Taathmini fupi ya mwaka uliopita

                 
              Mwaka uliopita, sawa na miaka mingine, ulikuwa na changamoto zake na mazuri yake. Blog hii iliupokea na kuuishi mwaka uliopita kwa namna mbili kibinafsi na kijamii. Kwa mfano, kwa upande wa mambo mazuri, madikteta watatu walidondoka yaani Eduardo Dos Santos wa Angola aliyeamua kuachia ngazi , Yahya Jammeh aliyepigwa mweleka kwenye uchaguzi aliouandaa mwenyewe kabla ya kugoma kuondoka na kulazimishwa kufunga virago na kukimbilia uhamishoni huku Robert Mugabe akipinduliwa kiulaini na kulazimika kujiuzulu. Kadhalika, taifa lenye nguvu kuliko yote duniani, Marekani, lilipata rais mbaguzi na mnyanyasaji asiyejua kitu kuhusiana na sera na siasa za kigeni Donald John Trump. Nchini Uganda, imla wa miaka mingi Yoweri Museveni alibadilisha katiba kuendelea kuwa madarakani sawa na wenzake wa Rwanda na Burundi bila kusahau Sudan ya Kusini zote zikiwa mwanachama wa Jumuia ya Afrika Mashariki.
           Tanzania ilipiga vichwa vya habari kwa sababu nzuri na mbaya tokana namna ya uongozi wa rais John Pombe Magufuli huku akipendwa na wanyonge wengi na kuchukiwa na watu wa kipato cha kati baada ya kuminya vyuma kiasi cha kukaza. Jambo baya lililotekea Tanzania ni kupigwa risasa kwa mwanasiasa machachari Tundu Lissu ambaye anaendelea vizuri hospitalini nchini Kenya akingojea kupelekwa Ulaya kwa matibabu zaidi. Nchini Kenya uchaguzi uligeuka vita kiasi cha watu wasio na hatia kuuawa ukiachia mbali mafahari wawili Raila Odinga na Uhuru Kenyatta kuendelea kuigawanya nchi kikabila na kisiasa hadi sasa.
     Habari funga mwaka ni kuripotiwa kuuzwa kwa waafrika utumwani nchini Libya huku dunia ikinyamazia unyama huu kana kwamba waafrika hawana thamani na kama wanayo hawana tofauti na kuku, mbuzi hata punda wa kuuzwa bila kustusha. Sambamba na hili lilotokea tukio la rais Trump kuutambua mji wa Jerusalem kama mji mkuu wa Israel; jambo ambalo lilipata msisimko dunia nzima huku nchi nyingi zikiandamana na kupinga na kulaani lakini zikakaa kimya dhidi ya kadhia ya kuuzwa waafrika. Ajabu ya maajabu, na baadhi ya waswahili chini ya mwamvuli wa Uislam waliingia kwenye bandwagon huku wakishindwa kulaani kuuzwa kwa ndugu zao.
         Kwa ufupi mwaka huu ulikuwa na ugumu wake. Binafsi, kitinda mimba wetu Nkwazi Mhango Jr alianza vidudu huku kaka yake Nkuzi akiingia darasa la pili.
Kwa ujumla ndivyo tulivyouona na kuuishi mwaka uliopita. Je msomaji nini tathmini yako fupi ya mwaka ulioisha?

Zawadi ya mwaka ya blog hii

Picha ya kufungia mwaka kwa furaha

Watuhumiwa wakuu wa wizi wa Escrow James Rugemalira na Harbinder Sing wakiwa mahakamani

                           Kwa wanaojua namna Tanzania ilivyochezewa kiasi cha kugeuka shamba la bibi, au tuseme shamba la chizi, chini ya utawala Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Benjamin Mkapa akitawaliwa na mkewe Anna Tamaa Mkapa na Jakaya Kikwete, wanapoona picha za mafisadi nyangumi kama hawa lau wanafarijika. Hata hivyo, juzi fisadi James Rugemalira aliamua kuanza kumwaga mtama akitaka akutane na Mwendesha Mashitaka Mkuu wa Serikali (DPP) ampe ushahidi juu ya nani mwizi wa fedha zinazohusika kwenye kesi inayomkabili. Kwa wanaojua sakata la IPTL, hawatasita kujikumbusha kuwa walioiasisi na kufaidi na Mkapa na Kikwete. Hawa wengine ni vidagaa tu wanaotolewa kafala kuwanusuru wakubwa. Je serikali iko tayari kupokea ushahidi wa Rugemalira na kuufanyia kazi au kujifanya haisikii? 
                           Ukitaka kujua kuwa Rugemalira anawajua wenzake hasa wale mabwana zake waliomtumia, jiulize, wale aliowakatia mshiko ambao unajulikana ni wa wizi kama vile Andrew Chenge, Anna Tibaijuka, William Ngeleja, jaji Aloysius Mjulizi, askofu Methodius Kilaini, askofu Eusebius Nzigilwa na wengine wengi wamechukuliwa hatua gani? Je sheria yetu inatumika kibaguzi au mkono mrefu wa serikali utawakamata na kuwasweka ndani hadi watakapoachiwa na mahakama kama hawa washirki wenzao? Je kesi ya Escrow itauawa kimya kimya kama vile ya EPA ambapo wezi waliambiwa warejeshe fedha yakaisha ili kuepuka kumfichua mtuhumiwa mkuu ambaye ni Kikwete na Mkapa? Je mwanzo wa mwisho wa Rugemalira ndiyo unaanza? Je ataachiwa amwage mtama au kuKolimbwa? Ngoja tuone mwaka unaoanza serikali itakuja na sinema ipi au kuchukua hatua zipi mujarabu. Nawatakie mwaka mpya 2018 wenye amani na mafanikio.

EAC’s biggest problem is hypocrisy of its members

           When the unification of Africa failed, some African post-colonial leaders embarked on regional unification. Instead of scaring bejesus out of them, in 1967, for example, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda manned up, woke up and smelt the coffee and founded the East African Community (EAC I). However, in 1977 the EAC I collapsed thanks to mistrusts and sabotage.

            In 1993, three founders decided to give the kiss of life to the EAC.  However, since then, the EAC has never been lifey; and members are detached. There have been squabbles here and there resulting from competition among the members who were doubled to seven.  Refer to how Kenya and Tanzania battled it out over; and for Uganda’s East Africa Crude Oil pipeline not to mention the recent election of the speaker of the EAC.  One would think that there wouldn't have been any cutthroat competition provided that the project was to be carried out in the EAC. Again, the situation was much more different. In the end, Tanzania won the project so as to be much praised as it will pass through Tanzania. In Kenya, it is likely less much so after losing the bid to host Uganda’s oil pipeline.

            Apart individual country struggling over economic glut, there is a very central issue of mobility within the EAC. All countries except Tanzania would like to see ‘the East Africaners” moving free in the EAC.  Why Tanzania is becoming a stumbling block? The logic-cum-reason is so simple. It is only Tanzania that is bigger; and thus has small population based on its landmass; and thus land that any citizen from any country can come for. Coming to who has many resources minus people, Tanzania is almost the only one. Ironically, when countries with a bulk of landless people seeing Tanzania as an obstacle for not allowing its land to be taken advantage of, some countries still tolerate seeing their land grabbing and venal rulers sit on millions of hectares while the wananchi are landless. Kenya provides an ideal example. Kenya has a few elites sitting on immense tracts of land while the majority of those they rule are landless. Why should Tanzania welcome landless people while their rulers do not? While the land crisis goes on, the victims have not addressed population problem.  If you look at the population of the EAC, you wonder what will happen in next 50 years. Currently, the issue might be landlessness. Tomorrow, another problem will crop up in this jambalaya; the lack of other resources such as water, food and many more.

            Let’s look at population of the EAC. Burundi has 12m inhabitants living  on 27,834 km², Kenya 49m  on 580, 367 km², Rwanda  12m (26, 338km² ) and Uganda 34m (241,038km² ) which makes the total population to be 107m  living on 875,574km²  compared  to Tanzania with its population of 57m inhabitants ( 947303km²).  Mathematically, it is simple to know why Tanzania has always refused to be cobbled in the free movement. Some propagandists say that population is good for the market. This is not true; how come countries like Sweden with the population of just 10m with the total GDP of $517.440 billion is richer than the entire EAC put together with the total GDP of $448. 211 billion? The answer is simple. Sweden sells much abroad; and uses its resources wisely to make sure that they benefit its people. I think if the EAC will understand this, will not hesitate to unite and form one formidable country in which movement will be free. Currently in Tanzania, people can live anywhere. There has never been any suspicion about Zanzibaris simply because their country is a fracture of Tanzania simply because it is a single country that swallowed two countries one large and another tiny.

            Methinks; the big problem with the EAC is nothing but hypocrisy of talking about unification while everybody is behaving like a drum maker who stretches the skin to his own side. The difference however is; the drum is made and when it is used all hears it.  Such mentality-cum-tendencies have rendered the EAC irrelevant and moribund. There is no way we can retain our colonial identities namely the current nationalities and do something meaningful. What is stopping us from dissolving weak and vulnerable countries colonial masters created to weaken us and form a brand new country known as Afrika Mashariki to show the world that the spirit of reclaiming African organic configuration and setting are still alive in our hearts and mind? I am sure. The wananchi in all member states are ready to reunify and launch this brand new country. Again, what is the obstacle [s]?   The answer is so simple and straightforward; our presidents. They are not ready to relinquish their powers so as to allow the formation of such a brand new and strong country.

            In sum, provided that our heads are the ones doing the talks and shows, they still live in the world that colonial masters envisioned by dividing Africa into puny states for their disadvantage as opposed to the advantage of their cloners. They know this very well. However, their myopic interests have always blinded them so as to keep on believing that they were all created to become presidents. Their presidencies are more important than creating one gigantic country Afrika Mashariki that will swallow colonial-sired countries. Failure to actualise and realise this EAC becomes irrelevant and moribund.

Source: Citizen, Wed., today.

Je kiongozi kama huyu anafanana na anaowaongoza kweli?

Mkuu wa mkoa wa Arusha Mrisho Gambo akishiriki ujenzi wa hospitali. Sijui  viongozi wetu wa sasa wanatumia busara gani. Mgeni rasmi amevalia kana kwamba hajawahi kugusa udongo!

Slave trade will never end without African nakbah

 

          The world was recently shocked after waking up to irritating exposé that some Africans are sold like chickens and goats in Libya. Many brouhahas and empty talks were aired without necessarily attacking the root causes of this crime against humanity that feeds on and revolves around international discrimination against black people?

            Slave trade in Africa is not a new phenomenon. It started many years ago; and since then, it has been changing forms and shapes. In this piece, I'll show how slavery is there to stay due to:

            First, world economic imbalance resulting from internal and external colonialism in Africa and world at large is to blame. Why are Africans fleeing their countries risking everything to reach Europe for green pastures? The answer is simple. Many are fleeing conflict, corruption, dictatorship, manmade poverty and unemployment among others that former colonial masters and their stooges in Africa created and maintained despite Africa priding itself of being independent.

            Secondly, slavery has been going on in some African countries such as the Maghreb where the victims are pure Africans as opposed to their counterpart Afro-Arabs who regard themselves as Arabs even though they are Africans.  The www.moroccoworldnews.com (2013) discloses that “at the regional level, Tunisia ranked 122^nd (9,000 slaves), whilst Algeria ranked 91^st (70,000 slaves) and Libya 78 (17,000 slaves). As to Mauritania, where slavery is known to be significantly present, the country ranked first internationally, according to WFF’s modern slavery index.”

            Thirdly, when heartless Europeans and Arabs started slave trade, nobody knew; it would take many years to stop. The first slave trade, according to various scholars, saw over 12 million Africans being shipped to the Americas, Europe and Middle East to be used as slaves at home and in plantations.  After making a killing that enabled it to enter into what is historically known as Industrial Revolution, Europe abolished slavery. Again, the couple in this business is Arabs and Europeans.

              Fourth, since, it was abolished; slavery seems to have resurged recently when Africans with Arab pedigree in the modern Maghreb started selling Africans as slaves. What transpired recently in Libya gives an inkling on what is now going on while the world, especially the so-called international community, has kept mum; simply because modern slaves are sold, restricted and sometimes die in the Maghreb instead of crossing over to Europe. This is good for the holy Europe that should not be invaded and disturbed by Black creatures.

      Fifth, many African countries, mainly those endowed with resources, are facing violent conflict which warlords start war so as to have control on resources they sell to the West.

Sixth, Africa is littered with many do-nothing governments that are good at fleecing Africa and vending its people despite being endowed with humongous resources of value. Aren't such rulers criminally liable like their counterpart slave traders due to the enhancing role they play?

          Seventh, when it comes to poverty, bad governance, corruption and dependency, among others, are to blame. Many African countries are ruled by corrupt and inept regimes whose goal in power is to exploit their countries for narrow and personal interests. Interestingly, such rulers are supported by the west to see to it that it perpetually colonised for the interests of the west. The story is very complicated and long. Again, why have Africans always been welcoming their torturers? What would have been the reaction of the world had Africans sold their modern slave masters in the Maghreb?

            This is where the concept of nakbah, namely catastrophe that requires the victims to take direct actions after declaring days of rage, comes in. If they sell our brothers and sisters, why shouldn't we show them that we are not ready to stomach it? How many Africans are agitating that countries involved in slavery be banned; and if needs be, attacked? Imagine. If those selling and buying Africans were Africans buying Arabs or Europeans, what'd the world look like? This is international racism. You can see it on how, for example, Syrian and Yemen’s conflicts are portrayed internationally while African conflicts in the CAR, DRC, South Sudan and elsewhere are pushed under the carpet by the international media. Even when Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which it is,  the story got more traction than slavery in Libya. Ironically, some Kenyan Muslim community condemned that but fell short of doing so to slavery? Why? Mental slavery may be a suspect.

            Ironically, while our brethren are sold in the Maghreb, some Africans, under Islamic brotherhood, are agitating for the rights of Rohingya in Myanmar as they ignore the plights of those of their own. Islam teaches tit-for-tat as retributive form of justice. Shall those selling and buying our people not stop; Africans need to embark on such justice out of necessity. I wonder to see many Arabs and Indians being welcomed to Africa where they thrive without necessarily reciprocating. For how long will African been taken for a ride? Where are our leaders?

            In sum, the world will never end slave trade involving Africans. It is only Africans who'll  collectively stop it; shall they wake up and take reciprocal and decisive actions.  Resuscitate your economies, value yourselves, cut ties with external and internal colonialism, be it cultural or political, and make sure that you stand for what you believe in as a people; otherwise slavery is there to stay.

Source: Citizen, Wed., 20 December, 2017.

Ukisikia umalaya wa kisiasa wakati mwingine ni huu

Picha hii imechotwa toka gazeti la Mwananchi

As I commemorate Philly Lutaaya

Miaka 10 ugani! Happy Birthday Freethinking

                   Mnamo tarehe 6 mwezi huu blog hii ilitimiza miaka kumi tangu kuanzishwa. Hata hivyo, nilikuwa na majukumu ya kuhakiki kitabu, hivo, sikuwa na muda wa kubandika tangazo hili hasa ikizingatiwa kuwa huu ni mwisho wa mwaka. Japo miaka kumi si mingi, ni mingi kidogo hasa ikizingatiwa kkuwa blog hii ni kongwe kuliko wanetu Ng'ani, Nkuzi na Nkwazi Jr, si haba. Kupitia blog hii nimepata marafiki wengi ambao hata hatujawahi kuonana japo tunawasiliana kama vile tumekua wote.  Tunaungana na wasomaji wetu kuwapongeza kwa michango yenu hasa muda na mawazo mlivyokuwa mkitoa kwa miaka kumi iliyopita. Tunawaomba muendelee kutoa michango yenu kama kawaida. Kwa leo sisemi mengi zaidi ya kuwatakia wasomaji wangu heri ya mwaka mpya.

Kenyatta, thanks no thanks for your gift to east Africans

            President Uhuru Kenyatta attempted the impossible. He invited people from the East African Community to live in Kenya and enjoy the same rights Kenyans enjoy such as work, doing business, owning land and settling in Kenya among others. Such a talk, if were workable and realistic, is but revolutionary. Again, is it workable?

Where are the farms, if at all, most of fertile land in Kenya is owned by the Kenyattas, Mois and their cronies? Ndungu commission established to look into land grabbing in Kenya discovered; Kenyatta’s family sits on 15,000 km²   which is bigger than Jamaica or the Gambia.  Is Kenyatta ready to relinquish this land?  As for jobs, is there any job in a country grappling with unemployment not to mention tribalism? Who is intended in this empty-cum-grandstand? Will countries like Tanzania take a leaf from Kenyatta? Who is a loser and who is a gainer?

If Kenyatta is sincere and serious, he must first convince his counterparts to demolish the borders, relinquish their presidency and form one country known as the East African Country? I know as they know. The people of this region and Africa at large have always been ready to reunify Africa to the tune it was before the Berlin Conference 1884 that divided and partitioned Africa to end up forming feeble states we boast of having today. Demolish the borders. We know as they know. The obstacle for the reunification of Africa is nothing but presidency, narrow interests, greed, individualism and colonial carryover among others.

            Essentially, Kenyatta’s dream can be actualised and realised through decolonising their countries by demolishing the borders and relinquishing their presidency; otherwise Kenyatta’s is but a pipedream.

Let’s look at the feasibility of Kenyatta’s assertion. Organically, before the criminal Berlin Conference 1884, Kenya, Tanzania and were united just like other African countries. People along modern borders used to operate freely without any disturbances, mistrusts and infringement on their natural freedom of movement. This is why Masai in Kenya and Tanzania still regard themselves as one country of Masailand not to mention the Swahili on Lunga lunga-Horohoro border and others on the borders.

            Nonetheless, after Africa was divided and partitioned, there was born the modern weak states as colonial tools intended to divide, exploit and weaken Africans perpetually.  Fortunately, in the 60s, African countries became independent; however divided. Sadly, these states have done nothing but furthering, internalising and reinforcing colonialism by maintaining colonial divisions under the Peace of Westphalia 1648 which created modern-time colonial sovereignty.  However, some efforts were made to reunite Africa as championed by the likes of Julius Nyerere (Tanzania), Kwame Nkrumah and many more whose dream was felled by their successors due to myopia and individuality.

            The East Africa embarked on the unification of the region giving birth to the East African Community (EAC I 1967-1977). Thanks to colonial carryovers, the intended goal remained out of reach under the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and later the African Unity (AU). Therefore, the move that EAC took was an antithesis and a challenge to the rest of Africa that refused to be reunited.  However, there were other unions of federations such as Senegal-Gambia or Senegambia (1982-1989) and the Economic Commission of West African States (1975 to present) among notable ones.  Again, are free movement, property ownership, and residence Kenyatta is espousing possible without addressing some hurdles and the very reasons why the EAC and Africa is divided? I think, the East Africa and African in general must shake off colonial hangovers; and thereby embark on true reunification of the region and the continent. Let us look at how the above proposed rights can be actualised.

            First, reunifying the region means returning back to its natural formula which gave it the edge and clout of living without necessarily depending on handouts from rich country as it currently is after being colonised in the 18^th Century; thereby ushering in dependency, exploitation, miseries and imperialism that saw Africa become the backyard of the world.

            Secondly, practical reunification of region will create many economic, political and social opportunities such as interdependence, interconnectedness and unity as the tools of strength and respectability internationally. Africans inevitably and out of necessity need each other even if they do not like each other.

            Thirdly, the reunification of the region will enable it to assert its power globally not to mention increasing security and good use of resources.  Reunited EAC and Africa will not have the many do-nothing and despotic presidents who, in the sense, are but black colonisers or the agents of colonialism that are responsible for exploiting Africa.

            Fourth, thanks to neocoloniality, many African countries are at home with doing business with foreigner as they shy away from their neighbours.  Again, Swahili sage has it that you can choose a friend[s] but not a neighbour[s]. This means that our interconnectedness is organic and inevitable; whether we like it or not.

            Fifth, the reunification of the region will increase production as the motivation by which Africa will grow economically due to the fact that, instead of importing goods from afar, Africa will have an internal supply of some goods it imports from abroad. So, too, it’ll cut the cost of running business and production and avert environmental degradation from the machinery used to transport goods so as to enhance good prices for the products produced and traded within the EAC. Currently, some countries import onions from the EU.  In January and February 2011, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Mauritania ‘purchased more Dutch onions than 2010 while in 2009, 42% of Dutch onion exports to West Africa went to Senegal, 22% to Côte d’Ivoire and 13% to Mauritania (Agritrade 2011)  This is shameful and surreal for Africa in general. Why importing food and on top of industrial product as if Africa is a barren?

            In a nutshell, the major question Africa needs to ask and rightly answer is: Why has African become a food importer while it used to feed itself before colonialism was introduced to Africa? There are those who dubiously say that the population of Africa has grown exponentially due to improved health services colonialism started. This is totally erroneous and disingenuous.  One may query why Africa’s able to produce healthy persons who were taken to the Americas as slaves if at all it didn’t have a very sound health system before colonial. Africa needs to reunite and stop crying like a baby while it’s what it takes as it used to be.

Source: Citizen, Wed., today.

Waafrika na utumwa wa kujitakia!

                  

          Hivi karibuni kulivuma habari ya waafrika kuuzwa utumwani nchini Libya. Ni ajabu kuwa waathirika, yaani waafrika, wameendelea kukaa kimya huku wakipaza sauti kupinga mambo yasiyowahusu badala ya kuwaachia wenyewe. Nchini Tanzania, baadhi ya magazeti yenye mwelekeo wa Kiislam yalishutumu utawala wa Myanmar kwa kuwafukuza waislam wa kibengali toka nchini mwake ukisema warejee kwao Bangladesh. Hivyo, waislam wenzao wa Tanzania na nchi nyingine za kiafrika waliona kama hiyo si haki. 
              Hata hivyo, waislam hawa hawa ambao wenzao toka baadhi ya nchi za Afrika Magharibi wanauzwa nchini Libya, hawakujishughulisha na kadhia ya wenzao. Kama haitoshi, hivi karibuni rais mbaguzi wa Marekani Donald Trump aliutambua mji wa Jerusalem kama mji mkuu wa taifa la Israel. Hatua hii ilizua laana, maandamano, mitafaruko na purukushani duniani hasa Mashariki  ya Kati. Umoja wa waislam wa Bonde la Ufa nchini Kenya ulitoa tamko kali sana dhidi ya hatua hii ya kisiasa lakini ukakaa kimya kuhusiana na kadhia ya utumwa nchini Libya. Je huu si ulimbukeni na utumwa wa kujitakia wa waswahili kushupalia ya wenzao wakati yao yakiwashinda? Hiyo picha hapo juu inamuonyesha bwana wa kiarabu na mtumwa wake wa Kiswahili jambo ambalo ni ruksa katika uislam.

Nani alijua mbabe kama Mkapa angenywea na kugeuka kituko wakati mwingine?

Kwa wanaokumbuka ubabe na vimbwanga vya rais mstaafu Benjamin Mkapa, wakiangalia picha hiyo hapo juu wanashangaa na kukubali kuwa kweli kila lenye mwanzo lina mwisho. Tambo, matusi, majigambo sasa hakuna baada ya kugunduliwa ufisadi wa Mkapa na mkewe kiasi cha kutegemea ulinzi wa rais pale raia walipotaka ashughlikiwe. Ama kweli madaraka ni kama suti mabegani mwa mvaaji lakini si ngozi mwilini mwa aliye nayo! Je ni wangapi wanajua na kulikubali hili?

What if you join me to enjoy Mexican monkey

Zuria jekundu kwa madame presidente au raisa

Mke wa rais wa Baraza la Mapinduzi la Zanzibar Mwanamwema Shein akitanua kwenye zuria jekundu kana kwamba yeye ni rais. Huwa napenda kuwaita hawa maraisa. Je kwa madoido haya yasiyo na nguvu kikatiba tutaepuka kuwa na akina Grace Mugabe katika kila nchi za kiswahili?

TPA’s, TRA’s, Police’s and co’s scandal bigwigs must go

          Once again, President Dr John Joseph Magufuli recently proved to be as tough as old boots vis-à-vis taking on mega graft. He stormed the Dar es Salaam port in an impromptu visit that unearthed very freaking mega graft. It came to light; some criminals imported 50 vehicles under the name of the office of the president which the president was not aware of not to mention his officials who openly seemed to sleep at the wheel. With anguish and frustrations, the president tried to help these jipus or boils that need to be squeezed to no avail. Another daunting scandal involves vehicles the police force imported.

            This scandal cuts across the Tanzania Port Authority (TPA), Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) Tanzania police force, the ministry of Transportation, the ministry of home affairs, the ministry of finance, the ministry of trade, the ministry of security and the office of the president and the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) among others. Those Magufuli wrongly thought is comrades-in-arms were caught with pants down. Arguably, such supremoes are but his Achilles heel that left him alone in the war against graft.  When the president asked for answers and explanations about the vehicles, almost all offered gobbledygook which made the president visibly perturbed; mainly after finding; he still has weak-kneed big guns in his government. What a shocker! Magufuli couldn’t understand; why some big cheeses allow conmen and criminals to steal poor taxpayers’ money i.e., supplying used vehicles but being paid for brand new ones.

                        First of all, I congratulate the president and the media on airing this stinking scandal not to mention putting some bigwigs on notice. Again, is it enough? This is a million-dollar question many are now asking, especially when they vividly remember what once transpired the time  Dr Magufuli came across messes in the prison department. After evidencing such rot, the then Prisons Commissioner General, John Casmir was shown the door just a day after the president Magufuli’s tour. Others who were shown the door are two DEDs Deo Mfugale and Mwantum Dau after failing to answer president’s question which is a typical replica of what happened in Dar port. This being the case, it is obvious that the days of such big guns are numbered shall the president stick to his style of dealing with boils.

            Secondly, how many scandals are still concealed? As it seems, much remains to be seen as far as bringing such rot to the fore is concerned.  This shows how hard some of our officials are when it comes to old ways. Are such acts ongoing because of laziness or chronic rent-seeking mentality? We need to get the answer among which is just to show them the way straightway whenever their dirty deeds become known as it is the case in point.

            Thirdly, it seems. Since   Magufuli embarked on deconstructing and overhauling the rotten system, there are hardcore delinquents who still do business as usual with regards to graft. To get rid of such loss makers Mr. President needs to be much harder on them.

            Fourthly, it seems. Weeding out corruption still has a long and jarring road ahead provided that it is endemic and systemic so to speak.  Now, I understand why Tanzanians need to pray for Magufuli. Although I am not a believer in prayers, I may say that the task Mr. President faces is very dangerously traumatising. Instead of praying, Tanzanians should play a pivotal role in unearthing such graft. Magufuli has all reasons to fear for his life. For, some of those he’s fighting are in his own house. Mr. President suspected foul play in police vehicle deal. When he asked the IGP and TPA director general Deusdedit Kakoko if the vehicles imported were new or used, they were unable to tell which is dauntingly and hauntingly scandalous and woozy. Again, will immediate big enchiladas be shown the door forthwith as it was in Minja’s case or spared as it was in the case of Dar es Salaam’s Regional Commission Paul Makonda after being implicated in forgery scam? Tanzanians are anxiously waiting to see how Magufuli will avert this trap that he warned the IGP to avert. Who will fall in another’s trap here? Will president egg them on or chicken out? Those who truly know Dr Magufuli the answer is obvious; some biggies will pay dearly for this mess.
            In sum, will those officials wait for being shown the door or just hit the road after noticing that what they committed is nothing but a crime against their boss and the country in general?

Source: Citizen, Wed., today.

Presidents who were good at push-ups

President John Pombe Joseph Magufuli of Tanzania showing how tough he might be.

Putin also does tough it out not to forget Obama above.

The boxers of the year for this blog

This blog has decided to end this year by bringing its political boxers of the year. Our political boxers of the year are Amama Mbabazi and Yoweri Museveni. As you can see above, they are trying some spats which sometimes can go serious especially due to the fact that Museveni is good at detaining his opponents. Kiiza Besigye tried spats with him to end up being boxed in a home arrest.

Zimbabwe post-Mugabe’s future is not certain…

         

          Former Zimbabwe strongman Robert Mugabe aka Jongwe or rooster is history vis-à-vis power.  Is the man, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa aka Ngwena, who took over from promising for Zimbabwe? Will he spare the chief coup maker namely Grace Mugabe who helped Zimbabwe to pull Mugabe down after being overthrown by Grace? We know. Mugabe’s granted immunity from prosecution.  Again, will Mnangagwa have Grace detained or done in? How will he treat the Jongwe who also once wanted him done in through poisoning as he once alleged? Will the Mugabes reimburse the money they’re alleged to have swindled from Zimbabweans? Will there be a Truth Commission?

             The coup that’s called internal correction left many questions than answers as far as the future of Zimbabwe is concerned. As one Zimbabwean Lance Guma once put it, was the problem Mugabe or his outfit the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) which he equates with the snake in that Mugabe was a skin whose overthrow means just shedding the skin as it remains as poisonous as it has been for three decades?  Now, let us dissever Mnangagwa.

            First and foremost, Mnangagwa was part and parcel of the same system renowned for his ruthlessness and cunningness in dealing with dissent voices. Refer to how the Matebele massacres were carried out under his watch not to mention controversial road accidents that claimed the lives of many Zimbabweans who showed to be competent and amiable to the hoi polloi.

            Secondly, Mugabe presides over a corrupt and ruthless government formed by the same ZANU-PF that propped him; and fully supported what he is accused of. Has Zimbabwe pulled down the Capon to end up ushering in the Crocodile? Is Zimbabwe now at Oginga Odinga’s Not Yet Uhuru time or Chinua Achebe’s No Longer at Easy if not Ngugi wa Thiong’o The River Between?

            Again, the Capon has the tendency of dominance while the Croc has the tendency of ruthlessness. Will Zimbabweans judge Mugabe harshly as they myopically and softly spare Mnangagwa and the ZANU-PF for their peril; or take the bull by the horn. Logically, the ZANU-PF is the only vehicle Mugabe and his cronies used to lord it over Zimbabwe for over three decades. Therefore, there’s no way one can emancipate Zimbabwe without deconstructing the ZANU-PF among others.  Will Zimbabwe and their new leaders who practically are nothing but the extension of mugabeism smell the coffee and do things based on the history of their suffering namely deconstruct and overhaul the whole system? Will they force the Croc to turn itself into a fish or do it themselves? Will the Croc cling to its nature?  Will they purposely and wholesale misjudge Mugabe or treasure the good things he did as they avoid the bad he did for just overstaying?

             Due to the newness of the situation, nobody has any inkling of what’ll follow except the Zimbabweans themselves. Importantly, they must avoid fearing the lizard to end up embracing the Croc despite all looking alike. The Lizard has no teeth while the Croc has high-pitched ones. Will the words of Gibson Lovemore, a street vendor that Zimbabwe has got rid of a snake and replaced it with a snake come true?

            Further, even the army that started the ouster of Mugabe is the one and the only one that kept Mugabe in power for the entire period of 37 years. Did the army become the born again for the love of the people or their man? Apart from being the part and parcel of the mess that saw Zimbabwe being misruled for many years, is Zimbabwe piloting in the era where the gun is becoming mightier than a vote? Are we seeing the military democracy or a coup ala Zimbabwe coup? Who is using whom here between the army and Mnangagwa?  Who is in charge between the duos?

            Will Zimbabweans sanction the army and its man to get away with murder? Will they revisit the history of Mugabe’s jumble so as to weed out all who partook in its making? Will they be blinded by euphoria and sanguinity or being guided by logicality? Many’d like to know how Zimbabwe without Mugabe will look like. For, like any despot, Mugabe turned himself into Zimbabwe. He was Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe was him. This is why it was easy for his wife to dream about using their bed relationship to take over from her husband. Will Zimbabweans really credit Grace as the too, who like Delilah and Samson, enabled them to get rid of Mugabe? Again, was Mugabe that bad or Grace herself? It is not easy to tell which way Zimbabwe is heading for especially if we remind ourselves of a long and controversial marriage between the Jongwe and the Ngwena.

Source: Citizen Wed., 29 Nov., 2017.

Je wajua watu wenye majina marefu barani Afrika?

Japo sina uhakika, kuna uwezekano watu wa kisiwa cha Madagascar wakachukua taji la kuwa na majina marefu kama si duniani basi barani. Leo nitawapa jina la rais mwenye jina refu kuliko marais wote Afrika. Huyu si mwingine ni rais wa sasa wa Madagascar Hery Martial Rajaonarimampianina Rakotoarimanana. Hapa hujawaleta akina Andrianainarivelo, Razafimahatratra, Solonandrasana, Randriambololona, Manjarimanana, Ramanantoanina n.k.

Age Ain't Nothing but a Number = Uzee si chochote bali namba

Edith Hill (95) and Eddie Harrison (96)above  got married in Virginia, US recently defying the odds. This interracial marriage has stunned many. At their eleventh hours, the duo did what many would not think about let alone doing. Again, nani alisema kuwa umri ni tatizo? Hivyo hii inathibitisha kuwa uzee umri si chochote bali namba kama alivyowahi kuimba marehemu Aaliyah Dana Haughton. For more info habari zaidi CLICK/BONYA HAPA