PRESIDENT MAGUFULI’s VISIT TO VIGUNGUTI ABATTOIR: ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION OF HIS UNIQUE LEDERSHIP QUALITIES.

 was motivated to write this piece after reading Freddy Macha’s article (a regular columnist writing from London), which was published in THE CITIZEN of Friday, 20^th September, 2019.  He was making a contribution on a news item which dominated the electronic media recently, namely, that of President John Pombe Magufuli’s unscheduled (unannounced) visit to an on- going construction project of an abattoir, or slaughterhouse, at Vugunguti, in the city of Dar es Salaam.

According to Freddy Macha: “JPM’s abattoir visit was such a rare event   even by international standards”.  He then continued as follows: “President Magufuli’s visit to Vigunguti, should be an example of correct leadership, so much needed in Africa”.         

Apparently relying on a You Tube clip, Freddy Macha said in his article: “Thanks to modern live television, the first thing you noticed was the spontaneity, the sincerity, and sense of genuine drama as the President walks in, very well protected as usual.  Then all the responsible chiefs present at the site are openly questioned, starting from the main contractor, the Director of Operations, and the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner.   Plus, the local   area residents, who expressed their deep - held grievances on a variety of issues”.  And “that is where the outstanding skills of this President rolled sharply   into focus:  a kind of ‘street Parliament’ came into being.  Eventually, he orders the project to be completed by December 2019 (they have to workday and night) . . .. What President Magufuli did in Vigunguti this week is about being accountable and using power correctly. This should be an example of correct leadership so much needed in Africa”. Those were Freddy Macha’s observations.

But that is actually   President Magufuli’s regular leadership style.

It would appear that  Freddy  Macha’s  vigorous  excitement  about this  single  performance by President Magufuli,  may  probably be a result of his  prolonged  absence from  Tanzania,  which therefore  accounts for his having missed many other similar unscheduled visits by President  Magufuli, to all kinds of sites and locations, for the same purpose of  inspecting  whatever was going on there; and giving  instant, “on-the spot guidance”  to the relevant operatives; which has  resulted  in enormous economic benefits to our country  and nation.                                                                                                              For those of us who have observed President Magufuli “in action” over the last   nearly   four years now, this is his unique style of leadership; which may be described in the following terms:   Firstly, that he is a “doer”, or “a man of action”. Secondly, that he is “a man of his word”, that is to say, a person who actually does whatever he promises to do, otherwise known as a person “who walks his talk”.  And thirdly, that that he is an innovator”, i.e. a person who introduces new ideas, or new ways of doing things. 

His  unprecedented positive  performance  in almost every field speaks for itself; including:   the rapid provision of new infrastructure  in  terms of  new and/or  renovated old School buildings; large numbers of  new hospital buildings and equipment;  numerous  new  clean water schemes; plus new bridges and  tarmac roads   infrastructure projects,   all over the country.

But  with regard to his regular,  impromptu inspection visits to problematic, non- performing   areas  or locations;  perhaps  the  most outstanding example is when, in late 2016,  he paid  such  an  unscheduled visit to Dar es Salaam Harbour;  where he discovered  a  rather  large number of containers waiting to be shipped to destinations outside the country,  which  he  instinctively suspected  were probably loaded with  valuable  mineral materials.  The ‘man of action’ ordered certain steps to be taken immediately to investigate the matter. These investigations revealed a major “disorder” in the mining sector, which had previously remained unknown, or undetected.  Thereafter, he quickly set about to put that sector “in order”, with measures, which culminated in the enactment of two historic “natural Resources protection laws” by the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania. These were: - (i) “The natural Wealth and Resources Contracts (Review and Re-negotiation of unconscionable Terms) Act, 2017”; and (ii) “The Natural Wealth and Resources (Permanent Sovereignty) Act, 2017.   The two laws  were closely followed by the enactment of a third law, cited as “The Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2017; which  made major important amendments to six other laws; whose overall effect was  to strengthen the supervision and control   of the mining sector,  and its allied  sectors  of oil and natural gas,  by the Government,  but also served  to improve Government revenue collections from those sectors.                      

Reporting  on  these events  the next day, the DAILY NEWS of Tuesday, 4^th July, 2017,  joyfully reported thus  on its front page :-  “The overwhelming  support  given to  these  Government  Bills by Parliament  last evening,  has  heralded an entirely new era, to be  based on a strong legal base, which will protect the country’s natural resources  and safeguard Tanzania people’s  economic  welfare. The new laws are expected  to  put the mining sector’s  ‘house’  in order,  after the dust has settled from the recent revelations  by two special committees of experts,  appointed  by President  Magufuli, of  massive thievery and deception which have,  for a long time, been  perpetrated  by the specified mining firms, which were  taking advantage of faulty mining contracts  and  inappropriate applicable laws”.  

What these new laws provided for.

The  Natural Wealth and Resources Contracts (Review and Re-negotiation of  Unconscionable Terms) Act, 2017; defines “unconscionable terms”  as “any terms in any contract,  or Agreement , regarding the country’s  natural resources,  which is contrary to good conscience;  and whose  enforceability  jeopardizes, or is likely to jeopardize,  the interests of the People of the United Republic of Tanzania”.  The Act, consequently, grants new powers to the National Assembly to review any such contracts or Agreements.   It also stipulates the procedures to be followed in respect of any such review process.

The Preamble to this Act is what gives all the basic reasons for the enactment of this law.  It reads as follows: -                                                                         “WHEREAS, by virtue of article 27 of the (country’s) Constitution, the protection of the natural resources and wealth in the United Republic is charged on its People and the Government, the control of which is entrusted to the President;                                                                                                      AND  WHEREAS, by virtue of article 9 (c ) and (i) of  the Constitution requires all activities of the Government to be conducted  in such a manner as to ensure that the national wealth and heritage  are harnessed, preserved and applied,  for the common good, and in order to  prevent  exploitation; and further to ensure that the use of the national wealth and heritage places emphasis on the development of the People and the United Republic;           AND  WHEREAS, the Government  has resolved  to  fairly and equitably undertake protracted measures intended to ensure that the natural wealth and resources  of  the United Republic  are used for the greatest  benefit and welfare of the People  and   the United Republic,  by ensuring that all arrangements or Agreements  entered into by the Government  shall protect the interests of the People and the United Republic;                                                                       AND  WHEREAS,  pursuant to law, the United Republic has permanent sovereign rights  for the purpose of exploring, exploiting, and managing its  natural resources;                             

AND  WHEREAS, the United Republic,  being a sovereign state, has permanent sovereignty over all its natural  wealth and resources, thus   imposing on the Government  the responsibility  of ensuring that the interests of the People of the United Republic are paramount, and are fully  protected in any arrangement or Agreement  which the Government makes, or enters  into,  in respect of such natural wealth resources .   NOW, THEREFORE, it is enacted . . .”                

That then, is the Preamble to the first law. As can be seen, it provides clarity regarding the reasons, or justification, for its enactment; which is. primarily, to protect the economic interests of the people of the United Republic of Tanzania.

The second law, as we have already seen, is “The Natural Wealth and Resources (Permanent Sovereignty) Act, 2017”; which makes provision for giving statutory recognition to the country’s “permanent sovereignty” over its natural wealth and resources.  This  Act   proclaims loudly    that  “the people of the United Republic shall have permanent sovereignty over all the country’s  natural wealth and resources”;  and  further declares, for the avoidance of any doubt,  that “the ownership and control over  its  natural wealth and resources  shall  be exercised  by, and through,  the Government on behalf of the people, and the United Republic”.  The Act also makes provision for the inalienability of the country’s natural wealth and resources   in the following terms: “The (country’s) natural wealth and resources shall be inalienable in any manner whatsoever and shall always remain the property of the People of the United Republic”.   

It further provides that such natural wealth and resources “shall be held in trust by the President, on behalf of the people of the United Republic.                                                     
Thereafter, the Act  imposes certain prohibitions  in the following terms: “It shall be unlawful to make any arrangement or Agreement for the extraction, exploitation, or  acquisition and use, of  the (country’s)   natural  wealth and resources,  except  where  the interests of the People of the United Republic are fully secured,  and must be approved by the National Assembly”.                                                 

The Act also includes a number of other provisions which are designed to benefit the people of Tanzania in a variety of other ways, and to enable the country to benefit substantially from the disposal of its natural resources.   There is no doubt that  these  new laws, which are  the brainchild  of President  John Pombe Magufuli,  will make a huge contribution to the multiple  efforts  being exerted in the direction of uplifting the country’s economy,  and the general welfare of its people, in  particular,  through  the provision of  increased and  improved public  social and  economic  services.

“Magufuli for change”

“Magufuli for change” was President Magufuli’s campaign slogan during the 2015 Presidential elections.  We now have clear evidence that he has, indeed, “walked his campaign talk”.

This reminds me  of what is known as the  “Madisonian view”,  that  is to be found mostly in American political science literature, and  is  expressed  thus:-  “The aim of every political system  is, or ought to be:   first,  to obtain as rulers  men who posses most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of society; and in the next place,  to take the most effective precautions  to keep them virtuous  while they continue to hold the public trust”.                          
             Thus, relying on that statement, I would venture to suggest that in our own case,  our political system  (through nomination by Chama cha  Mapinduzi and  endorsement by  the majority of the Tanzanian voters)  has, indeed,  been  able “to obtain for the country’s  ruler”  (President)   a  man from Chato  called  John  Pombe Magufuli (JPM)  who, apparently. “possesses the wisdom to discern, plus the virtue to pursue, the common good” for the Tanzanian Society.                                            
              What is required now is for the same system to carry out the remaining task, of “taking the most effective precautions to keep JPM virtuous while he continues to hold public trust”, i.e. for the remainder of his constitutionally mandated term of office.

piomsekwa@gmail.com/0754767576.

Source: Daily News and Cde Msekwa Himself.