The Chant of Savant

Sunday 20 April 2014

Is this Prof Shivji we all know?

            It came to light recently that the guru of law, Professor Issa Gulamhussein Shivji’s become a political funambulist. Shivji left many baffled and dismayed after embarking on cheap and incongruous politics of calling names and condoning evils.  He’s recently been found lingering with political malingering in bed with Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Being in bed with CCM or not for Shivji’d not have been an issue had he done so openly without using his fame to mislead others.
          If Shivji isn't helped out of the purgatory he’s in, he’ll use his prominence to mislead many as it is now after being used by CCM. Looking at what made him academically salt of the earth; the old prof seems to have lost bearing not to mention becoming insolvent. Whoever says that he’s silver-tongued that can be cheaply vended and used by winos proves beyond doubts that his or her education is but a calamity. I fully concur with those who say that instead of fighting over how many governments we must have, we’d agitate for one country one government. The rest’s quackery and power hunger so to speak. As for Shivji, he isn't a seraph but a normal poor mortal whose arm can be twisted even by being presented something (yum-yum) especially at this time he’s retired. Again, Shivji needs to differentiate himself from dudes like Bill Lukuvi who recently said that if three-tier govt wins the army will take over. What bunkum –cum-lie!
Shivji’s recently quoted as saying, “Should you press for the Tanganyika identification, you will be burying the Union and your national identity -- and in so doing serve the interests of a few power-mongering politicians and opportunists who want to capitalise on the agenda for their personal gain.” My foot!  Is the prof serious?  Why’s Tanganyika identification a danger to union while Zanzibar’s has nary been?  If Shivji’d nothing to profess or had no way of dealing with such burning cinder, he’d have kept mum in lieu of self-dressing down.
          Sadly, the guru of law alleges that those pressing for the Tanganyika identification are power-mongering politicians and opportunists. Is it true that all who want Tanganyika’s reinstatement are power-mongering politicians and opportunists? Why’s Shivji refused to comprehend that three-tier government and the reinstatement of Tanganyika were proposed by Tanzanians but not Shivji’s far-fetched power mongers and opportunists?
          Shivji’s utterance created disrepute so as to throw his repute to the litterbin.  The society that used to respect and look at him as an impartial ref will no longer trusts him shall he go on with his hullabaloo. This means the weight Shivji used to carry’s been eroded by his new political nuptial with CCM. For, looking at the language and bravura Shivji applies, he speaks the same parlance as CCM. Has he been bargained or what? Why’s he negated the fact for the salt he’s worth, he’s not supposed to be cheaply and miserably used as he is now?
If Shivji needs to be a good player, he needs to openly declare his political affiliation, interests and all that jazz so that he can enjoy his constitutional rights just like any other bin-Adam.
On the one hand, what agonizes is the respect Shivji used and wants to command. On the other hand, it exasperates to hear what Shivji says at the time his well-adjusted and unprejudiced advice is needed.
 He says, “The Draft Constitution is not a Qur’an; the Constituent Assembly may change the draft and come up with an entirely new draft. The assembly is a decision making organ and has powers to change the draft.” Say, if the Constituent Assembly takes Shivji’s take, will such doctored document be referred to as draft constitution?  If CA comes with a different draft from that proposed by the wananchi, what’ll be wananchi’s role and rights in making their constitution? If writing a new constitution is oversimplified like this, why then, waste wananchi’s time and money in soliciting their views that CA can alter wantonly?  Isn't this an act of usurping, belittling and molesting wananchi’s powers? Why spend billions of shillings on something that can be changed just with the stroke of the pen?  If such were the take of everybody, does Shivji and those dispatching him, think wananchi’ll accept such blackmail?
If you clinically look at Shivji’s take on doctoring the draft constitution, you find that his take is in line with Kikwete’s as if the duo reads from the same page. Is this coincidental or premeditated?
Shivji’s views proved how he’s in cahoots with CCM. It becomes harder to understand what’s happened to him especially when I remember this quote from his book, “Africa must refuse to be humiliated, exploited, and pushed around. And with the same determination we must refuse to humiliate, exploit, or push others around. We must act, not just say words, (Nyerere 1973, 371).”
Let’s repeat by putting the above quote in Tanzania’s perspective: CCM must refuse to humiliate, exploit or push other around like it is doing in passing the draft constitution. We won’t allow CCM, its agents, major-domos, sympathizers, praise singers, cheerleaders and paid intellectuals to write a new constitution for us.
Source: ThisDay April 21, 2014.

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