No classified documents except corruption

WHEN Wilbroad Slaa Karatu-CHADEMA and Hawa Ghasia, Minister of State in the President’s Office (Civil Service Management) faced off, I was laughing annoyingly.

For the minister was trying to leave us in the dark. She said her government will let off MPs leaking government secrets.

Ghasia who seems to be a good government’s lap dog was quoted as thus, "We know the ’thieves’ of government documents are here in the House. They have no immunity and I urge them not to repeat."

What bullshit this is if confidentiality means to sheathe putrefaction. We must stop this nonsense. The Bunge must enact a law to allow whistle-blowers to use whatever documents and means if necessarily the aim is to unveil corruption.

When Slaa was reprimanded, he did not cower. He’s quoted as saying, "If there is a time the government fell, it is today. Everybody knows: These documents gave birth to on-going EPA cases before the court. When it happens; someone is mocking such a step, it astonishes very much."

Let’s face it point blank. The government that makes infection top secret is itself nefariously putrid no matter what.

If, say, an MP gets a tip on corruption and decides to take on corrupt elements, what is wrong with discharging his duty-to defend people’s rights? Is it because, in the main, many government tops are implicated? For example, is the guy that unveiled Kiwira saga, such a danger to national security? Laws are made for the good of the general public not for a few select thievish gods. And human laws are not laps of the gods.

Ghasia’s rant at Slaa reminded me of an incident that took place at Kwa Mfuga Mbwa Manzese when a known robber was shouting at a shop lifter. You know what. Chimps do not see their bums sometimes.

It, too, reminded me of a certain minister that told us naked lies that bogus and thievish contracts are kept secret in order to defend the interests of dirty business of robbing us! This bugger has never disclosed who is behind Kiwira!

True, if any Tanzanian comes across the so-called government confidential documents on thievish investment, she or he must spill the beans so that wananchi must know who destroys their lives. Whose government this is that fears its people?

I fundamentally understand Dr Slaa is the one that brought EPA to the agora. Is this a bad thing really so as to deserve being thundered at? Slaa is an MP that was elected by the people to represent them.

He, thus, has the power and consent of the people making this country. Whom does the minister represent apart from a single person known as Prezzo? Even Prezzo is the servant of the people. So people should come first in whatever we do- even in law.

The law that allows a few big time thieves to get away with it is illegal even if it is enacted by the Bunge. Such law is surreal and a catastrophe. It’s time for the Bunge to rebel to avoid rubber-stamping nonsense. Failure to this, corruption will keep on ruling us.

By the way, does our nation have any secrets? How then did EPA thieves manage to rob our? Why should we keep their secrets for our peril’? Who is supposed to be brought to book between those entering bogus contracts they make top secrets and those that shame and name them?
This reminds me of bulimia of being able to supply police to disband demonstrators whilst we don't have any for protecting our people.

Fortunately, President Jakaya Kikwete asked wananchi to help him take on corruption. Experience shows stinking corruption is found in the so-called classified documents. Refer to Richmond , Kiwira, Deep Green Finance, Vijisenti, Alex Stewart, EPA and such many scams.

To fight graft verily, we need to take a leaf from the president of the most powerful nation, Barack Obama, who, just recently, unclassified CIA’s classified documents on torture. Though many goons made noises that doing so would compromise US’s security, Obama ignored them. He decided to put records straight.

We need to ignore goons and thieves with corrupt ideas aiming at intimidating us so that they can rob us. If US can do, what of a pauper- Tanzania whose confidentiality is a bed of roses for corrupt elements in the upper echelons of power?

I massively concur with Ghasia on one thing. It's true that with ’Kitu kidogo’ one can get government secrets. But who’s to blame? If some bogus investors can offer the same ’kitu kidogo’ and get away with our priceless minerals, why shouldn’t underpaid government employees do the same to its documents? Nobody expects the goat to eat papers. It eats grass. The biggies sell the country and the small ones sell their secrets. Tit for tat, game over.

So, instead of witch hunting, biggies should stop white washing as far as accountability, probity, code of conduct and delivering are concerned. If government secrets can be leaked to save the nation, so be it. But if corruption is made top secret to ruin the country, God curse it.

So to cut the long story short, what is referred to as classified documents is nothing but sheer corruption.
Today’s wisdom: Secrecy is the pillar of bad governance and a mother of corruption.
Source: Thisday April 24, 2009.