The Chant of Savant

Monday 11 August 2014

HOW MANY MILLIONS DID MZINDAKAYAS ROB US?

News that the government recently retrieved its house from Chrisant Mzidakaya, former Sumbawanga Member of Parliament (CCM) is good news. It came to light that this Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s cadre used his connection to grab over ten government houses. These houses were donated by Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) in 1988 after winding up its project in Sumbawanga. Thereafter, the said houses were dubiously grabbed by Mzindakaya under his firm Animal Food Industries Limited (Saafi) while public officials such as magistrates and clerks didn’t have house to live in.
          According to Sumbawanga Urban MP, Hilal Aeshi, many gov’t officials used to suffer thanks to the lack of houses in Sumbawanga. He was quoted as saying, “I am very happy today because finally, the government has repossessed its houses; now judges and other government officials will be able to live in modern State-owned houses instead of living in rented ones.” Interestingly, while this economic sabotage was going for over twenty years, the govt and its ruling CCM were turning a blind eye simply because this crime involved one of their own. How much anger and anguish does such action emanate for paupers of this country? How many millions of shillings did Mzindakaya rob the public in this crime? How many self-serving CCM’s whizkids like Mzindakaya do we've in the country? Nobody should tell me that the govt and the ruling party weren't aware of this sabotage. They knew everything. Again, who’d have taken on Mzindakaya, if at all, all monkeys steal corn? This means that since the second up to the fourth phase were aware of this crime save that under kujuana policy they decided to turn a blind eye. Again, who is to put Mzindakaya to task if all those in power are doing the same simian biz? This venal behaviour has become the order of the day simply because Mzindakaya is a member of CCM namely Chukua Chako Mapema. How many tick-like criminals do we've in the country and how many billions have we lost to them? This is why Tanzanians are always poor. Mali ya umma haiumi japo umma unaumia.
We’re talking of houses. How many parcels of land and other types of public properties such ruthless cadres have already grabbed since independence?  
Ironically, while the Mzindakayas are scooping our properties, our rulers always go cap in hand begging while letting a few criminals deprive rob us wantonly.  If a person can grab govt houses and get away with it for over two decades, how much tax does such a person evade?  This is obvious given that our Mzindakayas don’t only grab our properties but also do business. To rub salt into the wound, the same kit and caboodle secure good jobs and positions in govt and party ranks for their kids to further their empires of doom for our paupers. Mzindakaya’s saga should open our eyes.  Is this uvivu wa kufikiri whereby a hen dies of malnutrition while sitting on nutritious eggs? Shall all stones be turned in the country boosting of having many overnight billionaires, Mzindakaya’s sabotage is but the tip of the iceberg as far as grabbing public property is concerned in Tanzania. Had we'd an iota of sanity, the Mzindakayas would be punished by nationalizing the properties they robbed   poor wananachi.
Now that, at last, the government saw the light thanks to Minister for Works, John Magufuli’s efforts, the culprit should be brought to book so that justice can be delivered. So too, by charging Mzindakaya, the govt'll be sending signals to others alike that time for robbing public properties wantonly is over.  For possessing and using 12 houses for 26 years, it is obvious that Mzindakaya made a lot of money as he deprived the public of income. He needs to pay this money back plus interests. He, too, must be made to pay a redress for using such houses illegally.  Magufuli did the right thing to retrieve our houses. Shall he fail to prosecute; the culprit may use his connection to repossess those houses.  The whole good job well done will end up becoming a cropper due to the fact that it might offer a loophole for Mzindakaya to use our weak legal system to re-claim the said houses.
In sum, as we approach general elections next year, voters need to take note of such vices so that when the moment of truth arrives, those responsible for pillaging our country, their parties, friends and company should be made to pay by not voting for them. Who needs business as usual in robbing our people? Mzindaka’s sabotage should act as a reminder for our people to whack all self-serving biggies they know.
Source: Business Times Aug,11, 2014.

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