Hii ni makala katika The East African la wiki hii, nimeiweka hapa ukumbini tuweze kuijadili. Hawa jamaa wa Nation media siku za nyuma mtazamoa wao kwa JK haukuwa positive na hivi tunaelekea kwenye uchaguzi tusome kwa makini coverage yao.
Sweet and sour Kikwete: The two sides of Tanzanias president
By ELSIE EYAKUZE
Friday, April 23 2010
DAR es Salaam
With the general elections set for October, Tanzanians are asking themselves what kind of Head of State have we subjected ourselves to in President Jakaya Kikwete - popularly referred to as Jay Kay.
Whatever reasons drove us to vote him into power with an overwhelming majority in 2005, we have had a decent period of time to observe him as an individual and test the mettle of his leadership.
1. Firing people in high places: Former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa, the late Governor of the Central Bank Daudi Ballali, Former Minister and one-time Attorney General Andrew Chenge, a number of hapless District Commissioners and the rest of the smug untouchables who have been canned within the past three years can attest: that loud whoosh was the sound of political elites impunity flying out the window. There is something to be said for setting such a deeply satisfying precedent. One day we might even find someone guilty of corruption, but let me not get ahead of myself.
2 - Hiring good people: The current Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda is a decent lifetime civil servant. Chief Justice Augustino Ramadhani, Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation head Tido Mhando, national football team Taifa Stars coach Marcio Maximo- all of them seasoned professionals who have been recruited, promoted, sometimes relocated in order to shore up important institutions.
And these are a just a few of the easily visible ones. Considering his vast powers of appointment Jay Kay seems to be gunning for good lieutenants rather than simply rewarding his puppets, campaign funders, political allies and other presidential hangers-on. Although, naturally, he must do that too.
3 - Doing his bit for democracy: Vain he might be, but Jay Kay is not driven by the egotistical Bigmanism that continues to plague so many African heads of state. His occasional tantrums seem to be reserved for instances of incompetence that waste his time, such as lapses in protocol at State House events.
He generally faces vocal opposition and criticism with equanimity. This has served to set an excellent tone: within reasonable boundaries, Tanzanians can happily cast aspersions all over the government.
We obviously take advantage of this, especially in the blogosphere. Since so much of democratic discourse relies on intelligently vocal malcontents, things are slowly looking up for us and for civil society. At heart, I suspect that Jay Kay genuinely believes in this whole public service, will-of-the-people business. True democrats are a rare breed.
SOURCE: The East African
Sweet and sour Kikwete: The two sides of Tanzanias president
By ELSIE EYAKUZE
Friday, April 23 2010
DAR es Salaam
With the general elections set for October, Tanzanians are asking themselves what kind of Head of State have we subjected ourselves to in President Jakaya Kikwete - popularly referred to as Jay Kay.
Whatever reasons drove us to vote him into power with an overwhelming majority in 2005, we have had a decent period of time to observe him as an individual and test the mettle of his leadership.
1. Firing people in high places: Former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa, the late Governor of the Central Bank Daudi Ballali, Former Minister and one-time Attorney General Andrew Chenge, a number of hapless District Commissioners and the rest of the smug untouchables who have been canned within the past three years can attest: that loud whoosh was the sound of political elites impunity flying out the window. There is something to be said for setting such a deeply satisfying precedent. One day we might even find someone guilty of corruption, but let me not get ahead of myself.
2 - Hiring good people: The current Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda is a decent lifetime civil servant. Chief Justice Augustino Ramadhani, Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation head Tido Mhando, national football team Taifa Stars coach Marcio Maximo- all of them seasoned professionals who have been recruited, promoted, sometimes relocated in order to shore up important institutions.
And these are a just a few of the easily visible ones. Considering his vast powers of appointment Jay Kay seems to be gunning for good lieutenants rather than simply rewarding his puppets, campaign funders, political allies and other presidential hangers-on. Although, naturally, he must do that too.
3 - Doing his bit for democracy: Vain he might be, but Jay Kay is not driven by the egotistical Bigmanism that continues to plague so many African heads of state. His occasional tantrums seem to be reserved for instances of incompetence that waste his time, such as lapses in protocol at State House events.
He generally faces vocal opposition and criticism with equanimity. This has served to set an excellent tone: within reasonable boundaries, Tanzanians can happily cast aspersions all over the government.
We obviously take advantage of this, especially in the blogosphere. Since so much of democratic discourse relies on intelligently vocal malcontents, things are slowly looking up for us and for civil society. At heart, I suspect that Jay Kay genuinely believes in this whole public service, will-of-the-people business. True democrats are a rare breed.
SOURCE: The East African
