How the Berlin Conference Clung on Africa: What Africa Must Do

How the Berlin Conference Clung on Africa: What Africa Must Do

Sunday 7 February 2016

Paying tax is better than fake aid


            It has become an in-thing to see some suspicious companies and investors giving aid to some groups in our hunk. Some support sport clubs, schools and dispensaries. Giving is nice if it doesn’t conceal something nasty as it has always been in our hunk. Whenever aid is given, there will be foreigners behind it. Some of these generous givers come from poorer hunks than ours. You, sometimes, wonder–just like Bob Marley would ask–is this love? Is it love or dupery? When will we give back to those who have always given us such degrading aid? Again, how many times are we to give back if at all–through our resources and tax holidays–we’ve already given more dosh than the vijisenti we’re ridiculously given so as to fool us and thereby keep on exploiting us?
            Boozers would like to receive aid from the government but not from those who dupe them pointlessly. You can take this to the bank. How many–for instance–mining companies entered bogus contracts that are pretending to be generous while they actually are swindlers and tax evaders? How many mining companies have authored environmental degradation such as the one I know in Mara that pretend to be generous while they actually are our killers?  How many companies evade tax by changing names every five years that pretend to be generous to us? Who need such generosity full of hypocrisy and con?  When are we going to come of age?
            Under neoliberalism, globalism, colonialism and other isms, there’s nothing for free. It is sad that our boozers are easily duped to believe that there’s something for free. Try to imagine. If all tens of mining companies the hunk currently has would pay taxes as required by the law, how much development would we usher in without necessarily depending on the handouts they offer us in order to fool and dupe us? This doesn’t need one to have a PhD in economics or investment to comprehend. These dudes are robbing our hunk wantonly. This is why the lives of rural boozers have never improved. This is why our currency has always been in the ICU. This is why life has become harder and harder by the day. Ironically, even our govt goes cap in hand begging while the same allows a few criminals to evade tax and involve themselves in capital flight. I am told that India and Kenya sell more tanzanite than Danganyika. Why? What is our govt doing?
            What’s been going on vis-à-vis aid from investors reminds me the boozer who used to buy me offal and ganja. Given that I am a very Thomas as far as doubting whatever I come across is concerned, I wanted to know where this generosity was coming from and why? Guess what. I found that this guy was seducing my memsahib who fortunately did not give in. what I did was telling my donor to stop thinking he can sleep with my wife. Since then, we respect each other and my property is safe.
             I wish our boozers could think like me. They must question whatever generosity from the vampires that can ruthlessly enter bogus contracts in order to making a killing even by killing our boozers, environment and our future. Trust no hyenas just because they come in sheep’s clothing. Again, I don’t mean that all donors are shrewd and evil. However, if we consider their own philosophy that there is nothing for free under the Sun; chances are there is something that we don’t know yet. However, by implication, one can debunk the myth of aid be it for the hunk or for the communities. We’re poor because we make donors rich. It is as simple as that. Jesus once said that blessed is the hand that giveth than the one that receiveth. Who wants her or his hand not to be blessed? Wake up fellas, mnaliwa.
            The other day I saw one of the dudes who were implicated in container scandal offering some aid to his neighbouring football team. The other day, I evidenced one drug baron offering aid to a certain political party. Being naïve as they’ve always been, the party was happy thinking it was helped while it was bought so as to be used to rob its own people as it has always been. Do you think I’m making this up? Just try to use your brain a wee bit. You will know what I mean. Please whoever who wants to help us must pay tax instead of giving us goofy aid we don’t need. Pay tax so that we can bring development ourselves. A beggar is a beggar even if he or she is in expensive outfits. Tieni akilini tushawastukia. I better go and get some ganja as I down my swallow at our swallowing hole at Uwanja wa Fisi.
Source: Guardian, Feb., 7, 2016.

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