Open notelet to president Magufuli

            Honourable President John Pombe Magufuli,

            I must admit from the outset. I didn’t like your party before appointing you its presidential flagbearer. Guess what. I predicted you’d become fifth president two years before. Had the opposition brought another person other than Eddy Lowassa, my love wouldn’t have waned. Again, after Lowassa was crowned opposition’s flagbearer, my love shifted to you but not to your party. I still dislike your party up till you overhaul it. Yet, I’ve a lot of veneration and faith in you as a hard worker.

            Sir, I humbly seek you leave to communicate with you for the first time. I hope –before you became president –you used to read this column. I’m sure you liked it so much and you still do. Take note that – after becoming president –you may find yourself being probed or clinically examined if not dissected here. Today I’m touching base with without anything in my head or blood. I’m as sober as a judge.

            I pray that I address the following:

Firstly, Boozers have sent me to tell you the following that they want you to fulfill. They want you to declare your wife’s and your wealth and thereby ask all of your officials and who’s who in your government to follow suit.

            Secondly, you must mercilessly deal with drug dealers that your predecessor spared for reasons only known to himself failure to which boozers will believe –as they did with him –that you’re benefiting from this crime.  So, too, you must mercilessly take on corrupt officials. It is easy. Form an underground task force to probe all that cheat in declaring their wealth. Make sure you hit the nail on the head so that the message sent can daunt and put sense into others still at large. Boozers still believe that you can retrieve the dosh these corrupt putas stashed in Swiss Banks and other Western capitals.

            Mr. brand new President, you’re in the past government. You saw and heard everything. Thus, you know everything. Do you remember the promises your predecessor offered on stamping thugs out of the hunk to no avail? Please, spear nobody. Boozers say that your job’s still bigger. Make sure that all thugs are deposited behind bars. So, too, avoid thuggish behaviour of allowing your wife to form an NGO aimed at minting and printing dosh on the back of the state house.  For boozers, forming a bogus NGO is as good as thuggery. After you’re done with thugs take on thuggish investment contracts that need to be reviewed, annulled and whatnot.

            I heard one rookie saying he is another Sokoine. Had he known that you’ll become bigger than his Sokoine, he’d not waste time. I hope you remember what Sokoine did vis-à-vis saboteurs that we still have in the upper echelons of power. Play your cards secretly and wisely otherwise you’re playing with fire. You know what I mean. Before I forget, taking on bogus contracts won’t be enough without hauling up all those involved in past scams such as EPA, Escrow, IPTL, Richmond, Merementa, Mwananchi Gold, UDA, SUKITA, Kiwira, Loliondo, Presidential jet and radar and many more you obviously know.

            Everybody is waiting to see the type of people you’re going to appoint to be your ministers. Boozers say is openly and loudly that you’d not appoint forgers, corrupt, inept and indolent mortals. All those who butchered our education shouldn’t be considered.  Think about revivifying our education system. Being a teacher yourself, I know you know the importance of education especially as it was fine-tuned by mzee Mchonga.

            Another problem that denies boozer sleeps is none other than ghost workers, illegal immigrants mostly from Asia and tax evaders. Boozers know too well as you do that our country has become shamba la bibi under chizi. To do away with this anathema, make sure, you put a stop on all such criminality. Go further. Probe your predecessors and their family members. We know of young kids who became rich just because their parents were biggies. Descend on them like a hawk descending on chicks.

            There are other areas to reconsider. Increase the budgets of education and health for the development of the country.  No sick and ignorant nation can develop in a meaningful manner.  I heard you putting a stop on globetrotting that your predecessor was famous of. Make this habitus-cum-continuum instead of being an action. Probe the swelling of our external debt. There must be culprits waiting to be nabbed and jailed hither so to speak.           

            Finally, boozers are waiting for you to fulfill your promises you made during the campaigns so as to convince them to vote for you knowingly you’re seconded by a corrupt party. Overhaul it and make sure no stone is left unturned. In doing so, you need to be proactive instead of being reactive.

Next time you’ll the series of poetic Hello Mr President.

Source: Guardian November 15, 2015.