Are you intending to butcher our people?

Reports that some dubious contractors charged with constructing our all-substandard roads have devised a new way of fleecing us by sabotaging our infrastructure can’t pass without comments. The news that’s nary been refuted has it that some constructors are reducing the size of roads so as to make quick and dirty money. According to one daily, Ubungo and Singida roads were cited as the casualties of this crime. The news says that constructors reduced about a half meter to a meter in width in order to get away with our money. We don’t know how much depth of the said roads was reduced. If anything, such killer move is but a time bomb waiting to explode if no steps are taken just soon. 

Fiddling with the standards and measures of roads, especially at this moment road carnage claims a lot of lives, is the major source of our motorists’ and road users’ early deaths. Such a move is but deliberate massacres of our people. I wonder. After such a crime was unearthed, our good govt didn't bother even to offer some explanations on how it is going to take on the vice. Who cares if at all those behind this tragedy make quick money as they author our fast deaths?

In simple parlance, our infrastructure’s no longer reliable, so too, are the authorities that sit and look without doing anything. Our roads are becoming agents of deaths pointlessly. Again, why are we allowing a few criminals to kill our people due to their greed and narrow-mindedness? Does it mean that the govt isn't aware of this menace while those behind it are its employees? While this sabotage goes on, we still have vein to go cap in hand begging in the name of bettering our infrastructures. Is this the way we’re bettering them really? Sad, sad, sad! 

After the news came to light many thought the govt’d have sprung into action to see to it that they clear the air. Nope! Who bothers in the No Man’s land that we've become? Methinks. There’s an urgent need of starting teaching patriotism to our govt officials who are always in bed with criminals in the name of making quick dosh. We may ignore this calamity for our future peril so to speak.  Sound leaders are the ones who see the future by not allowing criminals and corrupt officials to take them for a ride. 

Essentially, our corrupt officials fail to underscore the fact that they can make good money without sabotaging the nation. Work hard. You’ll be able to receive big cheques without necessarily resorting into crimes whose consequences will be borne by your own people after your conspirators make money and leave the danger looming. Due to budding endemic corruption, I won’t wonder to find that even Kigamboni Bridge soon’ll become another casualty that’ll claim a lot of lives in the near future.  If such greed and myopia are allowed to persist, how many Tanzanians are going to die pointlessly simply because a few criminals have decided to use them to mint and print dirty monies? What’s going on is but thuggery committed by our local hyenas in conjunction with foreign sharks who rob us and endanger our lives altogether. 

Again, why didn't we learn from calamities such as the sinking of MV Bukoba that claimed many innocent lives over a decade ago? Can the govt avoid blames for such deaths really? 

Sabotage doesn't end up with our roads only.  Even govt buildings and other high-rise buildings mushrooming in our cities are but a ticking bomb waiting to explode. Why’s it hard for us to learn from past calamities such as the Indira Gandhi killer building that claimed over 30 lives after collapsing just last year?  While the carnage goes on, our rulers are complaining about the weakness in our legal system. Why don’t you go to the parliament and repeal or amend such bad laws to see to it that our people aren't killed by quick-money makers? Aren't you a part of this sin-cum-crime? I remember how Lands, Housing and Human settlement Prof Anna Tibaijuka complained that she’s unable to demolish the killer Uhindini structure because the owners went before the court to stop her order to demolish the structure. Why didn't the minister move a bill to curb this insanity if she indeed were serious?

I wish Mr. John Magufuli, the minister responsible for our roads would come forth and tell us what his reactions are and what he intends to do to curb this mania. Again, are you guys intending to butcher our innocent people? 

Source: Business Times Aug., 15, 2014.