Mengi na Mbowe ni matajiri au matapeli wa kawaida tu waliojificha kwenye biashara na siasa

MOBWE NA MENGI WAMENIDHULUMU

                

             Kama ambayo mmeona siku za karibuni, makala zilizokuwa zikitoka kila wiki kwenye Gazeti la Tanzania Daima na kijliwe na nyingine kwenye magazeti ya  Nipashe na the Guardian hazionekani  kwenye uga huu kwa muda sasa. Hit ni kutokana na kuacha kuandikia magazeti husika baada ya wenye magazeti haya kunidhulumu pesa nyingi ambazo ni malimbikizo ya kazi za takriban miaka mitatu. Hivyo, utawala wa blog hii unajisikia vibaya kufikia hatua hii ambayo, hata hivyo, haiepukiki. Kila nilipokuwa nikidai pesa zangu, wahariri wa magazeti husika walizoea kuniambia kuwa rais John Magufuli amehujumu biashara zao jambo ambalo naona ni dhuluma longolongo na ubabaishaji hasa nikaingalia haddi za wahusika. 
                  Badala ya kuongelea namna ya kunilipa, ulijengeka uadui wa ajabu. Mfano, wahariri wa Gazeti la Nipashe Gaudencia Mngumi na Edmund Msangi waliongoza katika uhasama huu usiokuwa na sababu yoyote bali dhuluma na kujikomba kwa mabwana zao. Sikutegemea watu  ambao wamekuwa wakijionyesha kama matajiri na watetezi wa haki za watanzania kama Freeman Mbowe na Reginald Mengi wangekuwa dhulumati wa kawaida wanaojionyesha kama watu wema wakati si chochote si lolote.

Trump, when the jig’s up and the game’s up think

          Arguably, when US president Donald Trump’s disgraceful fall from grace started, was wrongly perceived as a storm in a teacup. However, it seems, the game is up; and the jig is up. Following the recent double whammy resulting from the conviction and the guilty plea by Trump’s consigliore, Paul Manafort, (one of Trump’s kingmakers) and his lawyer aka fixer (if not the second black box after Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner) who once swaggered he’d take a bullet for Trump, Michael Cohen respectively, is it time to write Trump’s political dirge? Currently, Trump is heavily grappling with the burden of his undoing resulting from the manner and style by which he came to power aka Russian collusion. His spin-doctors and lynch-pins are likely to be in disarray after the conviction and the guilty plea that have taken two sharks down in Trump’s pond he promised to drain to end up imbuing it  with even more deadly and dangerous sharks and whales.

            Since coming to power controversially, Trump’s administration has always had a cloud hanging over it. Now, the noose is slowly tightening on Trump. Some thought that this was a passing cloud.  However, the cloud seems to have refused to go so as to become an albatross around Trump’s neck. As it vividly seems, Trump either is on his way out of the White House or is praying for the miracles to save his ever controversial presidency. Will he survive? Will the Americans bite the bullet and swallow their pride as they keep their greatly tainted president or boot him out?

            It started to rain on Trump when the bombshell or allegations of collusion with Russia; aimed at helping Trump win the White House, surfaced; and kept on looming as the days went by. To make matters worse, the Chairman of his campaign, Manafort was charged by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s team of conjuring up “a sinister plot” early in July (Washington Post, July 8, 2018). To no avail, Trump tried to rubbish and trample on Mueller’s team to end up likely being trumped by it.  Up until 22^nd August, the hammer came down as the die was cast after Manafort “was convicted of five counts of tax fraud, one count of failure to file a report of foreign bank and financial accounts and two counts of bank fraud.” It is not easy to tell if Trump, the man who came to power promising to make America great again to end up making it apolitical grit among mountains, has already smelled the coffee as he sees it coming.  Has Trump been able to Make America Great Again (MAGA) by presiding over the regime that saw America’s greatness, quickly dwindles and fizzles out thanks to being a terrible newbie in the White House?

When contacted to air his views on the goings-on, casting aspersions on the development to the actions he has always referred as witch hunt, Trump’s quoted as saying that this act is nothing but an attack on his country. Sadly though, Trump didn’t elaborate. Did he mean he’s the country and the country’s him? This isn’t the language one’d expect from the leader of the self-appointed leader of the free world that’s refused to be free from controversies under Trump.

            To make matters worse, according to the Guardian (August 22, 2018), Cohen was accused of “a pattern of lies and dishonesty over a significant period of time” which he pleaded guilty to. One of the lies is Cohen’s denial that he wasn’t instructed by Trump to pay and gag two porn stars Trump had affairs with before running for president. Sensing the dangers such perjury would cause to him, Cohen, to save his neck, decided to spill the beans putting Trump in a hot soup. The man who was famously known as Trump’s fixer ended up fixing him. The man known to have what it takes to solve Trump’s problems resulting from his sexual misconducts ended up becoming Trump’s big problem. For, he promised to cooperate with Mueller’s team which means he might have more beans to spill.

            The conviction of Manafort and the guilty plea by Cohen seem to have drably kicked off  the journey of unearthing Trump’s nether world of lies and manipulations that’d see him being booted out after being impeached for obstructing justice, perjury and collusion to sabotage US’s democracy. Verily, this is a very hardest and ultimate test to US’s democracy and pride.  Further, unearthing Trump’s nether world means nothing but pulling him out of power unceremoniously as it was for Richard Nixon who’s forced to bolt out after watertight evidence tied him to wrongdoings while in the White House. After a long time since Nixon’s Watergate surfaced, are we evidencing a Trumpgate or Russianngate if not sexgate?  For, shall Mueller’s nets net Trump and his posse, the US will need to prove what it preaches, wine or water.

Now that the genie is out of the bottle, will Trump survive the blitzkrieg he’s facing or will he just go under? Will he bow out shamefully or arrogantly soldier on and face more onslaughts or hunker for a while as his world crash on him as Mueller’s team zeroes in?

In sum, when Trump astonishingly defeated Hillary Clinton, many were shocked praying that somebody to save the US from self-inflicted wounds. Are Trump’s tribulations the means of saving the US from its political bog resulting from Trump’s blunders? No way can one tell. However, by the look of things, the jig is up and the game is likely to be up too for Trump after digging his own pigpen. This is obviously the matter of time to accurately chronicle; and thereby tell.

Source: Citizen today.

The late Bekhumzi Luthuli, was he related to the late Bob Marley?

Miaka 18 ya kifo cha Dindo Yogo

Kwa wapenzi wa Sebene bila shaka bado wanamkumbuka gwiji wake Dindo Yongo Mabeli aliyefariki tarehe 23 Agosti, 2000. Leo tumemkumbuka kama wapenzi wake bila kuwasahau wengine waliopotea kwenye muda kama huu kama vile Jean de Dieu Makiese (Madilu) na wengine wengi.

LISTEN TO THIS GUY ON JESUS AND MOHAMED

Bobi Wine: Is it the Beginning of the End of Museveni's era

            Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine, a Ugandan musician-turned politician, seems to be shaking things up. This youthful Member of Parliament for Kyaddondo has caught  President Yoweri Museveni by surprise not to mention taking Uganda by storm. What has been ongoing in Uganda recently may tell us something we don't know. What we didn't expect is the reaction of the government after facing some resistance. Since Museveni came to power, he has held Uganda at ransom.  So, he is not used to seeing people demonstrate in the street or opposing his edicts. He created a brutal but fickle regime that subjected Ugandans to fear and intimidation. Now, it seems things have changed dramatically. Those he made to be sheep are slowly waking up from the slumber so as to threaten turning tables on him.
              Like his counterpart in Libya, Muamar Gadaffi, Museveni has turned Uganda into his private estate. This has guaranteed him the ownership of Uganda. For, this reason, Museveni doesn't think that there is a time his autocratic and corrupt rule will come to an end. I don't know if Museveni believe even in death. After being in power with absolute power, it seems, power has corrupted Museveni absolutely. Indeed, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
               Now that the cast is die, chances for Museveni's rule to start crumbling are on the agora.  Faced with youths who want changes, Museveni is forced to unleash his military apparatuses to intimidate them and creating more anger and angst. The more he will kill the more will he will encourage to shun the fear and get out to oppose him. This will have domino effects on Museven's aging regime. Like Gadaffi, Museveni may be caught off guard so as to go down quickly and unexpectedly. Like Blaise Compaore, Museveni's ouster may come from unexpected angle, especially if youths stand their ground to see to it that Museveni is packing and hit the road.
In sum, by the look of the things, this is the beginning of the end of Uganda's longtime under Museveni. Bobi Wine may act as Mohamed Bouazizi in Tunisia whose ripple effects consumed the whole Maghreb leaving many dictators cascading like houseflies from power. Will Bobby Wine become the catalyst that may change the Sub-Saharan Africa starting by Uganda? Time will tell. Is this the beginning of the end of Mseveni? Time will accurately tell.

Yoweri Museveni and the return of Bandaism

            I recently was shocked to hear that the court in Uganda paved the way for Yoweri Museveni to run for president for the sixth time; and keep his grips on power after amending the constitution that put a ceiling on a person who is above 75 years to run for the office.  Remember where you were on 29^th January, 1986. How old were you? For the unborn generations, imagine having a single president throughout their lives as if their countries are barren of competent people to serve as president. This is what the story of Ugandan President Museveni–one of the longest serving presidents in the world–who recently was cleared by the court to run for sixth time–ferrets. The 29^th January, 1986 is the day Museveni’s sworn in as Uganda’s president soon after defeating a General Tito Okello’s friable regime.

            Museveni came to power when former president Ali Hassan Mwinyi’s just three months in power. Ever since, Tanzania’s had three presidents who served two-five year terms in office; plus the current one who’s been in power for two years. Despite being in power for decades, Museveni’s still hell-bent to keep on lord it over Ugandans. This is what this column calls Bandaism. For those not au fait with Bandaism, it’s the system wherein former Malawi’s dictator, Hastings Kamuzu Banda, barefacedly declared himself president for life; and turned the country into his private estate to mismanage and misuse as he deemed fit.  To his credit, though he’s a stinking potentate, Banda’s straightforward. He didn’t fritter away public money, resources and time to convene charades known as or call his thinly-veiled waffle elections.  Neither did Banda hide behind fake and helter-skelter democracy defined by bedlam, coercion and deceit. His was a stinking autocratic and kleptocratic rule; he and his victims knew. However, Banda participated in elections twice, in 1961 wherein he won; and in 1993 he lost.

            Experientially, Egyptians, Libyans and Zimbabweans know too well the tedium of having a demigod in power for many years. He becomes so recycled and tired that he doesn’t remember even his past self. Such a ruler becomes cast-off and worn-out.  He fails to differentiate between himself and the country. This is why one can say that, for Museveni and the likes, Uganda is Museveni and Museveni is Uganda.  This is why Museveni says that “some people think that being in government for a long time is a bad thing. But the more you stay, the more you learn. I am now an expert in governance.” Museveni sadly failed to underscore the fact that bad boys such as Banda, Blaise Compaore (Burkina Faso), Hosni Mubarak (Egypt), Joseph Mobutu (DRC), Muamar Gadaffi (Libya), Yahya Jammeh and others who–out of their ignorance, myopia and selfishness–were either booted out from power like rabid dogs or overthrown and killed, stayed some longer than he’s done yet ended up proving they knew nothing about governance. Who’d think that Mugabe wouldn’t know the jigs were up so as to self-dress as he did recently by abandoning his party and voting for the opposition he used to demonise in the just ended general elections? What a contradiction-cum-shame? What lesson did the likes of Museveni get from Mugabe’s desperation and shame?

                        Love or loathe me; Museveni needs a help urgently for not learning from the fallen dictators who, like him, wrongly thought they’re bigger than their countries. Geopolitically, Museveni needs somebody to tell him that what he’s been doing’s undemocratic, wrong, and illegal. It doesn’t do Uganda any good. Again, where’ll he get such a person if at all in East Africa and Africa in general tinkering with the constitutions to hang around in power’s become an in-thing? Burundi, Rwanda and, now Uganda, in the EAC, have already degraded their constitutions so as to act as diapers any power or self-seeker can use? Cameroon, Chad, and Equatorial Guinea not to mention countries such as, Lesotho, Sudan, Swaziland, and others whose rulers are more of military or traditional monarchs. Museveni’s move’s given EA a worse tag than other regions in violating the constitutions.  Equally, the African Union (AU)–that’s supposed to take on this crime, circumstantially is in on it; on its last legs many years ago after becoming a palaver for African potentates to congregate and blather.            

            There are many unanswered questions regarding Museveni’s monotonous hooey mission-cum-hoo-ha for Uganda. Why does he waste a lot of public money, resources and time convening shenanigans he called elections instead of just being straightforward declaring he’s president for life like Banda did?  What can he do that he failed to do in his over thirty years in power, especially at this eleventh hour? Museveni has already exhausted everything. He’s already appointed his wife a minister not to mention his son and friends. Like any senior and long-time public worker, when’ll Museveni retire; and play with his grandchildren? What precedent is Museveni setting in his paradigmatic political behaviour gyrating around tampering with the sacred document of the land, the constitution? Why’s he afraid of retiring?

In sum, when’ll Museveni respect and stop tampering with the constitution to stay in power illicitly? If there’s anybody who loves and respects Museveni, must pliably tell him to abandon his useless projects of becoming Uganda’s life president. As a senior public servant, it’s time for Museveni to call it quits and allow new blood and crop to catapult Uganda to the future. Look at how Tanzania’s soaring while Uganda’s swarming. All this is because of the new crop of leaders such as John Pombe Magufuli who’s in high school when Museveni took power not to mention Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed who’s just 10 years old. Out of Africa, Austrian Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, who’s only a two months zygote.

Source: Citizen, Aug., 22, 2018.

RIP MONICA JOSEPH MAGUFULI

Tanzania's president Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli lost his sister yesterday after being admitted at Bugando Hospital in Mwanza. Magufuli is renowned for his love for sick people who he visits quite often whenever he's time. Like any human, he must be in grieving for losing one of his own. This blog offers its condolences to Magufuli family; and prays that God offer them solace at this very hard time. May  Monica's soul rest in eternal peace Amen.

SEVEN YEARS AGO THIS MONTH WE LOST CEPHAS MASHAKADA

Cephas Mashakada was a musician of his own type cut from another planet. His legacy has never been surpassed. This man from Zimbabwe dug a very big and deep niche when it comes to music, especially gospel music. RIP Brother Cephas Mashakada.

RIP KOFI ANAAN

Ballot or the Bullet; who won the Zimbabwe Polls?

            When the Zimbabwe Defence Forces packed off former Zimbabwean strongman, Robert Mugabe, for many Zimbabweans, it was a milestone, for some a steppingstone and for others a cornerstone. All depends on where one stands. For common Zimbabweans that have suffered for many years because of Mugabe’s bloopers, the coup was a milestone. For the military and political swashbucklers allied with it, it was a steppingstone to power by all means thereafter as we evidenced in the just concluded general elections. For Mugabe’s nemeses, the coup was a cornerstone for a new dawn that never was.

            Josef Stalin once said that “it is not who votes that counts; it is who counts the votes.” This is what happened in the just concluded elections in Zimbabwe.            

            Revisiting what transpired in Zimbabwe, I may briefly submit as thus:

            Firstly, though in the beginning, especially during the campaigns it seemed that the race was between the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic (ZANU-PF) to me, the game was between the ballot and the bullet as it, later, turned out to be after the results started to announced.

            Secondly, for those who know how many common Zimbabweans have been suffering for over 20 years, the race was obvious that it was between the past and the future in that the ZANU-PF had nothing to offer while the MDC was more of fresh air eyeing the bright future for the country.

            Thirdly, reminding ourselves of how the incumbent president came to power and how he formed his government, no doubt, the race was between those who wanted to decriminalise the coup and those who wanted to return Zimbabwe to constitutionality after faulting how Mugabe was deposed. Let’s face it.  What transpired in Zimbabwe was justifiably and purely a coup d’état although  the junta succeeded in hoodwinking the world asserting that what it did was not the coup but to purge bad and corrupt elements around the president. The argument many analysts asked was: who ordered the army in the street; and what was the climax of the whole thing if not forcing Mugabe to resign; and thereby allow Mnangagwa to grab power instead of the legally supposed person who was the then first vice president Phelekezela Mphoko. In a blatant masquerade of beauty-and-the-beast-like gambit, the army used Mnangagwa–who also thought he used it–to legalise the coup by tramping on the constitution of Zimbabwe. On their side, Zimbabweans were awed by the removal of Mugabe thinking things would change for the better. What a goof!  Actually, the army used euphoric Zimbabweans who were tired of Mugabe to stage and legalise the coup that went on marring the elections. As Blessings-Miles Tendi (Guardian, Aug., 3, 2018) puts it “Zimbabwe was united. This election has divided us again.” Now that the dust has settled a wee bit, is Mnangagwa willing to heal and reunite Zimbabwe once again or just keep on lord it over the country? Does he have what it takes to do so provided that up until now, no one knows who runs the show between him and Chiwenga? Will the MDC easily let it go without a good fight?

            My worries emanate from the following questions have forced me query the entire exercise:

            Firstly, why did the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) delay the announcement of the presidential results by just announcing legislature and county votes?

            Secondly, why did the authority dispatch the military to the streets ending up gunning down six innocent people who were enjoying and exercising their constitutional rights while demonstrations are enshrined in the constitution?

            Thirdly, who ordered the army to the streets between President Emerson Mnangagwa who–for all eight months he’s been in power was campaigning for peace–and his vice president Constantino Chiwenga who toppled former President Robert Mugabe and installed Mnangagwa?Who won in Zimbabwe’s election between the ballot and the bullet?

            When the Zimbabwe Defence Forces packed off former Zimbabwean strongman, Robert Mugabe, for many Zimbabweans, it was a milestone, for some a steppingstone and for others a cornerstone. All depends on where one stands. For common Zimbabweans that have suffered for many years because of Mugabe’s bloopers, the coup was a milestone. For the military and political swashbucklers allied with it, it was a steppingstone to power by all means thereafter as we evidenced in the just concluded general elections. For Mugabe’s nemeses, the coup was a cornerstone for a new dawn that never was.

            Josef Stalin once said that “it is not who votes that counts; it is who counts the votes.” This is what happened in the just concluded elections in Zimbabwe.            

            Revisiting what transpired in Zimbabwe, I may briefly submit as thus:

            Firstly, though in the beginning, especially during the campaigns it seemed that the race was between the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic (ZANU-PF) to me, game was between the ballot and the bullet as it, later, turned out to be after the results started to announced.

            Secondly, for those who know how many common Zimbabweans have been suffering for over 20 years, the race was obvious that it was between the past and the future in that the ZANU-PF had nothing to offer while the MDC was a new fresh air eyeing the bright future for the country.

            Thirdly, reminding ourselves of how the incumbent president came to power and how he formed his government, no doubt, the race was between those who wanted to decriminalise the coup and those who wanted to return Zimbabwe to constitutionality after faulting how Mugabe was deposed. Let’s face it.  What transpired in Zimbabwe was justifiably and purely a coup d’état although  the junta succeeded in hoodwinking the world asserting that what it did was not the coup but to purge bad and corrupt around the president. The argument many analysts asked was: who ordered the army in the street; and what was the climax of the whole thing if not forcing Mugabe to resign; and thereby allow Mnangagwa to grab power instead of the legally supposed person who was the then first vice president Phelekezela Mphoko. In a blatant masquerade of beauty-and-the-beast-like gambit, the army used Mnangagwa–who also thought he used it–to legalise the coup by tramping on the constitution of Zimbabwe. On their side, Zimbabweans were awed by the removal of Mugabe thinking things would change for the better. What a goof!  Actually, the army used euphoric Zimbabweans who were tired of Mugabe to stage and legalise the coup that went on marring the elections. As Blessings-Miles Tendi (Guardian, Aug., 3, 2018) puts it “Zimbabwe was united. This election has divided us again.” Now that the dust has settled a wee bit, is Mnangagwa willing to heal and reunite Zimbabwe once again or just keep on lord it over the country? Does he have what it takes to do so provided that up until now, no one knows who runs the show between him and Chiwenga? Will the MDC easily let it go without a good fight?

            My worries emanate from the following questions have forced me query the entire exercise:

            Firstly, why did the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) delay the announcement of the presidential results by just announcing legislature and county votes?

            Secondly, why did the authority dispatch the military to the streets ending up gunning down six innocent people who were enjoying and exercising their constitutional rights while demonstrations are enshrined in the constitution?

            Thirdly, who ordered the army in the street between President Emerson Mnangagwa who–for all eight months he’s been in power was campaigning for peace–and his vice president Constantino Chiwenga who toppled former President Robert Mugabe and installed Mnangagwa?

            Fourthly, who has real power in Zimbabwe between the duo; and how long will their marriage survive?

            Fifthly, was the ZEC impartial; and how was it formed; and who formed it?  Did the ZEC provide a level playing turf–any sane person can attest to–when it comes to using public resources?

            In sum, now that the electioneering and elections are over as the scrimmages over its validity starts, what should Zimbabwe expect? Will Zimbabweans kick back and expect big things from the regime that has proved to be carbuncular or press on to see that the two good guys come and work together for the benefits of the country that has suffered a lot since its independence? Who’ll be the winner between the ballot and the bullet and the sanity and insanity? The simple is that Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans deserve better.

            Fourthly, who has real power in Zimbabwe between the duo; and how long will their marriage survive?

            Fifthly, was the ZEC impartial; and how was it formed; and who formed it?  Did the ZEC provide a level playing turf–any sane person can attest to–when it comes to using public resources?

            In sum, now that the electioneering and elections are over as the scrimmages over its validity start, what should Zimbabwe expect? Will Zimbabweans kick back and expect big things from the regime that has proved to be carbuncular or press on to see that the two good guys come and work together for the benefits of the country that has suffered a lot since its independence? Who’ll be the winner between the ballot and the bullet and the sanity and insanity? The simple answer is that Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans deserve better.

Citizen, Aug.,15, 2018.

Jesus didn't exist

Chadema must exorcise the demon out of its ranks

          When Mwita Waitara, former Ukonga MP (CHADEMA), broke ranks with his party, it took time for many to believe what he alleged. Waitara said that his quandaries started when he showed an interest in running for party’s chairmanship.

            According to Waitara (Mwananchi, August 1, 2018), Mbowe allegedly doesn’t allow anybody to question anything. This means there is no democracy. And without exercising democracy within itself, apart from defeating its name namely the party of democracy and development, there’s no way such a party can bring the same to the country. He added “my conflict with Mbowe, at this time we approaching elections… I said that he has led the party for 20 years, the age of an adult person... The party is called the party of democracy and development. There is no election. And what is there is just kupachika pachika” (embedding).

            Apart from alleging that his defection resulted from being targeted simply because he wanted run for the chairmanship of the party, Waitara said that there’s no accountability especially when it comes to how the money the party gets monthly by as subsidies is spent. Further, Waitara said that it has been CHADEMA’s limbo whenever it approaches internal elections. He cited examples of other members, who either were expelled or ditched the party simply because they’re seen as the threats to the chairman.  Professor Mwesiga Baregu, one of CHADEMA brains, concurs with the assertion of the party being a private estate. The Mwananchi (May 30, 2018) quotes him as saying that “these complaints are just emotions, I think we must let the party owners what they want so that we can follow because there we can’t change anything.” Further, former Deputy Chair, Said Arfi concurs noting that “ either, he  (Mbowe) was infuriated as to why I questioned why party founder Hon. Mtei, imposes leaders on us”  (Mwananchi, November 22, 2013).

            Since Edwin Mtei, found the CHADEMA 26 years ago, the party has known only two people at helms namely himself and his son-in-law Freeman Mbowe, current CHADEMA’s chair minus approximately six years the party was under Mtei’s consigliore and party co-founder Bob Makani.

            In the same vein, since founding it, the United Democratic Party (UDP) has been under the chairmanship of John Cheyo since its inception 26 years ago,  just like the Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT) under Zitto Kabwe not to mention the National Convention for Construction and Reform–Mageuzi (NCCR-Mageuzi) that has, for many years been under James Mbatia plus the United People’s Democratic Party (UPDP) under Fahmi Nassoro Dovutwa not to forget the Tanzania Labour Party (TLP) that has been under Augustine Mrema  since 1995 after snatching it from its founders and crucifying it by turning it into his private party.

            The list of the parties their leaders use for their personal ends is long. The Civic Union Front (CUF) was under Professor Ibrahim Lipumba and Seif Sharif Hamad for many years on the helms wherein the duo has interminably been running for president in Mainland and Zanzibar respectively. However, after one wanted to pack off another, the party ended up splitting into two thanks to the duo’s wrangles. The same applies to the Democratic Party (DP) that saw its founder, Christopher Mtikila, at the helms up until his death. Similarly, the Union for Multiparty Democracy (UMD) was under Abdallah Fundikira since he found it in 1993 up until he crossed over to the CCM in 1999. Those are the notable political parties in Tanzania. There are many more unknown with the same selves of being personal parties. Such parties thrive on cronyism, denialism, favouritism and mystery which create the seeds of self-destruction.

            What does the situation above say? It is simple. Many political parties, minus Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), are family or private chattels of their leaders if not moneymaking gears for them. Knowing this weakness, the CCM has never perturbed itself to remind them of putting their houses in order. It knows; such parties cannot unseat it. Methinks this is why CCM’s chair, President John Magufuli, claimed that the CCM will rule Tanzania forever. Although this assertion was taken out of context and misconstrued as the sign of dictatorship, the truth on the ground speaks volumes. The AFP (July 18, 2018) quoted Magufuli as saying that “the CCM is here and will continue to be here - forever. Members of the CCM, you can walk with your heads held high. There is no alternative to the CCM.” With such unaccountable and undemocratic parties revolving around nepotism and sole personalities, truly, there is no alternative. Like anybody, Magufuli knows how many political parties are private political parties as opposed to the CCM that’s a public political party.

            In western countries where our democracy likes to ape, the leader of the party faces his or her definitive test during the general elections. Once the party loses elections, the chair, too, packs and hits the road.

            Summing up all evidence adduced, we must agree; there’s a very big problem in the politics of our country with regard to accountability and democracy. For the CCM not to rule forever, the opposition parties need to be decolonised themselves in order to be owned by members but not their leaders.  Democracy must emanate from within the parties but not otherwise. Failure to deconstruct themselves, many political parties in Tanzania will always remain onlookers when the CCM is entrenching itself in power.

Source: Citizen, Aug.,8, 2018.

Where were you when this song was a hit?

DINI ZINAPOGEUZWA BIASHARA NA UTAPELI WA KUNUKA

OLD IS GOLD: WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THIS WAS HIT?

The Magufulification of Tanzannia!

When blacks discriminate against each other!

The Documentary of My Hero The Poorest President of the World Jose Pepe Mujica of Uruguay

Lugola please let the law take its course in Lugumi scam

            There’s a new kid in town that’s medially been grabbing headlines. This is none other than Kangi Alphaxard Lugola, Home Minister that hit the ground running with oomph and pomp after his predecessor, Mwigulu Nchemba’s shown the door. Lugola’s left many tongues wagging in approval and disapproval. His style, though not new, has attracted many and caused convolution so to speak. He appears to like using the camera whenever issuing impromptu directions. Before even bracing himself on the seat, Lugola fired his first warning shot across by glossing over the plight of a missing journalist, Azory Gwanda, as a family matter as if the family isn’t a part of a nation. Being a binadam, Lugola recanted and rescinded his injurious statement. Again, is Lugola trying to cut his teeth and find his feet or what?

            Further, Lugola ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to make sure he brings the missing sniffer dog within a few days. This move created some rumpus; and received mixed reactions; seen as the abuse and usurpation of power simply because Lugola and the IGP are presidential appointees. Anyways, today, this isn’t an issue. However, I still can’t get it how a police dog could vanish easily from a very nyeti area such as the harbour. Where’s this dog; why and since when? The other day, I heard Lugola boasting how he ordered a cop to in Arusha be put behind bars and later freed him.

            Looking at Lugola’s performance against the history of his position, I recommend three books of History vis-à-vis his new job for him to read. The first one is known as Ali Hassan Mwinyi that‘ll help him to know what to do after stepping out of bounds.

            The second book’s known as Augustine Lyatonga Mrema; it is very central in establishing the perimeters Lugola needs to play in not to forget the manner and possibly, the consequences thereof sometimes.

            The third one is known as Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba which will help Lugola to get wind of issues to be dealt with not to mention those supposed to be left in peace or the untouchable ones. The last book is that of Charles Kitwanga who holds a record of occupying the seat Lugola is swiveling on for the shortest time in the history of the country.

            I heard Lugola issuing a diktat for Lugumi, the brain and face behind a mega scandal that shares the name with the man, to present himself before Lugola. It is shocking that Lugumi is still a free man despite being accused of crimes related to sabotage.  Again, who’s this dicey and mysterious man that seems to have eluded many for many years since his dirty linens were brought to the agora? Is he a mere clown if not a poker chip some whoppers in the former regime used to make big bucks or what?  What does his history say? Did he secure the tender–he turned into a boom-cum-boon–procedurally and legally or through the backdoor? To who’s he related or connected? What’s his profession before landing the tender? As per the law of the land, is Lugumi supposed to be hoven before the minister or before the judge? Is there any need for the whole minister to kick back and have a cup of tea with a suspect in such a mega scandal bordering to sabotage? Why weren’t IPTL guys accorded such a golden chance that’s a lot to do with PR? The law is clear. Lugumi must be brought to book where he legally deserves to be but not otherwise. Many’d like the minister to chillax and allow due legal process to deal with the matter legally and professionally. For, detractors may misconstrue such moves as politicising the matter instead of arresting it.

            It doesn’t make any sense for a single person to deal with public matters as if they’re private. The Mwananchi (July 26, 2018) quoted Lugola as he’s summoning other companies to his office so that they can return the money they received illegally. Is this the rule of law? Does Lugola have legal procuratorial jurisdiction?  How do you ask a person you’ve already accused of committing a crime to return the loots; and let him or her get away with murder? Doing so is as good as partaking of the crime one purports to deal with. My humbly submission is that all issues that Lugola raised are the domain of the court of law.

            The fix Lugola faces sends us back to the book of Mrema who used to call for people to Moshi. Again, when he became bigger than he who cloned him, he failed out of favour. Remember when he intercepted gold at the JNKIA to end up being told not to touch the sacred cows? Remind yourself what ensued thereafter and what the climax of this show was.

            Provided that Lugumi was contracted by the same ministry, maybe, Lugola has smelled a rat somewhere? Is it possible that Lugola knows that he’s sitting on the necropolis of Lugumi mega scandal due to the fact that all former epochs minus Nyerere’s, saw that all mega deals and scams were but an insider job? Refer to EPA and Richmond scams have always remained a skeleton in the closet. Why’s it still impossible to revisit them for the fear of exhuming the tombs of the saints? For example, had those charged to look into EPA been compromised so as to settle for the sacrifice a friend of chief adviser to the Caesar, do you think the history of Tanzania would be the same today? Why EPA known thieves such as Kagoda and others got away scot-free and kept on enjoying the loots despite the presence of water tight inculpatory evidence against them?

            Lugola needs to learn from history in order to avoid repeating the mistake his predecessors committed and found themselves in the cold.

Source: Citizen, August 1, 2018.