Stand up and be counted

[BAK]

DAMAS MWITA

ONE of the closest aides of the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Joseph Butiku, yesterday reiterated his criticism of former president Benjamin Mkapas private business dealings at State House and once again publicly challenged the retired leader to stand up and be counted.

Speaking at a news conference in Dar es Salaam, Butiku declared that Nyerere had literally carried Mkapa on his back and campaigned countrywide for his presidency in 1995 believing that he (Mkapa) was the so-called Mr Clean of Tanzanias politics.

According to Butiku, Mwalimu went out of his way to secure Mkapas presidential nomination in the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and thereafter vigorously campaigned for him in the countrys first multi-party elections.

Contrary to Mwalimus belief, Mkapa now seems to have betrayed the legacy of the Father of the Nation, by conducting private business activities while at State House, he said.

The late Mwalimu was obliged to carry Mkapa on his back and went around with him across the country to ask Tanzanians to vote him in office. This showed the level of trust Mwalimu had in him, said Butiku, who served as Nyereres personal secretary at State House and later as regional commissioner.

He told reporters that Mkapas continued silence against the backdrop of mounting allegations of corruption and abuse of office facing him was bewildering.

Silence sometimes means acceptance. But if Mkapa is really innocent of these allegations and wants to clear his name, he must break his silence now, said Butiku, who is now executive director of the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation.

He said the allegations of a sitting president and his spouse and children registering a company then engaging in private business dealings for personal financial gain was a very serious matter.

Butiku said since Mkapa stands accused of abusing State House to run his own private business affairs, he should come out in the open and clear his name.

Speaking generally about the state of corruption in Tanzania, Butiku noted that there was a growing problem of declining public leadership ethics.

He said many leaders had today lost credibility and moral authority to lead the fight against corruption because they were themselves not beyond suspicion.

The problem of corruption in Tanzania is now like a chronic terminal illness that is slowly eroding the moral fibre of society, he said.

He added: People have no self control anymore ... Even some members of the public are now actually demanding bribes from those who aspire for leadership posts as a condition for voting them in office.

 

[BAK]

Posted Date::10/18/2007
Butiku ataka Mkapa ajitokeze kujibu tuhuma
Irene Lipende na James Magai
Mwananchi

MKURUGENZI wa Taasisi ya Mwalimu Nyerere na mwanachama mwanzilishi wa Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Joseph Butiku amemtaka Rais Mstaafu Benjamini Mkapa ajitokeze na kujieleza kwa wananchi kuhusiana na tuhuma mbalimbali zinazotolewa dhidi yake likiwepo suala la kufanya biashara Ikulu.

Butiku, alitoa kauli hiyo jana jijini Dar es Salaam wakati akizungumza na waandishi wa habari kuhusu tatizo la rushwa na ufisadi ambalo linaikabili Taifa hivi sasa.

Alisema Mkapa kama Rais Mstaafu alipaswa kujitokeza hadharani kujibu tuhuma hizo ili wananchi wajue kama tuhuma hizo dhidi yake ni za kweli au uongo pamoja na kurudisha imani kwa wananchi. �Kumekuwapo na tuhuma za namna hii dhidi ya Rais Mkapa kuwa alihusika kufanya biashara Ikulu.

Mimi siamini kama ni kweli, lakini Mkapa anatakiwa ajitokeze sasa na kuwaeleza wananchi kama ni kweli alifanya biashara ndani ya Ikulu ili wananchi tujue,� alisema Butiku.

Alisema kabla ya kufikia kutoa kauli hiyo, kwa waandishi wa habari alimuandikia barua Mkapa ambayo aliipeleka yeye mwenyewe hadi Chamwino kwa wahudumu wake, akimtaka afafanue tuhuma hizo kwa wananchi.

Mwaka 2005 nilimuandikia barua Rais Mkapa na nakumbuka ilikuwa ni usiku niliondoka na kwenda mimi mwenyewe hadi Ikulu ya Chamwino na kuikabidhi barua hiyo kabla ya kumfikia mtu mwingine yeyote,� alisisitiza Butiku, bila ya kueleza kwa undani kama Mkapa alijibu nini baada ya kumwandikia barua hiyo.

Butiku ambaye amewahi kushika nyadhifa mbalimbali za chama na serikali alisema ingawa kwa mujibu wa katiba, Rais anapewa kinga ya kutokushitakiwa mahakamani, bado anapaswa kuwaeleza wananchi kuhusu tuhuma zinazomkabili.

Kuhusiana na sakata la ufisadi dhidi ya baadhi ya viongozi wa serikali ya Awamu ya Nne, Butiku alisisitiza kuwa viongozi hao, wanapaswa kujiuzulu kwa kuwa wananchi wamepoteza imani dhidi yao.

Katika nchi yoyote yenye utawala wa kisheria kiongozi yeyote wa juu anapotuhumiwa kuhusika katika kashfa hasa rushwa anapaswa kujiuzulu kwa kuwa wananchi wanakuwa wamepoteza imani kwake,� alisisitiza Butiku.

Alisema tatizo la rushwa nchini, linatokana na viongozi kushindwa kusimamia ipasavyo misingi ya katiba na kwamba wananchi wenyewe ndio wamekuwa chanzo cha kutoa rushwa.

Nchi sasa inanuka rushwa, Watanzania tumekuwa sawa na makinda ya ndege, tumepanua midomo yetu na wenye mikono ya rushwa wametumbukiza mikono yao vinywani mwetu,� alisema Butiku.

Butiku alisema matatizo ya ufisadi na rushwa yameshamiri baada ya viongozi kutozingatia maadili ya uongozi, yaliojengwa na Baba wa Taifa katika Azimio la Arusha ambalo lilikuwa linasisitiza miiko na maadili ya uongozi bora. Alisema rushwa ni sawa na Virusi Vya Ukimwi (VVU) wa maadili na kwamba kupenda mali ni sawa na ulafi kwa kiongozi wa siasa ambaye ana VVU.

Hivyo aliwataka Watanzania kujadili kwa uwazi suala la viongozi na maadili ya uongozi kuhusiana na rushwa na ufisadi kama hoja ya msingi bila mzaha ushabiki wala kujitafutia umaarufu kwamba maadili mema ya uongozi ndio uhai na uzima wa taifa letu.