unashindwa kuelewa kama key decision makers wana hata chembe ya busara. We fikiria kauli zao na vitendo vyao ndo utaelewa nina maanisha nini. Let just watch CCM dying and no one will be able to raise it from the dead. Take my words

 

[Mikomangwa]

Makwaia, ni ushauri mzuri kwa KIKWETE lakini hiyo ni "wash-out". Tatizo la Makwaia ni Mdini sana. Hizo kampeni za udini zimefanywa kule anakoswali lakini atalaumu waraka wa TEC peke yake! Very unfortunate

 

[Gosbertgoodluck]

CCM is a dying party and for sure it is nearing its death. It has reached a point of 'no-return'.

 

[Njimba Nsalilwe]

Makwaia, ni ushauri mzuri kwa KIKWETE lakini hiyo ni "wash-out". Tatizo la Makwaia ni Mdini sana. Hizo kampeni za udini zimefanywa kule anakoswali lakini atalaumu waraka wa TEC peke yake! Very unfortunate

Lakini hapa pamoja na dini yake amejaribu kumwambia mteule ukweli.

Sasa vipi atamsikiliza? Vipi wana utaratibu gani wanapomwandikia barua kama hizi? Wanangoja azisome magazetini au kuna kopi anapelekewa moja kwa moja? Ni baada ya kuzichapisha au kabla ya kuzichapisha!

Ningependa kujua utaratibu wa kumwandikia barua ya wazi muheshimiwa.

Njimba

 

[Utingo]

Makwaia, ni ushauri mzuri kwa KIKWETE lakini hiyo ni "wash-out". Tatizo la Makwaia ni Mdini sana. Hizo kampeni za udini zimefanywa kule anakoswali lakini atalaumu waraka wa TEC peke yake! Very unfortunate

Mpuuzi sana huyu. Alichoandika hakiko ndani yake. anaghilibu watu tu. ni mbaguzi wa dini hasa. Niliwahi kugongana naye duka moja tandamti kariakoo linaitwa singa, akimnunulia mamsapu wake nguo fulani hivi alipogundua kaka aliyekuwa anamwandikia risiti ni Mkristo baada ya yule kijana kushindwa kuelewa vizuri jina alilomwambia aandike kwa kuwa alilitamka kiarabu zaidi. Alimgeukia mmiliki wa duka (I gues yule ndugu ni mpemba) akamwuliza kwa hasira "Kwa nini umeajiri wamisheni dukani kwako" mmiliki wa duka lile alikasirika sana kidogo amnyang'anye ile nguo. Tangu siku ile huyu jamaa kila ninapomwona na kusoma makala zake huwa ninaikumbuka ile incident ambayo ilitokea zaidi ya miaka minne sasa na nilitokea kutom-admire tangu wakati huo na kuacha kusoma issue zake zozote hata kumwona kwenye TV na anapotokea kwenye tv huwa nazima TV.

Linapokuja suala la udini, Makwaia ndiye think tank ya mawazo ya kupuuza watu wa dini zingine lakini kwa nje anajionyesha tofauti. Huyu mzee ni wa kuepuka.

 

[Tiba]

Bravo Mzee Makwaia. Nafikiri umeshindwa tu kumwambia JK moja kwa moja kwamba chama chake kikiendelea kukumbatia mafisadi akitaweza kutoka kwenye usinginzi mzito uliokikumba, badala yake ukazunguka mbuyu kwa kumbusha leadership ethics ambazo CCM ilizizika kule Zanzibar chini ya utawala wa Mwinyi. Asante vile vile kumwambia juu ya suala la Katiba, hii inapashwa iwe first priority kama kweli ameelewa ulichomwambia. (Nimeandika as if Mzee Makwaia ni member wa JF, sina uhakika na hili).

Tiba

 

[Mhigomkami]

F...k him, anaendekeza mambo ya ajabu.

 

[Buchanan]

Mpuuzi sana huyu. Alichoandika hakiko ndani yake. anaghilibu watu tu. ni mbaguzi wa dini hasa. Niliwahi kugongana naye duka moja tandamti kariakoo linaitwa (singa) akimnunulia mamsapu wake nguo fulani hivi alipogundua kaka aliyekuwa anamwandikia risiti ni Mkristo baada ya yule kijana kushindwa kuelewa vizuri jina alilomwambia aandike kwa kuwa alilitamka kiarabu zaidi. Alimgeukia mmiliki wa duka (I gues yule ndugu ni mpemba) akamwuliza kwa hasira "Kwa nini umeajiri wamisheni dukani kwako" mmiliki wa duka lile alikasirika sana kidogo amnyang'anye ile nguo. Tangu siku ile huyu jamaa kila ninapomwona na kusoma makala zake huwa ninaikumbuka ile incident ambayo ilitokea zaidi ya miaka minne sasa na nilitokea kutom-admire tangu wakati huo na kuacha kusoma issue zake zozote hata kumwona kwenye TV na anapotokea kwenye tv huwa nazima TV.

Linapokuja suala la udini, Makwaia ndiye think tank ya mawazo ya kupuuza watu wa dini zingine lakini kwa nje anajionyesha tofauti. Huyu mzee ni wa kuepuka.

Kumbe na wewe uko kama mimi kwa upande wa kuzima tv! Simpendi kabisa na vipindi vyake vya "Je, Tutafika?" Ni vipindi vilivyojaa udini sana. Sasa ukichanganya na vile vya Sheikh Yahya vya kishirikina ndio siipendi sana Channel 10!

 

[Kinombo]

Je tanzania serikali imepoteza muelekeo----dira?

 

[Njimba Nsalilwe]

Je tanzania serikali imepoteza muelekeo----dira?

Ni kweli kabisa serikali ya CCM imepoteza muerekeo. Hebu angalia akina Makamba na Chiligati msimamo wao juu ya vile CHADEMA walivyofanya. Hakuna hata mmoja anaeona mbali au kuona kuwa kuna hatari mbele yao. Kweli hawa ni sikio la kufa ambalo halisikii dawa.